BillysBride

In order to appreciate Rob, you have to watch his interviews. I know that sounds dumb in a way..but believe me, it's true. He is so ..self depracating and totally anti-himself. He's brilliant, seriously one of the smartest people I think I've ever heard speak...talented (he sings BLUES, composes, plays both guitar and piano) and has a really great sense of humor. Watch...five interviews, and I guarantee you, you'll be ready to book a flight to London just to walk up and down the streets calling his name. lol

And don't forget Ebay!! I found HUGE ones (5-7") there.

Quote: Originally Posted by SgtPepperette Ive been battling thyroid disease for the last 2 years. I was orginally diagonised with hyperthyroid, and graves disease. Every year I walk in the Breast Cancer 3 Day, and I was out on a training walk. It was 13 miles, not that big of a walk to me. And during the walk I felt like I was having heart attack symptoms. It turned out my thyroid was working 6 times the normal level. So I had a radio active iodine treatment. Basically I take a pill that has radioactive iodine in it, and it kills my thyroid through my bloodstream. So it completely burned out my thyroid. So now I am hypothyroid. My doctor put me on synthroid. Well its been almost two years and my levels jump around every month. My doctor can not get it regulated at all. I was interested in armour, but she was completely against it. Instead she put me on a T3 medication along with synthroid. I started to feel a bit better but still not great. Well she took me off that and now Im only on synthroid. Im in the process of finding a new doctor. My doctor also makes pretty rude comments, and doesnt truly take what Im saying in consideration. She treats me based on bloodwork, while I prefer to use those labs, and how Im actually feeling. At one point, she said your always fatigued. Its probably your diet. I would prefer a holistic doctor but most around me are really expensive, and have a long wait list. Im fatigued, like I could honestly sleep 14-16 hours a day. Weight gain comes on very easy, and is very difficult to lose. Weakness, muscle fatigue, and the list goes on. I feel so defeated by this. And question if I made the right decision with the iodine treatment at the time. It all happened so fast, that I didnt really research it as much as Id like. Its very frustrating! OMG!! I am SOOOOOO happy (in a sad way) to have stumbled into this thread today. I'm hyperthyroid as well and was officialy diagnosed in April of 2007. I've been on medication to suppress thyroid function for almost 2 yrs now...and my levels still aren't under control. Evidently the meds work for 50% of patients; the other 50 which I fall under have to have surgery. I am not a candidate for RAI (radioactive iodine) because mine is too far gone, I'm going to have to have a TOTAL thyroidectomy. In fact, I go for my consultation tomorrow. I've researched and researched..scared to death that having it removed is the wrong (and permanent) move. But after two years of the meds, I don't know what else to do. They aren't working, and in the meanwhile my body is getting more and more worn out. I have the kids to take care of, and while the medication DOES allow me to function semi normally, I'm still a far cry from my old normaly energetic self. I wouldn't have even been diagnosed if my mom hadn't badgered me into seeing the doc. She kept insisting something was wrong..my eyes looked funny and I'd lost so much weight (about 45lbs in under 6 months..without trying AND eating everything in sight). I chalked it all up to being a new mom. The kids were just 1 and I figured I was just worn out. I couldn't even lift any of them above my waist..it was that bad. Hyperthyroidism causes muscle wasting and deterioration among the other lovely symptoms. Billy used to tell me that he could feel my heart trying to jump out of my chest in bed at night...it was THAT accelerated and THAT bad. It's such a debilitating disease. And I hadn't even HEARD of it really before I was diagnosed. Turns out, my family has a history as I have two aunts with the disease as well. I'm going into my consult and next endocrinologist appt INSISTING on Armour. Either they agree to prescribe it to me, or I dont go through with the surgery. I have too much riding on my life right now to be feeling like complete and total shit indefinitely. This is supposed to HELP our condition, not take is out of one bad situation and plunge us into another. I'm just stuck..I can't continue the way I have been, but I can't afford to make things worse either. It such a piss poor situation. Anyway, sorry for the marathon post, just wanted to chime in with my story.

OK, I'm not even gonna trip with myself anymore after seeing you FOUR FREAKIN DRESS ladies! hahahaaha!! I can only IMAGINE what Billy would say and the decible level in which he would say it. I'm already gonna be keeping enough secrets throughout this process...where on earth would I stash 2 more dresses? He's pretty unobservant, but I dunno...lol. The dress was $199 w. $30 for the shipping/insurance! It retails for $1275! The cheapest I've found it (and I'm still looking just to make myself even happier with the deal I got) is $925 from a discount distributor. I'm STILL grinning so wide my cheeks hurt. I mean, what are the odds I would stumble across that dress in MY colors and MY size so fast? It's crazy. The lady who was doing the auction for the shop was like "I'm so glad this worked out for you...what luck!" and she ain't lyin. woo hooo!! Now, I'm off to walk around the park so I can be sure the damn thing fits. lol

Dammit! What a deal, but the wrong colors! I'm sitting here trying to figure out if there's a way to use them......hmm.....

Dammit! What a deal, but the wrong colors! I'm sitting here trying to figure out if there's a way to use them......hmm.....

Quote: Originally Posted by ebredhawk savannah that sounds like an AMAZING deal on your dress! thank goodness for ebay! you will have to let us all know when you get it and how it looks! questions for you ladies with dates earlier in 2010... have you been able to start getting your guests booked and have your airfare prices been okay so far? i'm sooo anxious to get prices and get everyone rolling so i just want to know what i'm in for! i JUST started my DIY boarding pass invites too and i hate waiting for prices to send them out... patience is overrated! As far as I know, airfares for...like through mid February are out, but not anything beyond that. I did a search the other night out of sheer boredom, trying to see what things look like. The wierd part is that they always claim the further out you book, the better off you are, but I dont know if that's necessarily true. Granted, you can't depend on late deals, but still....I don't think 90 days out or so is really "late". The only thing that would keep me from waiting that long is if we were booking a package deal and needed to confirm room types in advance. Dunno..it's all so much to try to be mindful of. Birmingham- I was sooooo determined to have a Maggie. I love her dresses and they are so flattering on all body types (I'm one that wants that extra suckage for the waistline:)). The one I ended up getting isn't quite a Maggie, but the designer was head designer for Maggie Sottero for ten years...so I count it as one. Definitely looks very similar to her style and has the corset back. Oh, and there are soooo many girls here on the forum who wore all kinds of dresses with their grooms not in suits. My guys are wearing linen pants and long sleeved shirts too! And my dress isn't poofy but it's definitely wedding'ish. Wear whatever you want! The only thing I'm really worried about is the heat..I loathe being hot, I swear I do. (yea, why is this chick going to Mexico? lol) and I definitely "glow" in the heat...in layman's terms, thats SWEAT. So I'm checking out the boards here for all kinds of tips and tricks on how to deal. I don't *think* the dress will be stifling, but it's hard to tell. Maggie has lots of simple dresses and you should check out the Sophia Tolli site!Wedding dresses and designer bridal gowns by Sophia Tolli I think the best thing to do is always find the style you like and then start bargain hunting. I just got to the point where I knew I couldn't/wouldn't pay full price for a gown if I could help it..they are so freakin expensive! And I'm a complete amateur about what's expensive and what's not, so I honestly didn't care about the label. I just liked Maggie's because of the fit. But yea, Ebay, bestbridalprices.com, thebridalshop.com...they all have great deals. Hair...ugh. I don't know. On the one hand, I want it up with lots of dangly, whispy tendrils hanging down. That would be cooler for sure. On the other hand, I want it wild and wavy/curly...that could be hot AND hot-sexy. lol Are you an AA bride too? We had a whole thread going for a while last year about Afr. Amer brides and hair..it got in depth. lol

Quote: Originally Posted by BirminghamBride2010 I think it will be the perfect place for us as well. Not to busy, but if we wanna go over to cancun we have the option to do so. Have you already started purchasing thing to go in your OTT bags? I want to start so bad, but I feel like its SOOO early. I did order a sample of the .99 cents bags from cheaptotes. Can't decide if I like it or not. I did purchase some monongrams to use. Do you have a wedding coordinator? There are a couple on the island I believe, but the Avalon probably will make you use their WC. Will you are your husband still be on the island May 13? Hey, we should probably still be there! We haven't decided how long we'll try to take our honeymoon for. If we are, we DEFINITELY have to meet up! Be so cool to meet another BDW bride on her wedding trip! You know, I'm going through the same thing..I've been on discount sites and Ebay for the past four or five days, barely holding myself back from buying stuff for my bags! I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one...it's fun to mentally put 'em together even though I know they are usually the very last thing people get around to doing before they leave! haha I know what bags I'm getting, and I found the PERFECT tissue paper to go inside them. I had been debating getting yellow/gold bags with chocolate piping around the edges vs. just chocolate/coffee colored bags (my colors are chocolate, ivory and gold). Then it hit me today that I should just get chocolate bags and put gold tissue paper inside.lol..I found the PERFECT marble ivory and gold tissue paper..it's insane. So I did go ahead and buy that because I figure it's rare and I haven't seen it before so I didn't want to take any chances. I just started contacting some travel agents and I've talked with the resort coordinator a couple of times (one via email, one on the phone). She has promised to get pricing to me in the next couple of weeks and sent some prelim questions for me to get back to her, which ofcourse I did as soon as I opened the damn email. lol Guess we're all just at that stage where we wann DO something, but there just isn't much we CAN do. Oh, I did find a dress TODAY! Is that insane or what? I'd had the idea of what kind of style I wanted and even put money down on one previously (we had planned a date this year, but lots of things happened in our families to make it unworkable), but I saw this Sophia Tolli dress online over the weekend, then just got a wild hair to do an Ebay search today...it was there! Brand new, in a bridal shop trying to get rid of some of its 2007 inventory! It retails for like $1200 but I got it today for $199! It's Ivory with some metallic gold detailing so it will go with my colors perfectly! I'm still in schock. OK, sorry for the insanely bubbly long post...it's just great to talk to someone whose where I am and GOING where I'm going. haha! Catch me up on what you've been thinking so far. I need to look up your ceremony site.

Y'all are not even going to believe it, but I just bought that Tolli gown today! I found it on Ebay, from a bridal shop trying to get rid of it's 2007 gowns!! I'll take that as a sign dammit. IN ivory and gold....I am not even joking. Maybe this is a sign. lol..I didn't hear any angels singing and haven't even tried the thing on, but oh well...sign enough for me.

A great deal CAN truly be a wonderful motivator. hahaha! I just found a dress I had joked around on the forum earlier today about getting (no shining light from heaven or angels singing, but I really liked it) on Ebay for $200 BRAND NEW. IN MY SIZE. From a bridal shop trying to liquidate it's 2007 gowns. Go freakin' figure. I'll take that as a good enough sign. It is now The One as far as I'm concerned.

I had a wierd experience. We worked with one for about five weeks who kept telling us she knew she knew she had the best rates....we put more than a thousand dollars into the trip only for me to get a wild hair and decide to take a look online. Well...right off the bat, BOOM...found the same trip, same FLIGHTS, same date, rooms etc...for almost $600 less. Something was wrong. I emailed her to point it out to her, she got back to me the same day and I will say she kept trying to work with us. She kept saying she thought maybe I wasn't plugging in the exact same info. I was. Finally, I just told her to go look for herself, and when she did she was gracious enough to tell me that try as she might she couldn't get her tour operator to match it or even come close. No moral to this story...just an experience. I'd still like to work with a TA for my wedding for the sake of guest convenience. I just don't think theres any hard and fast rule about what's cheaper, online sites vs. travel agents across the board. Most likely just depends on the situation and agent.

I'm going to go against the grain and tell you....not everyone gets that lightening bolt feeling. There are a lot of gals here on the forum who didn't ever feel like they had a moment of just absolutely knowing they found the right dress. I think it happens like that for some, but not all. That doesn't mean you can't find a dress that you absolutely adore wearing on your big day.....I think that sometimes, we as brides put way too much pressure on ourselves to FEEL that magic moment when we try on a gown. It's just too much pressure and expectation, so you go through the entire shopping experience waiting to feel more than "wow, I really like this' when the "Wow, I really like this" is exactly the feeling you should be looking for! Keep a list of the style numbers/names that you really like, feel look best on you and then whittle it down from there. In the meantime, keep searching online and calling around to find out which shops have which dress samples to try on. In the midst of all this, you just may have that magic moment. If not, you still have a list of potentials and when you go back and RE-try those on, some will start to stand out from the others. Believe me. I think the first go round of intense try on's is simply overwhelming. No wonder you can't make up your mind..you're trying to take it all in! Give yourself some time, make your list and scour the internet before going back. Some dresses will start standing apart from the crowd, I guarantee you.

WORK IT BABY!!! LOVE the new dress and your face says it all! You got a gown you love, and that's as it should be. Personally, I definitely prefer it to the first dress, but hey..it's all opinion and what matters most is that smile on your face. And spoken as one woman with some hips and ass to another...you are still workin' it. lol. CONGRATS!

Quote: Originally Posted by Sapphire723 I said semi-illegal, because if you own two or more fake items, you can be brought down on trafficking charges, but the likelihood of a cop coming into your home when you're otherwise law abiding or a DA prosecuting you over this is slim to none. If the knock-off seller is using a designer's photo, it's also violating copyright laws in addition to any trade dress laws. Many of the major bridal manufacturers police the internet for unauthorized photos. Maggie and Mon Cheri are vigilant with their designs and photos as are many other bridal manufacturers. If the original manufacturer finds a knock off of their design, they'll have the auctions taken off Ebay. If you ordered from that company, you risk NOT getting your gown or not getting the protection from Ebay on the sale. It does not have to say the designer's name on it to infringe on the rights of the original designer. Walmart has been sued more than once by Adidas for selling non-Adidas brand shoes that look like Adidas. As far as borrowing designs from other BDW brides, most of us give permission for you to use any original designs, because that's not our main source of income. Not to be argumentative, but Ebay isn't stupid. They are well aware of those overseas manufacturers and SO many of them have the photos from the designer's web site listed on their auctions. I think they still even have blurbs on Ebay about buying from overseas manufacturers, sort of a buyer beware since theres no guarantee you'll be happy with the product. That is no reflection on you as a BUYER and you are not under legal constraints not to buy because they are in violation. You are simply a consumer....you aren't going around, advertising the gown as a Sottero, Provonias or anything else. It's all on them in terms of liability. I have to believe that if Ebay gave a crap, they would pull all of those who are running the photos. There's nothing wrong with saying "Similar to" or "Replica"...but the photos are misleading in a way and I do think it's wrong. They should just list them with the name of the style and the above wording. Too bad they don't.

My dress and my pics are of paramount importance to me. Now, having said that..I stillw ouldn't pay thousands of dollars for a damn dress. I haven't met a dress that I thought was worth more than 2K but that's just me lol...I think it's silly to pay that kind of money for something when you can undoubtedly find it's equivalent for less, but that's the bargain hunter in me. So no..definitely nothing wrong with a knock off. Be careful, allow yourself PLENTY of time for unforseen problems/alterations and do your research on the company. Talk to actual brides who have worked with them, don't just rely on what they tell you. Even with feedback, try to contact some of the usernames on Ebay and see what they say about their experience. It's worth the extra effort.

Quote: Originally Posted by MarieSam anything or anyone associated with Maggie's is great!!! gonna go look at some dresses now Girl, you know you need to quit! haha...three months til your wedding. If you're anything like me, even looking is going to cause problems. Sooo...I put money down on a Maggie recently, BUT....this Tolli is a serious contender now. I may even get both if I can find a good enough deal. It's speaking to me. It COMES IN MY COLORS for crap's sake. The thing is Ivory with metallic gold threading....I think she loves me. Can you hear her? "Savaaaaaaaannah....I love you....and I NEED a home...."

I need more coffee. Is it that you think the tan suit itself will clash with your dress, or the white shirt underneath will clash with your dress? lol.. Doesn't matter either way. Tan and ivory actually look great together and the white shirt underneath won't be noticeable at all. You'll see it all the time around here! No worries. It's so difficult even finding ivory shirts to exactly match an ivory dress..there are so many variations with depth of color and such. Don't worry about it.

I've been doing searches through this forum trying to figure out who I should contact for help with my Isla Mujeres bookings, but I'm still not sure. We had a change of date about six months ago and we've decided on May 8, 2010. I have been in contact with the resort coordinator on Isla, but ofcourse..she's a busy gal and has promised that they should have pricing in the next couple of weeks. I'd like someone to help me deal with it all since I'm not a frequent traveler and need to be sure our guests are well taken care of. Help?

Hey Birmingham! I know what you mean about Isla..we're booking the Avalon, but not doing the all inclusive and advising our guests not to book AI either. The ceremony will be in the gazebo overlooking the water on the north side I believe. There are just too many cheap dining options in town and such a short distance away. We picked the Avalon because it's way affordable and our biggest concern has been keeping down costs for our families. We're working with the coordinator though because I'm not thrilled with what I've heard about the rooms in the main hotel and everyone suggests the Studio Villa's so we're trying to book a room block of those and they are really nice! Most of the room rates even without AI still come with breakfast, so I thought that would be nice for the guests who want to get up, grab a bite and get out and about and still have the option of eating the rest of their meals in town. I can't wait to rent a golf cart and explore the island! That was one of the biggest draws for us, how it seems like it's own private island away from the insanity of Cancun. We aren't ones to want to be surrounded by constant activity, so Isla seems perfect for us.

I've got one..and I'm pretty sure she's not coming. I asked her to be in the wedding party because..well, that's just what we all DO in my group. We've all been in each other's weddings and I wasn't going to exclude her even though I KNEW what her answer was going to be. To be fair, she hasn't said no....hell, she really hasn't said anything. haha! I sent out prelim info just with the date and the location to everyone along with the "Will You Be My.." cards. She is the ONLY person who didn't get back to me via phone or email. And the kicker? She had no problem talking to my cousin about it and saying she "wasn't sure but will try". What, you can't tell ME the person who thought enough of you to ASK? To add insult to injury, her ass had the audacity to text me to pump me for gossip last month when my baby sister unexpectedly got married. I blew her off. She kept trying, she wanted the goods so bad. I just laughed and deleted them. My only thought was..damn, she can contact me for to be nosy as hell, but can't do me the honor of simply saying she can't make it to my wedding? Please. I just laughed it off because I knew how she was going to react anyway. Needless to say, I won't be asking again. Anyway, I'm not saying that your friendship with this girl isn't worth saving. What I am saying is that you can keep an open mind and hear her out...but if you're right and it's jealousy? Cut it ALL loose and don't look back. It's not worth making yourself feel bad if you've done nothing wrong. MAYBE things have just gone too long without being talked out and her feelings are genuinely hurt by something or another. But maybe she's just being a bitch. Either way, you can't let it ruin this time for you. Get to the bottom of it then deal with it so you can move on.

Quote: Originally Posted by PhillyBride09 I agree..Even though you haven't seen this guy in a while...He seems to have good intentions and he knows you! I totally don't blame you for being suckered into it! lol I also think it's kind of nice :-) I also agree that if I am still sane come June 25th then it was all worth it..LOL He has read my e-mail and still hasn't responded...UGH! But it doesn't matter...either way...It's great that His GF's mom and brother want a Vacation...and maybe we can all do things as a group...But they weren't invited to the Wedding and they still aren't. End of story :-) Haha! Girrrrl, you KNOW why his behind hasn't responded. Cuz you knocked him for a loop with that one! hahaha..I love it. You turned the tables on him so now he's the one in the position of doing some fancy footwork on one end or the other. Evidently he hadn't considered you saying it wasn't ok. OH FREAKIN WELL. It's rude to just invite yourself along for something as personal as someone's wedding! I mean, it would be different even if it was a family vacay, but someone's actual wedding ceremony? Please. That's just the ultimate in inconsideration. I can definitely understand you not wanting to cause friction (that would be my ONLY problem with tellin' him straight up as soon as he mentioned it) but it sounds like you've got a handle on things. Can't wait to read how all this turns out. lol

I've been where you are and know the kind of pain you are in. It's multiplied by the fact that it's not just you..you have a child in all this that you are worried for and about. I am so sorry you are going through this. Just know that life does go on and in just a few days your mind may be clear enough to either let go completely or decide whether you want to give things another chance. It is SO difficult when family/friends know all or even just some of the details about what's going on. It becomes not just about the two of you, but about people who love you and are worried about you and adding their two cents whether you're asking or not. Just try to focus on you and London...tune all else out and try to get back to the place inside yourself where you can think of the future that you want and what that will include. Whatever YOU think will make you happy, not short term but down the road. Hang in there..I'm saying a prayer for you.

I'm with the other girls..you don't HAVE to do anything. lol...but if you WANT to, there are many really cool/cute ways to do them inexpensively. Mine should work out to be around $6 a bag including the actual bags themselves. I'm only going to have about 25 guests (I think) so it's not bad for me, but for those with huge numbers coming down for your weddings, yea..it could get pricey. Something else to keep in mind is that if you do them, you can do them per room, not per guest.

Quote: Originally Posted by BirminghamBride2010 I am getting married in May 2010 and I cannot wait! We have picked Isla Mujeres, Mexico. It seems like 2010 is so far away, but Im sure it will be here before we know it. Plus it gives everyone time to SAVE SAVE SAVE..... Hey! You're getting married on Isla the week after us! What all have you decided on yet?

The only song we're sure of so far is my entrance. He's still vetoing songs for his and the bridal party. lol My entrance: Angels by Robin Thicke. I do cry when I listen to it, mostly because FH says that before we met he had prayed that God would send him an angel (sob). The lyrics are seriously perfect for us. Robin Thicke-Angels (AOL Sessions) - AOL Video edit: I stand corrected. I have been informed that we DO indeed have the bridal party/groom entrance song. It's Ribbon in the Sky by Stevie Wonder. Looks like I'll be cryin' from start to finish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO2-kIqsGL4 The lyrics are perfect. My eldest brother passed away years ago, and he not only LOOKED like Stevie Wonder but sang almost as well. This always reminds me of him. It's beautiful.