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We booked our wedding in early May, I got my first email from the WC last week. So don't be too worried about the time. But if you want to contact them, go for it, they are there to help you. Â Hi Ashley! Welcome, I'm Miriam Â

 Have you tried a general search online for how much the room rate is? Then if the price is cheaper than what your TA is offering, I would directly tell them a published rate is cheaper and they have to improve their price. Good luck.  I don't know that I can offer much inspriation for your decor...I am not very creative.  But for travel companies...online (just to make it easier for you) try: itravel2000.com holidaymarkettravel.com sunwing.ca signaturevacations.ca nolitours.com (french, but english button top right) aircanadavacations.ca  Hope that helps Â

Welcome! You will be surprised when you start shopping for prices out of Toronto area. We found that depending on the resorts, it was cheaper out of Toronto, than Buffalo. Personally having a TA has been an advantage to us. They managed to get us a great group rate, and we couldn't have done that ourselves. Plus they deal with booking all your guests, not you, so personally I think less stress. We used Weddings By Oceans, who do nothing but destination weddings. They are local in Richmond Hill. Good luck!

 Great job on the invites!  Have a great trip! I know what it is like to be really far away from family and friends! My maid of honor (who lives the closest) is about a 2 hour drive. My other BM and sister are a hour flight! And FI family is 5 hour drive away as well.....sigh.... Â

We stated on our invitations that we did not want any gifts. So I am hoping that people listen and don't bring anything. If people do bring cards, I hope they will just give them to us as some other time than the actual reception. Personally I would not bother with a cardbox. perhaps if you're worried about it, tell your BM/GM to let guests know there is no cardbox and to personally give you the cards on another day? Or let your BM/GM take the cards and put them into a room for safe keeping. Glad to hear other people have done the legal wedding, but not made a big deal of it. I just want FI and I to go and quietly do it, while his parents want to come down and have dinner to celebrate on the day....we're still trying to figure it out.

Very cute!

Too funny, I am feeling that panic too! I have been really busy getting my house renovated so that I can sell it (moved in with FI), and so busy with that I have been eating horrible fatty things,and not planning for the wedding! But the house is almost done, the agent is coming in on Friday to list it here's hoping that will go quickly and I can work on the other stuff.

Welcome, and good luck with your planning! We found the area we wanted (1), then researched the resorts (2). After narrowing it down to 2 resorts, got prices from our Travel agent, and when we were happy with the price, choose the resort. Our travel agent called the resort on our behalf (while we sat there ) to make sure the date we wanted was available, and then we booked. Expect to have to pay a small deposit to hold your date. There are lots of kid friendly resorts, but to make sure your adult guests also find some peace, try resorts which offer adult sections.

Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures! Can't wait to see the Mexico one.

Looks great! (I think the red clips are a great addition LOL)

Welcome Bonnie! Always nice to see another Toronto bride. Congrats on the new house and good luck with your wedding plans. This is a wonderful site for information.

Welcome! There is so much great information here. Wish I had found this site before we did a lot of our planning, learning a lot after the fact. Nikki- found lots of butterflies today on my search, but no starfish I will continue to keep my eyes open and let you know!

Right now my bridemaids are planning my stagette for mid September, because they will all be in town. (everyone lives far apart) And then my FI mother is being really nice and throwing me a shower in November. Really didn't want the shower, because of the idea of gifts, but we have come up with a theme of 'Wine and Sexy undies!'. Can't wait

Wow! You have so much planned, everything looks great. I better start cracking on my own plans LOL

Really you could go with any colors you like! We're using turquoise blue and green (sorta lime, but not so bright) with a hint of white.

Not sure if it helps you, but I have a great seamstress in Brampton. I have been using her services for basics like pant hems, and my FI shirts. She has also done an amazing job on a couple of bridemaid dresses for me in the past year. She does wedding dresses as well. I will be taking my wedding dress there shortly...just have to find the time (mind you my wedding is in January, so I still have some time) The name is Qobolla Bridal Seamstress. They have a website, with some basic pricing. She works out of her home with her sister, and they are both wonderful people to deal with. Good luck.

So glad to hear that you got the full refund! And good for you for not backing down and making sure you got the results you wanted. Now just keeping my fingers crossed for you that your dress arrives on time!

Keep looking. That seems way too expensive. Perhaps there is a forum for local ladies on here, then ask them where they had their dresses altered. These are the basic prices I have been finding locally (Toronto): Bridal Gowns & Wedding Dresses Hem $50-150 Sides take in/out $40-80 Bustle $15-50 Bust Dart $30-50 Lace $70-120 Bracups/Straps/Shoulders $15-50 So I think your budget for $400-500 should be plenty, unless you were redesigning the dress. Good luck!

Tomorrow is my errand day, so I will just pop into a few stores here and see what's around! I will let you know if I find any and then we'll take it from there

It's crazy how quickly time goes. I remember thinking I have tons of time to do all this planning, and now it's only just over 5 months away! Hopefully I will find some more time soon. Josie-have fun at the parties! If there are any fun ideas please pass them on

Right now I have behind. Have not managed to do much wedding stuff lately. Busy trying to finish renovations on my old place so I can sell it (moved in with FI, and would love to not have to pay the mortgage anymore) Hopefully it will be ready for sale at the end of the week, and then I can go back to wedding planning.

Just go the the Azul Sensatori forum, and post a comment. Hope that helps.

I will take a look at a few stores in the area and see if I can find something similar. Is it a pin, or does it have a stem on it? Depending on where you want to attach it to your flowers, I am sure we can find something

We used a lot of the restaurants on the El Dorado side, as well as the gym. We also went over to the theatre for the evening entertainment and the bar. It was a beautiful property. I only remember seeing one pool, but there were tons of cabanas on the beach to use. As well many of the guests seem to be enjoying the use of bikes to travel around the resort (it's very long, runs along the beach). I don't know how the rooms are on the El Dorado side. Sorry I can't be of more help. Welcome back! Your pictures are beautiful And thanks for the info about the ipod...we were thinking about doing the same. I would love to have some music suggestions when you have time. If you had meant it more for your grandmother and uncle... Why not do a special dinner with those guests that mean a lot to you and could not attend down south. It doesn't have to be big or over the top. Make it small and intimate, and enjoy a nice dinner with your grandmother, uncle and perhaps a few others. And I agree with (I think it was Amy), show them the wedding pictures and make them feel included!

Nikki- cute new purse. If it helps you could get the starfish mailed to me in Canada, and then I could mail it to you. Welcome to our new comers!