FutureBotter

Hey Bess ... I'm so sorry to hear about your dilemma. It's so hard to deal with that when you're trying to pull all the regular "to-dos" together nad get everything finalized. We all booked our trips through Apple Vacations, and bought the trip insurance ... best extra 200 we ever spent! Our trip has dropped 1700 since first booking it! So, technically we have saved 1500 so far. The insurance gaurantees us the lwest price from time of booking to the day before we fly out, which is nice. Honestly, this whole swine flu has been beneficial for our situation ... please don't hate me for saying that! WIth the way things are, I'm certain as guests, we can be a little more "pushy" because there is more available and open! Like you said, can't hurt to ask! Ctodd8 ... It's a 4 page document that actually says "My Wedding Details" across the top ... I'll try to attach it ... let's see if I can do this ... Michelle ... thanks for the info on the cake! Cheesecake, I think it is!! Sounds yummy!!! Again, thanks gals! You're all amazingly wonderful!! Cou;dn't be doing this without you!!! LAST_WEDDING_DETAILS[1].doc

Fans it is ... Thanks gals!!! K, next question ... what's the skinny on the cakes? Pretty plain and simple? Is tres leches a flavor option even though it's not on the list of options on the wedding details. Gotta get that done and sent back to them! Oops ... too much to do, not enough time!!! Also, what was the final consensus on the wedding decor available for use on the beach? They all have canopies available? How about chair sash colors? You gals are the best! Thanks!!

Hey girls ... question ... we're getting married on the beach at the Maya. Many of you have had fans on the ceremony chairs. I'm going back and forth on the necessity of these when we're on the beach. Typically there's a pretty decent breeze on the beach, but in late July the temps are going to be pretty drastic too. What are your thoughts? Thanks!

Yeah ... Today is Gail's day!! Hope all goes well for her!!! How exciting!!!!

Gail! I'm so sorry to hear all this nonsense! You must be going crazy! From what the other girls have said, it sounds like it will all work out once you're down there. I know it sucks not being able to jsut run down the road and check on everything, it's hard putting faith in others so far away! And because of renovations ... yikes ... you're right, that's even worse! Seeing as thought that's their choice, sounds like it is under their control and you should definitely look into some sort of compensation! If it was nature realted due to the flu outbreak, then yes, they really can't be held accountable, but this IS under their control. As for restaurants, since we haven't been down there yet, the overall two favorites seem to be the Italian and Steakhouse. Those are the two we're using for our wedding and rehearsal, respectively. Steakhouse is said to be delicious, but from pics, I can't stand the large longhorn lights hanging above! I hope you get some answers and all goes well. Just try to relax, though I know it must be so difficult, as best you can. Everything will work out!

For those whose weddings are near, you gals are so upbeat!! I'm cracking up listening to your responses! I say we set a day and specific time and all do a large shot of Don Julio in honor of the wonderful swine flu media frenzy!! Just this weekend while we were up "getting" my dress, my future FIL was calling for a hurricane while we were down there too!! Too funny how all our minds are on the same track here! Gals, our days will be what we make of them and it sounds like they're all going to be fabulously fun and rememberable!!! So, my "getting" my dress this weekend wasn't so fun ... actually, a little Bridezilla came out this weekend! I got a call from the bridal store Saturday evening at 4:30 ... half hour before they closed, to confimr my appt to try on my dress Sunday at 12. The gal said, well, it looks like your dress ahsn't arrived yet, so you can try on the sample again! The fumes started flying! They gauranteed me that it would arrive on Friday and I could come in Sat or Sunday to pick it up! Being 5 hours away, my FI and I decided to make a weekend out of it to visit our in-laws, who live an hour away from the store. My mom even took off work to come with us! Needless to say, there have been many phone calls and one face to face visit with the store! As of now, they're talking with a bridal store 15 minutes from our house to arrange for it to be shipped here and the alterations taken care of. The salon will be taking care of every additional expense for this dress. So, unfortunately, I have no pics to share with you ... Hopefully in the next few weeks I should though! I'm about to do our final 4 pages of wedding details! Have some decisions to make! Thanks for all the help to make this process so much easier! If I have any questions ... they'll be coming shortly! DEEKAN!!!! So glad to see you on here! Hey ... we'd love to have you and Colin join us if you two need a vaca!!! Then you can party with us and get some up front info!! Plus, prices are dropping like mad!!! Murph and Jess got an awesome price, and ours keeps dropping because of getting the insurance for guaranteed lowest price! Awesome to see you leaning towards the Iberostar ... you said yourself they were beautiful!!!

Gail! How frustrating! We are all here for you to vent whenever you need! I know they work seperately, but if you don't hear anything from the Del Mar/Beach people for further help, maybe even try going to the Maya/Lindo people. They will probably tell you that they work with weddings seperately, but it's just another possible avenue if you don't hear anything back! I say, hit up all the people you can possibly think of until you get the reponse you're looking for. As for the guests, I think the outlook you gals have taken is the best for your sanity! Yes, it'd be nice to have everyone there on your special day, but if it's goign to end up being more of a stressor, I say let them be. As long as we're all happy, that's what we need to worry about!! BTW ... DRESS IS IN!!! Going for first fitting Sunday! So excited!! Everyone else has their attire and I'm the only one still waiting for mine! Finally!!!

Thanks girls for continually sharing all your goodies! We're just about 3 months away! Getting nervous, but excited all at the same time! As for the swine flu ... I'm just excited it may drop our trip pirce yet again! Already have gotten over 1500 back since first booking it! Yippee!!!! If anything, maybe check with your PCP and they may have some vaccination that may get a little bit of a security net for us. Don't really know much about it, but will be looking into it more now!

Here are a few of our engagement pictures. Can't wait to have wedding ones to post too!!!

Kt! I just noticed you are from IL! Me too! Whereabouts? We're about 45 minutes northwest Chicago! I've about had it with this weather, I tell you! But love the season changes and the summer! Anywho, let me know what you hear abotu the facilities, I'd love to hear. Honestly, we're trying to get things together for our reception here at home so we're not worrying about the Mexico portion quite yet. Thanks for all the info gals!! You're all wonderful and keeping me on track! Well, it's the end of my planning period ... that is my teaching planning period! But, I figure at least I'm still planning with wedding stuff ... right??!! So, planning is planning! Off to get my kiddos!

Girl ... you are amazing!! So organized and thorough!! Your guests must have had the best time! I'm jealous of them for getting to experience this wonderful experience!! Simply amazing!! Nice job! And your pics are GORGEOUS!!! How fun!

Everything looks great! Love the idea of the soft-sided cooler, will have to look into that one! And the invites ... simply amazing! Def borrowing this idea! Thanks so much for posting!

Hey gals! I currently work at a tanning salon and have been there for two years. It's my "adult" job after I'm done teaching my second graders all day! Any hoot, don't shy away from tanning lotions with bronzers, you just need to do your research! I've also used Designer Skin's Spellbound for years! I love the silicone that's in it and it goes on very evenly! I've tried many lotions and this is one I always go back too! Also, there is a new line out by MR International called the i-line. I am currently using iBronze and iIntensity. These have both been great with no streaking! I highly recommend using regular lotion on a daily basis to keep your skin mosturized all the time! Also, be sure to be drinking that water! Hydrated and mosturized skin will give you the best glowing tan! If you would rather shy away from tanning lotions, just be sure to use a regular lotion before you tan, that will at least give you some moisturizer so your skin doesn't dry out. If you're worried about the tanning bed not being cleaned thoroughly, ask the consultants to use the cleansing spray. I have a few clients who prefer to reclean the bed when they go in. I have no problem with this! I'd rather they be comfortable then not! If you're going to spray tan, ask them about the solution that they use! Our solution is a sugar based solution which reacts on your skin the way the juice in an apple reacts when it's cut open. The exposure to air causes a browning which gives you a nice brwon glow. It's not a bronzer that is dying your skin! Hope you all have good luck with yoru tanning! I myself can't go without that Vitamin D! It really keeps me alive and cheery when we have this bitter cold weather! Happy Tanning! Christy

Oh Katie ... I 'm so sorry to hear your unforntanate situation! We get so excited for all this stuff and then, blah! If you have a needle and thread, you may be able to reattach the pearls. If they're the stick on kind, I'd recommend stopping at a local craft store ... not sure what you have down your way, but Hobby Lobby and Michael's are my best friend up here! You could even try a fabric store like Hancock fabrics. They'll have small, reasonably priced "sew-on" pearls that you could reattach. The "glue" attaching pearls make me nervous anyhow, to falling off, just becuase of weather change. We're bitter cold here in Chicago and with the extreme temeprature changes that the veil would go through in the mail to here to Mexico, that would cause the glue to loosen. So, you may want to reinforce all the others too with the sew-on type ... that is if you decide to make this veil work. Also, you could take it to a cleaners. It may be stiff because it is brand new tulling and may just need a simple dry clean or two to soften it up. I'd let the cleaners handle that though, otherwise you will definitely loose more of those pearls! Or, you may just have to go find another one! I hope all works out for you! You'll be beautiful good veil or not ... just remember that! Christy

PaddleAddict! Let me know how and what you choose! Sounds like we have similar body types and this, to me, is the most essential piece! Thanks!

Hey gals! Christy here. My fiance and I are getting married July 31 of this year at the Iberostar Paraiso Maya. We are so excited! We'll be at that resort for a week and then we're switching over to the Grand. I can't wait! Any pointers and suggestions, we are open to! Thanks in advance for your help and chats!

Great Job, Bianca!! You have such an eye for clean lines and simplicity with elegance! I'll have to keep these as an example to help with my invites, as I did with your boarding passes while creating mine! Awesome work!

Too Cute!! You look great! And you can tell you love it! Have so much fun with it!!!

Great!! I like how they look so neat and organized! Very simple to read! I've been struggling with setting up my second pass with the travel info! Thanks for sharing ... I'm borrowing your set up for that! Thanks again!

These are wonderful!! I was trying to figure out how to order stickers online and be sure that the color was what I was looking for! Now I don't have to! Thanks so much for your post! I'm switching over to work on my monogram right now!

Hello Everyone! This site is absolutely wonderful, from the small amount we've tapped into so far! My fiancee actually told me about it ... that's why I'm marrying him! We're getting married July 31, 09 and we're thrilled! We just finished planning the trip and getting the date set, so now we're onto Save the Date cards and reception ideas for here at home! We found a beautiful Forest Preserve Pavilion with a stone fireplace and grill, loads of picnic tables, a large grass area, beautiful lake in the background, etc. It's quite nice for a picnic facility! It has nicer washrooms then some of the mall/store bathrooms we've been in! We're playing with decor for that so it's not too formal, but not too casual either! So, we're excited to be on this site to help us plan both aspects of our wedding! Thanks much for having us! Christy & Jason