HKdolphingirl

I have 39 leftover OOT totes from old navy (I vastly overestimated how many people would cruise!). $1 each + shipping my guests loved them and I saw the bags all over! People used them as totes to go down to the pool and on excursions. They were great!

I have 39 leftover OOT bags from my cruise wedding. Perfect for nautical or anchor themes! They are generously sized and my guests ended up using them as beach/pool/excursion totes. Asking $1 each plus a little to cover shipping so $45 total.

Thanks all! I'm glad to know it's not just me being a Bridezilla or something! It seemed so unreasonable. I guess now the hunt really begins for a better travel agent.

I don't remember which one I needed There is a number on top of the bar code, and a number underneath it. On top the number is: 775385-13-1 0000 j07 underneath the number is 4 92046 00002 9

it's just him, so it would mean switching to a whole other company

After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to use a travel agent to book a block of rooms for our cruise wedding. I decided this would be great, he could answer all the booking questions, and I could pretty much stay out of it, and we would get some freebies, saving us money so we could in turn do better OOT bags, and a welcome party that was otherwise out of the budget win-win. So I got some recommendations from friends, and several recommended the same guy - easy to work with, super on top of things, etc. So I call Bob, he gets me the block of rooms, he gets my honeymoon suite booked. So far so good. Then he tells me that I am supposed to have my guests contact me when they are ready to book, and then I should contact him so that he can call them to book. This makes NO sense to me. Why should I be the middle man? Why wouldn't they just contact HIM when they are ready to book, and give our wedding name? He assures me this streamlines things somehow, so I say fine, I'll e-mail him contact info whenever people tell me they are ready to book. I'm annoyed since this sort of defeats the purpose of me staying out of it. That was strike one. Fast forward. I have sent him 10 different couples' info already who are ready to put down their deposits. He set up phone "meetings" with them, and then doesn't call, or calls at completely different times when they are at work and have told him they can't talk, or doesn't call them at all. I have guests that have been going back and forth with him for 3-4 weeks and some almost 2 months and still aren't booked! He keeps giving excuses. He just went through a divorce and had to move his office so he's not as organized as usual. Fine gave him some slack. Then his dad was ill and not expected to make it so he was out of town dealing with hospice. Fine game him some slack. But that was all months ago! My guests are getting frustrated and just want to book on their own, and I don't blame them but I really wanted to get the perks of the block of rooms. I feel like this should be way easier? am I crazy? Or is he just a bad travel agent? When I express my concerns to him he always has an excuse, and by the end makes me sound like I am crazy for being upset. Granted my cruise is over a year away, but some of my relatives have specific room requests because of large families and medical issues etc, and they want to book early, why is that so hard? I don't know at this point if there is even a way to "fire" him since I already have all our group deposit and deposit on my suite and group account setup through him? Should I call another travel agent and see what they say? Anyone experienced anything similar?

figured out how to save a picture of the proof of my RSVP card. My plan is to send the invites out fairly early, and that way anyone who rsvp's that they are cruising, but hasn't put down their deposit yet I can track them down and get them in touch with our travel agent. Next up: working on our anchor monogram

Love this idea!! I have been so torn between passport or boarding pass and this way I could do both! Genius!

I am having fun planning my OOT bags. Thanks to all the helpful posts on here, I think I have the contents for my cruising guests pretty well planned. However, I will have quite a few non-cruising guests, and they are travelling from out of state too, just to eb there for the oh so short cruise wedding and reception. I feel like I should get them something, but obviously they don't need sunscreen, and aloe, and headache meds etc. I'm planning to hand the bags out the night before our wedding (we're getting married on embarkation day) so I don't want the non- cruisers to feel left out if they see everyone else getting bags...but at the same time they don't "need" the majority of the goodies. Would it be strange to make a smaller bag for non-cruisers with just a couple of snacks, the itinerary, and our "favor" which is a printed koozie? Thoughts? Advice? Other brides' plans? Thanks ladies!

That is super cute!!! Love it!

These are my Old Navy Anchor Bags. I like them a lot, but my colors are navy and white, with aqua accents...so I guess the OOT bags are more the accents part I did find a postcard on VP that I liked that I made into RSVP cards, but I just ordered them yesterday so I don't have pics yet. Will post when they arrive So glad someone else is doing anchors!! So many sea stars and beachy themes brides out there. Which are pretty, but I liked the nautical theme

I am fairly certain I would like to provide keyholders for all of our cruising guests. I am debating between several styles currently. 1) this personalizable waterproof container from OTC http://www.orientaltrading.com/personalized-beach-safe-containers-blue-a2-42_4251-12-1.fltr?Ntt=safe+container or something similar to it (hard plastic, holds more than room key) 2) Or something like this vinyl ID pocket http://www.specialistid.com/Clear_Vinyl_Vertical_Badge_Holder_Resealable_Top_p/1815-1110.htm on either one of those stretchy wrist keychains or a lanyard Obviously, the waterproof containers are pricier. Any previous BDW brides have any input after seeing guests use the key holders? as to whether a lanyard or a wrist might be better?

I don't remember seeing anywhere in Carnival's information, what decor they provided. I'm assuming they had linens but were there any sort of centerpieces? (I'm doing an embarkation day wedding so my grandparents can attend)

Can't wait to see some amazing pics here! I was underwhelmed by my options and prices as a cruise bride too! I am debating between: 1 - making my BMs real touch rose bouquets to coordinate with the 1 dozen white roses, I'll receive as part of my wedding package or 2 - saving even more money, and breaking up my bouquet so that I have 8 roses and my BM's each carry a single rose

Awesome, I actually have that! I thought maybe you had purchased some special program these look so nice. Now I am super duper inspired!

I'm so glad I kept reading in the thread! I was all geared up to get supplies, but was going to end up with double because I forget the cover prints 2 to a page!! Your invites look fantastic!

These are beautiful! What program are you using to design your invites?

Did you have any issues with people bringing the snacks on the cruise? for some reason I thought I read somewhere that you couldn't bring food on board

hehe thanks...same screen name for everything since I was 14, sort of always been obsessed with dolphins and whales I actually wanted to do a dolphin wedding, but fi wouldn't go for it...somehow he thought photos of dolphins jumping over us as we exchanged vows was cheesy LOL I can't imagine why

I am looking at these for my BM's too. One owns one already in a different color and says she loves it. I have two BM's who are very busty - one who is petite otherwise, and one who might be considered plus size (not sure right now she has been losing weight) does anyone have experience with how well these work for chesty ladies?

That is an excellent question! I was wondering that myself...Also debating between STD magnets, or door magnets...I feel like there is probably a limit to how many magnets people want from us...and the door magnet if worded correctly is more of a keepsake than a STD is.... decisions decisions!

This is awesome! I am having that same debate. Fi originally wanted linen pants and guyaberra shirts and flip flops for the guys, which I think is fine for a beach wedding...but we are getting married on the ship, and I think we need something dressier. I LOVE that look of vests for the groomsmen but DH in a suit. That looks super sharp. I will definitely have to run this by the fi. That way the groomsmen are a little relaxed like he wanted, but still classy

My fi and I estimate we will have close to 100 people (based on tentative talk from guests so far) at our embarkation day wedding on the Carnival Paradise in Tampa. (many cruising, some not). We really like the idea of having a welcome party since half of our guests will be travelling over 1000 miles, just to get to Tampa, before we even cruise. Also, we know the reception will be a whirlwind and we think it's important to spend time with our non-sailing guests. I also want to use this time to distribute the OOT bags for the cruisers...and some sort of favor for the non-cruisers which of course includes an itinerary for the next day (I am so afraid people are going to be late!) The ever present concern is budget. We were thinking of doing something at the hotel where we'll have a block of rooms. The wedding is on a Monday, so we were thinking late Sunday afternoon. Possibly having an unofficial "pool party" and bringing in munchies like chips and dips and non-alcoholic beverages, or maybe tapas or possibly even getting a couple giant party subs or pizza, so people could have something more substantial. We want it to be very relaxed and low-key, not dressy, not formal, just fun mingling! My concerns: 1) I have no idea how early people will plan on arriving at the hotel the day before the wedding...i.e. is it dangerous to plan an afternoon event? Or is it something where, we plan it and put it in the invites and people can choose if they want to arrange their travel early enough to make it 2) Will we look cheapo if we don't do a full on dinner and drinks? 3) Has anyone ever heard of hotels allowing something like this? I haven't booked our block of rooms yet...but I'm looking at the embassy suites since they provide free hot breakfast... Other thoughts you guys have would be greatly appreciated as we are in the early planning stages! Thanks!

I've seen lots of people just do the cruise dates and the ship name, or the location Also depending on your them you could do a play on that like "Ship's Ahoy" or "Anchors Aweigh" or "Feeling Beachy" etc I've seen some people roll with a heart theme and do "love is all you need" or "all you need is love" (might be too girly if you have single guy cruisers) My fi in all seriousness wants to do Harley + Heather = Awesome.....I am still fighting that battle lol

I second that! I wasn't sure if a meet n greet/rehearsal dinner was in the budget, but several of our bridal party are unable to sail, so I'm realizing now that time with the non-sailing guests is going to be so precious! Also, I was really nervous about the photographer, but your pics are amazing and making me rethink my photography budget lol. Thanks for all your details!!