In all honesty packing for my honeymoon gave me more anxiety than planning the actual trip!

Now, I’m hoping a list will be helpful to another stressed out bride. There’s no need to worry about what to pack for an extended trip like me!

Our honeymoon was the longest trip Matt and I have ever been on. Both of us are homebodies by nature. We prefer to keep vacations short and sweet which makes packing a breeze. But, we decided if we were ever going to do a long European trip – our honeymoon would be the time to do it!

Overall, the idea of going away for two weeks and having enough clothes for that length of time was what really caused me anxiety.

Thankfully, my cousin Lauren – our editor and content manager of Aubrey Craig & New England Interiors – offered to help me pack. Lauren is an organized QUEEN.

For context we were going on our honeymoon in the fall. So, we needed a variety of warm to cool weather options. You never know what the weather will be like in fall anywhere.

Here’s our honeymoon packing list for France along with some tips & tricks for packing from Lauren herself:

A Look Inside My Suitcase:

Shirts: With fickle fall temps, I knew layers were going to be key to packing for this trip. In New England, I live in J.Crew Factory’s tissue turtlenecks come fall/winter. So, I knew this staple had to make the cut. I packed two white, two navy and two black. They’re lightweight, easy to layer basics that go with everything.

Secondly, I packed two Madewell Signature Oversized White Button-Downs. The classic piece screams Parisian to me! The button-down is not only stylish & chic, but comfortable. It can be styled on-the-go with leggings for a travel day or with a leather skirt for a night out. Endless opportunities for this lightweight everyday staple!

Finally, I packed two basic white tees. A total of eight shirts for a 14-day trip – all of which were lightweight and fit in one packing cube!

Sweaters: A week before our trip I stopped into Anthropologie. While shopping, I saw a 40% off sale on The Alani Cashmere Mock-Neck Sweater. I did what only makes sense to me and purchased it in black, honey, and grey. This sweater can be dressed up for a night out or made casual with leggings and sneakers for a day of touring. Plus, cashmere is always a quality fabric that lasts for seasons to come.

On the note of sweaters and buying them in multiple colors: I packed three CeCe Ruffle Mock Neck Sweaters in the colors navy, white, and latte. Another easy staple! But, a tad more formal and thicker than the shirts and cashmere pieces I’d packed.

Finally, I packed two wool sweaters; one grey Ralph Lauren look and one white layer from Brooks Brothers that I had snagged on sale at the outlets before the wedding. While these sweaters were the bulkiest items I brought, they both came in handy for some windy, rainy Parisian days.

In total, I packed eight sweaters, which with their respective pants, took up one-half of my checked luggage space.

Jeans: Lauren really helped me narrow down which jeans to bring because I would have brought every pair I owned. In total, I packed 5 pairs. One pair of black vintage straight pants in garment-dyed corduroy, Daphne Crop Straight Leg Stovepipe Jeans, Dylan Distressed High Waist Ankle Straight Leg Jeans, Daphne Crop High-Rise Stovepipe Jeans and one classic pair of blue jeans.

Jackets: Since we were traveling during autumn I had already packed multiple sweaters with shirts to layer underneath. So, I chose to only bring three lightweight jackets. My J.Crew Odette sweater lady jacket took the journey to Paris; an old Brooks Brothers’ green corduroy jacket; and my Kate Spade trench coat that I’ve had since 2017! All three are lightweight and fit inside a large packing cube.

Shoes: Again, Lauren to the rescue! The hardest items to pack were by far my shoes. In the end, we moved forward with one pair of Leather Knee-High Boots, one pair of short platform boots, one pair of white sneakers, one pair of old Tory Burch heels and a pair of Steve Madden mules.

Formal: Matt and I had two formal dinners planned in Versaille. I packed two dresses from my closet. The first, was a Needle & Thread black ball gown I’d purchased for a wedding last year. The other was a sheer SEA mini dress from 2019.

Accessories: Finally, is was time to pack makeup, jewelry, and accessories. My hair straightener, a faux leather bucket hat, one baseball cap, one pair of sunglasses, a bunch of socks and undies all went into my suitcase.

I left all of my jewelry at home, with the exception of my wedding and engagement ring. I also wore one pair of earrings.

Last minute, I added a bathing suit to my suitcase. I’m so glad I did! Matt and lounged by the pool and enjoyed the spa on the final leg of our trip.

I hope my packing list was helpful! Now, I’m handing the rest of the post over to Lauren for the 101 on packing organizational tips.

Packing Organizational Tips 101:

Hey y’all it’s me, Lauren!

I was so excited to assist Aubrey in packing for her honeymoon to Paris with Mr. Matt! Organizing is truly a zen experience for me. There’s nothing better than feeling prepped for your adventure. And upon arrival having the ability to primp and go without a care.

First, I discussed Aubrey’s itinerary with her. It was most important for me to know how often the newlyweds would be hopping from hotel to hotel.

Since Aubrey stayed multiple nights at each hotel – and had a fairly steady plan of events – I found it best to pack accordingly:

We made looks by hanging clothes on these velvet hangers. I added a pair of pants, top layer, sweater, and an additional piece swap-out to build the outfit. The add-on either dressed the look up, down, or added a layer of warmth.

Next, we packed the full outfit on a hanger right into the suitcase. Stacking one on top of the other like a puzzle allowed Aubrey to hang her clothes wrinkle-free when she arrived to France. It also allowed her to have a full daily look ready to go without having to think twice.

We also utilized packing cubes for items like socks, undies, and repeat layers. What I mean by ‘repeat layers’ is those tissue turtlenecks and basic tees. I rolled the lightweight tops up and placed them inside the packing cube. This technique saved space and kept all of the same item in one easy-to-grab cube! The exact packing cube set can be found here. Another reason I love packing cubes is because you can use them to separate your clean and dirty clothes while on your trip!

Lastly, a travel shoe bag is so important. Not only does it protect your shoes from getting scuffed by your flat iron, it keeps the streets off your fresh clothes and bag. Aubrey and I highly- recommend this shoe bag because it also slides right on to your roller-bag handle giving you extra interior room!

Happy travels!

Buckle your seat belts because, in the next post, we’re headed to the Palace of Versailles!