KittenHeart

Quote: Originally Posted by LC_Rachel Ugh- I've been to a few weddings like this and was not even in the bridal party. My cousin's wedding, we (our huge extended family) were asked to make the food, serve it and clean up. WTF? We aren't caterers. When we all showed up to the ceremony they even asked us to set up chairs. I was floored. Then at the reception we got to serve the bride's family as they sat and watched us all work like dogs in the kitchen and left without helping us clean up. I was beyond pissed! At another friend's wedding, they asked people to pick up their ceremony chair and pack it up this grassy hill to use during the reception. I couldn't help but laugh. And since my DH was in the wedding party, I had to stay afterwards to help clean up. Ugh! So I def know what you are talking about. I get it- people have budgets, but don't have a wedding you can't afford!! Is your BF going to your wedding? Hopefully your wedding will teach her about class and how to treat people! Yikes, make, serve and clean up I would have handed over a bill... for real. Yes she'll be at my wedding, as my Matron of Honor which I almost regret now.

To answer the question, yes me and ONE other bridesmaid came back... all the other smart ones left too early for them to ask and were smart enough to ignore the texts the following day. I even enlisted my fiance (not in the wedding party) to come help ME. Ohhh and I was there at the wedding the night of later than most people... why you ask? CLEANING UP!!!! I was honestly so shocked that I can't believe I agreed to come the next day. I thought about it a bit and like the people who's house we used and decided to go clean up for them instead. Trust me, nice no more, she's going to come back from her honeymoon to a giant email from me. The Vegas Bachelorette party - I did actually make goodie bags for all the girls and had stickers made for the bride as well as a custom tank top oh and custom shot glasses. I put flip flops in there to stuff in our purses for when our feet hurt... walking directions to the nearest starbucks, water bottles, engraved wristbands, wooden spankers etc. It was a fabulous time all parties I threw people raved about... except the person I threw them for.

Holy moly! That's quite a project but WELL worth it, they're amazing and so creative

I love them! So cute! We have the same wedding week, I'm getting married on May 8th 2010 Our Best Man is a graphic designer and he's designing whatever I want as long as I cook for him while he does it, done and done!

Congrats and welcome!!!

Haha, and this can help you realize that you're NOT asking for too much. Oh yes, down to the .25. I was SO embarrassed even asking these girls for that. It's so strange... I even gave a tearful speech that everyone complimented me on later that I now regret. I shouldn't regret things like this, the hard part is how to tell her without things blowing up even more since I'm now the bride-to-be...

Thank you Abbie, that is definitely a positive! I will be extremely appreciative of everything they do and all they're efforts.

Haha, I might read that book! I've never heard of it before. Thank you, it was good to have the other side of things, she's my Matron of Honor which unfortunately makes me want to see her suffer the same but I think I'm going to write her a delicately worded email... afterall her wedding is over, it's my turn now

This may come off as a bit of a vent... but I wanted to give you ladies perspective from a MOH and how to keep the wedding/bridal party happy (we know, we know it's all about you) but at least don't anger everyone I was MOH in my best friends wedding over the weekend, it wasn't a DW, it was local. #1 - don't be EXTREMELY cheap (there's nothing wrong with a budget but be sensible too) Each bridesmaid including myself was asked to pay for the hideous pink sash she made us wear which was $16.25... I even politely tried to get her to realize that it was ridiculous she was asking me to collect this money from everyone... she didn't get it, so I dropped it and collected the change. I threw her a Bridal Shower on short notice (1 week) because her family was complaining about there being no bridal shower. The bride told me she wanted a HUGE blowout in Vegas, a weekend with 9 girls and her having fun and she DIDN'T want a bridal shower. Once I came to her letting her know that her mother was up my a** about this Bridal Shower she backed up and didn't speak up letting them know she didn't want one. Then complained that no one got her anything for it off the registry telling another bridesmaid this (I just found out) even though EVERYONE bought her gifts for the Naughty and Nice shower I through. Then she didn't send ANYONE thank you cards or emails. Two weeks later was the Bachelorette party that cost $3k total... she hardly spent anytime with ME. Whatever... I told her after this Vegas Bachelorette that I had to cancel my hair appt. (that's how broke I was) and I could do it beforehand and meet her at the salon. She tells me to come and do it myself at the salon... thanks for not ponying up $50 to help me out... which is fine, she doesn't need to. Friday was her rehersal dinner... which was pizza and beer. Neither of which is on most of our diets. Fine... whatever. She then gives us our bridesmaids gifts which was an empty frame (cheap) saying picture coming soon and a pen she got for free from her grandpa's company. Everyone got the same thing including me. Wedding day - went well, went off without a hitch... until we were taking photos and noticed that all 120 guests were eating dinner. By time we sat down (it was a buffet) the food was cold and there was hardly any left and none left of some of the items. My fiance who attended said that there were these terrific stuffed mushrooms but literally about 50 of them... for 120 people. I had 3 minutes after I sat down to eat and read my speech... no one warned me about this. It was a karaoke wedding... the BM's and me had been practicing secretly her favorite Beatles song to sing as a dedication to her. She stood there and watched the whole thing then walked away after we were done...!!! No hug, no thank you... walked away!!! Fine, dancing, good times, didn't see her most of the night, fine. 11pm, I'm exhausted by now, about to leave and the Groom asks me to come tomorrow (the wedding was at his bosses house in their giant backyard) and help clean up... WTF!?!?!?!?! They asked the wedding party to janitor this f-ing wedding... I'm SO livid I can't even express it. This whole thing has left me with such a bad taste in my mouth I can't even believe it. CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP. I would have let everything slide if they hadn't asked me to be a janitor yesterday... that set me over the edge. I just wanted all you brides to understand we are willing to go out of our way and help but PLEASE, I beg of you don't take advantage of the wedding party and please thank them... for everything, even if it's just verbal or a nice email. That's free and very much appreciated. Thanks for listening

Let's revive this thread as I think there are a lot more May 2010 brides than we realize! Hey BostonBride2010 we have the same wedding date! I sent out my DIY Boarding Pass STD's so they arrived 1-year away from my wedding. I've secured my date, ceremony spot and booked my hotel for the week I'll be there already. I'm going to start DIY my passport invites and I'm going to print out some reminder postcards through VistaPrint to send out in a few months reminding people to RSVP by a certain date so I can send out the more detailed with information invites out to those who RSVP'd and the standard ones to those who didn't. Dress shopping is next!

Ebbie475 thank you! You totally put a smile on my face I just need to breathe, get through her wedding this weekend and focus on mine! Thank you for your kind words, I really can't let it get to me because it makes me go insane!

I got mine at Michaels, it was like $5. I've even seen them at Target!

I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned but I heard from Fabio that Jo'Zeen is no longer there! YAY!!!!! Grace replaced her and is now my new coordinator, I'm so happy to be rid of Jo'Zeen and anyone else that had her as well I'm sure

Confessions: #1 - I'm upset that I tried so hard to remind my fiance when our anniversary was time and time again hoping he would do something sweet (yesterday we made 5-years) and he's so broke he picked me a few flowers on a walk and cried like 3 times to me yesterday for having no money, which he's devastated about. I was cool and sweet but I am so scared and jarred with this whole "having your own business" struggle. #2 - I'm majorly bitter that I've paid for this wedding so far, I have big debt now that I'm starving myself to pay off and he can't afford to chip in. #3 - I'm really irritated at my BF who's getting married this Saturday; as MOH I threw her a gianormous Bachelorette (not to mention a bridal shower two weeks prior) that lasted 3 days in Vegas with 8 of her closest friends in a huge 2bedroom suite and the Palms Place which tipped over to $3K for the whole weekend and she asked me to collect $16.25 from myself and each bridesmaid for the effing disgusting pink sash she's making us all wear over the dresses we bought ourselves. Fine, make us buy the dress, but how cheap is she that she can't buy even just my freaking sash. Whatever. #4 - My mom doesn't know my fiance has been married before... I'm too embarrassed to tell her. #5 - None of my family at this point will be at my wedding and I'm actually in good standings with all of them. My father died when I was 17 and he's the only one I knew would have come. #6 - I have no one to walk me down the aisle to and that kills me even though I tell people it's alright. #7 - All of FI's family are coming... from all over the world, my family all lives a few hours away from me in CA and yet they won't be there. What does that say about me? Wow, that did feel better... I could have gone on and on too! Thank you guys, I don't know what I'd do with out you sometimes... my sanity sure as hell would disappeared long ago!

Quote: Originally Posted by jennik13 hi girls, for those of you i don't know, i was one of the swine flu brides who had to cancel their mexican weddings. however, i must say, it all worked out perfectly and we had the time of our lives. in 2 weeks i rerouted our 100 guests and planned a successful wedding at the harbor beach marriott in fort lauderdale florida. good luck to all of you and don't sweat the small stuff! here are our pics: Jenni and Mike's wedding photos - Select Ceremony great knowing you and i wish all of you the absolute best in their wedding planning. jenni Wow talk about turning rain into a rainbow! Or however that saying goes You're wedding was so beautiful, how did you pull that off so fast!? Where did you get your dress as well? I'm completely in love with it! Congrats, I'm so happy it worked out well for you!

Quote: Originally Posted by JHarwood2Be Hi everyone! We received a link today of our pro photos. I highly recommend Tamm's Photos. They were very easy to work with and definitely worth the money. They were with us from about 1:30 pm until 11 pm and then we did a day after session in Puerto Morelos. The link has about 1200 photos. Jennifer & Brad Here is an abbreviated version on Shutterfly http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0EZuWjhm5bMWEh These are low resolution. But they will give us a flash drive with the high resolution photos so we can print however we wish. I'll post the day after photos once I get those. Enjoy! Jenny your wedding looks amazing! You looked gorgeous, where did you get your dress?? I love it... the flowers, the BM's dresses, beautiful. It looked like everyone had such a great time! I'm so happy to hear these good reviews, it makes me able to breathe just that much easier! You said you didn't have a DJ and just an iPod right? Did you have anyone manning it or just let it do it's thing the whole night?

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Stephanie~ Hello 2010 Brides (and a groom or two!) I am getting married June 11, 2010 at the Royal Playa del Carmen. I have confirmed my date with the resort and sent my STD's but have been sitting on my butt since then. I guess I feel like there is nothing I need to do right now. What is everyone else working on this far ahead? I am about at the same point as you, booked my date, sent out my save the dates, created a wedding website, encouraging guests to get quoted and book early due to the amazing pricing right now. I also have booked my photographer, getting an engagement shoot in two weeks, I am getting from all my guests what their food choice is, also I'm hardcore dress scouting and trying to brave up the actual act of walking into a store and trying them on. I will be working to create my invites soon with (DIY) like my STD's. Oh and I bought a room block as well from my TA. That's about it so far!

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda Thanks Kitten heart - annoucnements are a great idea since I do not have a date to save yet for the US reception! I have called 2 travel agents now who think that it is to early to start looking at rooms to book. weird! Hey - is anyone using a website to give guests more informatioon? If so - what website are you using Thanks and happy planning! Amy You're welcome! Really? Too early? I already booked my room and should be getting quoted for our flights in 3 weeks... my guests are already gettting quotes and the prices have been fabulous! Cheaper than I expected actually. I actually sent out my Save the Dates with my website link (and my phone number on them) as my primary form of RSVPing. I put a ton of information on there and I have gotten many compliments on it (I spent way to long creating it) but I love how easy it is to use and create. I am using Wedding Planning Guide and Free Wedding Websites - mywedding.com... if you would like to see it, just PM me. My name is Amy too btw!

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda wow you are doing good! I am almost booked at Azul beach for May 29th 2010 and I really want to send out STD magnets in the next month or so. Did you send them out to the wedding guests? I am having a US side reception too - should I send STDs to those guests? I don't want extended family and friends who I am inviting to the US recpetion only to wonder where their STDs are.... Thoughts? Thank you! I don't know if you want to do this much work... but I would send out your STD magnets now to your invitees of the destination wedding and at the same time send announcements to your US reception letting them know that you are getting married in Mexico and they should look for the STD to your reception in the next couple months or whenever you decide to send it. The US reception doesn't need a whole lot of advanced notice (unless a lot of yoru guests are coming from out of state.) Good luck! I can't afford a US reception so I'm all in with the Mexico wedding which is why my save the dates went out exactly one year from our wedding date. I've already had 30+ people RSVP and people requesting quotes from my TA so I'm glad I send them out when I did.

Wow those are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing

I have one as well at mywedding.com. I think I may have way too much info on mine after looking at yours.... I like it, it's cute and to the point

I'm so glad to have found you all! I've secured my date @ Azul Sensatori for May 8th 2010 So far I've finished my wedding website, DIY my Save the Date boarding passes, sent them all out, blocked rooms and purchased our wedding bands. Next is the dress! I know, I know I'm way ahead of myself but I can't help it

I'm doing a song choice contest... people can choose as many songs as they like (any genre) and the one that best represents me and my fiance and our style will win a prize and we'll dance to it at the wedding and announce the winner. It won't our first dance song but it has everyone listing out their favorite songs and I plan on playing them all so at least everyone has a song played they like. Also another bride did the camera scavenger hunt with disposable cameras on the tables and a list of photos to capture for that specific table - fun stuff!

Trayce, you looked gorgeous and it looked like your friends and family had a great time, they were so smiley! Congrats and thank you for sharing your pics with us

Quote: Originally Posted by michelle6114 Hi all. I am getting married at Beaches Boscobel on Oct 10. I do not trust them to get very good photos and do not want to take chances. I am willing to pay for a day pass and a nights stay at the resort, so that they can pass as a "guest". Any recommendations? Mine is just coming as my wedding guest and he's staying 3 nights. There's no rule against "cousin Chris" taking photos for me for my wedding present is there? No way!