Melidell

Hi guys... I've been super busy getting unpacked and back to work- haven't been on in a bit. Tracy- I hope your sugery goes well for you. It sounds like you go through alot so I hope it gives you a bit of a break in the long run. My fingers are crossed for you. We had our AHR at my parents place in PEI last week. It went really well. It was super casual but it was still a lot of work. We did a mix of catered trays (sanwiches, veggies, etc...) and homemade stuff like cheeseballs and dips and things. I spent most of the day with my Mother, Father and husband putting cheese and crackers on trays, chocolate on strawberries.... but it was worth it. The best part was my Aunt- she wanted to be in charge of bringing the cake and I figured it would just be a sheet cake but she had a wedding cake made and it was gorgeous! I guess she brought my invitations to the baker and she made it to match. I couldn't believe it! It was a really fun night- I think we had well over 60 people. Everyone had a great time, and we had pictures from the wedding and our trip up on the television for a slideshow so that was cool, too. Here's some pics of the cake and us cutting it. The shell on top was edible, too. I know what your husband means about not wanting to do anything else wedding related, Meghan. I'm pretty weddinged out right now, too. However, spending the checks we were given has been fun- we bought a new couch and a blender. Now we need to do thank you cards... ugghh. Good luck with your AHRs, everyone! They sound so fun, I hope you can post up some pictures of them.

I just got back from our wedding in Santa Maria Cuba this week and I have to put up a review for our amazing photographer. We used Mandie from Shutterbrugs photography ShutterBrugs Photography - Award Winning Photography, Wedding, Portraits, Maternity, Children, Event Photography She was absolutely incredible in every way- bringing her along with us was the best wedding decision we made, hands down. Before our wedding I was nervous about trying to hire a photographer "long distance," but I live in a remote area and I knew the chances of me meeting with our photographer before we left were slim. I did a lot of research and looked at so many different destination wedding pictures before I narrowed it down to Mandie. I already loved her (amazing) work before I contacted her but it was her personality that really won me over. She put me at ease right away when we spoke over the phone- she's positive and friendly but very professional as well. What really struck me the first time we spoke was the pride she takes in her work- it sounds like a cliche but she's extremely passionate about what she does and it shows. The first thing I said to my husband once we'd wrapped up our phone interview was "this is it- we NEED to hire her." It didn't hurt that we found her prices very reasonable, and her package was really generous as well. Plus she's had a lot of experience doing destination weddings- it was a good feeling knowing that she really knows what she's doing. From then on it was smooth sailing! We kept in touch with emails and the occasional phone call leading up to the wedding. This was great because by the time we got to our resort I felt like I knew her and we were on the same page. My husband and I sat down with her a few days before the wedding and went over all of the details and we were good to go. Mandie had a lot of great ideas and input for us and I knew we were in good hands. On the wedding day things could not have gone better. She really put us and our guests at ease- I was amazed at how well she could gel with our group without having met any of them before! She was great at giving direction when it was needed (like for those group shots where you're trying to get everyone together and it's like herding cats ) and also really good at fading into the background during more personal moments (when we were exchanging our vows). It was a good balance. Most of the time, though, we felt like she was just another one of our guests (she just had a WAY nicer camera). The highlight of pictures for both of us were our "Fash the dress" sessions. Yes, sessions, we ended up doing two! We did a really fun shoot in the water- we played in the ocean, the sand, the showers and the pool at the resort- it was a blast! I didn't think anything could top that, but I was wrong! The next week we travelled into some of the smaller communities off of the resort with a couple that we were "sharing" Mandie with and that was amazing! We all wanted something different than your typical beach pictures- something that would show that we were in Cuba, not just at a resort. What we got was absolutely incredible- I've been looking at my teaser pictures all day and I can't believe that those are actually MY wedding pictures. It's almost surreal. To wrap it up- getting Mandie to do our pictures was the best investment that we could have made. She was a pleasure to work with and went above and beyond what anyone could have expected to make sure we had a great time and wonderful, beautiful pictures. Pictures are so important- once the wedding is over those are one of the only things that you get to take home with you. I would have been nervous trusting something that important to just anyone, but with Mandie I didn't worry for one second. I would recommend her to anyone in a heartbeat- and I know we'll be going out of our way to hire her again for any other big moments that life may bring us. Feel free to check out her slideshow of our wedding- I think it speaks for itself: ShutterBrugs Photography Life, Wedding and Portrait Photographers in the GTA

Great reviews, Wendy! You're resort review is really detailed and I love the pics. Our photographer just put up the teasers from our wedding on her blog- check them out if you've got a minute. It's the entry titled "Congratulations Melani and Wyman." I'm such a dork, I keep playing the slideshow over and over- I've been watching it all day. ShutterBrugs Photography Life, Wedding and Portrait Photographers in the GTA

Wow, Erin, your pictures are so beautiful! I love your dress and your flowers were gorgeous. What a gorgeous wedding you had- you looked so pretty! Wow! I thought about you on the 28th, too, and Suzy on the next day. I was wondering how it went for you, I'm glad to see you had great weather, too. I agree- I'd love to see some pictures of everyone's AHR. We're having a little one at my parents place this Friday- very casual. I'll try to put some pictures of it up- but I guess I need to worry about wedding pictures first. I keep checking my photographer's blog for teasers, they should be up this week (fingers crossed). I need to post some non pro pics later today.

This is one of my favourite threads so I had to add to it. Here are my do's and don'ts, hope it helps: Would do: A destination wedding! Best choice I've ever made. We were pretty stress free when the wedding rolled around- it was a great feeling. It was so nice to have a week to spend with our closest friends and family- it was the best time of my life. Take a limo to the airport. We got some friends together, brought champange and had a little party on our way. It started the trip off right- we had a blast. We figured that just because we were having a DW didn't mean that we shouldn't get a limo ride! Go with a simple dress. I love some of the more elaborate and fancier dresses out there, I second guessed my choice a few times, but after carrying mine on several planes I was glad it wasn't heavier. I also think I would have roasted in anything bigger, honestly. Plus, the corset and slip were built in so I had less to pack. Have the spa do my hair. I brought a few pictures with me, but I was pretty laid back about the style and it turned out really well, and didn't move all night. They did an awesome job and it was one less thing for me to worry about. Do my own makeup. I wanted to look like myself, just a bit more "done." I invested in some good quality makeup before we left and it turned out well. Have my wedding later in the day. We got married at 5:15 (well, maybe 5:30 or so because it ran late) and the worst heat of the day was over. Plus the light was softer for the pictures. We had plenty of sunlight for pics afterwards, and our guests weren't waiting around too long for dinner. Plus we had all day to get ready and relax, which was nice. Travel mugs! I didn't do OOT bags and I don't regret it but the mugs were a huge hit. My guests used them the whole time and actually had other people at the resort ask them where they could buy them. Go with the insulated ones if you can- they were great for keeping drinks cold. Cigars! We handed them out after dinner and they were a huge hit. Cubans, naturally! Even my mother was puffing on one. Made for great pictures. Hang out with my MH the afternoon of the wedding. We stayed out of the sun, did our nails and toes and just relaxed. My advice is to pick someone (one or two people, you don't want a big group) who wont stress you out and just hang out with them before you have to get ready. Delegate! The week after my wedding I saw a bride all done up in her dress/ hair/ etc... setting up her favours and table settings herself before her wedding dinner. Ladies- you are not going to want to do this on your wedding day, trust me. I had a few things for my tables and I asked two guests who I trusted (FI's brother and a good friend) to make sure they got to where they needed to go. They didn't mind a bit (actually, they really hit it off, wink wink) and I wasn't worried about details. Don't try to micromanage- it's not worth it. Bring my photographer. Best investment ever. She was awesome, got along great with our guests, put everyone at ease and I felt like I was in great hands. I am so glad that we did this- if you are on the fence about it, I'm telling you you won't regret it. Pictures are one of the only things that you'll have to keep once the wedding is over (aside from a husband, of course). Trash the dress! Do it- it was so much fun. My husband wasn't sure about taking more pictures but he got right into it and we had so much fun. We actually ended up doing two trash sessions- one in the water and one in a little Cuban town- and he was the one who wanted to do the extra session. Relax and enjoy yourself! It's out of you hands on the actual wedding day, so why worry? Let it happen as it happens and you'll have a better time. One of my friends told me she couldn't believe how relaxed and happy I was. Of course I was- I was marrying the man of my dreams in paradise!! Another girl said to me: "I saw a lot of other brides this week, but they looked stressed. You were the only girl I saw smiling." Be the bride who's smiling- just keep reminding yourself how lucky you are! Wouldn't do: Have my hair appointment only two hours before the wedding. The spa was running late and then I was running late. It was the only thing that was a bit stressful about the day. If I could do it again I would have my hair done earlier and then I would have had more time. Party too much the day before. Yeah, I was a bit tired, and I tried to have a nap but I was too worked up to sleep. Go to bed early! Kick FI (husband, now) out of our room earlier in the day. I'm glad we spent the night together, but he was a bit nervous on the day and it was getting on my nerves. He was making phone calls all morning to check on people and make sure they knew where they were supposed to be and when and it was annoying. He was all wound up- he told me later he wanted everything to be perfect for me and he didn't want anything to stress me out so he was trying to make sure it was all going well- silly boy. I should have sent him to his BM and his brothers right after breakfast so he could relax. I think this is the real reason they say not to see each other before the wedding- one of you will be stressed and then stress the other one out. Forget my cake topper. I brought it all the way down and then didn't use it! Not a big deal, but I should have gotten all of my wedding stuff together the day before and then it wouldn't have happened. Maybe make a list before you leave of things that you'll need on the day. I should have brought a picture of the bouquet I wanted. I assumed that they wouldn't have much available for flowers at the resort, boy was I ever wrong. They did all kinds of different bouquets, I could have had whatever I wanted. I described what I liked but there was a language barrier. My bouquet was still gorgeous, but I would have picked out something a bit different if I'd been thinking.

I just got back and it was amazing! We had a wonderful time and our guests loved the resort. Everyone was really happy with our choice- we got nothing but raves from everyone. The wedding went really well, they really know what they're doing there. I'll write a fuller review once I get my bearings again but I just have to say that I'm so glad that I got married at MLD.

Hi all, just popping in to say I'm back and it was just fantastic. Perfect weather, great group, gorgeous resort and an amazing wedding. I'm still on cloud nine. I'll post some more once I get caught up with the thread and I'll get some pictures up soon, too. I'm still recovering from our late flight back last night so I'll be back when I'm more coherent. I can't believe we're all married now!

Jodi- so sorry to hear about your change of plans. I'm glad you were able to find somewhere else to go and I hope everything goes really well for you on your big day! Natasha- have a safe trip! Good luck- and in case I don't get a chance before I leave myself: have a wonderful wedding! ewok- I think it's going to be hard for me to get back into the swing of things after our trip, too. Tracy- OMG, you've got me choking on my coffee with your "your out of your dress" story! Lol- you are too funny. I'll keep an eye on mine now when I do my TTD- I'll be thinking of you! I'm sorry to hear about your friend- that would be awkward. Sounds like you guys have a good balance going on, though. Hope you feel better soon!

Quote: Originally Posted by sjmacphe I wish I was going to be there the same time as you ladies, it would have been nice to have a steamer . You're going to be there soooo soon! I'm excited for you, I can't believe I only have 40 days left! I feel like time is going pretty fast now. Question for you Meli, I think I remember reading that you ordered mugs from discount mugs - I ordered mine a couple of weeks ago - I haven't heard anything from them (ie about the art or anything...), how long did they take to ship them and were you happy with them? It took about a month for them to process my order and for me to receive the mugs. I really like them- we were pretty happy with discount mugs overall. I'd send them an email to check on the status of your order, just so you know what's going on. I wish you were going to be there at the same time as us, too! That would have been cool. You've got just over a month to go, now- it's going to fly by, believe me! I can't wait to get there- I'm so excited! We leave this Sunday, so only a few more days. Where did the time go?

Woohoo!!! Go Erin! I love all of your wedding things- your boquet is gorgeous and having your guests sign a map for your guest book is such a cool idea. Love your colours, too. You're going to have such a beautiful wedding! Good luck, date twin!

I'm just trying to get caught up with this thread- it's getting pretty cool in here with all of these wedding pictures. It's making me so excited! Tracy- your pictures are gorgeous! I can't wait to see some more. You looked amazing in your dress! Suzy- sorry to hear about your arm but I'm so glad your little guy is okay. You must have pretty good reflexes- sounds like it was a close shave. Don't worry about it too much- it probably won't show up in pics and you can always photoshop it out if you need to. Congrats on your legal day, Erin! Good luck! I'm on my way to check out your planning thread right now. ETA- Jenna, congrats on your beautiful pictures. Your wedding looks like it was just incredible, thanks for sharing your pictures with us.

Quote: Originally Posted by purpleshells Hey Mel.. email me your room number so that I know where to go to borrow the docking system terrified I wont find you in time.lol Will do! Don't worry, though, I'll make sure I tell Mandie about it too. In case she finds you first! Oh- we're bringing a steamer for clothes too if you need to borrow it for your dress. Just let me know!

Welcome back and congrats! Hope everything went well- sorry about the cold. Your pictures are gorgeous so far.

Quote: Originally Posted by KimmyG Hi everyone!!! I'm baaaaack! Sending best wishes to everyone yet to leave and can't wait to hear about everyone's adventures. Our trip was lovely. Not everything went perfect or according to plan, but it was overall fabulous. I wrote a ton of info in the Riu RM thread since most of it was resort-specific. Congrats!!! I'm so glad to hear that your trip was good- I'll be sure to check out the details in the Riu RM thread when I get a few minutes- sounds like a good read. Quote: Originally Posted by tim-juleswed Well hello all! So we did it! April 1, 2010 and the Gran Bahia Prinicpe Jamaica and let me tell you...it was FANTASTIC! . Awww... congrats Mrs! I'm so glad it was fantastic and that everything went smoothly. I'm getting pretty anxious over here so it's great to hear from others that they had a good experience. Quote: Originally Posted by ebredhawk so now that there are so few of us left i am getting even more anxious! my MOH and i have been playing a game where we try to find anything that we can say we've done for the last time before we leave. for example... today is my last friday of work before we leave! anything to pass the time!! i'm so glad for mel and suzy bringing up the end of april strong with me! Yep- we'll be representing the end of April for another week! I love your countdown system- I'm getting really impatient too but we've been travelling around so much that it's been keeping me busy. I saw my brother for the first time in over a year the other night, we stayed for a few days with FI's best man and now we're over at FMIL's for a few days (it's FI's birthday today!). Busy, busy, busy! FI found his suit, no problem- it's just being tailored right now. I really didn't want to interfer too much with it, I wanted him to pick out something that he liked and that he was comfortable in and I guess staying out of it paid off because he picked out exactly what I would have picked for him. I'm so happy with it- he looks so handsome! I had my (first and last) dress fitting the other day, too (there's no tailor where we live) and thankfully almost nothing needs to be done to it- just a tiny bit needs to come in around the top and the waist. That was a big relief- it'll be ready a few days before we leave. Also- happy (belated) wedding day, Meghan!!! I hope everything went well. Safe travels to everyone who left this week and happy wedding day to anyone I've missed while I've been on the road.