JayKay

They look great! Love the colors.

After the wedding we made both of them wedding albums on mypublisher and gave them as gifts from us. They both loved them.

I was married January 2012 in Jamaica and I wore my hair half up/half down. I hate hate hate the way my hair looks all up and knew I wanted it down. The compromise was half up/half down. Yes, it was windy by the beach but I never felt like my hair was in my face and it was really secure and didn't move a bit. I was worried about curls not holding well with the humidity but they had this amazing spray (they call it cement spray) which literally made my curls not move at all. Also, if you are wearing your hair half up/half down, make sure you stand on the appropriate side during the ceremony so your hair will be blowing away from your face, rather then in it.

They are both beautiful dresses, but so different. You obviously purchased the first one because you loved it. I don't think it matters if it is a 'church' dress or not. It is your wedding, wear your dream dress. I think either dress will be beautiful.

How many days before you depart are you doing your TTD? It will take awhile to dry and may still feel slightly damp when you leave but if you wash it out in the shower and hang it to dry it should dry before you leave, as long as there are a few days in between your TTD and departure.

They are both great shoes, but I think the nude is more versatile.

I think we have all found this about the wedding planners-really quick to respond until you confirm and then they take longer. That is because they do 3 weddings per day pretty much every day of the year. They focus more on the weddings that will happen within that month then someone who is getting married say 3 or more months away. Its just the way they do things and it makes sense. If your wedding was in a few weeks and had questions you would want to get your answers pretty quickly. And it is Jamaica afterall, they pretty much have their own way of time, everything is relaxed.

Yes, we didn't rent the Gazebo but went to the poolside bar. There was no band but they had music playing and we were the only people there so we had our own little dance party complete with drinks and shots at our fingertips! It is SUPER windy at the gazebo. I wouldn't recommend petals as they probably would blow away pretty quickly.

We had chicken ceaser salad, beef vegetable soup, mix grill, and cheesecake for our meal. I would definitely recommend any of those items, they were all delicious. I have to say though the soup was the best soup I have ever eaten. We even went back the next day just because of the soup! The gazebo is big enough for 30 people I would think. And there is also a large area just to the right of it thats pretty big.

I don't think there is a set time limit they need to be. Ours took about 15-20 minutes.

I purchased one extra bouquet and an extra boutineer and I beleive the cost for both was around $45. I had the basic bouquet though, so if you want something more deluxe it probably will cost more money. Our ceremony start to finish was probably 15-20 minutes. I think it was the perfect length. Glad I could help you get started. And there is a great breeze down at the gazebo so none of our guests complained that it was too hot. Yes you put what you own down there on a credit card. Enjoy your wedding! You must be getting so excited!

Here is a copy of the vows we wrote. Hopefully they will help someone out. Opening Good afternoon, we meet here today surrounded by the beautiful ocean and blue sky to celebrate one of life’s most joyous occasions and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite Mason and Jayne in marriage. In the time they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. On behalf of Mason and Jayne, I welcome you and thank you all for gathering here on this beautiful day to witness their marriage ceremony. The fact that you all have travelled such a great distance to be here today is a testament to the amazing amount of love and support they have. All of you have given them much happiness, love, warmth, and guidance through the various stages of their lives. They would like to sincerely thank you all for being here to celebrate their special day. Ceremony Marriage is an affirmation of life, an undying commitment, a spiritual, emotional, and intellectual bond between two people. It is created from the purest of friendship, respect and love. The institution of marriage should not be entered into lightly, as it is true commitment on every level. Marriage has been described as living in love with your best friend; an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the mutual commitment of two people sincerely in love who share the same dreams about life, their fears and desire of family. The vow of marriage is a pledge of their everlasting love, whereby, they commit to share all life has to offer. The marriage between Mason and Jayne does not mark the beginning of a new relationship; rather, it is an acknowledgement and celebration of a relationship that has been flourishing since they met. Love is the longing two people feel for one another. It is the need to share, in body and spirit, the warmth, serenity and peace two people can give to one another. A simple touch, a hand held at a time of uncertainty. Love is life’s highest emotion. It makes us less selfish, it makes our personalities grow, and it makes our lives more meaningful. It is caring about the welfare and happiness of your partner as your own. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. And it makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone. A successful marriage takes more than just love. It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. Mason and Jayne, you have chosen to walk through life together. There is no truer statement of love. The choice was not made by any one moment, but by being together you grew to realize that you belonged together and that you fulfilled each other’s needs. You have come to thrive upon each other’s presence, loyalty and wisdom. The foundation of your love is profound friendship. A friendship you have nurtured until at last you realized that you wanted to be together always. The commitment you make today will be the foundation on which you will build your life together. Vows Mason please repeat after me: I, Mason, choose you, Jayne to be my wife. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems difficult, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. I promise to support you and to be there for you no matter what. These things I give to you today, and for all the days of our life. Jayne please repeat after me: I, Jayne, choose you, Mason to be my husband. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems difficult, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regard. I promise to support you and to be there for you no matter what. These things I give to you today, and for all the days of our life. Rings May I have the rings please. Notice that these rings are a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end. They represent the unconditional love that you have for one another. Let these rings serve as a bond between you and wear them with honor and pride, as they are a visible reminder of the vows and promises that you will make here today. Mason, as you place this ring on Jayne’s finger, repeat after me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you and a lasting reminder of the vows made between us today. With this ring I marry you and join my life to yours. Jayne, as you place this ring on Mason’s finger, repeat after me. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you and a lasting reminder of the vows made between us today. With this ring I marry you and join my life to yours. Engagement Ring The engagement ring is a symbol of promise and intention. Now the intention is realized and the promise fulfilled. Mason, place the engagement ring on Jayne’s finger over her wedding band to symbolize that the love that brought you together will always protect and sustain your marriage. May the sacredness of this moment and the vows and rings you have exchanged ever remain as a priceless memory in the heart of each of you. Signing of Marriage Certificate Sand Ceremony Mason and Jayne, Before you met, your lives were on separate roads, each going in different directions and seemingly leading to different destinations. But somewhere along the way, through some twist of fate, you met and fell in love. Today, standing beside the ocean, you find yourselves together at the entrance of a new path, as you promise to forever join your once separate journeys into one. You have just sealed your marriage by giving and receiving of rings. Although you will be sharing one life, never forget that you are two separate people. Cherish and affirm your differences. Love each other. Together you will laugh and cry, be sick and well, be happy and angry, share and grow. Grow sometimes together, sometimes separately. To symbolize this union and the importance of the individuals within the marriage, two separate colors of sand will be combined. Each container of sand represents the separate journeys you once were on. In a moment I will ask that you both blend your individual containers of sand together, representing the coming together as husband and wife through your marriage, into one. I now ask that you blend your containers of sand together. Mason and Jayne, as the sand has blended together, your lives are now joined; your separate journeys through life are now one. Just as these grains of sand can never be serperated and poured into the individual container, so will your marriage be a molding of two individual personalities, bonded together forming one heart, one life, and one family. Closing Mason and Jayne, remember to give to one another new experiences of joy. Challenge one another so that you may grow. May the love you hold for each other, now sealed in marriage, continue to mature with the passing years. May you never take each other for granted, but always experience the wonder of your union. Be slow to anger, quick to forgive, leaving no tracks of resentment behind each day. We who are present today, hope that the inspiration of this moment will never be forgotten. May all your days and years to come be filled with vision, joy and passion. May the love you now share continue to grow, and may the happiness you bring to each other be a continuing part of your life together. May you continue to live well, laugh often and love much and enjoy each and every day, believing in yourself and believing in each other. May your love be a sanctuary and a source from which you draw strength to live your lives with enthusiasm and imagination. May the people you touch in your lifetime know how much you love and care for one another and may you love one another forever. Presentation of Couple Mason and Jayne, you have expressed your love and commitment, and promised each other the joy of all your days before family and friends; along with the sun, the sand, and the sea, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce you as husband and wife. You may kiss your bride! Family and friends, it is my honor to present to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Mason and Jayne Jensen.

We chose to write our own as these vows were so religious. We had a legal ceremony and were able to use our own. There were only a few extra sentences he added to the ones we wrote, which I am assuming as sentences that need to be included to make it legal.

We used Merrick Cousley. I highly recommend him.

I emailed the wedding planner and she was able to email me a copy of them. My computer crashed with all my wedding documents on it so I can't evenemail it to you. We had a photographer from the resort at our wedding as our package included 5 free photos. The photographer was only there during the ceremony and took about 95 photos. The photos werent bad, but they werent spectacular. We were so happy we hired an outside photographer. When we went to the photography store to get our 5 free photos I asked how much it would be if we wanted the remaining photos on a disc and they said it was $10/picture, so $900 for the 90 remaining photos. Id highly suggest hiring an outside photographer, regardless of the high vendor fee. There is a great thread on here with tons of peoples vows they wrote to use during their ceremonies. We basically used bits and peices from many on that thread and added some of our own things. The Reverend basically said ours word for word. We were so happy we did it that way verse using the one provided from the resort.

We chose our menu once we had our meeting with the wedding planners, a few days before our wedding. We had to pick one option from each category but it could be from either menu. You do not get to choose on the wedding night, and all guests get the same options. My mom has a severe dairy allergy so they were able to give her a few different meals so she could at least eat something. We wrote our vows as the ones they use are really religious and we arent very religious. We chose to write our own instead.

You leave so soon! You must be getting so excited!! I never brought any table decor as to us it wasn't that important to have to haul everything down there. They put tea lights all along the table though which made it look nice. We used our bouquets to add a little more color and it was perfect. I think if you want more table decor you will need to bring your own, but otherwise it is just fine without. Tip about the resort: It is HUGE!! Prepare to do a lot of walking, therefor bringing only heels (like one of my guests did) is not the greatest option. I had problems with the wedding coordinators as well with my ceremony time. I had confirmed with them multiple times my wedding was to be at 3pm. When we got there they said it was confirmed for 4pm. I didn't feel like arguing with them so we had a 4pm ceremony and it was perfect. They also told me they do a wedding at 2pm so to have another at 3pm would be rushing to change ceremony decor, and get them out of there so we could have our wedding so we undersoon the reasoning. Id say an hour won't really make a difference in your wedding day.

I ordered things from these two sites before and both are Canadian sites which means no duties and other fees, plus faster shipping and probably cheaper shipping costs. I would think it would be safer to pay more and order from a Canadian site especially with Christmas right around the corner as shipping from the states will take even longer. Here are the sites I would recommend: http://www.weddingstar.com/product/round-paper-lanterns http://www.weddingfavours.ca/p/4056/Small+Round+Ribbed+Paper+Lanterns.html

They are two total different resaurants. The Dolce Vita is Italian and the Garden Grill is more like a steakhouse. We had our reception at the Grill and we loved it. I think however, the Dolce Vita has a more private room for wedding dinners.

Our group was told to be at the gazebo at 3:45pm for our 4pm ceremony. While I was getting ready they all met at the lobby bar around 3:30ish and all went down to the gazebo together. It really wasn't planned that way but I guess it just happened that way! We did a pre travel brochure we sent out about 2 months in advance that included information about the wedding day, such as what time to be at the gazebo and what time supper was. We also included that information on our welcome letter in our OOT bags. You could maybe include something in there in regards to wedding day activities.

Glad I could help. I was like that too, I wanted all my questions answered so I could relax and be as stress free as possible (which everything was!) before going. I beleive I tipped $20 to the lady that did my hair/makeup, so that is reasonable. Instead of a monetary tip for the wedding coordinators we brought them soap and lotion from bath and body works. They seemed to love that. As to our photographer we did tip him because we feel he went above and beyond. He stayed for our dinner and took more pictures at our reception when he was supposed to leave before dinner. I guess its personal preference if you feel they went above and beyond then yes, I would tip them something. And just remember, even a $5 tip to them is a lot of money!

Our travel agent requested it for us. For example, she knew my two brothers were sharing a room so put on there to make sure they had 2 beds, not one ect. I would think you want to do this before you arrive, especially since you will be there in April which is peak season. I don't know what tour company you are going through, but we all ended up with side by side rooms except for myself and husband (we were two floors up from everyone else, but still in the same area). I suppose you could take your chances when you get there that you will be able to switch, but I don't know if it will be possible as they are usually full capacity. If you are using a travel agent mention it to them and they should be able to request specific room configurations. Yes, they don't accept cash for tips either. We had to add our tips on to our bill and it was charged to our room. It was sort of like getting a restaurant bill, and you can write in the amount you want to tip on the bill, and its charged to your room, and you pay at checkout. I believe the hair trial is included for free so you wouldn't get a bill that day so I would assume you just tip once when you get your hair/makeup done for the wedding.

There are rooms with king beds and rooms with double beds. We had some guests in both set ups. We usually tipped the bartenders a buck of two, usually left a few bucks in our room for our housekeepers, the waiters we gave a bit more if the service was good. I didn't have a hair trial done, but I did tip when I had my hair and makeup done at the salon. And just a note about that, they add the tip to the bill and charge it to your room. They wont accept any cash or other method of payment from the salon, just an FYI.

We did the free wedding and thats correct. We didnt pay anything up front and just payed for everything during our meeting with the wedding planners.

Welcome back! Congrats on being married. I think all the blue starfish are cursed!