rach220

I really wanted to do a BD but decided I couldn't afford it. Everytime one of the group BD shoots came around, I tried to come up with the time/money to do it, but no luck! Well, a friends of mine works with a woman who is trying to expand her portfolio. Her photos of scenery/objects are fabulous, but she's just starting to photograph people. Anyway, she is offering me a free shoot in exchange for the use of my photos (I get to choose which ones...and will hopefully crop my face out of them). I'm sooo excited! She is going to make me a book too (that I have to pay for of course) but it will still be a great deal in the end. My shoot is this coming Sunday morning, and I'm meeting her at my friend's apartment. I'm sooo nervous and I have nothing to wear. I'm going shopping this week, but have a really small budget. Any ideas of where to find nice lingerie for cheap? VS is going to be out of my price range, although I will check their clearance rack! Coincidentally, FI and I were talking about wedding gifts the other day and he was saying we should save our money (we just bought a house) and "make" each other gifts instead. Well, I jumped all over it was like OK! Then of course he says, I know what you're going to make me...something to do with pictures (he knows I'm picture obsessed)...haha He thinks he's so smart. I hope he's still surprised!

I just saw hot pink lanterns at my local dollar store...but they were the smaller sized ones...you might want to check out a local store...

Ok...this is hard! But I've never been good at searching...maybe you could make one up; I'm sure there's someone talented on here to help.... I'm definitely not good at this, but maybe something about the ingredients of love or marriage and mixing them up? Love is _______________ all mixed up? or something as simple as "Happy Trails! Love, Sandra & Mario" I know it's not a quote, but this is my fave!

This one's not really lovey-dovey, but...? "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" Ralph Waldo Emerson Still looking....

Hmmm...the only thing I can think of is something like "Sandra & Mario, the perfect mix" But I think you want more of a quote...I'll look around...I'm obsessed with quotes too

AMAZING! Great shots...I love the one with you in the mirror Congrats!

i saw this the other day and have been waiting for the wedding one! where is it?! what a tease.

Are you talking about the pocket-sized Target ones? If so, I have some extra...

This is so frustrating to me! Why can't people just RSVP?? I would assume they're not going, so maybe they feel bad telling us they're not coming? Or maybe they are just RUDE! We sent out 30 invites, and only got about 10 RSVPs...so I guess 1/3 is average? I never called people, I just assumed...but I really want them to send them back (we did RSVP madlibs postcards...maybe that's the issue?) I would say send out a reminder email or call them if you're really not sure. Good luck!

Congratulations! Everything looks great...my favorite part is the person hiding in the mirror in your dress pic! Haha! My real favorite part is probably your RB...super cute!

Has anyone run into any problems booking the Spa side vs. the Cove side? My mom's TA is telling her that it's more expensive to stay on the Cove side, but on the Palace website it seems to be exactly the same. I think her TA is screwing her but I want to be sure before I have her confront him...

I went to this sale when they had it around New Year's (they have it all the time BTW...I think I get an email about like every 6 weeks) and there were only like 10 dresses to choose from. I was really disappointed and didn't want my time to be wasted, so I dug through the regular racks and fell in love with a regular priced gown (ugh!). But I ended up buying it anyway (it was $450 down from $499 due to the sale). If I had more time I probably would have continued looking for a cheaper dress, but I fell in love with this one. I don't know if it was the time I went or where I went or if it's always like that, but the selection was not impressive. I figured a lot of brides got engaged over the holidays and maybe it had been cleaned out. I'm curious to see if anyone has better news for you! Good Luck!

Ahh...they are so pretty! Simple, yet elegant. I LOVE CALLAS! If I hadn't already purchased my bouquets I would be all over these, although I would only need 2 and that would mess everything up. You will sell these no problem! Great price too, for all those flowers! Congrats on your wedding too!

I think those prices are very reasonable. At Aventura Spa Palace in the Riviera Maya I had asked about roses with a few orchids, and adding the orchids made the price shoot way up...my WC told me it would be $250! I ended up buying a fake bouquet for much cheaper and I'm very happy with it!

Thanks Maureen and Jacilynda... He ended up booking a whole new flight (my cousins flight) for $400. It actually would have been cheaper to pay the $130 change fee, but this way he can maybe still use that ticket with his gf in the next year. Actually they booked the flight in January, so they wouldn't be able to make it spring break (March). There's a pretty good chance they won't use the tickets at all ($600 down the drain) but at least they have the option. I guess I shouldn't complain. If $600 is all we lost in this swine flu craziness, I'm pretty lucky. I can't imagine being some of the brides that have had to cancel all together and lost wayyy more

I think all we will have in terms of decorations is paper lanterns for our cocktail hour. But we may not even have those since I haven't purchased them yet and I'm not sure if I really need them. Originally our cocktail hour was going to be our "reception"...we were doing it after dinner for 2 hours. BUT we just cut it back to an hour due to finances. There's only 17 guests coming with us, so we don't need a private reception or anything like that. I don't even think I'm going to have enough room for everything I have to bring down as it is... I'm bringing: 10 welcome bags and all the items (at least a full large suitcase itself) bouquets and bouts flower girl bucket programs My 2 dresses, FI's 2 suits (we're doing our TTD before the wedding so had to get 2 outfits!) I guess it could be worse...but it's a lot for me!

Ughh...thanks hun. I know he will be fine. I was actually thinking more of ease more than anything. If he flies alone, he has to park, which is almost as much as the flight sometimes! Also, my cousin has a 3 year old with her, and it would actually be better for her if my bro was on her flight just to help her out. I think she's thinking about bringing a stroller (which I think is crazy) but whatever. It would be nice if there was someone to help her with luggage and all that. It can be a pain when you're traveling with a toddler. I think I'm going to end up going with purchasing the new $400 flight and hopefully my brother and his gf can use their other ones at some other point.

Good to know! My ceremony is at 5:00 PM on July 16th in Riviera Maya, Mexico. There isn't much of a beach there, and the ceremony is in a gazebo so I think we will be ok...what do ya think?

I'm really frustrated with the "travel rules" and wondering if there's any way around it...maybe there's a TA on here that can offer some advice? So my brother's girlfriend cancelled for our wedding because of the swine flu. I was mad, but I've come to terms with it. She is 18 and her Mom made the decision so I understand. But of course there are repercussions... So now my brother doesn't want to go for a full week, and I don't blame him because you pay double occupancy at our resort even if it's just one person in the room. He was orginally booked to go from Sunday to Sunday. Instead he's going to share my cousin's room for the 4 days that she is going, which is Wednesday to Sunday. SO that part of it is all figured out. (And they are both saving money rather than booking 2 rooms as singles)! BUT we're trying to figure out the airfare and it's a PITA! My brother paid $600 for his and his girlfriend's direct flights from NYC (JFK) to Cancun and back at Orbitz.com. He's already losing $300 since his girlfriend's not going, and is trying to salvage whatever he can to not throw all his money out the window. There is a $130 "change" fee, but he would have to book on the same airline (Mexicana). We were hoping to get him on the same flight as my cousin, since he would be staying with her anyway, and he's only been on a plane once before (when he was very young) and I'm sure he would be fine, but it would just be easier if he wasn't by himself. AND he could catch a ride with her (and her husband who is dropping her off) so he wouldn't have to pay parking fees. He is also a new driver and has never driven outside of CT. HOWEVER, my cousin is flying out of CT (Bradley airport) and Mexicana doesn't fly out of there! So I came up with the (what I thought was fabulous) idea to just buy a one way ticket out of CT on my cousin's flight ($148!) and then still use the return flight he already has back to JFK (which is the same as my parents'). Well my Mom called her TA to find out if that was possible and they said it was illegal. WTF? Why do they care? They said the only way we could do that is if he "missed" his flight and THEN booked the new outgoing flight. But that means we would have to wait until after his flight leaves to book and it probably wouldn't be available at that point. I just don't understand why they can't just let him book a one-way ticket. Does anyone know any other way around this? Or have any other idea of what we would do? If my brother keeps his current flight and flies down on Sunday, he is going to pay almost $1200 for the 3 nights he will be by himself until my cousin gets there. AND he doesn't even want to be there at all so he will be miserable on top of it. So it makes the most since for his to come down later. The other option is to book a whole new flight for him (on my cousin's flight) which is $405 roundtrip. And then MAYBE he and his gf can use their wasted flights sometime in the next year, but they would still pay $130 each to change them PLUS the difference for the new flights if they are more than $300 each (which they probably will be) AND it would have to be on Mexicana, which means their only choice is Mexico...If his gf's Mom wouldn't let her go to a wedding with the supervision of my parents, I doubt she's going to let her daughter go there alone for spring break or whatever it would be that they would use the tickets for! So that's pretty much out the window anyway... It would just be easier (and cheaper) if he could buy a one-way ticket for $148 (vs $405 roundtrip) and use the second half of the one he already has. I don't understand why it's "illegal." The airlines are still making money. If we told them we weren't using the first half of the trip they could fill the seat ahead of time and make more than the $130 change fee they would get from us. Why is it such a big deal? Is there any way to get around this? ANY help anyone might be able to offer is appreciated. Has anyone else run into anything similar?

I asked my WC and she said they were fine...but I assume we can't bring them on the plane. I was hoping to find them when we got down there....

I wouldn't freak out yet...you've still got some time. I have 9 weeks left and my MOH and one of my best friends just booked this past weekend. My cousin and flower girl have their flights, but haven't booked the hotel yet. I think people are hoping prices will come down right before and that's why they wait. It's also a lot of money to give up in times like these. Everyone may be waiting to the very last possible second. Just know that the people who you mean the most to will be there no matter what and that's all that matters. I love the fact that we did a DW for this reason. Only my closest family and very best friends are going to take the time and money to be there, and that makes it so special!

The last pic with the lanterns is my fave! Beautiful!

Welcome back and congratulations! Sounds like your wedding was beautiful....you know we want to see pictures!!

I love these! Super cute!

Just sent you the $ via paypal...thanks again! One more thing to cross off my list! Yay