Obviously this depends on where in the world you are and what your budget is but then again you’re only going to be married once, aren’t you? So you may as well make this a trip to remember. We’ve put together some unusual ideas for you to think about.

How about this for a trip to remember: Machu Picchu, Peru. There is more to this wonder of the new world than the Inca settlement in the clouds, though that in itself is a sight to see. In the town of Machu Picchu there is a hotel, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu. Set in the cloud forest this hotel features individual cabins with open fires and a first class service. There are over 1,000 species of orchids in the grounds plus a bear (release to the wild) sanctuary. But the reason I mention this place is because they can also arrange a blessing, at night around a fire, with a local Shaman. You can have your relationship blessed by the mountains, sky and earth, in traditional Inca language and style. To find out more about this trip visit Amro Holidays who specialise in gay and lesbian adventures around the world. amroholidays.com

Perfectgayhoneymoons.co.uk is another good site to search out and browse through if you are looking for ideas; they can arrange civil partnerships as well as honeymoons. Some of their suggestions include: Australia, The Caribbean and places in Europe. Greece is on their list and what could be more romantic than walking on golden sand along the shores of the Aegean where Homer sang and Odysseus sailed. Greek hospitality is known throughout the world and recently the country conducted its first civil partnership, same-sex wedding on the small island of Tilos. Nearby is the island of Symi, neo-classical in design and unspoiled this is one of the most romantic islands in the Aegean. (www.symidream.com/wp)

According to a planetout.com survey, most people they asked said they would like to visit Hawaii after their civil ceremony and wander the beaches, feel the balmy breeze in their hair and take in the beautiful scenery. The Maldives are another out of the way place to be perfectly alone, in your own cabin over the crystal clear water; just you and your partner and the sound of the sea.

Of course, you may wish to tailor your honeymoon to your preferred hobby or lifestyle: Clubbers go to the Canary Islands or Ibiza, Mykonos or London. Those who like to really chill could find hazy happiness in Amsterdam and for those for who trust is more important than monogamy there is Berlin with its late night bars, night-spots and fetish clubs. All of these places have sights to see, history and museums too so you could combine a cultural visit with some romantic dining, maybe on a canal boat in Holland or on the boulevards of Paris.

The world really is your oyster but there are things to consider other than romance. Gay and lesbian couples want to feel safe when they travel and just because your country allows civil partnerships doesn’t mean that you will be welcomed everywhere in the world. Don’t be afraid to check with your Foreign Office as to where is currently safe for same sex couples to be and take sensible precautions when out and about in public, sadly these still include visible signs of affection in many places.

But, at the end of the day, the choice is yours. In a recent poll by a gay holiday company the top destinations were:

Sydney, Australia (Mardi Gras, flights over Sydney harbour, the lonely outback…)
Rio de Janeiro (Carnival, beaches, clubs…)
San Francisco (Gay history, the bridge, the romantic hills…)
Mykonos, Greece (Sun, sea and… Well, I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.)

I was in a happy surprise today when searching my favorite search engine Google today.  I had noticed that on the word gay and several of the gay terms they are displaying a gay flag on the right side.  Big G is based near San Francisco so it could have to do with them celebrating gay pride but the flag is not coming up when I search for San Fran.  I think this is a historic event for them to help in celebrating gay pride.  It could also be that they are helping us celebrate couples marrying in California.   If there is a company we do not mind there being the leader on search it is a gay friendly one even though they do make some mistakes.

Happy Pride to everyone celebrating this weekend in Oklahoma City and those next weekend in San Francisco and New York City among many others!

Whether or not you live in a state with legal civil unions, marriages or domestic partnership, you may be planning to celebrate your relationship with friends, family, and food for a great day or evening. From the proposal to the honeymoon, there are some great resources to help you plan a wedding, and sources for GLBT friendly wedding and commitment ceremony services. While the legalities can be a frustrating process, planning your ceremony and the reception is great fun, but can also be a lot of work. You need to choose where to have your ceremony, who to invite, plan food, flowers and wardrobe.

You may be pleasantly surprised by how many wedding vendors are happy to work with you and your partner as you plan your special day. You may even want to visit a local wedding fair or exhibition or speak to local wedding planners if you are considering having a larger ceremony and reception. Gayweddings.com is one source for planning information, vendor suggestions and more when you are beginning to plan your commitment ceremony or wedding. A site like this can also help you find wedding cake toppers, invitations and other accoutrements specifically suited to same sex ceremonies.

Keep in mind that your ceremony and reception can be as traditional or not as you prefer. You may want to choose a beautiful outdoor location, a restaurant or hotel, or a church if you participate regularly. Several denominations are typically willing to celebrate same sex unions, including the Unitarian church, United Church of Christ and Episcopalians. If you prefer a church wedding, one of these may be an option. Most secular locations will welcome you, and you will also find that many wedding chapels in liberal areas are happy to celebrate same sex relationships.

You may also be concerned about finding a GLBTQ friendly place to honeymoon with your partner. Gay.com/travel/article.html?sernum=8651 offers some tips on planning your honeymoon, as well as specific suggestions. You will also find that many all inclusive resorts are lesbian and gay friendly, and some, like Beaches even include the ceremony in your honeymoon package if you prefer a private commitment option.

A number of wedding sites aimed at younger, free thinking couples will also welcome same sex couples. Take a look at Offbeatbride.com and indiebride.com for further wedding ideas. You might also want to explore the offerings at etsy.com for invitations, RSVP cards, and even cake toppers and wedding rings. Attire can be a challenge, but consider choosing wedding outfits that suit both of your personalities and mesh well with one another without matching. You may even want to consider a period wedding or one with a theme to share an interest and shared hobby with your guests.

And congrats to California couples that finally get the chance to wed!  I never thought I would see the day I would be putting another category that said ‘wedding’ instead of ‘dating’.  I decided to call it ‘love’ since wedding sounded strange for a category.  Love is the strongest word I can use.

While many of us will hit some of the major summer theatrical releases, like the new Indiana Jones and Iron Man, what’s coming out in terms of gay and lesbian independent films for summer viewing? Unfortunately, while we don’t often acknowledge it, a fair bit of the films out there that would appeal to the GLBTQ community are just not well written, acted or filmed. Fortunately, there are exceptions that are worth your time and money this summer. One big change expected in marketing gay and lesbian films is a move toward simultaneous release on DVD and theaters. For those of us without a gay friendly indie theater nearby, this means the chance to see movies months before we could have otherwise.

Shelter offers a refreshingly well done look at two surfers falling in love. This gay romance is a coming out movie, but without the gay bar drama, HIV scares and other issues that mark many such films. It’s simply a story of first love, acted and written well. The trailer, and more information on Shelter, can be found at http://www.heretv.com/sheltermovie/.

Faith Akin’s The Edge of Heaven is, at its core, an east-meets-west story; however, the couple at the core of it is a lesbian couple. This multi ethnic couple is not central to the story because of their sexuality, but simply their love story and their struggles over borders and politics.

If you enjoy foreign films, the 2008 release of The Bubble may appeal. This is also a love story marked by political divisiveness. In this Hebrew film directed by Eytan Fox, the bubble of life as one of the hip in Tel Aviv bursts when Noa meets the Palestinian Ashraf and they fall in love.

Zero Chou’s Spider Lilies is another viable option for those looking for a DVD to add to their on-line queues this summer. The Taiwanese Spider Lilies is a drama, with a lesbian love story intertwined into slightly surreal cinematography. While its official release was 2006, it played at this year’s London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.

In fact, the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival can be a good source for movie possibilities. View the list of films shown at http://www.bfi.org.uk/llgff/all_films_showing. While many of these are not new releases, perhaps you’ll see a movie or two that you have previously overlooked and find new favorites. For newer releases, see http://heretv.com/AFilmsPage.php as a possible source of what you might watch on DVD or even in your local indie theater. The LOGO owned afterellen.com and afterelton.com are a consistently good source for information about what’s going on of interest to LGBTQ individuals in the media, including books, television and movies.

Looking for a good book this summer? Many people take advantage of warm days and additional time off in the summer to do some reading, or spend some time reading by the pool or on the beach. Whether you’re looking to read one of the top new novels of the year or an old classic, summer is an ideal time to start a new book or even pick up a stack.

If you are looking for a good overall list of recommended gay and lesbian literature, take a look at jclarkmedia.com/gaybooks/recommended.html for a fairly comprehensive list. You might also check out afterellen.com/books for reviews of books with lesbian themes, and afterelton.com/books for books with gay themes. You might also review past winners of the Stonewall Book Award. While not specifically gay and lesbian oriented, many avid readers have happily taken on the challenge presented in Peter Boxall’s 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. Either of these can be a good start, particularly if you prefer your summer reading on the heavier side of things.

Some of the best possibilities for summer reading are not specifically queer themed, but are great new novels on the market. You should be able to find these in your local bookshop without difficulty, and enjoy them whether you are at home or traveling this summer. These range from novels of serial killers to young adult fantasy, from vampire stories to travel writing.

Tom Rob Smith’s Child 44 is a story of a serial killer in Stalinist Russia, and is receiving broad accolades, both from the literary community and readers as a whole. If you are of a more romantic bent, Salman Rushdie’s new Enchantress of Florence brings to life the world of renaissance Italy. Since some of us admittedly enjoy our summer reading on the lighter side, Stephenie Meyer’s new novel in the Twilight series, The Host is receiving good reviews. Christopher Paolini’s new addition to the Eragon trilogy is also due out for an early summer release.

What am I reading this summer? I suspect I’ll reread the classic Rubyfruit Jungle, and read for the first time John Barrowman’s autobiography Anything Goes, Jennifer Harris’ Pink, and Sarah Schulman’s The Child. I’d like to squeeze in Sarah Waters’ The Night Watch and finally, with some guilt that I haven’t read them before, take on Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. I have no doubt I’ll sneak a few other books in under the wire as well while I retreat to the comfort of air conditioning on hot summer days.

While it doesn’t seem like it should be a challenge, planning a vacation can be a bit more work for GLBTQ individuals. You have your own wishes and desires, your partner’s wishes, as well as concerns about whether a given place will be safe and welcoming. You should also consider whether you want a more social vacation or more privacy during your getaway. International travel poses its own concerns, especially with regard to personal safety. If you wish to travel with a tour group, you may prefer one geared to GLBTQ singles, couples or families.

Cruises are popular options across the board, and you will find a number of options directly geared to the gay community. These range from singles cruises to couples options, and even cruises for gay parents and their children. Gay.com Cruises section offers a thorough list of gay cruising options, ranging from small and romantic cruises to party ships that are great fun for a cruise with friends. Research the cruise options available to find the one right for you and your traveling companions.

If you’re looking for a beach getaway, you’ll be pleased to know that many resorts are openly welcoming and gay friendly. The Sandals resorts now welcome same sex couples after a policy change in 2004, and many resorts actively court the GLBTQ community. Club Med also welcomes both gay couples and families. Gay.com also offers a list of the best gay resorts in the business, but do keep in mind some may not be ideal for families traveling with kids in tow, and this particular list is geared toward men.

If you’re looking for a big celebration and socialization, you have a number of options. GayDays in Orlando is one, with the chance to party and hang out at Disney and other theme parks. The Dinah Shore weekend in Palm Springs draws lesbians from across the country for dancing, days at the pool, concerts and stand up comedy. Pride celebrations across the country, particularly in San Francisco and New York City also draw travelers from the GLBTQ community.

Several resort towns are especially known as meccas of GLBTQ culture. Provincetown, MA is at the top of this list. Fire Island, New York and Key West, Florida come in close behind. Palm Springs, CA is also popular gay destination, with great resorts and wonderful hiking opportunities. Great gay friendly beaches, art galleries and clubs all make these great destinations if you’re looking to relax with your partner or perhaps meet someone new. Families will find that Disney’s theme parks are always welcoming, even if the gay resort towns have somewhat less for them.