JUSTUSTWO

Quote: Originally Posted by Christinamaria22 Well I am wondering how many actually were legally married before going to their DW or who are actually getting married there and if so... will it be by a judge or minister? I am trying to figure out a program for a "civil" wedding on the beach has anyone have a sample how do they flow? Is the sand ceremony before or after the signing.... I am so like I dunno! I think the definitions of each type of ceremony may vary by resort. For instance at ROR, all ceremonies are performed by a minister, but if you're having a civil ceremony, the minister will not mention God. If you're having a renewal, its performed by a minister too, but has no legal bearing. If I remember correctly the sand ceremony was performed after our vows but before our signing.

Congratulations Angela! Beautiful pics. Loved your dress, hair & makeup!

Congratulations!

Looks great so far! I blinged mine out completely but I didn't use Swarovski crystals so it wasn't that expensive to do. Its really a tough call to make. I think it depends on exactly how many more crystals you'll need & the cost. Heather's suggestion is great. Can you take a pic of option 2 giving us an idea of how it would look if you didn't use all of the crystals?

Congrats & welcome back! Glad to hear that you enjoyed ROR. Really looks like you guys had a great time! You looked beautiful, loved your dress & hair. Thanks for the review of CSA. I may have to put that on my list of places to go! -Oh, love your captions on the pics...too cute!

Veryyy nice! Love the outfits & the shower shots!

Oh, very cute!

Its definitely not a problem to give your OOT bags out at the Welcome Dinner. I did the same thing & it worked great. You should also check out this thread to give you an idea of the things that were hits & misses in the OOT bags themselves: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t35759 Hope this helps!

Quote: Originally Posted by blurt Hi, could anyone tell me how long it takes from the airport to ROR, I have heard about 2 hours is this right ? Are you arranging private transportation for you & your group or are you going to be traveling with others where you are going to make stops at other resorts? I think that if you're just traveling with your group directly to ROR, then the ride is less than 2 hours. For us I'd say it was about an hour & a half and we didn't stop at all. The ride would be longer if you're making stops & dropping off other travelers at different resorts. I also think that the times of day that you are traveling makes a difference, especially in terms of how much traffic there will be.

Awww....congratulations! Nice pics, you guys look great!

My dress wasn't exactly big & poofy but it wasn't really a dress fit for the beach either. I agree with everyone else, go for what you love, no matter whether its big & poofy or not. You can always wear that dress for the ceremony & change into something lighter or more airy for your reception, which is what I did!

Quote: Originally Posted by tcram Great idea. How did you get your logo on them? I am so not crafty but I think this is a great idea. Check out these threads. I think I mentioned how to use the iron-on transfer paper in both of them: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...589#post629478 http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t34851 And don't worry about not being crafty. I wasn't either & I managed to do them & loved how they came out so I'm sure you'll be fine!

Quote: Originally Posted by calchik very helpful thread! i second the question about travel mugs. not sure if i should spend the money on insulated travel mugs with lids and handles or just get stadium cups. my other questionable items are hand fans and travel candles. yay or nay? Quote: Originally Posted by Fanny I don't know if I should get cups or travel cups with lids. Thoughts? How do guests use the cups? Sorry, if this is a really silly question! Do they use it at the pool, like go to the bar for refills? I can see how travel cups can be useful for excursions! Thanks! My guests used the travel mugs for their drinks at the bar, at the pool or beach or just walking around the resort. Typcially drinks come in small plastic cups so having a travel mug means that you get more to drink with less walking back & forth to the bar. I went with travel mugs that had a lid. I didn't think a handle was too important but figured that a lid would be useful so that people wouldn't have to worry about any spills while walking back or forth or about anything getting into their drink if they put it down while at the beach or something. You should really go with what your budget permits. Compare costs in terms of size of the cup, how many you have to buy for a real discount & ofcourse shipping! Personally, fans for me were a must have! I think this is especially true if you're getting married on the beach. My guests appreciated having the raffia fans during the ceremony since it was warm & sunny. I can't comment about the travel candles since I didn't use them, but I don't think they would have been used by my guests cuz they were rarely in their rooms & I didn't hear anyone complain about their room smelling "musty" as has been mentioned here & there. I guess it depends on how you think your guests would use them. Are they going to be a wedding favor or are you giving them out to be used in their rooms?

Thanks for posting this! This is great news & a good option for travelers. Hopefully this means some great fares. I'll definitely be looking into this for my return trip to JA! According to them tickets go on sale February 4th, pending government approval! For anyone else interested here's the press release with details: JetBlue Airways - Press Releases JetBlue to add flights to Jamaica - Today In the Sky - USATODAY.com

That is great to hear! Enjoy Jamaica!!!

Beautiful! It fits you perfectly! Also love the corset back & the bustle.

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Hope you had an amazing day!

Quote: Originally Posted by jmb0902 First of all, BEAUTIFUL wedding... how exciting!! I have a quick question for you: where did you get your bags done, and where did you order your cups from? Thanks so much in advance! jo Thanks so much for the compliment! I ordered the bags from cheaptotes.com. Here's the link for the one's that I got. They are the natural ones for 99 cents each: Canvas TOTE BAG I then printed my monogram using transfer paper & ironed it on the bags myself. You can buy transfer paper from any office supply store. I used the Avery brand. The travel mugs I ordered from discountmugs.com. Here are the ones that I ordered: Cheap promotional Travel Mug - Custom Printed Personalized Plastic Economy Tumbler(ST9000) from DiscountMugs. They were very easy to work with. You can upload your own design or use one of theirs. If you google them you may be able to find some coupon codes. You can even sign up for their emails & they will send you their promotions every now & then. Right now I think they are offering free shipping.

Wow...that is crazy! Sorry you're dealing with this! Although it sucks & probably doesn't ease the pain, at least you're finding out about this now & not in March!!! Do your guests that had already booked with them, get all of their $ back? I decided to google this to see what I found in terms of them going out of business & this is what came up: Jamaica Gleaner News - Air Jamaica: Time's up - Friday | June 13, 2008 Air Jamaica pulling out of MIA - Triangle Business Journal: Air Jamaica to end service to Miami - Breaking News - Business - MiamiHerald.com So it seems like they are being sold but trying to stay in business. I guess time will tell!

I think I'm addicted to investigative reporting! Everytime I see some story about things that affect us as consumers, or some kind of undercover report, I get so outraged & feel the need to inform everyone else. Anyway, saw this on Good Morning America this morning. Couldn't believe it. I had never heard of credit card company's profiling customers!!! I guess with the economy the way it is, we should all be mindful that something like this could happen & I'm sure other credit card companies will start to do the same thing. It was a real eye opener! Kevin Johnson's American Express credit card limit was slashed because, along with other reasons, "Other customers who have used their card at establishments where [he] recently shopped have a poor repayment history with American Express," according to a statement from the credit card company. (ABC) video: ABC News actual story: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GetsAnswer...6747461&page=1 'GMA' Gets Answers: Some Credit Card Companies Financially Profiling Customers Be Careful Where You Shop, It Could Affect Your Credit Rating Jan. 28, 2009 A new policy being used by at least one major credit card company judges a shopper not necessarily by his credit purchases and payments alone, but also by the fiscal behavior of the fellow shoppers in the stores he visits. And in some cases, the bad repayment history of the guy behind you in line at your local megastore could result in a reduction of your credit line, which, in turn, could lead to a reduction in your credit score -- all because of where you shopped. Kevin Johnson, 29, of Atlanta, says he got caught in such a financial headlock. Johnson is, by all accounts, the type of customer most credit card companies want. He runs his own public relations firm in downtown Atlanta. He owns his own condo in a nearby neighborhood. And he knows how to manage credit wisely. "My dad worked in the credit industry. So talking about finances was a common thing in our household," Johnson said. "I learned from an early age not to abuse that type of access to money." Johnson says because of his father's lessons, he scrupulously maintained his credit since college. He says he has never had a late payment, rarely carries a balance on his credit cards and has never been over his credit limit. His FICO score -- the standard credit rating used by most lenders to determine credit worthiness -- is a 764 out of 850. A score of more than 740 is considered by most experts to be excellent. Two years ago Johnson says he jumped at the chance to open a "blue" personal credit card with American Express. He says he considered the card prestigious. "They have a wonderful rewards program, where I can get a lot for my money," he said. In order to earn the most rewards points, Johnson says he used his American Express card as his primary payment method when he went out to dinner, bought groceries or filled up his gas tank. In the fall, he even used the card to purchase airline tickets for a Jamaican honeymoon with his new wife, Deidre. They left for the trip in October. 'Offended Is an Understatement' But while Johnson and his new bride were sunning on the beach, a dark cloud was hanging over their mailbox. When the couple returned home, Johnson says he discovered a letter from American Express lowering his credit limit from $10,800 to $3,800. Johnson says his jaw dropped when he read one of the reasons American Express gave for lowering his credit limit: "Other customers who have used their card at establishments where you recently shopped have a poor repayment history with American Express." "I think offended is an understatement," Johnson said of his reaction. "It was more like completely disgusted, offended, appalled. And I didn't know what to do." "They've crossed the ethical line in terms of looking at where you're spending your money and making a judgement about whether that's a good or bad decision for you to make given these financial times," Robert Manning, the director of the Center for Consumer Financial Services at the Rochester Institute of Technology, told ABC News' Chris Cuomo on "Good Morning America." 'Behavioral Scoring' Manning, the author of the book "Credit Card Nation," says Johnson was the victim of a relatively new credit scoring process being used by credit card companies. "They are saying, 'We don't like the behavior of other people that are shopping in stores that you are currently conducting business. Therefore, that raises questions about your ability to repay the loan.'" Manning says the process -- called "behavioral analysis" or "behavioral scoring" -- is a new twist on the same type of data analysis credit card companies previously used to prevent fraud. Traditionally card companies used a customer's purchasing history to flag suspicious transactions. For instance, a card company might flag a large withdrawal at a casino if a card customer lives on the East Coast and never gambles. But Manning says banks are now using the information to model the behavioral patterns of its customers in order to try to determine credit risk. "Ultimately, the banks now are looking at what we purchased and they're making decisions on whether it's appropriate or not," Manning says. He says in a recession it might be wise for some consumers to save money by reducing their spending or choosing to shop at a discount store. "And, yet, that creates a red flag where all of a sudden these companies are saying, 'You may be in financial trouble, and we're going to cut you off before we take a loss," Manning said. "The ability to analyze and mine data is so much easier and faster since 9/11. Many people don't understand how almost every transaction they make today could trigger a readjustment in bank analytics," he said. 'They Changed the Rules…Without Telling [Anyone]' Johnson says he wants to help others learn more about protecting their credit. He created a Web site called NewCreditRules.com and plans to update it regularly with news about the credit card industry. While behavioral analysis may be seeing increasing use, it is only beginning to draw scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers. In a lawsuit filed in 2008, the Federal Trade Commission cited Compucredit, a third-party credit card issuer, for failing to disclose to customers the use of behavioral scoring. In solicitations Compucredit advertised its cards could be used anywhere. Yet the FTC alleged the company reduced credit scores of customers who used their cards to pay for things like marriage or personal counseling or to retread their tires. Allegedly, Compucredit believed those types of purchases signaled a customer might be in financial distress. In December 2008, the company agreed to settle the case for $114 million in credits to customer accounts. The company did not admit wrongdoing. Manning says more banks may now be using behavioral analysis but not telling consumers. "What are the rules of the game? That's all consumers really want to know," Manning said. "They changed the rules of the game without telling Johnson." Experts say the bigger issue for customers like Johnson is not the immediate loss of available credit. Credit limit reductions can have large, long-term implications because they change the ratio between available and in-use credit and that is central to the FICO score. "What they're trying to do is squeeze the people they're making money from," Manning said. "Unfortunately, a reduction in a line of credit could hurt someone's credit score." Experts contacted by "GMA" -- including Manning -- say they believe banks may now be using data collected by customers to compare them to other shoppers at individual retail locations or by zip code, weeding out customers in neighborhoods hardest hit by the economic downturn. In Johnson's case, American Express refused to say which stores he'd visited might have caused the company concern. Johnson says that's especially baffling since his card purchases were at major retailers like Ruby Tuesdays, XM Satellite Radio and Amazon.com. He says the only shopping trip he can determine was out of the ordinary was a September visit to a Wal-Mart in Southeast Atlanta. It was the first time he had used his American Express card at that store. "The majority of the retailers I went to are not in my neighborhood. Coincidentally, though, the one time I went to the Wal-mart in the area that I live, the next month I get a letter saying my credit limit is reduced," Johnson said. Gripes Justified? For more than a month after he received the letter, Johnson says he tried to contact American Express to get his credit limit restored. He says he pointed out to customer service representatives that in addition to his personal account with American Express, he also has business accounts with the company, all of which he says are in good standing. Johnson says at one point he was even transferred to an assistant in the executive office of the vice president who signed the letter announcing his credit limit reduction. "She said we don't find anything out of the ordinary here, other than the fact that we're feeling the heat and the pressure from the economy. But, other than that, we think that your gripes are justified," Johnson said he was told. "GMA" asked American Express to discuss Johnson's case and the practice of behavioral analysis in an on-camera interview. The company refused the request and instead issued the following written statement: "Our intent is to strike the right balance between accommodating our card members' spending needs and, at the same time, prudently managing credit risk," the statement reads. "While we may use additional data points, the driving factor for any credit limit reduction is the customer's debt level." Credit Crunched Both Johnson and Manning question that statement, especially in light of the recent government bank bailout. In January 2009, American Express became a bank holding company and received more than $3 billion in taxpayer money as part of the Troubled Assets Relief Program. "I think the fact that American Express has taken bailout money is one of the most appalling parts of this story," Johnson said. "Here you have a company that's obviously in dire straits, but, in trying to turn the company around, they actually throw some of their best customers under the bus." In an interview broadcast on "GMA," Cuomo asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about Johnson's concerns. "American Express took money from TARP," Cuomo asked. "Are you going to enforce how banks get to use this money? Credit card companies could be the next wave." "They could be the next wave," Pelosi said. "The curtain has been pulled back on how the financial services community has mis-served the American people." Pelosi says she believes new accountability standards being implemented by Congress will prevent companies like American Express from taking tax dollars and then refusing to lend them to credit-worthy customers. In the meantime, Johnson says he just longs for the days before he returned from his honeymoon to find his credit score tarnished. "I would like them to restore the credit, but more than that, I would like them to become more transparent," he said. "I don't think anyone would agree to be discriminated against based on where they shop."

I ordered my bags from them & was very happy with them. Initially, when I opened the box up & felt how thin each bag was, I was a bit upset. But once I started working on them & put my logo on them & filled it up with the stuff that I was putting in there, I loved them as did my guests! For .99 cents, you really can't beat them! And for people using them as a beach bag, it really served its purpose!

Sorry to hear about your experience but the pics that you posted so far are really nice & you were beautiful! At least you enjoyed your time with family & friends. Can't wait to see your pro pics!

Quote: Originally Posted by Christinamaria22 JUSTUSTWO...... Your bags look great!!! Thanks for the tips! Quote: Originally Posted by yamille Yolanda you are a savior. Your bags looked great too btw.. Thanks ladies! You are more than welcome! Just glad that I could help out!

to BDW! Congrats on being a ROR bride! You'll definitely find alot of info here. Happy planning!