Hilton Head Monthly Magazine Voice of the Lowcountry 
BY ROBYN PASSANTE / PHOTO BY HAPPY BLOOM PHOTOGRAPHY
No two weddings are alike, because no two couples are alike. But one thing ties them all together: love. Traditions evolve and trends change, but weddings will always elicit the same emotions, whether you’re the groom or a guest. And any event filled with love, joy and hope deserves to be breathlessly anticipated and exceptionally well-planned.
We’ve curated a list of 12 ways to start fresh in 2018, focusing on your mental, physical and social well-being so that you can accomplish all you set out to do this year. But for those looking to improve their lifestyle in the new year, you might want to try baby steps instead of cannonballing straight into the deep end. When you weigh yourself down with too many expectations, you automatically set yourself up for failure. Try breaking down these 12 steps into a plan that better suits your needs.
CHAMPAGNE IS THE PERFECT SIP FOR ALL SEASONS
When Cher’s character Loretta Castorini dropped a cube of sugar into her Champagne in the movie “Moonstruck,” purists gasped — but hey, at least she got her man. But we can’t condone the sugar cube-bubbly blend. At most, adding some crème de cassis or Chambord to make a Kir Royale is perfectly acceptable but first things first: Champagne comes from the geographical region of Champagne in France, produced under strict French law. Anything else is just sparkling wine.
WHERE SHOULD YOU GO WHEN THE SKY’S THE LIMIT? WE ASK THE EXPERTS.
It’s a great big beautiful world out there. For the luxury traveler, there are truly no limits on where the five-star experience can take you. But the rest of us can dream, too. If money were no object, where should you go?
FANCY A GETAWAY TO A PLACE THAT’S REDEFINED LUXURY? IT’S CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
Thinking of planning an escape? Maybe a relaxing getaway to an all-inclusive resort, a cruise aboard a luxury liner, or a week spent exploring a foreign destination. But before you call your travel agent or book your flight, don’t forget that some of the world’s most prestigious luxury accommodations and amenities are right here in the Lowcountry.
The Grand Cru’s polished teak gleams in the fall sunlight, and a gentle breeze stirs the American flag mounted on her stern. Once aboard, comfortable seating invites relaxation, with every comfort of home tucked into the cherry-paneled cabin. Sitting on this boat, built and furnished with meticulous attention to detail, the Lowcountry waterways look even more inviting — if that’s possible.
George Amonitti, a retired doctor who worked with Volunteers in Medicine, leads seminars on healthy aging and knows what it’s like to care for an elderly parent. His mother, who lived to be 97, had just one request when she became too feeble to live alone: She did not want to be in a nursing home.
Americans are a mobile people. Families are far-flung, turning “over the hills and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go” into “let’s use our frequent flyer miles.”
We are no longer tied to the family homestead. We can live anywhere we want, and we do. Most of us limit that wanderlust to our countries of birth, but not always. (Just listen to the accents at the Pineland Station Starbucks.)
Sometimes volunteerism takes on a life of its own. There’s volunteer service, and then there’s extraordinary volunteer service.
Five Hilton Head Island High School juniors dreamed a simple dream to satisfy the 20 hours of community service required by the college-level International Baccalaureate diploma program they were pursuing.
Calling all artists (and non-artists). Hilton Head Monthly is looking for a flag to represent Hilton Head Island and Bluffton’s community spirit following Hurricane Matthew. Design a flag on the surface of your choice.
