natalieblev

Dont stress too much! It will all work out! Dont pay the extra money! Stick with your original budget I say, and im sure it will all work out! Everyone will understand that you are out of country and planning can only go so far! Good luck!

how cute they have the same nickname haha. I swear all his hs friends have dinosaur nicknames and i have never understood it, but whatever its cute and funny!

Thanks for the advice! She has overnighted a new form and picture and paid over 300 bucks to get it overnighted back to her, although the processing time is still unknown (between 3-5 business days). I have no idea, her husband has been taking care of it. But im just going to keep praying and praying because i will literally be a wreck without my sister!

Hey teena! I hate that you feel like this! I want you to know that I read your review and appreciated all the details so very much!! I have been on here for a year now and i swear we all wait anxiously for someone to come home and give a review and it was just so crazy all of a sudden there were four brides and grooms posting reviews! The other girls are right, it really was just that Tamara has been on here so long and ive been talking to her for a year now so it just felt natural to ask her follow up questions! I hate that you feel that way though cause i know so many of us appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your wedding!! And great to know about the symbolic as that is what i will be doing! Thanks so much for following up too!! Now I gotta go check out your pictures!!

Oh lordy! So just gotta vent for a second. My older sister might not be coming anymore because she bought her ticket with her married name, but never changed her passport from her madien name and someone told her it would be fine. Well of course it is not fine, so now i have no idea if she is even going to be able to come because the passport office sent her passport back, unchanged, and gave some odd excuse that she isnt explaining very well. SO awesome. waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I have to share my cake topper! They just finished it and I am in love. Its a little joke cause for over 10 years now everyone from back home calls my FI Travadactyl and he calls me babe-a-la-sauras. So I just think this is the sweetest! Getting excited! I leave next week! But havent started packing yet! You ladies are making me think i better start soon though!

you should look up katya nova. Her works is insane and she lives in PC most of the year.

Does anyone have any pricing info on upgrading the reception dinner to include (not substitute) lobster or shrimp? My fiancé is wanting lobster! Also I leave in two weeks from today!! So excited but trying to fight off this horrible cold virus I have so I can get my last minute things done!

I am so sick with a head cold- sinus infection, ear infection, sore throat, coughing all night for the last five days. And we have had company for nine days straight right before I got sick...so needless to say I haven't been able to get much done at all. I don't know if it's the foggy brain from being sick, but I'm not feeling freaked out. I have a ton of appts next week and still waiting on my dress to be done. I still have a couple of things to buy or finish. My FI is currently finishing the music right now and not really happy about it ha but that was the one job he picked so oh well. Hopefully I will get better by this weekend and finish up all projects and purchases by then. Then all appts next week and then I'll have a few days after the fundraiser run to figure out packing and any last minutes. Just really hoping my dress is done by Saturday! Anyways looking forward to seeing everyone's pictures. We are leaving June 14th and marry on the 20th so still have some time.

Heard from Susana today. She is back to working fulltime and done with her leave.

Thanks so much Tamara for your answers. I feel so much better about the customs thing, although my stubborn FI probably still wont believe it isnt that bad! He went to St Lucia last year and i guess it was over two hours so he just cant believe it! But it gives me a better idea of when people will actually be showing up cause we will be there a day early to get settled before guests arrive. I might change my welcome cocktails to strikers since there is food...maybe we could meet earlier...cause I figured eveyone would have their own dinner plans, but honestly I feel like that first day everyone is just going to drink all afternoon and probably not make it to an actual sit down dinner. So who knows! Gotta figure that out! Still no word on anything about susana. I just cannot believe they didnt send out an email that said hey im leaving see ya! Oh well, hopefully soon! Anyways thanks again! Sounds like it really isnt too much to worry about!

Hey Tamara! Great pictures and thank you so much for the review. Your dress is stunning! And the weather looked beautiful for the wedding! Sorry to hear about your little boy! That just sucks all around. Hopefully they will rectify the situation. So I have Susana as my WC, and have heard she will not be there....so did the things you reserved/discussed with Susana take any like showing of emails, records keeping to have Marlene agree? I worry as I have made some plans with Susana that aren't exactly by the book so I just didnt want to have any surprises when I get there. Would you say the Lobby Bar is a good and fun place to meet up for the first night just to welcome everyone? Is there food there (snacks)? Did you ever eat at Hoya 19? Did you guys do any excursions? Anything fun on resort that shouldnt be missed? For the day of and decorating, do you leave it completely to them and dont have any family or yourself helping decorate anywhere? Just want to make sure I am where I need to be. Did you guys get vouchers upon checking in? I see online where you can get coupons for the spa/waterpark etc, but my TA wont confirm it. We have the DJ with the MC as well, and I know you missed most of your reception (SUCKS!) but from a few past reviews it sounded like the reception was basically just dinner, toasts and a dance...I was hoping to have like two hours of dancing...and it sound slike your party was able to do that...did you opt out of things like father-daughter dance and toasts or was it just more organized with the MC so faster? I know you brought two dresses with you? Any problems carrying them on? About how long did it take you guys to go through customs at PC airport? My FI keeps saying its going to take two hours, but I just cannot believe it!! Okay, sorry I know that is so many questions! And I have more sadly hahah! My wedding is in three weeks and with Susana gone and a couple bad reviews im getting a little more nervous, so thank you for your review! Made me feel better. And your cake is the prettiest I have seen there! I was hoping to get that big bottom layer like you, but wasnt sure if they would be able to do it! But thanks again for all the info and you guys all looked wonderful!! Your son is just too cute!

I never got the attached cigar pricing though sorry!

This is what I got for 2013 Tiffany chairs---- $12usd each · Tiki lights ---LED torch around $25usd each · LED Lighting $70usd each · LED light under reception table $70usd each Crazy hour:$1330usd Belly dancers: $715usd Fire show:$615usd Violinist:$615usd per hour Path with flowers pomander:$595usd Includes 6 Base plates:$10usd each Cigar roller: please find attached packages Color napkins: $4usd each Garden chairs: $10usd each Lounge area for 25 pax: $670usd

You too! ANd thanks!! I finally did the welcome letter and int last night with the resort map. And got all the spa appointments made and booked! I also started my photo list! Today is all about finding some suitcases, doing a mock welcome bag to see if i am missing anything, then working on the bouquet!

That is such a sweet thing to do with your parents!! Im sure it will always be a memorable day and we can never have too many of those!! And I totally agree on the calmer thing. I feel so much calmer about everything and am just looking forward to having a wonderful trip (Im sure ill get a little nervous the day of though!) I would say to everyone who feels iffy about getting the courthouse done, but would rather not deal with the hassle of a legal wedding out of country- make it a fun day! Who says it has to be nothing to celebrate!

We did not want to do a legal wedding in DR for many reasons. First the paperwork, meeting with the ambassador, filing all this stuff which seems like it would have taken almost nine months for this location. Then the ceremony had to be done by a judge and there is only one judge in Punta Cana so the resorts would offer times of like 11am or 2pm for weddings to be held because there just wasnt enough judges to go around. That would have been horrible to me! Also the ceremony would be held in spanish which i did not want. Then there is the two month waiting period after you get married there to have it legalized in the U.S. and all the paperwork and documents sent back to you, I wanted to include my religious beliefs in my ceremony, but DR is basically all catholic and so the judges refused to do any Protestant faith readings or include anything like that. It was just a NO WAY from the very beginning. The symbolic ceremony we dont have to bring anything down at all, we hired our own pastor to perform (but you could have anyone do it, your brother, the Wedding Cordinator, etc) and its free, easy breezy and we get to include whatever we want in it. To be completely honest, I think my guests will enjoy this ceremony much better than one they cannot understand and will not even question if it is legal. And I will let ya in on a secret- My FI and I are actually already husband and wife. We got married at the courthouse. I wore a pretty summer dress, he had some khakis on and the judge read us our vows, we said them back, no rings were exchanged, but we went outside after and took some pictures, then drove to Indiana and went to a concert and spent the weekend with friends at Ribfest and have kept it a secret since haha! We wont be celebrating anything on that day and will use our wedding day as an anniversary, but I will say it was one of the sweetest days of my life, we got to include my dog who wont be able to come, we were alone so it was very emotional and romantic and it will always be yet another day that i will look back on and be so thankful for! That is never a bad thing! We didnt want to tell anyone and wont because like you all have said it sort of feels like your cheating your guests, but to me it is not a big deal at all that we did it before...it will not change our wedding day in DR and it is just a sweet memory to keep forever! but thats just my opinion!

Quote:very pretty!!!! Originally Posted by rootkl Oops last post didn't work! This is my dress!

I was stressed about the dress being big too! And it was! But the alterations lady just started pinning me up and within minutes (after the long awaited alterations appointment) it started looking amazing! Dont worry too much it will turn out great! I feel like i am behind a little too. I still have to finish my welcome letters/itinerary for the OOT bags, finish my own bouquet, order a flower for my hair (which i just cant decide because i havent decided on how im wearing my hair ha!). I need to get a backless bra, have two more dress fittings, buy two new suitcases, finish following up on my etsy orders, make a photography want list, chose flowers (which i have been waiting for for over nine months now to hear anything on), finish the music for the reception, gather school supplies for the give back project we are doing in DR, quite a bit of other stuff as well but i will spare you all! And yesterday I just signed up for a PAWS fundraiser to run an 8k to raise money for homeless pets. I have never entered a race before and have only started running about three months ago and only about 3 miles 1-2 times a week, so now im trying to get myself in shape to finish that and Im dog sitting all weekend (so my poor kitty will be in hiding) and then next week have company all week. Shew. I better get moving today haha!

Thanks!! I think I am heading to Davids Bridal and maybe Macys to try them on, just to be totally sure it will work cause I only have a few days before my second dress fitting! eeek.

Thanks for the review Miss Jali! Sounds like you had a great time!! It is 50 degrees in Chicago right now so I am COUNTING down the days to hit the beaches and pool next month!! Thanks for the description of Bar Carey...that is also where I have decided to do welcome cocktails and Im so glad to hear you loved it. All you ladies are making me so excited! I am almost done with all the details and ready to just relax!!

Hi Parrish! Congratulations! Your wedding was beautiful and I love your dress!! THe beach reception is something I really never had any interest in, but seeing your pictures I see just how beautiful and romantic it is!! Thanks so much for your review! I am currently working with Anders and he is so awesome! We had to cancel our private boat excursion because not enough guests will rsvp, but im still hoping once we get down there it will work out! Also I am doing a garden wedding and I am HOPING the peacocks will be there when I am!! So awesome! Thanks again and so glad it all works out great!

So beautiful!!

Awesome! Congrats! Cant wait to hear all about it!