Join us in congratulating Tenon Travelers Carlie and Jack — they just got married! Planning a wedding was more than enough to take on, so Carlie and Jack elected to let us take care of the honeymoon.
The pair wanted a trip that was tailored to their interests — history, countrysides, modern cities and pop culture. Lucky for them, personalized trips are kind of our thing.
After the initial call with our Traveler Specialist, Rachel, Carlie felt they could trust her to make their dream honeymoon a reality:
“We felt she really listened to what we wanted in a trip and her turnaround time was outstanding … We felt we were talking to a family friend rather than a business. It seemed that the Tenon Tours team really cared about our trip.”
The newlyweds certainly had a packed schedule to squeeze into 12 days, what with traveling through England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. A couple of their favorite excursions included the Game of Thrones Tour and putt putt at St. Andrews.
Carlie and Jack received the inside scoop during the Game of Thrones tour, as the guide was an extra from the show! Carlie remembers he had a few out-of-this-world stories about filming, and the excursion took them to some of the most iconic scenic areas from the show, including Larrybane Quarry, where Brienne bested Sir Loras Tyrell; The Dark Hedges, known as Kingsroad in the show; and Ballintoy Harbor, where Theon lands at Pyke Island. Despite the emotional and intense nature of the show, Carlie insists the tour is quite the opposite — you’ll be laughing all day!
Another highlight for the couple was the Black Taxi Tour in Belfast. This is usually a fan favorite for our Tenon Travelers, and we love that this experience is both rich in sight-seeing and history! Brian, their driver, was an excellent host as he drove them around the streets of Belfast. While The Troubles were something Carlie and Jack had learned much about in school, hearing the first-hand account really solidified this part of history for them.
There are always unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to be had while overseas (or on any adventure!), but Carlie and Jack witnessed a pillar of history in the making: they took their first steps on British land just after the passing of the great Queen Elizabeth II. Carlie recalls the air having a distinct feeling of grief to it, and also somber respect and reflection.
“As an American, it was very humbling to be a part of history and witness so much admiration and love for one person.”
During the 10 days of mourning, many restaurants did not serve champagne out of respect for Her Majesty. The Friday and Saturday prior to her funeral, Carlie remembers seeing all the main shop windows on Regnant Street painted black. Each day they learned something new about the queen and her reign.
The pair stayed quite busy for the full 12 days, but Carlie says they wouldn’t change anything about their experience. A Tenon Traveler tip from these two: take advantage of our app, which details your day’s itinerary and includes helpful tips to get to your transportation and accommodations. We’re so glad this was helpful — navigating multiple countries in under two weeks is no small feat!
While this trip will be hard to top in both historical experiences and adventure, Carlie and Jack can’t wait to plan their next vacation. They have Germany and Croatia next on their list!
Thank you, Carlie and Jack, for allowing us to be a part of your honeymoon. We hope you’ll travel with us again soon — it’s not too soon to start thinking about your anniversary!
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Honeymoon Ideas: Italy and Greece
When it comes to romantic landscapes, Italy paints the perfect image for a breathtaking honeymoon. Civilization began in Greece, so a Greek honeymoon to begin a lifetime together makes perfect sense. A combination of the two destinations? Well, that’s truly a match made in heaven.
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