You’ve all tracked our managing ed’s wedding planning (if you haven’t, where have you been? Click here to see it from the very beginning), checked out her wedding in Instagrams and followed advice from figuring out your wedding budget to shopping for your dress. So what’s left? The honeymoon, of course! Take inspiration from Sarah’s honeymoon plans, here.
‘Wedding blues’ are definitely a thing. You’ve spent months planning your big day, and when it finally comes around, it’s over quicker than you can say ‘I do’. And then… that’s it. Yes, you have beautiful memories and the arrival of your wedding photographs to savour – but still, there’s that emptiness in your diary where previously you’d had meetings with suppliers and wedding to-dos filling it up. Your mani is growing out, your tan is fading and your eyelash extensions are falling out one by one… so, what to look forward to now? That’s why I opted for a belated honeymoon, scheduling ours a month after the wedding. It’s an indulgent sojourn to fill the wedding-planning void; an excuse to still feel like a bride for a little bit longer.
To help soften the blow of those almost-immediate wedding blues, Franz and I spent the night after our big day at the gorgeous and blissful The Cellars-Hohenhort in Cape Town’s Constantia. A mere 20-minute drive from where our wedding had been based, it was the perfect spot to hide away in luxury for a night close to home: exhausted after the big day, my husband (still not used to saying that!) and I were grateful to escape without having to drive for hours or hop on a plane. Even better: being greeted with rose petals strewn across our hotel room, along with a bottle of bubbly and a bath already drawn, Franz and I could soak up our memories with minimum effort required. (We stayed in a Premier Suite, from R8 300 per suite, click here to book.)
The Cellars-Hohenhort in Cape Town’s Constantia
The Premier Garden Suite we stayed in at The Cellars-Hohenhort
Another thing we did at The Cellars-Hohenhort that I am now ferociously recommending to all my bride-to-be friends? An indulgent couple’s massage (we had ours at the Fresh Wellness Spa at The Cellars-Hohenhort, price dependent on the therapy you choose). Two hours of decompressing were welcome after the chaos of our wedding day – and being forced to spend the majority of that time awake but silent meant an incredible opportunity to pause and reflect on the amazing day that had just passed. I lay on the massage bed with my mind flicking through moments of our wedding day and a ridiculously big smile on my face.
Ready for a couple’s massage at the Fresh Wellness Spa
So, after a night of bliss, what do we have planned for our belated honeymoon getaway? We’re jetting off to the luxe Royal Chundu, situated on the Zambezi river and surrounded by awe-inspiring views of the river’s banks and flowing water, just upstream from the mighty Victoria Falls. (Accommodation from R4 703 per person, per night, click here to book.)
The Royal Chundu, Zambia
On the agenda: a stay in a private lodge, promising unrivalled views and romance galore; and dining at Royal Chundu’s famed Chief Boma, an outdoor eatery beneath Zambia’s twinkling stars. And that’s to say nothing of the myriad activities you can enjoy in this beautiful country: white water rafting, elephant safaris, helicopter tours, game drives and, of course, a visit to the magnificent Victoria Falls. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect romantic getaway, I don’t know what does!
The Royal Chundu, Zambia
So as my wedding chapter closes and another one – marriage! – opens, I’m excited for the future. But I’m going to stay stuck in the past just a little longer and spend my honeymoon with a blissful smile on my face, remembering countless moments from my big day that make me want to do it all over again. Even with all that planning stress!
For more about the Fresh Wellness Spa, click here. Click here for more about The Cellars-Hohenhort and here for more on Royal Chundu. Both five-star establishments are members of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux group.
Share your honeymoon destination and snaps with us by tweeting them to @GLAMOUR_sa with #GLAMWedding to share!
Sarah Browning, 24, is the managing editor of GLAMOUR. She moved to SA from London three years ago and lives in Cape Town. In this #GLAMWedding Wedding Blog, Sarah’s sharing her wedding-planning journey with you. Join the conversation! Tweet your thoughts to Sarah via @GLAMOUR_sa using #GLAMWedding.
