Tina & Josh: Trashing the Dress
Tina & Josh from Staten Island contacted us to create an “over the top, luxurious honeymoon”. This adventurous couple wanted a blend of excitement & pampering. Tina dreamed of doing one of those iconic “trash the dress” photo shoots – and as you can see, it couldn't have been more perfect.
Tina: Our amazing honeymoon was literally the best trip we have ever taken in our lives. We decided to do 3 nights on Moorea and 5 nights on Bora Bora. On the ferry to Moorea you see the mountains and water and start to realize that you are entering paradise. We wanted to save the overwater experience for Bora Bora, so we chose a deluxe garden bungalow at the Hilton on Moorea, and were happy with our decision. (Make sure you feed the sharks at the crepes bar at the hotel around dinner time. They feed the sharks and it is super cool.)
Our bungalow was nice, with a little private “yard” and our own little pool. There was champagne waiting for us in our room upon arrival. We spent our first day lounging at the beach, kayaking, and paddle boarding. We went to dinner at the Moorea Beach Cafe overlooking the water. It was DELICIOUS. The owner used to live in NYC and is an amazing chef. I highly recommend! The next day, we went on the ATV tour – it was SOOO much fun although a little scary (I am a big wuss but even my husband told me he was afraid on our way down this huge mountain). As you drive up the mountain you stop along the way and the tour guide, who was a firefighter on the island, took pictures of you and told you the history of the mountain. We got really muddy on our way down and I wished I was wearing sneakers. The view from the top was breathtaking. We also booked the Tiki Village dinner and live Tahitian dancing show, set in a little cultural village kind of like an outdoor museum with art, history, cultural presentations. The dance show after dinner was really cool. We even got picked to participate in the show and they taught us traditional Tahitian dances!
After a semi-traumatic day with some scooters we rented (I don't recommend...) I went to the front desk and ordered a romantic surprise. It was called a romantic turndown. Candles, flowers, music. And cake, cause why not? They even drew a bath and filled the tub with flowers. Super romantic. The next morning we left Moorea and flew to Bora Bora (about 45 mins).
When we arrived at the airport in Bora Bora we were greeted by the St. Regis staff. They get your bags for you, give you some leis, and you are off to the resort. You need to take a boat to the hotel since everything is on the water. We were the only ones getting on the boat to the St. Regis which made me feel totally exclusive and VIP! LOL. I did some serious research and felt that the St. Regis (from the movie Couples Retreat with Vince Vaughn) was the absolute best of the best. They have the largest overwater bungalows in Bora Bora. Plus you have your own butler… seriously! The views here are so beautiful I still wonder if it was real or all just a dream. Moorea was great but there is no comparison – Bora Bora is PARADISE!
When we got to the St. Regis our butler greeted us with champagne and a tour of the property. So beautiful. Gorgeous beach, nice restaurants, oh and they drive you everywhere on golf carts. You don't have to walk anywhere if you don't want. Our bungalow was so amazing! There is glass in the floor all over so you can see the water underneath. I literally was swimming underneath our bungalow waving up at my husband in our room. We had a sliding glass door off of the bedroom and another one off of the living room both which led to our own private deck with the most insane view of the mountain (pay for this upgrade, so worth it!). We spent most of the time lounging on our deck jumping off into the water. It was so private and incredible. The room was so nice we cancelled our dinner reservations we made when we checked in and ordered room service which we ate on our deck. The next morning we headed out for our boat tour to snorkel which included one stop to swim with sting rays, one with little reef sharks, and then another stop in the ocean (the others are in the lagoon) to swim with huge sharks, and then a final stop on a private island.
The next day we got a couples massage which was also part of our package. We spent the rest of the day on our deck. We hardly went to the beach since our deck was so private and had the best view of the mountain. What better way to spend the day than soaking in the sun on your own deck with super comfortable lounge chairs? If you get hungry or thirsty just call your butler and he will bring you whatever you want! Then when you get hot jump into the clear, warm water!
That night we had dinner at Villa Mahana (super fancy, expensive French restaurant). We did the five course pairing menu. I ate things that were gross but fancy people might like them (caviar, fois gras). It was expensive but really romantic. Pacific for Less got us the top table outside. If you don't book well in advance forget about it, there are only a few tables in the whole place. All outside. Beautiful ambiance.
The next day I did the most fabulous thing I have ever done in my whole life: a “trash the dress” photo shoot. Our photographer, Wim Lippens, was amazing. I also had a makeup artist come and do waterproof makeup. I am so obsessed with these pics! I literally love them more than even my wedding photos! Worth every penny!
We bought fish food at the gift shop and at night sat on our deck feeding the fish. On our last night the St. Regis did a flower bed turndown and left us a beautiful note, and on the morning we left I arranged to have breakfast delivered to our deck by canoe! My honeymoon was the best thing ever, even better than my wedding!
