echo2_62

I heard mention of someone who'd had a bunch of stones carved/engraved with her fathers name for the funeral and since they had some still, they were going to take a moment for everyone to throw one into the ocean as part of her ceremony. Her father passed very recently too (not sure if it's the same for you) so it all seemed to come together for their family. It definitely made me want to cry!

hehe Jenna you're funny! But I can totally relate too! I wrote up my to-do list yesterday morning since I found there wasn't a single checklist that would get me through the next couple of weeks! So a 1.5 pages later... How am I going to find the time? Thank goodness we've got an extra day off over the Easter weekend!

Quote: Originally Posted by Rainfall Hey Meghan, OMG it's getting soo close! Good Luck to you! I just brought cash with me and paid with USD, it was a better rate than to put everything on the CC since it will ding you twice. Esp with the rates sooo awesome the last few days I recommend that!. Let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks for the advice! We are going today to exchange money and you're right that with the dollar so good we may as well just get the cash out. I am just nervous about travelling with that much $$ on us, since we were planning to take a good amount for spending money and to use on excursions. Haha and FI doesn't even want me walking around locally with that kind of cash, nevermind down in MX! Quote: Originally Posted by bridej9 Thank you ladies for all of the information on reception places!! I guess I'll just wait until I get there (we leave in 17days!!). I love the lagoon idea because it is private, I'll have to see how the smell of algae is when we get there, I'm guessing depending on the time of year that can change. And if it's cool I'll look at the option above Portfinos. I was hoping to have this planned out before leaving to put it in the welcome booklet, but I'd rather wait for the perfect location then rush and choose the wrong spot for us. All great ideas! Thanks again laides! I'll have to find you when I get to the resort to see what you end up choosing! We'll be arriving in the evening on your wedding day! So exciting!

Hey we've got a huge April 2010 thread on here so pop over and say hi when you get a chance! April 2010 brides

Hi Jasmin! There are LOTS of us from Alberta on this thread and I'm sure you'll find us all very soon. You'll be up to your eyeballs very soon with all the great ideas on here. Just holler if you need some local help too

I really like those hair pics! I think if you want the fullness of that do maybe you could look into hair extensions?? When I did my hair trial with my BM who is doing it for me, we discovered that I wound up with a bare spot right smack in the middle of the back of my head, with the way we needed to do my hair to get more fullness on top! So we're just going to add in a couple fillers

Hey I do have the hankies already - or at least I will have them this weekend when my alterations lady is done with them. I'm using the shawl from my dress (something I would NEVER use for myself!) to make five hankies for our moms and grandma's - it was totally an idea that I stole from someone on here So yes, if you could send me the names/addresses/numbers - whatever! - for them I would definitely appreciate it! It only takes me about 8 minutes to make it to the west side of Calgary on the ring road so cochrane really isn't a heck of a lot further from there Thank you!!

Can anyone tell me, how do we pay Jacy for all the wedding related charges once we are at the resort? Is it cash only or can we use our credit cards for the payments? FI and I have to get money exchanged this week and need to know whether to account for our reception costs etc as a cash payment. Oh yes, and for anyone who has chosen a reception meal that is NOT included in one of the wedding packages (ie. not the gold or silver plates), did you have all your guests choose their meals ahead of time, and how far in advance? Was it before you left for the wedding, or once you were all at the resort and could quickly ask all your guests? I've been trying to check with Jacy but I think she is misunderstanding and thinks I want TWO main course meals for each guest. Thanks!

Okay girls I need some help here... I need to get some hankies embroidered in the next couple weeks here before we leave but I'm not quite sure where to go!! Does anyone have recommendations?

AWw Tracy those are such good little speeches!! Good for you! For your own parents, you could maybe say something about how well they taught you to become the person you are, or joke that they have officially made it through the trials of your younger years to see you off with your new husband who now has to deal with you (ha ha ha!). I'm all about keeping it light whenever possible. I think the only time we'll really have to write something down is for the FAMILY dinner that we're having probably the night before. We figured that since our friends hugely outnumber the family members we have (as in, 25 to 7!) that we should set aside some time for them. Again, it's more for them than for us but I can deal with it. We'll probably say a thank you to our parents and familes at that point and at the same time ask them NOT to do any sort of speeches at our reception I have no problem telling my parents that ahead of time but I think since FI's parents are totally more traditional then if they know ahead of time they will try to find a way around it. Anyways, that's why a more generic thank you at our reception dinner shouldn't be a problem. End story - FI and I really hate stuff like that (having to do it, or listen to it about us!) so the more we can avoid the happier we are.

haha maybe i'm not a real bride afterall - I'm an emotional person but getting all these last minute details together just doesn't make me that emotional!! Maybe it's because we're not planning any sort of speeches or anything - none from the wedding party, none from the parents (if we can help it at all) and no specific thank-you's other than to all our guests for coming down with us. I totally cried at my sisters wedding when I made my speech but I was like 16 yrs old. I should probably arm myself for some waterworks though b/c my sister can say anything and make me cry LOL!

oh no Tara!!! I'm sorry to hear that you're having problems with your house credit!! I imagine that there will be a lot of other people in the same boat as you but I know that doesn't necessarily make you feel any better. Hopefully your dad will understand that it's a situation that is totally out of your control and that you wouldn't have asked otherwise. Maybe because it is likely to be a short term loan while you work out your tax stuff, he won't mind quite as much?? My dad (actually both parents) are a lot like your dad too, having been burned before with money loans so I can definitely understand why he'd be hesitant in the first place. I really hope that you're able to get everything worked out in time! How ridiculous that you have to wait for the letter to come in the mail when you already had them on the phone. Ugh, I haven't even had time to do my taxes yet - how ridiculous is that!

Thanks Ginalyn!! I'll definitely look into both locations once we get down there to see how each one is. There are a bunch of us leaving pretty soon here and I can't believe that we leave in three weeks today!!

Quote: Originally Posted by ewok I would love to ponder about a nice up-do, I would put some nice crystals in there. You girls will look amazing. Sadly, I have this amazing concave cut, very short in the back with nice lenght (2-3 inches below the chin) in front, that finally makes me look like a grown-up and get me good comments all the time. Which means the only thing I can really do is straighten it perfectly, can't even put a hair flower or something, my hair is very fine & silky, it will just slip down. I will be pretty anyhow! Are you able to use a comb or wire wrap in your hair?? Either of those might get a bit better grab if you've got fine hair. Either that or you could find something similar to mine that is able to wrap all the way around your head a couple times? They're called hair vines (took me FOREVER to figure that out) and might work for you as well!

haha we've been having a little trouble dodging questions about the wedding lately because NONE of our family knows that we're doing the legal stuff ahead of time and FI's brother did a DW a few years ago so they know all about needing bloodwork and getting papers translated etc. I feel bad that FI's mom keeps checking if we've got our appointment booked for the blood test and when and where (she thnks she needs to know all the details on our behalf!!!!) and all I can say is "yep, we've got everything taken care of" because I don't know how else to avoid more questions from her! LOL! People will probably find out some time down the road but I don't think they'll mind too much because the one thing his brother & SIL have always said was that the only part they'd have done differently is to skip out on the hassle of bloodwork and translations...

OMG I wish that I knew there was a local rate for the rooms!!!! I think we paid nearly three times that rate even on sale! Way to go for finding that out and I'm sure it will help a lot of other girls out down the road. Damn, damn, damn And yes, we are officially three weeks away from leaving and there's almost nothing I've done this weekend that wasn't related to the wedding. There are a few last minute things that I'm scrambling with and it kind of sucks but thankfully its all pretty easy to get done so that's the best I can hope for. I am definitely getting excited though! Dee, thanks for the extra comments about the poolside location. That's where we're currently thinking of having our reception because we don't really want to pay a lot extra for a private venue but we also want the concrete to make it easier on our grandparents who will be attending and don't have great mobility anymore. Can anyone tell me if there is an extra fee to have the reception by the lagoon? I know someone commented that the algae can make it smell (which of course I don't really want either!) but it might be better than freezing!

congrats Jenna! Can't wait to see all the things you've been storing up for us

LOL - I had to laugh a bit at the cautions about the humidity - I totally agree that it can cause problems but for me it makes me hair MORE curly than straight! Last time I went to Mexico I don't think I even bothered with my straightener at all. Wet hair + gel for me. If you're naturally straight though you won't have that issue. Mel - your comments about the detail in the dress being hidden are the exact reasons I'm not wearing a veil! When I had my fitting with my sister the other week we tried a few different veils and not one suited me and/or the dress anyways, so I didn't feel bad about not wanting one to begin with. I love the corset tie back of my dress and totally don't want it covered! Michele - that must have been so nice that your friend got to come to your dress fitting with you! Sounds like it was special for both of you and that's got to be such a good feeling considering she can't make it to your wedding. I got an email from our photographer today, just working through some final details and that was enough to get me excited for the day! It's been a long couple weeks still dealing with the fallout from FI's bachelor party (if you can believe it's still on-going!) but today I've felt better than I have in all that time so it was good to be excited again!!

Quote: Originally Posted by MayanLily Hi fellow Canadian Brides! I have a feeling this might be my new favorite thread I am at that time where I'm looking for cheap OOT bag stuff and this seems to be the best resource I have right now. Does anyone have any experience ordering with Oriental Trading Co.? I am wanting to order a couple things but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for shipping and customs. Do you think I'm better off finding a canadian company? I have absolutely no experience ordering from the US. Also, I should mention that I am a Michaels-aholic too so if there is anyone that ever wants me to have a look in Calgary for something they can't find in their own city, just say the word. I'm happy to help and I don't mind shipping it out to you if you get desperate. No personal experience with OTC but I've been warned that we'll really get dinged with the customs charges off their purchases. I say if you can find it locally then it's worth the search time.

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Yikes, you just totally put things into perspective for me!! I'm about to blow up at my FI for not being around enough b/c he doesn't get home from work until almost midnight. In my mind he's not making the last minute wedding details a priority, and I've been biting my tongue but don't know how much longer I can! BUT, at least he comes home at night to crawl into bed with me. I think you're handling things pretty well considering his upcoming schedule!! Just hold tight you're sooooo close! hehe The other night I was working on our favours and asked FI why he wouldn't help me and his response was "the last time I worked on arts and crafts I was eight!" and then he started listing off the things he HAS been helpful with. It's true what he was saying, except his list was all things that were done MONTHS ago and mostly just involved him making a decision between two things! LOL! But at the least he's very supportive of whatever I'm working on - as long as he can still watch tv and be supportive. I think guys are missing some sort of wedding gene to be honest! Quote: Originally Posted by ewok Yeah, the big reno was started in November and planned since last spring. We spent all our nights & weekends in Nov-Dec working on that. It is not done since we put time on the wedding thing after Chritsmas. I'm super uber obsessive about not checking any "vital" items (in case my luggage goes missing) or electronics (because of theft) when I'm travelling. I don't know how I would deal with something important going missing. And since I'm styling my own hair, my own professional dryer is a must, the small hotel one won't cut it for my special day. I even put a small bottle of my usual shampoo & conditioner in my 3-1-1 bag, because I know how my har reacts to it (maybe a bit obsessive about my hair...) My mom always told me that whenever I travel I should pack at least one bikini and a full change of clothes in my carry on so I fully agree with you on not checking the vitals. Quote: Originally Posted by caribbeanLover It seems like lately I just can't make any decisions. I'm hoping you can help me pick a style for me hair. I have picked 2, very different looks. I love both but also have issues with both. I never wear my hair up, I don't think it looks good, my face is way to round, however FI loves it up... So I thought I'd do half up half down... so then I thought ,heck I'll just put it all up, and this is the one I only liked... but my issue is, I def don't want to wake up any earlier then I already have to, and def don't want to spend way to much time at the spa for my hair, so do you think this would take to much time to do? and will it hurt with all the freaking bobby pins?!?! Tracy - I also had the first picture as one to do my hair from... actually I wound up with it saved about four times so I knew I must really like it. One other detail to take into consideration is your dress. What kind of back does it have? I voted for the half up/half down look but my dress also has the corset style from mid back down to my tailbone pretty much so I know that will help me vent a lot of my body heat. Whereas if your dress has a solid back right up to your shoulder blades then you might be cooler with the more full up-do. Just food for thought anyways. And curling your hair like the second picture doesn't take *too* long and probably not any longer than the first picture. Anyone good with the bobby pins won't make them hurt either - mostly! There's always one or two that will dig in a bit but they can usually be adjusted for you. (I've worn my hair like in the second pic before!!). I say just go with what you're happiest with - how it looks with your dress and honestly FI will love however you wear it. I can bet he won't take his eyes off you AND p.s. you girls were BUSY yesterday! There were at least THREE PAGES that I didn't write on a single time which is insane!!! I know I probably missed a couple things to comment on too...

ooooohhh alice I just saw the resort you're getting married at - I was there on vacation two years ago and it was so nice!!! We were in the building that is right beside the second pool (not the activity pool) so we had our own buffet open to us all day long which was great!! I seriously don't think we made it to the main pool more than twice and mostly it was just to get over to the beach. The food was always good too! But my favourite things - my bed and the shower. If I could have taken both of those home I'd never be leaving my house again!!!

Well I'm glad that my to-do list sounds shorter coming out than it does in my head! I honestly don't feel that way at all. The good news is that I'm working on the assembly of my OOT bags (haha I'm classy and putting them all in ziplock bags until we're ready to hand them out in the real bags - I need to know all the items are contained and won't fall out in the process!!), and am 80% finished my DIY favours for our guests. I think all I have to finish printing out are some tags for the bags so I know who gets what - don't think the grandparents would enjoy a few of the contents we included for our friends Those were pretty much the last couple things to get done at home before packing. I also have to pick up my ring this weekend and go in for my second dress fitting. I'd really love to be able to have all the bits and pieces done this weekend so I can focus on getting all the pieces organized!!!

Hehe yes it is!! My ticker just switched to counting down in days so it's pretty cool! We leave April 12 so I'm kinda freaking out at the lack of weekend time (and time in general) that I have to get things finished!

Is the lagoon the same as the poolside? I think I'm starting to get things mixed up!!

Haha I totally hear ya! We have half our Calgary guests leaving on Sunday, half on Monday and then other guests leaving from both Winnipeg and Toronto on Monday as well but all arriving earlier than the Calgary flight!! So basically I'm on the last plane showing up latest for my own wedding trip! We ended up going through WestJet Vacations and found they usually had the best rates of anywhere we looked. Maybe if you have a wedding website you can post a note to your guests that because you aren't booked as a full group they might want to keep in mind that the longer they wait, the less chance there will be that they would fly with the rest of you who have booked already? That way you're not being pushy or anything but honestly some people just don't think of these things!!