Anyone have a honeymoon horror story or other travel-related disaster? I figure if we've learned from our mishaps, we can pass on advice to all those ladies who are planning their honeymoons now!

I'll start:

My honeymoon actually went off without a hitch (well, except for that 2 a.m. wedding-night phone call alerting us to a new plane departure time -- sometime around 7 a.m.).

My vacation slip-up happened last Memorial Day, when my family and I planned a weekend getaway to a rustic mountain retreat (read: no TV, no in-room amenities).

I was in SUCH a rush to pack in the hour or so before we planned to leave, that I forgot to throw in my husband's swimsuit, a hairbrush and hair dryer, books to read (remember, no TV), playing cards and other activities for the kids, and my contact lens solution. We had to make a stop at Wal-Mart on the way.

THEN, we had some major car trouble on our four-hour drive home. We barely made it one hour, when we had to pull over. My husband: "It sounds as if our front wheel is going to fall off."

Three hours, two cranky kids and one tow-truck later, we were still miles and miles from home with a broken-down car on a holiday weekend. We ended up crashing with a friend who thankfully lived nearby, and we extended our two-night getaway an additional two nights.

An $1,800 mechanic's bill later, we made it home.

We learned a few lessons:
a) Be flexible and upbeat when obstacles are thrown your way on vacation. Turns out, we had a fun extra-long weekend with the kids, and they loved the additional family time.
b) Don't try to pack for a vacation under pressure.
c) That "funny noise" the car is making... have it checked BEFORE a road trip!

Happy travels!

LOL, I thought you were saying at first that you took your kids on your honeymoon, then I read more closely!

My hubby and I were pre-kids on our honeymoon -- but we really do plan on taking them along (and Grandma, and whatever other family wants to come!) when we do another Windjammer Barefoot Cruise for our 10-year anniversary! We had such a good time, we just want to share it with them. BUT, ask me again, as the date gets closer (2009). :-)

that was a nice share

Hello, I certainly agree with you. Thank you very much for sharing your information. It was really very helpful for me.

Honeymoon? What's that? My husband deployed three days after we got married. Our second anniversary is in two days, and - wait for it - I'm traveling for business.

We drove across the country a couple of weeks ago; 2100 miles cramped in a Jeep Wrangler, and not a single fight. I think that's the longest time in two years that we have been other-than-home and not visiting relatives or taking my SD for the summer.

I have learned a few things from car trips and previous vacations that I'm going to apply to my dream vacation; a week winding up the East Coast visiting historical landmarks and then a week in Boston.

Take your time. Sure, you can push on and get further. Sure, another night in a hotel is more expensive. Stopping early, getting a good dinner, getting a good night's sleep without getting overtired is well worth it in relaxation and general mood.

Don't over-schedule. My sister and I went to Boston a couple years ago, and while waiting for our trip around the harbor on a tall sailing ship, walked into a restaurant on the Wharf. Sel De La Terre has Wine Wednesdays which is a four-course meal acompanied by four different wines. The sommalier comes out at the beginning of each course to talk about the wine. The food is outstanding. The meal is $45/person. If we had over-scheduled, we never would have had that amazing experience.

As an addendum, we bought the Go Boston Card and it was the best thing ever. We got over $200 of museum and attraction admittances, tours, etc out of a $97 3-day card.

Ours was an up/down thing starting immediately after the wedding.

My in-laws had paid for the limo to come pick us up . We waited, and waited, an waited - all our guests left - we had bought these lovely flower petals instead of rice for throwing - never got used. MIL went to call limo compnay (whom she had confirmed the day before ) they forgot, and sent our limo somehwere else, so had to rent from anpother company.

We finally get to the hotel and the driver get into a fight with hubby about wanting to be paid (MIL had paid ahead to the other company) hubby refused, this is front of one of Atlanta's best hotels, I thought he was going to get arrested!

We had the governor's room - complete with jacuzzi, which didn't work. But the rest of the room was lovely, and they had a wonderful champagne breakfast for us the next morning. The flight from Atlanta to Pittsburgh was fine.

Then we got to Pittsburgh (this is Feb BTW). Our 1st flight is cancelled due to mechanical problems, so we are wait listed for the next flight. Next flight is fogged in, so we are wait listed again (with 3 flights worht of other passengers). 3rd flight they completely cancel due to ice and snow - so they put us all up in hotels. We get a room with double beds. 2nd night together, and we sleep separately!

We get back to the airport the next morning (where we have been assured we will have 1st priority on the next flight) and find we have been lied to- there are no spots on the plane. So we are offered a spot on a puddle jumper and then a shuttle.

Since we've already lost one day, we take it.

I am immediately airsick and hit with a migraine that lasts the rest of the day.

We finally get to the Poconos, which was lovely, but a day short - and then 2 days later, hubby comes down with the flu.

One day we will re-do our honeymoon, but at some other time of year.

My second marriage was a disaster from the get-go! On the honeymoon (if you can call it that) included our four children. Mine came along because they were too young to be left home alone and my son had severe asthma and allergies and I had no one who knew how to handle emergencies with him. My husband's children also came along - they were 23 and 26. His son was mentally challenged and his daughter hated me. The four kids stayed in the room adjacent to ours. On our first night together after the wedding ceremony, my new husband got out his briefcase, pulled out some paperwork and said, "Ok, we have to go over this pre-nuptial contract I have had drawn up for us. Just read it thru and sign it, then I will sign it." Not only did I tell him what "pre-nuptial meant" but, I also told him what he could do with his forms!

If he had approached the subject prior to our wedding, I would have tried to work it out with him to both our advantages. Obviously, his contract was only to benefit him only - he actually said he could not trust me or any other woman he had married and did not want me to have anything of his in case we got a divorce. Obviously, the marriage did not last long because he kept hammering and badgering me to sign the papers, which I never did.

While my family had pooled together and intended for us to go somewhere WOW like Hawaii or some exotic beach... that just isn't our style. We found an adorable cabin in Tennesse where we intended to bunker down for a few days. (I'm sure they sighed in relief because it was MUCH cheaper than what they had planned.) However, as lovely as the honeymoon cabin was, it would appear that the linens on the bed were never changed from the previous "HONEYMOONERS". Needless to say that was the first and last load of laundry I've ever seen my husband do, because I wasn't touching it. lol

My husband and I had an afternoon wedding at the church directly across the street from his family's house. After the reception we went across the street to change and leave for our honeymoon. After we changed, I visited with his mother and sister and other family members while my new husband loaded our luggage into the car. We then said our goodbyes and drove away to get to our first stop that was 300 miles away.

We got to the B&B about 10pm and the innkeeper greeted us and sent her son to get our luggage from the trunk of the car. When we went to our room, I noticed that there were only a few pieces of luggage. Guess what? My new husband loaded HIS luggage, but noto even one suitcase of mine; not even my cosmetics case.
Determined to put a good face on it, I didn't get upset. I laughed and told him that I was really looking forward to our first shopping trip that would take place first thing in the morning.