jnitschke

I just came up with a get excited solution... Since I'm home by myself today, I sat in my wedding dress all morning... then I decided... to hell with those that can't come... I'll spend the extra money on spoiling the shit out the people who are coming. I went to Target and they've got sun hats and beach bags for $3 each. I'm buying those and getting Audrey Hepburn style glasses and I found online beach sarongs. The 6 ladies who come and I will be styling! Todd also suggested that we pay for a trip for everyone with the money we're saving on meals, since we'll be spending so much less. So I think we're gonna offer to take everyone out on a catamaran on the day after the wedding...and we'll still be in budget. So HA! take that people who don't care about us...

I downloaded it, so if you PM me your email address I can send it to you in an email. -Jen

I hear you girl. One of my very best friends just told me that she didn't want to go. Not that she couldn't... just that she didn't want to. This was after a couple of months ago she went on about how hurt she was that she wasn't a bridesmaid.... because I'm not having bridesmaids... that she wanted to have special part in my day... so I wrote her into the ceremony doing a special reading for us, more than any bridesmaid does. ... and Friday she tells me that if she was going to take a trip she'd rather go to Ireland or India this summer, that she just doesn't care about traveling to Mexico at all. I know I shouldn't be irritated by that, but I really am, I am asking friends to spend a decent amount of money. But, how cruel, she just doesn't care about me enough to travel with friends to a beautiful all inclusive resort... I mean, I'm glad she didn't lie to me and say she couldn't afford it, and then plan a trip to somewhere else. That would really make me angry, but still. All these people who supported the idea from the beginning just aren't going...and now instead of having 30ish people, I have 12.. not even half... and I'm losing money on the rooms we put deposits on too. It's a bummer... it makes me feel like I don't even care about the details like I used to, because what's the point of making it all formal and fancy if there's hardly anyone there to appreciate it. And the crazy thing is that except for my MOH, not even my really close friends are the ones going... so it would feel weird to have them do a reading or say escort my Step-Mom down the aisle... and I just don't know what I want to do now. .... and I know what all of you are going to say, the same thing I say to others... It's not about them... and It's about us, so just do what you want ... do what makes you happy... do what you think you'll like and don't do it for them... but, my heart just isn't excited about it like I was before. All this has done is reinforce what I already knew, The friends who really care about me can't afford to go, and the ones who can afford it just don't care. And the even crazier thing was that in the beginning, two years ago when we picked this, all I wanted was dinner on the beach with our parents and two or three friends... then I got all wound up in the planning and the excitement of everyone... I got really excited about the idea of planning a huge party down there... and now I'm disappointed that I have to settle for the original idea, one that made me cry when I saw a video of it.... I wish I could go back to that original excitement. Maybe as it gets closer, and I stop getting "NOs" in rsvps everyday, I'll get back to being excited about it all.

Originally Posted by mstigger Ok and lastly I wanted to get some koozies, but since there are only going to be 16 of us I don't need 300 koozies. Any suggestion where I can get them in bulk but not that bulky Thanks so much for all of your help!!! .............................................................................................................................. What about printing stickers and placing them on coozies you get at the dollar store?

What a great idea!!!! since I only have 15 guests maybe I'll do this too!!!

Location: El Dorado Royale, Riviera Maya Date: May 25th!!!! ceremony location reception location resort

Ok... so I need an opinion from you ladies. Originally I was hoping for 30ish people now it's looking like 16 tops. I have Tuscanes reserved already, but now with so many less people I'm afraid the space will be too big. I'm starting to think that maybe dinner on the beach might be better. Does anybody have any opinions on this for me? Without having been there I'm not really sure which would be better. I just don't want the evening to feel like I'm forcing anything. Thoughts?

Allie, I was just about to recommend our thread...when I first got engaged I sat down with a note pad and read 10 pages a day taking notes until I'd managed to make it through the whole thing, I learned so much useful stuff doing that... But Congrats Little Bride...I'm getting married at EDR in May... I'm working with Alejandro Gomez and he's been great. He gets back to me with in a day or two and provides loads pictures and references. So I would recommend him. Feel free to PM me if you want to know anything else. -Jen

This was exactly what I was thinking when i suggested it.

Thanks for the advice... Did anyone have a pre-made general schedule for when/where they planned to have dinner or drinks each night, if others wanted to join them?

Cuff links or a watch maybe... fun dress socks in your colors to wear at the wedding...

Thank You! I'm actually just going to make my own hair vine. I know the basics of beading and jewelry making, so I figured I could handle making a simple beaded necklace. I read an article on Jennifer Lawrence's hair vine from the Hunger Games premiere that said she just took a vintage gold necklace, braided it into her hair and then flipped/pulled apart the braid pinning it with the necklace intertwined. seems simple enough. I'm going to make a necklace that I can then later wear as a memory of the day. So, just could just do some necklace shopping for it, vs. using something specifically made for hair.

I'd like to apologize for the random super posting of my last post... not sure what just happened there.

I believe someone in an earlier post said they use MAC products.

I believe someone in an earlier post said they use MAC products.

I believe someone in an earlier post said they use MAC products.

I believe someone in an earlier post said they use MAC products.

I believe someone in an earlier post said they use MAC products.

So funny, I was just debating that for my inlaws as a gift. They're going to be celebrating their 35th anniversary down there too. So they're staying an extra week. Maybe dinner and couples massages? Any other good ideas for gifts to give people down there? I'm pretty sure my MOH is getting a clutch from me. http://www.etsy.com/listing/95005779/silk-clutchpursebagpersonalized-heirloom?ga_search_query=photo The best part is that you can personalize it by putting in a silk photo lining for an extra $25. So that's what I'm going to do. I think she'll love it, since she's the kind of girl who could have 1000 purses... but always seems to need 1 more. One of the fabric choices is a black brocade with teal peacock feathers and is just perfect for my theme. I love giving things that people will use again, and think of you every time they do. I think the shiny black silk makes it a really nice dressy clutch, that can be used for all kinds of occasions.

I'd say get yourself on the mailing list. If I hear of another sale coming up I'll try to post something about it. You live in DC? I live in So. MD, Charles County. If fits him great, but I don't have any pictures of him in it... I should probably do that. He's sometimes a hard fit, super broad shoulders and thighs from years of football as a teen. Suits and clothes have a tendency to come slim fit these days, and everything hangs pretty nicely on him. Luckily, Jos A Bank tends to offer choices in cuts of their suits.

Since we've all been discussing music lately, Amazon has 3 free albums up for valentine's day. I've downloaded all 3 of them and there's some good stuff in here. http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1360690801/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF8&keywords=Valentine%27s%202013%20-%20A%20TuneCore%20Artist%20Compilation&page=1&rh=n%3A163856011%2Cn%3A!624868011%2Ck%3AValentine%27s%202013%20-%20A%20TuneCore%20Artist%20Compilation%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625151011%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625151011

Since we've all been discussing music lately, Amazon has 3 free albums up for valentine's day. I've downloaded all 3 of them and there's some good stuff in here. http://www.amazon.com/s/qid=1360690801/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF8&keywords=Valentine%27s%202013%20-%20A%20TuneCore%20Artist%20Compilation&page=1&rh=n%3A163856011%2Cn%3A!624868011%2Ck%3AValentine%27s%202013%20-%20A%20TuneCore%20Artist%20Compilation%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625151011%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A625151011

Yeah it's very nice, light weight. It isn't scratchy or anything, pretty much what you'd expect from a typical summer weight suit, only this one is wicking. Todd really likes his, he also got the stays cool white dress shirt. Now, obviously it hasn't been field tested yet, so I can't speak from experience. Our wedding is May 25th, so I can tell you after he's worn it on the day of. I don't want to risk something happening to it before hand, and I figured it's got to be better than a standard suit, and at 70% off we couldn't really argue. here's the link to the one he bought http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/Product_11001_10050_372007 and then he bought this vest, it's about as close as we're going to get to a match. The color is spot on, but the tooth is slightly different, but nothing noticeable from a distance. http://www.jcpenney.com/dotcom/claiborne-mens-suit-separates-silver-gray/prod.jump?ppId=1af57f6&catId=cat100250022&deptId=dept20000014&N=1260%204294965092&topDim=Brand&topDimvalue=claiborne&dimCombo=Brand%7CItem+Type%7C&dimComboVal=claiborne%7Csuit+vest%7C&currentDim=Item+Type&currentDimVal=suit+vest#1dd555e

I think these two, with pearls to match the color of your dress would be best. Think white pearls with a white dress and off white pearls with an ivory dress. I like how the floral-rosette details seems to match. And belts with simple dresses are so flattering. I don't really think that the turquoise necklace would match the belts you've chosen very well. The idea is that you want to look cohesively put together. I think that if you were going for a really bohemian look then the turquoise necklace would be good. But, all of the other accessories you've picked out don't say bohemian to me. What I would do is look at some bridal pictures that have the "style" you're going for, not necessarily the same dress, and then try to match the size and quantity of the accessories to it. Or, at least that's how I went about picking mine out. Also, how are you considering doing your hair and earrings? Are you going to use big statement pieces. A big necklace with big earring and big hair jewelry might be too much, so that might be something you want to think about too. Here's what, after what I'm sure amounts to hundreds of hours on pinterest, I'm thinking for my accessories. My dress has a lot of bling along the neckline, so probably no necklace. Chandelier earrings and a simple rhinestone headband. The latest thing I'm debating is including a hair vine in my hair as well, I have the beads that match the beading in my dress and I'm thinking I could make a vine that later could be worn as a necklace. the big thing is that I want to feel light and luminous... radiant even. I want people to think they should have worn sunglasses when they look at me. I've posted a couple of these before... detail and wide shots of my dress (no glasses on the day of the wedding) This hair color and makeup Here's the headband, which couldn't match the beading pattern and rhinestones more perfectly. Also the veil which has some rhinestones and pearls, it's two tier scalloped edge, fingertip length. .. try to ignore the roots. I'm also going to make small rhinestone-magnetic veil weights to keep the veil from blowing all over the place. When I get them made, I'll post them on here for you all to see. This style with the headband behind the braid hair vine idea shots, I also love the little tendrils on the last shot. I haven't decided btwn these two earring sets yet, but I think I'm leaning toward the second set. shoes nails... I also have a rhinestone cuff, but I don't have a picture of it. essentially, everything about me is gonna sparkle... and that's just the way I like it. I'm hoping that if I keep it pulled back a bit on each piece it won't be too overwhelming all together.. Posting all of this was pretty helpful actually, it's the first time I've seen it all laid out together.

how would you do that?