~*~Margie~*~

Okay, a little backstory first. Deciding to have a DW was not an easy thing for me; FI wanted it and I didn't. Part of the reason he wanted it is because he is not getting along with his brother and did not want to feel obligated to ask him to be best man. However, before the decision was made, I asked my two closest friends to be MOH and BM. Once I saw how much FI did not want his brother at the wedding and talked to my friends to ensure they would come, I agreed to a DW. Well, a month later when we sent out STD's my MOH started saying she MIGHT not be able to go but that she would do everything she could to be there. And then, FBIL, the one we didn't want or expect to come actually booked a trip with his fiance (whom we also dislike strongly). So, with my MOH on the fence and him still not wanting to ask his brother, we decided not to have a wedding party and eventually MOH said she wasn't going. I was really really hurt but was understanding because it was for financial reasons and being in dire financial straights myself I wouldn't want anyone to go into debt for me. Fast forward 6 months and she finds out that trip costs have dropped and claims to have some "extra money" and gets my hopes up again that she may go to the point that I am buying extra OOT stuff, only to have my hopes dashed again. Well, 2 weeks ago I sent out my invites for the AHR as well as last minute travel information. My address book wasn't completely up to date so I had MOH street name but no house number so I guessed. Two weeks go by and no contact from her at all, no "Oh I got the invite" or anything. So yesterday, I texted her to make sure it got to her cause of the address thing and a little while later she called me. She talked to me for like 10 minutes and didn't even bring up the invite until I finally said something. She said she got it but she has been putting off calling me because she CAN'T COME!!!!! I was fighting tears on the phone because I didn't want her to know how hurt I was. The date of my AHR is the day camp starts for a program she volunteered to be a counselor for. Now, this camp is not her "thing", she does it because it is something that her boyfriend did and got her involved in it last year. This girl is 7 years younger than me, we became friends when she was 19. She got together with him 2 years ago and it was her first serious relationship and she became one of those people who ALWAYS has to be with her boyfriend and everything she did had to include him. I tried to be understanding at first because, been there done that, and I thought it would be a phase early in the relationship like it had been for me at that age. Well two years later it is still the same and it has seriously changed our friendship. And now this. I want to be the understanding friend but it hurts, I asked this girl to be my MOH and even though we ended up with no wedding party I thought she'd be there for me along the way and she has not. She doesn't even ask about the wedding. Am I wrong or crazy? If this were me, I'd still volunteer my time at camp but ask if I could arrive at camp a day late. FI thinks I should let go of the friendship but that is easier said than done, I don't have many friends, so letting go of one is not something I want to do.

I emailed Kamila just as a follow up since my wedding is so soon (I leave in 22 days!!!!) and she said that she should have my pictures available by the end of the week and she will definitely have all my photos and my album to me before I leave and she said she has never missed a deadline! I feel better now in terms of timing, but still no teaser

Quote: Originally Posted by blondie25 OK girls I got my pictures.... dont really know what to say.... the teaser was awsome and I guess I expected all of them to be like that. I got a total of 80 pictures(which fo srome reason I though I wold get 150). huge portion of my pictures are black and white... dont get me wrong I like black and white but did not expect to get so many of them.... in regards to editing pics I got a feeling that she got so busy that maybe her quality decreased, because there are pictures where my skin looks horrible and I have pretty good skin... dont know maybe I am just too picky wait to see what you get, but I will have heard time finding 20 pics for the album that I absolutely love Now I am really nervous. I leave in 22 days, haven't even seen a teaser yet and reading this has me worried, cause in terms of touch ups, I need all the help I can get. As far as black and whites, my FI LOVES black and whites and I told her as much, so I may be getting a bunch of those too. So, would you be willing to post a few more to let us ladies give our opinion?

My travel agent told me there is nothing that can be done. She states she would have to cancel all my bookings and then rebook everything and with cancellation fees, etc, she states that there would be little to no savings, so I am out $900 and Dreams is offering $200 resort credits now which I cannot get. This really sucks, but nothing I can do about it. Thanks for listening girls and I hope this info helps someone else in the future.

YAY!!!!! I knew you'd find it, you are glowing in those pictures, I am so happy for you. Absolutely beautiful dress.

My "TA" is destinationweddings.com and 3 or so weeks ago I had noticed a smaller difference on my trip and asked her about it out of curiosity, it wasn't alot so I wasn't too concerned. She called me a day later and told me there was nothing she could do. I have contacted her in this case and I told her that I would really like something done since it is such a large amount, I will see what she says.

So I know it kinda comes with the territory, but I am so upset right now. I needed to know the name of a place I had bought something so I checked my credit card statement and while I was looking at it, I saw all the transactions for our trip and our photographers trip and then I saw my balance, higher than I thought. Well, stupid me, I don't know why I do this to myself but...I went on expedia and travelocity and searched the trips and DAMN IT if the prices haven't dropped, ALOT!!!!! If it was like a hundred bucks I wouldn't care, but the cost of my 8 day 7 night trip dropped $652!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And my photographers dropped $256!!! That is over $900 difference, that would pay for half of my wedding package at the resort. I know I can't do anything about it, but god I am so mad right now!

Quote: Originally Posted by marryinghimagain Thank you for this info. I will be very interested in your review when you get back from your wedding. Your plans are very much in line with what I want. I would love to hear how the logistics of it all turn out. So you are getting married on the beach and not in the gazebo? And then dinner/reception in the gazebo? I want to have our ceremony in the gazebo, then go for drinks and come back to the gazebo for dinner. That way I can use my decorations (tulle, lanterns, etc.) in the gazebo for both. My other area of concern is music. I am hoping to be able to bring my own music and play it somehow in the gazebo. I don't have an Ipod but may have to get one for this. I wasn't sure if I brought a CD if they have something to play it on. I don't really need speakers as our group is small (17 total including us). Anyhow, your plans seem to be coming together nicely. I can't wait to see pics and read your review. Your time is coming FAST !! It is coming so fast my head is spinning and everytime I cross one thing off my checklist I feel like I add two other things back on. I can't wait to do my planning thread (if I can get it all organized) and I will do a review for you ladies right after I return. I am getting so excited. So, yes, I am getting married on the beach with this type of set up but my tulle will be ivory, which I am taking and my hanging flowers will be green and orange gerbera daisies, which I purchased all ready strung in 6ft lengths, i only got 3 lengths of each color, I may get more. I decided to do a beach ceremony for a couple reasons, but primarily because my ceremony is at 5p.m. and I was worried about the lighting in the gazebo cause some of the pics I have seen, it looks very shady under there. So then we will forego the cocktail hour and just hit the bar and dinner will be in the gazebo, I am hoping I have enough tulle to drape inside there (but if not, oh well) and I am bringing 12 lanterns, 12 votives to line the table (we are doing one long banquet table), a table runner and placemats and I have requested just 2 vases of gerbera daisies, very simple, as the "centerpieces". For music, Jacy said there is available electricity out in the gazebo and since I am trying to avoid extra costs, we are making playlists on our I-Pod and bringing our own speaker docking station to plug in out there. It has pretty powerful speakers and there are only 12 of us total so it should be fine. So thats the basics.

Quote: Originally Posted by sunsetbride1 My group was on March 6th and there were absolutely some gals with wedding dates coming up soon. I agree with the suggestion above, if your wedding is very soon; I would send her a confirm email. Let's just keep eachother in the loop so we are not all bugging her. Its SO hard though... I am thinking that if I don't hear from her by the beginning of May; I may send her a note. I really want to make my own custom album for FI with the help of my one BM who is a Marketing/Graphics guru and I am nervous I won't have ample time if I don't get them by June. Yeah, I don't want to be a nag, that is why I am just driving myself nuts and checking with you girls...but I think if I haven't heard by next wednesday which would be two weeks and two days from my shoot, I will do what you ladies suggest and send her a confirm email. I have just been so hyped up to give this to him and it would kill me not to have it in my suitcase on May 12 when we leave. But no matter what I find out I will definitely keep you all in the loop.

So I got a couple more answers from Jacy on questions that I asked. I had mentioned previously that I asked for a credit in place of the cocktail hour (which I don't want) and I wanted to use that credit for more menu options for dinner. She informed me that they can allow me to use the credit towards a second entree. So, with such a small group, we will just go to one of the bars for drinks after the ceremony till dinner is set up and while we do pictures and then we will just have the dinner with two entrees and no additional cost . I had also sent her a picture of the beach set up that I wanted and she indicated that there would be an extra charge, but when I told her I am bringing my own tulle, she said there would be no charge. She also accepted pictures of my flower samples to send to the florist to see if they were possible. Just thought I would share with everyone in case it helps anyone.

Any updates anyone? She told me what others have said, that she was going in order of the brides that needed them the soonest and my wedding is in less than 4 weeks from today. My shoot was on 4/6 and she told me about 2 weeks to get me proofs which is fine, I was just kinda hoping for a teaser before then. I have been stalking her blog too and everytime I see that "chat with Kamila" thing that she is online, I am tempted to contact her but instead I start obsessively checking my email hoping she sends something since she is online....I think I am going crazy

Links not working for me either.

The outfit looks great!!!!!! Wish my FI would get on the ball, we're 33 days away and his standard response is "we have time". UGH!!! Men are frustrating. Congrats on crossing another thing off the list!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by PhillyBride09 OMG..I could have wrote this post!! That is Exactly how it happened with me! I felt the same way when I read your first post. A word of advice, don't pick to many to try on. Think back on the first time and try to remember all the things you liked about certain dresses and then stare at that website between now and your appointment and find 6-8 that fit all your likes. When I went the first time I was convinced I would hate strapless and I ended up loving strapless, I also decided that surprisingly, as a "bigger" girl, I felt better in the stuff that was fitted and kind of "sucked it in" cause my first dress was flowy and I felt it made me look bigger. But trust me, you will know, and as others said its not all tears and stuff, sometimes its just a glow or a smile that won't go away that says it all.

Quote: Originally Posted by Kim08 Cool and they are ok with that? Dreams that is. Yeah, Jacy said no problem. I was going to use their speakers but paying $150 for 10-12 people to hear the music just didn't make much sense to me. We are having the "reception" in the gazebo and she said there is electrical out there so I am just bringing all my own stuff.

I am so glad David's was helpful to you. I have to say I went through the exact same situation. My wedding is May and I waited till January to try on dresses and when I was at David's the first time, I felt rushed, like I HAVE to get this done, I have to order a dress today. I tried on 16 dresses, 16!!!! I was so overwhelmed and couldn't say I loved any of them. I had narrowed it down to 2, one "beachy" and one traditional and as they were writing up the order for the beachy one, I changed my mind to the other and then by the time I got to the register, I changed it back because I heard everyone else in my head saying the traditional one was "too much dress" for Mexico. My mom paid for the dress for me, I was told 8 weeks, and then 2 weeks later it was in. I picked it up on a Thursday night, tried it on at the store, at my mom's and at FMIL and I HATED it. It was a beautiful dress but it was not meant to be MY dress. I fretted for days, didn't want to tell my mom and when I finally did, she did think I was crazy. But I called anyway and they told me the same thing they said to you, I could exchange and I found 1 friend, just 1, who actually hadn't gone the first time and went to try on more. My consultant this time didn't make me feel rushed and she told me flat out that she wasn't letting me try on more than 5 dresses so I wasn't overwhelmed. She pulled three I tried them and they were okay. Then I showed her the one dress that continually drew my attention online, she pulled it and even 2 sizes too small, I could tell it was the one. I LOVE my dress now. I can't stop myself from putting it on, except now its in for alterations. I am so glad you went with your gut, the dress you bought is beautiful as you said and it does look GREAT on you, but man, nothing beats that feeling so go find that feeling!!!!! I am so excited for you. Good luck with your shopping.

I'm wearing mine below my e-ring, its made to go that way, my e-ring is a center round, with 3 marquis set "fanning" it, kinda looks like a flower, and then the wedding band is a fourth marquis that completes the look.

Quote: Originally Posted by Kim08 What are you all doing as far as music? Just curious. We have a small group, so a sound system is kind of silly, we are bringing our I-Pod with playlists we are working on and bringing our own docking station with speakers for it.

Okay... this is just an inspiration picture, my FI and I will be designing the cake together and he will be creating it, he is a graphic designer by trade but started doing cakes and is great at it!! Anyway, the cake will be something like this, in our colors, orange and green, and instead of the flowers, there will be homemade chocolate and white chocolate seashells. This is for our AHR, I am just getting something simple and basic at the resort.

Quote: Originally Posted by FutureMRS. Patience is a virtue...too bad I don't reall have any (I'mw orking on it!)! I'm so anxious to see pics...1 pic...any pic. Still waiting! I'm sure Kamila is working her tail off though. *sigh* You read my mind!!!! I have been checking email everyday...I know she was SUPER busy but I am dying here, the wait is killing me, I just want to see SOMETHING

Quote: Originally Posted by MonicaC I emailed Jacy directly...i wanted a trial one a couple of days before, so she is scheduling the appts. Can you send that spa menu? THANKS! Can you PM me your email address? I tried to upload the Spa Menu as an attachment in a post and it is too large and I can't figure out how to attach it to a PM.

Okay, just a general question for anyone who wants to chime in....I read somewhere on this thread that you should make your spa/hair/makeup appointments a month in advance. Well, I am just over a month, approx. 5 weeks, so I figured I would get the ball rolling and I wrote an email to the general info address to ask about this. I got a reply from the concierge a day later and they attached a "spa menu" and deposit form. Well, I was confused, so I wrote back and said that the hair and makeup appointment that I want to schedule is included in my package, why do I have to send a deposit and now...no reply. So, has anyone had to deal with this yet? Do we have to give a deposit and will that then be applied toward our package? I just think that is a little silly.

Hi girls!! For those of you who did this already, about how long did it take to get teasers. I know Kamila was swamped this past weekend (I was the last one on Monday and they said I was their 18th girl in 4 days) but I am just wondering cause I am anxious and excited to see them. Thanks ladies.

Quote: Originally Posted by RoryS I noticed that you said Jacy said you could contact a minister to do your symbolic ceremony. My niece & FI have written their own ceremony and just want someone to read it and coordinate the different aspects of the ceremony but I know she definitely does not want any mention of anything religious. Do you think she'd be better off having someone in the family conduct the ceremony? Also, want to be sure that the officiant is easily understood as there is a special wine ceremony that we are having and it needs to be coordinated by someone Well, I am not sure how helpful he would be in the coordination of it all especially with the long distance communication via email thing, my situation is just the wording I want read, which will also serve to limit the religious aspects of it. We have beliefs but neither of us are overly religious. If it is just a symbolic ceremony that she is having, if it is going to be detailed, she might want to consider having someone in the family or a friend do it. I had thought about it, but my group is so small that I didn't want to remove anyone else from the "audience" so to speak. Here is the info for the minister if you want to atleast contact him and see what he says: Alejandro Monroy at [email protected]

Quote: Originally Posted by RoryS That area of the beach looks very pretty. I think that's also where the Barracuda Bar is located. That's where we're having the rehearsal dinner. I'd be interested in hearing more about your centerpieces. We sent pictures and Jacy said they can do pretty much anything we want. Are you having a legal ceremony or a symbolic one? I heard somewhere that they pack up your decorations and give them back to you the next day (in your room?) I believe they have the Gerbera daisies as those are one of the flowers they said we could have and I've seen them in bouquets in some pictures. Good luck with everything. Sounds like most things are pretty much set for you. We only have 12 people total so I am going to have the long table set up in the gazebo, I have a colorful striped runner and orange and green bamboo placements for each setting. I bought a bunch of votives at Ikea and I'm just going to line them up down the table and I just want two vases with gerbera daisy stems for a center piece, nothing overly fancy, quite simple really. We are doing a symbolic ceremony, we are being legally married exactly one week before the wedding date at home in his parents yard (because his parents can come to Mexico). I'm glad that I can get the stuff back. If I wasn't planning on using it again I'd leave it for other brides but I am using my lanterns again for my AHR. Things are coming together, I still feel like I have so much to do. I am still doing OOT bags, waiting for Target to get the straw bags again, if they do. I have gifts to buy, but I just did my BD yesterday so that is out of the way. But I am making progress, thanks