MissJali

This was a great post. It shall prove to be a huge help. I am an impulse buyer yet I can't help but gloat to my friends that I paid $25 for Guess heels when they spent $100! The only problem I have is the space to keep everything 1 year and a half before the wedding. lol I am doing a lot of DIY projects:STDs,Invitations, Programs. I've found the flower girls dress for like $34.99 online and the bridesmaid dress for $84 online. I am also contemplating on a knock off dress to save some serious dough as the Pronovias dress that I fell in love with is $2700. Thanks for the tip regarding shoes tho. I will definitely look in the winter. But where has everyone gone to score deals on the jewelry?

NBulldog, thanks so much for the idea. I'm also doing the raffia fans but didn't want to do ceremony programs but thought i would just because I wanted a place to write something to my late grandmother. I will be borrowing this idea. Thanks

I'm very sorry to hear. I'm having this issue with my FBIL who has been throwing tantrums (30 yr old man) because he can not travel as he doesn't have the proper documentation and my FMIL decides to stress my FI with all of this yet our wedding isn't for a year and a half. And i'm on the same page, I will not back down from what we want. We always imagined a beach wedding. My FI has told his mom, "whoever can come, great and if you can't you can't and that goes for you too" So it's nice to know this man has my back but it's like people are just looking to rain on our parade

This is a great question. I mentioned the idea to my FMIL and she just started going off a list of everyone who had to attend simply because it is all-inclusive at the resort, however, to accommodate everyone we'd have to pay to have a private dinner in one of the restaurants. I don't want anyone to feel left out but i thought of just the bridal party, parents, and very close relatives.

I think I like the idea of just doing the beach bags as most people always forget to pack one and it would be nice for everyone to see each other with the same beach bag that allows them to know who is a part of the wedding party and who isn't. There will be a few people on each side that don't know each other and this might be a good way to get convos started when they see each other at the pool or beach before the wedding.

My wedding is scheduled March 8, 2014. I am planning to send out the Save the Dates sometime in Jan/Feb after the holiday madness. However, I'm a little confused as to when I should send the invites out? Final payments are due 2 months before the date, I was thinking sometime in like July? Is that too early??

Wow what a great idea? Are you guys using this as favors also? or just to put in the OOT bags?

It seems like a great way to save some money. I haven't thought of that. If i'd do one per couple, I can actually pull it off considering the budget. Thanks for the idea.

This was such an awesome idea and it beats making the brochures myself to give out. Thanks again

Omg thank you! I will definitely keep this in mind!

Hi girls, I thought of doing this also. I found them pretty cheap on oriental trading. I saw something on Martha Stewart weddings where a couple gave them out as favors. I loved the envelopes that they put them in. Here is a photo.

Wow Mari, i chose the exact same song as i have the same issue, my family speaks spanish and his doesn't. Somos paisanas. I see that your wedding is tomorrow! Congrats! and I hope it's everything you could hope for

Congratulations Busybride!!!!!! Thank you so much for your review and your beautiful pictures. I am also having my ceremony on the beach. I love the huppa, did they choose the white sheets for you or did you tell them you wanted white? I'm glad to hear that there is a whole array of floral arrangements i can choose from. I'd thought of doing the bouquets myself using silk flowers and when i looked at my package and saw they were included and only $30 for an extra one for a bridesmaid, I couldn't be more happier. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing!!

My Goodness WTunner. Your pictures came out sooo beautiful!! Congratulations!! I am looking to have the exact same package as you and I am very happy to see what a great job Susana did for you. It makes me want to push my wedding up!!! Thank you so much for sharing!!

I love this!

I absolutely love this...this is kind of the same cake I'm going for. very pretty

I absolutely love this cake, I might have to put this in my inspiration board

I love these, they look so authentic! My mom and I are at a bit of a standstill b/c she wants them to look as authentic as possible but I'm a little afraid that the guests might mistake them for their real passports! And after hearing your challenge on printing on the dark paper, we might just have to do the wedding colors as the covers.

Congratulations Mandi!!! Thank you for your post! I was going to ask you about the welcome drinks as I am looking to do the same. I was glad to see your response and how you went about doing it. As for the rehearsal, did you guys have an actual rehearsal or did you wing it on the day of the wedding? I'm a little about that as well as having an emcee. As you can imagine, this is only my first wedding lol I'd like to know that Susana will do a rehearsal with us to make sure we all walk down in the correct order, etc etc. Thanks again for your review!

Alexis you did a great job on your website!! I am currently finally working on mine. I am a little jealous of your site, you put in so much work!!! I love it!

Hi Girls!! How's the wedding planning going?? I've fallen off the face of the earth. So much has gone on, my dad had a heart attack and we've pushed the wedding back to March 2014 (Originally October 2013) Susana tried to give me a hard time about my date being confirmed and how I couldn't change it, after I explained to her the situation, she told me to get back to her in March 2013 to book the new date, so it's a little annoying esp when the 2014 packages are out already. Hope everyone's planning is going better than mine. I was excited to see JGCorona's review and it was comforting to know that I can bring all of my own decor and Susana will make it happen. NCordero, I am very sorry to hear about what happened. I just wanted to thank you girls for all of your posts, which has been very helpful to get details without having to harrass Susana since my wedding is now a year and a half away.

Also, Sunny Did you do the seating arrangements for the reception or did everyone just pretty much sit wherever they want? I'm having a hard time deciding on doing a seating chart/escort cards/etc. How did you manage?

Hi Girls, It's been a while since I've posted, Happy to see that most of you have been making progress with the wedding planning. I kind of dropped the ball a bit (rare for Bridezilla in the making). I just had a question, has anyone given thought as to how they are going to get most of the programs, centerpieces, etc down to Punta Cana? I thought of carrying everything on the plane with us and perhaps mailing some of the stuff. But my mom has just given me a bright idea since I have family down there, just ship everything to them and trust them to bring it over to the resort while I'm there. What are you girls doing? Another question, besides the Barcaza boat, has any other brides planned other activities to do with their guests? I'd love to hear your ideas. My main concern now is the rehearsal dinner. Keep it as an informal gathering or actually rent out one of the restaurants/bars etc? Also, I haven't heard from Susana in a while, has anyone??

Ugh! Thanks for the info Samsbride! I really do have my heart set on beach tho. We'll see if that changes in the next couple of months. Congratulations!!!!! What a beautiful picture.

SamDC, i don't think any of us actually snail mailed the form. I know I emailed it and got a confirmation regarding my date about 3 days later. The only thing is now I'm waiting for Susana to get back to me so we can work out the details. Girls, I may have missed it, but does anyone know if the WC performs the symbolic ceremony? Or do we have to find someone?