*JillD*

Thanks Guys, the game & tailgating were so much fun. We have a lot of friends with season tickets so there was a big group of us. My FI used to buy season tickets off of someone every year for the past few years, but he didn't get them this year, so this was the first game he's gone to all year, so he was happy. I'm feeling much better today after some much needed sleep. I have to go to some pocketbook party thing tonight, I hope they don't have ANY food! I'll have to eat before I go so I'm not hungry!

okay, I know I said I was starting ww today, but that was before I found out we were going to the patriots game last night. So needless to say today has been one hungover, feeling crappy day! But I'm heading to the kitchen now to get my food ready for tomorrow and figure out my points, I'll check in tomorrow night. How did everyone do with thanksgiving?

I'm debating the same thing. Originally I had said we'll go away and plan a reception when we get home because most people wouldn't be able to make it to mexico, but the more I thought about it, the more I agree with Sarah, the whole point of going away for the wedding was so that we didn't spend so much money. The only way I think we'll do it, is if we did something very low key, like a summer bbq or something, nothing that was going to require tons of planning and money.

Welcome Sarah, I can't wait to hear all about your wedding plans!

Congratulations Rebecca! It sounds like everything went very well and you looked gorgeous. I can't wait to see your pictures!!!

Tammy, I have the same problem, steve wants to do a lot of our pics before the ceremony so that we don't miss our cocktail hour and reception, but I'm worried about the bottom of my dress getting really beat up. But I guess if we stay on the dry sand that will just brush off easily, we'll just have to be careful not to go near the water and wet sand until afterwards!

I was thinking the same thing, it's beautiful!

Thanks Sarah, I'll take a look, that's a good idea!

Kash, do they sell a points calculator or are you using the one online?

Anny, what part of mexico do you live in? I'm getting married in cancun, do they have markets there where I'd be able to find similar types of bags? Jill

Hello Ladies! I so need to join this group! I've done weight watchers before and it really does work, you just have to stick with it and once you get to where you want to be the key is learning to maintain. Obviously I'm here because I didn't learn that, hahaha! I have the ww book and I know how to do the plan, so I'm hoping that having all of you here to help me along I'll be able to do this without doing the meetings, because that's just one more thing to add to my crazy schedule. However, I'm waiting until after thanksgiving because we are going to be out of town, leaving tomorrow and not back until Sunday, and I know there will be a lot of drinking and some eating, so I want to start fresh monday with NO guilt. I'm making myself go back to the gym too, I felt so much better when I did, and didn't really even want to eat that much. I'll check in on Monday and let you know how day 1 goes!

That would be so great! I don't think I have any questions in particular, at least not that I can think of right now, but I guess just hearing your overall opinion of the area and the resort, the wedding gazebo, the WC. Pictures of anything that you think may be helpful, I'm sure you're in pretty much the same boat as me as far as not really having planned anything yet, so whatever you find out will be great!

Karla I like those bags! I wanted to do something that would be from the local area, something for my guests to remember their trip, & those are a great idea! I'm nervous though to wait until I get down there and not find anything. If you find any stores down there that have online ordering could you let me know please, thank you!

Well I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that has taken breaks & also that hasn't told anyone about the engagement yet! Steve & I met 11 years ago, we were friends for awhile, we were together for a couple years, we have a daughter together, some tragic things happened in his life & we split up. We started spending time together again in January of this year and were got back together around Valentines day. He bought me a ring so that he could propose to me when we were in the bahamas in september, but wants to get me a bigger diamond, so we're waiting to tell everyone, so planning the wedding without being able to talk to my friends is tough! But I will have my ring in the next week or two and all will be well and then we can tell everyone, its so hard keeping my mouth shut!

Hello! Welcome to the forum! I am also getting married in Cancun next October. Oooh, you're so lucky you get to go down before hand and take a look at the resorts. Its so hard to make a decision just looking online. I was also looking at Moon Palace & Dreams, and ended up selecting dreams because I liked that it was a little smaller. I would love to hear about your trip and see pics if you take any!

valerie, I love those invitations! I was looking for something similar, I want to try to make my own invitations, we'll see! Do you know yet how they are going to fit in envelopes or if you'll need to package them somehow so that the starfish doesn't break?

congratulations Ann!

wendy your pictures came out great and you looked beautful! It looks like you guys had a great time!

Thank you SO much for posting this! I'm definetly going to send in a story, I don't know if it will be worthy of winning the contest, but what the heck, might as well!

I know he'll let me do it if I tell him I really want that photographer, which almost every photographer I've checked into has been relatively close, whether I choose to bring them with me from here or get someone there, it's not going to make much difference cost wise. I'm trying to keep our wedding under $10k, we're probably going to have about 25-30 ppl I'm guessing and there are other areas where I'm not spending a lot, I know most of our expenses are going to be our travel/resort for the wedding & the honeymoon. I do have almost a year to find someone, thanks for reminding me Tammy! I am just the type of person that likes to plan things so far in advance, I do this with everything, FI goes nuts, because he's a last minute kind of guy.

Thank you everyone for your recommendations. I agree that these pictures are going to be with us forever and that was the one part of the wedding that I wanted to make sure we spent money on. I have seen pictures my sister has taken before and she does do a good job, but obviously she's new at it too. I did email Juan, and I love his work, but for the whole package that he gave me it was going to be $4000. steve thinks that this is way too much to spend on pictures. I don't really agree, but we have to think about keeping this within our budget. It's so hard to decide!

yes, I'd love to know how it goes for you, my wedding is next october. I think the photgrapher package with the resort was about $600 and it is about 60 pics in assorted sizes. My thinking is that I want to spend the majority of my money on activities for the two of us and on our honeymoon, that's where most of our money is going.

So I have looked into so many photographers, both in mexico and here in mass that I could fly down and any way I look at it, my pics are going to cost me about $3500-4000. It's just not in our budget. So what I was thinking of doing is using the resort photographer and buying one of the small pkgs, and then, when that person is done, (they don't take that many) I was going to have my sister do some of our pictures. She's taken photography classes, has a professional camera, and is trying to start a photography business. So this would be great for her portfolio & great for our wallet. The only reason I didn't want to ask her to do this was because she is my maid of honor (hence she's in the ceremony) and because I want her to be able to enjoy the reception. But really I just want her to do a lot of pictures of the two of us and then maybe take a few at the reception. She's already offered, what do you girls think?

Hello, welcome! I haven't heard of excellence riviera, but I've heard wonderful things about el dorado, I was considering el dorado until I heard it was adults only. But there is tons of information on the site about el dorado, take a look in the riviera maya forum. Good Luck!

I love that dress!