MarieSam

I'm another Akumal bride!! You will LOVE this forum, it has been such a great resource for me, but be forewarned....it's addicting!!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by mrsbancroft2be We are doing the same thing! Every Thursday we are taking two hours of salsa and tango lessons. No one knows what we are doing, nor will they expect it. Our dance teacher is going to choreograph a dance that starts off with a tango (using the song from the movie True Lies) and then half way through switch to salsa. My FI and I are working on staying off each others feet and having a great time doing it. Quote: Originally Posted by MsShelley that is funny you posted this, we start our dance lessons this coming Sunday. It was all FI's idea, and everyone thinks that is funny that he came up with it. But I think it will be fun! Oh gals you will love it, I'm excited for you!! I think dancing lessons are such a great way to spend time your significant other outside of your normal elements. And when you see your men getting all into it, it just makes you love em even more

CONGRATS you beautiful bride!! Everything looked wonderful, your colors really popped and I LOVE the turtle table numbers ~ so cute

Great review!! I'm so glad your Mom was ok despite that strange incident. That is awful that the resort staff seemed so unconcerned about it, and they really shoulda done more, but thankfully she wasn't hurt. I can't wait to see your pics, your TTD session with your bridal party sounds so fabulously fun ~ what a great idea by Misti to include them at the beginning Congrats

Congrats on being a Mrs!! You looked beautiful, and I LOVE your bouquet and aisle decor Looks like you had a picture perfect day

Quote: Originally Posted by ACA Amy Thanks! That all sounds delicious! I was also thinking at the very least to have chips/guacamole and ceviche. But some of your choices sound great- I may print out this list and bring it to my site visit this weekend! hehe, I know it does sound good damn it! I'm sitting here at work it's 12:45 a.m. and listing my appetizers has made me so hungry all of a sudden But I'm glad my list helped give you some ideas ~ let us know how it turns out after your site visit!! And by the way, that's awesome you're going on site visit, a trip to Acapulco sure would be wonderful right about now Oooooooh and you're going to the Grand Mayan?? We're spending our second week in RM at the Grand Mayan, it will be our 3rd time there ~ we absolutely LOVE it!!! I think the Grupo Mayan resorts are absolutely the best Safe travels girly

Our tasting was completely free, but we're doing our wedding through a restaurant so I'm not sure if that makes things any different... What we did first though is have dinner there on our own dime -- FI, myself and my daughter each ordered something different so we could taste a variety of items. We thought everything was delish, so then we took it a step forward meeting with the restaurant's owner who also doubles up as our wedding coordinator. We spent plenty of hours talking to her, and when we told her we felt good about having our event catered by them ~ she suggested that the night before we left to go home we have our official "food tasting". She was so kind and really encouraged us to order anything on the menu so we could at get our menu set. There wasn't any limit to what we ordered in appetizers, entrees, sides or desserts. And believe me, we stuffed ourselves. I can't remember what the bill ended up being, I belive somewhere about $150, which is a lot considering most their meals are about $10 to $20. So we left the servers a $40 tip and left happy and stuffed, WITH leftovers I would definitely see if there's some way around this "tasting fee", it seems so unreasonable considering you're already committed to having your wedding there. Since you're already going to be paying them a significant amount of money, you'd think they could at least give you a free meal...just my $.02

I don't know if it's a common thing, but definitely something that is usually an option for weddings/parties. I am having a cocktail hour WITH passed appetizers right after our ceremony. I do have to preface this by saying we are having a non-resort wedding in Akumal, Mexico (in the Riviera Maya) ~ catered and coordinated by the owner of Turtle Bay Cafe. Drinks served will include our signature drink (haven't decided on what it will be yet), margaritas, pina coladas, and limonada and ice tea for the kiddies and non-drinkers. We had a hard time deciding what to have for appetizers as their entire menu was delicious!! But ultimately decided on fingerfoods that weren't too heavy and would keep our guests satisfied but still looking forward to dinner: Our passed appetizers: -- Sherried Mushroom Empanadas -- Assorted Quesadillas (including brie and carmelized pecans, and cheese and chicken) with Tropical Fruit Salsa -- Mini Crabcakes with roasted corn salsa & cilantro buerre Blanc Stationary appetizers served with buffet dinner: -- Lime Marinated Mixed Seafood Ceviche with Tortilla Chips -- Fresh Guacamole with Salsa & Tortilla Chips -- Assorted Fresh Fruit on Skewers If you wanna have appetizers, then you should!! It seems odd that they would act like it was a strange request?!? But if you decide to have just strictly drinks that's ok too, but maybe something easy like chips, salsa and guacamole or ceviche could also be an easy appetizer option that will help keep the guests satisfied till dinner

Everything happens for a reason, and it sounds like bigger and brighter paths are ahead for the both of you! And yes, keep us posted on that job interview ~ everyone should be so lucky to have their dream job

I LOVE it! Go for it ~ in fact I think i might wander over to that site for me, I'm a sucker for a cute dress

Hey Abbie, ok so FI and I rented a car in June for our site visit ~ it was our first time renting in Cancun so we we're a little skeptical too and didn't know what to expect. First off we got a rental for a week and it was only $85 -- I can't remember what site we used, I will have to look for it -- but we used a company that was local to the area. Happily when we got our car it wasnt a piece of crap, so we were good. The rental car shops usually will pick you up at the airport and take you to their office, it's literally about a minute drive. From there they should give you a map of the area that really explains places to go, and how to get there. Also if you check out my wedsite in my siggy (password: akumal), there is a portion in the "Transportation Ideas" page that breaks down info on driving in Cancun/RM. I got this info from a magazine my WC gave me, and it has lots of helpful info on driving rules, things to know when driving, etc. ~how easy was it to get from the airport area to PDC and further south? Going to PDC, Tulum, pretty much everything, is SUPER easy, it's all south of Cancun on Highway 307. There's no other way to get to these places from Cancun as 307 is the main highway. Be careful though of speed traps, you'll notice that the speed limits change drastically just within yards of each other and the local police will not hesitate to pull you over and try to bribe you outta a ticket! There's info on my site about that too ~did you get the insurance? we're you told you HAD to? how much was it on top of the regular rental fees?(we didnt in cabo but you never know!) We were told that the mandatory insurance was $10/day so we went with just that. FI was the only one drove and his car insurance is such that he's covered no matter what car he drives. So we just stuck to the "mandatory" ~did you pay ahead of time? (we think we will so we have proof and there will be no argument about cost.) no we didn't, we literally booked our rental car at the airport. If you book ahead of time and are worried about rates, I would say just print out the quote you received online or confirmation email so your guaranteed that price. We didn't have any problems though! ~any trouble finding parking in PDC, tulum, etc? PDC can be a biotch to find parking , especially if you're trying to go where all the action is and visit Avenue 5, which is what most people do. Luckily when we were there, we always managed to find parking but I think that's cuz we went during the off-season and also visited during the odd hours -- mid afternoon, or super late at night. Our lucky spots always happened to be on Constituyentes in the lots right after 5th avenue between the Grand Porto Real and the Royal Porto Real. Not so sure about parking in Tulum as we've always been dropped off by driver when we've visited. ~is the ferry to cozumel intended for cars, or is it foot traffic only? not sure about this one as I've never been to Cozumel, but I believe it is foot traffic only. Hope that helps! When are you going?? I'm jealous

Quote: Originally Posted by Ana haha ... we were doing the same thing Sunday evening! only we're taking ballroom dancing, with my mom and dad super super fun!! Are you thinking of doing a choreographed first dance? Girl that's another story!!! FI and I decided like half a year ago that our first dance was gonna start off to some sappy love song and then turn into a surprise hip-hop routine to a bunch "booty music", lol. So we downloaded all these songs, and we even planned for my daughter to join in halfway through. In the meantime, my mom, who has become addicted to watching wedding shows is freaking hounding me about "you guys should do a surprise hip-hop routine, you need to make your wedding memorable for all your guests". As if a freaking destination wedding in some small fishing village wasn't enuff!!! All the while she has no clue we've been planning the shit all along, and Im trying to keep it a surprise. So to appease her, we're also having our instructor put together some sorta routine, either latin infused or some traditional Filipino dance. Ugh, so basically we're gonna have to learn 2 secret dances ~ one of which will be a complete surprise to everyone!! Yep so on top of all the wedding planning stress, I must also now become a freaking dancing with the stars contestant...all because my mom is driving me nuts!!!!! sorry that vent was a long time coming.... How bout you, what's in store for you guys??

On Sunday afternoon, FI and I along with about 12 other family members had our first dance lesson!!! A friend of my Uncle's apparently teaches all different sorts of "partnered" dancing, and is so freaking good!!! Best of all he is the nicest man, and pretty much said he'd charge us whatever we thought was appropriate since he was a friend. My uncle asked if $25/hour was good, and he was beyond happy, saying that it was actually too much?!?! So between all the couples we split the cost of $50, plus tip. Our first lesson was on Salsa dancing, he brought a video that really helped teach the basics and then we'd practice. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! My dad so has 2 left feet which kept us all laughing. FI was lovin it, and he took turns being partners with my 13-year-old daughter and I. She by the way is a natural, and too cute I think this is gonna become an every weekend thing, and our instructor plans on teaching us different types of dances, including the tango, cha-cha, bambo, samba, some line dancing, some Filipino cultural dances, pretty much everything!!! Hopefully come June 26th, we will all be rockin it out on the dance floor!!!

Wow definitely not the kind of news you like to get dropped on you 3 weeks out. I'm sorry girl it seems like destination weddings always come with some sort of "guest, family or friend" drama. I know it will hurt not having your friend there to share in your day, but keep in mind that the show must go on, and you and FI will have a fabulously beautiful day regardless of who's in attendance I'm sorta in the same boat with FI's best friend who is his best man, his wife is one of my BM, their son a junior GM, and their daughter is my flowergirl. Yep, they're all in the wedding. FI has expressed he is highly suspect of them coming to the wedding despite them saying they will be there for the past 2 years. Basically, they're really tight with money or how his BF likes to say "we're broke". So I'm just waiting for the and them to drop the "we can't make it" news. *sigh* But again, we've all just gotta forge ahead and remember the importance of the day because no matter what happens our weddings will be amazing and special no matter what!!

ooooh great finds! Time for me to make a trip to Target

You looked gorgeous and there are so many wonderful pics to choose from!! Congrats

I don't know....IMHO I wouldn't mind having everyone sing Happy Birthday, especially because she's turning 60, which is concerned a milestone. In fact I think it would be a very thoughtful gesture and I'm sure she would be very surprised and touched. Just imagine, the woman's turning 60 and of all the places she could be, she's choosing to spend it at your wedding, so it seems like she really wants to be there As for your concerns, I don't think your guests would lose sight of the fact that it's your day, afterall, they've all traveled thousands of miles for your special occassion. A short minute acknowledging someone else's birthday isn't gonna make everyone forget they are all there to celebrate the love between you and your hubby-to-be! Just my $.02

Quote: Originally Posted by Sal018 Is it free to make a website? There are some sites that are free and offer a lot of great features. But many sites offer additional features with some type of fee, usually in the range of about $35 to $90 -- depending on how long you want your site up. Here are some links that might be helpful when looking at your site options: Compare Personal Wedding Websites Providers Wedding Website Reviews - Compare Wedding Website Providers Quote: Originally Posted by jaxsebridetobe Thanks! Both of you have done a great job! I love the song you have MarieSam! I'm not very computer literate...how do you upload a song onto the website? Hey girl ~ thanks so much, believe it or not I still have lots I wanna add (suggested activities, etc.) I love that song too hehehe ~ I am a huge Sade fan, and the other 4 songs are some of mine and FI's favorites as well. As far as adding a song to your site, on wedding window there is actually an option page which allows you to add up to 5 songs. Me being the "illegal song downloader" ssshhh ..... I got my songs off limewire.com and then went to the song upload option on my wedsite and added them. On weddingwindow I believe the songs must be in either jpeg or wav format. It's all very easy and the steps are explained pretty clearly on that section of the site. Let me know if you've got any other questions

Quote: Originally Posted by leahstaffordphotography I love her work and don't think you'll be disappointed. I was actually going to email her and see if she wanted to grab coffee when I make it to Cali in July! Have fun, I adore her work! Yay, I love when other photographers give me high 5's on my choices, especially a talented one like yourself Leah, and from what I've read on other forums, you're an exceptional BD photographer too! That would be awesome if you met with her ~ from what I've read, Beth is a doll. Quote: Originally Posted by Marianna i am sooo happy that you posted this information about her. i live in LA as well and it is so hard to find anything that is affordable and her work looks really good. when are you planning to do your session? my wedding is in may. should i be contacting her already? if you don't be asking how much is she charging and since she is a makeup artist will she being doing makeup as well? please let me know as much info as you can.... now i have even more pressure to hit the gym. need to look sexxxy! thank you thank you thank you, marianna Hey Marianna, I'm so glad my post has helped!! I first made contact with Beth in Sept. just inquiring about her prices, which by the way are listed on her site. There are different packages that she offers, some with makeup/hair and others without -- all very reasonably priced. I am definitely going to choose a package with all the extras because her artistry is fabulous!! I am so with you on hitting up the gym, but need to renew my membership first I'm getting married in late June and want to make a photobook of all the pics for FI, and so I know that I'll need at least 2 weeks to get it designed and produced. Add that with time to get "sexy" and I think I'm looking at a session with her sometime in May. You should def. contact her asap, even if it's for something months away, I think people are spreading the word and she's starting to get more and more busy

Well after tons of research on BD photogs in my area, I finally am booking ONE of my BD photographers!!! Yep a friend who is just venturing into BD photography will likely be doing a traditional BD session with me in a couple months (for free ) and then I'm booking another to get a different style of prints for FI's BD book.... Unfortunately for us LA/Orange County gals, there are not many options when it comes to good but affordable BD photogs....perhaps it's because pretty much everything is overpriced here , yep it sucks. But after looking at all the reasonable options I did have...I decided to go with Beth Cocuzzi. Boudoir and Pinup Photographer Beth Cocuzzi Has anyone used her? She is primarily a makeup artist and her style is more glamour, but her work is impressive and affordable. Above is the link to her site, make sure to check out her portfolio. Her clients look absolutely AMAZING....I mean Maxim or Victoria Secret gorgeous amazing! Geez, I hope she can do the same for me, lol Crap, now I just need to get on the ball and get rid of the holiday gut that has attached itself to me like a leach

Aww Leslie everything turned out beautifully ~ your color choices are so vibrant and perfect, and using metallic products always gives it such a glitzy feel! And the magnets are too cool ~ Vistaprint is the BEST!!!! I'm so glad my stuff helped, and you're right the fruit stamps are adorable, but I must say your personalized ones are fabulous

You're welcomed to look at mine ~ the link is in my siggy and the password is: Akumal -- it's still a work in progress but for the most part, it's done. I know looking at other BDW members wedsites helped me immensely in getting mine together, so make sure to check for links in other members' siggys as you can usually find them there too

YAY Kelly ~ I hope your day is blessed with lots of sunshine and happiness, and that it's all you've hoped and dreamed for!

Great pics ~ I've always wondered about all the hype on the Palmilla, now I see why ~ it looks like an AMAZING place!

I think you membership status changes according to your contributions to the forum, primarily by posting comments. So post away and your status will change in no time!!! It is better than "lurker" though, don't you think?? hehehe, that always sounded so creepy to me