olafman

Yesterday the Supreme Court of the State of California overturned the ban on same-sex marriage. They simply said that the law passed by the citizens of CA a couple of years ago limiting marriage to a man and a woman is unconstitutional.

The result is LA County will begin issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples in about 29 days.

My partner Terry and I decided officially became engaged yesterday after being together for 17 years. We'll be going down to get married on the first day it is possible.

So I need ideas for our Honeymoon (since I'd never pass up an opportunity for travel!!!) Where will the flood of gay honeymooners be going this summer? I'd love to hear your suggestions.

As of August 6th, we'll be living in Munich, Germany so any ideas in Europe would be great.

Guava

Italy, south of France / Spain would be pretty romantic I think for honeymoon. Consider take a cruise of 7~10 days and then visit select spots in those countries like Venice, or Asolo / Villa Cipriani. Nice, France would be nice too.

Congratulations. ^

bigguyinpasadena

Glendale.
With the price of gas that is going to cast about the same as a trip to Europe if you take the RV

Barcelona was really wonderful OlafMan,and Lufthansa willl get you there(You said you wanted to try the FCT in Frankfurt.

olafman

Glendale, CA? Honeymoon destination? After 17 hard, long years, Mama wants something a bit nicer.

KenCT

17 hard, long years, eh? I'll bet. Congratulations to you both, and I do hope to meet Terry and the munchkin someday. My vote would be for Paris. Even with the graffiti, the dog droppings, the attitude, and the exchange rate, it's still the most romantic place on earth.

TravisMT81

I just wanted to say Congrats!

getsaround

Given where you're going to be living I'd have to agree--PARIS!!! Otherwise I would have said MARRAKECH.

Kate_Canuck

Congratulation! But as an FT'er, don't you need to plan your honeymoon to maximise FF miles, hotel points or, conversely, to burn them in a really over-the-top way?

Can you splurge on business or first class travel? If not, consider going somewhere where you can fly an airline that has premium economy so that you can enjoy the trip as well as the destination.

Barcelona certainly would be at the top of my list for a honeymoon destination for someone who likes cities. I'd also recommend Istanbul (combined with some time at an upscale beach resort) if you'd like to travel somewhere a little more exotic.

Another possibility might be Paris combined with a wine-tasting tour. Everyone seems to love going to Burgundy or the Loire Valley, but I'd recommend Champagne instead. Admittedly, the scenery is a little more interesting in Burgundy and the Loire Valley, but Champagne is Champagne and is an appropriate them for a long-awaited honeymoon. You could have a great time going to tastings in the large champagne houses (many of which put on rather over-the-top tours) and arranging your own visits to small producers. I like Reims as a base (and you can get there quickly on the high speed train from Paris). It has lovely Art Deco buildings (a lot of the city was rebuilt after WWI), a cathedral with wine-themed stain glass windows designed by Chagall and, for a little dose of history, the Surrender Museum (where Germany surrendered in WWII).

youreadyfreddie

I second the recommendation for Paris. I just got back Sunday from a week there with the future Mr youreadyfreddie. We spent a few hours in the park at the Eiffel Tower on Saturday. Had a picnic in Luxemburg Gardens a few days before that. The weather was fantastic the entire time. Yeah, there's graffiti around in some places, but we managed to avoid stepping in any dog droppings. The only attitude we received was from a couple of other Americans, and were literally welcomed back, embraced and kissed by the waiters at a restaurant we had visited last October, and the exchange rate, while bad, isn't as bad as what it was when I was in London over Christmas. Paris rocks and, I agree, for me it is the most romantic place on earth.

Congratulations olafman. Best wishes for much happiness for the rest of your lives together

zitsky

Congratulations! My partner and I have also been together for that long. It's nice to know other couples who have made it that far (and farther).

I think New Zealand is a great place for a honeymoon. It has beautiful scenery, beaches, glaciers, lakes, etc and some of the friendliest people I've ever met. I also think it's one of the easiest places to get to from the west coast.

BTW, does anyone know what happens to marriage licenses that were issued by San Francisco a few years ago. I have one of those. Are they valid now, or do we have to get married *again*?

ebayj

Hugest congrats. I was overjoyed at yesterday's news. Given you are moving to Europe, this might be a great time for a last trip (for a while) to the islands. Tons for your kid to do (he is adorable by the way) on Maui and Oahu, and it is unlikely you'll get back there while you are living Europe. So I vote Hawaii.

Guava

Unfortunately, they were nullified by court ruling back then. Whether you need to go through another ceremony this time is entirely up to you. Oregon and most other States do not recognize gay marriages anyway so unless you plan to move abroad to countries which accept those licenses, you may have to wait a long time before your State recognizes your marriage.

peteropny

No suggestions but Congrats Or maybe you can host a Hitching Gayla in LA

samftla

Just about any place in Italy So romantic, Lake Como (one of my personal favorites), Portofino, Positano, and Capri...

And congratulations
Sam

gtownguy

I would have to 2nd the vote for Lake Como, especially the little town of Bellagio. Really great place overall. The food, the shopping, the people, the scenery, the romance - all are wonderful.

And yes, congratulations!!! Hope you have a fantastic time wherever you end up going.