dirtymartini

Quote: Originally Posted by LMMDC Were any of you participating in the Karisma (El Dorado/Azul) webinar last night? It provided a great overview, beautiful pictures, and answered a few FAQs. One of the interesting points is that through one of their promotions, you get money towards your first anniversary stay and you can use this toward a stay at any of their 5 resorts! Since we are doing AS for the wedding, I thought it would be fun to go back to one of the adult only places if we return. I've never participated in a webinar - every time I check the schedule, they have dates from a month or two previous. How do I find a new schedule?? Karisma - update your websites!!

Quote: Originally Posted by amandamarieb FI and his groomsmen got a great calvin klien khaki linen suit from Mens Warehouse. They are on sale right now too! Good luck That's exactly what we ended up doing! The Calvin Klein suit is exactly what we were picturing!

Quote: Originally Posted by meghan What is everyone getting their maid of honours or bridesmaids for gifts? I am not having a wedding party, but I have a few close friends that are helping me plan and throwing me my bachelorette party + shower. So far, I am got them each a Coach passport holder, a personalized pink flask, and personalized beach bag.

Sorry I've been MIA recently girls - just keeping busy! Maybe you girls can help- my FI and I are looking for his suit. We're looking for a nice khaki suit (I am picturing him wearing it with a linen-type white shirt, top two buttons unbuttoned..). We have been to Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomies, Banana Republic & JCrew... and can't find one! Anyone have a khaki suit-spotting lately?

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Maroma in the RM is consistently voted one of the top beaches in the world. That's where I'd go if I were you! We looked at some great intimate resorts in that area back when we were choosing. Aventura Spa is a huge resort. Do you want big or AB size again? I have also hear many great things about Maroma Beach. I have a few friends who've gone to Secrets Maroma for their honeymoon and loved it. El Dorado (Azul's adult-only sister) also has a resort there that looks really nice.

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda I also want to point out to the brides upcoming - if you have pictures how you want things - make sure you show the WC in Miami and bring the pictures (2 copies in case both Lomas and hotel WC want them) to Mexico. They are amazing at recreating things. What I wanted the set up to look like: What it did look like: Google images, look on flickr, and check out other brides on this site! Oh, how perfect! I think their recreation looks even better than the picture you sent them!

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd We were adamant about not seeing each other before the wedding, so all our pictures were taken after the ceremony. The ones taken at the resort (the ones with stormy skies if that helps you differentiate!) were taken between the ceremony and the reception. The ones that are bright, sunny, and blue sky were taken the day after. After group pictures finished, we had over an hour to shoot just ourselves around the resort, and for the day after, we shot around town for about 4 hours. I can't remember, have you done a site visit? If not, then the cutoff in our slideshow between day of and day after shots is the black and white one of us walking up the sand dune. That's the first day-after picture. For timing the light, we purposely planned a 4pm ceremony and 6:30 reception. The sun in April sets at 7pm, so we knew we'd have plenty of light still left and wouldn't have long shadows in our pictures. LOL not that it mattered with the rain! Our thought was that we were paying all this money to bring down our photographer so we wanted the best possible lighting for our pictures. I haven't been down for a site visit yet. Schedules are tough Was it easy to get to all of the places you went to around town? Did you walk or drive? I think we'll have to do what you did and do the day after, although I would rather just sit around and be a giddy new bride, hehe. Who did you hair for the day after shots?

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda Check out my bouquet! AMAZING!!!!! Wow your bouquet is FANTASTIC!

Quote: Originally Posted by suzannepdc For just the location? No, and that's pretty ridiculous. We did have to pay for the fabric that they use to decorate. We used a purple/eggplant and it was $75 for each so $150. Seems a little crazy for two pieces of fabric, but I think that they have to rent it too, so there's not much you can do. I think the white is cheaper for some reason, but that's all we paid for on that since we did not want the flowers they sometimes put on it (they were expensive and we didn't really think they added anything). Perhaps she meant it would be extra because of the fabric. She didn't go into it any further than just to say that the gazebo is really pretty. I figured I could change my mind once I got down there.

Quote: Originally Posted by dakotaAZ Have many of you bought insurance through your TA? Our TA offers a insurance that covers 100% if you cancel for any reason....I go back and forth if it is worth the 129 per person....Any thoughts? I haven't because I know this is where the TAs make their money. Plus, if you pay by credit card, your cc company should cover a good bit. That being said, I probably just jinxed myself and will get the bubonic plague the day before we're supposed to fly down. I'll let ya know how it turns out

Wendy, just looking at your pictures again. I am wondering- at what point did you have all of those pictures taken? Before the ceremony, after, the day after? I want to be traditional and not see my groom until I walk down the aisle on the big day, but then I want some good daylight photos like you have.

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda My DJ was awesome. Everyone raved about him. Here is the list of songs I sent them ahead of time. They added some others here and there. I wish I would have given some sample songs for the dinner too. There was some cheesey-ish music that I didn't like - but then he brought out "Thats Amore" and the tables were singing during the main courses! The DJ helped b/c he had a smoke machine, lights, baloons, and glow sticks. So if you do it yourself, I would maybe bring some props with you. (etc) GREAT advice! Thanks!

Quote: Originally Posted by suzannepdc RE: AB ceremony locations I cannot remember who asked, but I agree with Amy B. about the gazebo - it's really small and I think it would be hard for guests to see what is going on - even if it's the bride and groom. We got married the same place that Amy did - it was a bit windy, but it's much more open. It was me who asked. I was wondering, because now Kiara is telling me that they will charge me extra for using the arch vs. the gazebo. Which had NEVER been mentioned to me before. Anyone else run into this?

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda Sara, I have pictures of both set ups - a girl got married in the gazebo while I was down there and I used the canopy. Both were nice but its hard to see in the gazebo so if you are having a wedding party of more than a maid of honor and best man you will probably have to do what Wendy did on the pavement or the canopy. I also took a good picture of the lobby where the "rainy day" wedding location is and I think its gorgeous. You'd probably have less on lookers as well there but its not on the beach. Anyways, I'll post them in the next few days. Thank you, Amy!

Quote: Originally Posted by chong We purchased the insurance (including all my guests) through my TA. I thought it was more a travel insurance than wedding insurance. Like if your flight gets delayed and don't make it to the resort on the day you have already pay for it.. then you get money back for the night that you didn't stay, etc. It was only $39.99 per person. We thought it was well worth the purchase. My TA send me the insurance description. Since I am just at the end of hurricane season, I wanted to be safe. Chong Wow! My TA was going to charge us $120 for insurance!!

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Sara, this is the best one I have, but it sums up the beach options pretty well. You can see both the regular gazebo and the palapa gazebo with the lifeguard tower behind it. We were married on the area in front of the bridge. Do they even use the lifeguard tower? I mean... I have never seen a lifeguard at any resort I've ever been to!

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Sara, this is the best one I have, but it sums up the beach options pretty well. You can see both the regular gazebo and the palapa gazebo with the lifeguard tower behind it. We were married on the area in front of the bridge. Thanks Wendy! I think I will probably end up deciding once I get down there.

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Very small world! Yes, they're renovating a building they already have to put in a spa. But it won't be done until 2011, sorry! Aw man! That was one of the things I was bummed about...

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd Wooohoooo one month!!!!!!! My due date came and went and I had to ask about making the final payment. They didn't come to me. But then because of the big fiasco with the reception location, along with working out some other details, we didn't end up paying until about 10 days prior. They were very easy going about it. What was your location fiasco? Where did you end up having the ceremony - it looks beautiful! Kiara keeps pushing the gazebo, but I thought I heard there is a lifeguard stand right in view... is that right?

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd For you AB ladies, I was just reading on tripadvisor that AB is about to start construction in August. More than what I just mentioned about the spa. Apparently they're revamping the rooms and expanding the resort to bring the total count to 128 rooms (adding 30 rooms). I think it said Aug-Dec 2010. Most of our AB brides on here don't have weddings until 2011, but Sara's (dirtymartini) is in November this year. Oh no!! That stinks! Sorry, I missed what you said about the spa - are they adding one? Funny side-story, I was at my Doctor's this morning and the receptionist was talking about her son getting married in Mexico. I said "Oh, I'm getting married in Mexico in November!" Turns out, he's getting married at AS 1 week before me. Small world, eh?!

Quote: Originally Posted by amybermuda Actually, I have no idea! I sent them a picture and said I want it to look like this. Who knows what it will actually look like day of! But I remember asking one of the girls that got married on here - Jen of Jen & Fred - her pix were from Elizabeth Medina you should search for them - how she got such great flowers and she said she told Karisma what exactly she wanted and they recreated it. So, I am not too worried about it - but I also don't really care that much about the ceremony set up - so I never aksed the questions. You will be able to see my pictures in 4 weeks though!!! Here is the picture I said I wanted my gazebo to look like: I must have looked at 200 weddings on the beach pictures to finally decide so I know how you feel. Amy, that is beautiful. Exactly what I want - we're going to have beautiful natural scenery so I don't think overdoing it with flowers is necessary.

Quote: Originally Posted by taylorwd LOL, those are random beach dogs! Those pictures weren't taken at the resort but on a remote stretch of beach near Puerto Morelos. I figured as much, so cute!

And whose dog is this in your pictures, Wendy? It looks a lot like my dog Martini, who I am going to miss DEARLY being away that long!

Wendy, where did you have your reception at AB? Were you happy with the location? I am afraid to have it on the beach... on a November evening, that sounds cold! But I haven't been told about any other locations even though I keep asking my WC!

Quote: Originally Posted by momichele Hi Sara-Welcome. I see you are from Phila. My FI went to college then lived there a few years afterwards. Our cake topper if actually the LOVE statue. It has been an ongoing symbol of our relationship together. I would love to do the LOVE statue as a cake topper! I have a million things in mind. Has anyone done a Groom's cake? I wanted to have a little one made and surprise my FI by topping it with our Rock Band characters (you can order little figurines of your personalized Rock Band character!)