Some couples are fortunate enough to have a honeymoon given to them by their families, but it doesn’t always work that way. Whether it’s a couple paying for their own wedding with tight funds, or there simply isn’t a lot of left over money in the budget, a honeymoon can sometimes seem out of the question.

Luckily, there are several alternatives to that big grand-scale trip to Fiji. We have found some great ideas to help couples that want to celebrate their new life together with a romantic and fun honeymoon.

Stay in the country

Think camping at Yosemite, visiting the Grand Canyon, skiing at Lake Tahoe, or lounging on the beach at the Outer Banks. As exotic as a European vacation sounds, the United States also has a lot to offer; most of which couples can get to by car. By choosing to drive can be a huge money saver, and even if you do fly, it will still be much cheaper than an international flight.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Postpone

If a couple decides to get married during ‘wedding season,’ which is during some of the peak vacation times, flight and hotel prices could potentially be sky high. An easy solution is to wait the summer out until after Labor Day when prices drop drastically. This way, couples get that high class resort experience, but at a price that won’t break the bank.

On-line auctions/deals

With popular websites like Groupon and LivingSocial, where discounts are always 50 percent or more, it makes affording your honeymoon a lot easier. There are new deals for trips everyday at great prices, you just have to make sure you buy them in time because deals close within a week.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Just remember, a honeymoon is where you make it, not where you book it. The point is to celebrate your new marriage with the one you love, so don’t stress too much and have fun with it.

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Kara and Jared’s wedding was recently at the Mansion and the wonderful Kuhn’s Photography captured all of the festivities. Check out the video below to see all of the fun from the Big Day!

Thank you to Kuhn’s Photography for sharing this video with us.

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

We were just ecstatic when we saw the June issue of Virginia Living Magazine on newsstands because one of our lovely couples’ wedding was featured! Lisa and James’ wedding was captured by the wonderful David Abel Photography and you can check out all of the photos on page 49.

Our sincerest thanks to Virginia Living Magazine for this wonderful opportunity, as well as to David for sharing his fabulous images. Pick up your copy today to see the full feature!

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests

We here at Historic Mankin Mansion love to serve as the backdrop for photo and video shoots and this lovely RVA Fashion Week 2013- Dream Shoot was no exception.

You can see the wonderful video below! We just adore the polka dot dresses and 50’s feel of the fashion choices.

RVA Fashion Week 2013 – Dream Shoot from Christopher Harris on Vimeo.

Thank you to RVA Fashion Week for the wonderful opportunity!

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests

Video Credit: Image Machine and 2B Determined Studios

Today, we’re excited to share our latest press, which is a bit different than our usual real wedding features. This past week, Work It, Richmond was kind enough to share an interview with our very own Paula Ramirez, who lent insight into the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into running the Mansion.

To enjoy the article, please visit this link. Our thanks to Work It, Richmond for the opportunity!

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Wedding season is upon us! Robbie and Emily recently exchanged vows at the Mansion and we could not be more thrilled to share these enchanting photos with you.

The lovely couples dashing wedding theme was elegant with splashes of vibrant green, creating a delightful backdrop. Mixing in their own unique style, the couple created a memorable wedding from start to finish.  It was not only enjoyable working with Robbie and Emily, but also heartwarming to see two individuals so much in love.

Thank you to Robbie and Emily for letting us share in their special day. Congratulations! Also, we would like to send a huge thank you to V.A. Photography for allowing us to use these lovely photos.

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

Wedding planning can be very exciting, but also extremely stressful. Thankfully, you have wonderful people in your bridal party to help take your mind off planning and help you relax.

It’s customary for brides and grooms to enjoy activities with their bridal party, but deciding can be difficult. Do you take a trip? Go to a day spa? Take a night out to a popular club? There are numerous options, but picking that perfect activity can be hard to do. Traditionally, the maid of honor and best man plans this party, but that does not mean the bride and groom have no input. The challenging part of deciding is to ensure everyone involved will enjoy themselves.

We at the Historic Mankin Mansion have done a little research and have come up with several options everyone will enjoy and remember for years to come.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Plan a trip to a local or out-of-town brewery for a day of beer tasting. This is mainly geared towards groomsmen, but can be enjoyable for bridesmaids as well. Beer tasting is both adventurous and enjoyable, plus you can purchase some new and exciting finds. Just remember to bring a driver or better yet rent a limo.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Activities for both men and women, but this scenario is geared more towards bridesmaids. Set up lawn games like croquet, corn hole, ladder toss, badminton, and giant lawn checkers, then have your bridesmaids dress up in sundresses and turn the day into a glorified tea party. It will bring back childhood memories of playing with friends, plus be a good activity to help individuals relax and have fun.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

This is for all you outdoorsy groomsmen. Basically, talk amongst the group and pick a handful of outdoors activities that everyone would be interested in. Such activities could include skydiving, obstacle courses, go-cart racing, camping or fishing. These activities are great for releasing stress and strengthen bonds. Not to mention just plain fun and adventurous!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

This is our favorite for bridesmaids! Both the bride and bridesmaids go to a local thrift store and purchase some ugly bridesmaids dress, then it’s off to play some paintball! This activity is all about trashing the newly purchased dresses and letting loose with your friends. One of the best ways to abolish any pre-wedding stress!

The most important thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy your special moment!

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

After the wedding is all said and done you’re left with beautiful memories, lots of new gifts to open and a brand new spouse. To hold onto those memories many couples will frame pictures of their favorite moments and start using those wedding gifts. But many brides also want to hold onto their bouquet, and unfortunately flowers don’t naturally last that long. However, there are ways around it for not only petals but full bouquets.

When preserving your wedding bouquet, you can either DIY or take it to a professional, depending on your budget. First, there is the old-fashion method of drying your bouquet via hanging them upside down. To do this the right way, remove all of the lower leaves on the stems and divide them into small bunches, holding them together with a rubber band. And hang in a dry environment for about five days.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Another more traditional and easier DIY way to preserve your bouquet is by pressing them. Selecting a few petals from your favorite blossoms and then putting them in between the pages in a heavy book for several days. This is a great method if you want to mount and frame them in a cute arrangement. If you don’t think you want to bother with the framing, you can also take your pressed petals to a pro and they can mount and arrange them for you.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Finally, there is a much more high-tech way of preserving your flowers, freeze drying. However, this method is not DIY friendly and should be taken to a professional. This will yield the best looking results, and can make your bouquet look fresh and alive forever. The bouquet is put into a special vacuum sealed freezer and completely dehydrated. Your bouquet will remain 3-dimensional and perfectly preserved, but must be put into a glass dome or shadow-box.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Any of these methods for preserving your wedding bouquet can be made to look beautiful for years to come, whether you hang it on your wall or just keep some of your favorite petals pressed into your wedding album.

See You Soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez
Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

One of the most fun activities you and your fiancé will do after getting engaged is your wedding registry. There is nothing better than walking into your favorite department store and go on a huge shopping spree and not have to pay a dime.

Living in the 21^st century means that making your registry is simple, you can do it in person or you can set it up all on-line. At most major department stores like Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond and Macy’s you can click on their registry page, set yours up and shop away. When you’re choosing where you want to register, we suggest making a checklist of everything you want and figure out which places have them. Make sure not to go overboard, pick a couple national stores and one local place if you really love it. Also remember to check that your registry will be available for your guests to view on-line, so they can purchase your gift at their convenience.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

When deciding how much you should be registering for, just remember too much is better than too little. Department stores aren’t going to force you to buy the leftover items after the wedding (although some do offer discounts if you do), so make sure there are an adequate number of items to go around so that everyone can find a good gift.

When choosing your items, make sure you have varying prices. Not everything should cost at least $200 because most likely not all of your guests will have that kind of money to spend. Have some of the more pricey gifts listed, but also items that are under $100 and under $50. Your guests will certainly appreciate it.

Just remember, include your fiancé in the process, be practical about what you choose and have fun with it. Also, don’t forget, thank you cards always go a long way. Happy Registering!

See You Soon,

~Paula & Martin Ramirez

Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.

A wedding announcement is a formal write-up of the details of your wedding that is published in local or national newspapers. While it can sometimes be seen as old-fashioned and out-of-date, but many couples see it as a time honored tradition.

When choosing where the announcement should appear, consider places like your hometown, the groom’s hometown, where you as a couple currently live, or even grandparent’s hometown. On a national scale, choose a paper that you, your spouse and friends/family regularly read. Once you’ve selected where you want to send your announcement, make sure you know each of the paper’s requirements, some want it to be a certain length, some will want to write it themselves and all of them will have some sort of cost.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

After you’ve chosen where to submit your announcement, you have to actually write it. The must-includes are you and your spouse’s names, parents of the bride and groom’s names, the officiators name, the venues and the date of your wedding. Some other important details to include are a description of your wedding dress and the bridesmaid’s dresses, your honeymoon destination and who gave you away. Just remember to keep it short and concise. If you are unsure what the paper is looking for exactly, we suggest picking up a copy and taking a look at the most recent wedding announcements they’ve published.

Despite your wedding announcement being published after you say ‘I do,’ it should be submitted at least six weeks before your wedding day, and with some publications they will want it sooner than that. Your chances of getting chosen increase the sooner the paper gets it. If you want a picture of you and your groom on your wedding day to go along with your announcement, some papers are willing to accommodate and print your announcement a few weeks post-wedding day. However, if you would like your announcement to be published immediately after, you will want to submit a picture along with your article ahead of time.

The most important thing is to make sure your announcement still comes off as uniquely yours. While the paper may want certain things included, you can still have fun with it by submitting a unique photo of you and your groom that makes you stand out.

Do you have any advice on writing your announcements? Let us know below!

Photo Credit: Pinterest

See You Soon,
~Paula & Martin Ramirez
Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests.