Unique Honeymoons

It doesn't matter if you spend a few days planning your wedding -- like our Wedding in a Week couple Marc Stein and Melissa Rihn -- or a few months, most couples agree that no wedding is complete without a honeymoon.

Friday morning, Travel + Leisure magazine's associate editor Heidi Mitchell tells The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm honeymoons are now trips of a lifetime.

Mitchell notes honeymoons are more thoroughly planned than other vacations, so couples are often willing to spend a little bit more time and money on a honeymoon, and increasingly they strive to do unusual things that will stand out as unique and special experiences.

It's up to you to help choose the honeymoon destination for Wedding in a Week couple Marc Stein and Melissa Rihn. The Early Show invites you to participate in our poll, which opens Friday at 12 noon/PT and ends Sunday at midnight/PT. Results will be announced on Monday.

There are four honeymoon trends, according to Mitchell:

• Collaboration Between Couples: Planning the trip is no longer just a man's responsibility; both partners are playing a role in the planning process.
• Longer Honeymoons: More people are now escaping for two weeks at a time; this allows them to take a "trip of a lifetime" to Africa, Asia or another exotic locale.
• Postponing the Trip: Instead of leaving town the morning after the wedding, couples are waiting a few weeks or months to take their honeymoons.
• Registering for Honeymoons: Couples who already have all the china they need can now go online and register for a honeymoon; once you've chosen your location or hotel, friends and family can buy you all of the "extras" - a massage, a nice dinner, a golf game, etc.

Intimate Cruises
This option is somewhat traditional - it still involves water and sand - but the honeymoon cruises that many couples are opting for are far from traditional. Windstar ships exemplify this trend. The small, masted ships carry only 150 to 300 passengers and they sail to destinations that are off the beaten path such as southeast Asia and India. The newest boat in the fleet is spending the summer in the Mediterranean -- sailing to Venice and Barcelona. In addition to having tall masts, the ships have teak decks and wood interiors, flexible dining options and a very casual atmosphere. Rates start at around $1,595 for a seven-day cruise.

Safari Adventures
According to Mitchell, many couples are now looking for romance and adventure on their honeymoons. There are fabulous lodges scattered throughout Africa, which have all the luxuries of an urban hotel, but offer amazing access to nature and animals.

CC Africa is one of the premier conservationist companies in Africa, and one of its newest properties is Lake Manyara Lodge in northern Tanzania. The lodge has stilted treehouses, and each villa comes with a personal butler who attends to every need. Some folks may wonder how a safari vacation can be romantic. Sitting on the edge of a salt lick at sunset, watching elephants and other animals is a moment you'll never forget, and it's certainly romantic, Mitchell says. Also, you can enjoy private dinners in front of bonfires or in pavilions lit by torchlight. All-inclusive rates at the Lake Manyara Lodge begin at $355.

Culinary Trips
Good food and wine can make or break a trip - and more couples are basing their entire honeymoons around culinary interests. They are not simply dining at fabulous restaurants, they are using their honeymoon as an opportunity to learn about food, entertaining, and more. At Italy's Villa San Michele School of Cookery, guests tag along with a princess to study Tuscan entertaining during behind-the-scenes palazzo visits. There are opportunities to learn about regional wines, cheese and pastry, and to accompany a chef to a market where you learn how to shop for certain ingredients. When you return home, Heidi said, you can make a meal together or throw a party and think back fondly on your honeymoon! Rates at the Villa San Michele start at $1,828 for four days and three nights.

Urban Escapes
You may not initially consider visiting a big city for your honeymoon, but many couples are finding romance while exploring an exciting new place like New York, Sydney or Paris. And, couples who are postponing their honeymoons may spend a few days in a city right after the wedding. You don't have to be on a beach to be pampered, Mitchell points out. New York's Mandarin Oriental is the perfect example of this. The newest, sleekest hotel in the city offers amazing views of the park and a wonderful spa. The hotel shares a building with some of the finest restaurants in the country. Of course, pampering like this will cost you; rooms start at $595 a night. Right now, there's a special "Delight Rate" with room from $459 a night.