Packing Right for Your Winter Honeymoon
 (ARA) - You made it through the wedding, so now comes the relaxing part -- your romantic honeymoon in a faraway destination. But what do you pack and how much do you need? Gone are the days of multiple suitcases stacked at the doorway to accompany you on your flight. With airlines charging fees for checked luggage, today’s friendly skies will only allow you just so much, so you’d better make the most of your checked bag and your carry-on.
There are three basic honeymoon destination types: the beach, the mountains and the city. Each one requires careful pre-planning on your part to make sure you have enough, but not so much that you wind up forking over extra cash at your airline’s check-in counter.
If the beach is your destination -- a great choice for all the northerners who spend most of the winter digging their driveways out from under mounds of snow -- there’s a chance that you may have to carry on all your items if you or your spouse want to bring along the golf clubs. But have no fear, it can be done.
“Chances are you’re just going to be at the pool most of the day, so two swimsuits, a wrap or two and flip-flops will take care of most of your daytime needs,” says Anne Hankey, a fashion marketing & management instructor at The Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago.
Hankey also suggests neutral T-shirts, sexy dresses that can be dressed up or down, shorts, a couple of skirts and a pair of casual and dressy sandals. Don’t forget your sunglasses, a small, unique “statement bag” and a big bag you can use as a carry-on, on the plane and as your beach bag once you get to your destination. If you have room, Hankey also suggests a big collapsible hat, but you can always buy one when you land.
And what do you wear on the plane when you’re taking off in sub-zero weather and landing in a heat wave? “My favorite trick is to wear black exercise clothes,” says Stephanie Schuller, fashion marketing and management instructor at The Illinois Institute of Art -- Chicago. “They’ll insulate you so in cold weather they’ll keep you warm and they can keep you from sweating in warm weather because they are designed to regulate your body temperature when you work out.”
If you decide to head to a winter ski resort on your honeymoon, you can still keep your bulkier winter wear to a minimum. Hankey suggests you pack your ski boots with your skis in your checked luggage. “Wear your ski parka on the plane with a nice pair of jeans, a sweater and casual boots.
Bring two pairs of leggings and a few thermal T-shirts to layer under your parka when you hit the slopes and don’t forget your socks, gloves and ski goggles. “Pack a few sparkly tops or tank tops that you can pair with the jeans you wore on the plane and don’t forget your swimsuit for the hot tub,” says Hankey.
Schuller also suggests a matte jersey dress that can be rolled up and won’t wrinkle for one special night out. Just throw in a pair of dressy heels to wear with the dress and jeans and a pair of flip-flops for the hot tub and you’re ready to go.
If you decide to jet off to a destination like Paris or New York for your honeymoon, Schuller stresses you should not forget to bring along a pair of comfortable and stylish shoes on your journey.
“You can pack a little more, because you won’t have golf clubs or skis in tow,” says Hankey. She suggests you wear jeans and flats on the plane, along with a simple sweater and dressy jacket or coat. Bring a pashmina in a fashionable bag as your carry-on.
Your suitcase should contain a couple of simple dresses. “Wrap dresses work very well because you can roll them up,” says Hankey. Don’t forget your basic black slacks and a variety of thin tops and sweaters that can be dressed up or down. “Jewelry and a Hermes scarf can really transform an outfit,” she points out.
No matter the destination, Hankey stresses that you should always take along travel size toiletries -- they’re usually under the three-ounce carry-on limit and take up little room in your checked bags.
Schuller adds, “Don’t forget to allow room for souvenirs, because if you over-pack, you can’t bring anything new home.”
Both Hankey and Schuller have one last piece of advice: don’t forget the lingerie. As Schuller points out “it’s not like it takes up a lot of room.”
To learn more about The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
 Honeymoon Memories
(ARA) - When they get back from the honeymoon, most couples end up stashing
their wedding mementoes away in boxes, but not Linda McAleer of Plainfield,
Ill. "My wedding was such a wonderful experience, I want to relive it every
day," she says.
She and her husband, Rick, got married on a boat as it sailed down the
Intracoastal Waterway off Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Memories of that magical day
are forever captured in a shadowbox hanging near the McAleer's front
entryway. It features a picture of the couple on their wedding day, their
invitation, napkins and matchbooks (which all had a nautical theme) and some
of the shells they collected during their honeymoon.
"It's a wonderful piece," says McAleer. "Our framer did a great job
capturing the fun we had that day."
According to Sturdy Waterman, owner of the Page Waterman Gallery in
Wellesley, Mass., more and more people are turning to custom shadowboxes as
a way to preserve their memories. "When you put memorabilia in a shadowbox,
it ensures you'll get to enjoy it everyday. Not just when someone decides to
pull a box out of the attic," he says.
Among the most popular ways Waterman says shadowboxes are being used to
preserve wedding memories:
Display photographs from the wedding
Preserve pressed flowers from bridal bouquets and garter belts
Display memorabilia such as photographs, invitations, napkins, champagne
glasses, etc.
"With shadowboxes, it's important to remember you're not only putting your
memories on display, your preserving them for posterity," says Waterman,
"which is why once we complete a piece, we always recommend our clients pay
a little extra to have them framed behind TruVue Conservation Glass."
Conservation Glass offers UV protection - filtering out 98 percent of UV
light rays. Waterman points out that if you also want anti-reflective
properties and a reduction in glare, you can upgrade to Museum Quality
Glass.
"I tell all of my customers they'll enjoy the piece more if it's framed
behind quality Glass," says Waterman. "The colors will be richer, and
they'll never have to worry about yellowing or fading."
Knowing she'd be able to preserve her memories for an eternity is what sold
McAleer on Museum Glass when she had her shadowbox made. "I'm so glad we did
it," she says. "The memorabilia inside looks as good as it did the day we
got married."
Tru Vue Conservation Series glass is available at custom framing shops
across the country. To find the dealer nearest you, log on to
www.tru-vue.com.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tru Vue, Conservation Series and Museum Glass are registered
trademarks of Tru Vue, Inc. McCook, Ill.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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