KimmyG

Popping in to share well wishes with everyone. Love seeing everyone's faces on facebook!! :-)

Quote: Originally Posted by JNagan2011 I don't know if I ever saw any of your photos Kim.. Did you post any on here or do you have some on facebook where I could add you? I posted a review of my photographer with tons of photos here: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...phy-wow-59929/ You can also find me on fb (Kim Warner)!

I love hearing how everyone's planning/big days are going! Samira, I'd love to see your pictures but I can't find you on FB! Any tips? Can I search for you by email?

TRASH THE DRESS!!!

More photos next post!!

When we decided to have a destination wedding we knew the location & scenery would be fabulous but we never expected the photographs to be so spectacular! They not only tell the story of our day, but they capture the love, spirit and emotion. I feel like I relive the day every time I look through them. The pictures highlight moments I remember and never want to forget, as well as all the fun things that went on that I didn’t even realize at the time. Our photographer was Chicago based Joshua Albanese. I found him through another bride’s post here on the forum (http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...jamaica-45369/). The photos on the forum I saw inspired me to check out his website (Joshua Albanese Photography - Chicago's Premiere PhotographerGalleries). I fell in love with his unique, bold style and instantly trusted him to shoot our wedding. We communicated by phone and email to make arrangements, since he lives in Chicago and my (then) fiancé and I live in Cincinnati. Joshua came to Cincinnati so that we could all meet in person. During that snowy day in February we took engagement photos and went out to dinner to get to know each other. I feel like we instantly hit it off as friends, which was great since I knew we’d be spending a lot of time together in Mexico! Also during this trip we took Boudoir photos, which Joshua put together into an amazing book as a wedding gift for my groom. I felt completely comfortable with him, he was so creative and professional, and I can hardly believe it’s me in the photos! With so many things going on when we first arrived in Mexico we were a bit overwhelmed, to say the least! Joshua did a great job of tracking us down as soon as he arrived at the hotel. Although the contract we signed with him said that he would photograph our Welcome Dinner, Wedding Day and Trash The Dress, Joshua did so much more than this. He hit it off not only with us but with all of our guests. When we were playing at the pool Joshua was right there having fun with us, camera in hand. When we went on a snorkeling excursion Joshua came with us and took photos. He took photos the entire trip, something you definitely don’t get when you hire a resort photographer. We all danced the wedding night away at the disco and Josh was up at the crack of dawn the next morning with us to take photos on the beach before the speedos came out. We went to a cenote to take photos in a cave and Joshua was so adventurous, climbing cave walls to precisely place his flashes, all to capture the perfect shot. Upon arriving home Joshua posted teaser photos for us within days, and he sent us a dvd with over 1100 photos from the trip, less than 2 months after the wedding. I feel like he took the time to get to know our personalities and capture the true essence in his photographs. The pictures are truly art, I have no idea where I’m going to put all of them- I want to print and frame every single one! We loved the photos so much we wanted him to come to our at-home-reception next weekend to take pictures (or even as a guest, he’s so much fun!), but he was already booked for another wedding. Good news travels fast and I know he’s already receiving more destination wedding inquires, just based on the teaser photos he posted to my facebook page! I am so glad we had the opportunity to work with Joshua. Our wedding was amazing but it was months ago already. The photos he took will make it last forever for us! I think the photos tell the rest of the story  Contact me if you have specific questions; otherwise contact him to book your wedding! Website: Joshua Albanese Photography Blog: Joshua Albanese Photography Email: [email protected] We’ve been blogged!: Joshua Albanese Photography | Facebook More photos next post...

Sammysgirl: we're seriously twins We both have/had the gazebo ceremony, cocktail hour with mariachi, chillis dinner, small town country club AHR, etc! Your day is soooo close, I'm so excited for you! I can't wait to get together in Indy I got an apartment downtown, moving in June!

Erin, I loved your planning thread! I'm also excited to look through everyone's photos!

Erin, your planning thread is so detailed, I love it! You really thought of EVERYTHING and I know you're going to have a blast. Enjoy your trip and I can't wait to hear from you when you return!!!

I didn't mention that we had a photographer, since he was a hotel guest for 4 days. At the meeting the wedding coordinators didn't seem to care at all. They asked if I wanted the photographer and i said "no i have a friend who will take pictures" and they moved on to the next question, they didn't even blink. Regarding the legal day- ours was fun: we went to city hall and both wore suits (i had a feminine white pinstripe skirt suit). We had our parents, grandparents and siblings. We didn't actually sign any paperwork but we said vows and exchanged rings. Then we popped champagne and went out to a fun dinner. It had a wedding-y feel to it, but i PROMISE you that it didn't make the actual wedding in mexico any less special. I think it added to the excitement!

I've heard generally good things about Latisse. That being said, I got "flirty fakes" applied for my legal day at home, from MAC for $13, and I LOVED them!!! My MIL bought the glue and reapplied the same lashes for me on the wedding day and the result was more stunning (and cheaper/easier!) than Latisse would have been, I have no doubt

Welcome! April is the perfect month to get married at the RPRM Rumor has it in order to use an ipod at your reception you still have to pay for the private reception with dj, so most people don't end up doing this. Join in the Riu RM thread, for ALL the good info!

I just echo with what everyone has already said: take honest measurements! Also, allow plenty of time for it to arrive. We got 4 from studiosuits.com- my husbands came out great in light beige (a little snug in the waist, he must have been sucking-in when we took measurements), the 2 groomsmen got the darker beige color (sizes were perfect), and husband's father got one as well- he emailed them a few days later with changes in his measurements, and as a result he almost didn't receive the suit in time. Sooo, order with plenty of time in advance to avoid stress. This isn't a suit you'll wear for a lifetime, but it's pretty darn great for the special occasion

Sammysgirl- my shower was brutal too. My mom hosted mine for me... I had about 6 girlfriends there and 20 of my mom friends. I barely knew who most of them were and it was awfully embarrassing when I opened gifts from "Cheryl" or "Sofie" and I had no idea who they were to even acknowledge them. It was NOT the most fun I've ever had Would have been better if there were more games/activities so everyone could get to know each other. LadyTrunck- I really like your TTD!! It's gorgeous. My wedding dress came from Duosheng (i ordered a different one from Landy Bridal that i will wear at my AHR)... I wore it for both the wedding and the TTD and it's still in perfect shape (and the whole thing is lace!). It was nice having a "knockoff" that looked amazing, and i wasn't worried about damaging it at all! Paige- I was also trying to decide between the Mariachi and the Trio for the cocktail hour. I didn't get to see the Trio at all so I can't offer any advice. At my meeting with the wedding coordinator I saw a photo of the trio- one of the instruments looked like a harp, and I already was getting the harpist for the ceremony so I went with the Mariachi, as something totally different. I didn't try to negotiate at all. My guess is that they won't budge on price, but it might be worth a shot. I think your better bet would be hiring them for the set price, but then "bribing" them to play for more time for a little bit of cash (45 min goes by very quick). I justified paying for both the harpist and the mariachi by not paying for the private reception/DJ. Like I mentioned above we ended up with a dj anyway so it worked out pretty well