BusyBee123

Hey all... So I know that I want a hairstyle that is half up, half down, but I'm having the hardest time deciding what I want it to look like, especially from the front! I have a hair trial booked 2 days prior to my wedding, but struggle with leaving it until the last minute and want to bring photos with me for the stylist. I'm presently torn between these two options, but would love some feedback or other photos for inspiration! I'm planning on wearing a long veil with a pearl/crystal comb at the back of my head with no other hair ornaments/flowers. 1. I love this one because its all out of her face and with a whole lot of hair spray should hold up pretty well! I also think it looks really elegant. 2. I love this one too because it looks a lot softer and frames her face a bit more. My worry is that the bangs might fall down into my face and I would hate to be swiping at them all day long. What do you think? Which do you prefer? If anyone else has any photos of similar styles, I'd love to see those too! Thanks a bunch!

Your pics looks great! Well worth the initial discomfort! I'm sure your FI will absolutely love them! Congrats on your little one on the way too!

I initially really wanted the starfish too, but was worried that I would get there with a bunch of broken place card holders. Instead we went with seashells and absolutely love them! They came packaged with bubble wrap and I think they will travel quite well. Here's the link: http://www.beau-coup.com/natural-seashell-place-card-holders.htm. We continued with the seashell theme and made the table numbers in a larger version, also held up by the same seashells.

I just made a bunch of diagrams in Keynote so they could see how I wanted everything set up. They include: 1. Room lay out, including guest tables, sweetheart table for us, cake table, table for guestbook and table that we have set up for guests to collect sky lanterns, matches and sparklers on their way to the gazebo 2. A seating chart 3. What decor should be on each table in diagram format 4. What each place setting should look like with guest favours, place cards, menus, etc 5. How to put together our centrepieces I realize that all of this sounds super meticulous, but I just figured that it would make their lives easier to know how to set up the centrepieces, etc, rather than having to play around with all the different beads and lights, etc and figure it out. Hopefully then it maximizes the chance of it turning out like we had planned too! I also made one for the ceremony venue listing what I wanted on each chair (programs/fans/chair cover and tie), how many chairs I needed, where I want the flower arrangements and how I want the gazebo draped. I used pictures that I found so its super straightforward....i think! I really don't think its necessary at all, but I remember another bride saying that she did it and was so happy with how things turned out. She said the planners thanked her for being so organized and that it simplified things for them. I figured it couldn't hurt!

Have an amazing wedding FleetMac! Can't wait to hear all about it when you get home! I really can't answer any of your questions from first hand experience, but I'm pretty sure the wedding planners will set up all of your reception decor. I've already sent them my dinner table layout diagram with what goes where, and they said that the set up shouldn't be a problem. In terms of tipping, we're going to bring enough with us to be able to tip both, because we can't really predict who is going to be involved on our wedding day. All of our correspondence has been with Donnalee, but Chandlyn may the the one there on our big day. So we decided to bring $50-100/each to tip (will decide based on service) as well as a gift that we might give to Donnalee for all of the prewedding planning help.

Here is mine: $1300 (From Toronto) $1400 (From Ottawa) for 7 nights occupancy (double), all inclusive - cheapest room option possible at your resort (inc airfare and taxes) 24 - # of invites sent 16 - # of guests attending Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica - Resort Name 5 # of stars of resort

Unfortunately I don't have any photos to share as I still have not printed them! I'm still working on last minute changes. I used the template found at this link: http://www.ayleebits.com/templates.htm. I just added a few extra pages to that I had sufficient space to add the information that I needed. I used the free one and just added in my own background. Hope that helps!

I know!!! How frustrating!! I just gave up over the weekend and spent hours designing a passport style brochure to print at Staples too! Such frustrating timing!

FutureJohnson ... or is it Mrs Johnson now?! Thanks so much for such a detailed review! Those of us with weddings coming up shortly really appreciate of all of the details! I'm glad to know that things went well with Donnalee. I've been primarily working with her as well and was hoping that she would be professional and helpful come the big day! Now I'm reassured! With only 67 days to go, that's one less stress! That disappointing to hear about the that they didn't stop the afternoon entertainment, but I guess its not too surprising. I was hoping that seeing as the gazebo is quite far out from the rest of the resort, that we wouldn't hear it as much! Guess that's not the case! We're at 3pm as well, so I will anticipate that and not be surprised! Glad to hear the steel band was great! I can't imagine getting married in Jamaica without the steel drums and am so looking forward to them! At least they'll drown out the afternoon entertainment! Not getting the rest of your cake seems to be a trend. To try to avoid this we bought cake boxes for all of our guests (hoping it might be a snack post dancing in the gazebo!) so hopefully they will pack it up! Especially with us being a small group, I would hate for it all to go to waste! Congrats on being a Mrs! Thanks again for the review! You looked stunning on your wedding day and your bouquet is beautiful! The colours definitely stand out against the background! Can't wait to see more of your pics!

Yup....just for the cost of the all inclusive! So the total for all our photography (all events during our wedding week + engagement before we leave) we're only paying $1396 for 2 photogs! We got lucky that they were looking to add some destinations to their portfolio and we were looking for someone we could bring from home! Shop around....its worth the extra effort if you can get a great deal!

Thanks for the moral support Mllek! I agree 100%...staring at my seating chart that I'm trying to rearrange is really not working out so well right now! A break and some wine are definitely in order! Will contact the excursion company in a few days to see if we can work it out, but the pricing we got was based on a minimum of 15 people...and now we're one short! Here's hoping we can work something out! Thanks again for the happy vibes! Love this forum!

We're bringing 2 photogs (husband and wife) with us. They're doing engagement shots, welcome dinner, unlimited wedding day and full day TTD. We're getting all of the images with printing rights. We're paying only their travel with our all inclusive group, and because of our numbers got one of their trips for free. Pretty good deal! PS, I had two people in my group cancel today due to "work issues". When your group is only 18 people total, 2 people make a huge difference! And now I have all this OOT stuff personalized for them, and nothing to do with it! Of course they're all the way in Europe, so its not like I can just drop if off and at least make use of it! So frustrating that people are so nonchalant and don't realize all of the detail and planning that goes into a DW! Not to mention I already paid for an excursion for the two of them that will now go to waste as well! Now I know where everyone else is coming from with numbers going up and down. Just didn't expect this 72 days before the wedding! :S

Thanks JayKay...I was trying to figure out how to export it for ages, but couldn't figure it out either! So frustrating! Mllek - I LOVE the jewelry you bought! Love the pearl and swarovski crystal combo! So I'm having a super frustrating day, and with only 72 days until the wedding, I'm not going to pretend that I'm not getting a little bit stressed! I had two people just cancel their trips today due to a work conflict! Albeit they were flying in from Europe and I know it was a big trip for them, but still! Thank goodness they were not in our travel group so they are not affecting the deal with had with travel, but when you only have 16 guests, 2 makes a big difference! They were somewhat apologetic, but I don't think anyone realizes the work that goes into a DW! I have all their OOT stuff personalized with their names, their flip flops sizes, etc, etc. Plus I've already paid for excursions for the two of them, which is now money that is going to waste. I'm so upset. Then today, I also hear that one of my friend's guests may not come either and she might be bringing someone else...again an issue with all of the personalized stuff! I'm so frustrated I could cry! Not having a good day! :S Hope everyone else's planning is going much smoother....

I've heard the same thing from several people now about the Vistaprint brochures. I made one in Vistaprint a while ago, but am really second guessing ordering. Especially not that nothing seems to be free anymore, and the best I've seen is 80% off. Were you able to export what you had made and just print it at home? Or did you have to start new? I recently started working on a passport template for our pre-departure mail out just in case, but being able to print out the one designed in Vistaprint would be much easier!

ACW: Congrats on becoming a Mrs! You pictures are absolutely stunning, can't wait to see more of Merrick's pics! Thanks for providing such a detailed review! Those of us with weddings coming up really appreciate it!

I'm so excited that I found a thread about this on BDW! A few weeks ago when I had my engagement session I went to MAC to have my makeup done, and to my hair salon to have my hair done. I was trying to stock up on tips for my upcoming wedding, especially my TTD for which I'll likely be doing my own makeup. I was most nervous about my eyelashes - I didn't want to wear false ones and have them fall off half way through the TTD (which the woman at MAC said they likely would) nor did I want to go the day with just my plain boring lashes! So I found out about Butterfly Lash Extension and think it will likely be the perfect solution! They are individually glued lashes all applied to your existing lashes as dramatic as you choose! They are super pricey, but I think they'll be worth it! That way I won't have to worry about mascara and running for my entire week away, and at least 5 weeks thereafter! What could be better! I do have a question, however. They say that you absolutely don't need mascara, but they sell one that can be used for special occasions. Has anyone tried this? I just wouldn't want it to ruin my lashes and have to worry about cleaning it off after!

Hey Peach, I think it all comes down to you and your preferences. A lot of people will have a LOT of opinions about your big day, but ultimately its your opinion that matters most! What did you always envision for your dress? Are you someone who fantasized about a princess ball gown? Or was the dress never a key feature in your visions of your wedding? Do you want something traditional, or more unique? For myself personally, I knew I would only ever get married once, and this would be my once in a lifetime chance to wear a bridal gown with a train. That being said I was never the girl who dreamed of a pouffy ball gown, so I went with something that was dropped waist and still had some volume and train on the end. I would suggest going out and trying on some of both and see what you like the look of yourself in. In the end follow your heart and your gut! You'll look great in either!

Hey you... I totally understand where you are coming from. I had a similar thing happen to me when I chose my bridesmaids, so I can relate. In brief, one of my close friends (that I had assumed would be a bridesmaid, as I was a bridesmaid at her wedding 3mos earlier), started to act really rude whenever my wedding came up in conversation. She kept telling me that no one cared enough about me to travel all the way to Jamaica, that my colour choice wasn't as nice as hers, that my dress wasn't what she thought I should have picked, etc. etc. She was AWFUL to me. Essentially she wasn't yet ready to let go of being the centre of attention and being the bridezilla she was around her own wedding. So although she was a close friend, I selected 2 BM instead of 3, which worked as my FI is only having 2 groomsmen. I knew that she just assumed that she was in the bridal party, so I wrote her a really long email explaining (we live 6hrs away) that I knew she had a lot of stress in her life post wedding with moving, etc. and that although I wanted her to be there that I just didn't feel comfortable having her be a BM in my wedding. I told her that I still loved her as a person and wanted her to be there, but that I just couldn't add to her workload right now. I tried to be as polite as I could and didn't even bring up how awful she had been making me feel. As a response, I got a text message saying I should have told her months in advance and before she paid her deposit for the trip. She also told me that she was no longer coming to the wedding. I contacted her again and tried to reason with her, but she has since cut off all communication! Immediately following I was devastated...I couldn't believe that anyone would react like that! I could not believe that someone I had once lived with and counted on tremendously would treat me like that. All that being said, at least you are still in contact and this person has reached out to you. I would try to acknowledge her feelings and let her know that understand that she is hurt. I would try to explain to her that it is based on numbers, especially being a destination wedding. You could also try to incorporate her into the wedding in another way if you want to, with a reading or a song or something at the ceremony. That being said it is entirely up to you. It is your wedding and you have every right to have who you want standing next to you on your big day. In the end it will all work out and you will have the wedding of your dreams. Best of luck and keep us posted! At least you know you're not alone...we've all had our share of BM drama!

I went with Tai Flora for my flowers because I was super impressed with their price and how they acommodated my requests. I didn't even bother to shop around. That being said, I know several people who went with Jan's Flowers and were super happy with them. I don't have any tips for having them get back to you but unfortunately most of them work on island time and will respond eventually. Good luck and hang in there!

Same here! We bought ours in the winter when we started hearing about the price of gold sky rocketting! Thankfully the store that we bought them at was in the process of reworking their prices right when we found them, so we still got the original price! My wedding band alone has now gone up by $600! Crazy considering its really quite small and more diamonds than metal!?! Yikes! My FI got Tungsten as well...not really sure what's happening to those prices to be honest! He likes it...that's all that really mattered to me as he is NOT a jewelry person! Only 83 days until the wedding and 78 days until depart! After all this planning and waiting, I'm beginning to feel like its sneaking up on me all of a sudden! Not that I'm complaining!

Just as another option for chair sashes, I ordered organza coral sashes for $5.90/pack of 10. I got them on sale earlier this year for this price, and they're on sale again now (normally $6.90/pack of 10). I don't have a picture of them unfortunately as they're already in my mom's stash of things to bring down in her suitcase, but they were absolutely perfect! They seem to be the same price as the other ones suggested, but it might be worth a peak just for more colour options, etc. Here's the link: http://weddinglinensdirect.com/8xorsaco.html. They also have satin sashes and tons of other linen options.

MichCraw, CONGRATS on surpassing your goal weight! You are amazing and an inspiration to all of us on here! That's incredible! Such an accomplishment! You must feel so good about yourself! WOW! Good luck with your dress fitting and be sure to share some pics with us! Thanks so much for the moral support as well! You were exactly right! I think part of the problem was that I just wasn't eating enough. My stomach had shrunk and I just found that I wasn't hungry...it only took me a few bites to feel full. So I got stuck in that cycle thinking that the less I ate the more I would lose. Clearly it wasn't working. So I've started to add in more small snacks like nuts and veggies and I've already lost another 2lbs! Ironically, I've been working out less this week too cause I've been having awful migraines with the rainy weather! Who would have guessed! Maybe I am building up more muscle than I thought?! So all in all I'm down 17lbs total! Here's hoping I can still get down to my goal of 30lbs! Will keep you posted and thanks so much for the motivation!

Thanks so much for posting this Janette! What an amazing idea! Its like a little gift to yourself every month! So much fun! Like others have said I love the moroccan hair oil! I wish I would have thought of this earlier to have a little travel sized one for the wedding! I mentioned the Luxe Boxes to my FI last night with a little bit of a "hint, hint" as my birthday is only a month away! Here's hoping he got the clue! Thanks again for sharing!

Hey Ladies... So I'm in need of some extra motivation with my wedding now being under 3 months away! Yikes! Its funny how you plan and plan for months and then all of a sudden it seems to sneak up on you! So I posted ages ago that my goal was to lose 30lbs for my wedding in January. I did really really well initially and the first 10lbs came off pretty easily. Then of course, I lost motivation and took a bad food and no work out break! What was I thinking?!? I've been back on track for the last month, but the weight is creeping off SO SLOWLY! I'm now only down a total of 15lbs from my starting point, and my goal of 30lbs is starting to seem out of reach. I'm working out 5 days a week cardio and weights, and eating super low carb (no breads, pastas, rice, etc) and sticking to lean protein, fruit and veg. I even got through Canadian Thanksgiving without a single cheat. I just wish the results were there! I don't mean to complain, because I know that I have accomplished something, but its so frustrating to get on the scale and not see any movement!

Thanks so much Tekeya and Cupcake! I really appreciate that you guys are still around on the forum post nuptials to still answer all of our questions! Love it! After reading about the quality of the service you both received on your weddings, I was really starting to second guess giving them generous tips! I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't being too cheap by cutting back on the tips. I think I'll still bring that amount, then decide what they each deserve following the wedding. That way we have it just in case. I agree with what Cupcake said about waiters and bartenders! Absolutely, they make SUCH a difference! We're planning to make some envelopes with $5, $10 and $20 to hand out throughout the day as well! I've been reading on other forums about tipping the officiant. Did anyone do that? I really wasn't planning to, as he already gets $200 for about 20min! And what about the band? They're getting $400 for an hour and to give them even $10 each on top of that is another $50. I don't want to sound cheap, but things are starting to really add up last minute!