The first dance

I normally want to gag when couples do those ridiculously corny "surprise" wedding dances, especially since most times they either can not or do not need to dance like that! This couple just looks so cute though, and if FI and were ever to shy away from the traditional first dance we would do something fun like this.

Honeymoon Plans

FI and I just booked one of the most important parts of our wedding...the honeymoon! I'm so excited we found something that fits our needs. FI hates flying and I'm not too fond of it either what with airport security being as crazy as it is and all the little luxuries (even peanuts!) being taken off the planes because of the economy. It just seems like a wasted expense void of any fun and a hassle at that. We did want to go somewhere we haven't been before though, which made it hard because we've traveled to a lot of places in the states and we weren't too interested in flying to any far off locale. Luckily for us, there is a cruise leaving from Jacksonville, Florida (which is within driving distance of our venue) that is going to the Bahamas the day after our wedding. How convenient! We are going to leave our venue right after the reception ends and drive the short distance to Columbia, South Carolina in order to be a little closer to port so we don't have to wake up super early to drive the entire trip the following morning. We'll be spending our wedding night at the historic Inn at Claussen's. It used to be a huge bakery that has since been turned into a bed and breakfast style hotel with two-level loft bedrooms. I don't know of many couples that can say they have spent their wedding night in a bakery! It's going to be a neat experience. The next morning we'll be finishing up the drive to Jacksonville to catch our ship, the Carnival Fascination. This is the first cruise for both FI and myself. I'm hoping it will be an unforgettable experience! So far we are happy with our decision to book a cruise for the honeymoon, as it especially makes sense given this recession we're in. All meals are included and we got an early saver discount for booking so far in advance to help out even more. The excursions also aren't that pricey, and we booked one in both of the ports we're visiting to keep us occupied since we're not the soak-up-the-sun-and-be-lazy-on-the-beach-all-day type of people. Our first stop is Key West where we will be snuba diving. Snuba is a mixture of snorkeling and scuba. It's awesome because it's way more interesting than snorkeling since you actually get to go below the surface of the water and yet you don't need the certification like you do with scuba diving. Our second stop is Nassau, Bahamas. The ship stays in port here much longer so we'll actually have time to sightsee and shop at the Straw Market before the excursion we booked, which I'm soooo looking forward to. Lots of people swim with dolphins but Blue Lagoon Island (where the movie 'Splash' was filmed) offers a sea lion swim and I could not be happier! I've always loved sea lions and I remember those comedy shows at places like Sea World where they do all sorts of tricks and are just so much fun to watch. Now I get to see them up close and personal :) Since the cruise is just a five-day trip and we wanted to prolong our honeymoon a bit, we have decided to make some stops along the coast during the road trip back home. FI and I love road trips, especially together, so it works out well for us that we're not going to be riding a plane during our travels. It's so nice when it's just you, your love, and the open road. One of our definite stops will be in Savannah, Georgia since we've never been and have heard about how gorgeous it is. We'll probably go on a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city and visit Tybee Island to see the lighthouse and swim in the ocean, but FI is a fan of the show 'Ghost Hunters' and found out that one of the houses featured on the show is located in Savannah so now he wants to go there as well. They actually have started offering a tour that begins at midnight and allows you to tour the entire house and its grounds while a guide lets you hear recordings that the TAPS crew caught on tape and tells stories about the history of the house and the ghost who haunts it. Not exactly what most would consider something to do on a honeymoon but I figure, why not?! After all this trip is about doing things that both FI and I enjoy and sharing those experiences together. Not everything has to be uber romantic...it can be adventurous! We'll definitely have a lot of fun and a lot of great memories from the trip, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to our first trip together as husband and wife. It's going to be a huge stress relief after dealing with all the details and worries associated with the wedding. Above all this writing I put together some photos of the things we will see and experience during our nine-day honeymoon. Enjoy the randomness!