St. Lucia in December

We're looking for input on places to stay during a 7-day St. Lucia honeymoon in Dec.

We would like to keep it under 8k (including flights from LAX). One of us is sober and the other is vegan-ish. It might be nice to hang and do nothing for a couple days after the wedding, but we're also interested in exploring the island. We like outdoorsy and adventure things, and are in our late 30s. We are both vaccinated.

Ladera looks very appealing and are looking to pick a more beachy location (with meals) included to balance out the trip but I'm having trouble figuring out where to pick – everything looks amazing!

Thoughts on a 3 night beach/4 night Pitons stay? Thoughts on renting a car for part of the trip? Thoughts on DIY vs booking with a travel agent? Thanks!