Peach

Here is the list of songs I included for the CD for the pre-travel mail-out, in case you were curious: - Burning Love - When the Night Feels My Song (Hey Beautiful Day) - Brighter than the Sun - One Love - Three Little Birds - God Only Knows - I'm Yours - Stand By Me *** I found a version of this song that was a little reggae, with some of the lyrics in Spanish - Honey Honey - Wipeout - Steal my Sunshine - Don't Worry, Be Happy - Hot, Hot, Hot - Say Hey (I Love You) - I Can Hear Music - Lovely Day - Toes - Vacation - In the Summertime - Walking on Sunshine - Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini - Zoom Zoom Zoom - Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

ENGAGEMENT PICTURES/GUESTBOOK: They were free! We actually went out on four separate occasions, twice with FI's mom, once with his dad, those times were around the gorgeous mountain town in which they live, and once around my parents' farm on the prairies with my mom. Then FI found a groupon for Photobook Canada, and I put all those pictures into (what I think is) an awesome photobook that our guests are going to sign yearbook-style. We are having a small group for our DW, and a large one for our AHR, so we are going to use the book as a guest book at both places. Some engagement photos: PHOTOGRAPHER: We are going with Caribbean Emotions; we are getting the images and video, so we can share the memories with our friends and family members back home. It is a little more than we wanted to spend, but we agreed that, after the destination, it was our top priority, so okay. It is still reasonably priced (in comparison with what you get for weddings at home), and we are happy to have the rights to the images. We have heard/read only good reports about Michael and Pascal's work, and are so excited to have them shoot our day! We also booked them for a TTD session the next day. We hope everything works out okay for it!

ATTIRE: The best man and groom will both be wearing white linen shirts from Old Navy: FI is wearing white linen pants with it, while the best man is wearing khaki pants. My dad, unbeknownst to me, also picked up a white shirt for the day. At least it is short-sleeved, so it is not exactly the same. Anyway, This is my sister's (MOH) dress. My BM, who will only be joining us for the AHR, will wear it then too. Hmm, it seems the only pictures I have are pre-alteration. Well, it needed to be taken in and up a bit, but here is an idea anyway. She is also wearing tights in the pic because she quickly threw it on over her clothes the first time she tried it. She can wear whatever shoes she wants (if any) and jewelry. I am giving her pearls as part of her gift, but I am not sure if they will go or not for that day; I am leaving that up to her. She is thinking maybe gold wedges. She is getting a bracelet from me as well that she may choose to wear, along with her corsage. We had a heck of a time finding a dress for the girls. There are so many shades of coral out there, and we were on a serious budget and wanted to pay for the dresses ourselves. FI was actually pickier than me! Hahaha! But it is beachy and a little vintage-looking I think; I love it! Plus the price was awesome - from Forever 21; I think they were $32 each or something like that. I have no idea what my mom is wearing, if she has started shopping. My brothers are going to walk her down the aisle; I told them a solid light coloured shirt and khakis or something. They can wear whatever they like (but not white! grrr). FI's dad is wearing something patterned; not sure what yet. FI's mom has a colourful sundress in shades of blue, with pink, orange, and coral flowers on it. It is very pretty. Now, the best part. MY attire! On my first day of shopping we opted to check out the two bridal stores in my town. We just thought we would have fun, I would then go to a bigger city and order something, and so on. Well, wouldn't you know it, I found something I really liked that day! FI wanted me in a short dress, but he is going to have to be disappointed! In the second store, my mom and sister pulled a dress off the clearance racks that looked pretty unimpressive on the hanger. But I started giggling when I was trying it on. I love the corset style back (FI's one request if I got a long dress) and though I was not looking for strapless, I think this totally works on me! I was not sure about the flower and beading details at the top, but I really like it on! I think it looks beachy and pretty. I had to have it shortened a bit, and a bustle added. But here it is the first time I tried it on. And for comparison, on the model. SHOES: I LOVE shoes. I found flats at Old Navy that look like they have starfish on them, which I might change into as the night progresses. But for the ceremony, I knew I needed some height, even though we are getting married on the beach. I am 5'2"; FI is 6'6". Yeah, height was necessary. Wedges it is! I found bright blue wedges (okay, FI actually found them) last summer in a mall (for $30!), and I added the sparkly starfish detail (actually buttons I found in a fabric store that reminded me of seashells). I also made barefoot sandals. I am not sure when I will wear those; perhaps the TTD? If not, they are just fun to have for the honeymoon. And they were free to make, so oh well! JEWELRY: I won two pairs of earrings in a tophatter auction (online auction by etsy stores). They both feature pearls; one is smaller than the other. The bigger one is more sparkly; I am leaning towards that. I do not think I will wear a necklace. FI found me a set of two sparkly bracelets from groupon (I think) that he gave me, so I will probably wear those. Maybe on one wrist, with my pearl bracelet on the other.... honestly I will probably decide that on the day.

Okay, sorry I have been lackadaisical lately in posting; I am a teacher, and with it being the end of the school year, things got pretty nuts! Anyway, school is officially done, which for me, means the last couple weeks here are going to be focused almost entirely on WEDDING PLANNING! Yay! So here are a few more DIY projects I have found stashed away on my computer: CAKE TOPPER: We are choosing a cake that is included with our package. I am not sure what flavour we will have yet; I think it is narrowed down to vanilla, chocolate or coconut. Regardless, it will be a simple, small (maybe two-tier?) cake. I have made our own cake topper; something silly that represents us, and was (almost!) free! I am a Disney nut (a total Disney nerd!), and wanted to incorporate that somehow. FI says I am most like Cinderella, since she is so giving and everything... Also I am going to be blonde, and blue is one of our colours. FI actually contributed the Han Solo - he is a Star Wars fan, and that was actually one of his action figures as a child. That is a wooden heart from Walmart that I painted white. Now looking at it, I think I will write our date and names on the tip of the heart still. For our AHR, we will be borrowing (I think) my in laws' topper, which in turn was her parents'. PRE-TRAVEL PACKETS: 6 to 8 weeks before our departure, I mailed packets to everyone (one per single or one per couple) who was travelling with us. They included a brochure (largely copied from this site), CD (I know, slightly archaic but oh well), luggage tags, and packing list. Those luggage tags are really just vistaprint business cards I whole-punched and tied a ribbon through. On the back I put our resort name, and "laminated" the backs to reinforce them (okay, I carefully stretched a piece of clear packing tape across the back). I made the CD covers (thank you, pinterest), and the packing list was from a dollar bin at michaels a couple years ago.

We are doing a parent dance (the mother/son and father/daughter together) to The Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog. Not sure if I will use that version or one by someone else yet. Guess I should figure that out!

Trash the Dress pics almost never actually "trash" the dress... most report that they end up cleaner than they were on the beach before! You can actually trash it if you want, but if you communicate to your photographer that you are worried about it, they will help you be careful. There is no greater chance of it getting wrecked during the TTD than during the wedding day itself.

OH MY GOODNESS I love love love the floating one. How intimate and romantic!

There are tons of threads about AHRs on here that are SO helpful. People plan things from traditional receptions to casual cookouts to everything in between. We wanted to do it casual but it is becoming more structured as we get closer to the date; which we remind ourselves is okay, since it is what many of our family members will experience as our wedding, since so many cannot come to our DW. Oh well. We are having supper for just the family (and a few very close friends). Buffet. Then we are playing a game (the shoe game!), showing a slide show and our wedding video, doing first dance and parent dance again, and opening it up to whoever for an open house idea. There will be a late-night lunch and drink tickets for the bar and dancing. My youngest brother is in a band and my dad is paying for them to play (a matter of contention, but oh well). We are DIYing EVERYTHING except the dinner. All decor. There will be a dessert table; I am making all the desserts based on family recipes. If I can do it, I will, and I am pretty confident with a glue gun (or apron on!). I am wearing my dress again, but going to pack along a white sundress just in case I feel like changing. FI is wearing his outfit I think (though he is toying with the idea of wearing his kilt, but I do not think he will). We are having it in the small town I grew up in. My ENTIRE family lives there. There will be, like, 60-75 people for supper, and upwards of 200 for the open house. Way more than we wanted, but oh well... Good thing it is not our "real" wedding!

I am giving the moms things similar to the bridesmaids.... they are all getting a personalized bracelet, "bridesmaid" or "mother of the bride" (or whatever) tank top (DIYd), barefoot jewelry (DIYd), lip balm, tropical-flavored hand lotion, and so on. Then my BM and MOH are getting some specific things. The moms are each getting a pashmina each as well. My FMIL, who I am very close with and who is SO supportive, is also getting a special necklace (we get each other a necklace on every trip we take apart). The dads are getting a "father of the bride" hat, personalized t-shirt. We also wrote personal notes for people. I wrote one for each parent, and one to his parents, and one to each of my siblings. He is an only child, and wrote one to his parents. I think they will appreciate that more than most gifts anyway. After the wedding, at our AHR, we are going to give each set of parents (and the grandparents) nice picture frames with a wedding picture in it,

OOPS! Just realized I forgot to include pictures of the parasols. My sister will carry the blue; the white is for me for pictures. Maybe during our TTD next day? The lettering seems pretty easy to DIY, but I actually bought these from a former bride who did them herself.

PROGRAMS: We decided - okay, I decided - to do paper fan programs. These were made with the same cardstock (a pack from Staples), created in Word and printed on my own computer, based on an amalgamation of many, many pictures here!