emaya77

Quote: Originally Posted by colinjim Hi Emily: My fiance and I are in the same in situation. I posted on a forum on Trip Advisor and got some good responses. You can check it out here. I'm gonna be calling around today to some of the resorts to get some quotes on packages designed specifically for two. I'll return when I get some more info. Oh, that's wonderful! I can't wait to hear what you come up with...if I find out any info, I'll post it as well!

Quote: Originally Posted by FutureMrsSharpe Married in Maui, I am so glad to hear that you did just the coordinator and a luau. We're doing the same thing, and I too was worried that I would miss out on the first dance and cake cutting that you have at a traditional reception. I agree that having a wedding package that includes everything makes things easier and, in my experience cheaper. We're getting married on Kauai with 34 guests and our wedding with officiant, photographer, flowers, musician, leis, a champagne toast, wedding license and beach permit is going to be costing us less than $2,000. You just have to shop around and don't be afraid to ask for dicounts on everything. Most places that I have called have been really good about giving discounts. And who are you using for your coordinator? haha...I keep asking everyone, as I just found this thread and am reading everyone's posts. We're getting married in Maui (most likely...still contemplating Mexico). It is just going to be the two of us...long story, but basically parents weren't happy about the destination idea, and we can't afford to do anything at home due to the # of guests. So, we're trying to stay within a $5,000 budget for our WHOLE trip, including airfare from Philly! Thanks!!

Quote: Originally Posted by mplscold We had 9 people at our wedding and the total for everything (with a dress) was $2200.00. It was the perfect wedding! Who did u use for your wedding package and what did it come with? That price seems really good!

Quote: Originally Posted by Mialonghorn That's awesome that some of you were able to stay within that budget. I had that in mind when I first started planning but it's out of control! I only have a month before I get married to it's too late to change coordinators but I'd be very careful who you select... My wedding of 25 is costing more than if I were to have a 350 people wedding here in Texas, which doesn't include travel costs. Who are you using as your coordinator?

thanks girls! hawaii dreaming - what website did you find your package on? angela - on this website: Maui wedding & Vow Renewal Hawaii Wedding Ministers - Wedding Packages, if you go with them and one of their packages, you do not need any witnesses.

thanks girls! hawaii dreaming - what website did you find your package on? angela - on this website: Maui wedding & Vow Renewal Hawaii Wedding Ministers - Wedding Packages, if you go with them and one of their packages, you do not need any witnesses.

Here is another link... Maui wedding & Vow Renewal Hawaii Wedding Ministers - Wedding Packages

Of course right after I write my post, I find the following info: Wailea wedding & Vow Renewal - Maui Wailea Maui Wedding Minister - WaileaWedding.net But if anyone knows any more info, that'd be great!!

Hi! My fiance and I were all set for our destination wedding in Mexico, but when it came time to collect everyone's room deposit, no one was ready to pay...even though at that point they had already 1 years advance notice. Needless to say, we had to forgo our Mexico wedding plans. So, for the past 4 months or so, we've been trying to decide what we want and can afford to do. One of the reasons we wanted a destination wedding was because we can't afford to have a wedding at home due to the # of people that we'd HAVE to invite...with dates would come to over 200 (our budget is about $5,000). Not only can we not afford a wedding of that size, but I have never wanted a big wedding!! I thought if we went away, it'd be laid back, intimate, etc. So, in the past month, we have been seriously considering going away just the 2 of us...we're thinking of Hawaii - Kihei area. Does anyone have any info - good/bad about this area? Also, I can't seem to find where we can marry if it's just the 2 of us. All of the packages I've seen online include things that we will not need since they seem to be geared toward groups. Is anyone else getting married just the 2 of you or know of anyone who has done that in Hawaii? We are also open to other places (but not Vegas) where we could go too that would be beautiful and not as much of a pain as Mexico. Thanks SO much!! ;o) Emily

Thanks everyone SOOO much!!! Such helpful advice!!! I will look into everything that you all wrote and keep you posted!!!!

My fiancé and I would like to take a destination wedding adventure, just the 2 of us. Originally we invited EVERYONE and gave a 2 years advance notice, but when it came down to deposits, our parents bailed (they thought most guests didn't have the $ and felt "trapped" into going and didn't feel it was fair for us to have the destination wedding so they told us they would not be going). We then didn't want to have the destination wedding with people but not our own parents. Now we would like to just go away ourselves because we do not want a big wedding (because of the size and price)...a destination was a way to solve these issues. I have been in a million weddings (always a bridesmaid never a bride - until now)...if we do go away just the 2 of us, can we still have a shower and reception afterwards? If so, is 6-8 months to late to hold these events? Can we make an announcement saying that we do not have the finances to have a wedding at the moment, but we would love to be married asap, so we are going away but would love to celebrate our marriage with friends and family once we get back and are financially able to hold a party? Or is bringing up finances not appropriate either? i just figure that this way guests know our "deal". And btw...I keep getting asked why we can't just have a "small" wedding... The problem is we can't have a small ceremony and reception for a few reasons...both my fiance and I grew up around here each went to a few colleges, we have kept in contact with so many friends from gradeschool - hs - college, he has a huge family, I have been in so many weddings that I can't not invite those friends. On top of that, we already invited EVERYONE - over 200 people to the destination wedding...we can't then say to some of those people "your not invited anymore" but then invite others. We just have so many people that are close to us. Ahh...I am so confused and frustrated at this point. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Quote: Originally Posted by aeroo I wanted to start a thread with everyone's ceremony scripts. I don't think such a thread exists yet does it? This would have helped me when I was putting together ours. I got ours from a few different sources and just copied and pasted the parts that I loved and edited it together so that it flowed. So here is ours. I really loved it and it definately reflected who we are as a couple. It's non religious and lasted about 20 minutes. We had a friend officiate the ceremony and it was amazing. Opening This beautiful setting should remind us that, like the ocean, human life is an ebb and flow- The life of the spirit and emotions- moves in cycles. To be in a relationship does not guarantee an eternal summer. To make a sincere and honest commitment does not promise, an end to all struggle. What a good relationship does offer, much like this ocean, is the opportunity for renewal. It recognizes the abiding, shared hope that after every fall and winter, spring and summer will come again. On behalf of XXX and XXX, I welcome you and thank you all for gathering here on this beautiful day to witness their marriage ceremony. The fact that you all have travelled such a great distance to be here today is a testament to the amazing amount of love and support they have. Many of you have given them much happiness, love, warmth, and guidance through the various stages of their lives. They would like to sincerely thank you all for being here to celebrate their big day. A special and respectful acknowledgement must also be made to those friends and family members who were unable to attend, or have passed on, but whose spirit remains alive and strong in all our hearts. I have also been asked by XXX and XXX to thank their parents for the wonderful lives they have given them, for the hard work and guidance they have provided, for their everlasting love, support, and encouragement. It is from them that they have learned the true meaning of love, friendship and family. Ceremony For XXX and XXX marriage is an affirmation of life, an undying commitment, a spiritual, emotional, and intellectual bond between two people. It is created from the purest of friendship, respect and love. The institution of marriage is not entered into lightly, because it symbolizes commitment on every level. Together you will continue to meet the challenges and obstacles of life head on. Marriage is an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the mutual commitment of two people sincerely in love who share the same dreams about life. But more than that, it is the intimate sharing of two lives. It is a sharing that does not diminish but enhances the individuality of each partner. The marriage between XXX and XXX does not mark the beginning of a new relationship; rather, it is an acknowledgement and celebration, of a relationship that has been flourishing since they met. For XXX and XXX, love is the longing two people feel for one another. It is the need to share, in body and spirit, the warmth, serenity and peace two people can give to one another. A simple touch, a hand held at a time of uncertainty. This is what it means to be intimately human. It is the intention behind the kiss that says, “ Despite the vastness of this earth, despite the chaotic details that make up our lives, despite the hundreds of people we will meet in our travels, you are mine and I am yours forever.” Love is life’s highest emotion. It makes us less selfish, it makes our personalities grow, and it makes our lives more meaningful. It is caring about the welfare and happiness of your partner as your own. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. And it makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone. A successful relationship takes more than just love. It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. You have chosen to walk through life together. There is no truer statement of love. The choice was not made by any one moment, but by being together you grew to realize that you belonged together and that you fulfilled each other’s needs. You have come to thrive upon each other’s presence, loyalty and wisdom. The foundation of your love is profound friendship. A friendship you have nurtured until at last you realized that you wanted to be together always. The commitment you make today will be the foundation on which you will build your life together. HAND CEREMONY As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold up your hands and hold one another, so you may feel the gift that you are to each other. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children. These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch. VOWS Your wedding rings represent the unconditional love that you have for one another and are a symbol of the vows that you will make today. ____, take this ring, put it on ___'s finger and repeat after me: I, __________, take you, ____________, to be my wife/husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and respect you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully and unconditionally through the best and the worst, the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come, I promise I will always be there for you. Closing: XXX & XXX, remember to treat both yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulty or fear assail your relationship – as they threatened all relationships at one time or another – remember to focus on what is right between you. In this way, you can ride out the times when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives – remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your lives together, your life together will be marked by abundance and delight. Give to one another new experiences of joy. Challenge one another so that you may grow. May the love you hold for each other, now sealed in marriage, continue to mature with the passing years. May you never take each other for granted, but always experience the wonder of your union. Be slow to anger, quick to forgive, leaving no tracks of resentment behind each day. We who are present today, hope that the inspiration of this moment will never be forgotten. May all your days and years to come be filled with vision, joy and passion. May the love you now share continue to grow, and may the happiness you bring to each other be a continuing part of your life together. May you continue to laugh often and enjoy each other every day, steadfast in hope and confidence, believing in yourself and believing in each other. May your love be a sanctuary and a source from which you draw strength to live your lives with enthusiasm and imagination. May the people you touch in your lifetime know how much you love and care for one another and may you love one another forever. With friends and family, along with the sun, the moon, and the sea, I have the pleasure of announcing you as husband and wife. You may now kiss the groom! I absolutely LOVE this one!!! It's beautiful!!

Hi Girls! I had heard that BBGE has a huge problem with communicating with the brides and that it's such a hassle...do any of you find this to be true? Does the resort have an 800# for the wedding coordinator?

Quote: Originally Posted by BirminghamBride2010 Hi. Nice find.! It's good to have another source for inexpensive totes other than cheaptotes.com. Like you, my wedding date is not until next May. But I am so excited about it, I plan on ordering samples of the totes now, just to make sure I purchase the right one....not too big, not too small... Thanks That's a great idea!!! So, we can order samples from most of the places that have the bags??

Hi! I thought we could start a list of what people are putting into their OOT bags, ideas, etc. Some ideas that I had are: LOCAL SOUVENIR T-SHIRTS "I *heart* NY" t-shirts "LOVE" Philadelphia whatever the slogan is for Mexico - anyone know?? mini bottles of aloe hand sanitizer flip flop sticky note pads bug spray travel size bottle of sunscreen welcome note from us with the agenda for the weekend CD compilation photo album or frame (can buy from dollar store) lip balm Found tote bags at 0.86 a piece: Greeting cards, personalized gifts, embroidery, engraving, jewelry, gift baskets, canvas tote bags & more Picture of totes: http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c...etu_2040_10026 I am FAR off from the time we have to do ours, but I thought with a list going this could help me and others that are a ways away. Thanks!! Emily

Kimmy g- yea, i'm not sure...but it's such a pain to send back reorder again to find out. We might, because jcrew does have a lot of super cute dresses, we'll see!! And adBeach - does white house black market have wedding dresses?? I can't seem to find any on their site? I will look thru more and see if I can find something that will work as one...that was my idea initially anyway!

Quote: Originally Posted by akbeach Check out White House, Black Market and Nordstroms.com. They both have more casual dresses that are super cute! Thanks, I will definetly check those out!!

Hi, I ordered a dress from J-crew that I LOVED online, but when it arrived yesterday, it looked nothing like it it did on their website...so, we are returning it. I have tried to find sites online (or actual store to visit) that has cool, funky, causal, beachy wedding dresses, but I can't seem to find any. Does anyone know and can recommend good websites or stores that have cool, funky, causal, beachy wedding dresses?? Thanks!!

Hi Kristina, Did you have to pay extra for flowers at your reception? I saw that you had (I think) lillys or something on the tables? Haven't committed yet...am 75% there...am scared though. I want to make sure Club Med is the right choice and isn't going to end up costing us more than we can afford! It's tough when it's a la carte, vs. a wedding package, like at most resorts. Thanks!

Quote: Originally Posted by Ana Hmm we had our guests book before we sent out the invites. That was just more or less a formality, although we did have a few book after we sent them as well. We didn't do anything special. Our invites were a booklet type, with diff pages being diff entries. One entry was the story of how we met (which Amy) helped with one page was our itinerary, one page was the description of cabo and the event and one was the RSVP. Most ppl responded quite well to that. Hi, How did you get your guests to book before you sent out the invites? Did you email them? Thanks!

Hi, We have our wedding website up that guests have been going to and submitting their preliminary (not final) rsvp's (we sent the save the date via email, and asked that they click on the link [which brings them to our site] and to rsvp from there)...but what do we do next?? I know we have to send out paper invitations, but what do we say on them?? How do we get guests to book for real?? I am so lost, so any help would be wonderful!! Thanks! Emily

Quote: Originally Posted by catandcleo Thanks everyone! Ok - PDC was about a 10 minute cab ride from the resort, (Aventura to Playacar Palace), so it was really easy. My Miami WC was Yudelka Kok and my on-site WC was Ruse Pla. They were both really great - very helpful. If you can request Ruse, she will do a great job for you! Like i said in my review - there were a few small issues, but compared to all of the wonderful parts, they were almost non-existent! I know you ASP brides will all have a fabulous wedding there! Oh - one thing i forgot to mention... The south gazebo IS right in the middle of the pool area, but it was really not a big deal. (That could change during the busy season though.) There is one part in our video where you can see a couple of kayakers float by - but it was funny to us! Also, as we were walking back inside to do some more photos, we had to walk through the pool area, and all of the drunken revelers were cheering and congratulating us. That was kind of strange - but neat at the same time. If any of you have any more questions for me - ask away! I will try to upload some photos (i didn't have much luck before) soon. Hi, How far is Aventura Palace from the airport? And...you said the south gazebo is right in the middle of the pool area...are there resort guests watching your wedding, or are you at least secluded from everyone? What made you choose the south gaz. over the north one? And do they look exactly the same? Thanks!

Hi Ayita, so you love club med too? Have you recently been to the one in cancun? You live in Paris? They say that the club med is so nice becuase the owners are french...do you notice anything that is french-like there that is especially nice? Thanks!

Oh, ok...cool! Yea, you're right, she is GREAT with responding...I haven't heard from her in a couple days though, but I had asked her a bunch of questions so I think she's probably trying to get together an answer. I STILL don't know what to do...I do really like the resort, the ceremony site if so nice too - and I like it better than what I saw of Playacar Palace's, but the wedding would cost more at Club Med - mainly because so much is included in the palace wedding packages...but even still, I think the Club Med one MIGHT still be in our budget...we are hoping to get the wedding and our stay and rings for $10,000. Not counting my dress because I think my mom will pay for that! BUT...we do still have to think about those welcome bags for the guests. urgh...I will keep you posted! ;o)

Hi Kristina, I was curious...did you have Sharon AT your reception? If so, how much were you charged for her fee? She said its anywhere between $800 - $4000. If you DID have here there, do you feel it was worth the amount that you paid?