Recover from staying up late by ooohhhing and ahhhing over the beautiful photographs of wedding attire. You’ll see a written post on planning a destination wedding in Paris next Friday.
Happy New Year! I’m sure you’re looking forward to the start of 2016 (aren’t we all?), but you may not be in the mood to read much today, especially early. In celebration of New Year’s, here are three links to sparkly wedding attire…because we all love sparkles at a wedding — am I right?
Image of wedding shoes found on Fabmood.com, CCBY 2.0. Image of wedding dress by Ziad Nakad found on weddinginspirasi.com, CCBY 2.0. Image of “Ivania” wedding dress by Atelier Pronovias found on weddinginspirasi.com, CCBY 2.0.
January Sales + Fashion Week = Unique Paris Experience in January.
Sure, you don’t have to leave the U.S. to take part in sales. But it’s Paris! On January 6, 2016, Paris shops and boutiques begin their January sales. While I’m not into shopping so much that I’d travel to Paris just to shop, I love my cape that I bought in Paris. Click here for French Morning’s suggestions on where to purchase that undefinable je ne sais quoi (I do not know what) French item that will have your friends oohhing and ahhhing.
2. Paris Fashion Week
You can’t purchase tickets to Fashion Week, but there will be plenty of fashion designers and models of both sexes walking the streets to make Paris in winter a little more interesting. Fashion Week will take place at the Carrousel du Louvre, an underground shopping mall in the 1st arrondissement (Metro: Tuileries). Men’s fashion will be shown from Wednesday, January 20 – Sunday, January 24; Haute Couture from Sunday, January 24 – Thursday, January 28. Watch the fashion shows live by clicking here.
3. Warmer Temperatures during Winter Than You Might Expect
When I was in Paris during winter recently, temperatures hovered in the mid-40s Fahrenheit (about 7.2 degrees Celsius) and it tended to rain/sprinkle more than snow. Since many cafes have heated outdoor seating, you’ll see plenty of Parisians sitting outside drinking Espresso without a care of feeling cold. Besides, sitting outside during winter gives you a good excuse to snuggle up to someone you love.
4. Fewer Tourists
Are you an art lover who yearns to spend quality time in Paris museums but don’t like crowds? January would be a great time for you to go. There won’t be long lines to get in or people elbowing you for a better look. (That goes for attractions and shows of all types, too.) Click here for Paris Insiders Guideto museum exhibits in January.
5. Great Skiing 4 Hours Away
So, perhaps you want to go to Paris to beat the crowds, but your honey doesn’t want to miss snow skiing. No need! Click here for Ski & Snowboard’s recommendations for French skiing.
Mmmmmmm…..La Gallette des Rois!
6. La Galette des Rois (The Cake of Kings) is Plentiful in Boulangeries (Bakeries) You need only to look at the picture (or should I say, “salivate over the picture”?) to know why it is so named: flaky, rich, and slightly sweet, meant to be consumed with Espresso or another hot drink to keep you toasty warm.
Pont de Alexandre III lit up at night.
7. It Gets Dark at 3:30 P.M.
More time to enjoy the City of Light lit up in all of its splendor. How I love those old fashioned gas lights and the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.
Bon Voyage!
Image of Paris Fashion Week poster by Paris Insiders Guide, CCBY 2.0. Image of French Alps by David-Michael Photography, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of La Gallette des Rois by Gael Chardon, Flickr, CCBY 2.0. Image of Pont de Alexandre III by CanStockPhoto.
This is the first of a series of posts on planning a destination wedding in Paris. Look for them on Fridays.
To be married in Paris is the quintessential romantic dream for many people. With careful planning, your dream can come true.
Thinking of planning a wedding in Paris, but not sure what’s involved? Here are a few points to consider to help you determine if planning a destination wedding in Paris is right for you.
1. You can’t get legally married in France unless you establish residency and are able to provide documents to prove it. To do this, either you or your intended spouse, or one of your parents (since 2013) must have a connection to the French town you wish to marry in, or you establish residency by living there more than 40 days consecutively near the location of your wedding. You will need to be able to provide to the town’s city hall two pieces of ID to prove this, such as: a lease, utility bill or French social security card, as well as information on witnesses. You would marry at city hall for legal purposes and then follow-up with another ceremony at the location of your choice — though you most likely can’t rent a national landmark, since they are public spaces.
Even to be married in a Catholic Church in France – which is not legally binding – you need: a letter from your own church’s parish priest and Bishop, Baptism and Confirmation certificates, and a marriage certificate from your civil ceremony. France is a Catholic country, and it’s possible that not all Catholic churches in Paris (and France, in general) will allow anyone other than their church members to marry in their respective churches.
Most couples opt for a civil ceremony in the U.S. (or whatever your native country is) before their wedding in Paris.
2. Consider hiring a wedding planner. It is hard enough for most couples to coordinate the details of a wedding that takes place in their home town, much less across the Atlantic in a locale with a time and language difference. While the language barrier is lessening since more and more French people are learning English, it’s the nuances of French and English that might prove troublesome. For instance, you might be somewhat allergic to heavily scented flowers, so you ask a florist if your choice has an “odor.” Unfortunately, odeur in French means “fragrant,” so it might seem that all flowers are off your list. You need not hire a wedding planner who speaks French, just one who will triple-check details and asks questions in a variety of ways to make sure you pay for exactly what you want.
Having said that…………….
3. Be prepared for a minor detail to not be exactly what you want. I’m not saying to count on it, just that there’s a higher risk of it happening given the distance. You’ll need to be flexible. Your guests won’t know that you wanted blue and white Hydrangeas in the hotel bathrooms and instead you got Calla Lilies like the rest of your flowers.
4. Plan to overnight EVERYTHING you and your wedding party need for your big day. Don’t try to save money by checking the bridal dresses, tuxes, shoes, hair decorations, pantyhose, or the like in your luggage: if it is lost, you’ll be scrambling to replace them in Paris. You’ll want to put EVERYTHING on your bed that you and your wedding party needs, and then make a list to be sure you remember it all. Then run it by your wedding planner after you make your list to see if you’ve overlooked anything. And don’t forget several clothing steamers! Here’s one I recommend: Corporate Travel Safety’sDual Voltage Travel Pro Steamer.
5. Check with your hotel about what they recommend for receiving your wedding party paraphernalia (#4). I would send your package(s) to arrive in Paris before you leave the U.S. so you can track the progress of your package(s). This might mean you will have to pay for a room for the hotel to put them in. Your peace of mind knowing your packages are safe will be worth the expense.
6. Give yourself at least 2 days in Paris to recover from jet lag before the ceremony. Even if you think you won’t need it – you and your spouse-to-be might be experienced travelers – your guests probably will. Think of the oldest person (or whoever will suffer the most from traveling) you’re inviting to your wedding and ask yourself: How many days will this person need to fully recover from jet lag? Then give yourself that much time.
7. Think twice before planning a wedding in Paris during the month of August: many businesses shut down for a month-long vacation. When I was in Paris during August about 20 years ago, I was astonished at how empty it was. French people take their vacation time (vacances) seriously.
8. Plan for a 15-20% emergency cushion in your spending plan (otherwise known as a budget). It always makes sense to have an emergency cushion; in this case, there might be legal fees or taxes that will take a bite out of your spending plan. Then, if you don’t need the emergency cushion, you can either save it or spend it on your honeymoon in Paris.
9. Give yourself 6 months to plan a small wedding, at least a year for a larger one. Consider who you want to be in your wedding, then find out if they have any prior commitments within the next 6-12 months. You won’t want to have secured your wedding and reception venues, only to find out your Maid of Honor or Best Man has a prior commitment.
Bisou Bisou!
Image of wedding couple, Aileen and Rafik, by Agence Tophos, Flickr, CCBY 2.0.
Late-booking could be the key to saving money on travel this holiday season. Here are 5 best practices for late booking. I am providing the shortened version of each point. Click on the link for the full text.
1.Check alternate airports. Major cities have smaller hubs that often provide lower fares, the usual trade-off being a longer drive from the airport.
2.Consider flying on the holiday. Christmas fares might be cheaper, so you might want to travel on an early morning flight. If you’re an experienced traveler, you probably already know that Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year.
3.If you see a good fare, book it right then. If you don’t, it might not be there when you go back.
4.Time your purchase right. While there is no consensus in the travel industry as a whole as to when to book your flight, Hotwire suggests you book it on a Tuesday afternoon, since some airlines will lower their airfares on Monday, and others on Tuesday to compete.
5.Consider varying travel dates. One or two days before or after peak travel time often give you a break on fares.
Most travelers love to get gadgets that make travelling easier. Here are my top picks in the Under $25, Under $50, and Under $100 categories. Click on the links for the full product description and specifications.
How many times has a typical traveler eyed their suitcase in the corner of their hotel room thinking, “Did I buy so much that my suitcase is now over my weight limit? It might cost as much to send things home as it does to pay an overage fee, but do I really need to do either?” With the Balanzza Mini Digital Luggage Scale, you can get an easy answer to those questions. The price is right, and weighing in (pardon the pun) at 3 oz., it won’t take much space in your suitcase.
With the 4-Source Portable Power Supply, you have four ways to charge your phone — and you can charge two phones at once. The reason I love this is because two of the sources of power come from batteries: two AA batteries or a 9 volt battery — which you can purchase anywhere. (The other two sources of power are AC power [American wall socket] and DC power [car charger]). If you like this, see the All-in-One Adapter, Converter & USB Charger (described below).
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification Devices. Newly-issued passports and credit cards have them, ostensibly to speed up transactions. Unfortunately, you also become a walking target: you can be a victim of identity theft without your wallet or credit card ever leaving your pocket or purse; all a thief has to do is scan your person from up to 30 feet away. With an RFID Blocking Passport Case, your passport and credit cards are safe, as well as nicely organized. It comes in black ballistic nylon and is also available in black leather for $19.95.
As a seasoned traveler, I believe the Water Bottle Belt Clip is one of the most practical items for travelers, ever. If you’re traveling to France, you probably won’t want to spend 2-4 euros every time you want water, but if you want to reuse a bottle, where do you keep it? The Water Bottle Belt Clip is the answer. It adjusts to fit nearly any bottle or can, and has a metal spring-loaded clip that keeps it securely at your hip or waist (or on a handbag or gym bag), keeping your hands free.
The lock allows you to lock your zippers together and secure the suitcase to an unmovable object while allowing the TSA access. You can also secure another suitcase to the handle.
How many times have you been in a hotel room where the air was drier than sandpaper? With the Portable Travel Humidifier you no longer need to suffer. The device fits on most bottles and automatically shuts off after 8 hours.
I already published a post on this: you pull the string of the Screaming Personal Safety Alarm and let it scream for you when you feel threatened. It hangs on a handbag or belt loop for easy reach. (Don’t worry, you can turn it off and reuse it.)
From a woman’s perspective, this belt looks smart (attractive). Bills are secured inside the fold of the belt. The belt comes in black and brown and adjusts to a 44-inch waist.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh…….a travel pillow and blanket in one. I wish I had this on my most recent flight to Paris: it was an overnight flight, and while the service by the flight attendants was impressive, I was freezing in the cabin, even wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a cashmere sweater, and a heavy blazer. The blanket is stored inside the pillow; once the blanket is removed, you inflate the pillow. The Travel Billow comes in black, blue, and olive.
I love this handbag! Let me count the ways: RFID blocking pockets for credit cards and passports; two front flap pockets and a locking zipper pocket; an adjustable cut-proof shoulder strap; a rear zip pocket; a locking main compartment; a removable LED light; all in an eye-pleasing design. It comes in 7 colors: black, blue, stone, chocolate, purple, cranberry and olive. See the video for a complete explanation.
The name says it all: The device automatically detects in-bound voltage and converts it to 110 volts, and is safe to use for hair dryers, irons, and other small electrical products. It has a USB charger to charge your cell phone or iPad. It’s compatible in more than 150 countries: the only adapter configuration it doesn’t work with is the 3 round-pin used mainly in South Africa and India.
Seasoned travelers often advise not to take anything with you when you travel that you would hate to lose, but sometimes it cannot be avoided. The Pacsafe Travelsafe 12L GII Portable Safe is sized to fit a 15-inch laptop; you can also use it to secure jewelry, cameras and documents. Just secure it to something that cannot be removed. It packs flat. Its patented system of a tightly woven, high-tensile, 1 1/2 inch flexible stainless steel wire mesh between two pieces of waterproof nylon (with an inner canvas layer for added protection) thwarts most slash-and-run thieves. A TSA accepted 3-dial combination lock is included.
The Ogon Original RFID Blocking Aluminum Wallet is suitable for men and women, but since it’s pocket-sized and sleek, I’m calling it a gift for men. Comes in three colors — black, turquoise blue, and silver, and you can’t beat the price.
Au revoir!
All images from CorporateTravelSafety.com, used with permission.
In need of a good laugh? Enjoy this tongue-in-cheek article about 17 things French people do better than Americans. I personally believe they’re #1 and we’re #2 (or lower) in culture superiority. But no one asked me my opinion.
Have you ever thought of going to Paris for Christmas or a weekend? Check out these accommodation deals from France.com (from $275.00 per person/double occupancy for a weekend in Paris!) and find your flight separately.
Two deals that caught my eye are the 3-Day Christmas Package and Paris Weekend Budget Package. Here are the details for both.
3-Day Christmas Package -Round trip shared shuttle from airport to hotel.
-2 nights at a 3-star hotel with breakfast included, your choice of La Regence Etoile, Royal Magda, or Hotel de Sevigne.
-Eiffel Tower lunch with skip-the-line entrance ticket to ET.
-Seine River Christmas Eve dinner with drinks.
-1 evening pass on Paris hop-on, hop-off bus.
-Price (from $495.00 per person) based on 2 people traveling together. Single supplement of $215.00 for 1 person booking alone. Find your flight separately on TripAdvisor.com or Kayak (or on your own).
The cafe inside La Regence Etoile, one of the hotel choices for the 3-Day Christmas Package in Paris.
Paris Weekend Budget Package (Available on weekends only) -Round trip shared shuttle from airport to hotel.
-2 nights at a 3-star hotel with breakfast included, your choice of three hotel selections (selections offered at time of booking).
-Louvre skip-the-line entrance ticket.
-Seine River Cruise ticket.
-3 Paris metro tickets (per person).
-Price (from $275 per person) based on 2 people traveling together. Single supplement of $175.00 for 1 person booking alone. Find your flight separately on TripAdvisor.com or Kayak (or on your own).
Happy New Year! I’m sure you’re looking forward to the start of 2016 (aren’t we all?), but you may not be in the mood to read much today, especially early. In celebration of New Year’s, here are three links to sparkly wedding attire…because we all love sparkles at a wedding — am I right?
