foxytv

Yep, it does change your Member Status. It bumped me back down one too I believe. Oh well, back to posting. lol

Quote: Originally Posted by cheeks75 Please help me!!!!!!!!! I am so not crafty at all, but I really love your invites. How do I even get started in making something so beautiful? You can use the templates I posted on page 1 of this thread and just make changes to suit your tastes/themes/color schemes etc. Just make sure you have all the right fonts or it will look funny on your computer. I had to download several fonts from Download fonts | dafont.com to get started. Let me know what else you need!

Quote: Originally Posted by Mrs.B 2008 We understand and respect that not all of our family and friends will be able to join us in Mexico for our Destination Wedding. We will be sure to take a moment on our special day to reflect on our treasured relationships so if you are not able to make it, please know that you will be there with us in spirit. This is along the lines of what I was thinking. I say keep it simple. It's not rocket science. :-) "We know that many of you won't be able to join us in Mexico. But please know that you will be in our hearts as we exchange vows, and hope you share in our joy -- wherever you are."

Too simple? It's GORGEOUS! I love the beading on the bustline and down the side. The shaping and styling is very flattering and I bet you will look like a million bucks in it. Perfect, not simple!!!

Hopefully they will understand that your financial situation is different than theirs. Plus, Ireland is quite different (and more expensive) than the Caribbean. Hopefully they will understand if you can't swing it. I don't see why they wouldn't understand -- but you never know. I know if it were us, I think we would have to pass up a friends DW if it were shortly before ours -- unless one of us were part of the bridal party.

We are doing basically the same thing. Signing legal papers on the Monday before we leave. Our wedding is that Saturday. We will take a copy of our signed, notarized paperwork (our friend is a notary and is doing this for us). I think if they see that the date is just a week prior, the photocopy should be sufficient. That is how they verify that you qualify for certain wedding/honeymoon packages, etc.

Definitely bring more than one bathing suit. I've been stocking up so I have several (and yes VS is the way to go this time of year for some GREAT deals!!!!). I am still looking for a white one as well. AND -- if you have a strapless dress ... look for a bandeau suit for the days leading up to the wedding so you don't have strap marks!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by DreamsTulumBride Tammy, is your AHR in a restaurant or in a house? Ours is from 2-6pm (early, I know) at our restaurant/bar. We are closing the upstairs bar and rooftop deck for the AHR and opening it to the public at 6pm (didn't want to lose a whole night of money-making due to the AHR, so we decided to just do it early). The party will continue after 6, but at least it will be private until then. You can see from the pic below of the rooftop deck how casual it is -- but we will put white tablecloths on the tables and centerpieces to dress it up a little bit!

Quote: Originally Posted by geology_rocks Those are AWESOME Tami! I am so not that creative Thanks for the ideas! I can send you all the templates if you are interested. It's easy to plug in your own info and change up to suit your tastes! PM me if you want it!

I am definitely wearing my dress for me AHR. For one, because I can and I want to, and two, because I do think a lot of the people who couldn't make the DW (which will be a majority of the AHR guests) will want to see me in the dress. If the BM's and Mom's want to wear their same dresses, that's totally fine, but if not that's fine too. The AHR will be casual, so no worries on what anyone wears, but I am totally wearing my dress!

Quote: Originally Posted by LC_Rachel Uh YA! Especially since every AI I looked into did not have a "free" reception. Even to have a welcome dinner at my AI, they are asking for $24 per head. FI and I think we will take them off property for that because it's the same price. Why not treat everyone to a different meal instead of the same ol' AI stuff we will be eating all week. I think if people are inviting themselves and you tell them no, then you can expect people to be upset. Not that it's deserving, but if they are crude enough to invite themselves then they are crude enough to be upset over it. FI and I are such easy going people that we didn't want the ackwardness of people wanting to go and us having to say no. We just decided to pay for the expenses. I don't think there really is an easy way to say no. Either way you choose there are some consequences. Keep a strict guest list, some people will get pissed. Let anyone come, then you have a HUGE bill. It just depends on what you care about most. Well said. At first, we were willing to suck up the extra cost, but now, more and more people think they can either invite themselves or invite their friends. We are ssoo easy-going, and would LOVE to have everyone who wants to come - come ... but because of the ever-increasing costs, we have to start drawing the line. We are doing "Welcome Cocktails" each evening just at the Lobby Bar (nothing formal) to welcome whoever arrives each day. The rehearsal dinner will be for the bridal party and their spouse/guest as well as the photographer (no charge for this one, thank goodness) and then an open Cocktail Hour following at one of the resort bars (TBD) -- again, at no charge b/c we aren't making it a forma affair. So we are keeping the reception ($2500 for 3-hours buffett-style) as our only added per-perso resort cost. At least that's how it stands now...

No, I know what you mean. I went so fast and furious on wedding stuff for the past 8 months, that I am wiped out now too and don't really want to do a whole lot right now. I'm going to chill out now through the holidays and start again after the New Year. I'm still going to do some stuff -- just not as hot and heavy as I have been. So, I say take some time to focus on other things and then regroup. You are right, you do still have plenty of time!

My BM's are having my bachelorette party in March ... and have asked what I want to do. I told them of three places I'd like to have it -- and that I just want to party and have a great time with all my girlfriends. My three places are: Carolina Beach, NC (closest option for my MD/DC/VA friends) -- We would rent out a big beach house. They have great charter fishing trips there and a party boat for like $8/pp. it's a small fishing beach town and my uncle lives there. We can walk everywher and perhaps get a limo into downtown Wilmington NC one night. Charleston, SC (Folly Beach) -- one of my BM's has a townhouse there and we go there all the time. This would likely be the cheapest option since she has a townhouse and we know other people in her complex where other girls could crash for the weekend. It's the furthest option for the majority of OOT friends. We would go out in Folly one night (walking) and then cab it to downtown Charleston one night. Myrtle Beach, SC -- lots of the chain bars/clubs to go to and middle ground travel-wise for the OOT girls. The thing I like about this option is being able to call the dueling piano bar and get reservations -- cheesy things like that. Should we go with the least expensive option so that the girls coming to the wedding aren't forking out extra money the month before (although I think the BM's plan to pay for most everything anyway). Probably about half of the girls coming won't be making it to the DW. To save money, I figure we'd eat-in either one or both nights so that our going-out money is set aside for drinks, etc. My friends and I are not "slumber party" kinda girls. We will be out of the town as much as possible that weekend -- no matter where we go. I gave my BM's these three options and said they could take it from here, but they want me to narrow it down more.

Quote: Originally Posted by redwards We went to a "dueling piano bar" for my bach party. I got lots of cute lingerie...and I loved the veil Monica made for me! It was super cute and I swear it had every flavor of lube EVER in the world on it! lol! I guess the best part was just having fun w/ the girls. Singin' and dancin' and just being girly. Although probably the funniest part was in the middle of the party, I was pretty drunk, and we all had to draw from this deck of cards w/ dares on them. I had drawn one about getting a guy to talk dirty to me. But I wasn't sure how to do that...and honestly, was drunk enough to get distracted REAL easy! lol! So Monica (my MOH) figured she was helping and recruited some guy to come over and talk dirty...but I didn't know she had sent him. So he's whispering ALL kinds of stuff in my ear...about how he's going to do this or that...tounge ring...blah blah blah... (in a CUTE spanish accent, btw!) and I'm like, "Yo! I'm pracitally married...you can't say that stuff to me!" lol! I was totally nice in that super sincere drunk girl kind of way. But I lectured the crap out of this poor guy! LOL! he was a good sport about it though. he finally realized I had no clue what he was doing and said, "here, let me buy you a shot." And then he toasted a long and happy marriage to me! When I told Monica later about "this random guy that came up and starting saying all this crazy stuff to me..." she cracked up and told me that she'd sent him to help me w/ my dare. She didn't realize I somehow didn't connect those dots! lol! We still laugh about it on occasion. :-) That is HILARIOUS!!!!! Sounds like something that could happe at my bachelorette party! lol. Great story!!!

We are still having people 'ask' to be invited and now even FH brother is telling his friends and saying 'invite so and so'. We have finally had to have a talk with FMIL about inviting friends of hers who we don't know -- now it seems we even have to put FBIL in check. Geez. People just do not get it -- but I can also honestly say that until I started planning my own DW, I always thought if it was an AI, then if I paid my own way it was no big deal. That being said, I think if it gets sticky, we have to realize that some people might truly not realize the extra expenses involved with an AI DW ... and we need to let them know that there is still a LOT of out-of-pocket money for the reception, etc.

I did include both on our invitations. I used the Boarding Pass templates. On the RSVP card, I asked for a response to both -- however, I'm only really concerned about the DW RSVP for now. Closer to the DW, I will send an email asking those who did not RSVP for the AHR to pelase do so by a certain date. This is a scan of the RSVP's before I printed them on bright orage paper (so they would stand out as the RSVP cards against the rest of the invitation. And these are scans of the invitation pages (I've taken pics but don't have the adapter to upload the pics yet -- sorry).

welcome and CONGRATS! I have to tell you that I haven't seen any resort-photographer pictures from Punta Cana that I thought were that great. We are getting married there inApril 2008 and are flying in a photographer. I think it just depends on your budget and where in your priority list the pictures are. It's barely in our budget, but it's a top priority, so we're going to make it work. Have you asked to seem some of the RIU guys work?

How exciting!!!! Congratulations!!!!!

hhmm... I just tested the Shout Box and it works okay for me. You still show up as Julesr on my screens. I don't know about changing names though....

Quote: Originally Posted by carlymcmullen Well you never know, Tami, cuz showers are usually surprises. I don't think anything should happen differently b/c you are having a DW. Do you think they are planning it and you just dont know? I realize it isn't about the gifts, but the thing is peopl ehave showers for weddings. No matter wher eyou are getting married, you are still getting married! I think a shower would be expected unless you specifically said otherwise. Maybe that's it and I'm overanalyzing. I'm home sick today, and Tom's been out of town all week, so I think I have the "woe is me" blues.

Thank you ladies. I think you are right. I think the hard part is I am a little bummed b/c none of my girlfriends has even mentioned having a shower for me/us -- nor has my family or Tom's family/friends. I guess this is to be expected with a DW, and since everyone lives spread out, but nonetheless, it does kind of hurt my feelings. Not that I want gifts, b/c we don't even need anything, but mainly because I don't feel like Tom and I ever really got to 'celebrate' our engagement with each other or others (since he left for Iraq a week after we got engaged). We are going to visit my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I thought perhaps someone would do something for us then, but no one is. My BM's are planning my bachelorette party for March, which will be AWESOME ... so guess I am being a little selfish.

Quote: Originally Posted by Mrs.B 2008 Tami - i have always been of the school that eveyone that is invited to the wedding is invited to the main events - i think you and Tom need to find out if their intention is to host a 'wedding event' shower or a friends shower (being the friends you have in common?) i would have the guest / address list for the wedding ready and attach to a conversational email and not make it to formal? Quote: Originally Posted by carlymcmullen I second exactly what Alyssa said. Perhaps they want to host a party for you for their group of friends, which is great. If that is the case, then your BM's would probably need to do something for you actual wedding shower. So, it's okay if this is a shower/party for mainly Tom's friends? I presume that is what they are planning. Either way, should the bridal party be invited to everything, or is that up to the Host/Hostess as well? I've been a BM before, but evidently not a very good one, b/c I don't know how all this is supposed to work. lol.

Tom's Best Man's wife has asked if they can host a couples shower for us. Of course I said yes. And none of my BM's have even asked or offered (my MOH and 2 BM's (sisters) don't live locally -- but 2 BM's do). My question is about the guest list. Do we just let them invite whoever they want or do we give them a guest list based on our invitations list? He and Tom are old fraternity brothers, so alot of his friends/frat brothers aren't on the actual guest list. And how do I make sure that my friends are included -- or do I? Since they are hosting it, do I just let them invite who they want? It's not 'til February, so perhaps they will as for a guest list. I'm not particularly close with the wife, so I'm not comfortable bringing it up to her -- and I am not sure of the proper etiquette on this...

Quote: Originally Posted by bride_2_b08 ok I finally found the price for these - she charged me $11 for each. I thought that was pretty decent and easier to just get them from her. That's a great price. The ones I found (made from the same company "Bouquet Jewels") are $11.99 per starfish, $14.99 for flip-flops and $16.99 per palm tree. So, it does sound easier to just have her do it!

WOW, what a beautiful placee for a wedding! I hate that we have to wait over 341 days to see your wedding day pics though!!! lol