{postcard} The Hard Rock Casino & Resort: Dominican Republic

We’re switching it up on The Post today! Many of you know my love for travel, and some of you may even know that I took my first vacation since my honeymoon just recently! We spent four nights at a rockstar all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic: The Hard Rock Casino & Resort. Now, I wouldn’t just put vacation pictures up to be cute (although it is tempting). And I KNOW this is a locally-inspired blog. But, I also know you’ve got a honeymoon to plan, and that we’re not all traditional wedding folk, and those of you who aren’t, might be dreaming of a destination wedding. So here’s some of the highlights from our trip so you can plan yours! My amazing Mr. Lovewell, Tyler Brown, took these awesome shots!

Yes, you guessed it, Hard Rock is themed. But I have to tell you, the design elements on this property are inspiring, not tacky. Awesome decor throughout, great vibe and ambiance for each of the restaurants, legends of rock n’ roll grace the halls with concert garb, instruments, quotes. There are lots of things to do (both included and excursions, like horseback riding on the beach); and the property is endless (you’ll feel lost for at least the first day, but go with it) with pool after pool, huts, cabanas, and many a bar with delicious tropical drinks!

 

We saw a few brides and grooms on their wedding days, and I can tell you, if you’re going to do destination, these guys do it well! They’ve brought in the amazing styling of Colin Cowie Weddings to bring these packages up to the design trends. Their options are awesome and definitely will give you the custom feel you dream of, while still getting to check off boxes (the delightful ease of destination weddings.)  We caught a set up late in the day, and while it’s just the arch, it really gives you an idea of how lovely it would be. (Warning, make sure to look into the weather where you’re looking to get married, sounds obvious, but we were very surprised at the high tide and the amount of wind in late April, so make sure you’re educated before you pick a date!)

Here’s a cheesy iPhone pic of mine while meeting with the wedding planners on site (you know I can’t JUST take a vacation0:

The lovely ladies in the Wedding department sent me their electronic brochure to share! See all Colin’s awesome designs and lots more here: Hard Rock Weddings – January 2013 – LR

Isn’t the water color just perfect? Sigh…

Couple things to note before I wrap up:

There’s a $10 fee per person into the country, have cash on hand with your passport. The country is a poor country, this $10 goes towards a new road they are building for more tourist interaction on their fine island.

Have your travel agent set you up with shuttles ahead of time. You can take a taxi if needed, but it’s a big headache. The airport is beautiful, but the behavior at the airport is frantic and pushy– you’ll want to have as much planned at set during your airport stay as you can.

The language barrier is still steep, even on a seemingly-American property. Pack an extra dose of patience in your luggage. Good part is, onsite, everyone is VERY friendly and has a helpful attitude- whether they can really help you or not :)

We woke up really early one morning to catch the sunrise… it was worth it. The kind of peace you get from an early morning with no one around but the birds and the ocean is incomparable. So if you haven’t done yourself the favor of at least a mini-getaway, start saving and planning with an agent– it’s worth every penny.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section, I’m happy to answer them to the best of my ability!

{loveletter} Gina & Dave’s Autumnal Vintage Wedding

Colorful, creative and charming is the alliteration for today’s wedding! Sent to us from Calypso Rae Photography, this Lincklaen House wedding, set in the peak of Central New York’s fall, has everything awesome about a vintage-inspired, romantically indy, autumn wedding. (She even chose a perfect soft pink to off-set all the gorgeous deep colors of the season and venue. And the dress?! I’m in love!) Okay, I’ll shut up and let Gina tell you all about it!

The feel Dave and I aimed for on our wedding day was a blend of romantic, vintage, classy, and whimsical, with homage to our punk rock, indie, and DIY roots. We were very lucky to find the Lincklaen House, one of the oldest hotels in Central New York, which had a super charming décor and feel. There’s much to be said for finding a venue that’s already got a lot going for it in terms of aesthetic. I thought of decorations and flowers in terms of enhancing, rather than building a look from the ground up. It was wonderful to have a place to start. The Lincklaen House had a lot of rooms that we used and incorporated into the day, as well as a neat restaurant and pub downstairs for post-reception gathering. 

Once we’d selected our venue, we let our personalities and the venue be large determinants in our decisions. For example, I’d tried gowns and picked one out before venue hunting. After selecting the Lincklaen House though, I went with something completely different that fit the vintage feel of the hotel more. We ordered our checkerboard invitations from Royal Steamline to match the hotel lobby’s checkerboard floor. For mailing the invitations, Dave and I embarked on a shared DIY project. As two writers and voracious readers, to set the tone for our wedding we carved out vintage books and sent the invitations to our guests in the hollow books. Everyone got a kick out of it.
Our photographer shot an awesome vintage picnic engagement session for us, so our florist incorporated photos from the shoot into wreaths hung around the venue. Dave proposed to me in a pumpkin patch so our cake had a spice swirl and pumpkin mousse. Our DJ kept the crowd happy and dancing with what we’d requested: to name a few—the Misfits, Archers of Loaf, Guided by Voices, The Pixies, and Urge Overkill. Overall, all the details and elements fell together in a strangely amazing, hodge-podge way that felt personal and perfect for us.
So lovely, so romantic, so enamored. She’s totally right about the venue speaking for itself. You venue can work so hard for you, and you don’t have to do much for it but enjoy it. Thanks Caly for sharing this awesome wedding, just beautiful!
Happy Wedding Season Friends!

{inspired} Happy Derby Day!

Derby Themed Luncheon:  Styled By Kate Brown of Lovewell Post

Well, hello there! I’ve missed you! Guess what I did?! I went and took a vacation! I can’t wait to tell you more about it, but for right this minute, I’m holding fast to the better-late-than-never theory, and hand delivering this week’s post!! JUST out in print is the new Today’s CNY Woman, with a [...]

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Hey, Fabulous! Look over here!

Submission Call 4

  This is what you get when your favorite local wedding blogger is over-tired, over-stressed and punchy. You get crazy photoshop art and a desperation plea ! In all seriousness, it’s true. I usually avoid being to candid about it, but let’s be honest, I can’t show off real, wonderful weddings, without you! So, whether [...]

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{engaged} Erinn & Brian’s Armory Engagement

the-story-photography-1

Another new photographer on The Post today!! I am so thrilled to show off even more of the amazing work this area does, the talent and the vision– don’t be shy about submitting! Chris from The Story Photography sent in this engagement shoot, set in the popular Syracuse nook of Armory Square. If you aren’t [...]

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{loveletter} Danielle & Steven’s Handmade Wedding

Bridget Rochelle Photography

We all are very familiar with the do-it-yourself phenomenon that has taken over the casual wedding scene. We see such lovely creations, we pin brilliance, and dote upon it whether we will ever take the time to craft it. Sometimes there is an inevitable disconnect between what we’d like to have at our wedding, and [...]

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