robinkar

Just went to La Vie Rose to get the beach bags. They are just great. I was able to get 4 white, 4 brown and 4 black. They did not have any aqua left. While I was there they also had their flip flops on sale for 2 for 1 at $ 2.99 each. Unfortunately, the sale was only for the white, brown and aqua flip flops. The black flip flops were not marked down and remained at $ 12.99 each. I am thinking that if I can find the aqua coloured beach bags at a different location, I could then get the flip flops to match and hopefully return the black bags. Thanks for the great heads up.

We are having the destination wedding on April 15, 2010 in Punta Cana and then the AHR on May 1, 2010. The AHR location at Glen Eagle in Bolton Ontario was actually booked four months before the destination wedding location. We knew the location we wanted for the AHR (great bar) and needed to book it straight away as the date we really wanted (one week later) had already been booked. We are planning on having about 150 people for the AHR so to keep the costs down, we are not having a dinner but rather just the dance. So it will start with a cocktail hour followed by a slide show of the destination wedding and then on to the dancing. For the centerpieces, we are doing the DIY but have bought the candle holders at Liquidation King. Pretty good deal. There were three candle holders in each box for $ 12.00. We did buy slightly larger candle holders for the head table for a little more $$. Still haven't decided on what we will do for a guest book. Not sure about what all needs to be done.

Just wondering if you girls are doing two separate guest books. We are thinking of doing a beach theme scrapbook with the guest pictures and a spot for them to write a note/wish for the destination wedding/reception. But now what should we do for the AHR. Wanted the scrapbook as a keep sake of the wedding/vacation but now undecided for the AHR. Help//

We have bought candle holders with glass. The glass part is not too high so we were thinking of putting a little bit of sand (maybe coloured sand) plus some sea shells. Then there will be candles in the middle. Since the bridesmaid dresses are tangarine colour, I am thinking that if I wait until after Halloween, I should be able to pick up several orange coloured candles rather inexpensively. Also thinking of perhaps putting some orange coloured ribbon around the centerpieces but need to see how they look.

Quote: Originally Posted by bride2010 Wow! It's crazy how my 20-month engagement is now down to the last six!!! Ok, here is what I've got crossed off my list so far: - resort & wedding package picked, vacation booked - honeymoon booked - wedding website up and running - STD's sent out (20 booked) - photographer (including flight & accomodation) booked - dress & veil bought & ordered - FI's outfit bought - bridesmaids dresses & groomsmen's outfits purchased - OOT bags bought - OOT items bought except for 2 items - DIY templates & designs completed (for OOT bag contents) - paper lanterns bought for the reception - found our rings and ordering next month - bought bridesmaids' and MOH's gifts What's left: - need to find shoes - need to find flower girl dresses - finalizing centrepieces - make up ipod playlist - book our catholic wedding back home (I know, I'm kinda pushing it now, but just haven't gotten around to it) - still deciding whether I should go with the fresh flowers for the bouquets & bouttonnieres at the resort or order/DIY them...so on the fence on this one - send out invitations (friend owns her own business and is making them for me) - make welcome books - make pre-travel brouchure & package I think that's it for now...I'm sure I'm okay with the major stuff. What's holding me back is the number of DIY's I keep adding on my list (thanks to the forum haha). Anyways, it's nice to know that there's a number of us here on the exact same boat. Happy planning, ladies! Just wondering what you are doing for your guest books.

Quote: Originally Posted by robinkar For all of the April 2010 Brides out there. Tomorrow begins the six month wait. It is time for each of us to check in to see where each of us are at so that we do not miss an important step in the process. So far have: - purchased two wedding dresses - one short & one long - purchased the bridesmaid dresses - also their wedding gift - destination resort, wedding date & package, ceremony & reception location booked - resort information sent and 30 guests are booked at resort - purchased guest gifts - sun, sand & surf candle sets & bubba mugs - songs on Ipod - need to cut down to about 6 hours - purchased Ipod docking station - started spreadsheet with to-dos - started Punta Cana itinerary - two games prepared - one for welcome cocktail hour & one for reception What does everyone else already completed I forgot to mention that the veil has been purchased. To dos: - shoes - hopefully bought while in NY later this month - wedding rings - pick out wedding invitations and working so that they can be ordered It seems that you do a lot at the beginning and then you feel that you are missing something. We are continuing to pick out pictures as we are thinking of doing a scrapbook for the guest book. Haven't found the scrapbook yet. Looking for something tropical but so far nothing. Also, since the bridesmaid dresses are a tangarine colour, was thinking that I would wait until after Halloween and perhaps there may be some orange coloured candles that go on sale as I would like to get some for the centrepieces.

For all of the April 2010 Brides out there. Tomorrow begins the six month wait. It is time for each of us to check in to see where each of us are at so that we do not miss an important step in the process. So far have: - purchased two wedding dresses - one short & one long - purchased the bridesmaid dresses - also their wedding gift - destination resort, wedding date & package, ceremony & reception location booked - resort information sent and 30 guests are booked at resort - purchased guest gifts - sun, sand & surf candle sets & bubba mugs - songs on Ipod - need to cut down to about 6 hours - purchased Ipod docking station - started spreadsheet with to-dos - started Punta Cana itinerary - two games prepared - one for welcome cocktail hour & one for reception What does everyone else already completed

We have booked a private reception for our guests (so far 30 booked) at a restaurant at the Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro in Punta Cana. Does anyone know what the resort does for table decorations or should we be out looking for some centrepiece ideas. We seem to be paying quite a bit and not sure what decorations are included.

We are actually having two receptions - one destination and one back home. So I will give what we are thinking for both. Destination - since we are having an afternoon wedding - champagne toast after the ceremony - pictures - cocktail hour where we will have the guests mingle, sign the guest book, maybe the cake cutting and of course some toasts since everyone will have drinks in their hands - since the actual dinner & reception is only 4 hours, we wanted to get some of those things out of the way so there will be more time for the dancing/party portion - dinner - first dance, father/daughter, mother/son and then wedding party dance - dance with the garter & bouquet toss sometime in the middle of the dance timeline In Canada - 8:00 p.m. appetizers & cocktails - 8:30 p.m. guests will be asked to go into the room - 8:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. wedding party introduction, slide show, centerpiece game and some very small speeches - 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. lots of dancing

Just to let the brides out there that may be interested, Michaels has a cake knife set that has a light blue handle with shells on them and the cake top is also light blue with the same shells. It would fit into anyone's beach theme.

I actually went to Michaels last night but unfortunately they do not have anything that was with a beach or summer theme. I guess I will take your suggestion and try a party store. I thought there were stores that actually specialized in scrapbooks but that may be rather expensive. If anyone else has seen any scrapbooks with a beach theme, please let me know. Thanks

We want to have something different for the guest book as there will be two separate wedding receptions - Punta Cana then Canada. For down south, we were thinking about doing a type of scrapbook with maybe pictures with different people attending the wedding. Beside each picture, we could put their name and provide a space for them to write something. Has anyone else done this type of thing. If so, where did you go to purchase (in Canada) the 'book' and how much time (need to start somethings soon) did it take to get everything organized. The wedding seems so far away but when I look at things that still need to be done, it seems that we are so far behind.

The wedding ceremony has been set for 2:00 p.m. Not the time we would have picked but that is all that was available. So the big question - for any brides out there that are having an earlier ceremony and a reception later in the day (ours at 6:30 p.m.) - what is everyone planning to do between the time. Looking for some creative ideas. The FI had suggested everyone get changed into bathing suits and play pool games but I don't want to have most people wasted before the reception and I think it takes away from the wedding day itself. What does everyone else think?

Wow, you have really thought this through. Have a couple of questions. Don't you think that it is a long time between and that your guests will feel that you have taken up their whole day (part of their vacation). What type of wedding games have you come up with. We didn't have wedding games but hopefully will have games each day that people could join in if they wanted to - trying to get all of the guests to get to know each other before the wedding.

Do any of you know what types of activities or games you will be able to have at the AL Resort.

caribbean lover, We were also looking for a 4:00 p.m. wedding ceremony but the only time slot left was 2:00 p.m. What are you planning on doing between the ceremony and the reception.

Jenna20 Hope you have good luck with your planning when you get started. We thought we were early when we were trying to book the resort back in July but found out that we then had problems with the wedding date and time. Anyway wanted to let you know that we were looking at a Jim Hjelm bridesmaid dress and this designer is just great. Better fabrics and better made. If you love the dress but not sure of the money - just keep in mind how beautiful you will look.

Is anyone considering on having a stagette at the AL Resort? We are thinking that it may be the way to go as some of our guests are from out of town and they would get to join in. If so, what type of activities/games are you thinking of doing.

For the wedding time, it usually depends on what they have available. What ever time is selected, I'm sure your wedding will be great for a lot of other reasons rather than the time of day you got married. My only concern would be that I was under the impression that you had to be in the DR for a certain number of days before you could legally get married there. Something to check out.

We are in Ontario and have tried WalMart and lots of other stores but have yet to be able to find the Bubba Mugs. If anyone has found some in Greater Toronto area, could you let me know where. Tired of going from store to store and finding nothing.

Thank you for these great suggestions. We were at Square One on Saturday and went to Barketti's. There was a really great dress but it was a little tight around the middle. She is trying to loose some weight and has time before the wedding but what if you spend the $ 400.00 on the dress and then it doesn't fit the day of the wedding. So we will continue to look. We will go on the web and see if any of these places have websites. We will let you know. Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks again.

My Mom is looking for a just below the knee dress that is light for the beach wedding. She would like to hide her tummy so is looking for a dress that has a higher band just under the chest and flares for the hips - probably in chiffon. She is looking for summer type of colour but the only one that she has found so far in Lara Petites is Ivory and that is the colour of my dress so of course she couldn't buy it. Still looking. Do any of you girls who live in the Greater Toronto area have any places for her to shop considering that all of the fall colours are now in the stores.

To all April 2010 brides I just wanted to find out where everyone is in their planning as it is almost Sept. We have: - booked the resort - facebook information sent - 30 people booked & more confirmed - location of wedding ceremony and private reception booked at resort - two dresses purchased - one long & one short - wedding package decided - wedding reception back in Canada booked - few gifts purchased for guests travelling to resort (not doing oot bags) - play list for Ipod started - 17 hours of songs but will need to go through to slim down considerably Where is everyone else in the planning as I want to make sure that we are not falling behind.

nikicrosby - not sure where you live in Canada but one of the websites that you could check is bridal image mississauga - just google. Found two dresses - one long to wear for the ceremony and reception back in Canada and a short one for the dance at the resort and hopefully to wear to take pictures the next day near or in the ocean. Good luck in finding a dress

MelissaApril2010 We had thought that we were going to go with the Blissful Love package and sent an email to the wedding co-ordinator to ask if we choose the private reception would we still have to pay the extra per person charge - the answer was no. Maybe you should check as I would like to compare notes. Thought the open bar was pretty pricey considering you are at an all inclusive resort. I asked what liquor would be available at the private reception if we did not do open bar and at first we were told only domestic wines and then when I asked again now they are saying also domestic beer. When did you book your private reception. I am wondering if we are a little late since our date is earlier than yours.