*The official Aruba Brides CHAT thread*

[Kristin113]

Originally Posted by paulinaj

hi, sorry have not had a chance to log on....yeah, i went on the equator band website, but want to hear more of what they play. what dj are you using?? what are you doing for music during your ceremony? who are you using for photographer/videographer.....when is your wedding?? talk soon..Paulina

Hey Paulina...

We are getting married on July 24, 2008 and I haven't decided on a DJ yet, I am waiting to see if my WC can get me samples from different people, along with samples of bands too, just to hear the difference. I will let you know if she gets me any. For the ceremony we are going to have a steel pan player.

For photography we are using Paul VanDriel as our main photographer (who will be w/ me and the girls getting ready)and then we are also going to hire another photographer to shoot the guys getting ready and the guests as they arrive. I really want to have nice Lenox picture frames as favors so we can take great sunset pictures of each couple/family as they arrive and then I am going to send everyone their pictures once we get back home.

For the video we have booked George Jacobs, but now I am rethinking the whole wedding video thing. We were originally doing it b/c we planned to have a huge reception back home where we were going to do a wedding re-cap, but now we are just having everyone come to Aruba, so I don't know if we are still going to do the video. I think I might also get annoyed w/ someone following me around all day videotaping me LOL.

[paulinaj]

hey girls, long time no speak....hows the planning going?? still waiting to get a sample cd from the equator band, anyone decide on a dj flowers??
we are having a welcome beach bbq with a limbo show and steel pan band then renting a catamaran for our guests friday day = ) so so excited!!! time is going too quickly and so much to still do and decide!!! with the holidays and work....need more time in the days = )
what time is everyone's ceremony?? what is your wedding song??cant wait to be in the Aruba sunshine.......5 months and counting til i marry my best friend!!!

[Kristin113]

Hey Paulina.... the planning is still going on, I wish it was over already but I'm getting a little more done each week. I still haven't been able to get a cd from a band or DJ, but we did decide that we are going to have a band for the first 2 hrs and then a dj for 3hrs. I am still nervous about how they are going to sound though.

Are you having your beach bbq at the renaissance also? I was looking into having mine there but they were never really consistant with getting back to me. Can you send me whatever info you have on it?

We are getting married at 6pm and the wedding song is still up in the air. All along we were going to have At Last by Etta James but now we are thinking about Amazed by Lonestar......I probably won't decided until the last minute because I change my mind everyday LOL

[paulinaj]

hey kristen, how are you yes, i find it a little difficult and frustrating with the arubans response time.....definitely not like us new yorkers = )
still trying to get a sample cd from the band and find a dj, what dj will you use i figure with the dj, i can have my ipod and a playlist of songs as a back up!!!
What type of flowers are you going with?? sit down dinner or buffet?? what types of food When are you getting married?? How many people??
As far as the beach bbq, my travel agnet has been acting as a liasion between me and the resort so i will ask her for contact info.
I am so so excited, yet so much to still do....going to go full force into it right after the new year......are you giving welcome baskets in your guests rooms?? what will you put in them
talk soon.....share with me any and all of your ideas....much thanks and have a great weekend and wonderful holiday.......Paulina

[pinkemi25]

Helllooooo

wellllll....i've booked my reception for The Amsterdam Manor as we were having sooo many problems with the Tamarijn, so we have had a great price from the AM 3 course meal for 25, private beach area, decoration, torches, dancefloor, private staff and open bar for 2 hours for $3000 so we are over the moon with that!

My dress and BMs are all ordered i have all my accessories and i think that i'll sort out my BM shoes in the january sales...we're going to get the boys suits probably march time when spring/summer stock comes through...just want plain brown mens suits.

Feel like i've got forever till september...but i'm sure the time will fly by after christmas we're going on holiday in may to France for a week so that will probably break up the year a bit!

Still trying to decide on whether to have a second dress for the reception something simple like a strapless tea dress or something so that i don't ruin my dress as we are having a beach style party when we get home hopefully...a beach party in England in Ocober i must be out of my mind!!!

Have spoken to the WC for the Tamarijn about flowers ect but she doesn't seem too interested in getting it organised just yet however she did say that they use a great florist that if i email a pic she can pretty much make it up to what i want...i quite fancy orange gerberas and Calla Lillies so i'll have to find out if they can get hold of orange gerberas...am sure they will..its a dutch island after all!!!!

Right well i've spoken nonsense for far to long...as i do!!

Have a fab christmas girls and i can't wait for 2008!!!

Best Wishes

Em x

[Kristin113]

Originally Posted by paulinaj

hey kristen, how are you yes, i find it a little difficult and frustrating with the arubans response time.....definitely not like us new yorkers = )
still trying to get a sample cd from the band and find a dj, what dj will you use i figure with the dj, i can have my ipod and a playlist of songs as a back up!!!
What type of flowers are you going with?? sit down dinner or buffet?? what types of food When are you getting married?? How many people??
As far as the beach bbq, my travel agnet has been acting as a liasion between me and the resort so i will ask her for contact info.
I am so so excited, yet so much to still do....going to go full force into it right after the new year......are you giving welcome baskets in your guests rooms?? what will you put in them
talk soon.....share with me any and all of your ideas....much thanks and have a great weekend and wonderful holiday.......Paulina

Hey Paulina.... I know it is very frustrating especially when we are use to getting things done so fast. I still have no idea who the dj is that I booked. I tried emailing my WC but she is already off for vacation. I will let you know once I find out, but I doubt that I will be able to get a cd. I am planning on making up a playlist. Thank god for us one of the groomsmen is a dj here in NY so he is going to help us.

As for my flowers, I am probably going to go with calla lillies I send my WC a picture and she said that they could make them up for me. We haven't decided on the BMs yet, b/c they still havent picked their dresses LOL.

We are getting married on July 24th at 6pm and as of right now we have 27 people tahe are already booked, but we are still waiting for a few responses to come back. I was really hoping for a sit down dinner since that is what I am use to at weddings, but the Bucutti will only do that if you have less than 12 people, so we are doing a buffet. We will have a small cocktail hour w/ passed hors de ourvres then for the main dinner we will have: soup, caesar salad, crostini, carving station w/ roast beef, sauteed shrimp, mango chicken, pasta alfredo, mixed grilled seafood, beef strogonof, steamed vegatables & roasted potatoes. For dessert: fruit salad, cheese cake, apple strudel and the wedding cake (chocolate and raspberry)

I was planning on welcome bags but I am still undecided if I should give them out before we leave or wait till we are there. I was planning on having canvas tote bags made up w/ our logo and date on them and filling them with a beach towel, sun block, aruba aloe, travel sized asprins and various medicine (in case of hangovers, LOL) and I also have alot of books and magazines on Aruba since alot of people have never been there. I was thinking of giving them out before we left so people could look everything over and I think it might be alot to carry down there. I don't want to waste a whole suitcase filled with stuff for the bags. But I'm still not sure what I will do.

What are you planning to do for welcome bags and your reception food? How many people are you expecting?

I'll talk to you soon and Merry Christmas!!

[glitterbug]

Hey Aruba Brides!

I am glad I found your posts! I am getting married July 26, 2008 on Renaissance Island. I have a lot of the things settled such as music, food, and we're in the middle of booking our rehearsal dinner. I am looking for ideas for hair, makeup, nails etc. Where are you all getting your hair and make up done? Are you all planning on doing OOT bags? any ideas to share? What about centerpieces?

[Kristin113]

Originally Posted by glitterbug

Hey Aruba Brides!

I am glad I found your posts! I am getting married July 26, 2008 on Renaissance Island. I have a lot of the things settled such as music, food, and we're in the middle of booking our rehearsal dinner. I am looking for ideas for hair, makeup, nails etc. Where are you all getting your hair and make up done? Are you all planning on doing OOT bags? any ideas to share? What about centerpieces?

OMG!!! I will be there the same time as you. We are getting married on the 24th at the Bucuti. We will be staying at the Renaissance w/ our entire group from the 19th - 24th and then me and my FH we be at the Bucuti from the 24th - Aug 1st.

How many people are you going down with and when do you arrive? Where are you having your rehersal dinner?

My WC recommended the Westin for hair and make-up but I haven't contacted them yet, I figured I still have time for that. I am doing OOT bags and I am planning on getting canvas totes made w/ our logo, beach towels w/ our logo, koozies that I will put Balashi beer in once we get there, Aruba water bottel, Aruba aloe, sunscreen, tylenol and stuff like that, an itinerary and some snacks. But before everyone leaves I am also sending out letters to everyone along with Aruba brochures and booklets with coupons. They will get that a month before we leave so people can read up since most have never been there.

What were you planning on putting in your bags?

It is great to find someone that will be there the same time as me, and that is going through all of the same things I am. Email me if you would like to talk about all of the details...kmullin113@aol.com

[paulinaj]

hey kristen, happy new year!!! how are you?? hows the plannig going?? time is going way too quick heeeheeeee all good though. WE are planning welcome bags just not sure yet because i can not find the bags for that cheap and wanted to put towels too but also rather expensive so up in the air right now but gotta decide soon. Will you ship your stuff there prior for welcome bags, we were thinking of doing that
so far we have 40 booked....yikes did not expect so many to say yes but going to be perfect!!! we will have a butler style passed hor dorves for cocktial hour and decided on a buffet dinner. One of our friend got married in jamaica and we liked it so so much better than a sit down.
I am working on going to aruba for a few days before the wedding to meet the wedding coordinator and go over all the details, flowers etc....
did you decide on a cake yet i think i want square, chocolate and cannolli filling.
Talk soon, have a great day........PAULINE

[Kristin113]

Originally Posted by paulinaj

hey kristen, happy new year!!! how are you?? hows the plannig going?? time is going way too quick heeeheeeee all good though. WE are planning welcome bags just not sure yet because i can not find the bags for that cheap and wanted to put towels too but also rather expensive so up in the air right now but gotta decide soon. Will you ship your stuff there prior for welcome bags, we were thinking of doing that
so far we have 40 booked....yikes did not expect so many to say yes but going to be perfect!!! we will have a butler style passed hor dorves for cocktial hour and decided on a buffet dinner. One of our friend got married in jamaica and we liked it so so much better than a sit down.
I am working on going to aruba for a few days before the wedding to meet the wedding coordinator and go over all the details, flowers etc....
did you decide on a cake yet i think i want square, chocolate and cannolli filling.
Talk soon, have a great day........PAULINE

Hey Pauline... Things have been going good, I guess because I haven't had to do much for the wedding lately. I feel like almost everything is done. At times I don't know what to do with myself b/c I am so use to planning or researching online LOL. My latest addition to the wedding is planning a "Day After" wedding photo shoot. I have been finding so many people doing this and all their pictures are beautiful. I contacted Bryan Morris since I found that he had done similar pictures for another couple down there, but I was surprised at his prices, they were really high! So I am going to ask Paul since he is shooting our wedding anyway, maybe he'll give us a break. I've also been thinking of doing the Boudoir pictures for my FI, but that will only be if I have some extra $$ at the end.

For the Welcome bags I found cheap ones on Amazon ($3.49) and Cheap Totes (as low as $.99) Here are the links:

Amazon.com: Thousand Oaks - P&O Cruiser Tote Bag: Apparel

Canvas TOTE BAG

I also found some cheap beach towels at Cannon Towels ($5) or regular bath towels at Amazon ($3.99) Here are the links for those:

Beach Towels by Cannon Wholesale manufacturer of custom embroidery beach towel

Amazon.com: The BIG Towel - Ocean Blue, Bath: Bedding & Bath

And I decided that I am definately going to ship everything down there before I go. It would be way too much stuff for us to carry down with us, god only knows what that will end up costing though...LOL

It's good to know that you went to a destination wedding where they served dinner buffet style, b/c I was worried that people would think that we were just trying to be cheap (even though I hear alot of people are doing that).

As for the cake we decided on chocolate and raspberry, but now your conolli cream sounds good...I didn't think of that. I just tried attaching a picture of what the cake will look like, but I'm not sure if it went through.

That's great that you will get to go down before the wedding, let me know how everything goes. :o)