SunBride

well if Eric is going to be your photographer, could you pay the single supplement (i.e. difference between double rate and single rate) for him? It is usualy a few hundred dollars I think. Not that bad if you are getting photography out of the deal.

For any brides that might have missed it, see the wonderful news about the resort's re-opening here: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t31738 I'm so happy all the brides-to-be can get back to planning their DT weddings! Can all the brides who have joined the forum during the past few weeks post their names and dates here and I will update the bride list on page 1? It's fun for all of us to follow who the upcoming brides are and also for people to get in touch with other brides getting married on their day or week. Editing the thread is more work ever since the editing time limit was imposed a few weeks ago. I'm not going to edit the "detailed bride list" anymore (too much work), but I will update the basic bride list (i.e. username and date). If you post your info here, I'll set it aside and every week or so I'll ask the mods to update it.

I've flown first class few times and whole it's a nice bonus, I don't think it's worth the cost. I would DEFINITELY choose the 3 extra days of vacation over flying first class. But that's just my personal preference.

if you want to make your pictures a bit smaller, you should change your settings so that in the future it automatically uploads to a smaller size. Right under the photo uploader go to "reduce to" and change it to 800x600 (that is my preferred size as it is big but not enormous). For the ones you've already uploaded you'd have to do it to each photo individually by clicking "edit" and then "resize" and then "replace original". You don't have to change anything in the post. (unless you selected "save a copy" because then you'd have to give the link to the new smaller copy of the photo) Just a suggestion if you want to reduce these, otherwise for next time!

wonderful review! Happy to hear everything that well well but sorry to hear you are disappointed about photo and video. to post pictures in the thread, upload them to an account on Photobucket.com. Then under each picture you upload, there will be 4 different links. Copy and paste the 4th (bottom) link into your post here and voila, the photo will be right in the thread. It's SOOO easy

Often the quality of their work isn't as good as other photographers (both the overall "poses" and also in terms of the quality of the digital negative and the editing). Often they won't have a website so you have no idea what you're getting (or they/the resort will only send you a few samples, which isn't the same as looking at a website with a ton of pics) Also they are often hard to communicate with, they won't answer emails in a timely fashion so it's hard to get more info about them, and negotiate larger packages or special features. They are used to photographer just the ceremony and posted group and couple shots, not photographing the whole day in a photojournalistic approach. They are use to getting their business automatically through the resort and they do the same thing ever day. That's not the same as dealing with an outside photographer who will be willing to work hard to get your business and satisfy your needs.

Of course I can't pass up the opportunity to wish a happy birthday to our wonderful forum host! Hope you had a good one.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bonita QUICK ARTICLE TRANSLATION – ONLY WHAT I CONSIDER THE MOST IMPORTANT LINES: In an article from “Noticaribe” newspaper DATED 10/31/08 (see link) they say that the city of Tulum has reached an agreement with the environmental agency to basically allow the resorts that have been closed down to re-open & work during the high winter season. The resorts in return have to make sure they do not add (negatively) to the environmental impact (that they already inflicted). They say, among other things, that the priority is to recover jobs that have been lost by the closures, which amount to bet / 1, 200-1,400. *You are welcome to translate the entire article in google if you like (keeping in mind it might not be completely accurate). Sorry I am not translating the whole thing… We may have our weddings at DT!!! Riviera Maya: Anuncian tregua para hoteles en Tulum Wow, that is wonderful news, but please please brides-to-be don't get your hopes up to high as I would hate to see you get overly upset if this turns out to be untrue (which, no offense, I personally think it will. I guess I am getting pessimistic about the whole situation since it's now been well over a month and I find this "news" to sound too good to be true!). Welcome back Carina. I can't read your review and see your professional pics.

Quote: Originally Posted by Blkatz I feel like I started this and I am sorry. I was just trying to help out and googled the translation. I didnt mean for anyone to get upset-I just wanted to help...I am sorry Hey, don't feel bad, it was not your fault and is just a misunderstanding. It's so easy for people to misunderstand eachother on forums since the tone is easy to misread. Everyone knows you were just trying to help!

Yes I think we are all pretty much saying the same thing

Yeah that is what I meant by agree but not 100% agree. I definitely agree that online translators suck, they get a few words wrong and it completely messes it up. But if somebody who understand spanish could translate that article there may be some hints (although perhaps not 100% factual) about what is going on in court.

I don't think you have to feel bad, it was their fault for taking so long to get back to you. I would just tell them that you were very anxious to book photography and when they didn't reply to your emails soon enough you made other arrangements. Short and simple. you have no reason to feel bad. I also would suggest just forgoing their services. Wouldn't your photographer do a TTD for you for free as part of your package? If not free than only a small charge I would think since they are already there. I don't think it's worth the hastle of dealing with them to get one hour photography for free. But if you want, you coudl ask nicely, and maybe they would be interested, but if they are being b*itchy about it (as it seems from your post above) then I would just forget it.

Yeah I have this problem too on the back of my arms but I don't bother doing anything about it because it's not THAT bad. I do rub with the sponge and body wash every day which is maybe why it's not that bad. It never was horrible, but maybe it used to be a little worse, I don't know, I don't think the scrubbing is helping much but I don't really care since it's not that bad. I also get it a little bit on my thighs if I don't shave every 5 days or so. I think it's heriditary? My dad has it super bad on his arms and legs. Luckily mine isn't as bad.

Quote: Originally Posted by Maura first of all that translation is totally jacked and incorrect. second, that article is 5 (now almost 6) days old and not necessarily indicative of the up to the minute situation. i'm begging you girls to stop google translating spanish newspapers - it will always be incorrect because those internet translators dont account for grammar, which is why you can't understand the "translation." i know this is a difficult situation wherein there are many uncertainties, but the best thing you all can do right now is to WAIT until dreams tulum is reinspected and listen for an official announcement. until then ANYTHING you hear that is not an official announcement is hearsay and may be incorrect. Maura, while I agree with what you say I have to say I don't 100% agree. I think it's best to hear what the resort has to say but also what the media has to say. If things are going badly in court the resort may try to make it sound better than it is to not loose too much business. I work in government so I see that type of thing every day - the government will always twist the truth around to make it sound better for them. So I think reading media reports can be very helpful, but you have to take it with a grain of salt and not believe that it's 100% the truth.

Quote: Originally Posted by Maura i hear you all. we are no longer friends with a lot of our "friends" because they didnt even acknowledge our wedding. like not even responding to our RSVP, not calling me back when i left them a voicemail or email saying "hey i'm sure you've just been busy but i just wanted to confirm you arent coming since you didnt send the RSVP back" - we even emailed a few of them to get together after our wedding to show photos and stuff, and they didnt even return our messages. my own grandmother did not acknowledge my wedding at all - no call, no card, no gift, not before & not afterwards either. she was angry at me for having a DW and for other stupid reasons that dont warrant the way she behaved. my MOTHER, who i have not spoken to since november 2007, also did not acknowledge our wedding day, and did not come. my sister did not come to the wedding and has not spoken to me since she backed out of being my MOH back in May; she also did not acknowledge my wedding day with a call, email or card, let alone a gift. Wow, that is really bad. I really can't complain overall because our good friends felt really bad about not coming, and they all made an effort to come to the AHR and my girlfriends did a lot of work to help, and all our extended relatives made it out to celebrate. overall our families were great compared to most of the stories I hear on here. But yeah, it just bugs me a bit that none of the people who didn't come didn't do anything to show the presence in spirit.

It was from Bella's formals. It's a bridesmaid dress (it's a 2 piece) not a mother of the bride's dress. I know it was not on their website when I looked, but I had emailed them and they gave me the style number, but I must have deleted that email Here is the dress on the model:

Quote: Originally Posted by amesharpe I doubt they'll give me the "back up" option. I imagine it's a definate...something to the effect of you change now and can have the piece of mind or wait it out and see what happens. I would think if you move to Dreams Puerto Aventuras you can probably request to be moved back to DT if it's open in time. However if you move to another resort chain, it would probably be more difficult to be moved back because who knows what type of arrangement that resort has with Dreams Tulum (i.e. Dreams must be paying them and they are not accepting other reservations once they accept yours). Quote: Originally Posted by jodylynn007 Oohhhh boy, 3 days until I head off to Mexico (Secrets Maroma Beach) and I have no idea now (despite months of wedding planning for Dreams Tulum) if I will be married on the beach, where my reception will be and heck... don't even have a clarification on what room I will be in despite the FI and I booking quite an expensive "ocean front" room at DT. Heads up and just hope for the best I guess... Don't worry, it will all come together, and I'm sure they will give you the best room they have, and if not, request it and be insistent! I wrote in my review about how the rooms manager had promised me a free upgrade to the best room if available (and they admitted it was), and then when i checked in they tried to just give me an upgrade to dreams suite garden view, and I was asking for ocean view, and I requested to speak to the rooms manager who I had contact with my email, and next thing I know, never mind Dreams ocean view junior suite, I had a honeymoon suite! So be insistent (which doesn't require being rude at all, you can be politely insistent like I was!) If you aren't satisfied with your room, ask, them to refund you the difference between dreams basic room and the room you paid.

I used him for my video too. He's a super nice guy and did a great job with my highlights video. As for photography, they just got into this business in the past few months, I'm not sure how many weddings the've done. Paul took a few pictures at my wedding in April between video-tapping (I think this was when they first started doing photography). He had them posted on his website for a while before he replaced them with a more complete set of photos of an entire wedding they shot. Perhaps Paul will answer and give us more info on how the photography business is going. Maybe he can give you contact info for the bride who's pictures are on his website (and others) I think the pics of Kelly's & Mike's wedding look great. Here are the ones he took of mine: EDIT: I just noticed they are actually still on his website under "more photos".

Amesharpe - I think you are right that they are concerned about you because it's during the holiday season and the resorts will be packed. It would be especially hard to move a wedding, and a large group (how large is yours?) at this time. If I were you I would write them back and say you prefer the Paradisus. See what they say. If they say no, then take DPA. Just get moved asap so you don't have to stress. Like the other girls said it would be good to have this resolved so far in advance.

Does anyone have stories to share of how people who weren't there did something special to show they were thinking of you or were there in spirit? (i.e. a message to be read on your wedding day personally or by somebody else, giving you something to wear etc)

So this is a tangent from Neen's thread http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t31301 Another thing that bugged me a lot, is that of all the really important people who missed the wedding, not one of them thought of doing something special to show their support or their presence in spirit. In the few days before the wedding, I did get several emails wishing us good luck (and by several, I don't mean a ton, really, there are so many other people that could have been nice enough to send an email). But on the wedding day itself, we didn't get one email saying people were thinking about us (sure, maybe we'd be too busy to read it that day, but it would still warm my heart to read it later and see they were thinking of us on the day or at the exact time of the ceremony). I also kinda thought that people might give us something to take with us (i.e. a girlfriend giving me something special to wear, even if it was to hide under my dress) or write a little message/letter for me to open that day, or ask my parents to say a toast or a few words on their behalf, ANYTHING! But nobody, not my best friend of 20 years, my husband's best friend, our closests "couple friends", my godmother, grandma, aunt who really really wanted to be there, nobody thought of doing anything besides sending an email in the few days before. I guess I set myself up for disappointment because the thought that this might happened did cross my mind about a week before the wedding (I considered asking my best friend to write a toast for my parents to read, but then decided no, that if she wanted to say something she should do it without me requesting it). Oh yeah, and I only got 2 wedding cards in the mail. They both came from distant friends I hadn't seen in a few years. I was so impressed that they would send a card. What high class ladies. And I guess people thought that since there was an AHR maybe they thought they didn't need to do anything for the wedding. Of course everyone gave cards there. But still, that was 3 months later! I would have liked some recognition about the actual wedding day (I'm not saying people should have sent 2 cards, but you'd figure that at least a few people would have done that, or that more people would have sent emails, or whatever) And when we got back, only a couple people emailed us to ask how the wedding went!!! Again, I was surprised as one was from an uncle I don't normally speak to via email. Didn't anyone else care to know how it went ? ? ? Okay end of rant. I have been holding that one inside me for 6 months So having been through that one myself, I've decided that from now on I am mailing a card to everyone I know well who gets married, regardless of whether I am giving a gift, whether I can attend, whether I'm even invited in the first place. If they are somebody even minorly important to me they are getting a card and if I am missing the wedding then an email on the day a few days before (and another one the day of if they are more important to me), to let them know I am thinking of them. I hope some of the other brides out there had some special people do nice gestures for them.

Wow, that sucks. My best friend of 20 years (since the first day of kindergarden!) didn't come, and your title is how I felt too. I've been living in a different city now for 7 years so we've grown apart, but we still talk on a regular basis and hang out a lot every time I go home to visit (2-4 times a year), but obviously our friendship is not the same, although I still consider her my best friend. So it wasn't a complete shock, but she said she was too busy with university (the funny thing is we are always laughing at how lenient her small university is, how they treat students like high school students, they are always extending deadlines for like no reason. So she definitely could have gotten things re-arranged to get a week off). I know there are various reasons for people not coming, but I too felt like this was a case of "you're just not important enough to me for me to make the require effort (time and money) to make it work". If we were still as close as we were 7 years ago because I moved, there is no question she would have been there no matter what the cost and no matter what the circumstances. It hurt when, a couple days before my AHR, while watching my wedding video, she started to cry and said "I can't believe I missed your wedding". I didn't really say much in response, but I felt like it was the first time that it really really sunk in what a big deal it was that she missed it. I mean, she always thought it was a big deal, but thought she had a good reason, and it was like all of a sudden she realized she should have made an bigger effort to do whatever possible to make it. I guess it was easier when she was far away and detached from the situation.

For all you ladies freaking about about your questions going unanswered, how about you post your questions here so everyone knows what they are. Maybe we could put a list of questions together and send it to Landy/Lizette/Daniel as a group (they will be more likely to respond that way) or at least when somebody gets a hold of someone that person could ask everyones's questions. Also, maybe somebody else already received the answers to your questions. So how about post them here and let's get a list going, like Neen did with her Q&A session with Landy a few months back during her site visit.

wow, that is completely crazy. I would be seriously worried about your financial situation in the future. It's often the people who make the most money that are the most irresponsible with it and end up in huge debt. If the idea of calling off the wedding scares you (how could it not?) how about giving yourselves a month to go to counseling to discuss this situation with a professional and then made a decision in a month or two from now once you've been working on resolving the problem. If you do go ahead with canceling the wedding it's still 2 months notice.

wow, awesome costume! This made me realize that I should put together a costume for my pup...