HOW I PACKED FOR OUR HONEYMOON

Since sharing a few photos from our honeymoon on Instagram, I’ve gotten a ton of emails and messages about planning an African safari, where we stayed, and how we packed. I’ll be sharing our full itinerary and my personal packing list in a few weeks, but today I’ll address the thing I was most nervous about: cramming two weeks’ worth of clothing and accessories, plus my camera, computer, etc., into two bags that weighed a combined 33 pounds or less, to fit stringent restrictions on flights within Africa.

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I like to think I’m a pretty reasonable traveler (here’s a past post on my packing tips) but 33 pounds total (meaning luggage and carry-on item) seemed pretty daunting. All my luggage also had wheels, which was a strict no-no for the tiny planes we’d be taking between safari camps. Will already owned a leather duffel bag that he used for his suitcase and an everyday commute bag that he used for his laptop, but I spent hours researching luggage dimensions and trying to find a duffel to purchase that I might actually want to use again (so many of the suggestions on safari websites were really rugged and just so not me!).

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So I was basically ecstatic when the new-to-me Barrington Gifts reached out and asked if I’d like a matching Belmont cabin bag and St. Anne tote bag with my new married monogram and the measurements on their duffel bag coincided perfectly with the luggage requirements for our trip. It was a done deal! It was fun to play around with the different color combinations on their site — I ultimately went with a double blue stripe, a neutral background, and the lightest leather trim. I love the way both pieces turned out and I love that they’re both practical pieces I’ll want to bring on a kajillion more trips in years to come. Whether you’re packing for an African safari or just looking for a chic duffel bag for weekend trips, I highly recommend adding one or two to your collection.

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P.S. Not to get too ahead of ourselves, but both of these would also make amazing holiday gifts! I also love this accessory case and this laptop case.

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Barrington Gifts St. Anne tote bag c/o  //  Barrington Gifts Belmont cabin bag c/o

Cuyana hat  //  Ralph Lauren cable knit sweater  //  J.Crew white jeans  //  Hubbell Hille smoking slippers

Ralph Lauren knit oxford shirt  //  Frame blue jeans

White + Warren cashmere scarf  //  Ralph Lauren jodhpur leggings  //  Joie ankle boots

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*This post is sponsored by Barrington Gifts. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Design Darling!