MJB3172012

I just voted - good luck! It looks like you're in second place right now. I hope you win!

Bride2012, Everything looked AMAZING!! I've been following a lot of your posts, so it's a lot of fun to see your ideas executed!! We leave for Punta Cana in two weeks. I cannot wait!!! Congrats!! You look fantastic!!

Hi Insanity Brides!! I don't think I've checked in since I've started the program. I am OBSESSED. We leave two weeks from today, so we're halfway through month 2. It is TOUGH. There are days I think the workout will never end! I'm not sure if the excercises in Month 2 are that much harder but the increased time per circuit, less breaks, and overall increased workout time (60 min!) are an intense mix! I've lost 25 pounds since we got engaged through a mix of eating very clean, Insanity, and strength training. In the last two months we've cut out all bread & pasta, no sugar, and no alcohol (okay, i've cheated here a few times). We're eating a ton of veggies and really upping our protein. I feel AWESOME. I'm wearing jeans I haven't worn in five years, getting lots of compliments at work, and feel/look stronger than I ever have in my life. All in all, I LOVE Insanity, and would strongly recommend it to any bride thinking of trying it.

Tori, Your planning thread is AMAZING. I expected nothing less. You have been such an inspiration since day one. Thank you for sharing!

One more thing: Turnaround times. This will differ by state: Obtaining Apostilles Ohio Secretary of State: Estimated 3-5 day turnaround. Actual was 1-2 days Missouri Secretary of State: Estimated 1-2 day turnaround Translations & Legalizations WeDo: Estimated 7-10 day turnaround. Actual was 2-3 days I hope this helps!

I've finally finished this process. I've compiled step-by-step instructions for any brides that would like to have a legal ceremony in the Dominican Republic. Sorry if I repeat from above, just wanted everything in one place. Obtaining a Marriage License in the Dominican Republic My onsite wedding coordinator recommended WeDo for translations and legalizations of our marriage documents. WEdding DOcumentation, has been working for more than 14 years with couples from abroad getting married in the Dominican Republic, handling required translations, certified by the Dominican Consulate. Please visit their webpage "wedo.com.do", there you will find detailed information on how to prepare the required documents. They work directly with the Dominican Consulate; documentation will meet the approval of the Dominican Republic laws and regulations. I’ve listed instructions below: Email Isabel at WeDo for a price quote. Her email is: “Isabel Gonzalez†<[email protected] She quoted us $250 for everything to be translated/legalized. Based on what I’ve heard from other brides that didn't use WeDo, they paid several hundred more to have the Dominican Consulate translate their documents. WeDo outlines the required documents very clearly on their website: http://wedo.com.do/requirements.htm. Note: the Single Status Affidavit expires after 90 days, so you must do everything less than 90 days from your wedding, although I wouldn't wait too long. Please note that your original birth certificates and notary signatures on the Single Status Affidavits must have Apostilles. **The Dominican Republic and the U.S.A. are members of the La Hague Convention. Please have your official documents apostilled by your Secretary of State Office. Obtaining an apostille is simple and fast. An apostille is an authentication issued on official documents in order to ensure their international validity. It is an attachment to the document. THE APOSTILLE ON YOUR OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS IS MANDATORY FOR YOUR WEDDING IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Click on the link below for an updated list of telephone numbers for the Secretaries of State offices: http://www.sos.idaho.gov/notary/apost_allstates.htm. Call your state’s office for specific apostille requirements. These differ by state. For example: My fiancé and I were both born in Ohio, but now live in Missouri. We sent our birth certificates to the Ohio Secretary of State, but sent our notarized SSA statements to the Missouri Secretary of State (they were notarized in Missouri). Charges will also differ by state. Missouri charged $10/apostille, Ohio charged $5/apostille. Once you receive your apostilled documents back from the Secretary of State, send all documents to WeDo. Sending via FedEx or USPS Express is recommended. Your original birth certificates will be in this package, you don’t want this getting lost! WeDo will translate your documents, send them to the Dominican Consulate to be legalized (stamped), and return all documents to you. Fax documents to your resort about a month before your wedding. DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS. You must bring all original documents with you when you travel to the Dominican Republic.

Thanks so much for the idea - and link! I just ordered mine! I'll be sure to share a photo when they come in. Krista was fantastic to work with. I had several rounds of revisions and she was very patient with me. This is the cheapest price I've seen for Koozies. I'd highly recommend this company to every bride.

Everything looks great! Love your welcome brochures! Tons of great ideas - thanks for sharing!!

Has anyone seen Nick Lachey & Vanessa Minnilo's TLC wedding special? They had a destination wedding somewhere in the Carribbean and hosted the "Wedding Olympics" for their guests. They did a few relays and the teams were split depending on who the guest came for (Team Bride vs. Team Groom). I love the idea of doing Wedding Olympics the day before our wedding. Has anyone done this? I would appreciate any ideas you creative girls can throw at me.

This is very helpful. Thanks!

Wow, thank you so much! How far out did Laura reach out to you to start organizing details? Also, when was your final "wedding package" payment due? You've been a big help. I'll let you know if I think of any more questions.

I'm very very excited, but also getting a little anxious. I feel like I have a lot to do! I bought my dress last April, and had my first fitting this morning! I thought your necklace looked familiar... I'm actually wearing a larimar necklace and earrings during the ceremony too! My parents bought them on a vacation there last year. That's great advice about the gift store. I do have a few questions you may be able to answer: 1. We are planning to bring our own music for the ceremony. It looks like you had the trio play, but do you have any idea if they have a set up for an iPod? 2. We would like to schedule time to sit down with Laura when we arrive at the resort. Do we need to schedule this ahead of time? 3. Is there a scheduled ceremony rehearsal? We would like to schedule one so everyone knows where to stand, and the order of events. 4. Did you have your hair/makeup done at the resort? Still undecided on this, but would like to know if it needs to be scheduled ahead of time. 5. Did you have your gown/your hubby's outfit steamed at the resort? Cost? 6. What types of activities did they have at the resort during the day? I've been to other all-inclusives that had dancing lessons, spanish lessons, etc. Just want to include some more info for my guests. 7. Your table displays at dinner were gorgeous. Did you pay the extra $$ for more flowers or just bring yours in from the ceremony? Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide!

Katelyn, My wedding coordinator recommended WeDo as well. You should first email Isabel at WeDo for a price quote. Her email is: "Isabel Gonzalez" <[email protected]> She quoted us $250 for everything to be translated/legalized. If you look through posts from brides that didn't use WeDo, they seemed to be paying a few hundred more to have the Dominican Consulate translate their documents. They outlined the required documents very clearly on their website: http://wedo.com.do/requirements.htm. You send them all documents, they translate, have the Dominican Consulate legalize, then send them back to you. Note: the Single Status Affidavit expires after 90 days, so you must do everything less than 90 days from your wedding, although I wouldn't wait too long. I haven't received my documents back yet, but I'll let you know how long the waiting period is.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I'm getting married at Iberostar Bavaro on March 17, 2012, and I haven't seen many reviews on here, so I've been SUPER nervous! Your review really put me at ease. Your wedding was absolutely beautiful, and you looked stunning. What kind of necklace did you have on? Is that larimar? Also, I think my fiance and his groomsmen have the same shirt your husband wore. I'm glad to hear that Laura was good to work with. She was very responsive in the beginning, but recently I've had trouble getting answers from her. Thanks again!

Wow, ladies. I am thoroughly impressed. I ran across this thread by chance yesterday and just finished reading through every single post. You all inspired me to order the DVDs - i found them on Ebay for $75. I've been working out consistently for about a year and a half now, but have really taken it seriously over the last six months, but i'm only down ten pounds. As of Jan. 2, I cut out all alcohol and sweets, watching my carb intake, and forcing myself to eat lots of veggies. I'm hoping my clean diet, along with Insanity will have me bikini-ready by mid-March. I am so excited to get started and wanted to thank all of you for the motivation, especially those of you who have posted pics! Unreal!