Kla.Kari

Wow, awesome pix! I am so happy to be a St Lucia bride! Can't wait!

Welcome Andres! You and my fiance both qualify as Groom-zilla's! Happy Planning!

Hi Ashlee! Welcome to the forum. There is nothing wrong with planning ahead! The ladies on here are great, and very helpful. Happy Planning!

Welcome to the forum Paul! There is a lot of information here so you should be able to read more about what's going on at DT and hear stories from other bride's whose wedding has been relocated due to the closure. I wish you all the best!

I'm working on shedding a few pounds as well... I'd love to join the two of you in accountability.

shucks! I need to start buying my bras in Germany!!! LOLOL!

LOL! Heather, I hear you on having less time to "change your mind"... I keep changing my mind on everything until we get to the point where if I don't make a decision stuff won't happen!

Heather, you may want to check out Villa Beach Cottages (Small hotel in St Lucia Caribbean - Villa Beach Cottages). I have seen some great reviews. Otherwise, Jalousie is great, and I have heard great things about Discovery at Marigot Bay as well... Oh, one more might be the Stonefield Estate Villas (in the south). Welcome to Stonefield Estate Resort If we werent' having a bunch of people with us, the stonefield is probably where we would go. Good luck with planning!

Ladies, thank you very much for your insight. I really have no feelings for my ex other than the memories; I and my ex don't keep in touch at all. I am glad I can look back on some things and smile (those very things used to make me cry). I love my future husband with all my heart, and it hurt that he didn't believe that. My FI and I sat down for a very long discussion today. He realized that he was so adamant about this because of something that happened in his previous marriage; he didn't want a repeat. He needed reassurance about us and the love I have for him (Tara, you were right on point). So, we got to the bottom of it and I did my best to ease his worries. In the meantime I will be searching my heart for any traces of my ex that I may not realize exist, and dealing with them. When I told my FI that I agreed we should postpone the wedding until he felt comfortable, he said he never really wanted to postpone. His exact words "I have wanted to be married to you since three days after we met; do you really think I want to put it off any longer!". I love him so much. I just need to be much more sensitive to what is going on with him. Again, thank you for your thoughts. I will be sure to remember the great advice you've given as we proceed through these pre-wedding, wedding, and post-wedding adventures.

Did you ask for an RSVP with your save the date, for planning purposes? If not, that may be why you aren't seeing any. That said, I planned on sending out the invites beginning of November (which I just realized is only two weeks away! sheesh! I am so behind!). Depending on how detailed your save the dates were, you could wait to send your invites until about 2 months prior. If your save the dates were just about the date with no details, you may want to send invites about 4-6 months out, so guests have adequate time to make travel arrangements. Hope that helps!

Woo Hoo! Texas Brides for St. Lucia!!! Welcome Heather!

Ladies (and Gents please chime in), I need help figuring out what to do and how to handle this. Yesterday, my FI and I were on our way to dinner when he said let's go to Bennigans. As we drove, I started to think about what I like to eat there and it reminded me of some occasions when I had eaten there (including some times with my ex - whom FI hates). Then he said, I can't wait to have the Monte Cristo (which happened to be my ex's favorite Bennigans meal). So I said, 'wow, that was [ex's name]'s favorite meal too'; FI said 'I just lost my appetite'. I realize I probably could've kept that comment to myself, but I honestly didn't think his reaction would be this horrid. We still went to dinner (not at Bennigans cuz for some reason they are closed), but I ended up the only one eating, and the only one talking. After dinner (on our way home) FI finally speaks up. He says that when I made that comment there was too much pleasure in my voice and on my face, like I was reflecting on a fond memory. This indicated to him that I still had love for my ex. To quote him exactly "you still hold a torch for him". Mind you, I knew my ex for 10 years, dated for 6 1/2 of those (three years here, two years there, etc.); I think I am bound to have some fond memories. FI also demanded that I get rid of any and everything that ex gave me, because a man "doesn't want another mans [explative] in his house". He has since removed my photo album from its resting place (and into the back of a closet) because there are a few pictures of my ex in there. Out of 200+ photos, only a few are pix of the ex that he hates because he feels that said ex "screwed me over and damaged his wife, the woman he is supposed to spend the rest of his life with". He doesn't understand how or why I can forgive my ex for all the negative things that happened between us, and move on to reflect on memories fondly. I told him, that is what forgiveness is. I haven't forgotten what happened, but that doesn't mean I need to hold an eternal grudge. He says I must feel that way because I am still in love with my ex, and he can't marry me knowing that. FI says he sees something that I can't see or don't want to see and he wants my whole heart, even the tiny little specs that are my past loves. He says he wants to postpone the wedding until I can guarantee him 100% of my heart, because that is what he gives to me. I can't guarantee something like that. Yes I love him with all my heart, and I have come to expect life with him in it; I am just not the kind of girl to promise something I don't know if I can deliver. And now he says that he will not marry me if I can't do that. Am I being unreasonable? Is he blowing this out of proportion? What am I supposed to do?! I'm sad, scared, and heartbroken by all this.

Wow, I realize I hadn't really started to think about this yet.... Add one more mark on my stress meter! LOL.

Yeah, totally do both! That way they are both honored, and you have one more person to help with the duties and take some of the stress away.

Be careful with that. I am just playing devils advocate here, but sometimes people are really excited about things even though they don't say anything. It seems strange that a friend would cut themselves off, but if you don't know what they're going through don't assume it's because they want to end the friendship. (Speaking from personal experience here). Besides, sending a STD is like a promise of an invitation. You never know, that STD may be sticking on their fridge or in a memory box waiting to be paired with the invitation to your fabulous event! But I digress; after all, it is YOUR day.

I must agree, those are HOT! Momma will be the furthest thing from his mind when he sees them.

Hi Kelly! Welcome to the world of wedding planning! The gals on here are extremely helpful. We are going for the Windjammer now that we know a few singles and people with children might be attending. So I can't help you out with Sandals in St Lucia, thought I have heard great things.

These are good ideas. I have been trying to figure out how to do the invite thing, knowing there are people who definitely aren't coming to the destination. I just can't justify spending so much for their invitation knowing they can't make it. Thanks for the ideas, and thanks for this thread!

Heck Yeah! I would love to have something funny happen in the background of one of my pics... that's it though, just one. Good times, great laughs, tons of fun. That's what life is all about!

Wow, I wouldn't wish that situation on anyone! SECURITY! Become their friends, they will be the best friends you have -- drama or no drama -- security guards are so much fun! How bad will she look if she shows up and gets "bounced" at the front door. That is way too much drama for you to be worrying about on your day. Put your wedding party on notice too; they will be the best defense for your happiness. I wish you the best; and enjoy your day. You will make some great memories either way this turns out.

Rory, that is sooooo true! And completely me! I really appreciate everyone's insight, it is so helpful. I am always the "good" everything and think about everyone before myself. When we got engaged in May we originally wanted a destination wedding. Then people started expressing concerns (including my mother, her best friends (who are like family) and childhood friends) so we started to plan a wedding in Dallas. Then my FI got accepted into an advanced program at his school which changed our wedding date. When we started rethinking the wedding we realized that we weren't planning the wedding of our dreams, we were planning the wedding for everyone else! We spent 4 months planning that traditional wedding! Because I was trying to be the "Good Girl" we wasted 4 months we could've spent planning the wedding we really wanted. Now we are trying to get details and things together, and I guess we started rethinking our location because of the cost to our guests. I really need to learn how to tune all that out and focus on what I and my Fiance' truly want. This really is one of the only times that I can be justifiably selfish and I need to take full advantage!

I realize this thread is regarding babies and mothers (i am not the latter yet). But I feel really green right now... what is SIDS?

Wealth : Legacy

This economy has caused some major lifestyle changes for us. I think the most important change is to our health regime. Because of all the stress and uncertainty, my FI and I decided to take an active role in our health. So our spending has actually increased in that area -- but it is totally worth it. And hey, it's already helped me shed a few excess pounds! We definitely don't go out as much (blockbuster total access is our friend). My FI is in school but he took on an extra job to help cover wedding expenses. Between that, coupon clipping and my shoe shopping "rehab" (I went cold turkey), we've cut back a lot. Other than that, we have been rethinking a lot of our original wedding decisions. Getting StD and other items free from vistaprint. Cutting back on the lavish dinner for the AHR (originally we were having chicken scaloppini with mushrooms and capers; that may change to pizza and pasta). I am even considering buying my dress on ebay! Just considering...

Oh my. That is a wierd scenario. I'll be praying the best for you in this situation.