1elephant

Quote: Originally Posted by J&MWedding Oh, that's good to know! Those amounts sound like about what we were thinking... Lauren, where did you get her flowers? just went to the concierge and asked them how we could send something to her. they have a book of flowers and other assorted gifts to send.... Quote: Originally Posted by mayanbride78 Oh yah and if you bring your own lanterns it's still $70US. there are already lights around the trees; it's pretty well lit. it's also a pain to hang the lanterns b/c the trees are REALLY tall w/ no branches and there's a pool in the way. Quote: Originally Posted by jmmercer For those ladies that have already been married at Dreams or even been there for a visit I am trying to get a feel for the two beach locations, Oceana and Seaside Beach (not sure which is the north and which is the south beach?), for the wedding ceremony. i'm not sure about the beach locations - are you talking about the restaurants that the locations are near? if so, oceana is more private. Does anyone have any input, recommendations, photos, etc? We are going to have ~70 people and wonder if one is a larger area, where the sun is going to set in Nov., better location for photos after the ceremony, etc. Did anyone choose beforehand or wait until on site and choose the week of your wedding? Also, has anyone had rose petals layed out on the walkway and if so do you recall the charge? Did anyone use a local florist as opposed to the flowers offered by Dreams? We are seriously thinking of going off site for cheaper floral centerpieces and bouquets. the charge was extraordinary ($15/bag?) so we just brought fake petals with us. it was so much easier. got a few boxes of fakes at ikea, of all places...they didn't look real up close, but they were on the aisle runner, and no one was really looking directly at them. we used dreams; got my bouquet, 3 bm bouquets, 3 boutonnières, and 2 wrist corsages. not a huge amount of $, and delivered directly to us. For those of you who had your reception at the Las Palmas Terrace, will the area comfortably fit 70 people (7 tables of 10) along with the cake table, stereo table and room enough to dance? highly doubt it, without anyone falling into the pool. we had 30 and it was tight. i don't think they'll allow that many there anyway. Was anyone able to get a discount for mani/pedis and the spa for having mulitiple people? no, i tried. most of the guests got massages and other spa services, but if you don't fill the time slot, someone else will, so they don't care - you either get your stuff done there or you don't. Many thanks ladies!!! =) Jaclyn

Quote: Originally Posted by ashey063009 Hey Girls! Just wanted to poke in and say hey. I see the topic is tipping-- just a heads up. DH and I ended up tipping about $300 around the resort to bartenders / servers and tour bus drivers over the two weeks we were there. All $1 cuc bills (approx. $1 us) for the most part, but it still adds up. Also-- Jess, I wouldn't think to tip the photog above and beyond current price (especially if you brought them with you and are paying a tidy sum already) Our resort photog offered us a free TTD-- that went AWESOME-- so we ended up tipping him $100 for spending the (extremely hot) afternoon with us for free. As for Rebeca, it might be worth while to ask a few of the Dreams Brides that have been married there... maybe Lauren could give you some insight into it? I would imagine that gifts are just as sweet an appreciated-- but money is always the best option. Anyhoo-- just wanted to poke in. Hope all is well in Dreams PV world. xoxoxoxo ok i'm a HORRIBLE person. we didn't tip any bartenders that night - totally didn't even think about it, mostly b/c we didn't know what the situation was going to be, but also b/c we were preoccupied and i didn't exactly have my purse with me. i was also WASTED by tipping time and actually asked my parents to slip the dj a $20 b/c he stayed for an extra 30 minutes. i don't feel bad, though, because over the course of 2 weeks, we spent $200 in singles tipping the same people over and over - in addition to the 26 other adult guests tipping the same, if not more. i don't remember what we tipped the hair/nails/makeup people, maybe $10-$20? we sent gaby flowers b/c we didn't think that $ was appropriate, though it probably would have been more appreciated. she provided a free service; we didn't feel comfortable judging what to tip on top of that, but did spend $50 on flowers. we were not permitted to give her alcohol of any kind. as for our photographer, we didn't tip him. we gave him a RAVING review (check out his site Vancouver documentary wedding photographer Rick Collins. Wedding and portrait photography in Vancouver, Victoria, British Columbia and worldwide. for the review) and got him a lot of business since. my BIL is using him in oct. and random people email us all the time for a recommendation. i think that's the best tip we can give him!

there are different antennae to buy - there's one that came with our tivoli that you're supposed to hang out the window. go to a best buy type place and ask. in the meantime - artie was arrested for suspicion of a DUI but wasn't drunk?! wtf is that about?

tam, try using the search button on the top towards the right. there are a ton of threads about hair and makeup in pv, and i believe that there are few specifically about blu.

congrats holly and everyone else! thanks for hosting, ann!

i know that if you're having a civil ceremony at dreams, you have to be there on a certain day (wednesday maybe?) b/c they show a marriage video. you also need to be available whenever the dr. is available for blood work (but check other mx threads b/c there was a rumor flying that you didn't need blood work anymore...?) idk - we had our legal day here tho. Quote: Originally Posted by J&MWedding Hey girls! just as a heads up, I'm making my own table runners etc. I just picked out the fabric - it's a pale silver/grey. My mom is going to sew the runners, and we might be bringing some other things for centerpieces - like crystal beads etc. I'm going to leave everything I bring at the resort (just like Lauren did) so you girls can always keep that in mind and use any or all of it if it works out with your colors too! Quote: Originally Posted by autjo Just wanted to let you girls know that Lauren's stuff isn't at Dreams anymore. I asked Rebeca about it and she had no idea what I talking about. Sadness because my main color is orange Quote: Originally Posted by smith3576 Okay, really random question, but does anyone know if Dreams gives out straws with their drinks? yes, with the fruity drinks. I like the idea of leaving stuff behind for future brides...I'll do that too Our colors are navy, white, teal and light blue. not that it matters, but i certainly didn't leave my stuff there on purpose...it just wasn't returned to me and it definitely wasn't the first thing on my mind...if they don't know anything about it, i wouldn't leave it on purpose and expect it to be there..........rebeca was there soon after my wedding, and would have known if it was there when she started working... Quote: Originally Posted by autjo Oooh Jess - you are a lucky girl! If you have a chance, I have 2 things that I'd like an update on 1. Airport instructions. I want to do something like Lauren and others have sent out, but wanted to make sure the info was still accurate. Can you verify or put together a quick update? pv airport is about the size of your pinkie. i'd highly doubt anything has changed. 2. Resort bars and gathering areas. I know the Rendezvous Lobby bar is mentioned all time, but is there anywhere else to grab a drink before/after dinner or a good area to meet up to eat some birthday cake? I know someone mentioned they couldn't find the El Patio La Cantina Jalisco bar, but was hoping that might be a fun place. if i recall correctly, el patio was either the tiny bar (think ice cream truck size) on the beach over by the old tower, or was what they called the little bar by the infinity pool. neither is an ideal place to gather if you're more than 5 people. what kind of room are you getting? there is plenty of space for up to 15 in a jr. suite, more if you're on the first floor. we always went to the sports bar b/c it was empty.

so then don't change it. if the date is so important and it's too much of a PITA, leave it alone. regardless of whether they can talk to him and email, he's still home, in person, and i can understand why his mom would ask. i agree with rachel, some things are bigger than weddings, and this happens to be one of them - maybe not for you, but definitely for his mother. that being said, she's an adult and can decide whether to attend your shopping event or to spend time with her son.

definitely not often enough here...probably 1x/month, maybe even less if we're busy. i agree with jessica (and rachel?) - it hasn't killed me yet. i'm a teacher; i deal with snot and dirty kid hands all day - much grosser than whatever's on my sheets. as for the guest bedrooms, i leave the used sheets on until i know someone is coming to visit. most often, it's my sister, so i don't always change them for her. since we have cats who like to burrow under the covers, i'd rather just leave them dirty and put fresh sheets on right before the person arrives.

jaclyn, mine were included. originally they were not (in the 2007 prices), but when they were added into the 2008 package, i demanded to have them. if i had to do it again, i still would not pay for them b/c honestly, who's going to remember the chairs? i'd rather spend $ on what was placed on the chairs (tissues, fans, ecofetti, etc.).

Quote: Originally Posted by J&MWedding Lauren, I have to admit, once in a while, I always go back to your review, planning thread, and pics! It gets me more and more excited! I can't wait to see more reviews! Quote: Originally Posted by autjo Lauren's planning thread is the whole reason I am on BDW! FI actually found her thread when he was surfing for OOT stuff and I couldn't believe how awesome she made everything look. Thanks Lauren for being such an inspiration! thanks guys! i still go back to it too a lot of things have changed there, but there was no one here that had been married at dreams pv when i joined/got married, so i figured it would be helpful for the future. i've even noticed that some girls have taken the same pics as us (jumping into the pool). i think i've mentioned that all of my stuff is still there, so the candle holders, orange fabric, cake topper etc. should still be there. if you're not sure about timing, better to have too much time for pics than not enough. who cares if the reception ends at 9 or 11 - you can go to one of the bars after!

oh, we're neighbors! i'm in morris township.

rachel, i hate cooking too. i'm NOT creative in the kitchen and would happily make the same bad meals over and over. however...i'll go to a bbq or a shower or something, eat something really yummy, and be obsessed w/ making it myself (hence, quinoa)...if you grill, why not portobello mushrooms instead of meat? chicken instead of steak/red meat? we grill veggies (zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, etc.) all summer long. i'd rather have that than pasta or rice. alternatives to ice cream - make a smoothie and put in the freezer. put grapes in the freezer. simple changes make a big impact!

jkcz (sorry, don't know your name), they had it at my stop and shop, but i know you can always find it at trader joes or whole foods. where in nj are you?

there are places that deliver diet food, but around here they are $$! what about starting w/ substitutions in the house? like substitute whole grain pasta and brown rice for regular pasta or white rice? keeping fresh fruits (esp. summer fruits!) and veggies instead of snacks is helpful too. OR, since i just noticed that you wrote gluten-free, try quinoa (i've been raving about it on fb). it's delish, easy as anything, yummy, and tastes like whatever you cook it w/. right now i'm eating it w/ a veggie stir fry, made w/ soy sauce and hot chili sesame oil. last night, i melted some chocolate chips into it. gluten-free, tasty, high protein!

rachel, i say this with the utmost love and respect for you, but there is no miracle solution! despite how awesome it would be, there is no way that excess weight is just going to up and leave w/o assistance - believe me, i was waiting and waiting and waiting for it to go! no diet (jenny craig, nutrisystem, sacred heart) or lifestyle change (ww) will help if you're unmotivated. the unmotivated weeks are the worst obstacles! my current motivation is BIL's wedding in october. after that, i'll need something new. i'm sure i'm not telling you anything that you don't already know....but it's your body and your health. no one else can help but you! again, ETA: when did you do ww? there's a program that used to be called core (called something else now) where you can eat as much as you want of certain foods and only track the other foods. that will be harder if you're lazy, tho, b/c it's a lot of whole grains, and requires more work, imo. the only way that it works for me is if i plan my whole week - make all lunches on sunday night, go food shopping sunday so i know what we'll be having for dinner during the week....

feliway is AWESOME!!!! and we have this stuff called happy cat that we put into the water a few times/week (we have a water fountain for them). my boy cat was on kitty prozac when we were moving (b/c we had to put them in a big cat cage when people were in and out of the house while we weren't home - being caged made him pull his hair out), but took him off after the move. he was ok while on it tho....

rachel, try weight watchers. it's a lifestyle change and i swear by it. you can eat whatever you want and drink whatever you want...it's about learning to make healthy choices. i think the first meeting at ww is free; why not check it out? i'd be more than happy to help you plan meals and be your 'sponsor' (for lack of a better term)... ETA: just as an fyi, i'm 5' tall (on a good day). when i first joined ww, i was 140lbs. i know that 140 doesn't seem like much, but i was not comfortable and decided to be proactive. that and there's always been a weight competition between my sister and myself. when i realized i was bigger than her, i decided to do something about it. w/in about 6 months i was down to 117. i couldn't maintain it and went back up to 125ish...whenever i stop going to meetings i bounce back up, but as long as i keep going, i can maintain 120-125. the biggest motivation to keep going to the meetings is a) fitting in my clothing and the bigger people who go to the meetings but don't follow the plan always look like they want to eat me - it gives me some kind of warped satisfaction.

congrats!!! hope it's fabulous and everything you ever dreamed of!

mary murphy is driving me INSANE! i've been dvr-ing the show and then ff through everything she says! i'm also not really invested in any of the dancers...probably won't be until the top 10 - then it's really exciting!

Quote: Originally Posted by aprilmay I sent in my request for one yesterday! Is the ultimate package the really good one with the mariachi band? If you did have them were they good? (aka - worth it?) i had them; we were off taking pictures during the cocktail hour, but my parents said they were great. cost-wise, it's probably equivalent to hiring a dj for an extra hour.

ann, i taught in london for a bit less than a year as well. i lived in the "american" section - st. john's wood (NW, jubilee line if i remember correctly). i lived w/ my aunt, uncle, and cousin in an awesome complex w/ tons of kids. they moved there thinking they'd be there for 3 years and came home after 12!! they made TONS of friends bc the kids were in school, but you could look into any ex-pat programs to see if there's an ex-pat mommy and me kinda thing. the only hard part about ex-pat stuff is that since ex-pats are transient, friends move away.... things are different - not bad, but different. grocery shopping is harder b/c you don't have a car (i'm assuming), fridge and washer/dryer smaller, but everything you need is normally no more than a few blocks away. you'll miss everyone like hell, but think about what a great opportunity this is for all three of you!!!! i cried the first few nights, but i adjusted and never wanted to come home! btw, i can give you good restaurant suggestions

i don't know how it is where you guys live, but times are quite tough around here - regardless of how good rates are....my cousin just decided she was going to have a dw and as of right this second you could tell me that the trip would cost pennies per person and we wouldn't be able to do it.... so hopefully things will change w/in the next few months. don't be concerned - the people that are seriously planning to be there will be there regardless of rates.

congrats jaime!!!!! i hope it's a magical day

shelley, just saw this - everything looks amazing and i can't wait to see all the prof. pics!

wow, what a great attitude! good for you! congrats!!!!!