In between stints of work, Marion got to visit all her favourite Parisian haunts and do (read: shop and eat) all her favourite things. “The must-eats for me are oysters, foie gras, savoury crêpes, steak tartare, steak frites, falafel, éclairs, baguettes, escargot and lots of French butter! A go-to place for a delicious meal and nice pasalubong is Comptoir de la Gastronomie. It's gotten more popular over the years so they now have a waiting line outside the restaurant,” she shared, adding, “I like Rue Montorgueil. It has a good mix of locals and tourists, a lot of nice boutiques, and is the best spot for the perfect Parisian pastime—having an aperitif while people watching! I also love Place Vendôme because it is the centre of French luxury and the heritage of Jewelmer's craftsmanship.”

For the lovely and statuesque designer Mia Arcenas-Branellec, her desire to document her long-awaited Venice honeymoon (and first wedding anniversary!) with her camera-shy husband Jacques was worth negotiating. While they do have their honeymooner mementoes to hold onto what with the charm and romance of Venice to set the mood, Mia was also able to steal some scenes—literally— of her own.

Sure, the world is their oyster, but the globetrotting Branellecs ultimately decided to celebrate the double occasion in Venice. “For our honeymoon, we talked about many places we wanted to go to, but then finally realised how much we both love Italy, the food, culture, history, people, and atmosphere. We knew that we couldn't go wrong with that,” shared Mia, adding, “We started in Ravello, stayed there a few nights, went down to explore the Amalfi Coast, Positano, Sorrento, sailed around Capri, and then ended up in Venice. We'd already been around the city for work and so saved the gondola ride for our anniversary and honeymoon.”

Mia acknowledges the love-hate relationship that holidaymakers typically have with the floating city due to the number of tourists that flock there. “But,” she conceded, “when you’re with locals, you discover another side that's just absolutely magical. It was as if you were messaging a friend to just hang out for the day,” shared Mia of her shoot. “I liked how the photographer was a local, especially if you want to be photographed away from the crowds...ours knew all the back alleys and hidden bridges where tourists didn't go.”

“All though Jacques is an amazing IG husband, I also think he would appreciate a two-hour break from me saying ‘Can you take my picture?’" said an amused but serious Mia.

Stephanie certainly knows the feeling and shared another positive: “I think it’s important to have a mix of both [your own photos and professional ones]. SweetEscape obviously can’t be with you at every single moment of your trip, so you still need to capture those more private and spontaneous moments. But it’s a great way to have beautiful photos especially for like a very big family trip or important occasion like a birthday or bachelorette party. In the end, I do believe that the very best moments when travelling shouldn’t even be captured at all, but just experienced fully!”