Strategies: TravelPost.com

Posted by Fan Winston, Honeymoons/Destinations Expert

I’m a bit of an odd duck: a control freak who doesn’t like to plan. Thank goodness I’m married to a guy who’s a more typical Type-A. Stick him in front of anything with wi-fi service, give him something to research, toss him a burrito, and he’s good for the day.

One of his favorite websites when it comes to researching hotels in the U.S.? TravelPost.com, which aggregates hotel reviews, info, and rates from more than 200 travel websites. It’s kind of like one-stop-hotel-shopping.

Two other features make the site a standout. You can create your own travel blog, so family and friends can track your itinerary and share in your experiences practically in real time. And it boasts a blog (TravelPost.com Insider) that collects the latest airfare/hotel/travel deals, industry news, and travel-related gossip (George Clooney is filming at the Detroit Metro Airport!).

If you’re planning your honeymoon, I suggest making the blog a daily destination. What websites do you visit to plan your vacations?

The Ritz-Carlton’s “Vow to Help Others”

Posted by Darcy Miller, Editorial Director

When you're busy planning your wedding, it's easy to forget about the less fortunate. But I feel so strongly that if you can incorporate a meaningful charity into your wedding, it makes it all the more special.

A good one is the Ritz-Carlton’s “Vow to Help Others” program, which enables couples celebrating their marriage at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel or Resort to donate five percent of the total food revenue from their wedding to a charity of their choice AND to The Ritz-Carlton’s “Community Footprints Fund.”

“A Vow To Help Others” is applicable to wedding events booked prior to December 31, 2009, and taking place prior to December 31, 2010.

How do you plan to incorporate charity into your wedding?