finleys7

Quote: Originally Posted by cristinimartini Hi everyone!! We just got home from our wedding at DPC and it was sooooooo incredible. I cried leaving...I'm such a baby!!! Once we're back to some sort of "normalcy" this weekend, I'll try and post pictures :-) Maybe Melissa and Summer will have some up too...I'll keep everyone posted!!! Karen and Di, enjoy your time there...it goes WAY too fast. I wish you all the best!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on becoming a Mrs.!!!!!

I don't have any teasers yet...she said 4-6 weeks and we are at 1 month on Tuesday June 1...so hopefully not too much longer. =)

That's so odd because mine lasted, I even kept it for 3 weeks (1 week afte we got back). I guess it depends on the place and their experience with it. My place was $32 and my sister's was $20 and it peeled and chipped her nails and now they are weak.

Missy - Have a WONDERFUL time. It will be amazing, I wish I could come and crash it, to go back! Sit back, relax and enjoy!!!! Can't wait for pics and review. Safe flight, have a great time, and looking forward to your review.

I think that the price always go up each year, but with destination weddings on the rise, brides will pay the extra money for a good DJ. It's usually only $100 more, but I would ask why the hike in prices...that's steep. Have you looked at others?

Quote: Originally Posted by msglave What a nice thread. Your invites and programs are really nice. Did you find that most people used/took the program fans? I'm seriously considering making these. Were they extremely complicated? Thanks! We actually came home with a lot of them. We used the 100# cardstock and had 7 petals to the fan. For those who grabbed them, they worked, but my WC didn't put them in a central location, so some missed out. They were the most time consuming DYI, with the hole punching and then the rivet tool to make the silver ring around the holepunch secure. But they turned out nice =)

Quote: Originally Posted by Island Bride Reading your engagement story made me tear up! And dont feel bad.. I didnt get a chance to do my planning thread before the wedding either, BUTTT it will be coming soon! Im actually on my honey moon right now Thank you and Congrats to you and enjoy your honeymoon!!!

Cindy - Peacock Blue, I actually brought the dress to Kohl's =)

Quote: Originally Posted by Cindy* Everything looks beautiful. Congratulations. Can you tell me where you both the groomsmen's shirts from. Thanks. Kohls' =) SONOMA life + style Poplin Casual Button-Front Shirt

Quote: Originally Posted by selassie11 Everything looks beautiful! I think I'm going to be checking Chinatown in NYC for some BM jewelry - did you like the quality of the starfish jewelry? Definitely. They did a good job with talking them down. Plus no shipping and handling fees from online. Plus it was a fun day =) I played tourist, even though I am from here. When you step back and look at how much your total is for shipping and handling for all things ordered online, it's around $150 in fees. It could add up.

The planning thread is FINALLY up...sorry it took me so long. I am still on Cloud 9 http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...4/#post1307567

For the OOT bags, we put in Lip Balm (dollar tree, 2 in a pack), Starbucks coffee (3 pack), Sunscreen (from his mom, she’s a dermatologist), Facial Moisturizer (from his mom again), Rafts ($2.47 - mat floating rafts), Advil (Target), Gum (Dollar Tree, 4 pack), candles (dollar tree, 2 pack) and T-shirts. The Tote itself was from Discountmugs.com and they were GREAT too! I put tags on each bag with their name and date of arrival so the front desk could hand them out. We bunched them all together per day also. The FRONT of the T-shirt And The BACK of the T-shirt (we order 75) The table numbers were a DYI, along with the seating cards and Program Fans – If you need templates, please feel free to PM me. We went with Maya Diseno Floral who are contracted with the hotel for the centerpieces and they were PERFECT! The cake topper was pretty generic, we got it at Michael’s and it matched our engraved cake cutting set Lastly the rings, mine was custom made, it’s almost like channel setting but it’s riveted and notched. His was a standard men’s band. It’s shiny white gold on the outside with brushed white gold in the middle. And That’s All!!!

Wedding The invitations were done by a family friend who is just starting to get into this business. She was AMAZING to work with and has a GREAT eye. Her blog site is pages from a notebook We gave her the colors and the starfish idea and she went with it: After 6 Bridal Shops, I found the wedding dress of my dreams, it’s by Moonlight Couture. It’s taffeta and in diamond white. After the tears from my mom and sis, that was the dress. We ended up getting the girls dresses at the same salon with 10% off and they were great. Bill Levkoff # 440 color: Glacier (like tiffany blue) – taffeta knee length, strapless. They were great dresses and the girls had no problems, light weight, flowing, and WEARABLE again. All the girls have plans to wear them again! Don’t try and order from online, the colors are always off. We had a swatch and loved the color. Online color - Actual color – My sister, our MOH The Bridal Party So from that picture you can see the groomsmen attire and my groom. We got the suits at studiosuits.com and they were GREAT. The material was awesome and delivered in a timely manner. The guys have on the pants of the suits, they all ordered suits, even though they were only wearing the pants..because at $99 you can’t beat that. Joe’s ties we got at Burlington Coat Factory as well as my dad’s. The jewelry for the girls, I got in China Town and I talked them down =) I went with the knockoff Tiffany starfish set. I also got them Coach wristlets, silver pashminas, and silver flip flops from Old Navy In grey/silver: The groomsmen got Aviator sunglasses (another China town purchase), brown leather belt, and brown Reef Sandals (Fanning –style) from Moosejaw.com The parents gifts were a little work, but it came together. For the Dad’s we did Golf hats from the resort because they played the day before the wedding and they are both hat guys =) Plus I got custom made Handkerchiefs for them with poems. The hankies were from WEDDINGHANKIES . COM NEW BEGINNINGS. We also gave our flower girl a Hankie with an awesome poem and her initials embroidered in. The mom’s we did Pandora jewelry, his mom got a spacer and the flip flop charm and my mom got the bracelet and the heart charm. We also gave starfish necklaces to our readers (we had 3) 2 poems and the Sand Ceremony

So I finally had some down time to put together this planning thread. I know that all of your planning threads have helped me…so here’s to helping some future brides. Sorry it’s coming AFTER the wedding, but things got crazy at the end. Kudos to you bride who get this done before you leave. Here we go… After 7 years of dating and knowing all along that Joe would be my husband one day , I never thought he would be able to surprise me, when he proposed. Wellllll… November 2008 we took off for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC. We got up really early, got a spot around 6 a.m. and waited for the floats. The whole parade passes by and then comes Santa . At this point, he had given me the camera because someone stepped in front of him and I had a better angle (so he told me). As soon as Santa stood up and yelled “Ho Ho Ho”, I snapped away, it was a great picture. I said while turning with the camera “Wow, look what I got” *meaning the picture* and he is down on one knee and says “Well look at what Santa got you.” I just kept screaming “Oh My god, Oh My God” and crying tears of joy. Finally realizing, we get the ring on my finger, a couple behind me grabs my camera and starts taking pictures. Before I know it we had a crowd of people circling us and clapping…it was a moment I will cherish forever, as I said “Yes” to the man of my dreams. The Ring – Jeff Cooper Designs After the high from getting engaged we headed home on the Railroad and went to Thanksgiving dinner at my sisters…where everyone knew and was waiting for us. We came home to a little congrats party =) Let the planning begin – First the Engagement Party. We did this for 70 people at a local Firehouse/banquet hall. Our favors were luggage tags, our centerpieces were three candles in sand with shells and tiger lilies. We catered and brought in kegs of Magic Hat and Blue Point =) YEAH Beer. Oh but I couldn’t drink any of it…that’s because I had surgery the day before my party. I had an emergency appendectomy and was in a wheel chair for our party. Yup! But it was still fun and the DJ was great, and everyone had a good time! We put brochures of the hotel on the bar and everyone was getting psyched. Soon after the party, the Save The Date magnets went out. I worked with MagnetStreet.com and they were great. I changed their template around and combined two ideas into one, and they were extremely accommodating. In the Fall of 2009, we did an engagement photo shoot in NYC all around Central Park

You ladies have nothing to worry about. It's going to be gorgeous and fun and everyone will forever remember your wedding!!!

No wonder you have been busy these past few weeks...OMG. this thread is GREAT! Your guests are going to have an amazing time. All these details DO NOT go unoticed, so good job!!! YEAH...You leave tomorrow!!! Can't wait to hear all about it!!!

Diane - Great teasers...you look beautiful!!!

There is also a service called OPI UV Gel Polish, I got it done and it last between 2-3 weeks and I ahve kept it up. My place changed $32...not bad considereing. I got the French manicure and it truly held up. Opi Axxium Pretty Color-fulls Starter Kit Gel Polish | Compare Prices and Product Reviews on Become.com

Quote: Originally Posted by GracieLR I've read somewhere that if the vendor owns their own company you do not need to tip them...Anyone heard of this?? For example if the photographer is the owner don't tip...but if they are an employee do. I think that if you get great service you should reward that with a tip whether they own the company or not. I gave my photographer a nice tip and she's the owner. Go by your budget (what you can and cannot do) and your experience.

Amy - I am sure it feels great to get things done. It sounds like a lot more is going into your AHR, so it will be perfect! Nice and relaxing for Mexico =) The Maya lobby bar is very nice and air conditioned =) Big Plus there.

Quote: Originally Posted by nucci Shannon- If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for Doremixx? I heard back from Karla @ Iberostar over the weekend and she was a little uneasy about the smoke machine and cold fireworks. Just wondering if they'll drop the price since we won't be having these items, which are in the package. It was $650 for the 4 hours. Those other things were included but we didn't use them, nor did I try and get money back. For what I would have paid in the states...it was sooo worth it. He did balloons and that was a hit, even though I didn't want any of it...but it really was a hit =)

Karen, congrats you look beautiful. You have probably landed a few hours ago and are on your way to a wonderful trip and amazing wedding!!!! Diana - It's almost here, 2 more work days left (if you didn't take the time off)...YEAH!!!! Linds - great siggy, I love the umbrella!!!

Amy - wow, I don't have any advice as we are not doing an AHR =( You're still doing Vegas right

Karen - Happy Legal Day!!!!!

Cait - Keep in mind that Tungsten can't be cut...so if your FI is always working with his hands and injury prone...I wouldn't suggest the Tungsten material for his ring. My jeweler said..it's the ring or your finger...so opted for white gold =) But the look of the Tungsten rings are great...just indestructable. Just an FYI =)