Wedding Ideas & Tips

Entry no. 1: Brugge, Belgium 

I’m so excited to introduce CB’s brand-new, super exclusive feature {!!!}:

So where did we go first?

Brugge, Belgium! Welcome to the town square! I loved how the architecture fondly reminded me of Amsterdam {and not to mention the many, many bikes spotted everywhere!}.

Our tour guide compared the design of Brugge to that of an egg, as the town is surrounded by a large canal and the town square is right in the middle, similar to a yolk. See the map above?

Brugge is often referred to as ”The Cinderella City” - and is it any wonder why? From the fairytale-like streets to the serenely calm waters in the canals, this medieval city cast a spell of enchantment on me as soon as I crossed the first stream of water and spotted a family of swans sunbathing on the bank.

{The turret shown above was featured in the film, In Bruges, several times but in the movie, it was bare because it was shot during the winter … I love how ivy covers it during the summer months. Beautiful!}

Of course, a trip to Belgium wouldn’t be complete without a chocolate or two …

While we wandered through the narrow cobblestone streets, we came upon a charming little flea market located on the bank of a canal! {See my tips below for more info on this}

Brugge is also often called “The Venice of the North” for its many winding canals … I thought the photo I snapped {above left} seemed to capture a Venetian essence, as well, with the faded pastels of the tightly-woven buildings.

And no trip to Belgium would be complete without hot chocolate and waffles {okay, the waffles didn’t make it in the photo but we definitely did enjoy them and since moving back to Europe, J has decided that bier goes well with every meal!}

Just like with wedding planning, I tend to fall in love with the tiniest of details … I just adore the top window and roof edging {for lack of a better term} of that white building … and the transom window on that red door … gahhhh!

I think it’s obvious that we had an absolutely divine time in Brugge and I do feel it would make for a magical honeymoon … I could have easily spent a week getting lost on the tiny streets and enjoying shop after shop … and I think it would be particularly beautiful in the winter with frosted windows, falling snowflakes and hanging icicles.

I jotted down some of my tips in case you plan to visit The Cinderella City, too …

– Do eat al fresco at one of the many cafés that line the streets. Our tour guide encouraged us to stay away from the restaurants lining the town square because they were supposedly very overpriced … however, I wish we wouldn’t have listened to him on that one point … I think dining in the town center {at least once!} would have been a beautiful experience. Don’t make our mistake!

– Do mix it up. Get a waffle and espresso to go at a streetside bistro - take away is always cheaper than dining in! Then get all dolled up later and head to a fancy restaurant for dinner. By mixing it up, you’ll get to experience the true flavors {literally!} of the city and be able to savor a très romantic dinner without breaking the bank.

– Don’t miss the Baguinage! Located close to the edge of the “egg” lies the historic convent campus … it’s a lovely and tranquil respite from the hustle and bustle of the tourist-packed town square. When we visited, there were literally flocks of swans right outside the campus of the Baguinage - it was such a lovely scene.

– Do rent the film In Bruges either before you go or right after you return. Dark humour … Colin Farrell eye candy … And endlessly gorgeous and beautiful scenes shot in Brugge … you’ll recognize many of the locations which is always fun! You can even stay in the hotel where the film was shot - It’s called the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce and it overlooks a stunning canal in the heart of town.

– Soak up the street fashion. When we went {late August}, it was peak vacation time for Europeans and Brugge seemed to be very popular. While you may want to avoid the crowds and instead opt for the winter months {make sure you avoid holidays, too}, we particularly enjoyed cuddling up on a side-street bench amidst the fashionable masses. I can’t remember the last time I’ve counted so many pairs of outrageously-high stilettos along treacherously uneven cobblestone streets.

– As you saw in one of the photos above, every Saturday there is a flea market near the town center - I found the prices to be a tad high but J sprang for {and surprised me with} an adorable miniature French globe and I’m so glad I have an authentic piece of Belgian history to remember our trip.