echo2_62

For the OOT bags, I think if you can at least decide on the things you want to include then once you have your final numbers it will be super easy to get out and buy it all. Do your scouting early too so that you know which stores have the best prices and availability etc. Plus then if there is anything that you need to order, such as mugs or pashminas etc then you can get those placed right away. The AHR details might need a little more coordination but I'm sure you'll be able to pull it off just fine! Just keep a running tally of your numbers as you go and make the adjustments on paper in the meantime. Since I'm not doing an AHR I really have no idea but in my head I guess if you need to order dessert platters, and each platter should feed 8 people, then keep your running tally for how many platters you need as people continue to RSVP. That's just my OCD way of keeping my brain organized!! LOL! That's what helps me budget too. FI keeps getting me in trouble for continuously planning things, buying things etc since we still have a HUGE five months left... yes that is WAY too much time in his opinion for me to be doing ANY of these things... but I'm like you in that I'd rather not be rushing through things and going right to the last minute. I'll be in enough of a panic getting myself coordinated nevermind anyone or anything else!

Mel - good to hear that you're doing better with the migraines now! Yuck I totally know how you feel Damn pressure changes! What renos are you doing at home? We're in the midst of some ourselves and it always seems to take SO long to get anything accomplished. Right now we're refinishing the bathroom in our basement because the guy who built it in before was an idiot and built it completely not to code. When you sat down on the toilet, your knees hit the wall in front of you... Anyways, totally off topic with that one... BUT thanks for the concern Tracy and Yes I am doing better after my stupid fall down the stairs the other week! I got out snowboarding the other day too and wasn't sore in my legs at all which was a great feeling. So this week, it will be back to my workout dvd's for attempt #2 and my 30-day workout. Even FI has said that he needs to get back into a routine so maybe the two of us can do it. Maybe.

Tonya - did you send out STD's originally? I was just thinking that if you did then giving your guests one month to RSVP isn't asking a lot at all because everyone will already have had time to think about it. We didn't do STD's at all, just sent out the invitations REALLY early (think September early!!) but a bunch of our friends are somewhat spontaneous so they were booking right away as is. We'd requested an RSVP date for Jan.31 and I'm going to send out some reminders probably right at the end of the holidays for those guests who we haven't heard from yet. Afterall, it's not like we're asking them to book on the spot (in case they're waiting for last-minute sales).

Mylene... if you already have an ipod and docking station, why aren't you just using that by the lagoon for your music? I may have missed if you mentioned before about your reasons. Or if you think your docking station won't be loud enough then maybe look into bringing down another set of speakers that does give you better sound? I agree that paying the higher fees for something so simple doesn't seem right, but if you're buying and bringing your own speakers then at least you know they're something you can keep using once you get home again!

Mel - you said that you're up in Northern Canada somewhere right?! LOL! I want to say either northern Alberta or the NWT... not sure why though. ANYWAYS, the reason I bring it up is because I was wondering if you're in an area like Calgary that has rapid changes from high to low (or low to high) pressures, like chinooks. I know a lot of people here are affected by them so I was curious if that was an issue for you as well. I tend to get them going from high to low pressure while most people are the opposite it seems! Hope you're doing better this week anyhow and like I said before, just try to include some variation in your workouts to keep your body from getting used to the same things. Keep at it!

Now I totally don't intend to sound mean, but if you haven't spoken to this girl in over six years and facebook is the only reason that you're in contact again then I honestly wouldn't feel bad about not inviting her. I realize it can work both ways because I got in touch with an old friend of mine from grade school that I *did* invite to our wedding, but she and I also talk pretty much every other day now too (and we were pretty close friends way back in the day as well). I think your reply about how you chose your BM's was perfect and I don't think there is much further argument that this other girl could have and not really any reason for her to be offended by it either. IMO, if you didn't think to have her on your guest list in the first place, even on the first pass before you started any sort of paring down, then you shouldn't worry too much and just keep being as polite as needs be if she continues with her questioning.

Tracy - I started the 30 Day Shred dvd that I mentioned last week. It's short and sweet and you can feel that you got a workout in despite the short time. Stupid me though also slipped and fell down the stairs last weekend and hurt my upper back pretty good so I've had to drop the workouts for the remainder of the week. BUT, things are feeling better again so I'll probably be back at it tonight. I plan to do it every single night this month (as long as no more stair incidents occur LOL!). We also just bought a scale at Costco yesterday. You can program your height, weight, age, sex etc into it so that it can calculate your body composition and a few other things to help you keep track of where you're at. I don't know entirely how accurate it will be, but I figure that even if it's high or low to start I will at least have a starting point and will still see it change eventually. I've always been hesitant about having a scale at home so as not to become obsessive but since FI and I are both becoming a little more weight/health conscious I figured it was a good time. Tracy - maybe something like my scale would work for you so that even if you're not seeing results on the outside, it might help indicate any results from the inside? It was only about $50 and from costco as I mentioned. They've got a fancier and slightly more expensive one on the costco website too... maybe $80 for that and you can program up to four people I think (which I'm not sure if mine does multiple people now that I think about it!). Just keep at your workouts and make sure that you are always challenging yourself. If you can always do a workout with just minimal discomfort then your body isn't being challenged and won't change as quickly. Also, remember to vary your routine if you can so that your muscles don't get used to the same thing all the time!

Yep you're right Janna! I won't remember what posts they were for the life of me BUT now that I'm home I can attach a picture that I saved to my laptop! I have no idea who I 'borrowed' these from though so I have no idea who to ask about them either. I'd love to know if they were made of silk flowers or real, and how they were made!! I'd love to have these for my wedding!

I didn't really want to do a registry either because FI and I have lived together in our house for a while now so we don't really need anything, and we definitely didn't want our guests to feel like they needed us to get anything. I had told this to my bridesmaids (my sister and two friends) and said that if anyone asked and was really insistent on getting an answer, that we are currently saving for a new bed (king size!!!) and a new washer-dryer. We also support a boxer rescue program so donations could be made towards that. I figure that since some of our guests can't attend (grandparents for example) they will still really want to do something for us so my BM's can pass it along if needed.

It's such a tease though! I got really mad at my ticker a little while ago because I was so excited that I was into the five month range until I realized I had still been closer to six months than five! LOL! BUT I am still horribly envious that you have 4's and I still have 5's

Well I have to repeat some of the comments made by HereFishie, autjo and future_mrs2010. My biggest stress was choosing the resort. I have traveled very little and it was hard for me to sift through all the choices. Along with this was trying to coordinate our trip dates with guests leaving from three different provinces. We started out going through a TA which ended up being an even bigger headache so we just took care of our own booking and left it up to our guests to do theirs, based on our recommendations if needed. Next biggest - my FMIL. After we booked and sent out a Save the Date, my FMIL did not speak to us for 6 weeks she was so angry about a huge number of things to do with us, our wedding and our planning. Then it took another six weeks nearly for FI's parents to book. Thankfully attitudes have been readjusted and things are ok, but the sad part is that FI wants little to do with his parents now and in the future because of their behaviour. Finally - the money. And not so much that we're spending a lot but FI is really, umm, particular (haha) about how money is spent so he gets really annoyed anytime I mention bigger spends. We're paying for everything and also trying to do it in cash as much as possible. Basically any costs we've incurred so far are fully paid for. Now it will just be a matter of putting some dollars aside to cover our reception costs and then of course any spending money we want. I agree that this website has been HUGE in keeping my stress level down!!! My other girlfriends that are planning local weddings have been jealous of all the amazing ideas from here.

Lady Trunck - hehehehe, I think the funniest part about Suzy and I chatting so often and hanging out is that BOTH our FI's think we're completely weird for it! They just don't understand how we have no issues hanging out with "some random girl" that we met online. Just before heading to the mall with Suzy, my FI says "you know, that's how people disappear" and then he gave me this look like I should know better! It was too funny! In the meantime, Suzy and I sit down and chat away like we've known each other forever! But we can't wait for the swatches to take a trip north of the border! I have an idea in my head which colour I want to get for FI, and I think we're doing the black bottoms fro our GM but we'll definitely let you know for sure once we decide!

Oh and thank you for posting the list again, even if it isn't quite complete yet! We can just add anyone that may have been missed. And Ginalyn - don't feel too bad about not having your name on the list anymore. You're lucky enough to say that you had your beautiful wedding and get to be a Mrs. while the rest of us still have to wait it out at least a few months longer! Lately keep thinking that I just want it to be here already and I'm getting so impatient! LOL! I don't want to wait another five months!!

Adrianne - I'd seen some gorgeous pictures of streamers I guess you would call them, with orchids and beading hanging down (kind of like beaded curtains but more spread out and really, really pretty!) but I haven't looked into it too much since then. LOL! I think we were just going to do something fairly simple anyways since the ocean view around the gazebo will do wonders anyways I think! What about you? Had you come up with other ideas?

Tonya your pictures are so cute! Your brother did a really good job! I like that they're very playful and sweet. Hehe, and although I have my bridesmaids dresses already, I was looking at the ones you picked yesterday online just for fun! I really like them!

Yah I was reading yesterday that flights into cancun had been cancelled etc. so the winds at least must've been pretty bad. What a memorable trip it will be though! Adrianne - I'd had a similar idea for the organza in the gazebo. I was wondering if the resort provided that decoration or if Kim had arranged it. Maybe we can coordinate some decorations since I'm there just a few weeks before you are! Do we have an updated list of our DPA brides lately?? I honestly don't even know how far back I'd have to go to find the last list that was posted but I sure can't keep track of them! If someone has a few moments of searching time maybe we could get that list updated.

Hey juliaks... Suzy and I haven't received them yet but I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to get the swatches to you while we have them in town! We aren't getting them until after the US thanksgiving weekend at the end of the month but I'll let you know once they're here!

That's exactly how we feel about our legal part! Plus, we didn't want our friends and family to know or feel like it wasn't the "real thing" in Mexico if they found out we weren't doing the legal part while we're there!

I would definitely second the comment about checking your car-seat only when you get on the plane but NOT when you check your luggage. My sisters car seat was "lost" on a flight, which thankfully was local and not somewhere like Mexico or Cuba etc. The airline told her to "just head on home to your destination and we'll call you". Umm excuse me, how do you travel with an infant and no car seat?!?!? Anyways, you get the point I'm sure Also, depending who your transport is with from the airport to the hotel, you may also want to contact them ahead of time and let them know you are travelling with an infant in a car seat. I don't know for sure, but my concern is that if you didn't book your baby a seat on the plane, then they may not include the baby in their overall count on the bus... which would mean driving from the airport to your resort in La Romana with the baby and/or the car seat on your lap. And I don't think that would be terribly comfortable for you or safe for either of you. Also, for your flight if you're able to pre-book your seats then sometimes requesting one window seat and one aisle seat can help you secure the middle seat for the baby. And if you end up with a fully booked flight and someone in the seat between you and FI then I'm sure that person would be more than willing to switch with one of you so that you can sit together and aren't passing baby back and forth the entire flight If you need any more clarification about what allowances you have for the baby then you can contact your airline specifically to double check. And remember that DR probably has very different rules about infants and car seats so make sure that you do whatever makes you feel safe for you and your baby.

Quote: Originally Posted by GregsBride Meghan, Have you thought about having your seamstress add cups to your dress?? Although my dress isn't really low in the back, it only has one strap and the sweetheart dips pretty low in the front. It's ok as it, but my seamstress said that if I was worried about support and/or wanted a little more up top she can add cups for me. I already have all my accessories!! It's funny because I knew exactly what kind of bracelet and earrings I wanted to wear, so I ordered the bracelet from Etsy and hunted around for the earrings and I was lucky enough to find the exact style on sale in Macys. I went a little overboard on shoes though, because I initally thought I was wearing another dress but when I finally picked out my current dress my first pair wouldn't work So one day I went insane on Zappos and ordered 3 pair, but ended up settling on a pair that matched perfectly with my dress. I love Zappos for times like these because they have free shipping and returns for and entire year!!! As for my veil, I knew I didn't want to spend tons on it so I found the perfect one on ebay for $15!!! I think I will be asking my seamstress to add some padding to my dress now that you mention it - thank you! I'm sure they would be a more comfy option to having the stick on ones if I can manage it. I emailed an old friend of mine who now does jewelery making to see if she would be willing and able to help me out with some accessories. I've been trying to find some options for a headband, not the fixed shape kind but the ones that are all twisted wire with beading and stuff, and haven't had much luck other than one store here. So I'll see what she says and go from there. She's just trying to get her stuff loaded on etsy so if she does I will definitely post for her because she is awesome! I seriously need to check out Etsy sometime because I hear everyone talk about it but I have no idea what it is all about!! Quote: Originally Posted by doblauvelt The shoes you got from zappos, are they whtie? I'm thinking about wearing a brown pair as my wedding shoes and my mom flipped out saying they should be white.. does it matter? Tonya, I think you should totally wear coloured shoes if you want to! I think that especially with DW's you can totally break away from the "standard" traditions that your mom is more likely used to. I'm wearing blue flip flops with my dress! My bridesmaids all want to wear heels with their dresses but I totally don't mind because they're all shorter than me to start with hehe! Sometimes i think that I should wear a heel too, or go more traditional, but everyone who knows me would be more surprised by that than if I did show up in some bright colour. GO FOR IT!!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by HereFishie Thanks for the info on that echo. We're still going to do the legal part here... we're fine with using a marriage commissioner if need be. Sure would be easier to go to the courthouse though! Yes, I totally agree that the courthouse would be easier! Have you started looking for a marriage commissioner yet? I've checked out a few online but have yet to make the calls. We'd originally planned (and would still prefer) to do our legal part after our wedding in mexico but because of a couple family members that aren't able to make the wedding but could visit from Manitoba before hand, we have thought about doing the legal stuff when they are available. But we totally haven't decided on it yet...

Okay so yesterday was my first workout on the 30 day shred and so far the damage doesn't seem too bad. Although i can't quite tell if I'm a bit sore from the workout or from falling down my stairs yesterday LOL! I never thought I was that accident prone until FI pointed it out recently - I guess he was right! I only started with the 3lb weights since I wasn't sure what to expect. I think I'll stick with them for a few few days, then bump up to 5lbs after that. My plan is to do my month with this workout, then switch to the 30day workout from the Making the Cut book once I'm more used to all the exercises Jillian uses. I hoping that alternating back and forth between the two workouts will help keep my body from getting adjusted too quickly.

Okay so yesterday was my first workout on the 30 day shred and so far the damage doesn't seem too bad. Although i can't quite tell if I'm a bit sore from the workout or from falling down my stairs yesterday LOL! I never thought I was that accident prone until FI pointed it out recently - I guess he was right! I only started with the 3lb weights since I wasn't sure what to expect. I think I'll stick with them for a few few days, then bump up to 5lbs after that. My plan is to do my month with this workout, then switch to the 30day workout from the Making the Cut book once I'm more used to all the exercises Jillian uses. I hoping that alternating back and forth between the two workouts will help keep my body from getting adjusted too quickly.

Very cute pics Tonya!

Quote: Originally Posted by shortnsweet7675 I just had to share... My sister was in town this weekend to shop for bridesmaids dresses (she is a bridesmaid). I'm only having a maid of honor and one bridesmaid. My maid of honor will be wearing the same dress. The dress is shown in brown, but we are ordering it in garnet (a deep red color). It is a D’Zage Style 8003. What do you think? Since we ordered the bridesmaids dress from the same shop as my dress, I was able to put on my dress sample and see how the bridesmaids dress will look next to mine. The surprising thing is that I look much thinner in my dress than the first time I tried it on (I only lost 5 pounds). It was a nice surprise though... more motivation to keep losing weight. It’s such a relief to get one more thing checked off the list! Those dresses are really cute! I think the red colour will look awesome too! I love having one more box to check off. I'm waiting for the last of my bridesmaids to receive her dress and then I'll be able to do the same! Quote: Originally Posted by angie8119 I am on to page 8 on this thread and I promise I will continue to read, please just forgive me if these questions have already been addressed. What I am working on -FI: suit (any suggestions on where I can get a linen suit, and how long it takes to order?) am i forgetting anything here that I may be behind in? there is so much detail, whoah overwhelming!! Hey, I know it can seem overwhelming but here are a couple links to other threads that might help to get your brain in order.... linen suits... Studio Suits... I can't remember how long it takes for them to come in but we haven't ordered ours yet so hopefully we're both okay!! A big to-do list... DW to-do list... you need to have enough points to download this one so if you don't have enough yet then post your little heart out! Out of Town Bags (OOT)... The Master List... this one is posted so that you can just read through all the items in one message, but if you go through a few pages there is also an excel and word attachment for you to download (again with the points...). I found the excel one was great because whoever posted it actually formatted the list to help you keep track of how much your spending on all your items. And there are lots of threads of other brides who have posted pics of their OOT bags so you can use those for ideas if you need them. Sounds like you've already gotten off to a good start though so keep it up and you'll be ready in no time! Quote: Originally Posted by shortnsweet7675 Anyway, it looks like you are on track with everything. I didn’t get officially engaged until August, so I didn’t send out my STDs until mid-September. So, I don’t think it was too late sending out STDs in August. I can’t think of anything else you may be forgetting other than what the other ladies have already suggested. Thank you so much for the compliments on my dress. I hope my FI likes my dress when he finally gets to see it on our wedding day . I agree that you're probably ok for the invites since you've already been able to send out your STD's so that your guests can book the time off and start saving up. Have you already gone through a travel agent to get pricing or do you think you'll find arrangements yourself? I may have missed if you commented on that already... Natasha - I am SURE that your FI will absolutely love you in your dress! It looks like it fits you really well and you looked very happy in it already! Haha, I worry about my FI liking me in my dress because he doesn't usually care for when I get dressed up and thinks I'm more attractive in track pants LOL!