So, you’ve booked the venue, picked the dreamiest dress and selected the perfect signature cocktail for your big day. Next? The honeymoon planning! Just because you want to have your *dream* honeymoon on a budget, there’s no reason why you and your partner-in-crime can’t go ahead and start gathering inspiration for your perfect warm-weather getaway. After all, this is your very first trip together as a married couple, and you’ll need a little R&R from wedding planning. If all you can think about is pretty beaches, major relaxation and some seriously delicious coconut cocktails, then you’ll want to take note. We talked with Meridith and Will Whitaker, a real-life couple who spilled all the deets with us on how to have the best tropical honeymoon in Cozumel, Mexico.
Where to Stay
“We’re not sure that there was a particular reason for Mexico, but we heard about cheapcaribbean.com from a friend who used it for their honeymoon and we just browsed the website. We ended up choosing an all-inclusive Iberostar Resort in Cozumel, Mexico.”
What to Do
“During our honeymoon, we went on a boat ride and went snorkeling, swam with a dolphin, relaxed at the resort, rode a moped around the city and explored the local culture. I absolutely loved playing with the dolphin — it was my dream come true! She did all kinds of tricks with us, including pushing us across the water, high fives, etc. We had the last time slot of the day and ended up being the only two people in the water with the dolphin and the trainer. I still remember that the dolphin’s name was Rachel and that we paid $30 for one picture of me with her! We laughed about how outrageous that was at the time, but it really was worth it. Our other favorites were swimming in the crystal clear water at the beach and just exploring the city outside of the resort.”
Things to Eat and Drink
“We ate at the resort a lot, as all meals were included in the cost of our trip, but our most memorable meal was at a local festival we found while riding the moped around the city! We both really loved this Mexican corn on the cob slathered in lime mayonnaise and covered in some kind of cheese. We tried to recreate it when we got home and came pretty close, but we’ve never had anything exactly like it since!
We also drank some kind of mixed drink straight from a coconut. They chopped off the top of the coconut and mixed the drink inside with the coconut juice. So delicious, and we felt like we were getting the real Mexico experience.”
Travel Tips and Tricks
1. You don’t need much. “I don’t remember what essentials we took with us except for bathing suits and sunscreen, but what else do you really need?”
2. Explore the culture. “We happened to be there on Cinco de Mayo and stumbled upon a real Mexican festival on our explorations! We loved watching the dances and listening to the music.”
3. Just relax. “Go somewhere you can relax! Originally we wanted to do something unique and go to San Francisco on our honeymoon — I had never been to California at the time — and explore the city. I am so glad we decided to do the stereotypical tropical resort honeymoon, though. It was so nice having so much unscheduled time to explore, and it really does make for a relaxing vacation when all of your expenses are paid upfront. The honeymoon is your chance to RELAX after all of the wedding craziness, so my advice is to go somewhere where you can do that.”
Planning for your honeymoon? Check out all things Brit + Co Weddings, and follow us on Pinterest for more fun + unique wedding inspo.
(Photos via Iberostar Cozumel)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.