Weddingbee Blog

After the wedding, we took a week’s honeymoon and relaxed in the amazingly perfect high 70s-mid 80s warmth and sunny weather of Amelia Island, FL (the only time it rained was the morning we were leaving)!

Mr. Guinea Pig and I could not wait for this time of relaxing together near both a beach and a pool, as well as with plenty of other fun options for keeping ourselves entertained (and not sunburned - we went through 5 bottles of sunscreen. In one week). We stayed at the Fairbanks House Bed & Breakfast, which was absolutely amazing and key to our super fun honeymoon (they have excellent romance packages for honeymooners, too!). Bill and Theresa, the innkeepers, are so friendly and ready to help - they made sure to give us directions when we needed them, made reservations for things we wanted to do or restaurants we wanted to eat at, and seemed to have an ’in’ for quick reservations pretty much anywhere they called!

Here’s the outside of the Fairbanks House as we are about to set off on a sunset horse-drawn carriage tour of the historic center of Amelia Island our second night there!

(Spanish moss everywhere - such a romantic setting!)

Our room (which I forgot to take a picture of!) had a living room complete with remote controlled fireplace, full separate kitchen, a bedroom with a king bed and walk-in closet, AND a 2-person jacuzzi in the bathroom! Ah yes, and can’t forget to mention the adorable porch that overlooked the pool with the jasmine-covered arbor, which smelled amazing.

(Our porch where we enjoyed the evenings; Mr. GP says hi from our room while I lounge at the pool; and a photo of the pool from our porch)

Every morning we would wake up in time to catch the homemade breakfast, because it was seriously delicious and not to be missed. Plus Bill & Theresa made sure to take note of any food preferences for each guest (example: Mr. GP does not like nuts in his food. Weirdo. But he got his breakfasts without nuts!).

(Fresh strawberries with organic vanilla yogurt and a cinnamon nutmeg sugar topping; ’Bananas foster’ waffles and sausage; amazing French toast with some kind of heavenly topping and a side of bacon (mmm); frittata with polenta and sausage)

Yum. Not only did we get to eat those breakfasts each morning, but from 5-6 pm the Inn held ’Social Hour’ where everyone in the B&B could come down to the living room/parlor area to hang out, discuss dinner plans or fun adventures they’d recommend, drink beer, wine or slush (ohhh slush. I am now a slush addict. I’ll explain in a minute), and eat delicious hors d’oeuvres.

(Mr. GP got his icy cold mug o’ beer, and I got to have one (or two, or three - hey, it was our honeymoon!) glasses of slush)

Slush is just a powder mix that you add to red wine (with some water to dilute and help with freezing), then freeze the mixture. Let it thaw a bit before serving and enjoy what essentially tastes like a slushy, delicious sangria but somehow way better. I probably shouldn’t admit that we brought two bags of the mix home with us from the Fairbanks House gift shop and I drank them within two weeks of getting back, huh.

So now that you know how awesomely pampered we were feeling at the Fairbanks House, here’s what we did around Amelia Island itself!

As you saw above, we took a carriage ride through the historic district. Fairbanks House is on the National Register of Historic Places and there are so many historically cool homes and buildings in the very cute downtown area.

(friends said this would be a great ad for the carriage company)

(This house had carousel horses around their front porch!)

The carriage dropped us off at a restaurant for dinner, and afterwards we walked around and enjoyed the sunset!

(It was seriously so beautiful there)

The next morning we took a river cruise tour (Amelia Island is bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other by a series of rivers and creeks) and got to check out the island from the water, see wild horses (yay!) a sunken shrimping boat (sad), and Cumberland Island (pretty)! Mr. Guinea Pig also got to sneak a peek from afar at the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, and just knowing we were that close to attack dolphins (I kid you not) and submarines made him a happy camper.

(Wild horses: Momma and her 6 week old baby colt! Completely bright white at that, which is uncommon)

(Dunebuggies are historically accurate, right?! Outside Fort Clinch)

We also took quite a few nighttime strolls, got to know some of the many neighborhood kitties, and enjoy the fact that we were on a quiet island, not in a busy bustling city.

(Lizards on a house window; the Fairbanks House at night)

The next day we hit up the beach, which was both gorgeous, and empty - just the way I like it!

(Little Talbot Island state park)

I love playing in the ocean, so I immediately jumped in and spent an hour hopping waves then swimming back in with them:

(can real guinea pigs even swim?)

Meanwhile Mr. GP was writing a secret message for me in the sand!

(Our names in the sand with our wedding date! Cuuuute)

Up next I’ll share our other fun beach adventures (more horses!) and the dorkiest. photo. ever. of Mr. Guinea Pig and me (but only because I love you all).

Anyone else been to Amelia Island before or go there for their honeymoon? Did you eat like Kings and Queens on your honeymoon?