Blog: honeymoon
Charlie Charlie

Run away to a wildflower meadow in Wales for an intimate elopment wedding at Nantwen

Charlie

Intimate Welsh wedding venue // Photography Clare Richardson // The Natural Wedding Company

At several points in my own wedding planning, I was stressed out and ready to scrap all our plans to elope for a simple wedding ceremony, just the two of us, somewhere beautiful. We didn’t for various reasons, but the idea of eloping has always appealed to me. Two of our businesses – who happen to be run by a husband and wife team – have put together a tempting package for those couples who want a truly down-to-earth and intimate wedding.

Daniel and Jemma, along with their little girl, run Nantwen, an idyllic rustic wedding venue and honeymoon cottage in rural Pembrokeshire. In addition to the gorgeous barn and cosy cottage, Jemma also runs Slade Fine Jewellery handcrafting eco-chic engagement and wedding rings. For those couples wanting an intimate wedding, they saw that they could combine their businesses to offer a runaway wedding package that includes the ceremony, a few nights stay in their romantic cottage, and bespoke rings made in eco gold or silver.

“We think this package would suit a couple who want something really special, who are brave enough to choose a secret venue, with wedding rings there waiting for them.” How romantic!

Nantwen rustic wedding venue in Wales // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Wildflowers at Nantwen wedding venue // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Wildflower glades at Nantwen wedding venue // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Nantwen romantic Welsh honeymoon cottage // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Foxgloves at Nantwen // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Nantwen rustic Welsh wedding venue // Photography Owen Howells // The Natural Wedding Company

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Luxury yurt honeymoons and hen parties with a woodfired hot tub at Secret Cloud House Holidays in the Peak District

Charlie

Honeymoon yurt beneath a starry sky

When I was planning my own honeymoon I looked for places and pictures that inspired me – I wanted to take one look and think, “that’s what I want to do” or “that’s where I want to be.”  That beautiful nighttime picture above of one of the honeymoon yurts at Secret Cloud House Holidays does that for me.

Secret Cloud House Holidays have a lovely selection of luxury yurts, including a brand new wooden yurt, situated in the rolling countryside of the Peak District.  Their yurts are available for both honeymoons and hen parties, and there’s even a woodfired hot tub with some of the loveliest views that a hot tub could have!

Romantic honeymoon yurt

A Secret Cloud House Honeymoon

At Secret Cloud House Holidays there is a choice of three yurts and a bell tent that you can choose from as your romantic bolthole.  New for 2013 is Bilberry Lodge, a Scandinavian inspired wooden yurt, filled with rustic furniture, a log burning range cooker, and a cosy double bed.  It is also available to book all year round so perfect for a cosy winter honeymoon.

Wooden honeymoon yurt

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Tribes Travel share their top 5 honeymoon destinations from secluded beaches to wildlife adventures

Charlie

Tribes Travel honeymoons

Here on The Natural Wedding Company blog I’ve recently been introducing some guest bloggers in the form of my TNWC Real Brides – it’s been lovely for me to share the blog with others, and I hope you’ve been enjoying their wedding plans so far.  Today I’m going to hand the blog over to one of my fab TNWC businesses to tell you all about something they specialise in – stunning, ethical honeymoons.

Amanda set up Tribes Travel with her husband 15 years ago after spending many years as a travel guide.  Their ethos for Tribes Travel is all about giving you the very best holiday experience possible, whilst trying to ensure that travel is sustainable.  You must check out their website for some of the wonderful holidays and trips they offer, but today Amanda is going to give you her recommendations for their top five honeymoon destinations.

Over to Amanda…

Amanda from Tribes Travel

Someone in our office is getting married and we were discussing where she should go on her honeymoon.  Since selling holidays and honeymoons is what we do, we of course all had definite personal views as to what would make the perfect honeymoon.

A beach came high on the list of many of us, luxury was a must, and romantic accommodation was undeniably important.  We decided to forgo what some of our more active clients have chosen in the past for a honeymoon – Kilimanjaro!

Our top 5 honeymoon destinations eventually came down to the following list of exciting holidays and wonderful places to stay.

1. Luxury Kenya Bush and Beach

Sustainable luxury Kenya honeymoon

We are all wildlife and nature lovers, and this luxury combination of an exciting safari in the Masai Mara followed by an indulgent stay at an exclusive beach house on the southern coast of Kenya certainly worked for us.  Not only is the accommodation on this honeymoon absolutely superb, personal and romantic, but you’ll end up with memories to treasure of the special places and experiences you’ll enjoy on this holiday.

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Quality time: a little update on where I’ve been

Charlie

Peloponnese, Greece

I don’t often add too many personal posts on here, but I wanted to share a quick update on what I’ve been up to over the past 10 days.  Mr Rigg and I have been away on the most lovely holiday to a part of Greece called the Peloponnese, it’s been blissfully warm (about 25°C most days) and we’ve been spoilt with excellent food.

Peloponnese, Greece

Most of all we’ve had a chance to unwind from our respective jobs and spend some quality time together – don’t you find yourself realising on holiday how much you’ve not had that time together? Not really at any rate, you might eat dinner together every night, cuddle up on the sofa, even chatter in bed with each other.  But more than ever this holiday I’ve realised those times aren’t quite the same as having 10 days completely to yourselves.

Read more

Charlie Charlie

From treehouses to bush lodges, beaches to treks, get an exclusive 5% off when you book your honeymoon with Tribes Travel

Charlie

Tribes Travel fair trade honeymoon company

Tribes Travel are helping us to celebrate our 5th birthday by offering our readers an exclusive 5% discount when you book your honeymoon with them by the end of June 2012 – you can be planning to travel up until the end of 2013 so plenty of time if you’re getting married next year.

Tribes Travel exotic treehouse honeymoon

Tribes Travel are the original Fair Trade travel company, offering luxury honeymoons in places such as Africa, South America, Jordan, India and Nepal.  Tribes Travel help you to plan your dream honeymoon, whether that be treking up Mount Kilimanjaro, retreating to a treehouse hideaway, relaxing in a bush lodge, or spending your days on a gorgeous beach.

Tribes Travel luxury bush dinner honeymoon

Read more

Charlie Charlie

An extra night free when you book a romantic weekend break at Eco Retreats

Charlie

Eco Retreats tipi and yurt honeymoon in Wales

If you want a honeymoon or holiday full of peace and quiet, stunning scenery, sleeping beneath canvas hidden away deep in the Welsh Forest then Eco Retreats offers you all that and more.  They are offering The Natural Wedding Company readers and extra night free when you book a romantic weekend break.

Eco Retreats eco yurt honeymoon

I can also imagine that Eco Retreats is also the perfect place to propose and a lovely bolthole for a relaxing weekend immediately after your wedding.  Run by ChaNan and Michael, Eco Retreats “combines the luxury of a lovingly furnished space with the excitement of living deep in the natural world.”  The yurts and tipis are furnished with a chiminea log fire, sheepskin rugs, romantic fabrics and a double bed.

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Book your romantic yurt honeymoon at Yurt Holiday Portugal and get a scrumptious cake on arrival

Charlie

Yurt Holiday Portugal wild swimming romantic honeymoon

Nestled amongst the mountains of Portugal you’ll find a romantic yurt, beautifully furnished and surrounded by olive and fruit trees and vines on an organic smallholding – the perfect place for a ‘get away from it all’ honeymoon.  Hannah and Derek who run Yurt Holiday Portugal are offering all couples who book their honeymoon with them throughout 2012 a delicious heart-shaped cake on arrival on top of the other goodies their honeymoon packages include.

Yurt Holiday Portugal romantic wild honeymoon

Yurt Holiday Portugal offer honeymoon packages that include breakfast, lunch and dinners if you wish, as well as bubbly on your arrival. Evening meals are served outside your yurt beneath the stars, and during the day you can hike in the hills or find beautiful spots nearby for wild swimming.

Yurt Holiday Portugal romantic eco honeymoon

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Get a complimentary bottle of champagne when you honeymoon in a luxury yurt at Secret Cloud House Holidays

Charlie

Secret Cloud House Holidays eco yurt honeymoon

Secret Cloud House Holidays offers luxury yurts hidden away in the Derbyshire countryside that are perfect for a romantic and relaxing honeymoon.  To celebrate our birthday, they are offering a complimentary bottle of chilled champagne on arrival for couples booking a 4 night midweek stay.

Secret Cloud House Holidays eco yurt honeymoon

You can unwind in the wood-fired hot tub, snuggle up in a handmade bed with featherdown bedding, and enjoy candlelit dinners.  There are three yurts each romantically named after the countryside – Blackberry, Rosehip and Elderflower – each with a wood-burning stove to keep you cosy, or for cooking a delicious slow-cooked meal.

Read more

Charlie Charlie

Directory Showcase: Love a Locavore, Tribes Travel and World Inspired Tents

Charlie

 

The Natural Wedding Company

Welcome to this week’s Directory Showcase – sharing a selection of the fabulous businesses that you can find on The Natural Wedding Company directory.  If you like what you see and want to search for more, click on the links below or take a look around the directory which can be found at the top right of the webpage in the lovely luggage tag.

Love a Locavore seasonal wedding catering

The lovely Alice of Love a Locavore can cook you a delicious, seasonal and locally sourced wedding feast, even sourcing some ingredients from her kitchen garden in Gloucestershire.  Alice caters for weddings of up to 80 people and can also cook you a wonderful celebratory meal for hen and stag parties.  Visit the directory for a full list of eco-friendly, ethical and seasonal wedding caterers.

Tribes Travel ethical honeymoons

Tribes Travel is the original Fair Trade travel company, offering a wide selection of luxury honeymoons in Africa, South America, India and Jordan.  They can even help to organise wedding ceremonies and vow renewals in a number of the countries they work with.  Tribes Travel also offer a honeymoon gift voucher scheme.  Visit the directory for a full list of ethical and green honeymoon spots.

Read more

Charlie Charlie

A romantic honeymoon bolthole in the lavender filled countryside outside Budapest

Charlie

romantic eco honeymoon Hungary

Pippins is a romantic self-catering cottage set amongst the lavender fields and vineyards in Hungary.  This pretty honeymoon bolthole has whitewashed wooden clad walls, a private terrace and pool, and is surrounded by unspoilt countryside.

honeymoon cottage in Hungarian countryside

The cottage is set out in an open-plan style with a separate bathroom, and in the winter months you can snuggle up in front of a crackling woodstove.  In the summer Pippins runs 95% on energy produced by the PV panels located on the cottage roof, and in winter its heating and hot water are produced by the log fire.

boho chic honeymoon cottage

Read more