markandlisa

Hi Marisa, I found a couple of great websites of the resort. People that went to a wedding there just this past June. I thought you may be interested to look at them http://katherinehannaford.com/2012/06/18/25-photos-from-seven-days-in-the-bahamas/ http://www.maxflatow.com/blog/index.php/2012/06/18/jamie-jesses-bahamian-beach-wedding/

Hi Kelli, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I am just using the photographer that is included in my package, it includes 10 photos. My daughter is a very good photographer so she will be taking a lot of the photos, and between all the guests there will be lots of pictures. I have a friend that goes to Exuma all the time, he posts facebook pics and it looks like a beautiful spot!!

Weddings Bahamas, thanks for the video. I am actually thinking I will move the wedding up to 3:30pm Thanks for the warm wishes

Yes, I just received a message from the wedding coordinator and we will be moving the wedding up to 4:00pm. I also asked her about having an ipod plug on the CD player and they don't have one. I have decided to just go with their music. With 2 days to go before we leave I have too much other stuff to do See you in the Bahamas Marisa. I look forward to meeting you

Oh wow, what a twit!! And I had told her I had wanted to move it up to 4:30 but she said it didn't need to be!!! That gets me, if I hadn't already printed all the brochures I wouldn't care as much. Wow, I worry about everything she has said to me now, oh well, I guess I'm printing all new brochures!! Thanks so much for asking about that and letting me know. As for music we are actually doing that as I speak and so far we have found nothing that suits!! Ugg, 6 days till we leave and I'm now nervous :/ Thanks again

Yup, I totally agree!! I was wondering if you had to wear bracelets when you were there? Also my daughter is wondering if they have different colours for bracelets depending on age? If we do have to wear bracelets they will definitely be coming off for the wedding!! haha It sounds like you and your fiance are just like us....don't like being the center of attention so the less we have to say the better..lol Off to bed, talk to you later Lisa

Yes I completely agree that they answer but don't really answer, very frustrating. Are you dealing with Loyda too? Music: Oh my mom is just saying that I need different music for all the different times, prelude, girls walking, me walking......I like the Canon in D so that is what it will be , for the amount of work that would go into finding and downloading music and hoping it will play on their machine, I don't feel like it is worth the stress. I do agree it would make it feel more like a real ceremony with the different music though. I think if you have some music in mind to put them on a CD and also on an ipod and hopefully they will be able to work it out down there. Ceremony: I have more worries about what the "minister" is going to have us say........Are you writing your own vows? We are undecided, neither of us like to speak in front of people so we don't know what to do. I have tried to get something from Loyda as to what will be said during the ceremony but yet again, no real answer! Wine: Mark and I don't drink a lot so I'm not really worried about the booze, so I'll be quiet until someone brings it up and than I'll go find a liqour store, if no one says anything then I figure they are happy with what is there , why add an expense if I don't have too Talk to you later Lisa

Hi Marisa, Got some more info from Loyda: I had a question about the ceremony music again. You sent me a link for the music that I will walk down the aisle to, but is there music while my guests are waiting for me to come. Normally we only play CANON D SONG while you will be walking down the isle, however if you want any other song or music please bring your own CD and when we meet we can arrange with the do the other that you wants things to be dome. Prelude music....Maid of honor music, Bride music, signing the license music, and finally us walking back down the aisle as a married couple? As I just mentioned normally the music is Just while you are walking -- and that the normal DJ responsibility, but if you really one more music which I do not think is necessary you let me know and I can talk to him. are you sure you need music whole signing the license? remember that is a 20 minutes ceremony... so everything happened kind of fast. Do you know where I will stand beforehand so people will not see me? How far of a walk will it be in mins, basically I'm wondering if I make a cd of my own music to play, should I have 1 song on a different cd or would the person doing the music be able to start a different song.......also how long each song should be etc...... I will take care of that, don't worry...we will see the detail when you get here please. Some other questions: I was also wondering if you know how far (walking distance) the International Bazaar and Lucaya Marketplace are from the resort? 6 miles away (10 minutes in taxi) Some of my guests are wondering if they can bring in their own wine to the restaurants or do you charge a corkage fee? 5 US$ to open the bottle ... Is there an age limit for the disco? I am hoping to go there after the dinner to celebrate with everyone, including kids. No age limit So that is that, I think I'll just go with the music they have, even though my mom has said she isn't happy with just that. It seems a lot like Cayman Islands, we have been there twice, it is where he proposed I would have loved to have my wedding there but they don't have any all-inclusives. But it seems to be the same with the shops, open when the cruise ships are in. As for the wine, I'll probably buy some from the liquor store for my guests for the dinner. I'll wait and ask what it is like beforehand but if they say it's bad than I'll purchase some for the wedding from a liquor store. Wow I can't believe your plans are booked solid, I don't know how to check my plane space, did you check yourself or did your travel agent? Talk to you soon Lisa

Hi Marisa, Thanks for all the info you have provided on the resort I also read about the small glass sizes so I have included travel mugs in my OOT bags as well. Did you decide if you are doing your own ceremony music? I'm going to email Loyda and ask her. I'll let you know what she says Is there really nothing in walking distance to the resort? I didn't think it was that big......I know the Gardens are about a 25 min walk but are there not any stores near the resort or down closer to the Lucaya? Talk to you later

oh I totally forgot you have been there so you know a lot more than me on it haha... thanks for the information on the restaurants and regarding the disco...i have no idea if they have an age limit, my daughter is 17 and her friend is 17 and my son is 12. I would hope they would allow them in especially with their parents being right there and the specialness (haha I know not a word )of the day!! I was not planning on ordering more of their champagne as it is really expensive........ do they allow you to bring your own wine etc? They let u last year? If that is the case I will hit a liqour store down there I guess, I don't drink wine but alot of my guests do........ We booked back in June of this year. I am thinking since it is Thankgiving week for the US it should be fairly quite at the resort....what do you think? She called the music device a small case, I was able to clarify enough to find out it is a portable cd player, so if I do my own music I will have to hope that the CD's I make will work in the player. I am also very anxious about everything to do with the wedding and I am a control freak to begin with but I am 11 days till I leave there isn't much time...... Have to run, talk to you soon Lisa

Thanks for the pictures Marisa! The flowers look pretty, even though they are simple. Did she say whether we had a choice of these 3? I spoke with Loyda today and they did not have any damage from Hurricane Sandy so that is a good thing. Here is the animation program she sent me: I had to zip it because it was too big, I hope you can open it she said we will be week 1 but some things may be different. It seems like they can't say anything "for sure" for some reason. I had asked what restaurant we would be in and she couldn't tell me that either She also said: Nat is no longer there so it is a piano player she said, hopefully just as good. I would have also preferred the Calypso music but it is out of our control About the car to the registrar , I'm really not sure what she was talking about with the $40, I figure I'll find out when we are there. I don't mind sharing if you guys want to go on the Monday 19th, that is the day we have to go. I am thinking of doing my own ceremony music as well, like prelude etc, but not sure how to handle having someone from there play it. Like every song will not have to play the whole length, so worried about timing etc....not sure what to do about it. I have concluded that I cannot control everything being a destination wedding so that be that! I am relying on the fact that they do weddings all the time so they must know what they are doing. i hope.......haha Talk to you soon Lisa ANIMATION PROGRAM 2012.zip

Hi, Wow, they haven't been very helpful for you at all, I have bugged and bugged this is the info I have received from Loyda ( wedding Coordinator).....Her answers are in red Ceremony Time: I have decided on 5:00pm she said that will leave enough time for photos and if photos run later she will start the guests with appetizers and drinks Regarding your question the time will be up to you after you meet with the minister and let me know- Normally we suggest 5 or 5:30 so you can go to dinner right after the ceremony and picture time. Hair Salon: My daughter is going to do my hair and I will do my makeup, just had a trial run and it turned out great Regarding the hair salon, we do provide assistance booking the service: the hair dresser will be on call and she can come to assist you in the room ( the cost is estimated between 80 and 100 us$) Some questions I asked on the wedding:( her answers are in red) How much does the transportation cost to get to and back from the Registers Office? 40 US$ round trip Am I allowed a cake topper? no included but you can bring your own Do I need to assign seating for the dinner? that's up to you -- Am I allowed to bring extra decorations or things of that nature for the ceremony and/or reception? if you want so-- our decoration are very basic -- nice but basic and are only for the ceremony gazevo --- i can help you wirth the decaoratyion for the recepction are if you bring it / In the picture (attached) off the website, there are sashes on the chairs for the ceremony, do I supply these? Do you or I set them up? is not included and those where brougth by the couple in that ocassion - i guest I still have somes around but if you wanted you can bring it -- they are not included in the decoracion- If you have any idea like that or similar please feel free to let m,e know and i can assit you to place them . ( I am bringing my own) Do you have any suggestions or no what others brides have done in regards to Ceremony Music? Like walking down the aisle music etc... we provide that -- we have an small case when we play the music while you will be walking down The song that we use is: Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel and If you want to bring your own Cd is ok -- not a problem at all Do you have a steamroom for wedding dresses? Is there a charge? we do no have that but in freeport city t they are available (at your own expenses) ; I can help you to arrange a taxi to tkae them and bringing them back - The you can pay him directly I actually bought a hand held steamer that works perfectly to bring with me. I am actually thankful because I have no idea where on the plane my dress will be possibly stuffed in overhead bin I am leaving from Ottawa, ON Canada I haven't heard anything about Nat not being there. I actually email Loyda last week to make sure everything was ok with the resort after Hurricane Sandy, but never heard back yet. I will email her again tomorrow. She is usually very quick about emailing me back so I think my email got lost in cyber space. I have spoken with my travel agent and she said that it didn't get hit to hard and they are very fast at cleanup so I'm sure they are just busy. Yes, I am planning on going to the disco in my wedding dress. I figure for the price of it I'm going to get as much wear out of it as possible haha Do you mind posting the pics they sent you for the arbor flowers? They only decorations I have for the ceremony is the chair sashes. Did you receive the Animation Program 2012, I still haven't heard what week we will be there (week 1 or 2) so not sure of what shows will be on.If you didn't get it I can send it to you. By the way what is your name? It is really nice to talk to someone that is going to the same resort. Did you decide if your hiring a photographer down there? Talk to you soon Lisa

Hi, What dates are you in the Bahamas for? We are there Nov 16th - Nov 23rd. 16 days till we leave!! Ahhh, wow it's getting so close. I figured once we are there, I won't be able to worry about forgetting anything because it will be too late haha. I have been speaking to Loyda the wedding coordinator mostly. They are very relaxed down there. A little nerve racking on our end but I figured it will all work out in the end. As for flowers I ordered my own from Australia, so I'm sorry I don't know anything about what they are offering. Our wedding in mostly family as well. We have a total of 22 including us, but 2 of our guests are staying at a different resort and coming on the wedding day only. I don't think I'm going to use a hair/makeup person down there. Actually tomorrow, I'm going to my mom's for a mock hair/makeup, dress, shoes and the whole package to make sure that everything is working, I would rather have " a look" here just to be sure. I did ask about a hair/makeup person but it is really expensive and I have a hard time with going to someone I don't know. I'm very plain, meaning I don't wear makeup or do anything special to my hair so my daughter who is 17 will be doing it. My welcome bags are done and my welcome brochures are finally finished. I am planning on a trip to the Garden of the groves on the Sunday with all of our guests. Here are some pictures. We are going to use the resort's photographer for the ones included in the package and then everyone else can just take pics. My daughter is a very good photographer so she will be taking many of the the photos for us. It is so nice to speak with someone that is going to the same resort. Every day it gets closer the nerves get to be more

Wow what are the odds of finding your question. I am getting married there on November 21, 2012. The wedding planner had said the 22nd was booked so I guess that is you. Congratulations on your wedding!! Unfortunately, I have not even been to the resort so you would know more than me about the resort. How are your wedding plans going? Mine are coming along well, all the last minute things to do. Trying to make a photo sharing website that guests can upload pics to after they get back home. Any suggestions? I want to add it the information to the brochures I'm making. Hope to talk to you more about your wedding Lisa