Andi Dorfman Talks Summer Travel, Destination Wedding Planning
If you haven’t heard, former Bachelorette Andi Dorfman — one of our all-time franchise favorites — is off the market (sorry, fellas!) and planning a destination wedding with fiancé Blaine Hart. Needless to say, we’re excited for the happy couple!
In the midst of planning their nuptials, we caught up with the Season-10 stunner, who is also the force behind Andorfins. Beyond getting Andi’s opinion about non-negotiable carry-on items (one is a bit personal, FYI) and her bucket-list destination, we wanted to know about the hotels she loves most.
For what it’s worth, we envy her most spontaneous travel adventure story and would gladly accept an invite to the next. (Hint, hint.)
With that, if you know her fiancé — make sure you send him this article. Andi has a special request for their honeymoon.
What are your summer travel plans?
“Definitely Europe! I swore to myself years ago to go to Europe every summer for as long as I can, and I’m doing it again. There is nothing I love more than Europe, specifically Italy, in the summer. It’s relaxing but there’s also so much culture and seeing families holiday with their children is something I’ve always envied. I feel like summer is the time to explore and Europe has endless amounts of exploration.”
What is your favorite destination, outside of summer?
“Number one is Paris. It is my happy place. For a beach setting, I love Cabo; I think there is something sort of magical to it. For skiing, it has to be Verbier, Switzerland — nobody does après better!”
What are your favorite hotels?
“I love boutique hotels in Paris that give you that Parisian charm, especially in the St. Germain area. I love the Montage in Cabo because the service is unbelievable and it sits on a beautiful cove on its own. The Mandarin Oriental in Lake Como is insane as is Les Sources de Caudalie, just outside of Bordeaux. The Setai in Miami and The Colony in Palm Beach are my favorites in Florida because of the aesthetic. Though very different, they both make you feel like you are in your own little world.”
What is the most spontaneous travel adventure you’ve been on?
“Lake Como, actually. I was in Italy at the time so the destination itself wasn’t that spontaneous, but a girlfriend I was with invited a few of her friends who invited some other friends, and next thing you knew there were seven of us who all had mutual friends within the group but didn’t really know each other. We ended up having the absolute best time and to this day we call ourselves “The Travel Fam” and we go on two trips a year with just us seven.”
Tell us about your favorite souvenir. Why is it special?
“I bought a wool cardigan sweater from the Gucci store in Berlin with an “A” on it and I swear I will wear it when I’m 80 years old. I definitely couldn’t afford it at the time, but my girlfriends and I were all in the store and I put it on just for fun, and I simply could not part ways with it. Every time I wear it, I think about that trip with my girlfriends. I’m not a big-purchase type of person unless it’s not travel, because part of the sentiment of the item is the trip and who you were with and the experiences you had. Those purchases not only make me happy because of the item, but because of the memories associated with it.”
Speaking of items: what are your non-negotiables in your carry-on?
“An extra pair of underwear and socks. I learned that one the hard way when my luggage got lost for days.” (Laughs) “A phone charger and a soft cardigan. Aquaphor, which can be used for anything from a cut to lip balm to an under-eye moisturizer. And a pen and a notepad.”
Congratulations on getting engaged. What has been the most challenging part about planning a destination wedding?
“I think the most difficult part of planning a destination wedding is finding a planner who I can talk to regularly but who also has knowledge of the country. It’s also challenging going by only photos because obviously every shot is “the best shot” of that property. My fiancé and I will definitely do a site check, plus it will give us an extra vacation.” (Laughs)
What is a bucket-list trip you haven’t taken, and why?
“Africa! It’s the only continent — other than Antarctica — that I haven’t been to. I’ve been saving it as a potential honeymoon spot. I think the wildlife there is magnificent, so definitely a bucket-list continent for me! It’s been a dream of mine forever. Hopefully my fiancé reads this — wink, wink!”
For more on Andi Dorfman’s travels and business ventures, check out her Instagram at @andidorfman.
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