5 special places to hold your wedding.

When you marry, you want the most beautiful setting you can find to make this commitment in front of your friends and family. You’re creating memories, and you want the most spectacular, romantic place of dreams.

Here are the top 5 most romantic wedding locations in the United States:

1. Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA – The Palace of the Legion of Honor is a museum that has awe inspiring views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the bay. With incredible art and architecture, it just feels like a historic place to be. What better way to create the beginnings of your own family!

2. Central Park, New York, NY – A huge garden, it’s full of fountains, formal gardens, flowers, greenery, and little private nooks. A truly beautiful spot for your wedding. Just remember, although it’s a public place, you’ll need permits from the Central Park Conservancy for your wedding. With 11 separate gardens, it’s worth it.

3. Litchfield Plantation, Pawleys Island, SC – A plantation on 600 acres with history dating back to the 1700’s, this rice plantation has been converted into a country inn. Whether you choose the huge oak trees as your setting, or the beach on the Atlantic Ocean, this is indeed one of the country’s most romantic inns.

4. Marriage Island, San Antonio, TX – Off of San Antonio’s River Walk lies an island in the middle of the river. With colonial architecture and beautiful trees, not to mention the river boat ride to get there, this is a picturesque spot to get married. It’s especially beautiful in December, as there are over 100,000 twinkling lights in the trees.

5. The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, MI – Do you remember the Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour movie Somewhere in Time? That was filmed there, at this historic hotel. It opened in 1887, and no motorized vehicles are allowed. You can only travel by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriage. Talk about picturesque!

Danielle Warren operates Wedding Planning Advice , a blog for brides providing honest and unbiased wedding advice, ideas and tips. Check out our free wedding widgets.

Photo Credit: Trey Mathews

A cool economy could make for some hot vacation deals

High fuel prices and an economy teetering on the brink of recession may not keep people from traveling this summer after all.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) recently shared a report from the Travel Industry Association (TIA) which says that Americans are expected to take more than 327 million leisure trips during June, July and August of 2008. Representing only a slight decline of 1-1.5% over last summer, it is expected that the current economic conditions will create opportunities for vacationers to find bargains when traveling to destinations worldwide.

According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, the average rate for a AAA Three Diamond hotel room in July 2008 is $136 in Honolulu/Waikiki, $259 in Maui, $256 in New York City, $160 in Washington, D.C., $138 in Las Vegas, and $193 in San Francisco, with travel packages offering additional opportunities to save. By combining airfare and hotel stay in one package, vacationers can receive significant savings. In some cases, as outlined below, extras such as transportation from the airport or some meals may also be included.

AAA, which is the largest automotive membership club in the US, is offering a variety of packages this summer including the following:

Hawaii: Five nights in Maui which includes hotel and airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco for only $529*; Chicago, $795*; Denver, $739*; Seattle, $625*; and New York, $799*. AAA prices are per person, based on quad occupancy (two adults and two children under the age of 13) for select dates available August through December.

San Francisco: Package includes a 2-night hotel stay, San Francisco CityPass Sightseeing booklet, and all state and local taxes. Prices start at $209 per person, based on double occupancy, excluding airfare.

Washington, DC: Package includes 4-night hotel stay in Washington, D.C. Prices start at $329 per person, based on double occupancy, excluding airfare.

As with any package, certain restrictions apply. Visit AAA.com for more information and don’t forget to check out special deals being offered through Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline, and other online vacation package companies.