Professional honeymooners: dream job or nightmare?

by Laurel Miller on

Does a half-year working honeymoon sound like your idea of a dream job? If so, you might want to contact RunawayBrideandGroom.com, an Irish travel agency catering to destination weddings and honeymoons.

But wait- there’s more! You’ll also be paid 20,000 euros (about $27,000). “The Ultimate Job” is the latest in a series of promotions designed to capture the public imagination and serve as a “brilliant” marketing tool for people and places. The idea was inspired by last year’s blockbuster “Best Job in the World” campaign in Australia.

Winners will travel the globe for six months, and get paid to test out the most romantic wedding and honeymoon destinations around the world. More than 1,000 couples have already applied for the chance to be sent to resorts in Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States. You don’t have to be Irish to apply, but you do have to tout Ireland as part of the process.

Hopefuls have until April 7 to apply for the “horrendous assignment” — as the company teasingly calls it (hee.) — which starts mid-May. B.Y.O. Viagra and UTI medicine.

The winners will be asked to blog about their experiences a few times a week, “when they can get out of the hammock after sipping a glass of champagne,” says Rosemarie Meleady, managing director of RunawayBrideandGroom.com. Assuming they stay sober long enough, they must also write for The Irish Times once a month.

While 182.5 days of globetrotting is a dream job for many (mainly real travel writers), it would still test the limits of even the most solid of couples. Here’s hoping the company also throws in a good divorce lawyer.

Four Twitter deals for Valentine’s Day getaways

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You may not be able to say how you feel in 140 characters or less, but you sure can get leads on the best Valentine’s Day experience that way. So, instead of tweeting a feeling, use the white-hot social media platform to grab the top travel specials for the most romantic day of the year. Several resorts are running Twitter-only Valentine’s Day specials this year, so follow the right people, and you’ll be able to wow your better half this year.

1. @BalHarbourFL

ONE Bal Harbour, a five-star luxury property in Florida, is offering a savings of up to $800 a night through its “Tweeterhearts” package. Follow @BalHarbourFL and look for the package that has a room rate of only $1,335 a night for three nights, champagne in your room upon arrival, a couples spa treatment in a private beachside cabana and a romantic dinner for two at 1 Bleu.

2. @FairmontNewport
Look for a room rate of $199 a night at the Fairmont Newport with its “Twitter-patter” package. You’ll stay in a junior suite, enjoy breakfast on your private balcony and receive plush robes adorned with the names of you and your guest (perfect for Twitter nerds like @tjohansmeyer and his wife, mommy-blogger, @ljpimberton — I’m seriously kicking this around, just for the robes). Other amenities, from high-speed internet access to valet parking and champagne are covered, as well. And, the window is wide: you can stay from the beginning of February through the end of March. Get the booking code from @FairmontNewport or @FairmontHotels.3. @LandingsStLucia
Who thought you could get a great wedding deal on Twitter? This RockResort is putting its best foot forward with the “Twitter Bells” package, which you can find by following @LandingsStLucia. You can save up to 25 percent with rates starting at $564 a night for a six-night stay as part of your wedding getaway. Enjoy a ceremony on the beach with a decorated wedding arch, floral arrangements and a bouquet and boutonniere. Your wedding dinner will be prepared for by Executive Chef Richard Tonks, and you’ll eat it on your luxurious “Tweet Suite” terrace. You’ll also pick up breakfast and lunch daily and evening champagne turndown service. You’ll need to tie the knot by May 11, 2010.

4. @ArrabelleVail
Do you crave powder? The Arrabelle at Vail Square‘s “Sweet Tweet for Two” package will get you a two-night stay at a discount of up to 30 percent, if you follow @ArrabelleVail. You’ll be greeted with champagne, roses and chocolate covered strawberries, and during your stay, you’ll enjoy an 80-minute couples massage, a Tweethearts tubing session and breakfast every day. The package is available through the end of ski season (April 17, 2010), with rates starting at $465 a night.

RockResort deal ignites romance at The Landings St. Lucia

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Now with direct flights from JFK, St. Lucia is even more accessible than ever before. With winter coming, the Caribbean becomes all the more attractive, and RockResort has is amping it up with a new deal. Couples are invited to celebrate their relationships at St. Lucia — from eloping to honeymooning to renewing — at a savings of up to 25 percent. Three new deals are designed to get you onto the beach soon.

The “Romance and Elope” package does more than knock the price of a room at The Landings down to $564 a night; it also spares you the months of agony involved in wedding planning. Dash off to St. Lucia for the wedding of your dreams (one that doesn’t involve angry family members, seating charts or bunny hops). Your wedding ceremony will be held under a decorated arch on the beach, after which Executive Chef Richard Tonks will set you up with dinner for two on the couples’ villa suite terrace. The six-night package also includes choice of breakfast or lunch daily and evening champagne turndown.

If you just tied the knot and need a honeymoon, check out the “Romance and Escape” package. You’ll enjoy a Caribbean honeymoon for six nights and benefit from “his” and “hers” amenities, in addition to dinner for two in The Beach Club and a selection of excursions such as SCUBA diving, rainforest zip-lining, golf and lavish spa treatments (rates start at $431 a night).

For couples who are already married, the “Romance and Renew” package taps into the fun of renewing wedding vows, with a sunset beachside ceremony, a private romantic in-suite dinner and couples massages at the spa. The $525 nightly rate includes a framed picture of the ceremony.

Get married at Colorado’s Keystone Resort and get free season ski pass

by Katie Hammel on

Skiing couples looking to get married on a mountain should look into Keystone Resort in Colorado. Couples who host a wedding at the resort between November 30, 2009 and November 30, 2010 will receive complimentary passes for the 2010-2011 ski season.

In addition to months of free skiing, the Keystone Wedding Pass Promotion includes a free one-night resort stay with champagne and strawberries, the services of a dedicated wedding coordinator, discounted room rates for guests, and a special cake on the couple’s one year anniversary. There are several different packages to choose from. All include rental of chairs, tables, linens and serving ware, rehearsal space, and shuttle service around the resort for guests.

Multi-course dinners with open bar range from $75 to $150 per guest and there are all several venues available. Venues hold anywhere from 80 to 350 guests and include a majestic lodge overlooking the mountains or an intimate gourmet restaurant reached by gondola.

The resort opens for the season on November 6 and offers trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels.

Ave Maria or Hava Nagila? No Need to Choose at Cabo Azul

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Planning a wedding is the final test of a relationship. If a couple can survive this gauntlet of vendors and family members, the marriage has a real shot. It’s even more taxing when you’re putting together a destination wedding (definitely not my favorite kind). The only thing that could make this experience worse is the emotional toll exacted by interfaith struggles. If you’re dealing with this challenge, cross the border. At Cabo Azul Resort, the chapel is uniquely equipped to execute your compromise.

In my experience, at least (limited though it is), interfaith squabbles have more to do with the parents and less with the couple. Two people meet, fall in love and decide to take the plunge. By that point, they know the religions involved and either don’t care or develop the appropriate coping mechanism. The parents, however, may feel differently. Even if there’s no bigotry involved, choices have to be made … starting with the opening to so many jokes: priest, minister or rabbi?

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Ultimately, the power of the purse wins the day. The person writing the checks makes the final call – that’s the beauty of capitalism! Of course, there are alternatives to the tyranny of the fiscally endowed. Compromise can be achieved, and this is where the Cabo Azul Resort is ready to jump in.

Located along the beach in Los Cabos, Mexico, Cabo Azul offers an airy, open (but covered) chapel with a view of the only chunk of shoreline in the area on which you can swim. Natural sunlight illuminates the space, but careful design minimizes the glare. Guests in the pews can stare out at the water instead of paying attention to the service … perfect. While scenery and sunshine do alleviate the tension of interfamily, interfaith tension, Cabo Azul has taken the concept a step further.

Two for the price of one!

Without undue effort, the religious space at Cabo Azul can be converted from church to synagogue. The cross suspended from the ceiling can be retracted and a Star of David lowered. The need to choose is obviated, and you can focus on what matters most – avoiding your in-laws!

Disclosure: The Los Cabos Tourism Board picked up the tab for this trip. But, if you know me, you know I don’t do anyone favors. The opinions are definitely my own.