I really want to give my wife credit for this post because she’s been an inspiration over the past few months to me. As most of you know, my brother Patrick (aka Felix @ the Green Well in GR) is getting married on June 5. It’s been an experience to discuss their wedding day details and plans over the past year.
Pat and Ari are in a situation that faces a lot of couples these days – they are paying for their wedding on their own. In their desire to throw a great wedding day party, they have been mentioning not having enough money to take a honeymoon. My wife heard that and went to work.
So what did she do? She went ahead and for Ari’s first shower contacted all the ladies who would be in attendance and see if they would be interested in contributing to their “honeymoon” fund instead of giving a typical wedding shower gift. She had over half of my family contribute and then scoured the internet for great deals for an early June honeymoon.
Here is what she came up with:
- 3 nights at the Embassy Suites Hotel, which is 2 blocks from Millennium Park and Navy Pier and includes your breakfast to order – purchased @ 75% Discount from Hotwire.com
- Dining Certificate to the Bongo Room – great breakfast place in Chicago
- Tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home & Studio in Oak Park – Ari works in real estate and loves great architecture
- 2 Friday night tickets for the Chicago Dine – Around – Food tour of 4 and 5 star restaurants where you visit each place and have a different course, while seeing the sites of Chicago on your tour bus.
- Gift Certificate for the 96th floor Lounge and Resturant in the Hancock Center – for drinks after the food tour
- $50 Visa Card to use for the Shedd Aquarium if they are interested…or for anything else they might want
- $25 Gas Card for the trip down
She did such an amazing job putting it together, not letting on that we were planning anything and then packaging it so well at the shower. Ari had a different package to open for each part of the gift.
So, do you think a wedding photographer could plan your honeymoon? Based on this trip, I think we could handle it.
