islandbride317

YOU'RE SO WELCOME, Cara! I tell you what, sometimes it takes the opinion/advice of someone you might not even know that well to offer you a different perspective, since they can be more objective to your situation than maybe a close friend or family member, you know? I just think this dress has woven it's way into your heart, with it's beading, glitter and all! It's magnificent, and will become more so, when being worn by a bride that truly loves both the gown and the indescribable way she feels in it. Now Cara, you've got to promise us all that you'll work some magic to get pics of yourself with the dress on, so we can squeal and gush over how divine you look in it, ok?! Can't wait! P.S. YOU AND I HAVE THE SAME WEDDING DATE! May 14, 2010 is going to be a splendid day for you in Mexico and me in Jamaica! Yippee!

CONGRATULATIONS, DESIREE! You are already so darn beautiful as it is, I can't even begin to imagine how absolutely stunning you look today as a bride, on your WEDDING DAY, to the man of your dreams.... May you both enjoy all the very best of love, laughter and life as your begin your forever this day!

Amy! It's phenomenal.....truly, truly stunning! I am also a huge fan of all things art deco, and your dress is exceptional in my opinion! And you've heard this a zillion times before, but YOU decide the dress code of your wedding (not your family, not your friends, and not even your location). I'm sure you'll look great, no matter what you decide to wear -- but I can't wait until we can see some pics of you in it if that's what you decide!

I'm with the other girls who voted for #1 or #5....I love the simplicity of the DB Galina style (very clean and classic), but I also love the splash of detailing on the bodice of the Maggie (super sophisticated, understand elegance). Good luck, Steph -- you look beautiful in them all, so I can see why this has been so tough for you! And congrats on quitting smoking....from what they say, it's one of the hardest things a person may experience in their lifetime, and you should be thrilled that you did it! KUDOS!

Sooooo gorgeous, Cara! CONGRATS -- it seems that the universe WANTS you to wear this dress, as it keep reappearing in your life again and again! I am a big believer in reading "signs" and I think all of these signs are shouting, "Buy me! Wear ME! I AM YOUR WEDDING DRESS!!!" I also think it's totally appropriate for the beach, too! I've seen lots of looks ranging from something short and flowy to full scale ballgowns on the beach, and they all look amazing to me! If you feel beautiful in it, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks is "DW appropriate". I think you'll feel a sense of regret if you get something less elaborate because you feel like you should based on where you're getting married -- and you don't want to be standing there during your "I do" moment being distracted, wishing you'd gotten the dress of your dreams, right? You want to feel glamorous and completely in the moment when you pledge your everlasting love to the man that stands before you! And as far as the shoes goes, well, it's what you prefer. Since I've decided not to get married on the sand, I'm absolutely going with heels, but do what makes you feel the most comfortable and confident! I think the purple heels you want are an adorable idea!

It's absolutely beautiful! CONGRATS (and yes, we will hold you to posting pics of you in the dress for sure)! Can't wait to see how lovely you'll look....

Woo-hoo! It'll be nice to have even more options available at Sandals! My mother, I assure you, will be thrilled.....

How adorable, Mrs. A! That is probably one of the sweetest things I've heard of a man doing for his new wife....wow, are you ever glad you picked him or what?! So you know when I called you the "List Goddess" before? Well, now I'd like to dub your husband the "Romance God"! You are a heavenly pair, indeed!

Feliz Cumpleanos, Desiree! (Happy birthday en espanol for those who didn't already guess/know that!) Hope you had a wonderful birthday in Mexico, and it's only a prelude to your out-of-this-world wedding happening sooooooo soon! Congrats and enjoy, lady!

Such deserving women, as usual...voting was tough!

Good luck, lovely ladies!

Sort of like Jessica mentioned, although I haven't shopped there, I also watch "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC every Friday. Although they are there to makes sales, none of the bridal consultants they feature on the show seem to push brides to buy something if they don't really love a gown. If they are pushy about anything, it's adhering to the time slots they set for each appointment, and if a bride can't find something in the hour and a half she's allotted, they need to move on to their next bride waiting in the lobby...otherwise, we'd all try on dresses from the time they open til the time they close, right?!

Lisa!! It's been a little while since I've had the chance to look in on the progress of your gown, and WOW! It looks awwwwesome! The corset back is the perfect touch, and looks wonderful -- congrats, and can't wait until we all get to see the finished product in December!

BEAUTIFUL....L.O.V.E. the hair flower!! And the jewelry, to boot! You're gonna shimmer and shine the day away, Jillian!

Yippee! How exciting -- now comes the hard part, right?! WAITING can be misery! Hopefully you can find a way to either convince your FI to stay away from the dress threads, or another way to post it for the rest of us (without him seeing it) so we can take a sneak peek!

Maggie Sottero does brilliant, gorgeous work...it's absolutely beautiful! Congratulations on making the big decision -- officially saying "Yes" to your perfect dress is no small feat, when there are literally thousands to choose from! You certainly picked a winner!

All of your keen attention to detail will make your wedding EXCEPTIONAL, Jacilynda! Your personal, perfectly-themed touches are sure to have a lasting effect on all of your guests long after the wedding. And, by the way, I almost fell off my chair when I read that your total wedding costs would be less than $5500...I'm speechless! You've given all of us brides on a budget hope that our days will turn out as beautifully as I am sure yours will, without completely breaking the bank! Congratulations in advance, and wow! August 8th will be here before you know it!

What fun, Mrs.! You and your DH look to be having the best time...and I adore the fact that you were "true to you" and wore your glasses for some of the shots, even in the water! Brilliant!

They're DIVINE, Miranda! Wow, did Sarah ever do a magnificent job on them...and all your poor little DIY'd-out fingers had to do was submit the much-deserved payment info. to her -- GREAT Decision! Sometimes, the convenience and polish of the finished product is absolutely worth every penny, huh?!

I posted this response in a different thread, but I thought I'd restate my comment here in case anyone would find it helpful: Here's what I am going to do: we're getting the a la carte (6) 8x10 pics for $150, and the $500 DVD of the ceremony/cocktail reception, plus my future Mother in law just bought a professional-grade Nikon camera, so she will be snapping pics throughout the ceremony as well. And then, a few hours later, my guests and I are going to be going OFF THE RESORT PROPERTY with Alain Hottat of Brian Nejedly Photography (Brian is an American Photographer that lives in Ocho Rios, so you don't have to pay travel fees -- he's already there and he's been a DREAM to deal with so far! Total professional!) Alain will be taking us to both a beach location and a falls location to do some portrait shots with our guests in my ceremony dress (and then I'll change for a TTD session, just my FI and I) right around sunset. And I think you will be shocked by how reasonable his prices are....check out his site at Jamaica Wedding Photographer - Brian Nejedly. Hope that helps!

Thanks, Ash! It wasn't exactly as I had imagined it would happen, but the thing that matters most is that he asked me to be his wife, and that's "fairytale" enough for me! P.S. Love the TTD pic in your siggy -- gorgeous! Hope mine turn out that well next May!

Absolutely beautiful! Both your TTD pics from the other thread and your ceremony teaser pics are awesome....congrats to you and your new hubby, Mrs.!

Woo-hoo! Desiree and her Tyler are now LEGAL and OFFICIAL -- hugs and congratulations, and let the rest of the bridal fun and wedding-games begin!

Since I decided not to send out Save the Dates, I will be sending out formal invitations by the end of August 2009 for our wedding in May 2010 (about 9 1/2 months in advance). Now, here is what is strange....I asked my travel agent this very question and she said that I should have the end of November printed as my RSVP date. I don't know if this has to do with Sandals payments policy (ie. the full amount of accomodation costs have to be paid by the end of March for a mid-May wedding), but she said anything later than that would not give guests adequate time to plan for the added expense of attending a DW (referring to the dismal state of the economy right now). Anyway, that's what we're doing....good luck to all!

How unique! It's beautiful...you must be so excited!