kiwimel

I finally had my response through from Jennifer Gamboa today too after about 3 weeks! I hope this isnt a sign of things to come!

Oooh yay! This is just the sort of inspiraton I was looking for!

Hi ya - so glad someone thought to start this thread. Anyone else feel uber helpless doing this from afar? P.S. I have emailed Matt at Del Sol to see if it is true. I have booked La Luna which is a different branch of his business. It would be awesome if they have a little more acceptace there of outside vendors.

Hi girls! Â How are you all? Sounds like loads has been going on but I havent hardly done a thing! I have been gymming and dieting like crazy with not that much results. Apparently its because I have killed my metabolisim by NOT eatiing enough. How ridiculous. Anyways, Ill keep on trucking along and see how I get on. Â Last night I made my first little look in a dress shop. I didnt try anything on, just had a chat with the lady in there. That was a big enough step! My main problem is my bridesmaids 1 in London, 1 in Auckland, New Zealand and one in Tokyo, Japan. And none of them will meet until the wedding. I am seriously worried about what to do for their dresses. Â Herbie your daughter looks absolutely GORGEOUS in that dress! Good choice! Â Nicyx - please dont forget to add me to the list - Im 6th August 2011 Moon Palace! Â Michelle - Good luck with your Slimming World! I had a friend who did it and lost loads of weight. She found it much easier to lose then doing it on Weight watchers. Â Hope this weather is making you all get excited about how lovely and warm our weddings will be . Take care and have a lovely weekend. Â Mel xxx

Roo! You look amazing! I'm so pleased it all urned out so well for you. Love love LOVE your dress hun and everyone else looks absolutely gorgeous! Sounds like all that hard works and hassle was so so worth it. Congratulations to you! Â xxx

Hi ya, Â GREAT NEWS! The STD's have hit New Zealand - YAYAYAYYAYAYAYAY!!!!! Â We are in the process of arranging everything with Caribbean Warehouse as we speak and I have to say - they are so so helpful! I am working with Amy for travel and Gemma for the wedding side of things. They are so great. They manage your expectations correctly and seem to go out of their way a lot more then others. Can't recommend them enough. Â So pleased you liked the web page. I wasnt sure if it looked ok - any constructive criticism? Â Just going to have a quick squizzy at yours now Nicy, having seen your eye for detail already Im pretty sure Im going to have to remove my website off of here in shame! Â Melxxx

Char79uk - sorry to hear your having such a bad time at the moment. I really hope things get better for you soon.  ROO!!! My favourite stepmum on the forum! Can't believe I missed saying good bye and good luck! I'm sure you will read this on your return anyway. Your planning threads are fab darls and I cant wait to see your report! We will all be thinking of you on the 3rd!  Hey - I have been in contact with Carribean Warehouse recently and I have to say - they have been awesome so far. They are taking over all the contact with the hotel and arranging all the flights for our guest - UK and NZ which is amazing! We sent our STD's on Friday so it has been exciting to hear who has received them so far and whether they think they will be coming or not. I cant wait now but not really sure what my next job is to do!  Started on my 30 day Paleo challenge today and am off to do spin class tonight. Im dreading it as I have been avoiding the gym and my Personal Trainer for a bout a month. It's gonna kill! But I cant wait to see what a difference it makes to my weight and my health in general. Will let yas all now how I get on - it seems you guys are doing GREAT in your weight loss!  ALso, just thought I would share this as it is finished now. You have to create your own username. You dont have to look but you can if you want:  WEBSITE ADDRESS IS — http://christopherandmelissa.weddingpath.co.uk WEBSITE PASSWORD IS — Mexico  Â

Hi ya, Â We are looking to book our wedding for 6th August 2011 - just trying to decide whether to do a group booking or go through TA. So hard from UK!

Oh Nicy! How nice is your MIL! That is really sweet and a real godsend I am sure. Â My dad emailed me today saying the Gretna Green idea was great! LOL. He said it would save loads of money and they would give it to us for a house deposit instead - way to throw a spanner in the works pops! Anyway, I think we will carry on and keep it very low key and have our fingers crossed we can do it ourselves that way we could still use the moeny for a deposit. Its my 3 year anniversary today so we are going to treat ourselves to dinner out together and probably discuss it then. Â I know you girls have all been really helpful about the booking thing but Im still not 100% sure I understand? So you go to flight Centre (example) and tell them what you want and then contact the hotel as well yes? Does this mean you still get all the advantages that go with having a group booking? At Moon Palace they throw in all these free events etc depending on how many people stay and for how long. I have bene going through the hotel directly but I dont want our guests to have to do it direct through the hotel in USD$. I just dont know what to do! Think I might get in contact with a TA this morning and see what they say? Â Waybuloo - Love the dress boxes ! I will definitely be getting one of those for when I get home.

Oh man! I've missed so much!  Lyndsey - I hope everything is OK at home, sending my thoughts your way.  Roo - WOOOP WOOOPPPP - its your big day soon! All your little details must be coming together nicely and your planning review is fab, I just loved it.  Michelle - I love your OOT organza bags. I think they are just perfect. Do they look great in the flesh?  Nicy - How's the headaches chicken? I read back and saw what you had written and have my fingers crossed that your not still getting them. I suffer bad migraines and its usually brought on by stress .......  Herbie76 - regarding booking - I am so bewilded to all this I dont know either! I have been in contact with Moon Palace directly so Im guessing I will leave it with guests to decide how they will do it. I think? I really dont understand!  Catherine - I'm a Moon Palace bride too! We are going for the 6th August so it would be awesome to swap notes maybe?  Janapana - I am so so jealous of your hot weather! we have had yukky grey rain for the last 3 days and its hard to believe its August!    Yesterday I nearly flipped my lid. It isnt funny but when I first signed up and I saw the posts from you girls saying how awful your in laws were I really counted my blessings. WELL. It seems that the word wedding brings the bitch out in family members and I was so fed up yesterday that I rang the registry office in Gretna Green. I said to Chris - I'v ehad enough, its a long weekend, we can drive up there and make a weekend of it just the two of us. As it turns out you have to apply 15 days before  I guess in a way, I would have bene doing it in spite and I may have had regrets of not having what I dreamed of. But it was a bit exciting I have to admit and I just really fancied popping to Monsoon and getting a dress (I HATE SHOPPING) and being done with it. Anyway, as it turns out, my parents who live in Tokyo made an emergency call after being SOS'd by Chris and de-escalated the situation. My poor dad couldnt stop laughing as he didnt know what to say!

Oh dear - all these muck ups with your arrangements girls! I would be savage if I were you! Makes you panic about mine but I have folowed suit with what Woodsy just recommended. We are doing ours through the hotel (A tiny bit more expensive) and arranging the rest direct through the TA. Â I know some people will moan about the cost but I just think that way me and the WC have a bit more control a bit earlier on. Well I hope anyway. Â I desperately need to do some work on the website this week as our STD are going out next and I am so unprepared! Â

Oh gosh Woodsylou - those pictures are beautiful! It looks like you had the time of your lives! I ADORE your MOH dress too - it looks like a dress I would wear myself! Â I think Im going to have to have a good scratch around this vista print. Some of the stuff you lot have come up with is phenomenal and I was extrememly pleased with my STD's. Love LOVE love the pens and luggage tags!

OH MY GOD _ those are some of the most beautiful invitations ever! I would definitely consider using your company but am scared of the cost - I live in the UK.

I'd be keen too - but I'm not sure if you would deliver to the UK? Otherwise, perhaps I may be able to order them online myself? I would love these for table number thingys ....

Im with ya there - we are currently looking at Sasha Gluck or Elizabeth Medina as I'm not too taken with the resort photographer and that is my main priority too.  Mariachi bands from our resort (Moon Palace) are £450 USD for 45 minutes! Sounds like a lot to me???

Stupid question but does anyone have a rough idea what size that whiteboard is? I think its perfect but Im clueless abouts sizes and will be ordering it off the internet

Roo - OMG. Your story sounds like my up bringing! Accept I was the poor girls with the nits, no hair cuts and shoddy, horrible clothes. My mum essentially used my sister and I as a cash cow through my dad to fund the 4 other children she had to 2 other fathers. We would go home to my dads and my stepmum would strip us off before we wwalked in the door! Our clothes were either binned or soaked till the stitching came apart from the napisan! Our shoes were polished and we were chucked in a bath of detol and 2 doses of nit shampoo. Then we were feed till we gained so much weight that it took the whole school term to lose it. We were wormed and dosed on vitamin C and then shipped out for doctors, dentists and hairdressers appointments! Â To this day - as a little girl of 9, I was so humiliated and felt so protective of my mother but also so desperate to not have to go back home. Â I just want to let you know, that these children will appreciate what you do for them one day. More then you realise at this very moment. My stepmum made us feel like normal people again after that bit of routine. I really feel for you and think you are doing a brave and amazing job. People forget sometimes how difficult it is to be a stepmum as you are usually painted as some interferring/horrible person but at the end of the day, people forget that you are taking on a whole nother family and that is something that not all that many people can relate to. Â Keep going - be the bigger person, try not to slag off their mum in front of them however hard that is to do and just try and be an ear when they want to have a moan with out voicing an opinion and I promise they will have more respect for you then they do for her. My stepmum now has the last laugh as I havent spoken to my mum for 5 years and it is my stepmum and my dad that are going to be walking me up the aisle because she was far more of a mother then my mum ever was. Â So so so sorry if that was a long one girls - but I just wanted to let Roo now how special she was! Â Â xxxxxx

Hi girls, Â BOOOOO its Monday again! The weekend always goes way to fast. On a nice note my Save The Dates arrived today. I am pleased with them, they're nothing fancy but just enough to kind of let people know. My invites will have to make all the impact I'm afraid. But I wont be senidng those for a while yet. Â I'm still panicking over this Moon Palace booking so I am going to frop you an email Woodsylou in the hopes you can explain it to me - I am so clueless! Â Hope you all had a great weekend? Looks like a lot of you have bene going shopping! Love that bag Michelle! Â Mel xxx

Definitely gonna have a go at this one! Really original and I have never seen it done before. I should think a whiteboard will be fairly simple to transport from London to Cancun!

I think you could be right about the heat - I was there in June (Grand Mayan, Mayan Riviera) and it was bloody hot then! We had a number of days with rain as tropical storm Alex hit while we were out there. Did you get any rain? Maybe a gazebo would be better -we have some oldies in our group hence we are going to Mexico instead of Thailand (We were trying to find a venue half way between NZ and UK) and Im a bit worried aboutthem standing round in the heat. We are looking to get married Saturday 6th August, which I believe is about a year and 1 week after you? Â So how did you book yours then? I think we are going to invite 50 but I know what its like, probably 25 of them will turn up which is just fine by us. I just think they are all talking about staying in other resorts or moving about and I feel really confused and not comfortable with saying Oi! You have to stay here and you have to book it like this! LOL I'm a bit of a panicker and my friends keep telling me I have to stop thinking of everyone else! Â How did your flowers turn out? Who did your pictures? Â Â Thanks for this, I really hope you wont mind me bombarding you with questions for the next few months at least! Cant wait to see your report! Â Mel xxx

Thanks for the email address Woodslou - actually have a load of questions so I may take you up on the offer but you may live to regret it.  Your pictures look fantastic - and you look STUNNING! I think we want to go for a beach wedding to rather then a gazebo thingy.  Quick question - I am really unsure how to go about securing the booking. I have been in contact with the hotel itself and they are happy to do it. My problem is that I feel a bit mean insisting my guests do it through them? Did you do it like that or did you go via someone like Thomsons or Thomas Cook. I just feel like a package deal may end up being more suitable.  Thanks  Mel

Janapana - my saying is always "Just because Im on a diet doesnt mean you cant have a glimpse of a menu". LOL. I think its healthy to acknowlege it - acting out is a WHOLE NOTHER STORY!

Hi girls - wow I've missed a load! I am EXTREMELY excited to hear the infamous Woodsylou is back! You girls have spoken about her often and recommeded I chat with her as I am marrying at the Moon Palace to so will need to pick her brains LOADS! Â Poor Michelle2011 - I feel so so bad for you. Please dont let this mean lady dampen your spirits and your excitement about the wedding. Its meant to be fun and it sounds like she is right getting in the way. I really hope hubby to be will see where you are coming from and do something about it. So typically blokey though isnt it? Â Nicyx - what a bargain you got for your perfume! You must be stoked! I will definitely be sure to have a whiff next time I walk past the perfume counter. I havent even thought about wedidng perfumes???? Is this something that you buy just for the day? I'm so clueles LOL. Fab about the weight too! Â Roo66 - You must be getting married soon if it is your last day shoppng? How exciting! Â Well I had an invoice email come through today to say my Save the Dates have been dispatched. YAY! That is my very first thing I will receive that sets it all in concrete! Cant wait. I think next on my list will be sorting out the wedding website - especially seeing as we included it on the STD! I really need to crack on with that. I've used weddingpath - has anyone else? Â Right. Best do some work. I've only just got in as my personal trainer sent me off to the doctors today for a blood test as he is worried that my weight isnt changing. It makes me giggle - I dont mind going to see my normal doctor for things like that because hes SO SO SO cute! I know I shouldnt say that as I adore my fiance and think he is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me but imagine if I had to go for something embarrasing! LOL Â Have a nice day girls! Â Â Mel xxx

Morning! Josietoms - dont forget to wear a tag on your ankle! You could probably make one with one of those black elasticated belt thingys that have been really popular this season. I think its sounds like a great weekend away but your right - pretty expensive huh? This wedding malarky sure does get pricey - even being a guest! I honestly havent even thought about dressing Christopher yet. I feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment with all the things you have to do to get married! Im in a bit of a sticky situation as well - I live in England and I am mumless so Im kind of just winging it on my own. Not really sure if I am doing things the right way round or not? For example - yesterday, I was saying about how I spoke to the wedding coordinator at the Moon Palace which is great BUT I dont really understand whether I am supposed to book it direct through them or whether my guests are supposed to do the same thing etc. I just feel a bit bossy if I tell them they have to do it that way - they may be able to get a better package deal through the charter companies? Please, if some one can explain how it is all meant to work I would really appreciate it. Jananpana - that dress for your little girl is gorgeous! Michelle 2011 - is this Asford in Middlesex? I have never been out there before but I know loads of grat places around the area - is there any particular reason they picked Ashford? How exciting about your booking! Mel xxx

Hi girls, Great weekend? I was in Paris and ate my body weight in food. It is officially my last trip abroad as we are in serious savings mode and I think diet mode too! Weather was amazing and the red wine was even better! Nicyx - It was a US travel adaptor but as I said be aware as my irons didnt get very hot and my hair dryer was about as windy as my godson blowing raspberrys! I dont know what the best option would be with regards to that? I am on a role at the moment so I got my save the dates ordered on Friday so I think I will email round everyone for addresses. Not sure to what would be next on the list? I was contacted by the Miami rep of Moon Palace on Friday so I think we just have to pay our deposit now and thats it? So exciting! Anyone else getting anything organised over the weekend? xxx