pzl101

Hi Ladies, Is there a direct email or contact for the wedding coordinator or did you just fill out the Wedding Inquiry form online? I think we've settled on a date (!!!) and am wondering how long it will take to get an initial response. Thanks!

what were the reception options? cocktail hour?

Hi Tara, Did you hear back from IRHS? How is the planning and communication going? They are one of the resorts I am considering for next year.

ohh Moon Dance Villas looks beautiful and it's on the beach? We won't have enough to rent the whole place out but what a gorgeous resort!

Thanks for this list - I am also looking for Negril suggestions but it seems like most of the nicer places are all on cliffs? Even though all of these look gorgeous, my FI and I are set on a beach ceremony. Not sure if we want Riu or Sandals either (may be too big for us) We are planning on only 24 people including. Are there any others?

thanks for the tips. I just sent an inquiry to Secrets - it's our top choice for our wedding next May!

this is very helpful. I think I'm doing a simple luggage tag StD with our name, date, resort/location and our website (whenever I get around to it) but I like the idea of adding an insert for the travel agent

We actually made a decision last night! haha We decided on JAMAICA!!! We were between Jamaica, Aruba and Turks and Caicos but he preferred an AI just to keep it easier for people (most of his friends and family have not done a lot of traveling) so that pretty much ruled out T&C (we didn't want Beaches) And we weren't crazy about Aruba's law about legal marriages being in their Town Hall bc we want the legal ceremony on the beach. Phew!! Now, our next step is to research/contact/compare resorts - we're looking at Secrets, Jewel, Iberostar and maybe another one or two. I noticed there hasn't been a lot of info on Jewel but I stayed at Jewel Runaway Bay in May when my cousin got married at FDR. FDR is a basic AI with a very family-oriented atmosphere (their suites comes with nannies!!) so my sisters and I wanted a regular AI and Jewel was next door and it was great! Not as big as RIU but really nice and we had a great time there. Does anyone know of other AI in Negril besides RIU and Sandals?

Hi Tara, Are you talking about the new Azul Sensatori opening up in Negril? (according to their website, in November 2013) The one in Mexico looks amazing and I've heard only amazing things about it but my FI and I ruled out Mexico for our wedding. Jamaica is one of our top choices but I couldn't find any info about the new Azul (obviously since it's not opened yet) Have you been in touch with their wedding coordinator? I don't want to assume their packages would be similar to Mexico since they are such difference countries and culture. thanks!

Same here. Love both, red probably more in the winter and fall, and wine or rose for the summer.

So the resort didn't mind that she was up and about working and taking photos during the ceremony? (clearly, not just a guest) I guess the resort is getting a lot more money from her stay (for a few nights?) than a flat fee so why would they complain?

Thanks ladies! I def have to get a move on it. My FI is very laid back and has no idea what wedding planning entails (not that I know much either) but he thinks we can just plop on a beach and that's that! We narrowed it down to a couple of islands but now we need to research resorts. Is this the hardest part??? Picking a date and location?

I love the font! very cute

WOW, What a great thread you ladies have got going! I have missed A LOT since 3 weeks ago!!! Now that the new job/moving is over with (see above post), I can focus on planning. I hope I'm not too late already for planning??? My man and I talked about having a spring 2014 wedding (May most likely) but I already see that many ladies have already sent out StD and picked out their dresses!!! And we have no date and not even a location picked yet! We've already told people that it will be a DW sometime next year and we're keeping it small (24 guests maybe) but I guess my main concern is, are May dates already filled???

LOL. I feel the same way about pinterest and BDW! Thanks for the share!

wow! thanks for the welcome and sorry for the delay in my reply! I just noticed these - I didn't get any emails or notifications from the site letting me know. We have nothing set yet and have barely talked about plans! We have not had time to talk about the wedding because in the past month and a half since we got engaged, he got a new job and relocated 2 hours away, moved temporarily into my place, then we scrambled to find a new (bigger) place for the 2 of us, packing and unpacking etc and FINALLY we are now settled into "our" home. So let the planning begin! I've mostly been browsing ("Lurking"? lol) and there are truly amazing ideas and inspiration here. I'm so glad I found BDW. Before we got engaged, we mentioned that a small intimate beach wedding would be cool and then my cousin got married in Jamaica 2 weeks before my engagement and that pretty much confirmed that destination weddings are the way to go! I look forward to sharing more details as they come.

WOW, what an incredible planning thread. You are so organized, creative and thoughtful of your guests. Looks like it went beautifully...congrats!

WOW, the set up is beautiful! congrats!

Congrats Jen! The pics came out great! I love the colors of the bouquets. looking forward to an eventual planning thread!

I think costs depends on where the photographer is based and what the package includes. (hours of coverage, TTD, CDs, actual prints, albums, online gallery, copyrights to the images etc) Packages for NYC based photographers start around 5k so can you imagine flying them down and covering their travel costs on top of that??? Photography is the most important aspect for me so I'm definitely willing to splurge. I would like to support local businesses but from the brief research I've done on some island photographers, the styles don't quite match the look I want. I hate the fact some resorts charge a fee for bringing in an outside vendor ... do they charge you even if they are staying as a guest of the resort?

great job. I love the font too!

cute! love the retro look

good idea to try different kinds with your dress so you can see what goes with it. i probably will not wear a veil but maybe tuck in a flower. good luck!

Second dress!

speak any language fluently Would you rather be really hairy or completely bald?