Vacation Time!

If vacations are not a regular part of your life, they should be! I think taking time off of work to relax, regroup, and realign your priorities is essential to the mental health of all of us! And my mental health was definitely needing a boost. Ha. This month I was fortunate enough to be able to go with my boyfriend to the Dominican Republic on an all-inclusive vacation to a beautiful 4-star resort in Punta Cana. Looking at my packed schedule for the next 8 months of wedding season is an incentive to enjoy all the free time I have while I can!

I can't tell you how nice it was to lay out by the pool or the beach all day with absolutely nothing that I had to do. The weather was great (only one really rainy day), the people were friendly, and I loved the chance to be bored for a change!

The best news? My half of the trip cost under $900 - that included airfare, 3 meals a day, AND 6 nights of lodging. That's less than $150/day! People seem to have a misconception that vacationing is a super-expensive ordeal, but it doesn't have to be. With all the travel sites out there now like Expedia and Orbitz, travel is cheaper and more affordable than ever. In fact, our Expedia "travel agent" knocked an extra $100 off the trip price just because we called and asked about any discounts.

So, brides, before you put off that honeymoon for another year, make sure you do your homework. If you go in the off-season (usually January - March) things are usually cheaper. If you bundle it all together and book your airfare and hotel at the same time from the same place, it's gonna be cheaper. The beauty of an all-inclusive trip (in my opinion) was that I really could have gone and not spent a penny more than what I already paid. And that's hard to beat!

Here are a few photos to get you in the vacationing mood: