cougs

cancunbride, love the dresses and shoes! are those shoes red or hot pink (hard to tell from the pic, sometimes my screen is wonky)? i've been looking for hot red heels for myself, but while i can wear high heels, i can't walk in them if they're skinny heels like stillettos. those look perfect, especially since there's a platform in front (makes 'em much more comfy).

we're paying for either an excursion or spa experience for everyone in the wedding party. i think experiences and memories are sometimes worth more than a gift, ya know? we're also probably buying the guys' shirts and the girls' jewelry, if i can ever figure that stuff out, LOL!

LMAO @ amanda!

dream tulum has a chapel ... not sure whether they can get a catholic priest to do the service there or not? you could go offsite to have your catholic wedding too. important to know is that in mexico catholic weddings are considered symbolic ceremonies only. it will need to be performed by a judge to actually be legal. that said, many, many destination brides take care of the legal end first at home, and then have beautiful symbolic ceremonies in mexico that they consider their "actual" wedding. good luck to you in all your research!

very pretty!

it's amazing that gaby answers that many questions with REAL answers (not vague runaround) ... seems a lot clearer and responsive than claudia. claudia told me that the only thing she could offer me for not using the resort photographer was gazebo drapery OR extended video (even though what i asked for was the sound system for the ceremony ... you got it from gaby, but claudia will NOT give it to me ... they are very inconsistent). i wrote claudia about how "gazebo drapery" was not a fair or reasonable credit for the photographer. she replied that they do not credit the regular full price because it is part of a package deal. she never gave me a dollar amount for credit ... only "gazebo drapery or extended video." i'm thinking about writing and asking her again (like we'd never discussed it) just to see if she tells me something different, LOL!

Quote: Originally Posted by binzer This is going to sound really terrible, but to me, a sand ceremony is nothing more than pouring sand. I like the idea, but for some reason it just doesn't touch me in any sort of emotional way. I wish that it evoked some sort of emotional response in me because I think it's it's a fantastic concept and makes for a nice keepsake, but it doesn't do anything for me, so I'm skipping it! When it comes to my wedding, I try to make a lot of my decisions based on what I feel emotionally (such as wedding songs). If the thought of a sand ceremony makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, I say go for it, but if you could care less it's probably not worth the expense. it doesn't sound terrible at all. i think it's smart to chose the things that will be meaningful to YOU, and not just go with every preconceived notion of what a destination wedding is supposed to include. for me, it isn't so much that that the mixing of sand touches me emotionally, but more that i would like another ceremony keepsake (without breaking the bank) and because i don't want my (legal) ceremony to be over in 5 minutes!

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Andrea~ I am bummed about our wedding pictures It wasn't in the budget to hire a photographer outside of what came with our ceremony package. Our pics came yesterday and they are just okay. Maybe one or two keepers and that's really it. Plus it POURED rain on our wedding day, was windy, cloudy, and the lighting sucks. Everything looks gray and blah. We had to get back to the ship and were super rushed because of a missing minister situation that made everything happen late. I so wish we would have figured out a way to hire a photographer to come along with us. if you know anyone who is good with photoshop maybe they can edit your photos to make them great? sometimes little things like better cropping, punching up the color saturation a little, fading some edges, changing to b&w, etc. can really help a photo out. i would offer to give 'em a try but i'm already doing this for bachatabride in the midst of my own wedding planning.

Quote: Originally Posted by CanadaBride I wanted to get another photographer too, because I figure if I am spending an extra $1000 for him to stay the whole time I may as well get someone who is truly talented.. I am so choked though, I emailed Gabriela back to confirm if I switched my package from the Ultimate to the Dreams of Love, what I could subsitute for the photographer.. but she has ignored me now for a week! Before that, she was answering all my questions within the day! I had been so impressed with their service! I don't want to just book a photographer and find out what she for some reason won't let me.. so frustrating!! ladies ... everyone take a second to breathe ... the WCs are sometimes completely swamped. i have gotten a response back from claudia within an hour before, but other times it has taken her almost a MONTH. it just depends on how busy they happen to be at the time i guess. it does get frustrating, but know that everything will fall into place. the girls who have already been married at dreams all say the same thing: they wish they hadn't let themselves get so upset or stressed during planning, once they saw that they were able to sort everything out in person in under an hour, and their weddings ended up just perfect. that said, i found i often got faster response if i had my travel agent contact her. with the ultimate package, claudia told me i could only swap photographer for gazebo decor or longer video (however other people have been told they could have the sound system, which is what i wanted as credit). i would imagine you'll get even less of a credit with the lower package. if i were you i'd just book the other photographer. you'll get *something* for not using juan, even if it's only recouping your day pass fees for whomever you do hire.

they are on facebook as well ... you can see a little bit more of their work there. i asked, and between their website and facebook that's all the work they currently have up online. they said they should have some more up within a month or two.

oh how cute! i *love* all this mexican candy!

Toss Bouquet on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Quote: Originally Posted by Jenn3878 True.....then I would pack them in an insulated cooler to be save and put in your suitcase hmm ... maybe i'll skip the chocolate so i don't have to bother with insulating (besides if all that chocolate is in my house i'll end up eating it, LOL!) and just do some other kind of candy, like lifesavers?

i think it won't matter what color your flowers are since brown is so neutral. just wrap the stems with your color blue ribbon and you're set!

i'm planning on doing it only because i am having a legal ceremony, so it's the only part of the ceremony i can change or personalize, ya know?

ggrimmer, you didn't pick up the most recent list (in fact you dropped over half of it!). here it is with your date added. February 2009 Reilly (soon to be Mrs. Glasser) & David - February 23 March 2009 Angel & Sanford - March 1, 2009 Kelly (KellySC) & Brian - March 20, 2009 April 2009 Katherine (Cancunbride2009) & James - April 16, 2009 Lyndsey (lynds) & Nick - April 17, 2009 Rachel (Rachel&Jamie) & Jamie - April 18, 2009 Tanya (TanyaNYC) & Alex - April 19, 2009 Diana (dc22173) & Anthony - April 25, 2009 Maria (maria3901) & Jon - April 26, 2009 May 2009 Jaymie & Ales - May 4, 2009 Kristen (kiki317) & Mickey May 6, 2009 Jenn (Jenn387 & Mike - May 8, 2009 Kelly & Joe - May 13, 2009 Sylvia (cancunbride) & Albert - May 14, 2009 Marie (hartyt509) & Scott - May 15, 2009 Joanna (jhubert) & John - May 20, 2009 Lisa (mummergirl) & Tom - May 28, 2009 Tamika (quackquack) & James - May 30, 2009 June 2009 Heather (celica112277) & Tom - June 4, 2009 Tina (cweigner5) - June 12, 2009 Jen (simbasim) - June 13, 2009 Abby(destination) & Tom - June 13, 2009 Gen (Gen Moriya) & Josh - June 14, 2009 Joanna (JoannaR) & Orlando - June 20, 2009 Gaylene (ggrimmer) & Brett - June 20, 2009 Jenn (PhillyBride09) & Joe - June 24, 2009 Tracy (skye15) - June 30, 2009 July 2009 Lindsey & Bryan (lindsey)- July 3, 2009 Cassondra (Cassondra2009) & Scott - July 12, 2009 Louise & Ross (lclivingston)- July 14th 2009 August 2009 Peggy (bbpacco) & Teddy - August 1, 2009 Christine & Christopher (zorlack76) - August 14, 2009 Adrienne (rabutler816) & Reginald - August 16, 2009 September 2009 Jessica (jcoop) & Brad - September 6, 2009 October 2009 Laura (CanadaBride) & Chris - October 1, 2009 November 2009 Maria (mc5363) & John - November 5, 2009 Jennifer & Chris (Keiperwedding) - November 7, 2009 Jodey & Simon - November 12, 2009 Emily (epargin) & Darren - November 14, 2009 Valerie and Ryan - November 21, 2009 January 2010 Sunita (sunitam)- January 5, 2010 Tabitha (Dolphin) & Keith - January 22, 2010 Lea (leasauceda) & Bobby - January 23, 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by JoannaR Does anyone have their email address?? their prices are sooo GOOD!! I went on their site but the CONTACT US link does not work really? it worked just fine for me. anyway here it is: [email protected] their names are Lincoln and Lori.

i really don't want to go shopping down there. plus, our guests are almost all on our same flight, arriving the same day as us, and i wanted to hand the bags out that night when we do our welcome thing at the bar. if it turns out that it will be a problem, i will just skip snacks and food-favors. dreams has 24 hr room service, so i don't see why anyone would need them ... candy labels were just a quick, easy, personal touch, ya know?

Quote: Originally Posted by Anna83 I don't think it should be a problem. We brought granola bars for everyone. I think as long as the food is in it's original package, you should be okay. did you bring it in checked baggage or carry-on?

Quote: Originally Posted by Michelle613 I think I asked this before, but what's wrong with the photographer that Claudia gives? Is he/she not professional? Why is everyone looking elsewhere? You're all making me nervous! Also, is anyone getting their marriage license here and having their religious ceremony here? I'm Jewish and I'm having a tiny ceremony for family and then a symbolic one at Dreams, but the actual marriage certificate arrives a month afterwards. Does anyone know if we can bring just a copy of the license? the resort photographer is juan navarro: Juan Navarro ... Photographer a lot of us just aren't *totally* thrilled by his photos, mostly because we've seen what other photographers can do from so many stunning photographs on this forum! and when you consider that not everyone will be able to make it to your wedding, the photos are *really* extra-important! also, what is included in the package is only 1 hour of juan's services (basically just the ceremony) and something like 36 pics i think? if you want more time/pics, you have to pay extra. stacey (a recent bride) paid for him to be there for reception and everything, and it ran her about $1200 (on top of her package). seems like if you're spending that much, you might as well hire claudia rodriguez or someone from her team (the only "approved" photographer who doesn't require a day pass), or one of the many other talented photographers who serve cancun (we hired moments that matter). from what i'm told, you don't need any proof of your legal wedding in order to have a symbolic one at dreams.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jacilynda LeAnne, the plateau is kind of motivating for me to work my a$$ off! I did take measurements of just my waist (my biggest concern) in the beginning. I've only lost 8.8 lbs, I gained one week, lost that exact amount the next week, and neither gained nor lost this weeks so I've kind of been at 0 for 3 week. Although when we first started my waist was 34" and now it's 30.5". Did you take pics before? I did and I feel like I've actually made a big change. wow! i can't believe you lost 3.5 inches off your waist! that's amazing!

before i go through the trouble of making labels for chocolate bars or anything like that, i wanted to make sure it's ok to bring food type things into another country? if so, should it go in checked luggage or carry on? am i going to be hassled about it at customs?

i don't know about a title for the whole thing, but i was thinking of writing things like: "for that pain in the cabeza from too much cerveza" and "to combat montezuma's revenge" LOL i kinda like "the oh sh*t kit"

welcome aboard! please add your name, screenname, and wedding date to this list: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t24950 be sure to copy the MOST RECENT POST when adding your date. by posting our dates here, we can all see whose weddings are coming up, and who will be at the resort while we're there! looks like you are sharing a wedding date with joannar!

Quote: Originally Posted by kristin928 was your ceremony a legal one? I am being told that we can only do the sand ceremony after we are married by my WC. She said the legal ceremonies can't be changed but the symbolic ones can be. hmmm i should find out about this ... my WC said we could add a sand ceremony to the legal ceremony, but she didn't mention *when* i could do it. might seem weird if it's after we're already husband and wife, ya know?