AnnCam2011

Ahh - that's right. Sorry, I saw that in an earlier post - whoopsie I am waiting for confirmation from the Renaissance for our wedding next March. Sitting on pins-and-needles waiting for them to get back to me so we can get the ball rolling with invites and other plans. Tentative wedding date is 5 mos from TODAY so I am anxious about getting things settled!

I may be using some of these reception/dance songs to add to my work out playlist! Thanks!

Hat0112: are you getting married at the Renaissance??

Oooh good idea! She would be a good one to put in charge of little items for OOT bags. Hmm.... *wheels turning*

old : granny

We are strongly considering the Renaissance for our March 2011 wedding. I am about ready to fax in the request form, just need to know a few more details before we are ready. We are inviting around 60 people and are trying to keep our budget as low as possible since we are paying for everything ourselves. Our good friend is a wedding photographer and he did a wedding at the Ren a few years ago. I told him we had considered it and his opinion was that you can't find a better location to have a wedding than on the private island. Nice to hear this from a seasoned traveler and wedding photographer! I told him we were considering not paying the extra cost to be able to stay out on the island till 11pm, and maybe hold the reception back on the mainland. He said it is worth the money to have the reception on the island, that no one will have ever been to a wedding (and maybe never again go to one) where everything was as private and secluded. I like that aspect of it, just time to crunch numbers to be sure it can happen! Â

Awesome - think I'll stop at a store tomorrow and check it out )

I found a lot of veils on etsy.com. I am in LOVE with this site and decided I am going to buy as much as I can for the wedding from etsy (jewelry, invites, veil, small gifts), since everything is handmade and really unique. The last thing I want is to have someone spot something I picked out at a store and know how much I've paid for something, or possibly seeing at another wedding.

I think one per couple is fine. I am also doing activity bags for the kids that will be attending as well. Just some fun puzzles, coloring books/crayons, pocket games.

Great find! Thanks

These are GREAT! Good find - wonder if they sell them in stores as well? Would be nice to check out before ordering 50 of them!

Frying Pan : pancakes!

Those are awesome! Good idea. My friend's did blow up musical instruments at their reception - guitars, saxophones, key boards. Not sure where they found them (party supply place maybe?) but it was pretty entertaining! Glow sticks/necklaces are also a hit!

I found some cute bags at Target that could be used as OOT bags. I tried looking for a picture online, but didn't have any luch. They are in the gift wrap aisle and are reusable "gift" bags made out of jute, and come in a variety of sizes and tropical colors. Think the largest one might have been around $4 or $6? I'll keep searching online for a picture, but next time you are at Target (which for me is at least once a week!) check it out! Hopefully they will continue selling them or the next few months - I'd buy them but I don't have any idea how many people we have coming yet!

where in st thomas are you getting married??

Our travel agent also recommended the Azul Beach to us, which we decided it would work out, all except they are booked when we want to go - bummer! )

I looked at the Kissing Fish website last night and they food looks awesome! I've never had conch before ) Think that might be a good way to go if T&C works out. I really appreciate all the info you have given me - Now I can go into the weekend feeling a little less frazzled! Â Last night was another sleepless night for me - kept waking up worried about finding the location and started to wonder if we should just throw in the towel on the DW idea, have a regular old wedding here then take a honeymoon trip. I kept thinking about my cousin's wedding, how they really wanted to do a DW but since they have large families, they opted to stay home and do the norm. Thinking back on it, they really didn't seem all that into their own wedding - the ceremony was outside in a lovely garden with a gazebo, but the reception was very average: dance music was blah, food was blah, the whole night just seemed like they both didn't really want to be there (if that's the right way to put it?). Thinking back on their wedding now, it seems like they were bored with it, maybe because it wasn't done the way they really wanted? And I don't want to give up on this idea and have a "regular old wedding" at home. So, that being said, I am NOT giving up! We WILL find a great location! I WILL drink frozen fruity drinks there!! )

We looked into the Marriott Renaissance Aruba resort - they have 2 sections: 1 is adults only, 1 is family friendly. We also are searching for a place that is kid-friendly since there will be young nieces and nephews along as well. We ended up not booking the Ren due to our sad little budget, but it looks great. Private island and all! Check it out.

I think a resort where AI is an option would be ideal, but I know it would be tough to find. I am not against doing AI - I think it would be easier for our guests to not have to worry about paying each time they get a drink or a meal. I was in Jamaica a few years ago, and while it was a nice trip (cheaply done since I was in college) I would rather go someplace I haven't been before. My fiance loves to travel and has a hang-up on going to the same place twice. I realize there are different areas of the island, but it's just his opinion!

Thanks everyone! I am doing my best to be patient with my mom. She can be like a 6 year old sometimes and goes off in a bunch of different directions. Some of the stuff she has suggested to me has been so far in the opposite direction of what we are looking for it can be hard not to cringe (ex super-tacky cake topper, OMG NO!) ) I think I will to talk to my aunt and make sure she is still feeling included with things, and try not worry about anything else. Just wasn't sure if it was a social blunder for the MOB to "throw" the shower. Â

Krys, thank you for posting picts from Ocean Club - it is one place I have in a request for information and am waiting to hear back on dates. The place looks amazing and T&C is on the top of our list. This would be awesome if everything prices out they way we are hoping, and they have some dates open in March! Still waiting to hear back from the TA on that info, she has been super patient with us, and am surprised she hasn't kicked us to the curb yet (haha!). The Sands also looks great, but from what I was able to find online, the rooms are not cheap. Maybe I need to talk to them directly for any discounts? Â Are all weddings in Turks coordinated by the same 2 companies? I was reading online and sounds like there are 2 options for weddings. Maybe I am reading this wrong? We just want something super simple - the ceremonies you show in the 2 T&C links pretty much nails it what we are looking for. Also, not 100% set on going thru the resort for the reception - are there restaurants that can accommodate groups within walking distance from the Ocean Club? Otherwise if the OCW has a spot that we can be outside for most of the night would be ideal. Â Thanks again for the info. Looking forward to your response! I was running on panic mode most of this week and think I have calmed down. I am just anxious to get a location set, the rest will be easy (easier?) ) Best, AC Â

My fiance and I are completely stuck as to where to go for our destination wedding. We got engaged the start of this summer, and would like to get married March 2011. We have looked at a ton of places online, and after looking at so many options, we are left completely stuck. Part of me wants to just say "forget it" and either have a small wedding in town, or just ELOPE! Both of which are not something we really want to do, and isn't that part of the fun of YOUR wedding day? Making is special for the B&G? Â We have looked at places in Aruba, T&C, Mexico, PR, St Lucia but haven't been able to find THE resort to travel to. My fiance is set on NO all inclusive, since part of the fun of traveling is finding interesting places to eat, which I am on board with. The issue is we want it to be somewhere special enough, but still budget friendly for us (since we are paying for everything) and for our guests to get to. Â We are open to anywhere in the Caribbean, but would prefer to stay away from Mexico. We were there a few years ago, and just want to have the wedding location somewhere a little more off the beaten path (and maybe fewer spring-breakers!). Â Can anyone give me some direction - resorts to check out that maybe I haven't already? I have been in contact with a TA here in town, but am getting the feeling she is just as frustrated as we are, and I have the feeling she is pushing a few resorts in Mexico in specifically for her kick-back. I feel like I have looked so much everything is starting to look the same, and am to the point of "I just don't care" - even though I should! I've waited 11 years for this to happen and it would be nice if we could find a great spot for the occasion. Â Any ideas you can throw out there where to look would be appreciated. We want a simple beach ceremony, cocktail hour, then dinner with ipod music if people want to dance. Simple, right?

I am recently engaged (May '10) after 11 years to a wonderful man. We are planning a small destination wedding and want to keep everything as simple as possible. The issue is my very excitable mother. Ever since we got engaged, she has said she is going to stay out of any wedding plans, and only give advice or her opinion when asked. So far, this is going well, with the occasional very strong opinion, on where to go, things to buy/wear, etc. Â My latest issue is her involvement in the wedding shower my aunt was hosting for my mom's side of the family. So far, my mom has pretty much done all the planning and shopping for things like invites, games/prizes (GAG), decorations, etc. The date hasn't been set yet, but I am not sure how I feel with the amount of time and effort she is putting into the shower that was originally going to be hosted by my aunt. Is it a huge faux pas for my mom to be so involved with the shower planning? It almost feels to me like my aunt has little to do with it, and my mom is now hosting. She is really excited for all this wedding stuff since it's been so long in the making, but I am afraid of what people will think. I am doing my best to keep my mouth shut since she is so excited about it all. She has recently gone through cancer surgery and chemo this past winter, where we weren't sure if she was going to make it. Her own wedding was really small (shot-gun since she was preggo with my brother!) and didn't get to do all this stuff for her own. I feel she is trying to make up for things she missed out on, but am concerned about how this should be handled since she is the mother-of-the-bride. Â Any advice out there?

HELP! Â We are considering a T&C wedding for March/April 2011. We have looked into the Alexandra Resort or Ocean Club West, Beaches looks great too. Any photos,tips, advice you can give me? We've had a really had time figuring out a location - there are too many places in the Caribbean that look amazing, nearly booked Aruba but changed our minds last minute. T&C was one of our first choices and just need a little help (push?) making it final. Â All we want is an amazing location, since this is vacation too for us and friends/family, beach wedding, simple reception with hos' devours, dinner, and a place we can hang out for the night, maybe some drinkin' and dancing?

There is no way I'd have my MIL come dress shopping with me. She has some very strong opinions, and somehow finds strange ways to criticize if she doesn't like it. When she doesnt get her way, she pouts and gets short with people. Like I need that on the day I find my dress! Her daughter was married about 10 years ago, so she was able to do all the "mother of the bride" thing once before. I am the only daughter, so this was something special for just me and my mom.