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!