The Honeymoon: Sandals Dunn's River Villaggio

Good news! I got my photo discs today! I figure I've been really boring lately (low comment counts much?) so I sucked it up and am just recapping my whole honeymoon in one post, sans sunburn (which you already saw!)

We left the Monday after our wedding. It was AMAZING to have that extra day to relax, pack, and buy those last-minute things we forgot we'd need in Jamaica.

Our flight left super duper early on Monday. We connected through Charlotte and arrived in Jamaica mid-day! There was a Sandals lounge when you got through customs and all the jazz. Then they took you via bus to the resort. Ours was the Sandals Dunn's River Villaggio. It was the smaller of the two in Ocho Rios, and Italian themed. Here we are on the bus:

I'm so greasy and so excited!

We made sure to sit on the coast side of the bus so we'd see the ocean.

I didn't take these pictures until the last day, but anyway here is what we saw upon entering the resort:

Gorgeous Italian themed architecture in their open-air lobby!

It was so beautiful and had a chic, classic European feel.

Because we were concierge level, we were checked in immediately. I was very glad our travel agent, Robert from Beach Bum Vacation, suggested a concierge suite!

We were on the top floor - floor #5 but actually the 6th floor, which was weird - but anyway, we had an AMAZING view. Here was the view in the late afternoon when we were getting ready in our room.

The first day was the most overcast... only got better from here!

It was a small resort which we liked... it felt more private and special, and we didn't have to hike places.

We had a balcony that we'd sit and drink on for hours after our time outside.

Our room was fully stocked with liquor, wine, and beer... here's the beer of choice in Jamaica!

We were also given champagne... oh champagne how I adore you!

I did a little ring-photography with the beautiful backdrop!

The first night we noticed a private dinner above the waterfall... isn't that a crazy place to be able to eat!?

I discovered at this point that my favorite drink was... the MUDSLIDE! Oh yum. You can see one I guzzled on the bar next to us below. We got dinner and drinks and enjoyed the heat.

There was really cool entertainment... fire breathers and dancers.

The next morning we woke up... oh if only we knew the burns Mr P would sustain that day!

We'd sleep in every morning and go to breakfast around 9:30. These birds would always watch as we had our buffet breakfast!

We saw lots of couples getting married over our week in Jamaica. I was mildly stalkerish and took pictures of this couple getting their photos taken.

We actually saw him around the resort and I was WAY awkward and said "HEY I HAVE PICTURES OF YOU, YOU JUST GOT MARRIED!" Luckily he was nice and enjoyed seeing the photos I took from our balcony. They were getting married all by themselves - no guests! I bet it was so intimate and a really romantic occasion for them.

I couldn't believe we were both wearing RINGS! WEDDING BAND RINGS! OFFICIAL RINGS!

It was great to be able to relax, decompress, and call this hunk my husband :)

I also did a TON of this... sleep. The sun took a TON out of me... I was pretty much only awake 9am-9pm every day.

There were tons of events at the resort over our stay, including some great all-resort buffets. You could see them setting up tables, like below.

It was so HOT in Jamaica too! Great chance to wear my tank tops.

(Lots of honeymooners means a lot of "I'll take your picture if you take ours" exchanges!)

Little known fact- I LOVE pigeons. If I lived somewhere that they were a menace, I'm sure I'd hate them. But they were so cute hanging around our lunchtime spot, and I admit I gave them a few tiny scraps. I don't know why but they just coo their way into my heart.

One of the nights we got a tray of chocolates and a lovely note to celebrate our honeymoon.

I should also mention we got a LOVELY spa treatment, courtesy of the spa credit we got for booking a concierge level suite. It was amazing. We didn't leave the resort, we didn't do any excursions. But the couples massage on our last day? It. Was. Awesome. It took our relaxation to the next level and they also did a sunburn treatment that made Mr Pug's legs feel a lot better.

I was really glad I got my hair cut pre-honeymoon... I couldn't have endured long hair stuck to my neck in that heat. Not sure what I'm doing in this picture...

Ever notice that they serve Coke Light in other countries, not Diet Coke? These recap pictures are becoming random.

After a relaxing spa visit on Saturday, we packed and left the resort early Sunday morning. I was relaxed and rejuvenated, but ready to go. Although not ready for a full day of travel!

Mr Pug braved his painful legs and was a trooper on our extremely long travel day.

After almost having to sit next to a drunken half-naked man, a stopover in Philly, a ton of time in customs, and an over-sold flight back to Indy... we were home! It was very late and thus, very hard to go to work the next day. But we've made it... more than two weeks married! Woohoo go us!

Our honeymoon was exactly the relaxing, "together-full" experience we needed. Now if I could just get another one... LOL!

PS- I promise that my wedding recaps will be more organized than this post!

PPS- Mr Pug's legs are majorly improved and looking better every day! Just lots of peeling right now... still!

Newzzzz

Ok I have tons to post but I have some cool news... yesterday was my birthday (YAY 25!) and the best gift? An email from my photographer that my photos were up! As in all 2,226 of them. The CD isn't here yet but that means recaps will start soon! Yea, seriously, she finished them in less than two weeks. Which is like the shortest amount of time ever. (I love having a wedding in a not-popular month to get married!)

Now I know why people take forever to start their recaps... I went through them online yesterday and it took hours. There are SO MANY! I can't wait to share them with you guys though. So stay tuned! Oh and I'll finish my lame recaps of our trip to Jamaicaaaaa soon! I should just photograph my thighs, write "I took all-inclusive as a personal eating challenge" and leave it at that.

(I'm still working on eating normal portion sizes again. It's really challenging.)

The Honeymoon: Ouchies!

Flat out warning you that there are GROSS pictures later in this entry. Fair warning!!!

Alright, my honeymoon recaps are going to be pretty lame since we never left the resort and spent the majority of the time just flat out RELAXING. We are not excursion people. Although, any other time, we may have taken a booze cruise or something. What stood in our way? The burnnnn.

The first full day (Tuesday) we both didn't sunscreen our legs. I'm fair, but I still tan a lot better than Mr Pug. See? This was a day or so after the burn went away.

Below is Thursday morning. Mr P's legs weren't as purple as they had been but you can see the AMAZING redness and swelling.

Yea the above picture I was startled by the elevator but here's a centered one:

Note that he's holding up his shorts, not wearing short-shorts. I died laughing a little after I took that picture.

Later Thursday yellow blistering developed, proving that Mr Pug saying he had 2nd degree burns was correct. Here are his legs the day we left (Sunday)... the right leg is rippled with blisters.

Dry, burnt, blistered.

Then we fly, and get to our connection in Philly. And we're picking up our luggage (who knew you had to pick up luggage before customs then re-check it if you have a connection coming back from international travel?) and I all of a sudden am like... "Oh.My.Gosh."

YEP massive yellow blister. Which drained. A lot. And still does. Drains then refills. Constantly. Sorry that's TMI. I warned you though!

See how much worse it is today?

I draped him with a ruler thing to show that it's bigger than an inch across. It is so intriguingly gross.

Just let this serve as a lesson to you future honeymooners.... SPF 50 ALL OVER. IF YOUR LEGS DON'T NORMALLY BURN, STILL SPF THEM. Or you could get 2nd degree burns. For reals.

Ok back to trying to convince the hubs to go to a freakin' doctor!

Blogged!!! (or, "Hi from Jamaica!")

Ok yea, here I am, on my honeymoon with my HUSBAND!

...who is half Irish and tans like it, and the poor dear is so sunburned on his legs that they're nearly purple. From Tuesday. So yes, internet was necessary in our recovery/shade/"ohmigodnotsunnnnn!" time.

Your sweet comments have literally made my day(s) while I've been checking them! And I'll make you all happier... we've been blogged! Our photog is SICK and posted 45 pictures on facebook (friend me bitches!) and did a great blog post. And yea, now you'll know my last name... oh well. I don't care, it's so worth it.

Sick-amazing-awesome pictures by Erin Hession Photography!

Please comment here AND on her site, show some love for my RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME photog, and stay tuned!!!! So much more awesomeness to come!

(Seriously, how do you all do recaps? There are insane amounts of details!)

Ok, back to put a little aloe on my so-so leg burns and nurse the hubby with some ibuprofen and SERIOUS aloe applications. Say a little prayer for us that, unlike cockroaches and vampires, we can emerge from the shade tomorrow.

ps- someone remind me that "all-inclusive" doesn't mean "eat your own body weight in food & drink until you get your money's worth."

Soooo I'm MARRIED!!!!!

I'm married! Here are a FEW pics...

This one from my friend's blackberry:

Gang signs!

Then at the end of the night, my photographer printed a folio with eight pictures. Here are a few:

The folio:

Then today, my hairdresser came to the hotel for my post-wedding chop:

SHORT AGAIN! WOOHOOOO!

And just cause I KNOW you wanna see the bling...

They're all soldered! Like us, they will never part :)

It was AMAZING!!!! So many stories... but now it's honeymoon time!!!! I'll update you all soon!

Jamaica Here We Come....

That's right! We have a HONEYMOON!!!!!

Originally, we weren't sure what kind of honeymoon we could afford. Ms FMIL-Pug offered us her and her partner's timeshare, which made us really think about what we were willing to consider for our honeymoon. After much deliberation, we decided that we wanted to do all-inclusive, even if it meant a shorter, less exclusive honeymoon. After all our vacations together, we know that worrying about money during a trip can be miserable and stressful. We didn't want to worry about saving for the honeymoon AND the wedding.

Our photographer recommended a great travel agency to us, and we went to an information meeting July 1st. We found out that a wonderful, 6-night 7-day, all-inclusive Jamaican honeymoon was within our reach!

Fast forward a few days, and a relative decided to generously pay for a large portion of our honeymoon. It was the most exciting blessing we've dealt with thus far in this wedding process! This made our honeymoon most definitely possible, so we went ahead with booking. And as of today, officially... we have a honeymoon!

We will be staying at the Sandals Dunn's River Villaggio.

It has an Italian theme, including some amazing Italian restaurants. We will be staying in a Genoa Honeymoon Penthouse Concierge Suite. I can't wait!

Mr Pug is most excited for the swim-up pool bar... natch!

My biggest excitement? Brick. Oven. Pizzas. Free, all the time. Nom!

Mr Pug and I went out to get our favorite food, Mexican, and of course some grande cervezas, for celebratory purposes.

That might be the worst picture of me taken, ever, but you get the point... Friday, huge beers, chile verde tacos... I am a happy camper! Can't wait to celebrate our MARRIAGE in JAMAICA!

Were there things you were willing to sacrifice, or things you wouldn't budge on, when it came to your honeymoon? Or, did anything happen, like an unexpected gift, that made attaining a wedding goal possible?

(All pictures of the resort from the Sandals' resort site linked above)