becks

Hi Melissa! Want to do me a favor and have her check to see what types of better champagne (Veuve, Tattinger, Moet) the Walmart and Costco in Playa sell and what the prices are? I would be forever in your debt!

Yay!!! We finally booked our photographer, and I couldn't be happier. Everything I've seen of his work is so wonderful! I contacted a few of his previous brides and they RAVE about him! He's joining us for the night before, day of and day after the ceremony. I'm so excited!!! His name? None other than our very own Nathaniel Thompson After not winning the giveaway that he and Sarah were doing, I decided I just couldn't settle for anyone else. The best part is, that by not winning I get to be as pushy and annoying as I want with no guilt! (Just kidding, Nathaniel... ) If you haven't already, take a peek at some of his work: Nathaniel Thompson Photography, Santa Barbara, Southern California, Destination Wedding Photographer, Photojounalist

Quote: Originally Posted by Melissa Radolli You are so good to us Becks! Did you ask why they are not responding to our emails? I didn't ask. She said she was working on them. It was a pretty short phone call, so I'm guessing they are busy - it is wedding season. Most importantly, I booked an all-day-if-necessary appointment for May 17. Everything will be finalized and quoted, priced and planned by the time I walk out of their office that day. If there are things that you need answers to (I'll send a reminder that I'm going down), I'll be happy to inquire.

I first hired a cleaning lady when I started working after grad school. I will NEVER live without one again. I'm really clean, but I HATE the heavy cleaning - the bathrooms, the oven, the windows. I'd rather hand over whatever it costs to have someone else do it. By the way - my housekeeper in NYC is FANTASTIC and affordable. If anyone wants her info, PM me. Also, Abbie - my mom has a housekeeper in Seattle that she swears by. I can get you her info if you'd like it.

Sounds so sweet! I attended a wedding last summer where the infant daughter was the maid of honor. I love the idea!

Oh Alyssa!! I know everyone here is volunteering to help - but seriously, let me know if I can do anything! I can't imaging how you're keeping your S**T together. But however you're doing it, you seem to be handling this in stride. God knows there would be dead bodies everywhere if I were in your shoes.

Yay! You're back - and soooo very close to being a Mrs!!!! Very exciting on both fronts! (HIJACK: Maura - love the new avatar photo!!)

So, I did my usual and called Elisa. Photographers coming as guests do not need to pay any extra fees, provide proof of insurance, etc. So, no headaches on that front.

I just checked bankrate.com, and the best 3-month CD offered right now is at GMAC bank in PA. It earns 3.44% APR, 3.5% APY. So, let's say you put $10,000 in, you'll earn about $87 in interest between now and 3 months from now. Not that much, really. Seems to me if you're afraid you're going to spend it, just prepay your balances.

Well done! I LOVE them!

Our WC actually suggested the very basic package and then add on to what we wanted rather than start with a bigger package and have to modify it to get what we wanted. In the end it saved us about $900.

Quote: Originally Posted by djtinnie I've been searching for the perfect invitation!!! You just made them! You did a great job. Want to do mine? hahaha!!! I will be sending mine with personalized luggage tag for each guest. ~christine I'm so glad you like them!! And in all seriousness, don't hestitate to let me know if you need help. It's not the most user friendly template in the world, but I really like the way they came out.

Quote: Originally Posted by nenamono Becks-OMG Im super excited and nervous all at once that you might be there the weekend of our wedding! Let us know when you decide and if you are dont be a stranger We rebooked. And despite my best efforts, we won't be there for your wedding Michele. FI didn't want to wait to the end of the month, because we need to finalize some things in order to put them in our formal invites, and we want them out by mid-May. So we're going down the weekend of the 16th. speaking of things... anyone heard from Perla or Elisa lately? I've gotten no response to e-mails sent almost a week ago. And I got a non-delivery notice for a note I sent yesterday. We're thinking of bringing a photog with us - Melissa: have you checked with Elisa or Perla to see if there are any insurance requirements or anything if you're bringing in an outside photog as a guest? I just want to make sure I know what we're in for before we pay a non-refundable deposit. On the DJ front, Carlos @ Mannia has apparently placed multiple phone calls to Swank and gotten no reply. This seriously brings into question their professionalism. I've turned all music related decisions over to FI (yippee!!), though, so he gets to deal with this one.

Quote: Originally Posted by Morgan More brain storming. Here are some common wedding lines. Maybe they can be adapted to be mexico drinking lines: I now pronounce you husband & wife Speak now or forever hold your peace You may kiss the bride To have & to hold I'm trying to come up with ideas for our hats (tshirts are just too hard with the sizing - someone's going to be offended!) So far all I have is "I don't need no stinking sunscreen!" um... no. What about... You may now kiss the bartender Speak now or... just have another beer I now pronounce you totally intoxicated I now pronounce you... actually, I can't pronounce anything 'Til death do you party (perhaps too morbid)

If you can find a bandeau with an underwire, the girls will look a TON better. They aren't easy to find, and they aren't cheap, but try figleaves.com - Lingerie, Bras, Briefs, Underwear, Swimwear, Hosiery and More.

Generally, it will be swim suits and coverups during the day and cutie dresses in the eves. FI bought me a dress for the welcome dinner - but it may be too fancy!! It's a champagne satin with ivory lace overlay - short (knee-length) and strapless. I've been doing a bit of shopping for cute sundresses - found several that I love at Hawaiian Shirts - Tropical Hawaiian Clothing - Aloha Shirts - Hawaiian Dresses. My gown is a halter, but also fairly low cut, so bathing suits are going to be a problem no matter what I do. At this point, I'm planning to wear triangle-top halter bikinis with as small a string connecting the cups as I can. And then I'm going to take some self tanner to touch up the line in between. I'm a total sunscreen goddess (FI laughs because I won't wear or buy anything less than a 45, and I've ALWAYS got a hat and a long-sleeved, lightweight cotton tunic around, so I'm not too worried about tan lines.

I really enjoyed the book. The thing I found interesting is the way in which the author really made me struggle to identify people and things as acceptable or unacceptable. Mr. Harvey - obviously the murder was unacceptable, and I always wanted justice or whatever, but the stories from his childhood almost made me feel like the author wanted me to sympathize. Abigail - the adultery and the abandonment of the family - I struggled with this one, I really wanted to sympathize with her - the murder of a child would be so hard to accept. But, the author made it hard - she lies to her then 12 year old child and promises she won't leave, etc. Grandma Lynn - a raging alcoholic, with a massive vanity problem - but you can't help but LOVE her. Ruth - this vaguely goth, vaguely lesbian loner who feels connections to the afterlife. Am I supposed to be put off by her because of the goth/lesbian/loner thing, or am I supposed to think she's great because all of these damaged women in heaven are so appreciative. The other thing that bothered me throughout the story was: why the rape? It didn't seem that relevant to the story. The family never affirmatively knows - they don't have a body, there is no evidence to see, so there's no real connection to everything going on with them. Susie brings it up here and there, but not really in any significant way. I just struggle to see the point of having it there at all, except for shock factor. And if that was the purpose, I find it rather repugnant. I'd be very interested to hear what a man thinks of this book. It's very clearly written to be read by a woman. I'm just curious if a man reads it, can he even connect to it?

Okay... not so much customer service, but a story that definitely makes you ask "huh"? I used to work in the Capitol building. One day, I'm running thru the corridor headed to the floor to meet the Congressman I work for. I've got a good 12-14 inches of paper stacked in my arms. A tourist (tourists always make for good stories) grabs me by the elbow as I run (literally running!) by - my papers go flying everywhere!! And this sweet little lady looks at me like nothing has happened and asks where the statue from Missouri is. Fortunately for this woman, one of the Capitol police is right at hand, manoevers between me and my soon to be murder victim answers her question and helps me pick up the papers. Seriously A statue? It's a place of business lady - ask someone in a red "tourist information" jacket!!!

Maura - your invites are gorgeous!! And I'd only buy the number of RSVPs that you really need.

Silly post office! Didn't they just raise them like two weeks ago??

Dawn - these are beautiful! I totally understand why you love them, because I love them too!!! Your guests are going to be so excited!

Certainly you can do a preliminary RSVP - sort of a "think I'll be there", "don't think I can make it" sort of thing. However, given that you're more than a year out, most people won't really be able to commit firmly. If you do want to do a preliminary, you can either (a) send them to your wedding website if you have one, or ( include an RSVP page on your STD that can be detached and returned as a postcard.

Oh, it's bad. I've actually sent my niece's friends back in to change because I am NOT taking them to the movies looking like THAT!!

You're probably going to have to wing it. My suggestion is to photocopy it so you know what it will look like, and then print onto the photocopy until you like what you have. Then you'll probably have to sacrifice one or two to get the layout right on your printer. Good luck. Let us know how we can help!

I personally hold that the CDC issues this type of "mild" warnings to cover themselves. If they said there was no risk, and someone got sick, they'd file a lawsuit. So they say there is a "mild" risk or whatever. Same way that the US has been under a at least a yellow terror warning since 2001. I took Malarone when I was travelling in Thailand up near the Burmese border where the CDC risk alert is much stronger. Malarone is no picnic. Does quite a number on your tummy. And if you opt for doxycyclene or some other antibiotic, remember that it interferes with birth control. Personally, I say stick with the DEET. Off! and lots of others use it, some even come in pretty scents (I love the Off! tropical fresh scent - smells like melon and has 5% DEET)