jackshayne0123

That's awesome, congratulations!! Hello! What do you mean, like as far as traditions go?

JANUARY IS HERE LADIES!!!!!!!! EEEEEKKKK!! Who's first to get hitched?

I agree, this is your wedding, your day, you're the star!! Wear what you want, you cannot be overdressed at all! It's a stunning dress and you will be stunning in it! It's about how it makes you feel! ROCK that dress and enjoy your day!!!

Hello Iberostar Varadero Brides, did anyone do a TTD session at this resort with the photographer? Just curious about it.......... Thanks! Jackie

EEEEE yes so close now!!!! With Christmas and wedding, there are definitely not enough hours in the day!! I have my wedding dress now, it's amazing and perfect and I am so in love with it!!! I want to wear it all the time. My FI finally took his groomsmen shopping so we can cross their outfits off the list. Things are coming together! 1 month until we are on the plane!! Can't freaking wait!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Yeah I guess we are all set! I was forgetting something - bridesmaids gifts! I need to decide what I'm getting, and pick them up. That might wait until January. I had my final dress fitting today and my dress is perfect!! (almost) the cups need to be adjusted, I have zero clevage so I need to figure out how to give myself a boost. But it's all done and perfect and I love it!! I didn't want to take it off. My Jr. bridesmaid had her fitting too and her dress is good to go, AND my fiance went shopping Friday night and got the groomsmens outfits! I didn't even have to nag again! LOL We don't know yet what we're doing for the catamaran, I emailed our WC to see if she can answer my questions or suggest a company to book with. I will check out the forum on here and see what they say, thanks so much! I didn't even think about that.

I know isn't it such a racket? So annoying. 6 weeks tomorrow until we say I DO! 6 weeks! That's not a lot of time especially since Christmas is right around the corner! I've got: -final dress fitting Saturday -my Jr. bridesmaid fitting Friday night -welcome brochure (these will be created while my boss is away over Christmas) heehee -nag fiance about taking his groomsmen shopping for their outfits -nag fiance about booking our Catamaran dinner cruise -my Mom has our OOT bags and is bringing them with her (she lives in NS) so we're having an assembly party once we arrive! YAY! ha I think that's all we have left...unless I am forgetting something.......great now I'm worried I'm forgetting stuff! But really, not a lot left to do, I'll have a bunch of appointments come January pedi, wax, hair, eyelashes, etc. but that's all last min stuff. A DW is definitely a lot less stressful and less work than a local wedding! It's kind of nice

Then I'm sold! I agree, as long as they last for the wedding day that's all I want. I'm excited for them!

Thanks CeeCee! And your dress is beautiful! We are wedding twins, my dress is also ready and I am having my final fitting on Saturday. I can't wait!!!! My Jr. Bridesmaids dress is also finished, I can't wait to see it on her, things are coming together! I am now on the hunt for the bridesmaids gifts, I found cute little monogram make up bags on David's Bridal for only $5! I was super excited, and when I went to check out, the items I wanted don't ship to Canada!! GRRR. So annoying. I agree I'm not freaking out (yet) about things, I feel like I should be way more stressed, but I guess that's the beauty, and the point, of a destination wedding. It should be stress free and easy breezy! I am also having a hard time though not deciding things until we get there, it's hard to leave such important details until days before, but it is what it is. Some people are lucky and go to the resort months ahead of time to scope it out and make those decisions, but not all can afford that. But wouldn't it be nice?! Yes the lobster down there is soooo different!! I ordered lobster when we were in Cancun last year and I was shocked! Not the same at all! I don't think my East coast family would like those lobsters. I didn't. The claws are missing, and they are the best part! I have an idea of what I want so hopefully that will make our choices easier upon arrival. We are also hoping to get married in the gardens, I've read reviews that it's quiet, more private, they set up chairs(they don't on the beach) and you can also have mic and speakers for music and speeches (if you choose to have speeches at that point). We like the idea of the gardens being more private, not everyone on the beach will be gawking, it will hopefully be less windy and our guests can actually hear the ceremony and vows. I've read some horror stories on here about people on the beach not being respectful of your wedding, they get in the way, guys in speedos behind the altar (get a clue dude!)......I can only imagine. No thanks! I mentioned a rehearsal dinner to my FI and he laughed, why do we need a rehearsal and dinner? Men.......I do want to gather the wedding party briefly for a chit-chat, you're right everyone has been to weddings and knows how it works but I do want to do a quick run down, and where everyone is standing, who they are walking with, etc. I think the catamaran cruise/dinner will be the night before the wedding, so that's our celebration. It's totally up to you if you want to do it, again the beauty of a destination wedding is that if you want, you can toss all of the regular traditions. I'd like to have a welcome dinner the first night we are there, I don't want to make a big deal out of it, but might let our group know that we are going to the buffet at X time, let's meet at X tables, and eat together. Nothing fancy or too formal, just let everyone know it would be great to get everyone together. You could do that? Just make an announcement and spread the word? How big is your group? PS RE Catamaran, my FI is taking care of those details. His best friend did it a few years ago for his wedding, so he's getting all the info from him. I'm not organzing it. But I'll let you know once he gets his butt in gear! I'm assuming all ages would be welcome, I guess it would be up to the parents if they wanted to go with kids. Of course nothing we are doing is mandatory, just a nice add on. I don't want to force our guests to do anything. FI has already said his sister and her hubby won't come on the cruise b/c they get massively sea sick, so that's fine. We will take their kids and they can have their own date night if they want. Fingers crossed for good weather! I've been keeping my eye on it already! Especially with our weather lately, I need +26 and sunshine!

OH I'm with ya!!! I have a countdown app on my phone.....47 days eeeeekkkk!! And with the deep freeze we are having right now, -39 with wind chill...yeah that's right I said MINUS 39........Cuba sounds like heaven right about now!!! My fiance still hasn't taken his groomsmen shopping yet for their outfits......I'm like get on it!! And of course he's waited until the last minute and now it's Christmas and the malls will be packed.....typical man.....

Hey ladies, anyone else having problems with this website "update"? I can't find any of my stuff! None of my forums are here, my private messages are gone.....whyyyyy? What's going on?

I am also considering eyelash extensions, I have seen them on a few people in person and they look fabulous! I was worried about how they would hold up in the heat, pool and ocean but from the sounds of it they are ok? I think they are so pretty and adds just the right amount of drama to the face, and you don't need mascara...sign me up!

Quote: Originally Posted by ceecee2014 I guess you're right, best get pictures while there is still lots of light outside... which, in January, isn't very long. Do you have any idea what the menu for the dinner is like?! Do our guests just pick something during the dinner? I realize I don't know much about how dinner will actually work. I actually don't know what the menu for dinner is like, I don't think Sabina has mentioned, and I haven't asked. I will! I have heard it's good though, and you can order lobster for an additonal charge. I've heard mixed reviews on the lobster, I don't think it's something we will do, it's an added expense. We want to take everyone on a catamaran dinner cruise, so that's where we will splurge to say thank you to our guests. I had my dress fitting over the weekend, it's amazing!! I love it so much I can't wait to get it back. I'm scared I won't want to take it off on the wedding day. I also had my hair trial tonight! Things are coming together! How are you feeling ceecee, freaking out?

I just realized not everyone will be able to see the attachment...Take 2 Jackie

Hey ladies! How's everyone doing this week? Thought I'd pass along a little update, I had my wedding dress fitting over the weekend, I'm absolutely in love with my dress! Even more so than when I first tried it on. It's PERFECT!!! Alterations will take a few weeks and then that baby is all mine! I can't wait. I am keeping it at a friends house, not really so my fiance won't peek, so I won't be tempted to peek at it all the time! haha I don't trust myself. I also picked up my wedding ring, things are coming along and it feels more and more real! I had my hair trial tonight, and it turned out really well! Hopefully the stylist at the salon will be able to replicate it. I've attached some pics, hopefully you can see them! How is everyone else progressing? Feeling good, stressing, freaking?

Quote: Originally Posted by ceecee2014 Ahh, thanks for the breakdown... Wait, does this mean I miss cocktail hour?! Someone will have to carry my drink along the beach for me. That's what I thought! I imagine there will be time to have a few sips and bites while mingling, cutting cake, etc. But personally I want to take off and go for photos right away, so we will miss it. But it's nice filler time for the other guests.

Quote: Originally Posted by ceecee2014 Thanks for all of the feedback! I did see that review (it was so helpful) and it looked like a great wedding, so I am just assuming ours will be like this as well!! At this point, all I can do is go with the flow. Sorry, I wasn't very clear - the restaurant will be reserved for sure, but once upon a time, we were told that for $750 (for 30 ppl, then +$25 for each additional person) we could have the restaurant to ourselves (and no one else would be there), but I guess this has changed. I was happy to pay the extra money, but it's not an option anymore. I assume that we'll at least have semi-privacy... I hope! Do you know much about the cocktail party after the ceremony how that works?! Or is that just to entertain people during photos? I was also thinking about the possibility of speeches after the ceremony, for similar reasons to your FI, but you make great points (our time in the sun is limited, so best get the photos started!!!). Would love to see any photos that you have from the photographer, just to get an idea. Thankfully I have some friends with great cameras of their own, so at the very least, we can use their photos. Like you, I want pictures of the ceremony, but also of different combos of family and friends. If you come up with any ideas for the speeches, let me know! I guess I can just see what Sabina suggests. TGIF, indeed!!! Yes the reviews on here are great! I'm planning to take a journal to Cuba with me so I can write everything down, to keep the memories, and also write my own review afterwards and pay it forward! My understanding of the cocktail party is it is for the guests while we are taking photos. After the ceremony we will cut the cake, there's also a champagne toast, I want some group photos of everyone, (maybe with their glass saying "cheers" or something) then we will do our first dance, and then take off for photos. The people who are not coming for photos can mingle, eat and drink and wait for dinner. That's the impression I am getting of the timeline.

Quote: Originally Posted by ceecee2014 I'm also wondering about the photographer. I've heard a few people saw that the photographer was good, but I haven't seen any pictures before. Fingers-crossed, I guess. Unfortunately, I was just told that you can't reserve the restaurant for your group anymore, even if you pay extra - which we were originally told we could (as long as we had enough people). I was a little disappointed to find that out, but, I guess we'll just make it work. Trying to figure out how and where to do speeches now. I guess I can just see what Sabina suggests. Hey! I was also FREAKING out about photography, because their "guy" doesn't have a website, or portfolio, or pics to send. What kind of photographer doesn't have a website? Anyways, I'm over it...ok not really. I have been in contact with a few past Blau brides and they sent me some of their pics, I will PM you this weekend with more details. These brides have been really happy, have said great things and have told me not to worry. I hope my expectations are met! It's really hard not knowing what kind of work he does and his style, the types of pics he takes, etc. I have appointed someone in our group to be the "assistant" and I have made a list of all the photos I want, different combos with family, wedding party, etc. That way if he isn't good my friend can keep him on track. Here's a link to a Blau review, you may or may not have seen already. http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/68720/blau-varadero-review-long As for the reservation, my understanding was we didn't need one, Sabina said she takes care of it, sets and decorates the tables for us. I will confirm with her that this is the case. Because if not we are screwed too! We have 48 people coming with us, so we will occupy a few tables. My FI and I also discussed speeches, he said we could do them after the ceremony, before pictures, since we are getting married in the gardens and will have a mic and sound system. I said no, that cuts into our photo time and we will literally run out of daylight. I want to have speeches at dinner, but we won't have a mic. So...that's the dilemma. I guess it depends on what you want and what your vision is. If we do speeches at dinner in the restaurant, 1) we will have no mic and it might be hard to hear and 2) everyone else in the restaurant might be listening too. We will have to wait and see I guess! As I said I'll PM you this weekend with more photo info TGIF

Quote: Originally Posted by elizmellis my fiance and i are getting married 10/29/2014. i'm pretty sure we'll be getting married at Occidental Grand Xcaret - we're very excited. i already have my gown. anyone else getting married at the same resort or in Oct? this is my dress ) Congratulations! That dress is beautiful

Quote: Originally Posted by Lydia1120 if you are on Facebook, there is a Blau Varadero page that has many brides that got married there...you would get a response fairly quickly Thanks Lydia! I have found a Blau FB page but it doesn't have any recent photos of weddings, just pics of the resort. Am I on the right page? Am I looking in the right spot? Also, do any past Blau brides have reviews/comments about the resort photgrapher and salon for hair and makeup?

Quote: Originally Posted by m8chow Hiya we have our venue, all payments, excursions for group, and our clothing. I justwent for my dorst fitting this weekend and need to find a sash. Other than that I need to work on Oots, he's got the music list to work on. I'm soo tempted to make a welcome brochure but FI pointed out we could buy everyone sodoku books and etc for the cost of the brochure paper. Lol so welcome cards it is and an itinerary for the week and big day. Its coming up real quick... excited? YES I am getting so excited! I can't imagine what I'm going to be like come January, I'll be a mess I'm sure, jittery, not sleeping, like a little kid Christmas Eve LOL. We should probably get our excursions taken care of, we want to go to Havana and also take out a catamaran for an evening. Need to get the FH on that stat! That's his job. What excursions are you doing?