clgriffi7

Welcome Janet - This site is really fantastic and you will find so many ideas. Almost too many ideas! If you tried to incorporate them all you would spend a fortune, so you will have to try and find your favorites.

I really think you might be working out too hard! I know that is hard to read because it goes against everything we have learned of eat less and work out harder, but I think every person has a breaking point for their body. Last year when I was trying to drop weight I was eating maybe 1300 calories a day (including a Lean Cuisine for dinner) and working out 6 days a week burning 600+ calories each trip to the gym. I was barely losing anything. From what I have read I was putting my body into starvation mode and it was holding on to everything it could. This year I am doing 4 days a week burning maybe 400 calories at the gym (30 min cardio and 30 min weights) and eating a more balanced diet and the weight is coming off much easier. I think you may need to experiment a bit (you still have time!) to see what your body needs.

They have catamarans of different sizes and obviously for different prices. I haven't selected which company to use bc it is so far out and I don't know how many guests will be coming. But here is the info for two companies I have seen online: http://www.britsincancun.com/yachting.html -includes beer, spirits, water, and soft drinks, snorkeling equip, snacks (4hr charter) or buffet lunch (6hr charter) - this company lists 7 boats -smallest boat can hold 14-22 ppl with the price starting at $500 for 4 hrs for 14 ppl (goes up from there) - larget boats hold 40-50 ppl with price for 4hrs for 30 ppl starting at $1500 http://www.cancun-discounts.com/tours/cancun/private-33-cancun-catamaran.htm -includes beer, spirits, water, and soft drinks, snorkeling equip, buffet lunch (7hr charter) - the 33' boat can hold 15-20 ppl @ $59/adult (so minimum of $885)

Deep breaths - you have plenty of time. But that is fantastic that most of your family has already booked so you know those most important to you will be there...

Wow - 3 of us ?!!! As long as we aren't at the resort at the same time, then all I can say is congratulations on picking such a beautiful dress... I think the corset will look fantastic. I will plan on sticking with the buttons just to make using the little girls' room a bit easier!! With a mermaid dress like that, there will be no hiking it up....

I think insteaed of trying to be polite you try to be funny with that one. Maybe "and so noone is trying to compete with my bouquet, please no Hawaiin shirts!"

I was actually going to ask about a sweetheart neckline when I go in for alterations. And that is a great idea for the flower..I was thinking of just cutting it off altogether, but maybe there is a way to salvage it! I just checked Juan Navarro's website hoping to see your pictures....guess I will just have to wait

My only other suggestion would be to say "Even if I am acting like a Bridezilla, which I don't believe I am, please let me have my day be special. In return, I promise to where whatever bridesmaid's dress you pick for me when it is your wedding (assuming I can afford it). Deal?" I think a BM should always be willing to wear whatever the bride asks (as long as she can afford it and you are able to walk in the heels she picks). If the dress is ugly, it is obvious that the bride picked it so the BM won't be judged.

Isn't it amazing how you can spot your own dress from a distance and a side shot?! How did the dress do with the heat of the afternoon? I have a feeling I will be seriously sweating as I take pictures in the mid-afternoon (before the sunset ceremony), but I loved the dress enough that I decided it was worth it. I think it is beautiful that you have the white/ivory hair flower that seems to match the flower on the dress. Because I have light hair I will have to go with a fuschia flower (to match the shoes), but I would have preferred the white/ivory.

Sounds perfect. I am worried about shorts as well - so I think it is a great idea to specifically say they are not allowed. Honestly I wouldn't care if people wore them, but I don't want them in my pictures!! And it is really all about the pictures for me...

Personally - I might not mention about the hair and makeup. For my location it can be very windy so I made sure to let the ladies know that and encourage them not to wear a short & flowy dress as it could lead to a wardrobe malfunction. And I hope that telling them about the wind will help them decide to wear hair up, but if not it is their choice.

Rudebaga - You look beautiful in that picture....Can you tell me what dress you are wearing?! I think it might be the one I have - Allure 8705. If so, then I will be super excited to see how it photographs.

So far the budget is about what I expected to spend but way more than what my fiance thought it would cost. He thought a DW would be about $10K - but he wasn't factoring in a lot of things. However, I am adding on a lot of nice to have items to the budget that will run up the price but that should make the time very special for friends and family. For instance I am budgeting about $1500 because I want to charter a catamaran for everyone. We are planning on staying at the same resort for a few days after the wedding, but waiting to have a separate honeymoon around our 1-year anniversary. So even with my "extras", we will have enough money leftover from saving for the wedding to pay for the honeymoon. My fiance is freaking out at the total cost, but I just have to remind him that we have the money and that it will be okay.....

Try not to be stressed. There is nothing you can do about the situation other than to tell any unbooked guests what is going on and encourage them to get their butts in gear. And remember that if need be guests can stay at another resort and have a day pass for the wedding. Just breathe.... One suggestion - can your travel agent check to see if there are any groups with blocks of rooms reserved for that time that may be releasing a few rooms? For my wedding in early November, my release date for any unbooked rooms is mid-August. So MAYBE ~ 2.5 months before your wedding there might be some rooms that open up.

Two more weeks - exciting!!!! Hope you have everything pretty much done so you can enjoy the excitement instead of being stressed. And congrats on picking up the dress - that certainly has to make it more "real".

Em - There is a Dreams Cancun thrread on this forum (link below) that will help you answer all of your questions. One thing that every bride says is that the WCs are VERY slow to answer your emails until you are 2-3 months out and then they start to focus on you. They also say that once you get to the resort they work so hard for you and you realize why they don't have time to answer tons of emails. So check out the Dreams Cancun thread (read back a few months if you can) and then ask all of us brides there questions in case we have already gotten an answer. http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/2782/dreams-cancun-questions-for-those-married-here/5030#post_1530579

Ladies - another random question based on what I have seen on the forum: is there anywhere to make use of the paper lanterns w/ LED lights (for the cocktail hour or reception)? I like the look of the lanterns, but they obviously need to be able to hang from something. Any thoughts? Also, what are you planning or what did you do for table numbers? I am wondering what would work with the potential wind on the beach. Thanks.

Again, thanks! $25 per person for the restaurant isn't so bad if your rehearsal dinner group isn't too large. The $48 is getting a bit expensive. Please let us all know when you hear if there is a cost to have the rehearsal itself. I am thinking of doing the rehearsal dinner as a chance to get just the families together for a little while. We are only having family in the wedding party, so it might be a good opportunity to have both sides get together without friends around. What is everyone else thinking as a reason to have or not to have a rehearsal & dinner?

Thanks! Do you know where the rehearsal dinner is and what you get for that $33/pp?

Hey ladies - a word of warning for those of you working out at the gym: especially during these winter months, wipe down the equipment BEFORE and after you use it. I caught a nasty little cold last week and my only thought is that I got it from the gym because no one at home or work is sick. I read in an article (about whether you should work out when you are sick) and they said that during your workout and the hour after a good workout your immune system is weaker - so anything you come in contact with during a workout has a good chance of doing some damage. Hope this helps someone stay healthy this winter because no bride to be wants to lose out on a weeks worth of workouts and weight loss (like I did )!

Question ladies: What information have you heard about having a rehearsal and a rehearsal dinner?

rudebaga - I am sure your pictures will be beautiful - flying bangs and all! I am excited for you to see the pictures show up on Navarro's blog. I know I will be a nervous wreck when it is my turn to wait to see if mine came out well. But with the beautiful backdrop at Dreams, I can't see how they could be anything other than fantastic.

I haven't gotten mad enough to think about giving it back, but I have definitely thought "I am glad he isn't proposing to me now, because he would have gotten a different answer."

I think all you can do is stand firm and let it be known that these uninvited guests will not have seat for the ceremony nor food at the reception. So if these people would like to vacation at the same time at your resort, there is nothing you can do about it but you certainly don't have to invite them to the wedding day activities. Hopefully if they find out they aren't welcome at the planned events, they will get the hint and not book the trip. I will keep my fingers crossed for you that these people don't actually book!

We bought the groom's and groomsmen's clothing at the Banana Republic Outlet at their July 4th sale last summer. We got them linen pants and long sleeved linen shirts (the sleeves will be rolled up to mid forearm for the ceremony) for about $30 per outfit. The groom will be wearing a white shirt and the groomsmen will be wearing a light blue (one of the wedding colors) shirt. The men will be wearing brown leather sandals and belts to finish off the outfits.