ironman

Woohoo! We're the day after you, so I'll just add a day on to your countdown. It's coming quickly!

I think they recommend sending your invitations out about 4 months in advance. Our wedding is in December, we're going to mail ours out mid to end of August, and ask for a response date by the beginning of October. We also recognize people may also book last-minute (i.e. in October and November, after we've asked for our RSVPs back).

I've hired http://limelightstudios.ca/ and will be bring them to NJ with us. Hiring a videographer was never something I thought I would ever do, but I fell in love with their videos and am so excited to see what they'll be able to produce for us. It was a bit of a splurge, but I hope we'll be able to watch the videos on our anniversaries to help us remember all the smaller details! There's even 2 other videos on their blog from other NJ weddings they've been to.

Hi Katie, Check out the Official Now Jade Thread for much more information than this one! Alcohol/Drinks/Food is included for the number of people specified in your wedding package. If you have more than that # there is a per person feed you need to pay (i.e. if you have the Divine package and you have more than 25 guests). I've seen the additional dinner fee for the divine package, but haven't seen or heard of anyone being charged for additional alcohol/drinks. The Divine package includes some decor (flowers for the ceremony, for example two flower medallion things for each side of the pergola or canopy, plus an arrangement for the "signing" table), but I don't believe there's anything else. Chair bows, table cloths, additional centerpieces etc.. are all at your own expense. You can rent it from the resort for a premium (but less hassle) or bring it down yourself for much cheaper (but takes up luggage space!). Hope that helps, and again, check out the other thread!

Wow, A+ for Canada Post! I actually joked that when we moved to Alberta from Ontario we should have shipped all our furniture with Canada Post, as it would have arrived quicker with them than it did with the moving company (2+ months). Our timelines do sound quite similar! You're just under four months away, that's so crazy! We do have a good idea of our #'s so far, but a few people actually surprised us and booked just within the past few weeks. Most people who booked did so right away. There's also a few people I expected to come, who aren't, but I'm getting over it. It's caused a few arguments though. I still wonder if people will book last minutes (i.e. after we have asked for our response cards back). Guess we can deal with that if it happens!

Thanks Diana, that helps a lot to hear yours says something similar! Have you mailed yours out already? I was thinking about sending out ours in mid-to-late August, asking for a reply by the beginning of October.

I could easily change to: ____ Joyfully accepts ____ Regretfully declines if that will be more clear??

Ahh, so we just got the proofs back for our invitations and response cards. For the response cards, for yes/no I had lines saying ____ Yes, sunscreen is packed! ____ Sorry, we sunburn easily. I sent my parents a copy of the proof to review and my Dad totally didn't understand. Like he really didn't get that was where you needed to check one or the other. Perhaps this isn't very clear and I should change it to something more simple?! What do you guys think? Will people not get it? We also got in a debate about if it's beef filet or beef fillet.

I believe you must select from a set menu for the restaurant that you choose.

Congratulations! Your wedding is getting very close! I have the spa guide from January - it shows "Hair Styling for Brides" as costing $59 (75 mins) Are you looking to make a group reservation at a restaurant for dinner? If so, I believe it's $22/person. I know you can reserve areas for private receptions for $500, but not sure if there would be any extra costs added on to that because there's no reception included in the Your Moments wedding package.

Congratulations! I look forward to hearing about your planning process in the coming months!

I'm pretty sure I have PWIBS (pre-wedding IBS). With all of this (what I think is stress induced) stomach upset it would be sweet if it helped me drop those last few lbs. I agree about the 30s! Weight slower to come off and it takes my body way more time for me to recover from workouts too! My FI and I did a half ironman as a relay team on Sunday (2km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run). We finished in 5:15 hrs, good for 7th out of 32 relay teams!

I also like #2. BUt dresses also look totally different on than they do in the photos on the models. Whatever one you think about and love the most should be the one you pick. it will be perfect regardless.

Aww, that sucks! I've never even heard of that store before! What's the designer? Hope you have better luck soon!

We're planning on mailing something to only the guests who will be attending our DW a few weeks in advance (travel info, perhaps a luggage tag?). I think we might put something in this info just for the people who are attending that their presence at the wedding is the best gift we could receive. Will have to play around with the wording though to get it just right. I wouldn't personally put anything about gifts on the invitation themselves. Perhaps if you have a wedding website you could put it on there though?

Before I add it to my list to ask Pilar, does anyone know how much it costs to rent a projector and video screen?

Thanks Laura, what a fabulous review! Congratulations, everything in your photos look beautiful. It helps a lot to hear what your final bill to the hotel was, and the breakdown of costs. I'll add an extra $80 into our budget in case they sneak in the ironing and lantern hanging. And we'll also be sure to have the lobster bisque, after hearing such great reviews. Did you have any problems with anyone getting sick during the week at all? Also - what were the ingredients in the Purple Rain?

Okay, I missed my June weigh-in with Weight Watchers, and went yesterday (had to pay regardless since I missed June). I was only up 2.6 lbs, which given the # of restaurant meals and crap I've been eating is actually not too bad (I was away on 3 different work trips in June). I was expecting it to be a bit more catastrophic. I'm back on track now and am ready to shed those 2.6 lbs within the next week or two! My FI and I are registered for a half ironman triathlon this weekend. We signed up back in the fall being overly optimistic about the shape we'd be in. Since we didn't quite meet our training goals, fortunately for us the race director is allowing us to combine our two entries into a two-person relay team, so we're going to do the race as a team (2km swim, 90km cycle, 21.1.km run). I'm going to do a 10 km run this evening, and go for a swim tomorrow morning before work just to make sure I'm ready! I just ordered a beautiful beaded sash off etsy for my dress. I have no idea how it will look or even if I'll end up using it or not. I'm just totally ready to start crossing things off our to-do list, we have just over 5 months to go!

I'm sad to hear about the death of a 16yr old Canadian girl at NJ on the weekend. I haven't been to the resort before, but it sounds like there's a non-motorized area that she was kayaking in, when she was hit by a kid driving a jet-ski. http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/07/03/kitchener-ont-teen-killed-in-mexico-after-her-kayak-struck-by-watercraft/ All of our weddings down south will truly be the time of our lives, but please, stay safe everyone.

Victoria is beautiful (BC is my home province!). I hope you had good weather and were able to enjoy some of the city!

I have a question about the vegetation options available. For those of you who have been married at NJ already, what one did you select and do you have any recommendations for a veg option? Also - how did you word it on your response card (if at all), so it doesn't just sound like a side dish? (i.e. grilled vegetables with rosemary oil doesn't really sound like an entree)

Ugh, I just moved away from Ottawa in October and still have some really good girlfriends there. They've definitely been complaining about the crappy weather too. It's not much better in Edmonton. This is the first week we've had sun since we moved here (okay maybe not quite, but it feels that way). My FI and I were joking this morning that it's the end of June already and that means that summer's almost over in Edmonton.

The Bamboo Room is completely indoors, and I believe it's air conditioned. Castaways is indoor/outdoor and is not air conditioned. I don't have very many photos of the Orange Lounge. There's a few in the wedding brochure that they have on the website though. These are the ones that I have saved.

Great work girls!!! We're all going to look fabulous for our big days!!!

That's awesome! We're at the pergola and in Castaways too. We wanted the Mix Beach Bar and the Bamboo Room, but they were both already booked up on our date. Our cocktail hour will be in the orange lounge. I think it's still going to be great!