Plan your perfect wedding and honeymoon. View hotels.

My 9 Things: What I packed for my honeymoon after my surprise wedding went viral

TikTokers extraordinaire Michael Barber and Samuel Weeks share their nine essential items for a dream getaway in paradise. | By Michael Barber and Samuel Weeks | April 21, 2022

When 7.5 million people see your engagement, you're going to want a peaceful honeymoon.

That’s how it was for Michael Barber and Samuel Weeks after their engagement went viral on TikTok. The couple is no stranger to surprises: Samuel used his 30th birthday as a way to surprise Michael with a proposal. While Samuel had six months to plan for that event, Michael returned the favor with a surprise wedding planned in just 23 days at SUMMIT, Conrad Washington, DC’s 11th floor rooftop event terrace and bar.

For their honeymoon, the now-famous couple didn’t need any unknowns. They knew that they wanted to find privacy, relaxation and sunshine in droves.

They also wanted to go somewhere they had never been before. The answer? Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts. Michael told us “Zemi Beach House checked all our boxes — an absolutely beautiful location devoid of any tourist traps sitting on six acres of the most stunning beach in Anguilla. And we heard that the Anguillan hospitality was second-to-none. Zemi and the island delivered in every way.”

What do you pack to find peace in paradise? Here are the nine things Michael and Samuel packed for their tropical honeymoon in paradise, as told to Hilton:

Travel docs

Yes, we’ve always needed our passports and IDs, but in this new era of pandemic travel, the right documentation is the key to actually having a vacation or dealing with a ton of potential headaches. Anguilla is no exception. Check the requirements, check them again — and print everything out.

Swimsuits

Look around Anguilla. The island is one beautiful beach after another. If you aren't taking your best swimsuit with you to look equally beautiful on said beach, you're doing it wrong. It snowed 6 inches the day before we departed, and we couldn't have been happier to pack all our best swimsuits.

Sunscreen, always

I mean, one of us is bald and the other is the son of very fair-skinned British parents. Sunscreen is never optional, especially when we are anywhere near the beach. Michael is a fan of Supergoop! and Samuel prefers Kiehl’s. We were also so impressed to see that Zemi Beach House stocked every pool with Sun Bum.

Sunglasses

Anguilla’s white sand beaches and almost 12 hours of sun beg for a solid pair of sunglasses. We’re Ray-Ban fans. Samuel packed his classic aviators, while Michael went with his Wayfarers.

Books

Between the craziness of 2020 and 2021, neither of us enjoyed many books. So, we took this moment to take a couple with us. Samuel is a Kindle fan, while Michael keeps it old school with the hardcovers.

Sandals

When you live in the Northeast, sandal season is often short-lived. But between Anguilla’s beaches, Zemi’s pools and Michael’s horrible sock tan, they were a must for this trip.

Workout gear

Samuel is a triathlete and with his first IRONMAN Triathlon on the calendar since the start of the pandemic, workout gear had to come with us. Luckily, Zemi Beach House has an amazing lap pool that allowed him to keep up his workouts even on vacation.

Headphones

We think this goes without saying but if you’re getting on an airplane, headphones are a must. You never know who (or what) you might need to drown out in the seat next to you or at the airport.

Hats

See bald head and fair-skinned mentioned above. Enough said.

Michael Barber and Samuel Weeks reside in Bethesda, Maryland with their dog, Manny. Samuel is a hair stylist and Michael is a marketing consultant.