sarafish81

Last night we got some bad news that flights have been cancelled for about half of our guests due to the recession. So my MOH and family out of Winnipeg and my FI's sisters and hubbies are all scrambling to find new flights with the dates we want!! So basically, my MOH and her hubby and baby are having to shell out $800 for them to fly to Toronto and then on to Holguin on April 14-21 and my FI's sisters and hubbies now have to see if they can get on our flight out of Calgary and drive down from Edmonton (where they were initially flying from) and coordinate with their jobs to book extra time off as they were initially flying from April 15-22 and our Calgary flight is April 13-20. Needless to say, we were stressed out last night trying to get a hold of everyone to contact our travel agent to authorize the change. I feel so badly that my MOH now has this to deal with. And the tour operator says "too bad, we can't do anything but give you $100 the next time you book a package." --- Today is better because I think it's sorted but how frustrating! Especially since all the balance payments went through 2 weeks ago.

Quote: Originally Posted by JulieG I personally didn't like the gazebo, it seemed kinda cheesy, painted cheesy, in my opinion. It was too small to hold out group, so it was not an option anyway, so I didn't give it much thought, I just went and looked at it. I personally felt like I went there to get married on the beach, so that is what I was doing. I do not think it would look silly with just a few people at the beach wedding and not all the chairs full. Its totally up to you, AND, you don't have to decide till you get there, so go and check it out first and then decide. I know its hard to wait that long, but that is what I would do if I was unsure. I kind of feel the same way!! Why go all that way to get married on the beach to not get married on the beach, right? I suppose we could always ask a few gawkers in speedos to fill our seats if we really wanted to...LOL Thanks Julie.

Thanks for posting all your pics Julie! Goodness, you sure have a lot Julie or Colleen, did you check out the gazebo as an option for your ceremony at all? I haven't seen a lot of pictures of it (only on facebook and it doesn't give a great idea). I'm wondering because our group is so small if it would be a better setting. As it stands, we are going to have more chairs than guests on the beach just so it looks like a proper aisle and I was wondering what you thought of the gazebo if you looked at it at all.... Only 35 days till we leave...

So proud of all you girls! I'm cheering you on!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Rhonda Thanks for sharing your ideas! My FI had actually suggested awhile ago ...One love by Bob Marley (he loves bob marley) so I think we might go with that one too...But, I'm sure it will change since we keep going back and forth.. I also love "I'm yours" by Jason Mraz.....I was thinking of walking down the aisle to that song...but, I can't tell if its right for that....anyone have thoughts on that? I'll be walking down the aisle with my mom to "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz! I just like the song and the fact that it's not so traditional sounding. Our recessional song is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder. I think our guests will love it and for us it's like "whew! It's over, let's party!!"

Quote: Originally Posted by Kla.Kari I keep having those crazy dreams... you know where you are in the airport and someone asks "where's your wedding dress" and your response is "Oh CRAP!"...... I had a dream similar to that! I dreamed we got all the way to Cuba, it was the day of the wedding and my mom said "oops, forgot your dress at home!" -I may stay over at her place the night before we leave to make sure it makes the trip....paranoid! My coworker told me this morning that she had a dream I came into work wearing my wedding dress to show everyone what it looked like. She said it was very short and 80's-looking and I was wearing white tights as well and looking for compliments....LOL I guess everyone's excited for April!

Our group is very small (15 people including us) and half are flying out with me and my FI. The rest are coming from different locations and will arrive a few days after us so I've let everyone know that on Apr 15 when everyone is at the resort, it would be great if we could all have dinner at an a la carte (I plan on making the reservation when we get there). Other than that, I've included info on our wedding website of things to do at the resort and around the city for our guests and most everyone has done research on their own and have told me what they would like to do while they're there. Most people in our group are viewing the trip as a holiday for themselves which is great. I think if we had a bigger group of people I would feel more obligation to entertain.

Sorry to hear what you're going through! I've had a few issues with my MOH too actually, just within the past few months. She lives in another province so she's not able to really "be there" for me (i.e. bridal shower, stagette, etc.) which is fine - I knew that when I asked her to stand up for me. However, she's been really weird about her dress which has caused stress on my end. We ordered my FI's and his best man's shirts before Christmas and I told her the color that the best man would be wearing. She told me she wanted to wait to look for a dress since she had recently had a baby and wanted to lose some weight and also wanted to wait for spring stock to arrive in the stores (our wedding party only consists of my MOH and the best man). I went to visit her about a month ago and we couldn't find anything for her to wear (we were looking in the malls, not bridal shops, because we thought we could find something). She told me not to worry, that she knew of a bridal shop that she could order a dress from. However, it was left too late and now she had to buy off the rack as there wasn't enough time to order a dress. Anyhow, she went looking and said she couldn't find the color and wanted a different color instead. The problem is, the best man had his shirt in the color my FI and I agreed upon and for her to get a dress in a different color made no sense (I am paying for her dress BTW). Now we were trying to talk over email and sometimes that doesn't work, so I called her. She didn't answer her phone and then would email me her responses to my voicemail messages....GRRR so annoying! Anyway, she found the dress she wanted, in the color I wanted, but it's in NY. With the exchange rate to the Cdn dollar, plus rush shipping, plus alterations, this dress is now costing me over $200USD, which I was not prepared for. It will be fine, I know dresses are expensive, however, I feel like this could have been handled in a better, more efficient way on her end. Then she told me that we (my FI and I) should have had her get her dress first in the color she wanted and then ordered the best man's shirt....LOL I've known this girl for 11 years and we never argue! It must be the wedding.

Thanks K'osh! What a great resource!

Welcome fellow Calgarian!

The rest of your pictures are beautiful as well! Absolutely stunning couple! It looks like you had a small group like we do coming for our wedding. It looks really nice in the gazebo - I think I may want to move ours from the beach to the gazebo at our resort too!

Good lord!!! What a horrible story.

Wow what a great site - thanks for sharing! My coworker just got engaged so I'll pass this on to her.

I finally quit in July after 10 years of smoking! I too, was a bit of a closet smoker, and my FI had quit about 9 months before me so it gave me more of an incentive. I had tried to quit many times before but would feel like such a failure when I would light up again!! I read the book "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allan Carr a few times and that really helped me. I also joined the Canadian Cancer Society's online group for quitting smoking. They would send me inspirational emails and provide me with support by helping me remember my reasons for quitting. It's awesome to know you're not alone in the battle. I wish you all the best! I was so damn proud of myself when I knew I had beat it! The biggest thing for me was the realization that I didn't need to smoke and was not missing out on anything by giving it up, but gaining a new life. It's tough but it can be done! Ok I'm off my soap-box now LOL

Ok you girls may laugh but there is a new commercial out (maybe only in Canada), and I believe it is for Axe male body spray/cologne? There is a man made out of chocolate who walks around and women are biting pieces of him off...he's got these huge white eyes that freak me out. I have to change the channel when it comes on. It's the stuff of nightmares I tell ya.

Fudgie I'm so happy to hear that the surgery went well and that your sister will be able to fly! You must be so relieved!

You look beautiful - congratulations! Thanks so much for sharing your pictures - they are amazing!

Fudgie I know exactly how you feel. My mom had a detached retina a few years ago and was sent in for emergency surgery. So many things go through your mind! I was so worried about her. She came through the surgery beautifully but yes, the recovery is a long time (she had to sleep literally on her face for 6 weeks and always had to keep her head down when she was awake). Depending on the severity, your sister may or may not be able to fly (the gas bubble is the reasoning). I agree with Sparkles that the doctor is likely giving you "worst case scenario" news and I hope the surgery goes well....keep us posted!!

My FI freaked out this morning about how everyone coming to the wedding should know what color my MOM is wearing to the wedding!! I know his mom would like to coordinate it so she doesn't clash with my mom (which I totally get) but now he's telling me that we need to parade around a picture of my mom's dress to his best man's wife as well as his sisters. I spoke with his sisters last week and they asked if they could wear sundresses, which I was totally fine with. I let them know that our bridal party would be in royal blue, in case they didn't want to be matchy-matchy. But now he's telling me that his sisters are confused (did I mention that he has not talked to them about this) and that everyone needs to be aware of my mom's color palette....ARGH!!! LOL so stupid. We worked it out of course but I just thought it was ridiculous....we both love to be in control and hate it when the other plays "fire marshall" as we call it.

Well girls I'm happy to say that my MOH found the Alfred Angelo dress, in Cobalt, in her size, at a store in NY. It is being shipped out within a month and her seamstress is on notice for rush alterations. Hallelujah I'm having a glass of wine....or 2

Those are beautiful! Looks like you guys had a blast - thanks for sharing!!

Sounds fun but unfortunately we leave in April so not much time for me to join and get toned up! It would be great to meet you girls though - how many Calgary girls are there on BDW? p.s. Ash, your FI looks so familiar. I wonder if I went to school with him?

K'osh - thanks so much, you are so sweet! I got an email from my MOH this morning telling me that there's no way you'll find the dress, that she has checked apparently every store across Canada and is now calling the states, and that the feature color of that dress is eggplant....which is what most stores carry. Unfortunately, its been left too late and to order it in her size in that color would take 12 weeks (we leave in 7). And the bugger still wouldn't tell me her size!! I am a bit mad about the way she's going about this....in a way I feel like it's somehow my fault but I don't think it is. So she said she's waiting to hear back from stores in the states and will let me know... Thanks again for your offer - I hope you have a successful day of shopping!

Quote: Originally Posted by PhillyBride09 Wow..You work here too LOL Why is it that People who are allergic to cats have to ask me every single time I see them..."I'll come over as soon as you get rid of that Cat!!" I mean, if I wanted you over that bad, i wouldn't have gotten a cat!! LOL LOL I completely agree with that! My cat lives here, and you don't. Simple as that. And no, I'm not going to lock him in a closet for the duration of your visit.

That is a great dress at a fantastic price! I just ordered my TTD a few hours ago or else I would definitely be interested in getting this one!