When your wedding planner gives you a wedding timeline, most brides know that they must stick to it. But, what happens when something goes awry, and you have to run a few minutes late? It’s not the end of the world — and eventually makes for a good story, once the stress calms down. These six real brides had just that happen when they couldn’t make it the chapel on time. Here, they share their stories of how they were late to their own weddings.

“My wedding was postponed because my uncle had to swing by my parents’ house to pick up my father’s false teeth! It would have been a funny photo seeing him slip my dad his teeth seconds before he walked me down the aisle. I was mad at the time, but now we laugh about it!” — Sandy

“I am still with my husband of almost 15 years, despite my being over 90 minutes late to my own wedding! The morning of, my mother and I got into a spat over how to wear my hair. It resulted in her trying to redo it, failing miserably, and taking a long time to fix the do. This was before everyone had a cell phone and guests were starting to wonder if I had gotten cold feet. The photographer had a sense of humor: I have dozens of wedding photos featuring guests pointing at their watches and the clock in the church! My tardiness is well known amongst my family and friends!” — Cori

“I was over an hour late to our wedding. My mother’s husband (NOT my father) was driving, with my mother in the passenger seat, and me in the back. We were hopelessly lost. This was before cell phones, so there was no way to get in touch with the event place. We finally came across a phone booth, and a police officer was using it. I tried to get him to let me use the phone, explaining that I was late for my own wedding, but he didn’t care and made me wait 10 minutes. Despite all this, it was a great wedding and it’s been an even better marriage.” — Maddy

“I was married on a golf course. While everyone were arriving I waited with my MOH, mother, and MIL in a guest cabin. My mother drove us up to the site of the wedding. When I got there I became suddenly overwhelmed by how many guests there were and that as soon as I stepped out of the car they’d all be staring at me! I didn’t want to get out of the car! My mother was freaking out, ‘Rachel! What are you doing! Everyone is waiting. You have to go!’ but I was just so nervous. Finally my dad came around to the back seat and coaxed me out. As soon as I saw Justin I felt better and couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle. My mother still jokes about how, ‘Rachel wouldn’t get out of the car.’ ” — Rachel, founder of Love Stories TV

“Long story short: My wedding was delayed by nearly two hours because my bridesmaid’s shoes were wet and we had to return her shoes to the store!” — Tamara

“I was married to my husband 12 years ago. Both of us had been married previously. Our wedding was at the august Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles. On my way to walk down the aisle in the Bel Air gardens with swans afloat in the lake, I had to walk through the restaurant where Nancy Reagan was having lunch with Merv Griffin. She stopped me in my tracks by complimenting me on my floral wedding dress and Anglo-inspired high tea hat. Mrs. Reagan was so chatty as was Mr. Griffin and so complimentary I couldn’t insult their attention, albeit, by this time, I was, indeed, running late to the alter. I told her I hoped to be as happy as she was with Ronnie. Her lovely words still resonate in my ears offering her good wishes. My husband and I have lived happily ever.” — Arlene

See More: Real Brides Share Their Biggest Wedding Compromises

Sherry Amatenstein, LCSW is a New York City-based marriage therapist and author.

Excuses, excuses! When it comes to weddings and guests and RSVP’ing no, we’ve literally heard it all. But we must say, these lame excuses definitely take the cake for being the worst of the worst!

Pet Problems
“My husband’s cousin actually told him he couldn’t attend our wedding because he had to watch his dog. Umm, I didn’t know dogs need babysitters? And yes, this guest lived within driving distance to our wedding. WTH!?” — Carey

Potential Work Trips
“My mom insisted on inviting her best friend’s daughter and offered to pay for several of the guests she wanted to attend so I agreed. Well, this girl never sent in her RSVP so I had to follow up and she told me she probably couldn’t come because she ‘might’ have a work trip at the same time. Social media later proved she really just went on a weekend getaway with her now ex-boyfriend.” — Christine

High School Frenemies
“One of my high school friends refused to come because a girl she didn’t like (also from high school) was invited. Granted this was a 200+ person wedding so it’s not like it would’ve even been a big issue or one at all! The best part is, the girl she didn’t want to run into couldn’t come anyway. Oh well, their loss.” — Leigh

Broke as a Joke
“My cousin RSVP’d no because she didn’t have the money to attend our destination wedding. Over the next year I swear she went on a Euro trip, to Vegas, Miami and Cabo for a bachelorette party. So makes me think money probably wasn’t the real issue. Annoying.” — Jackie

Weight Issues
“I kid you not, my husband invited a friend of his from college to our wedding and this guy literally told him he couldn’t come because Florida is ‘too hot’ and his wife didn’t feel like losing weight either. I died laughing! My husband wasn’t quite as amused, but we crack up about it now.” — Dana

See More: How to Politely Remind People to RSVP for Your Wedding

Carsick Whoas
“My aunt gave us a long sob story about not being able to attend because her two kids just get too carsick to make it for the two hour drive to our wedding. Yeah, okay!” — Stephanie

Car Shows
“My uncle is really into cars so this excuse didn’t really shock me. Anyway, he told us he couldn’t come because there was a vintage car show in town that same weekend and he was planning to go.” — Marisa

Directionally Challenged
“A guy I worked with actually RSVP’d yes, but then didn’t show up. Later, he gave the excuse that he got lost on the way there and wound up in a different state. The funny thing is, he’d been to the venue before and had told me his cousin got married there a couple years ago and how beautiful it was!” — Maipan

Soccer Rules
“My cousin RSVP’d no because her daughter had soccer practice that day. Wow. Just wow.” — Karen

No Ride
“One of my relatives took forever to tell us whether or not their family could attend. Ultimately they declined because they didn’t have a ride. Um, they own a car. And there’s always Uber!” — Jen

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 whole years since the dynamic duo that is Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum first danced into our lives in a little movie called Step Up. You remember that flick, right? Where Channing and his future real life sweetheart met on the dance floor for cheesy romance and hip-hop galore? A decade later and the grooving co-stars are still dancing through life in wedded bliss with their adorable three-year-old in tow. Crazy, right? And even crazier is how gosh darn adorable these major movie throwbacks are that the Tatums just shared to celebrate the anniversary of the movie that brought them together. Prepare yourselves for some serious cuteness, y’all…

We remember practically seeing the sparks fly straight off our movie screens back in the early oughts as Channing spun and dipped his future bride. It was obviously love at first pirouette, no?

Seriously. We can’t even.

After meeting on set and completing the film, the pair brought their onscreen romance to the real world and began dating. And the rest, as they say, is history. Back in July, the couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary, but that wasn’t the only major milestone they marked this summer!

See More: Channing Tatum Talking About His Sex Life with Jenna Dewan Makes Us Seriously Blush

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Step Up, Dewan Tatum posted a throwback photo of herself and her hubby on set of the 2006 film. And guys, they are BABIES! “#tbt to on set of Step Up,” the actress captioned the too-cute pic of her cuddling up to a baby-faced Tatum. “I cannot believe it’s the 10 year anniversary of the release today!! Ahhhh where does the time go?? Love you all and thanks for all the love all these years.”

But that wasn’t the only throwback the Tatums shared. (We guess you could say they really stepped up their nostalgia game, huh? We’ll show ourselves out…) On her Instagram page, Dewan Tatum also posted a short video of her and her sweetheart recreating the memorable lift they performed in the movie a decade before. “We had to,” she captioned the clip.

Ten years later and these two have still got it!

#tbt to on set of Step Up???? I cannot believe it's the 10 year anniversary of the release today!! Ahhhh where does the time go?? Love you all and thanks for all the love all these years????????????

A photo posted by Jenna Dewan Tatum (@jennaldewan) on Aug 11, 2016 at 10:54am PDT

We had to. #stepup10years

A video posted by Jenna Dewan Tatum (@jennaldewan) on Aug 11, 2016 at 4:03pm PDT

January Jones wears dramatic neutrals, Diane Kruger works an understated cat eye, and Mandy Moore is pretty in (grown-up) pink.

January Jones at the FOX Summer TCA Press Tour: Neutrals don’t have to be bland, as proven by January Jones. To recreate her glamorous neutral look, start with a glow-inducing primer and then use a full coverage foundation with mica to help enhance an all-over glow. Warm up the complexion with a coral blush blended into the hollows of the cheeks and give your brows precise definition with an eyebrow pencil and setting wax. Begin creating the moody brown eye by lining the eyes with a brown eyeliner and smudging it out the outer corners of the eyes. Use coordinating medium and dark brown eyeshadows to create depth to the upper lids and smudge a tan shade under the lower lashline. Apply a half strip of faux lashes from the middle of the eye to the outer corners, and then apply several coats of mascara. A terra cotta lip in a matte finish offers the perfect understated drama. Finish off with highlighter down the center features of the face and in the inner corners of the eyes.

Diane Kruger at a screening of Disorder: Diane Kruger’s look is perfect for any low-key wedding, and is anchored by a simplistic cat eye. To achieve the look, start by evening out the complexion with a BB Cream or light coverage liquid foundation and apply a sheer pink blush to the apples of the cheeks. Shape and define the brows with a pencil, making sure they retain a natural look. Then line the eyes with a brown pencil and retrace the line from the center of the eye to the outer corner making it slightly thicker and create a slight flick at the outer corners. Use a matte, taupe-colored eyeshadow from the upper lashes to the crease and apply several coats of mascara. The final touch is a glossy, candy pink lip.

Mandy Moore at The Hollywood Foreign Press Association Annual Grants Banquet: If you love a radiant and feminine look but don’t want to err too much on the sweet side, take a page out of Mandy Moore’s red carpet playbook. To emulate her makeup, start with a light coverage foundation just to even out your skin. Apply a bright pink blush to the cheeks, followed by highlighter just on the apples. Use a shimmery, rose gold colored eyeshadow on the upper lids and below the lower lashes, and then use a matte brown in the crease for added depth. Apply several coats of lengthening mascara to get the most out of your lashes. Next, brush the brows up and out to help them retain a natural look, and fill in any sparse places. For the lips, use a pink shade similar to the blush, and apply it without any liner, to keep the look relaxed.

See More: Wedding Day Beauty — The Top 40 Tips and Tricks

It may be time to put down that price gun. After you’ve added the essentials to your registry, some local options can give in-town (or tech-savvy out-of-town) friends and family a chance to think outside the big box. We’ve rounded up some of the Chicago area’s best alternative registries for one-of-a-kind gifts and more.

Kneen and Co.
With an extensive collection of luxury flatware, glassware, home décor and other goodies from brands like Lobmeyr, Hermes, and Saint-Louis, this private salon may have just what your fancy aunt is looking for — and the attentive customer service to match. Plus, one percent of all online sales are donated to nonprofit Water.org (founded by Matt Damon), so you can feel good about the splurge.

Material Possessions
For the couple that’s looking for something a little different, this shop’s two locations offer traditional and contemporary handmade pieces including bed and bath items, kitchen accessories and more. Read real brides’ reviews here!

Jonathan Adler
Adler may be a national name, but the sculpter and artist’s funky Gold Coast shop has plenty to choose from for an eclectic or artsy Chicago couple. A bud vase shaped like a banana? They’ve got it. Graphic needlepoint ” Mr. & Mrs.” pillows? Yep. You can even design your own geometric throws and rugs.

See More: Learn More About Vendors Near You On Our Local Vendors Page

Marcel’s
This adorable shop, located in west suburban Glen Ellyn, is a foodie couple’s fantasy. Stocked with pro culinary tools, specialty foods and charming table toppers, the store and its friendly staff will help you pick out everything you need to feel like a chef. And you’ll score a $50 gift card for registering that you can use toward one of their in-store cooking classes or that cutting board no one bought you.

Table Compliments
You’ll be ready to host your first big holiday dinner for the in-laws once you’ve received a few items from this Highland Park shop that specializes in table linens and accessories.

Tabula Tua
Registering at one of this home goods’ collection’s three Chicago area locations gets you a selection of international goods sold exclusively at Tabula Tua, but also a bunch of perks like a $50 gift card for every $500 is spent on your registry, 10 percent off anything left on your registry for up to six months after your wedding date and free gift wrap and shipping for items more than $125.

Need some last minute help for you nuptials? Check out our Local Vendors page!

This is it… The final countdown to your big day. And along with settling those last few details — figuring out where to seat your eccentric Uncle Carl, firming up the flowers, deciding on your first dance song — you’re likely also making one last push to make sure the body that will be wearing that gorgeous white gown looks as good as it possibly can. You and nearly every other woman with an engagement ring on her finger. In fact, research shows that an overwhelming 91 percent of brides-to-be are anxious about their weight. But from here on out, you won’t have to be!

Whether you want to drop those last few pounds or look more toned — or both — we’ve got a month’s worth of daily tips (none of which require starving yourself or working out nonstop!) that will help you feel stunning and confident when you walk down that aisle. You know where to send the thank-you card. Let’s get started!

Day 12: Make Your Crunches Infinitely More Effective!

How so? By doing them on one of those big, air-filled stability balls. “In terms of equipment, it’s one of the greatest thing going! It makes just about any abdominal exercise more beneficial,” says Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist and personal trainer in San Diego.

“When you do crunches on the floor you can only lift and lower so far. But when you do the same exercise on the ball, you’ll get much more range of motion, which translates into better results.”

In fact, one study found that doing moves on the ball activates 28 percent more abdominal muscle than the same exercise performed on a non-wobbly surface. And unlike regular floor crunches, the ball also works the transverse abdominis, a small, notoriously hard-to-get-at band of muscle that spans across your lower abs and helps pull them in like a corset. Strengthen it and everything down there (namely, that little below-the-navel bloop a lot of us have) will noticeably flatten out.

You can buy a ball for about $20 at any sporting goods store and it’s amazing for all sorts of other moves, too (you can find how-tos on AceFitness.org).

Tip: Swap it in for your desk chair and you can tone your abs all day while you work.

See More: Quick 30 Minute Workouts for Busy Brides-To-Be

Hours have passed and you’ve nearly worked up sweat scanning and shopping ’til you drop. But wait — you’re not done yet! Most couples are so exhausted by the time they’ve created their wedding registries, they don’t think about the steps they need to follow once they’ve done registering. Follow these simple steps to be sure you’re really able to check this off the never-ending wedding to-do list.

Share the Info
One your registries are complete and you’ve scanned ’til your heart’s content, it’s time to let everyone know! (Subtly and tastefully, of course.) First things first: Let a designated bridesmaid, MOH, or your mom know so they can correctly let bridal shower guests know. Also, if any stores gave you registry cards, pass them along to whomever will be mailing out your shower invitations. But remember, general etiquette states you should NOT include these in your wedding invitation mailings. Instead, head to your wedding website and update your registry information there, too. Then you’re covered!

Head to the App Store
By downloading the retailer’s app for wherever you’ve created a registry, you can have easy access to modify or complete your registries at your fingertips. Rather than having to log in on a desktop, most retail apps provide you with registry access at your fingertips. If you second-guess items, want to double check inventory, or change quantities, you can do so instantly. After all, anything that makes wedding planning easier or quicker is a must!

Cross Check
If you’ve registered at multiple retailers (like many couples do) , take a second to review the printed copies (yes paper! It’s much easier this way) and double check for duplicates. Trust us, it’s not hard to get carried away with the scanners, and having to make returns or exchanges for doubles can be a big pain. (Seriously, housewares boxes can be huge!) Prevent this post-bridal shower by ensuring you’ve only registered for a single item once.

Keep the Element of Surprise
As tempting as it may be, avoid compulsively checking your registries as your bridal shower and wedding date grow near. Especially with some “Thank You Card Manager” features, it only takes a few clicks to see who bought you what, and when — before the party even begins. This can ruin the element of surprise for your shower, and can put a damper on opening gifts that your guests thoughtfully selected and purchased. Instead, appoint a bridesmaid to keep an eye out for the sole purpose of letting you know if you need to add more gifts within a certain price range, or modify any aspects of the registry.

See More: 8 Ways to Avoid Wedding Registry Remorse

It’s your wedding, and you can have your cake and eat it too. You just want to make sure it melts in the mouth and not on the table, right? Right! To help that super cute dessert table of yours beat the heat at your outdoor summer wedding, we asked a few catering and pastry pros to share their genius tips and tricks on keeping sweets nice and cool.

Don’t choose desserts that melt fast.
So yeah, ice cream is probably off the table, sorry brides (unless you have on-site refrigeration that is, then you’re good to go)! Even a candy station needs to take the melt-factor into account too, notes Sarah Hall, President of Joel Catering and Special Events. “Choose classic summer sweets like saltwater taffy and old-fashioned lollipops, macaroons and Jordan almonds. They come in gorgeous colors and are melt-resistant.”

Do consider outsourcing your dessert table entirely.
Instead, find a dessert food truck where everything can be kept at ideal temps until it’s served, suggests Hall. “In New Orleans, for example, we have a gourmet liquor popsicle truck that is always a hit.” You can do snow cones, ice cream or whatever your little heart and sweet tooth desire.

Don’t forget to think about the frosting.
Turns out, high heat and frosting don’t always mix. While your cake should be chilling in the air conditioning prior to being served, that doesn’t mean it won’t be exposed to brutal temps during transport, warns Hall. Thus, it’s important to pick the right kind of frosting and filling (ask your cake designer about this!) and, if temps are really high and you’re displaying it outside, steer clear of whipped cream and maybe even buttercream. “You could also have a faux cake for display, then serve sheet cake from the kitchen.”

See More: 6 Creative Ways to Serve Pizza at Your Wedding

Do use vanilla to keep the bugs at bay.
Did you know that insects don’t like the smell of vanilla? According to Food Network Cupcake Wars Champion pastry chef and owner of Ava’s Cupcakes, Michelle Spell, it’s true! She recommends diluting 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract with 1 cup of water and wiping it on your tablecloth to prevent mosquitoes, black flies and ticks from tasting your sweets on the big day. “Some additional natural bug repellent options include spraying the table with white vinegar diluted with water (2 parts water, 1 part vinegar). This solution can be used all year round,” she tells us. “Or simply use citrus and herbs. Slice into a lemon skin so the juice drips out. Add a sprig of mint or rosemary. It looks pretty, and bugs don’t like it.”

Do serve up fresh (and drip-free) fruit.
There’s nothing like biting into a big slice of watermelon on a hot day! To keep the juices from dripping down your guests’ dresses and suits though, Spell offers this advice: “First, cut a thin slice off the side to create a flat surface. Then, cut 1″ slices horizontally and vertically so you’re left with popsicle-sized slices. Kids (and adults) will be able to pull out pieces and enjoy without the juices spilling all over their mouths and hands.” Another scrumptious idea? Choose fruit pies, crostatas and other delicious pastries that celebrate summer produce yet can stand up to the heat, advises Emily LeSuer, Catering Chef, Saltbox Kitchen Catering.

Don’t dismiss dry ice.
Dry ice is your friend! If you can’t imagine summer without a frozen treat and aren’t down with a full-on dessert truck, then make it happen by setting up a cooler or bucket with dry ice and individual ice cream sandwiches, popsicles or mini sundaes, suggests LeSuer. “Replenish them as they are eaten and everything should stay cold.”

It’s no secret that most Americans carry some kind of debt. But we often don’t think about how those hefty bills affect anything beyond our bank accounts. It turns out that big debt such as student loans can put a big dent in our plans, including our ability to get married.

A recent survey of U.S. adults, conducted by the Boston-based nonprofit American Student Assistance, found that 21 percent of respondents, whether male or female, are postponing marriage thanks to their seriously big school loans. And 28 percent says they are pressing pause on starting a family until they pay their debts down. “The findings indicate that despite the fact that millennials view parenthood and marriage as more of a life priority than career and financial success, many with student debt seek financial stability before marrying or beginning a family,” the report states.

The fact that so many couples would put off tying the knot while they pay down debt is no surprise to Elle Kaplan, finance expert and founder of LexION Capital. “Ultimately, plenty of marriage goals are tied to couples’ finances as well as their emotions,” she explains. “Just as you’d want to make sure you’re on the same page about having kids, you’ll want to ensure you’re both eager to eliminate debt so you can afford them. What’s just as important as the debt details is that partners are able to work together to pay it off.”

See More: Opening a New Credit Card to Pay for Your Wedding: The Pros and Cons

If you’re faced with choosing between paying down debt or paying for an engagement ring or a wedding, Kaplan encourages you to look at why you or your partner are in debt in the first place. “Is this debt is a one-time obstacle, or stemming from a behavior that will happen over and over again?” she asks. “Having student loan debt, for instance, is understandable. But if your would-be-spouse goes into credit card debt monthly at the mall, that’s a major red flag.”

That being said, debt isn’t necessarily a deal breaker, nor should it mean that you must automatically put off your plans to marry. “If couples can come up with a game-plan to tackle debt, it can bring them closer together and closer to their relationship goals,” Kaplan says.

Whatever you do, don’t sweep your debt under the rug so that you can move forward in your relationship. “By treating debt honestly, and looking at it as something to tackle to enjoy a future together, couples can move on to doing better things with their lives,” Kaplan says.

After spending months planning a one-of-a-kind wedding celebration, planning a honeymoon can fall on the back burner. Exhausted from bargaining with caterers and picking out floral arrangement, you’ll settle for a generic island getaway crawling with other tourists and full of unoriginal activities.

With that in mind it’s time to plan a honeymoon that’s just as one-of-a-kind as your big day! The same craving for unique experiences that you had while planning your wedding should be brought to your honeymoon planning, because this is the trip that will set the precedent for your future adventures as husband and wife. Looking for an alternative honeymoon destination and don’t know where to start? We did the leg work so you don’t have to. Here, our favorite little-known, non-traditional honeymoon destinations, ranging from luxury treks through Peruvian ruins to playing in a cage with tigers in Thailand.

North America
Austin, Texas
Austin is quickly becoming one of the trendiest cities in Texas, especially with hard core foodies. This city is the perfect combination of historic, trendy, and outdoors-y, so each day of your honeymoon can be vastly different than the day before. Go on a romantic moonlight cruise through Lady Bird Lake, visit one of the many art or history museums, or take a tour and tasting at a nearby winery. When you need a break from sight seeing and exploring the local nightlife, that’s the time to go on a food crawl through the city. You certainly won’t regret fully immersing yourself in Texas culture at one of Austin’s incredible barbecue and Tex-Mex restaurants, because you will not be able to find food like this anywhere else.

Memphis, Tennessee
Known as the Las Vegas of the south, Memphis is a great location for couples looking for an adventurous honeymoon location with plenty of nightlife that hasn’t already been done to death. We highly recommend checking into the Madison Hotel before venturing through the city streets, for their gorgeous luxury suites, some even include in-room Jacuzzi tubs! If you ever leave your room, there are plenty of places to explore throughout Memphis, like visiting Graceland or taking one of the city’s many themed bus tours. When the sun goes down and the city comes alive, stop by Beale Street to bar crawl and listen to live Blues music or board one of the famed Memphis Riverboats for dinner and dancing on the Mississippi River.

South America
Machu Picchu, Peru
This Peruvian destination may not be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about a romantic honeymoon, but hear us out. Besides hiking and exploring Machu Picchu’s gorgeous and infamous ruins, you can spend some couple time in Aguas Calientes, a town near the ruins that is known known for its thermal pools (aka natural hot tubs). If you’re too overwhelmed with wedding planning to look too much into your Peruvian honeymoon, you’re in luck. Peru Honeymoon Tours has various luxury Machu Picchu tour packages you can buy, so that someone else can help you plan the perfect excursions, day trips, and romantic dinners throughout Peru.

Europe
Seville, Spain
Barcelona may be the current hot spot in Spain, but Seville is the place for newlywed couples to escape the crowds and still enjoy everything that Spain has to offer. Start your honeymoon with a stroll — or even horse-drawn carriage ride — through Plaza de España, Seville’s gorgeous and historic town square, or a romantic boat ride through the Guadalquivir River. After a relaxing day of exploring, embrace the nightlife by seeing some authentic flamenco dancing or eating and drinking your way through the city’s rich restaurant and bar scene.

Innsbruck, Austria
Innsbruck is the ideal destination for couples looking to enjoy a European winter wonderland, and the gorgeous natural landscape is definitely the main draw to this city. Grab your skis and hit the slops at Patscherkofel mountain, or wander through the streets of Innsbruck to see ruins, museums, gardens, and gorgeous old castles. Your honeymoon photo albums will be almost more gorgeous than your wedding album…almost.

Africa
Cape Winelands, South Africa
Any couple would be lucky to spend their first vacation as husband and wife on a real African safari, but what about those couples who don’t want animal adventures to be their entire trip? Spend part of your trip in Cape Town visiting the Cape Winelands, the scenic district of South Africa focused on wine and wildlife. First, there are plenty of gorgeous luxury accommodations to choose from. Check out SA-Venues and you’ll feel like you’re booking a reservation in the pages of your favorite high-end travel and home decor magazines. After that, your time will be split between sipping your way through local vineyards, and craft markets and finding ways to explore mountains and nature reserves that surround you.

Belo Sur Mer, Madagascar
Get the tropical island experience you’ve always dreamed for your honeymoon without the crowds of tourists at Belo Sur Mer, a small fishing village on Madagascar’s western coast. Here you can enjoy complete serenity and seclusion thanks to the town’s naturally laid back vibe, as well as beautiful beaches and fresh, delicious seafood. When you feel like having a day that is more up beat and active, take time to venture through the rest of Madagascar by car or schedule a day excursion with a tour group.

Asia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Adventure-seeking couples will love honeymooning in Chiang Mai. Immerse yourselves in the city’s rich culture by visiting the golden temple Wat Phrathat, or wake up early to catch Alms procession, a daily spiritual ritual performed by monks. Quest your thirst for adventure by visiting the Elephant Training Center Chiang Dao, where you can ride through the jungle on an elephant’s back, or play with tigers at Tiger Kingdom. If you’re looking for a more relaxing experience, check out the honeymoon package at Four Season Chiang Mai, where you can enjoy romantic dinners and beautiful views from your room’s balcony.

Luang Prabang, Laos
Become a part of the rich culture of Laos by spending time in Luang Prabang, a city on the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers that is known for it’s many Buddhist temples. Walk through the city and explore the temples and natural scenery before booking a hiking or kayaking excursion. If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, Selective Asia has a variety of luxury Luang Prabang honeymoon packages that will allow you experience the culture of the city, explore it’s wildlife, and retire to your high-end lodge suite at the end of the night.

See More: These Are the Most Pinned Honeymoon Destinations on Pinterest