Camy47

Ladies, I know some of you were looking for labels for your OOT bags. In my latest Vistaprint order there was a coupon for free labels if you go to www.vistaprint.com/fall2011 I think you only get 1 sheet for free, but you might be able to order 1 sheet in each size....that seems to work with postcards and invitations. Enjoy!

SOOOO exciting Janet! Your post just reminded me that I'll be in Punta Cana in 1 month and 2 weeks! I'm trying not to let the stress get to me, but it seems that my To Do list keeps getting longer instead of shorter! haha. But I'm doing like you and envisioning laying on the beach with a drink in hand and then the tension just floats away!

Krysta....your dress is gorgeous! It must be such a great feeling to bring it home!!! I've still got another couple weeks until I get mine! hehe...just giddy thinking about it!

Oh...another really fun one is Tony & Tina's wedding. If you are not shy to participate in an interactive show...this one is great! I went with a couple girlfriends and it was SO much fun!

I HEART VEGAS!!! I've been several times and ALWAYS have an amazing time! If you are staying at the MGM Grand, you are going to be at the far end of the strip so be prepared for a LOT of walking. Here are a few tips: - Take a ride on the monorail. There is a stop at the MGM Grand so it's a great way to get to the opposite end of the strip. - Buy a bus pass on the Duece. I only found out about this on my last trip and boy was it worth it. This bus stops at every hotel on the strip as well as goes up to Fremont Street and the Designer outlet mall. I think a 3 day pass was about $20 and it's hop-on-hop off. As others have mentioned, everything is a lot further away than it seems so it's nice to do a combination of bus/walking. It's also a lot less $ than getting taxi's everywhere. - Shopping: my personal favourite is Macy's at Fashion Show mall. One girls trip we spent 3 hrs in the shoe department there b/c they had a giant sale! haha...good memories. As for the outlet malls there are a few, but I highly recommend the Designer Outlets....always lots of great deals! - Vegas has some amazing restaurants but food expenses can add up real quick. If you are looking to save some $, try using restaurant.com; if you haven't used this site before it's great for traveling in the US. You basically buy restaurant gift certificates at a discounted price. Right now they have a promo on where you get 70% off....so a $25 GC would cost you $3. (use promo code 'DATE') Read the conditions on the coupons...some need a minimum spend to use the GC but most are even valid on alcohol! Some of my faves in Vegas are El Segundo Sol (Mexican with guacamole made at your table...in Fashion show mall), Valentino (the terrace in the Venetian), Ocean One Grille (very reasonable prices) and Stripburger for a quick bite. It's hard to plan where you are going to eat....so I usually buy several certificates when they are on sale and end up using a few but still save big $. - Shows: you cannot go to Vegas without seeing at least one show! If you are planning on seeing a Cirque show (Love & O were my faves), check their web site to see if they have any promos for discounted tickets....sometimes they have them just for Canadians. I have found that cirque shows are always better to buy online before you go. For other shows you can buy tickets the day of at several kiosks on the strip (http://www.tix4tonight.com/). Also try www.travelzoo.com to see what specials they have on. - Sightseeing: like others have mentioned...there is just so much to see and do in Vegas it's hard to give you recommendations. However, if I had to pick my top 5 it would probably be: Bellagio (Fountains & Flower displays inside), Shops @ Venetian (gondola rides etc.), Fremont Street Experience, Indoor theme park at Circus Circus (great way to spend an afternoon if you like rollercoasters), Just sit at the base of the eiffel tower with a drink in hand and people watch! Also, if you have time you might want to consider a day trip to either the Hoover dam or Grand Canyon. - Night scene: although there are bars everywhere in Vegas, you need to find one that suits you. A lot of the clubs cater to younger crowds and are rammed on weekends (like you cannot even move rammed). For a bit of an older crowd we really liked Blush in Wynn...plus ladies received free champagne before 11pm. Another one I have heard is neat is VooDoo at the top of the Rio hotel. Just be prepared that most clubs will have insane lines on weekends so try asking your hotel concierge for club passes. - Splurges: Last time my fiance and I picked up a special package on travelzoo that gave us a night flight over Vegas. We were picked up at our hotel in a pink hummer limo, taken to the air field where we boarded a 10 seater plane and flew over the strip at night....AMAZING! Afterwards we slipped the limo driver $20 and he dropped us off at Fremont Street where we spent the rest of the night. Best $80 I've ever spent in Vegas! - Relax: This is probably the hardest thing to do in Vegas because there is so much to do! However, you are on holidays so be sure to take some time and just relax by the pool. If you're like me you won't get a lot of sleep when you are there, so it's a great way to multi-task...snooze while tanning! Hope that helps! Have an amazing trip!!!!

LOVE these!!! Thanks for sharing...

Torilynnsmith, I am using Groupo Ilusiones for my flowers and decor. (http://www.grupoilusiones.com/) Giselle came highly recommended and has been great to work with thus far. The only thing with this vendor is that they charge quite a bit for transportation b/c they are based out of Santo Domingo. Since I was already paying this for decor, the pricing for the flowers wasn't that bad. To give you an idea they will do my bouquet for around $100, bridesmaids $40, corsages are around $15 and boutonnieres $10. She can do the really nice tall centerpieces for $115. I prorated the transportation fees and included in those prices to give you ballpark. Note that the flowers I'm using are expensive though (hydrangeas, orchids, gerberas, lisianthus etc.). They are a lot less if you are just looking for roses and/or lilies. Another lady that came recommended was Rosa at Floristeria El Tronco ([email protected]) She is based right in Punta Cana but I found that she is not very good at communicating via email so that didn't work out for me. I am a DIYer but my fiance and family encouraged me to use a vendor to do my decor. Although I would save a bit by buying overlays and sashes online and bringing with me, none of them thought it was worth the hassle. The last thing I want to be worrying about when I'm on holidays is ironing tablecloths! If you want more details on the decor prices let me know and I'll pm you. Hope that helps!

I opted for real flowers but only because I found a company in Punta Cana that would do all my decor and flowers for a very reasonable price (especially when compared to what the resort charges). However, if you are looking for silk flowers...maybe try looking up a local silk flower shop near you? I'm not sure where you live, but in Markham/Toronto I know there are several Chinese stores around that carry them. I was in Pacific Mall a few months ago and there are stores that will make custom silk arrangements so you can see them before you buy (vs. online). I don't think many of these stores have web sites or advertise...but maybe check out your local Chinatown (you can sometimes find cheap parasols here too!). I personally think Michael's selection has gone downhill over the past few years so I ended up getting some for my hair down in the US at Hobby Lobby which has an awesome selection.

I agree, I don't think most of the men would use them. I like the idea of a nice basket with a sign....I'm thinking of doing something similar with our parasols. We only got 6 for my bridesmaids for pictures, but I think I'll set them out at the ceremony in case some ppl want to use them for sun cover.

You can get them uploaded just by starting any photo template then deleting it from your cart. The only thing is that if you don't order anything with them, you might have to pay the upload fee the next time depending on which promo you use. Once you use a photo on an ordered product it is saved in your portfolio and you never have to pay the fee again....even if it was free the first time. Hope that helps.

I can try and help...what part in the process are you stuck on so I can try and guide you through? FYI....the most recent sale is pretty good with a whole bunch of free items. I placed 5 separate orders (personalized tote bag, keychain, magnetic note pad, notebook and sticky notes for my bridesmaids) and they cost me $7 for each order incl. shipping & tax. For the heavier items such as postcards I did a large order using the 'free shipping over $30' promo and picked up another 11 items for $37. It's sad...but I think that was my last wedding Vistaprint order! haha

Don't worry Janet, I know how you feel. I really don't think a lot of people understand that like ANY wedding, destination weddings also require a lot of planning and organization! I cannot count the number of people who have made comments to me like "destination weddings are stress free" and "don't you just show up and everything is done for you by the resort?!". I politely explain each time that there are many aspects of wedding planning that remain the same regardless of the location....dress, bridal party attire, favours, food selection, cake, dj, flowers etc. Instead of tastings, we have to make selections based on pictures and documents. Instead of meeting with our vendors, we have to do everything via email. Plus we get the added bonus of having to deal with travel agents! haha. You have the right attitude though...keep calm and carry on!!! That being said, I'll let you know how I feel on October 1st when my RSVP deadline passes and I haven't heard back from everyone!

I JUST got back from Buffalo and am thrilled to say that my OOT shopping is done!!! Well....at least until I find the next big deal! haha. Here are a few of my finds so hopefully this will help you out when planning your trip: Hobby Lobby (There is one about 10 min from Walden Galleria) - Best place for flowers! Great selection and good prices. I picked up some to make my hair piece and they are 50% off right now. Also got some feathers, ribbon and hair barrettes....again, all 50% off. Michaels - selection not very different from here. Only picked up some cute iron on t-shirt transfers saying 'Bridesmaid' etc. for $1 each. No big deals here. Target - all of their bug repellent is on clearance. Was able to pick up several packages of the Off towelettes for $3 each (8 per pack). WalMart - Shout to go wipes (can't remember if it was $2.49 or $2.79 for a pack of 12). Colgate wisps individuals 16 for $5. I stocked up on candy too....20 individual packs of Skittles for $1.98 and large bags of individually wrapped lifesavers for $2.50 Bit Lots - obviously stock is dependent upon the location, but some good OOT finds to be had. I picked up 10 packs of portfolios in tropical colours for $1.50 per pkg. (am using these to put all my Vistaprint docs in...welcome letter, schedule etc.). They also had 4 packs of tropical Blistex lip balm spf 15 for $3. Joann Fabrics - if you go to the supercenter they do have a decent selection of flowers...just didn't have much in my colours. Picked up some beautiful feathers for my hair piece though...used a 40% off coupon. Dollar Tree - I wish I had gone to Dollar tree at the start of my OOT shopping. SOOOO many great finds. This trip I picked up playing cards 2/$1, little round packages of nail polish remover pads for my bridesmaids $1, pink bismuth (similar to pepto) $1, crystal light and hawaiian punch singles to go for water bottles...8 or 10 in a pack for $1, 4 x 5 stick packs of trident gum $1. They also had the battery operated plastic votives for my reception...not just the plain candles but the ones in the actual votives 2/$1. This is a HUGE find as I looked everywhere and they cost around $2 each everywhere else. Other OOT items they had were Advil, various medications, cute Colgate toothpaste/toothbrush kits, Colgate wisp 4 packs, and lots of candy all $1...good selection of sugar free candy if you have diabetic guests. Bath & Body Works Outlet mall - Charmed life body lotion for $1 each. They also had lots of hand sanitizers on sale for 50% off so 75 cents each and mini candles 3 for $5. Don't forget to sign up and get your email coupons before you go...this week was a free mini-candle with your $10 purchase. Hopefully that helps! If you have something specific you were looking for let me know in case I saw it on my travels. Happy Shopping!

Another good one is www.myweddingstuff.ca I actually picked up a certificate from fabfind.com that got me $100 worth of merchandise for $50 plus $6 shipping. The customer service was great and relatively easy to order using a certificate....arrived within just a couple days. Prices are standard as they sell a lot of weddingstar items. I would highly recommend especially if you can score a discount certificate like I did!

Tori, How did you make those flower clips? They are GORGEOUS!!! Is it burned ribbon? I did those using organza for my invitations but these look more like satin or something. Please share....I LOVE them!

We bought ours at Kohls in the US, but did you try WalMart or Zellers? I just picked up a pair for our ring bearer on Friday for $5 at WalMart. My bridesmaids are actually also wearing George flip flops from WalMart....they are super cute silver ones with jewels and all my BMs loved them...especially the $12 price!!! haha.

Hello Krysta, Here are a few ideas: - I am putting one of our engagement photos on them along with a pre-paid stamp and asking everyone to fill it out and mail it when they get home with their most memorable moment of the trip - I used oversized postcards to create 'Room Lists'. I created a simple table and added all of my guests names with a blank cell beside it. Once we check-in everyone can fill in each others room numbers so we know how to contact everyone - I am using regular sized postcards to make labels for my Hangover kit and Survival kits....I positioned the text vertically and then will fold them in half - bookmarks

Oh...I also found the OFF bug repellent towellettes at Rexall for $7.99 for a package of 12 and at Shoppers I think they were $8.99 for the same thing.

For those of you interested in making the key card holders, I found the coil key chains in Wal Mart super center tonight! They were only $1.98 for 6 (2 pink, 2 blue, 1 green and 1 brown in each package). I thought this was a super deal since there is no shipping or anything. They were in the stationary section where they have the labels and badge holders. Also, the P&G brandsaver coupons came in the paper last week and there are several for $1 off febreze products ($2 off 2 products, $3 off 3 and $4 off 4 if I recall correctly). The super center also had the travel febreze up by the checkouts for $2.49....so just $1.49 after coupons. If you can get the coupons from friends/family they would make good little stuffers. I am putting in an extra bag of goodies for my bridesmaids so was going to include it for them.

I did the same thing a few months back. Thought they would be great for the dance floor!

Thanks for the Groupon special! Photobook Canada came highly recommended from one of my friends....so this deal makes it even better! I just bought 2 certificates to use after the wedding! Thanks!!!

Don't worry about shedding a few tears....I have been known to do that from time to time myself. I'll be doing something for the wedding and then all of a sudden think about how my Dad would like it and the next thing I know I need a tissue! haha. It always seems to be the little things that get me the most. Thank you for sharing your ideas....I really like the photo frame and candle idea...I may just have to steal it! I'm also doing the small frame in my bouquet....it's comforting to know they will be with us.

That is such a beautiful story....I'm trying to hold back the tears! Thanks so much for sharing.

We still haven't finalized our details yet...but I know we will be using "Heaven" by Bryan Adams for our first dance (we used to love dancing to the DJ Sammy version when we first met) I'm actually dreading the Father/Daughter dance as my Dad passed away 4.5 years ago and it's going to be very hard making it through this day without him. However, I think I may use this opportunity to pay a small tribute to him. I was thinking that when it's time for this dance I would call all of his friends who are attending up to the dance floor (his best friend and several of my parents close friends will be there). Then after making a little speech I'd have the DJ crank up 'Before He Cheats' by Carrie Underwood. My Dad liked this song and I think it's some good fatherly advice for the FI haha! I would do this as the lead in to the 'dance' portion of the evening. I've only told the FI this idea, so I'd love to hear what you ladies think?!

Ebay!