ErinB

My DH always buys the long wordy cards. Well, I figured out a few years ago that he rarely finishes reading them. I was always getting cards for "my darling wife" even before we were engaged. I used to tease him and buy husband cards. I'd cross it out and write boyfriend.

I've never been a big fan either. DH does always buy me flowers though which I secretly love. I like the getting flower part of it but hate the 4 times normal cost of it, so I told him this year he needs to buy me flowers on Monday when they are all on sale.

The easiest thing to do is work backwards on your time, to find out how long people will really be eating, dancing, etc. So from my understanding & best guesses... 10:30 - leave 10:00 - last call, start gathering stuff, moving to the pick up spot 9:00 - desserts open to everyone 8:30 - Cut the cake/serve the first cupcake/make the first s'more 8:00 - Special Dances 7:30 - Last round of passes HD's 7:00 - Toasts, next round of passed HD's 6:00 - First round of passed HD's 5:30 - Buffet open - trays, chips & salsa, etc. 5:00 - Wedding 4:30 - Arrive at Wedding site, find seats, get programs 4:00 - People meet to be transported to site I have found that most guests appreciate some kind of framework at an event. So even though it will have a cocktail party feel, you can easily mix in some of the traditional wedding events. There will be a certain amount of down time & gaps while you are taking pictures, especially if there is a group shot, people are congratualting you, going to the bar, finding a seat, going potty, trays are being re-filled,etc. Either way, I think you have enough food if the passed HD's are on the substancial side. You will want to figure at least one piece of everything per person. Also, you might want to see if the venue will place any left over passed HDs on your buffet tables so guests can continue to snack. I would also add some salsa to the guac. Salsa is really cheap so it shouldn't blow the budget.

My husband and I made pro-con lists for all of the resorts we were looking at. Here is the template: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t34495 We chose CSA over SN for the following reasons: *I didn't like that Sandals is SO branded. It seened like everywhere you truned you saw a Sandals sign. *We had more options for personalizing our wedding at CSA than SN. I felt like we were being nickled and dimed to add personal touches. They also would not allow us to bring our own photographer. *We wanted (and loved) the large rooms and patios *CSA will put double beds into the rooms and I was told that Sandals was King beds only. *I was told that we could not have same sex couple guests at Sandals. This is a policy that I have personal objections to so it was a big con. *Some of our guests had stayed at Sandals properties and we wanted to try something new. *The people at Couples were very quick to respond to my questions and they have a state-side planner. *I felt the rooms & decor at CSA were more unique to Jamaica. They had a very clean and plantaiton kind of feel. In looking at Sandals material, the resort in Negril was the same as the one in St. Lucia *The Catamaran Cruise and Glass-bottom boat tours as well as golfing are included at CSA. I wanted my guests to have as much to do as possible. *My group really wanted a relaxing vacation. Our goal was to be able to hang out and do our own thing, not have noisy activites going on or to feel like we had to participate in group activites. *CSA has 6 restaurants and 8 bars. I heard that the food there was wonderful and was not disappointed. I definitely didn't think the drinks were watered down! I don't think I could have handled them being any stronger. My experience at the spa at CSA was wonderful. I had 2 massages and each time was in a private room. We had a group of 30 and there was always something for us to do. I never experienced a closed bar or down time. There was a lot of work/remodeling being done while we were there in June, so I don't know what has changed. As Jennifer mentioned, they are both very nice properties. It is just a matter of personal preference.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day... What was the worst date you have ever been on? I was 19 or so and my BFF and I had met some guys that lived about an hour away on spring break...you already know it is going to be bad... My date got sick and couldn't make it down. I wasn't really worried about it, we were just supposed to hang out. My BFF's date decides to bring another "friend" for me, without my knowledge. Turns out that the "friend" is actually his 30 year old bald boss. BFF and I were working that night and had to stay a little later than expected. In the meantime the guys got into town early and decided to wait for us...AT THE STRIP CLUB! They were both hammered by the time we got there! BFF's date did tell me he was sorry that "friend" was not at all attractive, but it was ok because he had a lot of money and a nice car. I spent the rest of the evening trying to pry the drunk old man off me while the other two made out. So, the moral of the story is...If you have to pick your blind date up at the strip club, it is best to just skip it.

Erica! your pictures are amazing! I got all teary looking at them! Juan did a fantastic job!

I loved working with paperandmore.com Sky Metallic is a really pretty pastel blue.

Quote: Originally Posted by MsShelley He is really cute, but he has slept all day literally! That's what babies do! I'm sure in a few weeks, he'll be into everything!

Those are really cute!

AWWWW! Shell, he is so stinkin' cute! I was just thinking earlier that I am sad Izzy is getting so big and that she really isn't a puppy anymore. Well, she is, but she is bigger than most people's adult dogs.

I don't think your cake topper needs to match a particular color scheme. When I think about Mexico, I think of bright, bold colors. Your save the dates and invites also don't have to match everything else. You might just tie in the Mexican theme.

You look stunning! Those will be a hit for sure! Great job ladies!

Happy Wedding Day! I hope you are having an amazing time on your cruise! I can't wait to shout all about it and see PICTURES, of course! PS - I am soooooo jealous you are enjoying warm weather!

Congrats! You look great and your son is the cutest!

I did put this info on our website. I would never include a card with registry (or lack there of) info. My first heading said something like your Presence is Present enough, with a thank-you similar to what you posted. In case that wasn't strong enough, I added that we respectfully ask guests not to bring a gift to Jamaica because we would not be able to transport them home due to baggage limitations. We did register and I had that info on another tab for showers, AHR guests, and people who were unable to travel.

Did you sign a contract with her or her agency? That should clearly state the penalties for cancelling the trip. Do you think she will book your family's rooms without issue or do you think she will intentionally mess up the reservations? Maybe ask your friend about this. You don't need to get her in the middle of it, but she might be able to attest to her character. I also think you are within reason to draft a nice letter asking if she would still like to work on your account. Something like, I'm sorry we weren't able to work together in a parofessional manner but I would like to know if you are still willing and able to assist my guests with thier travel arrangements. If not, then will need to find another travel agent... She can't just charge your relatives if no services are performed or received. It's illegal and the CC companines will issue a charge-back. It is more of a pain than anything else.

I don't have a recommendation, but you might want to browse some of the Hawaii wedding reviews and start there. Good Luck!

I love it! It's even better that you have a great story and a great friend that made it.

Welcome to the forum! I was a Negril bride. You will love it!

double post...

Welcome Gemma! I love your name, it's quite unique! I'm sure you will find the forum to be a wonderful resource. The best way to get the hang of things is to just jump in and start participating. Be sure to use the search function to see if threads have already been posted that might answer your questions. Congrats and Happy Planning!

I loved my big dress. It was what I always wanted and I don't think that i would have felt "bridal" in anything less. I had a kinda pouffy TTD, that I changed into after dinner, but because it was a little tight, not because it was hot or heavy

Those are great pictures! Your wedding was beautiful!

You can always add stars or your last initial. *Aimee* or Aimee B (i don't know what your last name is)

I'm not in Cali, but where did you live in KY? I'm in Louisville.