h&a

They're amazing! Fantastic job! I love them!!!

Hi Steph, We're spending 11 nights at the Royal. We're flying from Mexico to St Lucia for our honeymoon for a week so it was better for us to not do a package deal and instead book everything separately, which also worked out well in allowing us to choose our length of stay in Mexico. We initially were thinking a week in Mexico, but decided it would be a bit too rushed for us. We want to get there before all the guests and have things settled before everyone arrives. I think a week is definitely doable, but two would be my preference between the two. You could always think about switching and going to another hotel for the last little bit as a honeymoon... I think you can pay a bit extra to switch hotels while still doing a package deal.

Congratulations! You looked beautiful! I love your dress!

Thank you so much for posting this. I also decided to go w/ boxed invitations and didn't think twice about the depth of the box. I'm in Ottawa and my family is in BC so I'm always shipping stuff out there for Christmas, etc. For big, fairly heavy boxes I usually pay about $15 and for small things in a bubble envelope about $1.50 so I just assumed the invitation box would be slightly more than that.... I had to check w/ the online rate calculator and, of course, you're right. This sucks! I have all my boxes and materials and was ready to assemble them tonight... thank goodness I read your post before assembling them all. I think my solution is going to be to cut down the box using an exacto knife or something and then line the edges w/ ribbon and hot glue - I hope it works! I can't hand deliver them w/ the distance (and also prefer the idea of mailing) so fingers crossed I can get this to work. Thanks again for the info... it came just in time for me!

Great job! I love the starfish!

It's gorgeous! I love it!

Beautiful pictures! I love your colors!

Quote: Originally Posted by Morgan I have my thread, needle & loom. Now I just need the hankys. Hopefully I can do as well as you did at 8 years old. I was busy making hot pot holders then. My mom got mad because she bought us the material to make them. But then grandma offered us a nickle each, so we sold them all to grandma. She had a drawer full of them and my mom really needed some. Haha... that's cute! I can't wait to see how your handkerchiefs turn out! Good luck w/ them and let us know if you need any help!

Congratulations! Everything looked beautiful... I couldn't believe it when I saw your Justice of Peace... he married my sister and her husband in Costa Rica in 2006! He also married Pink a week before my sister's wedding.

Morgan, you can definitely cross stitch - it's very easy. I used to cross stitch as a kid and make presents for my grandparents... they still have a cross stitch on their wall that I made for my grandma without a pattern. It says I love you Grandma, but the Grandma is severely slanting down to the right. lol... I think I was was about 8 or 9.

Great job! I love the FG dress - too cute and I love the color! I can't wait to see more pics!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Morgan 5x7 shutterfly, Gift Certificates items on eBay.com There are a bunch on ebay cheap. I'm sure they are from the same promotion where I got mine. The prmotion ended a while back. Thanks, Morgan... I'm definitely going to check out ebay. Shelley, let's make sure we're not bidding one another up.. lol...

Quote: Originally Posted by timelsel OK, here's the mother in me coming out. "I want to remind you girls it is VERY important to write your thank you notes, whether you receive money, gifts you have registered for, or something really hideous that no one could possibly know what it is. The people thought enough of you to wrap a gift and bring it to your wedding, so please acknowledge their gift". We now take you back to your regularly scheduled program. I completely agree! I find it so thoughtless when people don't write a thank you card... and it sticks w/ me forever when somebody doesn't write one for weddings and such.

Welcome! For Christmas FI and I stayed at the Melia Las Antillas in Varadero and previous years we've stayed at the Melia Cayo Coco and the Melia Varadero - we've always had great experiences w/ the Melia chains... congratulations and happy planning!

Too funny you posted this... great minds think alike - I was just looking at these and planning to post about them. I love them! I think they would look fantastic at night!

Quote: Originally Posted by mauraw omg. hahahaha. that is one of the tackiest things ive EVER heard! i think that ranks right up their with mine. I know... too funny... you should have seen my shocked expression when she was telling me this! I've told that story so many times since b/c it was just completely outrageous to me! haha....

Quote: Originally Posted by mauraw Sorry, there's no way around saying this: It's tacky to ask for cash. Anybody remember the thread I posted awhile back about the DW invite my FI and I got from a friend in Mexico? First of all, they included a gift registry enclosure, which is tacky anyway -- you should never solicit your own gifts, that's what showers are for, when someone else sends out the invites and can include that info. And also, that's what wedding websites are for, where you can post the info if they want to see it, but its much less agressive than sending it in an invitation. Anyway, the people included little enclosures with the invitation asking for cash gifts and then had the balls to but their bank account numbers "for easy transfer" ---my FI was so offended, he threw out the invite, we didn't attend and we certainly didn't send a gift. I think I can top that... I worked with a girl once and on her invitations she put 'in lieu of presents we ask that you purchase a ticket to our wedding' - the tickets were $80 per person or something and she was telling me how it was still a great deal for a nice meal included - TACKY!!! I agree... there is no right way to ask for money IMO

Yay! Raffaele got back to me regarding the lounge furniture! Thanks Antonia! He quoted me around $1800-$2000, which is a lot more reasonable (and $250 for transportation and set up as opposed to $1000 with the other company). So funny b/c I've been attaching a picture from Kristi and Mark's wedding at the Royal (photographed by Elizabeth - I think I mentioned it earlier in this thread) to Zulma and any company I've written to regarding the lounge furniture as I loved the look of what she had... nobody has seemed to quite 'get' the look I'm meaning in correspondence... with Raffaele I just sent him a quick email and no pictures and he sent me a bunch of pictures back to look at... including the picture of Kristi and Mark's wedding that I've been sending to everybody! lol... too funny!

That's amazing news! Congratulations to both you and your FI!!!!

Perfect! Thanks, Antonia! I'll send him an email now and see what he comes back with

Thanks, Becky! Great info! Alex and I both loved your beach reception and chuppa - we're seriously considering changing ceremony locations now from the gazebo to the beach. It's nice to know that we can relax a little after your experience and sort out a lot regarding flowers, etc. when we're there. Thanks as well for sending along the info for the mariachi band... I think that will really add to the atmosphere! I contacted the company today. Antonia... sorry to bother you 12 days before you leave but if you get a sec would you mind posting the Events and Wedding's web address? I haven't been able to find them doing a google search. Thanks so much everyone! Yay... I love this forum!

Thanks, Antonia! I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking $4500 was a little crazy! I've contacted a few companies and I'll look into Events and Weddings. I'll send them an email today. The company that quoted me $4500 is called InRent... the extras I was talking about were things like candles ($1000 for candles, if you can believe it!). I'm also using del Sol... I love Sol's work but both her and Matt were booked (definitely book early!) so I'm using Vincent, her associate photographer. We're doing a TTD session the next day and I'm so looking forward to it! 12 days! OMG... you must be so excited!

We are spending two weeks in Mexico and are then flying to St Lucia for a week for our honeymoon. We're staying at the Discovery Marigot, which looks beautiful! I can't wait!

Hi Jen, Yay! Another Royal bride! I can't answer too many of your questions, but I'll give info where I can. Even though I'm only having 30 guests I was worried about the limited food options. I wanted to give guests at least two main option choices, but it didn't seem possible from what Zulma was saying. I didn't push it further, but I did inquire about only having 3 different options as far as vegetarians (for a small group we seem to have a lot of vegetarians!). Zulma said I could let her know when I get there how many I'll require and pay a bit extra for those meals. I also have been having a hard time getting info on decorating (very important to me) from Zulma... being a small wedding I've decided to bring a lot of my own things (I'm making colored table overlays, bought organza chair sashes, etc). I've been trying to get info from Zulma for lounge furniture and finally last week sent her an email saying I know she's busy, but just let me know if it's too much trouble and I can sort out my own company if that's okay. She got back to me within a couple of days saying she was in contact with a few companies and would pass on my info to them. One company out of Cancun got back to me yesterday, but I found their quote really expensive - $4500 for lounge furniture and some extras for 30 people. Antonia if you're reading this what was your quote like for lounge furniture? Which rental company are you going with? I'm also a bit concerned with the overbooking I've read about on Trip Advisor, but I can see how that would be more of a concern w/ your bigger size. I know I'm going to be there ahead of time and plan to double, triple check bookings and rooms for my guests before they arrive. I can also kick up a pretty good fight with the rest of them when need be! lol... Steph... if you're anxious to hear back about the prices from Elizabeth I have that information. If you want PM your email address and I'll email you the information (it's very recent). Rhonda, as far as the tentatively booking, the Royal doesn't require any deposits. You could always book your day before your site visit to make sure it will be available, and then fully decide after your site visit... just a thought.

Thanks for the info, Becky. That would be great if you could pass along the contact info for the mariachi band... we would love to get one but the resort prices seem a bit high. Thanks and beautiful wedding again!