Camy47

This is a really good question! Come to think of it I don't believe there would be AC in any of the 'open' restaurants like the Seaside grill. These are pretty much open to the elements but we were never uncomfortable in any of the restaurants. They MUST have AC in the indoor ones because the Himatsu grill would have been smoking hot with the tepanyaki tables. I would just email the resort concierge and they could tell you.

Great idea! The tags I used were not laminated so they got soaked at the pool and didn't last long. I think this would work very well!!!

Just a quick tip....if you are paying for extra baggage for OOT items....pack them in a box (just make sure it's within your airlines max linear dimensions). This way you only have to pay the $20 one way and you can leave the box at your destination! We had 6 boxes/suitcases on the way down but only 3 on the way back!!! Much easier at the airport too!!!

I used Yogile as well. We ended up paying the $24.95 for the unlimited uploads/downloads for a year (incl. high resolution). Unfortunately not a lot of people from my group have used it yet as most of those with pics posted on facebook. However, my family has shared our site and password with a few friends that were not able to attend so it's a nice way for other people to be able to view our photos (we didn't have this included with our photography package).

Thanks so much! Congrats to you too! I just checked out some of your pics from Jellyfish....just gorgeous! What day did you get married? We boarded La Barcaza from their beach on the Monday and the restaurant looked SO nice!

Hello Soogal, I used the rack cards from Vistaprint then just cut holes in them using a circle cutter I picked up at the dollar store. Just be sure when you are designing them that you leave enough room for the hole....I had to redo mine and move the text about half way down the card.

If you are planning a trip to the states you can find lots of great deals for OOT bags (I bought many of my items at Target & Dollar Tree). I think the main thing ppl bought at WalMart down there were the Bubba Kegs....but you can get good deals on those here too (Canadian Tire often puts them on sale for 50-60% off). I wouldn't make a special trip just for OOT....but if you are getting wedding items or are going anyways it can be worthwhile. I really like AquaCait's idea of making a list of items you want to include then figure out where the cheapest place is to get them using the thread. Dollarama still has sunscreen etc. right now even though it's winter. And don't forget Vistaprint!!!

I actually thought the same thing which is why I wasn't initially going to do them. However, once I figured out a way to make them using Dollarama & Vistaprint for so cheap I figured why not! In the end I think everyone used them....even guests who flew in from other cities! The airport is already pure madness with a large group...so giving them out there might be a bit chaotic. Just my 2 cents

I also wanted to give an update on the pre-departure package we sent to our guests. We received a lot of compliments on them; especially the personal brochure with hints & tips. I saw that some people even used them as a checklist when packing and getting ready! I think the guests that don't travel very often really appreciated these. The luggage tags were also a huge success! I made these mainly as a novelty item, but almost everyone used them on their bags. The best part was that it made it easy for identifying our groups luggage at the airport. A couple of the guys just grabbed every bag off the conveyor with the tags and it made things really easy! This was another best buy since they only cost about 25 cents each to make!

So I'm back from my wedding at Dreams Palm Beach and wanted to give all you ladies and update on how my OOT bags went! First off, let me say that our wedding and vacation with our family and friends was AMAZING! It was everything we could have wanted and more! All of the hard work paid off as we all had an awesome time just as I am sure all of you will too!!! I posted a pic below of the bags so you can see everything we had in them. Items I saw used the most: 1) Key card holders - I was surprised but EVERYONE used these! Even though they were the zip top kind they didn't end up being waterproof. Nonetheless they were great and we received many compliments. Best item since they were pretty inexpensive to make. 2) Bubba Kegs - The resort we were at actually gave out large drink cups and had terrific waitstaff, but our guests found these particularly handy for the pool and on our excursion. It was a nice keepsake as well since everyone took them home with them. 3) Pink OOT bags from Creative Bags - So many ppl used these throughout the week to carry their stuff. The best part was that because they were bright pink, you could see members of our group from across the resort which was great for meeting up! 4) Playing Cards - It rained a few days we were there so we ended up having a giant euchre tournament! 5) Sunblock - Surprisingly a lot of people either forgot or ran out of sunscreen when we were there so this actually got used quite a bit 6) Tylenol & Pepto - Both used by quite a few ppl 7) Vistaprint items: In particular the Welcome Letter, Schedule of Events, Room List, DND sign and Spanish Phrases (saw ppl carrying this around with them to use at the bar for fun!) 8) Bathing Suit Bag - the hotel didn't have plastic bags in the room so I think everyone used these on the last day to take home their wet bathing suits. Another best buy @ $1 Items we could have skipped: 1) First Aid Kit - cute, but don't know if anyone used these 2) Drink mix for water bottles - again, didn't see anyone use 3) Off bug repellent towelettes - these were funny b/c I didn't even use them myself. In retrospect I should have b/c I'm allergic to bites and ended up with some pretty big welts on my legs! 4) Shout wipes - again, didn't see anyone use....by the end of each day our clothes were wet from the humidity so I never wore anything more than once. 5) Photoshare cards - I even paid $ to setup a Yogile account and so far am the only person to use it. It's good so ppl who didn't attend the wedding can see pictures, but I had really hoped more people would share their full size photos vs. just facebook. I may send out an email to everyone to see if I can get more traction. 6) Wedding Bubbles - not an OOT item, but I picked these up at Dollarama and they were a waste of money. The wands inside are so small you cannot blow any bubbles! I have no idea how the snack pack went but I'm sure people nibbled away on things like we did. We actually ended up giving the leftover candy to our maid and she was very appreciative! Overall the bags were a success and we had lots of compliments on the contents!

Did you try Golf Town? I'm sure they do personalized golf balls but I don't recall the price...just saw a sign once when I was in there.

I just got back Saturday from my wedding at DPB and it was amazing! I will be posting a full review of the services we used....but in the meantime I posted some pics on the DPB Brides facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150447326756678&type=1

@ MichCraw....your bags look AWESOME! LOVE the colours!!!

Thank you to everyone for all the nice compliments on our pictures! We had such an amazing time and such a great experience! Instead of posting a giant review....I'm just going to offer up a few hints & tips that might have helped us on our journey in Punta Cana. Lessons Learned: 1. Make sure you have your passport & purse! This was actually funny b/c right before our limo left with us and our guests, I had checked with everyone to make sure they had all their documents with them. Just as we pulled away I realized that I had left my purse at home!!! D'oh! 2. Group Check-in @ aiport: we were supposed to get group check-in at the airport but when we arrived we were told everyone had to check in normally. In retrospect we should have spoken with someone else to confirm as it took FOREVER for our guests to get their boarding passes. 3. Be the first on the plane! We had 6 brides on our flight and the storage locker you are supposed to be able to use for your dress....well there's no way it would fit a wedding dress. Make sure you use your advance boarding so you get an overhead bin to put it in. We were upgraded to first class so we didn't have a problem, but I felt bad for some of the brides that boarded after us. 4. Customs in Punta Cana: this was an interesting experience as they actually opened up all my boxes of decor. Everything ended up being fine...probably because they started to see Bridezilla! Seriously though, don't be surprised if this happens and maybe have a list of items that are in each box. 5. Welcome Dinner: this was an awesome idea! This event gave everyone the chance to meet each other and to receive their OOT bags. It also gave my husband and I the opportunity to express our gratitude for everyone making the long journey. It was a great way to start the week! 6. Group Excursion: we rented La Barcaza in Punta Cana and took our guests on a 3 hr boat excursion. We swam, had a grilled lunch on board, open bar, relaxed and danced! Everyone had a blast and are still raving about it! @ Holly....TOTALLY worth every penny! If you want more details just let me know. 7. Weather: we were SO lucky on our wedding day with the weather. The forecast had called for rain, there were a few drops during our ceremony, and a storm went literally right beside the resort. I think this was the most stressful part of the wedding! If you do happen to be a bride that gets rained out....don't sweat it. We saw several that week that were moved indoors, but they looked awesome. Some brides even made the most of it; one still continued with the ceremony and everyone got drenched but their spirits were high and they even did the photoshoot outside in the rain. I'm sure the pictures were awesome and definitely one of a kind!!! 8. Don't sweat the small stuff: regardless of where your wedding is things will go wrong. We had a few things but in retrospect they are kinda funny. For example...our cake melted! It was a buttercream cake and it just couldn't stand up to the heat so it actually started melting. By the time we cut the cake it was the leaning tower of PC! 9. Hair: this is a biggie and if I could have a do-over this would be it. I did as other brides recommended and brought lots of pictures with me to explain to the stylist. Unfortunately the 'natural look' I was going for was not in their repertoire. I think this is because of the heat & humidity....it seemed like all the up-dos were kinda promy and they used a LOT of product to keep it in place. The curls I had wanted in front just went flat after 10 minutes so I ended up pinning them up. Just keep the weather in mind when you are picking a style and be prepared to change. After a day or two in your location you'll know what your hair is going to be willing to do! 10. Using Outside Vendors: although I used the resort for all the basics, I hired outside vendors for flowers, decor, dj, photography & videography. This was probably the best decision I made. It took a little bit of extra leg work having to deal with multiple people up front, but in the end we had a gorgeous wedding and paid less than 1/2 of what it would have cost through the resort. @ MichCraw I don't know what your budget is, but I highly recommend Groupo Illusiones for flowers & decor in Punta Cana. If you want more details just PM me. 11. OOT Bags: I'll write more about this on the OOT thread....but here are a few highlights. All the Vistaprint stuff was a hit...especially the personalized stationary packs I gave to each of my bridesmaids. Everyone used their pink bags throughout the week which was great b/c you could spot ppl from across the resort and down on the beach. The key card holders, bubba kegs and playing cards were also used daily! The only thing I didn't see anyone use was the first aid kits. 12. Luggage Tags: we did pre-departure packs with luggage tags. These were awesome at the airport because the guys just started pulling any luggage off the conveyor with these tags so it made things quick! 13. Photography & Videography: the verdict is still out on this one as we had some issues with the company we used. In retrospect we probably should have just tried to find someone from home that was willing to shoot the wedding for the cost of the trip (this actually would have been less expensive too). Communication between you and your photographer is key so if you have the chance meet with them ahead of time do so. Also make sure someone in your group has a list of the family photos you want. We assumed the photographer organized this but it's not the case....and b/c we didn't have a list we forgot some ppl. 14. Bubbles (for Butterfly67): honestly this was a waste of money. I bought ours at Dollarama and they were useless. The wands inside the bottles are so small no one could blow any bubbles....they all tried so it was kinda funny but I wouldn't recommend. 15. Shoes (for MichCraw): surprisingly my heels were great! I think you get so caught up in everything that you don't even notice that you are wearing them! The flip flops for the beach were a must though! 16. Playing Hostess: one thing I found is that it was very easy to get wrapped up in playing hostess! I wanted to make sure that all of my guests were having a good time....but that meant a lot of running around. I'm glad we are doing a honeymoon in December because we really didn't get much down time or time for ourselves. Most importantly....enjoy the experience! My husband and I decided that as soon as we left for the airport things were out of our control and we just had to enjoy it no matter what happened. As it turned out everything was awesome and we just didn't let the small things get to us! Our wedding day was perfect and everyone seemed to have a great time throughout the week! I just wish we were still there! If anyone has any questions on Punta Cana or our experience, please just PM me...I'm happy to help! And thanks again to everyone on here for their help and support over the past 8 months....this site is truly a destination brides best friend!

Ladies, One of my bridesmaids just told me that Black's has a special on until November 18th: 50 5x7 prints for only $5! This is an incredible price for Blacks...so if you have engagement or wedding pictures you want printed now is your chance! Just go online to www.blacks.ca and you'll see the ad

Hey Ladies...just wanted to pop in and say hi! I'm back from my wedding week and it was absolutely amazing! The wedding, the resort, the excursions, the company....all phenomenal!!! Once I've settled back into reality and gotten rid of my cold (from a tad too much fun I think) I'll fill you in on all the details. In the meantime you can check out some pics on fb if you are interested: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150447326756678&type=1

Just a quick msg to check in from our resort and say hello! We are having an awesome time so far and can't wait for the wedding Tuesday!!! Met a few brides on our flight here...there were 6 of us on our plane! haha. One quick piece of advice....relax and enjoy every moment on your trip ladies! It's easy to get caught up with playing hostess while here so take some time for yourself. My MOH booked us surprise massages this morning which was an amazing treat and helped me relax HUGE....just waiting for room service order right now! tee hee hee. Chat soon! Camy

Well it's finally here! I'm leaving in less than 10 hours for the Dominican! What a crazy ride the past year has been....but cannot wait to see all our friends and family tomorrow! I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all of your love and support. I really don't think I could have made it through this process without you guys!!! xxx See you in a week!

If I recall it was only around 2 weeks. Stuff I ordered from the US took over 3. I'm not sure what's going on with Canada Post lately....but they seem to be as slow as molasses! I have things that were sent from another Canadian city and it took a week to arrive...and my invitations and things were 4-5 days just to go a few blocks!!! I'm sure there will get there soon though. @ Capecodder LOVE the dress! You are going to be one beautiful bride!!!

I went into the Newmarket Dollar Tree the other day and my review is mixed. Although did carry a lot of items similar to the US stores, they didn't have a lot of the items I had purchased for my OOTs there. Their candy section also wasn't that great. Mind you, they JUST opened so I'm sure will be getting more stock in gradually. One good find was that they had the battery operated candles....not the votives the actual candles like they sell at Michael's for like $8 each. Unfortunately I didn't need them but other brides might be interested. I think they are part of the Christmas stock just arriving.

For brides in the GTA....I just got an email from the Sandylion Warehouse and they are having their first annual warehouse sale on Nov 19 & 20 from 10am - 4pm. Too bad it's too late for my wedding....but I might pop in to see what I can grab for my niece's & nephew's for xmas!

Ladies...thank you so much for your support! I LOVE that I can come on here....vent....get a good laugh....then move on! You ladies ROCK! I think I may have figured out the program fiasco so that's one down....and hopefully the tailor will fix the pants tonight. Fingers crossed. Capecodder....did you try ebay? I bought the clear zipper kind from a seller in Hong Kong. He had them in quantities of 25 and 50 and shipping to Canada was free. In fact, that order arrived quicker than any of the stuff I got from the US!

ROFL @ flood pants!!! At least it's a DW so worse case we chop all the pants off and my FI gets his dream of wearing shorts at his wedding! LOL @ JMikla: thank you so much for the offer! I'm thinking tomorrow is now going to be a vacation day so I'll try a few more things out and see how it goes....fingers crossed!

So I have to laugh right now because I think I jinxed myself yesterday when I said I was surprisingly calm. Within the past half hour the following has happened: 1. The design I had for my program was not working out so I headed to Michael's tonight for plan B. Unfortunately when I got home and opened the new punch I need to use, it punches backwards from the picture! Now I have to come up with plan C.... 2. My fiance tried on his suit and the tailor hemmed the pants like an inch too short!!!! 3. My Mother just called and said that my Aunt had left a message for her saying she had been called to jury duty. We THINK this means that she will not be able to look after our dogs while we are away as planned!!!! 4. My car which broke down last weekend and had to be towed into the mechanics STILL isn't ready to be picked up in the morning 5. My disc drive with my engagement photo DVD in it doesn't want to play and/or eject the disc! Oh...did I mention that we leave in a week!!!! I'm not really sure whether to laugh or cry right now! I'm going to go with laugh because I'm finding it quite comical all this happened in such a short period of time. Sry...just needed to vent. Deep breathes....deep breathes....

Ladies...I think we all share a brain or something! haha. I too had many occasions where I was ready to throw in the towel and give up on the whole wedding planning thing! My FI and I both said that if we didn't have people booked for the trip we would seriously consider eloping because of all the issues we've had to deal with. However, I think the whole process has helped bring us even closer together...and I know that if my FI can put up with me during this 'phase' of our relationship we can make it through anything! lol Seriously though....for every bride on here who is annoyed with their families, frustrated with their planning, exhausted with the never ending changes even when things were planned months in advance, and those second guessing their decision to have a DW...HANG IN THERE!!! I promise there is light at the end of the tunnel! I have just over a week before we leave and am surprisingly calm...especially since I'm a type-A control freak! I have a zillion things to still get done....but I just keep picturing myself on the beach with my pina colada in one hand and my FI holding the other and can't help but grin from ear to ear! I know that everything won't go perfect, and I'm sure some big fiasco will happen just because it always does, but I also know that less than 2 weeks from now I will be starting the next chapter in my life with my best friend and that's really all that matters! So if you need a break...take one! And if you are feeling overwhelmed...just check on here b/c by the sounds of it we are ALL going through the same thing! It's nice to know that there are others out there that understand what we are going through!