absolutanne

07.24.10 5 weeks and 2 days is my wedding date. 47 guests (incl FI and I) flying to Bali, Indonesia from all over the world! I'm psyched!! Last minute things: *photography info sheet *compile playlist for iPod *dance lessons *book groomsmen fishing trip for FI *write vows! *buy sparklers and batik fans Decided to forgo: *favors *programs *out of town bags *videographer Saving money feels good!

Bump this thread!

The biggest stress source for me is planning the flight and coordinating the hotels for guests right now. I nego'd with the airlines and the hotel was going to give me a discount on the rates for the hotels but it is definitely stressful when guests have no idea of what it takes to plan a DW, getting these prices, realizing how awesome these prices are, and they are not even certain on the commitment factor (even after RSVP'ing!!).

WOWOWOWOW. This is an amazing thread! I have learned so much now. The key to me is to think real hard about what I would want when I attend someone else's destination wedding. Here is a list of what I will do/ won't do for my Bali wedding in July. I will have 60 guests, hotel chapel Catholic blessing ceremony at 5pm, cocktails at 6pm, with outdoor clifftop buffet reception at 7pm. -flying out 4 days in advance to do makeup and hair trial, consultation with photographer, wedding dress cleaning, day spa treatments as BM gifts (after all they did fly halfway around the world for me! they totally deserve it), rehearsal. -consider staying in the resort until 2 days after wedding, then move to another part of the island (total 6 days) -definitely iPod with a trustworthy button pusher -no OOT bags for me, most of the guests are travel savvy people -hire drivers and do airport pickup for foreign guests -bucket of bottled water during cocktail hour -maybe videographer? undecided -definitely see each other before wedding and have photog catch the surprise look on FI's face -keep desserts AND small wedding cake, i recently went to a wedding with no desserts with 3 course dinner and i was very very disappointed. Cake was mediocre. Blah. -maybe veil? yes since it's catholic wedding, elbow length -talk to hotel WC about contingency plans -dress the chairs with ties -have 1 day to unwind and rest and lounge at the beach after wedding -entertainment: hire traditional dancers -have all the group flight guests eat out for lunch together so they know each other's faces when travelling together. i nego'd with the airline to give me a discount on a party of 10 people, they gave me 25% on singapore airlines. yes, i am not only a wedding planner but a travel agent! i even accommodated my friends who have plans to travel elsewhere within asia to fit their return dates to the US in the itineraries -microphone for the ceremony (speaking in front of 60 people after all). Too many weddings where I go, "what is the Bride or Groom saying" because of poor acoustics in church or soft spoken people. it gets annoying. -definitely do a wedding rehearsal with mic set up -polaroid guest book and place card table, with my sisters as attendants -sit alone with FI during the reception to have some private time and so BMs and GMs can sit with their loved ones during dinner. -do personal spa in Houston, mani/pedi/wax. BM gift full massage and spa treatment for them. -practice first dance So far I have no regrets: -splurging on the dress - Custom made Lea Ann Belter -DIY STD and cheap but chic DIY invitations from Michaels (they're going to be in the trash anyway after WD). TIP: it is best to send out cheap STDs to really figure out who will/can/wants to go. I sent the STDs to 80 people. Finalized it to 60 people. That way you know you are sending the formal invitations to the people who are committed in going. -doing online RSVPs on theknot.com (free) have 50% success rate. Best to CALL each person and ask! -letting my BMs wear whatever they want as long it fits certain criteria. my BMs all live in different countries. Thanks so much, ladies!!! Keep them coming!

Name: Anne FI Name: Huy (Mike) Wedding Destination: Astina Chapel at Ayana Resort and Spa, Bali, Indonesia What made you choose this destination? It is heaven on earth! I am Indonesian but have never been to Bali except for our recent wedding site visit over Thanksgiving. Beautiful, serene and spiritual Bali is a perfect location for our wedding. Not to mention the best spa treatment in Asia! Wedding Date: July 24, 2010 What made you choose this date? The best weather in Bali happens to be in July and is also the peak season. Summer time is perfect for our friends who are still in college and siblings in high school to spend a few weeks in Asia. Have you decided on your wedding colors? If so, what are they? Leafy green, blush peach, ivory/white, also hints of silver because my shoes are Jimmy Choo Epsies! What is something unique about your wedding? Nothing unique, but I'm trying to convince FI to bring his guitar to play during the reception. He is a wonderful songwriter and guitarist! DONE: Lea-Ann Belter dress finished and sent from Toronto! FI's suit Kenneth Cole STDs sent in November 2009 Formal invitations sent February 2010 Photog deposit Makeup artist deposit Venue deposit Priest booking Wedding bands Buffet selection Cake Flowers TO DO: Wedding band engravings Veil Hair and makeup ideas (no clue yet) Whip on bridesmaids to send me pics of their dresses (I'm letting my bridesmaids wear whatever they want as long as it's green, not sleeveless, goes well with dressy flats) Procession songs Programs Table place cards Reception entertainment Cocktails and reception iPod playlist Group airline fare deposit Hotel booking deposit Wedding favors: thinking about locally made fans or coffee/tea for foreigners, something different for local guests. T-5 Months!! It is definitely a full time job to plan a wedding that is in the opposite time zone, opposite side of the world with no wedding planner. But the stress is worth it! As it will be perfect in the end. A bit of a control freak here.

My experience is, the more you think you want to convenience your guests by making them go online to a specific website, the less likely they'll do it on time. My suggestion is ask them directly via email or telephone. You will save alot of waiting time and idle time because invitations and STDs are one of those things that should be completed once. I did online RSVPs and only 50% did them on their own (and these are computer savvy ppl!) so the rest I had to remind twice, some elderly folks are not savvy so I penciled them in after speaking to them directly.

Aww, my parents and I had some squabbles about the destination wedding concept. They simply don't get that I want to do something fun and unique and less pricey than traditional weddings here in the US. Since they are not paying for my wedding, they did not have much to complain besides the travel but still made it difficult to come (so many tears were shed!). Fortunately, we are all Indonesian so they are able to navigate and speak the language fluently in Bali. I'm sorry you didn't get the support of your dad. Hopefully a brother can walk you down the aisle.

Thank you for the warm welcome girls and guys! We are very excited. We will be married in the Jimbaran area at Ayana Resort and Spa. The hotel is a clifftop hotel facing the west with the Sunset. Our wedding will be a 5pm wedding in a chapel with outdoor reception for 60. http://www.ayanaresort.com FI and I went on an 8-day site visit excursion and fell in love with the place. It was super gorgeous and picturesque. Our honeymoon will be there as well, so many things to do: snorkeling, diving, fishing, lounging or going to the mountains.

My name is Anne, 26 years. Engaged to my fiance' for over 1 year now. We decided to get married in Bali, Indonesia. I'm Indonesian and have family there so we wanted to make it a family reunion and destination wedding for friends and family. Our date is 24 July 2010. Looking forward to BDW!