Marian Honeymoon Destinations

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Are you planning your dream honeymoon or perhaps a getaway with your spouse after a crazy year?

As a newlywed couple, travel can give you some much needed quality time after the busy season of wedding planning, and as Catholics it can also be a spiritually edifying and faith-filled experience.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PIXELMUSICA WEDDINGS

PHOTOGRAPHY: PIXELMUSICA WEDDINGS

Looking to incorporate your love of the Blessed Mother into your travel plans? Check out these five Marian honeymoon destinations.

Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche 

Devotion to Our Lady of La Leche (or Our Lady of the Milk)  goes back to a 4th Century Grotto near Bethlehem which you can still visit today. It is said that the Blessed Mother stopped here to nurse the baby Jesus during the flight into Egypt. Many visitors to the Milk Grotto ask Mary for help conceiving a child. 

However, if you are looking to stay stateside and maybe spend some time at the beach, you can visit a beautiful shrine in St. Augustine, Florida dedicated to Our Lady of La Leche. This shrine is found at the Mission of Nombre de Dios which also has shrines dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the Americas) and Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Basilica of the Annunciation

If you are planning a trip to the Holy Land to see the Milk Grotto, be sure to also check out the Basilica of the Annunciation. Tradition holds that this site in Nazeraeth is where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she would become the mother of God. 

Just a short walk away is the Church of St. Joseph, which is believed to be the site of St. Joseph’s workshop. So you can walk with your new spouse where the Holiest of families lived and walked. Ask for their grace to follow their footsteps throughout your married life. 

Shrine of the Miraculous Medal

In 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared to a French nun St. Catherine Labouré and told her to have the Miraculous Medal made. There are actually two major shrines dedicated to the Miraculous Medal for you to consider in your travel plans––the original convent in Paris, France where Mary first appeared and a chapel in Philadelphia. These two cities offer many unique experiences for travelers and would make excellent honeymoon destinations for city-lovers. 

Knock Shrine

If you and your soon-to-be spouse want to explore the Emerald Isle for your honeymoon, you should visit Ireland’s National Marian Shrine at Knock. 

The Knock Shrine is the site of an Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1879. Eyewitnesses say they saw the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, and St. John the Evangelist. Along with them appeared a Lamb standing before a cross on an altar surrounded by angels.The grounds of the shrine feature five churches, beautiful gardens, and a museum. 

County Mayo, where the shrine is located, is full of natural beauty and outdoor activities, and would make a unique honeymoon destination. 

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City houses the miraculous image of the Blessed Mother on St. Juan Diego’s tilma. It welcomes over twenty million faithful every year, making it the second most visited church in the world, after St. Peter’s in Vatican City.  So whether you want to head to a relaxing beach resort or explore more of what Mexico has to offer, you’ll want to make sure to check out this must-see Marian site. 

Signature Items: What They Are and How They Can Help Preserve Your Wedding Memories

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What are your personal signatures? Maybe there’s a singular outfit or lip color that makes you feel your best, a spiritual book or prayer friends associate with you because you’ve recommended it so many times, a go-to drink order, a candle whose scent always fills your living space.

As individual as the way you write your name, signature items are the ones that make you feel most like you.

The external things you choose over and over and, in doing so, express your internal self. Every person desires to be known, and each woman’s personal style and spirituality can become a way of sharing and making visible who she is.

Photography: Petite Fleur Studios

Photography: Petite Fleur Studios

If you’ve worried your wedding day might pass in too much of a blur to remember, pray for a sense of presence, and consider choosing items that can help you concretely revisit the start of your vocation. Sensory and emotional experiences are tied to closely to our memories, and can help cement life’s milestones in your mind. In the seasons of your wedding-day countdown and first months as a married couple, consider choosing a handful of new signatures--as a bride and as a couple--that, in years to come, will help define your life together: items that, when you use them, will bring the sweet days of new marriage flooding back.

Here, four suggestions for incorporating signature items into your wedding day and newlywed life:

A wedding-day fragrance

The sense of smell can powerfully evoke memory and emotion. Choosing a new-to-you perfume to wear for the first time on your wedding day and honeymoon, then setting it aside for a brief period, is a resonant way to lock in and later revisit this sacred time.

A new saint or devotion

Shared prayer deepens your relationship like practically nothing else. As your wedding approaches, commit to adopting a patron for your marriage, compose your own wedding novena, write your own personal marriage prayer or family mission, or consider Marian consecration. Repeat this devotion annually around your anniversary, and you’ll find yourself amazed by the fruits and changes each year of marriage brings--even difficult years.

A honeymoon playlist

Like scent, music holds a strong pull on our memories. Before your honeymoon, put together a playlist or choose albums with your beloved that are new to you or haven’t been in heavy rotation, and listen en route to and at your destination. Listen more as you settle into your shared life, knowing the songs you’ve selected will be able to transport you back. Not going on a honeymoon right away? This practice still works if you’re headed right into your new routine or planning a staycation!

Recipes

Are there particular meals that strongly evoke your childhood or a past experience? Food, and the rituals tied to it, is a foundation of a shared table and shared life. Put a few cookbooks on your wedding registry, or purchase them for yourself, and enjoy the process of discovering dishes you love; ones that will have a spot in your home as time passes and, God willing, as your family grows.

Of course, we often go through phases of loving certain products, songs, prayers, and meals that later become associated with certain seasons outside the wedding realm, sometimes without realizing it. Making an effort to intentionally choose some of these items as you prepare for your vocation, to express the inner with the outer, speaks to the human heart’s eagerness to be known--to share of itself, to give--and to building a life entirely unique to you and your spouse.

Tips for Couples Not Immediately Taking a Honeymoon

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CARISSA PLUTA

 

Two days after our wedding, my husband and I were on a plane heading to Florida. Not for some tourist site or as a quick stop on our way to a exotic destination but for his job training.

We spent a month in a college dorm room (with two twin beds pushed together for those of you wondering). We ate cafeteria food most nights, with the rare evening out at one of the two other restaurants on campus. We spent hours each day in a training with 500 strangers and were constantly on the lookout for alligators as we walked across campus in the hot sun.

It wasn’t exactly my dream honeymoon.

For various reasons—work schedule or finances—not every couple can take a honeymoon following the wedding day. And at the time we made our plans, I didn’t even realize how much I would desire one.

Thankfully, there are some things you can do to enjoy the early days with your new spouse, be it from home or from alligator-infested swamp-lands:


Let the Wedding Dust Settle

You may be tempted to finish up those wedding wrap-up items in the first few days after the wedding. But once your family and friends leave and the gifts are opened, make sure you take some time to decompress.

You just spent months of planning and preparation leading up to your big day, it is okay to wait a bit before sending those thank you cards out. Instead, use that time to get settled in your new home and life together.

Spend Intentional Time Together

The Honeymoon phase isn’t exclusive to couples who take a honeymoon immediately following a wedding. And thankfully, you don’t have to be in a tropical paradise to spend intentional time with your new spouse.

There are so many ways for you to spend quality time together, even on a budget. Consider taking a Staycation or plan a unique date night.

Get Off Social Media

Whether you are skipping the honeymoon all together or waiting for your time to come, viewing the curated snapshots of other’s lives will not make that time any easier for you. If you are prone to comparison (especially if you are getting married during the height of wedding/honeymoon season), it’s best to stay off social media for a few days.

Plus, freeing yourself of screens for a few days will help that time you are spending with your new husband even more intentional and fruitful.

Enjoy Building Your Life Together

After months (or maybe years) of waiting, you and your Beloved are finally husband and wife! It’s an exciting time and the reality of that isn’t dissolved because a honeymoon doesn’t immediately follow.

Open up those wedding gifts and get settled into your newly shared space. Allow yourselves time to create routines and ease into the new liturgy that is your daily life. Enjoy a slow morning over coffee or a glass of wine as you cuddle in the evening, and allow yourself to marvel at the life you are building with your spouse.

About the Author: Carissa Pluta is Spoken Bride’s Editor at Large. She is the author of the blog The Myth Retold. Read more

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Newlywed Life | How to Plan a Honeymoon Staycation

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Are you and your beloved unable to go on a honeymoon immediately after your wedding?

Whether due to work, financial, or other limitations, if a getaway isn’t in the cards for you right away, the first days of your marriage can still be an elevated experience and sacred time. Consider planning a honeymoon staycation over a three-day weekend or, if possible, a longer period off from work. Here, our suggestions for making your staycation distinctive from the everyday.

Allow yourselves leisure.

When you’re staying at home, particularly right after your marriage, there are temptations everywhere to do: open gifts, organize belongings, clean, write thank you notes. Don’t forget, however, to be: this is a vacation, after all! Consider designating a time of day to end working on projects and chores, spending the remainder in a state of carefree timelessness.

Make specific plans.

A staycation is ideal for exploring areas of your city you might not otherwise prioritize: plan a day trip, make brunch and dinner reservations at new and special spot, visit the natural or cultural sites you love or have dreamed of seeing. Creating an informal itinerary cultivates the getaway feel and brings structure to your time.

Consider a local overnight.

If your budget allows, spending a night--or two--in a nearby hotel or Airbnb feels distinctively special and set apart from your everyday.

Dream together.

If your “actual” honeymoon is months away, enjoy the anticipation! Page through travel books for your destination, dive into Yelp, and begin planning your forthcoming trip.

Add a spiritual component.

Take advantage of time off from work with daily Mass, Adoration, and a self-planned retreat or pilgrimage. Find more here on planning a spiritually significant honeymoon.

We love hearing the stories, insights, and surprises of your newlywed lives. If you and your beloved had an abbreviated or local honeymoon, or are planning to, share your own tips and experiences in the comments and on our social media. See the Spoken Bride team’s handpicked honeymoon essentials here.

Newlywed Life | 4 Ways to Have a Prayerful Honeymoon

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STEPHANIE CALIS

 

The morning following our wedding, my husband and I went to Sunday Mass, ate breakfast at a diner where we were given a free piece of pie, and spent the next eight hours in the car en route to Wilmington, North Carolina. We spent the next week exploring the gardens, downtown, and beaches of this beautiful seaside town. Its small-city feel, with its mix of opportunities for culture and relaxation, suited us perfectly. Simplicity.

Before marriage, I’d listened with awe to my friends’ stories of running through the streets of Rome in wedding attire, eager to get a good spot in the sposi novelli section of the Pope’s weekly audience. Their trips sounded amazing, yet I knew that immediately following our wedding, time and budget constraints would mean a Roman honeymoon just wasn’t a possibility for us. I felt at peace with this fact and, moreover, was excited for a slower-paced trip that I knew suited our temperaments.

Even in the absence of international travel and a papal blessing, though, my husband and I talked about maintaining a disposition to prayer on our first-ever trip together. If you and your spouse-to-be are among those graced with the opportunity for a honeymoon in Rome, it will surely bear fruit in your new marriage. Yet it would be a misperception to believe Rome and the Vatican are the only locations where you can enjoy your first days as husband and wife in a deeply spiritual way.

If your honeymoon plans are stateside or if you’ve chosen another country or type of trip for your getaway, know that your choice is an equally worthy one and that it’s possible to have a prayerful, intentional honeymoon no matter where in the world you and your beloved are.

Here, our recommendations for bathing your honeymoon in a spirit of prayer.

Chase the Eucharist.

Commit to daily Mass, or even a daily holy hour, for the duration of your honeymoon. Depending on your destination, you might make one parish your home base, or prefer to explore different churches in the area. The Mass Times app is a valuable tool for finding Masses and Adoration, even internationally, and might surprise you with new--or old favorite--saints to whom you can pray in a particular way. The parish my husband and I frequented during our time in Wilmington was named for Saint Therese, whose intercession played a major role in our relationship. Coincidence?

Read a spiritual book together.

Diving into new-to-you reading during this sacred time, like Elise and her husband did, offers not only material for contemplation, but an experience to remember your trip by and refer back to in the future. See recommendations from us and some of our brides here.

Develop a prayer routine.

Newlywed life, particularly on your honeymoon, offers significantly more time together than you’ve had in the past, including time for prayer first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. Use these first days of your marriage to expand upon the prayer rituals you employed while dating and engaged, or create a routine for the first time. Rest, however, in the fact that there’s no pressure to have everything figured out by the time you head home. Developing a spiritual intimacy takes time, and the Church offers such depth and richness of options that suit you and your spouse, ranging from rote prayers and devotions, spontaneous prayer, lectio divina, music, and the Divine Office.

Consider a mission statement for your marriage.

This might sound official, but it doesn’t have to be! Men and women called to marriage are tasked with the mission of bearing Christ’s love to the world through their love for each other and, God willing, for their children. Taking time to converse about your hopes for your life together and ways you’ll live out your particular call to marriage can act as a touchstone for your vocation: principles to live by, words to turn to during dry or difficult seasons, and a succinct reminder of your path to heaven. A mission statement for your marriage puts into words the universal truth of the married vocation, in a way specific to you and your beloved. You might write your own statement, or you might turn to a particular word that arises in your hearts or a quote from Scripture or a saint.

I have to admit that my husband and I have never officially done this ourselves, but over time, there have been two quotes we’ve consistently turned to that express our relationship; ones that encapsulate the standards we strive to hold ourselves to in our marriage. One is “freedom exists for the sake of love,” from the old translation of Saint John Paul II’s Love and Responsibility, and the other is Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s exhortation that each of us “be the one” to quench the thirst of Jesus on the Cross, in the form of daily acts of love and prayer.

We love hearing about your own journeys and the ways, small and large, you enrich your spiritual life with your spouse. If there are practices that helped you look to Christ on your own honeymoon, be sure to share them in the comments and on our social media.

About the Author: Stephanie Calis is Spoken Bride's Editor in Chief and Co-Founder. She is the author of INVITED: The Ultimate Catholic Wedding Planner (Pauline, 2016). Read more

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Our Best of 2017

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Thanks to the beautiful vulnerability and generosity of spirit given by each of you in the Spoken Bride community, it’s been our honor to share such precious parts of your hearts, and ours, in 2017. Here, as we close this year, a look back at our featured love stories and a collection of our favorite posts.

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As you plan your nuptial liturgy

Practical and spiritual wedding planning tips

Prayer

If you’re in need of encouragement

As you plan your honeymoon

You are a bride, a beloved. Cherish this sacred time.

 
 

From us to you, thank you for taking part in Spoken Bride's ministry, whether through your social media interaction, your submissions, your patronage of our Catholic wedding vendors, or simply through having clicked over to the site. All glory and thanks to the one whose hand has guided this mission and brought you here. We sincerely hope the words and images you've found here have been a source of authenticity and beauty in your heart, your spiritual life, and your relationship. Be assured of our prayers as we, like you, strive for heaven in this vocation of marriage. We’re grateful and eager to continue serving you and sharing in sisterhood in 2018!

Newlywed Life | The Joys and Challenges of Having a "Honeymoon Baby"

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CHRISTINA DEHAN JALOWAY

Many Catholic couples hope for a "honeymoon baby," either because they dream about having a large family, or (like my husband and I) they get married a little later and want to start their family as soon as possible. Some newlyweds have a come-what-may attitude toward pregnancy: if it happens right away, it happens, and if it doesn’t, that’s okay too. There are couples for whom it is a matter of prudence to avoid pregnancy in the early months or years of marriage. And there are couples who would love to get pregnant right away, but struggle to conceive--couples for whom friends’ pregnancy announcements, or even a blog post like this, can be painful to read.

My intended audience for this post is those engaged and newlywed couples who are afraid of or anxious about getting pregnant right away (and by “right away”, I mean within the first year of marriage), for whatever reason. Perhaps you’re afraid of how having a child will change your relationship with each other. Maybe you’re anxious about how different life will be once you have a baby who is entirely dependent on you for everything. It could simply be that the thought of going through all of the less-than-pleasant aspects of pregnancy and childbirth is terrifying--especially in a cultural climate where pregnancy is often looked upon as an illness that needs to be treated, instead of a natural state of being for a fertile woman.

Whatever the source of your fear is, I can probably relate, because I had all the fears before I got pregnant. Thanks be to God and my wonderful husband, I was able to move past that fear and into trust, and we were blessed to conceive on my second cycle after we were married.

As happy as we were on the morning of that positive pregnancy test, I would be lying if I told you that we haven’t had our share of struggles as we adjust to the reality that we are not simply a married couple, but parents. At our childbirth classes, we are by far the most newlywed of the couples in attendance. In the eyes of many, Kristian and I didn’t give ourselves enough newlywed time to enjoy being “just us” before we invited a third party into the mix. And I get that.

Part of me wishes that I hadn’t been in the first trimester haze for three of the ten months that we’ve been married. Part of me wishes that Kristian and I had been able to take a camping trip with all of the awesome gear we got as wedding gifts before I started having to use the restroom approximately twenty times a night. Part of me wishes that we could have had years to take advantage of Kristian’s flight benefits (he works for a major airline), travel the world together, and enjoy being “just us”.

But that’s not the best part of me, and I know it. I know that, at the end of the day, my life and our marriage is not about me--or us--it’s about being living witnesses of the love of a God who continually pours himself out to us. I also know that so many of my dear friends and family members would have loved to get pregnant right away, but had to suffer through years of fertility struggles, and in some cases are still struggling. I don't know why we received this gift right away, but I know that it is a gift.  And when I look back on the past ten months, mild morning sickness and weight gain notwithstanding, I wouldn’t change a thing.

The first trimester, when I felt sick and tired 90% of the time (the rest of my pregnancy has been relatively easy), was such a time of growth in our relationship and an opportunity for me to receive Kristian’s love and for him to serve me in a new way. Staying in more and socializing less gave us an opportunity to spend quiet evenings together that we won’t have again until our children are grown and out of the house. Knowing that our family is growing has given us more of an eternal perspective on things like finances and home ownership. I knew when we were dating and engaged that my husband had a servant’s heart, but since I became pregnant, I’ve been newly struck by his selflessness and daily sacrifices.

Now, as I settle into the third trimester and the reality that I am a mother and we are actually going to have a baby sinks in, I give thanks for our son, who will undoubtedly draw my husband and me even closer to Christ and one another, and teach us to love in radical new ways that we can hardly imagine. And while it is scary to think about how different our lives will be once Baby arrives, I know that fear is never from God. He gave us the grace to say “yes” to the vocation of marriage, and he will pour out new graces upon us as we welcome our son into the world. And if the Lord gives you and your future spouse the gift of a honeymoon baby, whether or not it was in your plan, you can expect the same outpouring of grace.

 

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About the Author: Christina Dehan Jaloway is Spoken Bride's Associate Editor. She is the author of the blog The Evangelista. Read more

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Editors' Picks | Vol. 8: Honeymoon Essentials

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At Spoken Bride, we love a good book, a good meal, a standout statement necklace, a heel you can dance in, and the list goes on. And when we make those discoveries, we want to tell everyone. So every month or two, we're sharing our latest and favorite finds in everything engagement, wedding, and honeymoon-related.

In honor of our own Social Media Coordinator Elise Crawford Gallagher’s very recent nuptials, we’re sharing our favorite travel essentials for a romantic getaway as Elise takes this month to relax and soak in her first days of newlywed life with her new husband, Hunter!

Elise, Social Media Coordinator

Board & Card Games: I was so blessed to have one of my bridesmaids and best friends hand me a “honeymoon gift bag” the day of my wedding. She packed lots of yummy snacks, some coconut oil, and card games. After a crazy few weeks leading up to the wedding, Hunter and I had fun spending some downtime just playing games and relaxing.

Travel Bag: One of my favorite delights of wedding planning was receiving unexpected gifts in the mail! While I mostly kept my registry items to things we need for our new home, I decided on a whim to add this overnight bag to my Anthropologie registry. I felt so spoiled and special when one of our family friends sent it to me! I was nice to receive something just for myself and to remember our honeymoon by. Hunter was gifted this duffel bag and loves it as well.

Charger Roll-Up: It’s so simple, but this roll-up pack can help keep your chargers and wires organized during your busy travels. I hate having to dig around in my purse and luggage to find my chargers. This way, you can charge your phone as soon as you get to your hotel room!

A Shared Book: Although Hunter and I didn’t plan enough ahead to do this on our own honeymoon, I think it would be so romantic to read a book together while traveling. It could be nonfiction, or a piece of theology you’ve been meaning to read. You can take turns reading to one another out loud, and you'll forever remember that book as the one you read together on your special trip.

 

Jiza, Creative Director and Co-Founder

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes: We all know skincare is super important, but when you are traveling, the change of environment and/or eating out can wreak havoc on your skin. I always bring along gentle cleansing facial wipes for the ease of packing, particularly this brand since it's also free of dyes, artificial perfumes, or harsh irritants that can further upset your skin.

Yelp App: I heavily depend on Yelp ratings and reviews every time we go anywhere new. Particularly if you love discovering and supporting local small businesses, this is a great app to have on hand. On occasion, businesses will also offer deals and special savings to “unlock” when you go check them out.

Packing Cubes: Sharing a suitcase? Packing cubes are a nice way to keep things separate and organized. They minimize having to dig around in your suitcase just to find that one sock or elusive bathing suit bottom, and I also like that that the cubes keep you accountable with not overpacking.

Mesh Bag: This is for dirty laundry, because you will definitely have some by the end of your trip! Toss in your used clothes each day for the ease of washing them once you return home.

 

Andi, Business Director

Scott’s Cheap Flights: Daily emails for this service are free, or you can opt for premium service for $39 a year. In a nutshell, Scott's researches travel deals and shares the best finds and how to get them. If you’re planning to travel internationally in the next year, this one is a must!

Bobbi Brown Blush: I don’t wear a ton of makeup, but this blush is my daily staple. It helps in making you look alive after hours of travel to your destination!

Mass Times: My family uses this app whenever we are more than 20 miles from home and need to find a Mass. It’s never let us down, even with international travel.

Quart-Sized Baggies: I realize that this probably the least romantic thing to pack, but hear me out. Our family likes to bring home little treasures from wherever we visit. We currently collect a sand from every beach we visit for our sand jar, for instance, and on a recent hike, my kids brought home an insane amount of quartz. These mementos are such a sweet reminder of our travels, and you’ll need something sturdy to take home heftier items like sand and rocks. Other practical uses: TSA lets you take one of these with liquids on a plane, good for holding wet laundry, packing up leftovers, and keeping small things like undies and socks organized in your suitcase.

 

Christina, Associate Editor

All-purpose wipes: My husband Kristian and I honeymooned in a less developed country--Nicaragua--and did quite a bit of exploring. It was so nice having these wipes on hand for less-than-optimal bathroom situations, cleaning our hands before eating picnic lunches, etc.

Here Maps App: If you’re honeymooning in a foreign country and don’t want to purchase an international data plan, this app is a lifesaver. Kristian used it the whole time we were in Nicaragua to help us navigate to our various destinations--and it never steered us wrong! You can download an accurate map of any city/country that you plan on visiting before you get there, and it uses your phone’s GPS (which doesn’t need internet or data to operate) to give you directions.

Rental Car Insurance: This tip comes from my husband, who learned the hard way that paying for the full insurance package when renting a car abroad can save a significant amount of time and money. We honeymooned during the windy season in Nicaragua--and I mean windy! While we were en route to our resort, a giant tree branch blew straight into our windshield, cracking and splintering it. After we recovered from the shock (and said a prayer of gratitude that the branch didn’t come through the windshield and kill us), we realized our honeymoon had just gotten a lot more expensive.
 

Stephanie, Editor in Chief and Co-Founder

Journal: If you don’t already have a shared journal like Elise and Hunter do, your first trip as a married couple is the perfect occasion to start a space for recording your travel memories and, later, everyday ones and notes to each other. These handsome leather versions have space for your new, shared monogram.

Zomato App: For me, one of the best parts of traveling is enjoying special meals and off-the-beaten-path spots--on our honeymoon in Wilmington, North Carolina, my husband and I had the most fried, most delicious Southern food you can imagine at a tiny local buffet with melamine plates and checkered vinyl tablecloths, on a recommendation from a grocery store cashier! Zomato is a restaurant recommendation database that allows you to search for food by city, cuisine, meal, price range, and more, alongside reviews, contact info, and booking options--perfect for narrowing down dozens of options in a new-to-you city.

Multitasking makeup: Particularly if you’re headed somewhere beachy, a minimalist beauty look in bronzy or shimmery shades can mirror an inner sense of contentment, relaxation, and little fuss. This dual-ended stick from MAC for eyes, cheeks, and lips cuts down on the need to pack multiple products, has the added benefit of being non-spillable, and the coppery shade would flatter a range of complexions.

Kimono-style wrap: For layering over dresses, as a poolside cover-up, and for lounging in your room, a flowy wrap is pretty and versatile. If you can’t tell, I love the challenge of packing items that serve more than one use!

We love making new discoveries through you. Be sure to share your most romantic, practical, or pretty essentials for travel in the comments or on our social media!

How to Get Your Marriage Blessed by the Pope

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CHRISTINA DEHAN JALOWAY

My husband and I just returned from our babymoon/honeymoon part two, in which we traveled to Rome and several locations in Northern Italy. It was a beautiful trip, but by far the highlight was going to the papal audience on Wednesday, June 13, and being blessed by Pope Francis as part of the “Sposi Novelli” (newlywed) blessing. Our baby in utero got a special blessing as well! When I posted one of our photos on Instagram, I got lots of questions about how couples can go about planning their own newlywed blessing, so I thought I’d share some of what I learned from our experience.

Order your tickets in advance.

All papal audience tickets are free, but due to the number of newlyweds who want to attend each week, you must request tickets from the Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican (contact your local diocesan office for information if you do not live in the US). It’s as simple as emailing the office a few months ahead of your visit, asking for Sposi Novelli tickets for the Wednesday audience you want to attend, and picking the tickets up between 3-6 PM on the evening before the audience. The office is near the Trevi Fountain and you can find directions to it on their website.

Be aware of the rules and restrictions.

According to the BIshops’ Office, couples are eligible for the Sposi Novelli blessing if they’ve been married for two months or less*, and must bring their marriage certificate, signed by a priest or deacon, with them to the audience.  

*In the interest of full disclosure, Kristian and I did not know this rule and had almost been married six months at the time of our Sposi Novelli blessing (we planned on going much earlier, but first trimester and international travel do not mix well). As I said before, our baby got blessed too as I was visibly pregnant, but that didn’t seem to bother anyone. If you want to get your marriage blessed but can’t go to Rome within two months of your wedding, it may still be possible, but it’s a good idea to check with the Bishops’ Office before you book your airline tickets.  

Plan your wardrobe.

 For the Sposi Novelli blessing, couples are expected to come in “wedding attire”, which broadly interpreted means men in suits and women in white dresses. At our audience, there were women fully decked out in their wedding dresses and grooms in tuxes, but that isn’t required. And if you go to Rome in the summer, you may want to forego the wedding dress simply due to the intense heat in St. Peter’s Square.  

A note about dress code: There’s no specific dress code to get into St. Peter’s Square, where the audience is held, but if you want to go into the Basilica afterward, you’ll need to have your shoulders and knees covered.

Get there early.

The Bishops’ Office recommends that you get to the audience as early as possible (the Square officially opens at 6:30 AM) even though the audience doesn’t begin until 10 AM. Kristian and I weren’t able to make it until about 8:30 due to jet lag, but even then almost all of the special seats for the Sposi Novelli were taken. It’s worth it to get there as early as possible, especially since there’s nothing quite like an almost-empty St. Peter’s Square in the early morning light. Just bring snacks, a water bottle, and some reading/prayer material with you to pass the time.

Note: The Basilica does not open until a couple of hours after the audience concludes, so you won’t be able to go to Mass beforehand.

Pay attention to the weather.

I’ve been to Rome during every season except Fall (which I hear is gorgeous), and as much as I love the Eternal City, I must say that summer (mid-June through August) is a tough time to visit. The heat can be oppressive and there’s little relief from trees or ubiquitous A/C. But if summer is your only option, there are a few things you can do to beat the heat at the Sposi Novelli blessing:

-Don’t wear your wedding dress unless it’s light, airy, and breathable. Consider purchasing a white dress that will allow you to look bridal without overheating.

-Advise your husband to wear a lightweight summer suit.

-Bring an umbrella or parasol (I’m so thankful that the Italian couple sitting next to us let me huddle under theirs).

-Bring a LARGE bottle of water and refill it while you’re waiting in one of the natural fountains in the Square.

-Wear sunglasses.

-Bring something to fan yourself with. Trust me.  

Note: If you are planning a winter or spring visit to the Vatican, an umbrella is also a good idea as it tends to rain more often during those seasons.

Bring any religious articles you'd like blessed by the Pope.

At the end of the audience, the Holy Father will do a general blessing of any and all religious articles that you’ve brought with you. I wish I had remembered to bring the rosary that was wrapped around my bouquet! 

Be aware that you may not get a cool photo with Pope Francis.

Depending on the time of year, the number of couples sitting in the Sposi Novelli section varies quite a bit. Couples from all over the world (especially Italy and other countries in Europe) come for the newlywed blessing.  You’re more likely to get facetime with the Holy Father if you do not go during the summer. If you do go during the summer, like Kristian and I did, be prepared for the possibility that you may only get a general greeting from the Pope. We were able to get to the front of the line because I'm pregnant (pregnant women, I learned, are treated like royalty in Rome), but that was an unexpected blessing as there were over 100 newly married couples in attendance that day! My brother and sister-in-law, who went in May 2016, were part of a much smaller group in which everyone got a personal greeting from the Pope.

Note: if you do get photos with Pope Francis, you’ll have an opportunity that afternoon to peruse them, choose the ones you like, and have them printed out for you for a small fee.

What if you can't make it to a papal audience for a special newlywed blessing? Are your dreams of papal marriage blessings dead? Not at all! You always have the option of requesting a Papal blessing for your marriage directly from the Vatican, which is printed on parchment and sent to your home.

I hope this has been a helpful guide for planning a Sposi Novelli trip to Rome. If you're engaged and planning on honeymooning in Rome or a newlywed who recently made the trek, we'd love to hear about your experience in the comments! 

 

About the Author: Christina Dehan Jaloway is Spoken Bride's Associate Editor. She is the author of the blog The Evangelista. Read more

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