asayle

General delSol Photography was the very first vendor I hired for my wedding. I wanted my wedding memories to be accurately captured and I knew that photography was one of the most important pieces for me. I chose delSol based on the slideshows and posts on this forum. They have this uncanny ability to reflect the real spirit and emotion in their photographs and I wanted that kind of product for my day. Sure the photographs are often beautiful and people in them are beautiful too. But more importantly--and this is something I've come to appreciate even more in my own photographs--they look genuine. The delSol photographs, more than any others I've seen, show people in their natural, genuine, and emotionally best. They are sometimes quirky and funky and fun. In my own, I have many favorites now where I am most definitely not the flawless bride. I look like an amazingly happy bride. That's what I want to remember from my wedding. The sheer joy of the day. And that is what delSol photography gave me. I could not recommend them more highly. Wedding Matt Adcock and Juan Jose shot the wedding day. They showed up as a big ball of energy, Matt all in white with a white fedora cocked sideways on his head. They were characters: friendly, intense, working to settle nerves and get that perfect shot. They seemed to be everywhere and no where. We were instructed to treat them as if they weren't there and after about half an hour that's exactly what we did. I imagine they work hard to put everyone at ease and it worked. We and our friends had rented an absolutely gorgeous modern Villa along the lagoon (Villa Gauguin), and Matt and Juan knew we liked the modern elements and set about capturing them flawlessly. We then moved to the wedding location at Al Cielo. While I imagine they were all over during the celebration, I never noticed them (then again, I was pre-occupied). They were very unobtrusive. After the wedding, Matt took over the herding of cats that is my wedding party to ensure we got the standard "family" and "wedding party" shots. Then we were once again turned lose to do our own thing. I want to make one special note here primarily because it will not be obvious from the slideshows. Our wedding party consisted of our four best couple friends. While I expected them to necessarily be included in many of the shots, I did not specifically ask that they get their "own" photographs. Matt and Juan went out of their way to capture each individual couple in at least one of their own unique, candid photograph. When we received the package, they were thrilled to see those photographs and our friends were each so happy to have their own couple shot as a personal memory for the day. This had been something we would have wanted and requested had we thought of it -- but we didn't and they did it on their own. It was very thoughtful and much appreciated. Trash the Dress Our trash the dress was staged at a very busy cenote near Tulum. Matt and his wife Sol were our photographers. We actually went to two sections of the cenote. One, although on the property, must not be known by anyone (and, well, you can't swim there) and no one was there. Sol called it the bat cave. While my friends after the fact claimed it must have been a back-drop, I confided that we had to wade through bat dung to get to the secluded spot reflected below. The second half of the shots were done in the swimming side of the cenote park and it was PACKED -- not that you could tell from any of the photographs. Although I do okay being natural, I have a hard time being "sexy" for a camera. That's where Sol came in and she did a perfect job of both putting me at ease and getting naturally sexy poses for the camera. Matt did his own underwater gig thing, capturing those surreal looking pics. He even got a couple without my husband popping out his cheeks in a parady of a fish breathing. Links to our slideshows are below and I've also posted a couple of my favorite pics. If you are in the Riviera Maya, I cannot say enough about the skill and spirit of these photographers. Wedding - http://delsolphotography.com/blog/content/galleries/?gal=406 Trash the Dress - http://delsolphotography.com/blog/content/galleries/?gal=407

I've done classic and lean and have had better results in terms of definition on my arms through classic. Then again, my goal is more definition and tone than pure weight loss (although I'll obviously take the weight loss too haha!)

you look GORGEOUS! these are fabulous pictures! thanks for sharing! why do the women always look so serious pre-wedding and the guys are always chilllin', exchanging jokes?

Thanks gals. We still have a month (GAH!!). I'm working on it. I'm convinced everything will turn out beautifully; even better. When you have a nightmare story to share, it's amazing how many similar stories you hear! A woman I work with told me that she was on her way to her wedding hotel in Jamaica when the driver pulled over, took out their luggage, and left, telling them that the hotel was booked solid. !!! She got through it with grace and spirit. We will too. Right now I've been working with the coordinators from Lol-Ha (Laura) and Al Cielo (Donaji), both of whom have been fantastic. We are trying to decide between the two locales and with 50% of the wedding cost still with Jennifer, we may simply decide based on cost. But both are really responsive and engaging. Already they've both given me flower quotes and specific looks, centerpieces, complete menues, guitar recommendations and prices, and the ever-important gazebo look! Donaji even recommended specific colors for the ribbons on my bouquet and my BM's bouquet -- and I haven't even signed or paid them yet. That would be my suggestion to any future bride trying to plan from afar: go with someone who gives you ideas, pictures, and specifics before you complete the deal.

With tanning technology, you only need to start two weeks before if you plan to go in three times a week. If you are very fair skinned, you may need to start a month out so that they can put you in the bed for only a couple minutes the first few times. I am pretty pale, but I tan well, so six times is what it takes -- going in at around 10 minutes each time. It's not SUPER dark, but definitely tan and still natural enough that I don't stick out that badly in snowy Colorado!

Bottom line: Based on my own experience, I recommend not using her or at least exercising severe caution. I knew I was not doing an all-inclusive so I figured I needed a wedding coordinator for sure. I had read some good reviews about Jennifer and certainly about her bakery Turtle Bay Cafe and she came recommended by one of my other wedding vendors. I exchanged a few different emails with her to get an idea of her style, prices and see if we were match. She was very responsive to those emails and said all the right things. I hired her in February, paid her 50% of the cost of the wedding in March ($2200), and from there on out it was nightmare city. She rarely responded to my emails and ended up sending me her signed contract six months later in August after I asked about a number of times, and she never finalized any of the vendors she was working on. By mid-December, I did not have a wedding location, a reception location, any kind of flower or decor suggestions, pictures, or photos, and the last e-mail Jennifer had responded to was in September (which is when I suggested that we just part ways as we obviously weren't working well together and she responded that she was terribly sorry she hadn't been more responsive, etc.). My wedding was 2 months away... I don't think I'm a bridezilla -- I probably sent about 10-15 emails over the course of 10 months - and I wasn't looking for more than a reasonable reception/wedding location and some actual photo samples of flower arrangements, etc. When I finally informed Jennifer that we just weren't going to work out and I needed to end the contract and asked for the return of the money I'd paid her for the vendors at the wedding ... no response. So not only did I not get any planning advice or help from her, but she kept half the cost of the actual wedding (not just 50% of her WC fee--which I still think would be unreasonable under the circumstances). Again, I know some brides have had a great experience with Jennifer. But my experience is about as bad as I can imagine. I just can't account for her lack of enthusiasm, lack of responsiveness, and now keeping the money I need to have a wedding. Could be a fluke but I caution future brides. Um. Yikes.

I am in such a bind on jewelry! I love the pictures from Bella Bleu and Silverland....I searched on Etsy for _hours_ for the right set and just couldn't locate it (I find the site reallyreally hard to search through - there are just so many hits for anything related to jewelry!)

The updated pic taken right after you purchased it is gorgeous. My vote would be to stick with the original, but I'm assuming you loved it when you bought it. If you absolutely love the second then, frankly, go with it. It is $1000 but you will have the pictures and memories forever and you want to love everything about them. You can always sell them and make some of the $$ back. Looking at both dresses, I think you can't go wrong either way.

I love the look of the fans; and I definitely like that there are hand-made variations as well. They look and feel so much more natural that way! I'm with dreamyeyez--how are folks doing the ribbon? Is there a particular size at michaels, etc? I'm pretty much a DIY novice

Add me as one of the brides who has been having difficulty getting a response. Jenn is my wedding coordinator, cake, and reception caterer so ... its hard to say it's not nerve-wracking! I know she's had some private issues in the summer and maybe I'm just a little too ahead of myself for a February 2011 wedding...Fingers crossed.

love all the monograms ladies! and thanks so much for the help with the template! (mine is still a work in progress....slowly....slowly)

Feb 22nd - We aren't doing an all-inclusive so it should be interesting. Only thing I have officially done is the website! Wedding Website - Amber & Stefan Slowly but surely ladies!

Nam, I have to say, your pro wedding shots are a great advertisement for Fernando. I am definitely going to try to book him and then I'm just going to point to your make up and say "make it like that"!

absolutely beautiful pics. thanks so much for sharing!

I absolutely love seeing everyone's websites and ideas! Our is at: Wedding Website - Amber & Stefan