Amy&Andy

You are such an inspiration to all of us newbies on this forum. It is so rewarding to see that you can do it yourself. I am making so much stuff for our wedding and sometimes it seems both daunting and endless. Seeing all of your stuff come together makes me know it will all be worth it in the end. You did such a fabulous job. Your review and this post are like my planning bible! I love what you did! Watch out for posts from me because I am going to follow your lead like it's my job! You are amazing!

Hi all! I'm new to this posting...but let me tell you I am an expert on working out/diet. I have helped alot of friends lose weight and get on plans that work for them. I'm not really a diet/workout freak, but I know what works. If any of you need help or advise let me know! When I'm trying to get in really good shape for a special event I just cut some calories and up my workouts. Right now I'm getting in shape for my BD pics in August....so that means back to my routine! This is what I do..... Weights for 30 min 5 days a week: I break it up into push days and pull days; you have to lift weights at least a few times a week to build some muscle....more muscle you put on the more fat you burn! Push days: shoulders lift, chest press, incline press, fly, tricep Pull days: biceps curls, row machine thing, lats Cardio is everyday: at least 40 minutes....you gotta burn the calories to get rid of the fat; It's a big committment...but once you get going it just becomes part of your everyday routine! The diet depends on what your lifestyle is like....do you like to cook...not like to cook.....I'd be happy to share good food plans with anyone who want it. I can make an actual menu...shopping list kind of, if you want to join me in what I do! Wow...this was long...sorry!

I know! I was so impressed. Having to wait 4+ years for the ring he felt like he had to make it really special for me. I'll try to attach the itinerary (PDF) he made me; but it's saying it's too big.....any suggestions It must have taken so long to find all of the meaningful pictures. Seriously all the pics are from some aspect of our lives. Finding my luggage...what a freak! Also I have to feel bad for the poor guy seeing as how I can be such a brat when plans get off.....good thing I kept my cool:) I've been making him such thoughful presents since we started dating he knew I would appreciate something like what he made. It was such a great weekend....definately greatest memories ever!

I'm going to copy and paste the story that Andy had e-mailed right after our trip...with my little comments pasted in for my buddies later. It's funny hearing it from his perspective with mine also....... Okay so it went down like this....I am giving the entire story, its long so I apologize... We went to Victoria for the weekend. Friday night I went home instead of to the gym and cleaned the entire house so we would not have to do it on Sunday (Thank god because we were so hungover!) when we got back. That night I told her it is "Amy's Birthday Weekend Extravaganza" and I gave her one of four presents. (I needed a way to throw her off the trail that I might propose up there, so I got her a bunch of presents thinking she would never guess I had a ring) She opened up a present with some nice lotions from Este Lauder or something. Then Saturday morning we woke up nice and early and I gave her the next present. I had created an itinerary of our trip. The entire last three weeks I had been playing it off that we didn't really know what we were going to do....where eating dinner, what to do etc....(it is the attachment) and it was quite the surprise. All of these pics have meaning to them. The luggage is our luggage, the coffee cup are the cups we use at the lake, the pics are all of places we were going to go to, actual hotel pic, etc....She was really impressed! I told her that she can draw and make scrap books but I use the computer! (It's so cute! He actually found pictures of my Dianne Von F. luggage!) So we went to Victoria, it was rainy and cold....we wore spring clothes..bad (I was wearing a little white eyelet blouse and brown pants which were soaked on the bottom, gold shoes and jewelery which Andy said he noticed and freaked out when I showed him my outfit since he was giving me a platinum ring!)choice...we caught a taxi up to the hotel...the pesos in my pocket almost got left on the front seat of the cab (that will be explained later) but somehow I managed to see them out of the corner of my eye and opened the door and put them back in my pocket. We could not check in early so we left our bags there, grabbed a quick snack at the restaurant there and I got my fishing license for the year across the street while she was getting dry by the fireplace in the lobby. We got directions to the bus stop from two different people to go up to Butchart Gardens....the cab ride was supposedly $50 and I was like, I'm taking the bus....the directions we got sent us on a mile and half walk that didn't produce a bus stop and we saw the bus drive right by us! Crap! She is wet, tired, and I had to call a cab....but we finally made it up there a little late but it worked out. (I can't beleive I actually was still in a good mood when we got there. I was wet...my curled hair was all messy, and I had to pee so bad it hurt!)I had the ring in a little holder in my wallet. I used the restroom and got it out and in my pocket. Still raining so carrying the umbrella, camera, everything was a pain in my ass. My overall plan was to find a pond or fountain where we could make a wish with the Peso's that I "accidentally" grabbed thinking they were Canadian change. I had called a couple times in advance to go over the map with a staff member and it turns out the place they recommended I COULDN'T find. I am all stressed out as we are walking around the entire gardens and slowly getting to the end with no real good place to pop the question. Finally while in the Japanese garden, the last spot before you exit that area had a very nice private setting. Even Amy mentioned something like, ah, nice and private. (It was really beautiful. It's wiered that I even said something like, "what a cute little area" because it was the only place that was kind of private and secluded) Well we waited for another couple to leave and then we went in there. She mentioned all of the coins in the pond and I said let's make a wish with these Peso's...we tossed them in together....well she made her wish out loud to have the weather clear up and the sun come out. I was so nervous I asked her what her wish was and she said "I said it out loud already"....and I asked if she wanted to know mine. She told me "no" since it would not come true. I told her well you really don't want to know what I wished for and she said no again.....I told her "well I am going to tell you what I wished for" I kissed her to give me a moment to think and I went down on one knee on the wet cement in the rain and said "I wished that you would say yes" and I got the ring out (no box) and I held it so close to her that she didn't see it at first and then she put her hands to her face, heavy breathes, a couple tears, said something like "what, is this happening??" and I said "marry me" She made me wait for sure....I was on one knee for what seemed like ten minutes....and she finally said yes and put the ring on. She was in total shock. I think she said something like, I never thought this would happen. (The ring looked so huge when he was just holding it in his fingers that I couldn't really say anything I was in such shock. When he finally said Marry me and asked my answer I said yes...and it did seem like he was down there forever. Then we kissed and took pictures and were floating all the way to the gorgeous restaurant. We drank a whole bottle of champagne to calm our nerves...then bought another one on our way back to the hotel...and drank that. I'll leave the rest to your imagination...but let me tell you theres something about calling your man a fiance that is dang hot!!!!) That is basically it for the proposal. Oh I forgot, the Peso's were to signify our wedding which we want to have in Mexico. And the weather actually cleared up for the rest of the day about 30 seconds after her wish! We had lunch at the Dining Room Restaurant at the Gardens.... Local sparkling wine and great food. We were both floating on clouds the rest of the day....almost like we were both drunk or something...total daze. Dinner was still a surprise, I took her to Vista 18 which has a 140 degree view of Victoria and the water from our seats. Great food and really actually cheaper than Port Angeles. Then we went to the Bengal Room at the Empress for a cocktail. And that is basically the end of it. Easter Sunday closed everything down, which I had no idea before I made the plans and we ended up catching the morning ferry instead of the afternoon one. Best personal regards, Andrew S. Callis Callis & Associates, Inc.

Has anyone else already said that you look HOT! I'm all for looking sexy at your wedding.....forget the traditional blushing bride.....be sexy! Anyways....I don't know if you already answered this question earlier....but I am new here......Who designed that dress I am so set on having something really fitted and flowy...with either no back or "sexy back" I'm only 5'3" and 115 so might as well show it off while I have it right You look fab....definately did it in style, and the guys look like they knew how hot they looked too....love that! Great job with the photos, they are creative and unique which is great; definately matched the style you had. Congrats!

Am I the only one still not able to see this picture...how awful to read everyone saying how great it is and not be able to see it! Boo!!! Now I won't be able to go back to work until this is back up!

Hi Lala, I just checked out Vicki's site. She has some beautiful black and whites on there. I'm curious to see what the boudoirs are like. Can you e-mail me the examples she sent you? Did you research a bunch of photogs over in Seattle? I tried to look online, but they seemed shady or looked more "glamour shots" than boudoir. I'll be curious to know how your shoot goes. That's coming up! How much are boudoir sessions? I havn't a clue what they cost. Thanks so much for the help and ideas:) See ya!

OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!! I WANT IN!!!! I just started researching this myself. Please fill me in. Am I too late? I found all of the photogs looked way too dirty too. Are you guys really thinking this June? That is so far in advance for me getting married next June. What did you guys figure out I got really excited and didn't read all of the previous posts yet. I'd definately be interested. I live over in Port Angeles (peninsula area) but just moved from Kirkland so I can stay with a friend overnight if we could do it in Seattle. E-mail me: [email protected]!!!!

So we've just booked our Rehearsal Dinner on the Sunrider.....Yay!!! Now I need to decide on a photographer. I am trying to decide between Gilda and Manuel B. We have a fairly big photography budget....but I don't know if I should do the video part of the package. Our party will only be around 30 people and I just don't know if the video is necessary? Anyone want to give me an honest positive/negative list for Gilda vs Manual. I like them both and the cost is less of a factor as how easy to work with/creativity. Suggestions

Finally got my picture to work on here. It wouldn't upload onto my profile, but got it into the signature I hope. I forgot to mention I got my invitations in. This place ships these message in a bottle invitations direct to you. I am making mine from scratch, but you can have them print them and then mail them for you. I got them a few days ago and they are going to be so cute. I'm adding personalized ribbon, more shells, and personal labels also. I thought I would share..... Marketing In A Bottle - Detail BTW...the whole do it yourself package was less than 30 bucks!!!!

We are also getting married at Dreams in June of 2008. We havn't set the final date yet....we are waiting to hear back for June 27th or 28th.......We'll see. Congrats! Welcome!

Hi all! I just posted a word document with pictures of our new house. It's so cute!! I'm not particularily sure how to put the documents on here yet....so let me know if you have any trouble opening it up. I'm so excited, we are closing this week and moving Friday and Saturday. I've had to put the wedding planning on the back burner just temporarily. Thank goodness I have well over a year! It's overwhelming going from a 900sq foot condo to 2300 square feet of brand new house! I spent 6 hours yesterday shopping for home decorations. I completely filled up my fiance's 4-runner from the passenger side to the very tip top of the back. He thought I had lost my mind! I told him I just "needed" it all! Anyways.....need to get back to work! house pics and description.doc

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I haven't been back on here for a few weeks but with a good excuse! We just put an offer in on our very first house! Apparently I'm a masichist and like to put as much stress on myself as possible! Not only are we trying to plan to move and furnish an entirely new home....I also am trying to plan the wedding of my dreams! Yikes! The house is so dang cute though! Brand new construction, two stories, 2300 square feet, 3 bed 2.5 bath, granite, wood floors, huge master room and bath! Oh....most importantly......his and her walk in closets....!!!!! Anyways, I'm still slowly chipping away at the wedding planning. I went and tried on my first set of dresses at Demetrios and it was a disaster. I was swimming in all of them (i'm a size 2 or 4ish) and they were all so stiff and non-beachy. I really want something flowy and light....very slim fitting to the body and preferably low back or backless. There is just so much to choose from online it's overwhelming. How does anyone get any work done when planning a wedding I'm constantly online at work doing this....Ooops! Speaking of...gotta get back to work:)

Hi there, I also am looking at reserving at date for Dreams in June of 2008. Please tell me who is this "Tammy" and how the heck can I get in touch with her to help me book for our 25-30 guests She sounds amazing! I have called about 8 different booking agencies with the worst responses and totally varried information. We are staying for 4 nights and I cannot get a straight answer on room rates. Like most of you I am trying to keep the cost down for the guests since they are paying their own way....(from Seattle). We are covering all of the rest of the expenses while we are down there, but want to stay at an all-inclusive to make it less stressful. I've already been doing alot of planning, but I'd really like to get the room part taken care of first. Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Also....anyone have pictures of the beach set-up at Dreams? I want some ideas on the decorations. Thanks!!!

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be on the forum to get good tips on planning my wedding in Cabo. We have already booked our wedding coordinator down there and are still deciding on where to have our guests stay. It sounds like Dreams has the best rates for the ceremony and reception, but I'm worried the room costs will be high for our guests. We are having between 20 and 30 people join us down there for 4 nights/5days. Havn't booked a photographer, DJ, or transportation provider yet. I'm definately interested in hearing people's experiences with staying at Dreams and having the wedding there. We also want to get ideas of fun things to do as a group.....not super expensive hopefully! We have a decent budget......but are still frugle and want good deals! Please send me a message if you have any good ideas of places to stay that are all-inclusive and give good rates!