Kendahl & Nick

From Opposition to Opulence

“You’re registering for what?”

“What about towels, toasters and tumblers?”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

For Nick and I, our honeymoon adventure started long before we ever stepped foot onto the island of Nevis in the West Indies.

Coming from two large, traditional Irish and Italian families, we were met with two-years worth of opposition and outright confusion about the idea of registering for a destination instead of a duvet. It didn’t matter that we had an apartment full of pots and pans, towels and sheets. To our families, opting out of this retail right of passage was like spitting in the face of our long-awaited birthright to scour aisles with a battery-operated gun designed to scan us into domestic bliss. After all, you can never have enough Tupperware and who doesn’t want a Soda Stream??

And yet, with every inquisitive stare we endured for our unorthodox resolution of sights over essentials, Nick and I grew even more determined, more eager and more impatient to experience the vacation of all vacations. For any couple, the honeymoon trip is a special one, but for us, it began to feel like more of an accomplishment than an absolute.  

Armed with fortitude and consumed with chutzpah, we sidestepped disapproval and began the daunting, but exhilarating task of choosing our first destination as husband and wife. We consulted Rick Steves and conferred with Frommer's; considered time zones and weighed weather climates. And we learned quickly that whomever declared our world a small one had never actually planned a honeymoon. Ultimately opting for rest and relaxation, Nick and I elected the small island of Anguilla in the Caribbean to reap the reward of massages over muffin tins.

Elated that the decision was made and dates set, we chose the luxurious Viceroy Anguilla Resort and their private plunge pool honeymoon suite to start our memorable vacation. We would take the first flight out of Chicago on Monday morning, just two days after saying our “I Do’s”, to max out every moment of our new marriage with sunning and relaxing. This was it! We had convinced our friends and family, submitted our deposits, and confirmed our reservations when the unthinkable happened.

Not three weeks prior to our departure date, our travel agent emailed with news: Our five-star resort was closing for maintenance at precisely the time we had planned to get away.

“Wait, what?” I befuddled to Nick. “What does this mean?”

What it meant was the Viceroy Anguilla Resort closed their fancy-pants doors to us and ended our dream vacation before it began. And in securing the lock and tossing the key, they made it very clear that they were unwilling and unyielding in their negligence of our nine-month reservation to offer any alternative solutions.

Suddenly, a blender didn’t sound so bad.

Pressed for time and recuperated from our disappointment, we rerouted our efforts and started our search over...as over as we could with less than three weeks to take off. Keeping our compass set to southern islands and warm climates, we stumbled upon the virtually unknown island of Nevis. Offering the same privacy and luxury that had made Anguilla so appealing, we decided to put our faith in the Four Seasons Resort. Alas, we were on our way.

Arriving in St. Kitts International Airport after a five-hour flight from Chicago, we stripped away our layers and exposed our pasty skin to the warmth of this small, spectacular island. We were immediately greeted at our gate by members of the Four Seasons staff who led us to a van that led us to a ferry that led us to our final destination. It was five-star service from our very first step, and immediately, “Anguilla” was but a distant memory.

After a quick trip through colorful buildings, local loiterers and unpaved roads, we were whisked out of the van to our private Four Seasons ferry. Suitcases stashed and passengers aboard, we pulled away from St. Kitts to endure the last leg of our journey prior to entering paradise. Warming our welcome with rum punch and island tunes were new members of the Four Seasons staff. The wind blew, the water splashed and Nevis was getting closer by the minute. It was official: We were finally on our honeymoon and temporary Nevisians.

Waiting on the dock with our names and marital status memorized were, you guessed it, new members of the staff. Guiding us along stone pathways and well-maintained landscapes, our personal staff member drew our attention to the island’s most unique attribute: The dormant volcano by which all other sights ranked a distant second. Awe-inspiring in its size and proximity, we found ourselves in a world unto itself. Sure, this was the island of Nevis, but it was the island as seen through the exclusive lens of the Four Seasons -- a lavish, indulgent, celebrity-worthy environment designed to delight every sense you were willing to lend.

Meandering past indigenous flowers and local insects, boundless tennis courts and various restaurants, we finally arrived at a clean, modern, spacious room with an unobstructed view of the Caribbean Sea. Nestled perfectly against the nearest infinity pool, we gawked at our new surroundings. Silently, pensively, we inhaled the ocean air. Time had stopped momentarily and treated us to life’s best-kept secret: Stillness.

All at once, time again began to tick and suddenly, Nick and I were anxious with curiosity. Already hot from Caribbean sun, we buried our sweaters deep in our suitcase, uncovered our bathing suits and equipped ourselves with nothing but a camera, a resort map and pure, unadulterated anticipation. I have never been so revved up to slow down.

Our first couple days in Nevis were spent indulging in not much else but delicious meals, scenic grounds and calming swims. Since we chose to travel during their low season, we were lucky enough to have the resort almost entirely to ourselves, allowing us to learn the names that went with the faces of the friendly staff and guests, alike. In what already was a private, serene environment, the unpopular travel time only made our stay more enjoyable.

Spending these initial days catching up on sleep and overcoming the exhaustion that a two-year engagement and 200-person wedding will produce, Nick and I finally energized ourselves long enough to enjoy some resort activities, our favorite being a catamaran ride to a snorkel adventure. Not only was it the perfect way to enjoy some of those generous honeymoon gifts, but it also gave us a more intimate relationship with the island and its people.

Boarding just hours before dusk when the afternoon light danced delicately on the waves, we were greeted, guided and entertained by three locals from the moment we pushed off shore to the moment we returned to land. Treated to a private bar shared by just eight other guests -two of which we befriended and have kept in touch since - we were immediately overwhelmed by our fresh island perspective. Enveloped by calm seas, a gorgeous coastline and cloud-breaking sunshine, I couldn’t keep my finger off the camera’s trigger. Peeling my eye off the viewfinder only long enough to actually snorkel, I’ve never felt so compelled to capture my surroundings.

Luckily, the deep dive made my camera break well worth it. Kicking amongst schools of fish and playful sea life, I’ve never experienced a more tranquil and overwhelming sense of appreciation for being. And it was in that moment that I became hyperaware of my circumstances. There I was, swimming alongside the man I had just vowed to swim by for the rest of my life, in waters that I had never waded, in a part of the world I had never planned to see. Emerging unscathed from the planning, stressing and all-around organizing of life during such a significant life event, I had finally slowed down long enough to relish this awe-inspiring existence. No longer was life about the past or future, but simply the here and now -- a feat we all strive to achieve, but often fail to realize.

Filling the remainder of our days with long walks up the volcano and down the sandy beaches of the coastline, we ate, slept and utterly relaxed our way through our honeymoon in Nevis. I’ve recommended both the island and the resort to everyone I’ve talked to for honeymoons and getaways. For less than it would’ve cost us to go to Anguilla and The Viceroy (approximately $5,000), we lived like a King and Queen for eight untouchable days of pure bliss -- a happiness that I’m sure could never be matched by even the most fancy of KitchenAids.