SparksFly

Hi Jamie, I'm sorry to hear about all of the problems you are experiencing lately. I feel very much the same. I feel like I am trying too hard to hold onto friends that are struggling with the idea of coming to my wedding. My one good girlfriend from college is still on the fence about coming. Even though I have offered to pay for her hotel accomedations for 4 nights at the Royal in Cancun. If it was her wedding, I would drop everything to be there, no matter where it was. I feel like she is just stringing me along until she can say that the airfare is too expensive and she can't afford it. I am trying to mentally prepare for that because I know its coming...

Thank you for reminding me of this...too easily that we forget whoever holds the money has the power. Guess what, if you aren't helping pay you are allowed zero input. It's like people expect us to have a big party when and where it's convienient for them!

It's like his aunt can't even send her RSVP yet. I offered to pay her expenses for the wedding back in January, and she couldn't give me a straight answer. So I booked my FI's mother's flight and hotel without his aunt ( they were going to stay in one room together). I really hope she doesn't expect me to pay for her hotel or airfare now. It's honestly getting too expensive, and my offer was now or never type of deal. I already got a feeling she thought I was a spoiled brat from first meeting her. Having a destination wedding probably just added to that thought.

Thanks for the prospective monicak! I am happy I am doing the DW because its what I always wanted (a big party for a few days at the beach), but maybe I should have only invited family to avoid disapointment from my friends.

I just wanted to see if this is a common issue. I went to a family wedding on my fiance's side last weekend. I sat at a table with his aunt, and she did not mention the wedding once, while some good family friends who were also at our table could not stop asking about it! This aunt also had asked me outright at Thanksgiving why I wasn't having a wedding in DC like her son and FDIL. Um, sorry? With my budget I didn't want to have a cheap-o wedding like them? (obviously didn't say that, but it was what I was thinking). I also have my little sister in my sorority who was in DC last weekend and did not call me at all. She does have other friends down here, and maybe she was super busy, but not even a phone call? I have been to NYC 3 times in the last year and a half, and always called her or let her know I was coming. The only reason I found out, is through facebook when one of her friends posted pictures... Is anyone else having issues with people avoiding them? I don't want people to avoid me because of the DW. If you can't come, I understand...

So I received the suit on Monday this week and WHAT A MESS! I do not find these suits to be well made at all! We ordered custom sizing and classic comfort fit for the pants. Um, the pants were horrible! Soooo tight in the waist. They completely screwed up the waist measurements, and my fiance is thin for his height (5'11"-6' and 178 lbs). I measured 36" for his waist and they are claiming the pants were meaured to 36.75", there is no way in hell that is true. I measured the pants to be less than a 34" waist. Legs were narrow and more of a skinnier cut leg. We measured everything twice (once by a seamstress and once by me before submitting the order). I also measured him in a suit jacket that he already owns to get more accurate measurements. The jacket was still narrow and the sleeves were too short (in my opinion). Now I am trying to have paypal give me my money back because the meaurements all over the suit are clearly off. In my opinion, try to find a discount store or a good sale with a return policy. It is not worth it to have this (crap) come in and not fit correctly. I paid $140 for this suit, and I really think I could find something better for around the same price at a discount store. Who knows if I will even get my money back...so frustrating! My review: STAY AWAY!

I personally like the second dress better. What if you try and sell the original dress on ebay, and order the new dress on Jasmines? Just see if you can sell the first dress while you are still reaching your goal weight?

Labeita- I am just looking at the hotel rate, not any airfare. The hotel rate for the Caribe was around $250 a night average....now I can't find it lower than $390????

Has anyone gotten any good deals for the Gran Caribe out of the states? I just checked expedia/travelocity/orbitz and they all have the caribe for around $400 a night for two people?!? I thought it was around 200-270 a night?? Help!

Has anyone had any issues with booking at the Gran Caribe for their guests? I just sent out my invitations yesterday, and I am worried that people will try to check prices and get scared away! The Gran Caribe is just as expensive as the Royal on all the travel sites because the Caribe is only offering their higher category rooms. I am kind of freaking out because I have friends who will need to book at the Caribe due to financials and totally defeats the purpose to stay at the Caribe if they are the same price! Expedia has the Caribe's lowest level category available at $400 dollars EXTRA a night than the higher level category?!?!?! I am assuming that they are trying to sell their upper level category rooms and are blocking out the lower categorys for the time being???? Anyone have this issue? Melissa

Just ordered my fiance's suit in the Tropical English beige linen thanks to Kats? pictures from her wedding. The color looked super light on the studiosuits website, but was actually the perfect non-yellowy beige that I was looking for! Hopefully his suit comes out just as great! I'll try to take a picture of him in the suit once it comes in. We ordered custom sizing so I am still lightly worried that it won't fit right!

Haha update? Hmmm...well I guess I am just adding a photographer to our package, and will pay for it myself. I am trying not to stress about this, but it hurts my feelings that he is still resisting to help with the bill. It's also wonderful that my dad probably is really frustrated with him as well and his cheapness. SUCH an awesome way to come into a new family with your FFIL already pissed at you.

Thank you for your responses. @smirk- I don't need a credit card to pay for a photographer. I do have the money to pay for a photographer outright. I have no problem paying for the photographer, but it would be NICE if he offered to contribute a little more $$ if needed. My fiance thinks that my parents offered to pay for the wedding, so they should pay for all aspects of the wedding. My mom thinks my fiance is a 32 year old man who makes a nice salary ( as do I), and we should help pay for SOME parts of the wedding. I will say though that my mother thinks that since she and my father are putting so much money in from our side of the family, that his side should help with SOMETHING. The worst part is that my Fiance's mother agrees that the grooms side of the family should help pay for something (she is very traditional), but she is really struggling financially right now (hence why my parents offered to pay for her NONSTOP flight and hotel for 5 days). I would not accept help from her, but I would love if my fiance would pitch in beyond "i paid for the honeymoon and engagement ring so thats it". Bottom line: it's not the money, its the principle that he could help out, but is refusing for other BS reasons.

Alma, The only thing I can suggest is list them as a guest of the wedding and pay the dinner/cocktails fee for a non real guest. ORRR ...I don't really suggest this, but maybe you can sneak them up via the beach entrance?

Thank you for your opinions. I just think that my fiancee should help pay for some parts of the wedding that traditionally the groom is responsible for. His parents have very little money, but my parents offered to pay for his parents flight and hotel for 5 days during the wedding under our budget. Just because my parents have offered to pay for the wedding, doesn't mean that my fiancee is completely relieved of helping pay for any of it. I have been laying out thousands of dollars left and right and he can't help pay for a photographer?

Hello, So more wedding drama...LOVE IT! Since we are having a DW in Mexico (at an all-inclusive) we are not having a rehearsal dinner. My family is paying for the entire reception, including the hotel for some of my mom's friends-- and a few of mine ( my MOH that is coming from singapore = a $2400 flight for her.- So I am paying for her hotel). http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/77645/vent-sorry-mom-offering-many-people-rooms-on-my-budget While frustrating that my mom is paying for some of her friends, my mom is still paying for her "part" of the whole wedding -- aka the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. My mom is telling me that my fiance should foot the bill for the photographer instead of a rehearsal dinner, but he doesn't think he should have to pay at all! He is well established in his career, and has saved $100's of thousands of dollars in the past. He states that he already paid for our honeymoon to Mexico, and an engagement ring...so that's enough. I am stuck between the both of them, because my fiance doesn't feel like he should pay for anything because we are not "helping" pay for any of his friends. Who are also all in their 30's and established. I told him I would compromise and use half of what is leftover for our friends budget and let him offer to his friends. He should help out with the photog right? I am stuck between my mother and fiancee. HELP PLEASE I AM DESPERATE

Quote: Originally Posted by jillybeans127 I am also a June 23,2012 wedding at the Royal. We are having our ceremony at 5pm on the beach followed by cocktails on the beach and then 7pm reception at the Gran Caribe villas terrace. COOL Jilly! My ceremony is at 5pm too on the beach by pelicanos! (royal side)

Congrats LaBebita!!

Thanks for the templates and ideas!

one of the best planning threads! Thank you!

Beautiful work! Congrats!!

amazing work xoxoxo! Cannot wait to see the rest!

amazing work xoxoxo!

amazing work xoxoxo!

amazing work xoxoxo!