cherany

This is such a fun idea! I'm stil undecided on aisle decor, but this is a contender.

Wow, iPad went crazy on me there and posted my reply instead of auto correcting my typo and allowing me to finish. I hate touch screens! :mad: I meant to say, I'm still trying to decide between doing my own make-up and hiring someone. I love the look of airbrush, but it might not be in our budget, so I'm also thinking of how I might do my own face, especially what products to use, in case it comes to that.

I had similar concerns...I selected a few days over the summer to do full face make-up test I choose days were the high was 90 +  and went to Sephora twice and MAC once.  Make-up was applied between 10:00 and noon.  The task - I wanted to be tear-proof, transfer-proof, sweat proof, able to endure humidity, photo ready,  12+ hours of wear and something that wouldn't make me shiny. The best result was Smashbox Studio Skin + Hourglass Veil as a primer = Perfection! I went to the gym on these days, watched a movie that I knew would make me cry, and checked transferability by blotting my face with a white shirt throughout the day.  MAC was a total fail but I will be using there shadows for my eyes.

Welcome, ciaocarla! It took my fiancé and I many months to decide on a venue. It's a big decision! If you're considering showing up on a public beach and having a wedding, make sure to check out any permit laws. I never gave it any thought myself, until the wedding coordinator at our hotel told me we need one.

Ah, never mind! Just saw the part about some prices being listed in pesos, with wedding prices listed in dollars. Now I'm just curious if anyone has used this salon?

4 bridesmaids, I meant to say!

Does anyone know if those are typos on the prices for Waves? Seems like the first two columns have an extra 0 for everything, based on the third column prices. If a bridal updo is $120, I seriously doubt other updos are $1000! Anyone used this guy? The price for 4 brides with hair and make-up looks fantastic!

I haven't booked anyone yet.  I like the prices at Floreria Riviera, but they stopped responding to me after I sent a lot of questions.   

I am e-mailing them again to see if we can pick up communication. If not, I will have to look elsewhere, although price is a really big factor for me. Haven't found anyone who can compete with their rates. 

Originally Posted by ChocoTaco7568 

 

Quote:

Yeah. holidays and invites can be a bit tricky.  I know there are other May 2013 brides in the same predicament, so hopefully they will chime in. Our RSVP date is Feb 16, which I think is fare and it gives me enough to finalize anything that is dependent on our guest count.  The way we see it, if you haven’t committed to a destination wedding 3 months out, then you probably have no intension of going.  Even in saying that, we know that 1 or 2 of our guests won’t be able to commit until 6-8 weeks out, but they are the only exceptions to that statement. This date is also 2 weeks prior to when we need to cancel any un-reserved rooms on our block without penalty.

Same here; we pretty much know who is coming, with just a couple exceptions. That's one reason I haven't worried too much over the invitation issue.

We're doing message in the bottle invites, and I just received my bottles yesterday.  Super excited to get to work on them! 

After reading what you guys have done, I feel I am definitely behind!  Nothing I can't catch up to, but we don't have near as much set in stone.

Working on invitations at the moment.  Trying to decide if they need to go out before or after the holidays. We did send out STDs, so it's not a surprise to anyone that the wedding is coming up, but I feel icky reminding people right before Christmas of another thing they need to spend money on.  Worse might be getting the invitation in January, though, when those bills from Christmas are coming in!  Guess I'll be sending them out very soon.  Not sure when to make my RSVP date.

Originally Posted by Sophia2616 

 

Cherany- I will probably see you your wedding weekend, we have the same date and my guests and I are staying at Porto Playa which is part of Condohotels (taj) best of luck!! Are you working with Lourdes?

Oh, that's exciting!  Would be cool to see you there. 

My e-mails were passed to Linda Burchett, the in-house wedding coordinator, so I guess that's who we're working with.  When we first booked the hotel, they had no wedding coordinator, just recommendations for outside planners.  Up until this point, we've just had contact with the hotel staff, who mainly put our names down and told us we had the reservation.  We want to do as much as possible ourselves to save money, but e-mailing front desk employees with questions about chairs isn't really cutting it, so an in-house coordinator is probably for the best. 

Progress is being made with the bridesmaids.  I'm in the unusual position of handling two sets of bridesmaids, since my fiancé isn't great with planning (or remembering what the plan is, once it's decided upon - let's just say more than a few people refer to her as the ditzy blonde, despite her very dark hair ).  She & I decided together the colors and look we wanted for the bridesmaids (hot pink/fuchsia on my side & aqua blue/turquoise on her side, with lots of ruffles on both sides), but when it comes to the actual dresses, especially bridesmaids wanting approval or veto on selections, she's lost and doesn't know how to answer.  She told her girls to talk dresses with me, which I'm fine with, but I feel a little strange when I'm telling her friends no on things. With your own close friends, you know who you can say what to, how to avoid offending or hurting feelings if you need to say no, etc.

Her girls are really nice and seem to have no issues working with me, rather than her, thankfully.  I just don't want them to think the wedding is all me, as if she doesn't get a say in anything. Couldn't be further from the truth - her snob face when she doesn't like something I'm showing her... whew, enough to make you feel like you're in a remake of Mean Girls!   I am probably over-thinking it, though. They are her friends, after all, so they probably realize without me telling them that she would rather tell me what she likes, then have me to do the detail work, like searching online for dresses for hours on end, agonizing over exact shades of a color, etc.

Because of how much easier I expect finding dresses with my bridesmaids to be (I know more about their taste, budget, shopping habits, etc.), I started with her girls. It took some doing, but I'm happy to report that we seem to have found dresses for her side, so my role in that department is close to being done!  Her side will have aqua blue/turquoise dresses, and these are the ones they are most likely getting (and thankfully, really seem to love!):

Maid of Honor:

http://www.lightinthebox.com/a-line-square-knee-length-chiffon-satin-cocktail-dress_p223696.html

Bridesmaid:

http://prettybridesmaids.com/Mini-Maids-Bridesmaids-Dress-479F/

She also has one or two bridesmen, as we're calling them (1 definite; 1 unsure, due to work commitments abroad), but finding shirts for them will surely be a breeze compared to dresses. We'll have them in white pants and turquoise shirts that match the dresses.

Now it's time to work on finding dresses for my girls!  They have much tighter budgets, but also have much better clearance rack/secondhand shopping skills and enjoy shopping much more, so I think things will go much easier. I'll feel more comfortable saying no when necessary,  at least! 

Originally Posted by ChocoTaco7568 

 

Cherany! Where the heck have you been... Happy 6 months and counting

Thank you!  I know, I've been a total slacker with wedding planning!  I have days where I feel like everything is so far away, there is nothing to do yet.  Other days, I feel totally panicked that nothing is done!  (Many things are actually done, of course.)

Wow, 6 months... I don't know whether to feel super excited, or super freaked out!  It's soon, in general wedding terms, but really far away, in destination wedding terms!  Talking with vendors sometimes gives me the impression these weddings are planning in a few weeks' time!

Right now, I'm trying to sort out what needs to be done and arrange things with vendors. One of my biggest concerns is that we're not at one of the resorts that does weddings every weekend, so I have no idea how the major elements like an arbor and chairs will come together. There's no, "Here are your options and prices, choose the one you want" sort of list. In theory, I have more choices, can work with anyone I choose, etc.  But there are days when I feel like too much choice leaves a person unsure of where to begin!  I've just e-mailed the hotel to see if they rent arbors or can recommend a company that does.  I know they have a wedding planner they want to refer all my questions to, but we've decided to see if we can manage without one, because the cost of everything else is really adding up.  The hotel says they are able to help with weddings directly, if you are not working with a planner, so we'll see how communication goes.

Originally Posted by bride81 

 

We just got our engagement photos back and they turned out awesome!  I am starting to put together passport invites, and around Christmas I will use the engagement pix to remind people to rsvp!  I think that was Miss Bubbles suggestion  I will share some of my favorites

 

 

 

Those are gorgeous!  I love fun photos of couples like this.  

Originally Posted by cinnagirl 

 

... dealing with the drama from my relatives has made me so angry that I try not to think about wedding things afterwards.

We solved that problem before it even started by excluding our families.  Obviously, that solution only makes sense in extreme cases, but we know we made the right decision.  We're inviting our closest friends only, and everyone else will find out we got married when we return.  I call it eloping with our closest friends. 

I e-mailed both places and got a response from each within a couple days.  I asked for pricing on bridesmaid bouquets featuring spider mums and dahlias, since I'm pretty sure that's what I want.  I also asked for suggestions and pricing on bridal bouquets, since I'm less sure of what I want there.

First up, Floreria Riviera.  The quote for bridesmaid bouquets using spider mums and dahlias was $45, and for bridal bouquets using those flowers, $80.  They didn't mention pricing for other types of flowers, but linked me to more pictures of their work to give me some suggestions:

http://pinterest.com/floreriariviera/mexico-weddings-flowers/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Floreria-Riviera-Maya/142320955789944

I sent them a response that was hopefully not too long or confusing, asking about various flowers and prices.  They asked me to send pictures of what I had in mind, which I find a little difficult, because I'm always afraid to show a picture that must include text such as, "Except, change this & that..."  I just don't like the room for error that provides.  I have thought about going to the craft store and arranging a silk flower bouquet exactly as I want, then sending pictures of it to the florist so that I can say, "Exactly like this!"

One bouquet of theirs I really fell in love with is this one, but we would need hot pink ginger instead of red, and I'm not sure there is such a thing?  How red is the red?  If it's pinkish red, maybe it could work.  I just know the wow factor really hits me with this one:

Next, Maya Floral Design.  The e-mail response was very helpful, and they included some pictures of bouquets I might like (although I didn't love any of them).  The pricing was made clearer for other flowers, although the amounts are higher.  $50 to $65 for bridesmaid bouquets using local flowers; $65 to $95 for bridesmaid bouquets using imported flowers.  For bridal bouquets, $125 to $175 using local flowers; $175 to $250 using imported flowers.  I asked him which flowers are local and he said roses, gerbera daisies, Asian lilies, alstroemeria, bird of paradise, chrysanthemums [spider mums], mums, and others.  He wasn't able to give me a complete list, because availability can vary.

Personally, there's no way I can afford to spend $100 on a single bouquet, because mine is a 2-bride wedding with 5 to 6 bridesmaids (not sure if one can make it).  We have to stay under $50 for the bridesmaids and $80 for the brides.  I may request bridesmaid size bouquets for all of us and just get different flowers or different colors for the bridal bouquets, so they stand out.  Did anyone else use the same size bouquets for bridesmaids and bride?  How did it look & were you happy with that decision?

It's strange, because we started out with the plan to pick up flowers at the grocery store, and now we're considering several hundred dollars on a flower order.  If we go the grocery store route, I am not very picky about flower type and colors, but if we pay a florist, I am extremely picky, because I want to feel like I'm getting my money's worth.  I know getting bouquets from a florist, they will last longer, but I care less about that than I do about being able to afford what we get.

I've considered the many alternatives to fresh flowers, some of which I really love, but I have trouble picturing anything other than fresh flowers at my own wedding.  It just feels right to have tropical flowers in a tropical setting.

Originally Posted by soltamargo 

 

 

Hey Cherany,

 

You might want to reach out to Marvin at Maya Floral Design.

 

His work is beautiful and usually pretty fast at getting back to you!!

 

Good luck

Thank you, Sol!  I will check with him, too.

I've researched alternative bouquets like crazy, but I haven't found anything I like as much as fresh flowers.  Getting married on the beach, flowers seem a million times more appropriate than anything else - I just can't afford them to be a million times more expensive than anything else! 

Originally Posted by kurlyks 

 

Hey Katman- I did end up using them. The flowers were beautiful! I think I posted pictures somewhere on here last year, but can't remember where, sorry! I got stargazer lillies and they were perfect. The resort didn't say anything about it. I just had them deliver the flowers to the lobby and my mom waited outside and just took them into the resort herself.

 

I got my bridal bouquet free from my resort and I could definitely tell the difference. My bouquet fell apart after cocktail hour, but the ones from Flores lasted all night.

 

Thanks for the info!  I just sent them an e-mail to get an idea on price and what they can do.  I will keep everyone posted, because I think many others are like me, really wanting fresh flowers, but unable to spend a ton of money on them.  

Thanks!  Good to be back!  I've realized that while an at-home wedding can take a year or two of planning, a destination wedding is easily planned in just a few months.  I remind myself of that when I start worrying over how many uncertainties there are, not knowing who might come, etc.  Most everyone says they are coming, but until someone has a plane ticket, I still consider them unconfirmed. 

Originally Posted by chantal09 

 

 

 

my dress! Have my fitting coming up on August 20th! Couldn't be more excited!

Gorgeous!  Your fitting is so soon, too! 

Originally Posted by danak71 

 

By the way, anyone getting married at Excellence Playa Mujeres weekend of May 4, 2013?

Not getting married there, but I see we're date twins!  I see you're an Atlanta gal, too, which is where I grew up. 

I suffered the same, planning so much in my first month that I was out of things to do really quickly.  There's more to come, but most has to wait till we have a better idea of who all is coming. 

Hey, everyone!  It's been a while since I've logged on.  After booking our venue & photographer, sending out save-the-dates, and choosing a dress, I felt like I'd run out of things to do.  I know there is plenty left on the agenda, but it all seems dependent on how many people are coming, or dependent on how our budget works out, on account of how many people are coming... if I'm feeding only 15 people, I can afford things I won't be able to buy if I need to feed 35 people, you know?

Has anyone else experienced a dip in enthusiasm on the planning front?  I'm excited as ever for the wedding and the marriage, but the planning part of it, I guess I ran out of steam on.  I'm getting back into the swing of things lately, though.  Some friends of ours who are in the wedding booked their flight, so it renewed my excitement and got me on the ball with flights, too.  It feels great to have that out of the way!  

We're flying out late night on the 1st, figuring it's better to arrive tired and sleep on the beach on the 2nd, than to fly out in the morning on the 2nd and arrive so late that night that we can't enjoy the sun and sand till the next day, the 3rd.  Seeing as the wedding is on the 4th, I don't want our first day there be the day before the wedding.  Too stressful! 

If you're able to fit into juniors clothing, this site has a load of little white dresses under $35!  They'd be great for welcome dinners, rehearsal dinners, etc.  I'm tempted myself, seeing as I can fit into some juniors clothing, depending on cut and materials used.  For the price, it wouldn't be that big of a deal to trade out too-small dresses for shoes or something else on their site.

I linked each one to the sale page, so just click which one(s) you like.

They have a lot of great colored dresses that would be perfect for bridesmaids, as well.  I can't speak to the quality of the clothing, but I have ordered shoes from this site before & was pleased for the price.  Quality was about the same as places like Charlotte Russe, and the customer service is great.  The one time I did have an issue with a pair of shoes not up to par (glue stain from the manufacturing process), they were quick to offer a solution, letting me keep the shoes and giving me store credit for the purchase price I paid.  All the other pairs I bought were perfect.

Wasn't really looking for wedding/bridesmaids dresses tonight; was actually trying to find my friend a birthday gift.  But you can't avoid seeing wedding stuff everywhere once you're planning one!  Of course, not like I have to explain that around here... 

Congrats, date twin! I'm sure you will love it! I plan to order my dress without trying it on, as well, if I'm unable to get it at a local shop. Like you, I'm familiar with how the cut looks on my body and have no concerns about fit because of that. I also can't imagine another dress measuring up to the one I fell in love with!

hey, here's how it turned out! I bought a simple veil off Etsy for my reception dress and threw that on the next day with my newlywed bikini. too fun! everyone around the pool congratulated us. : )