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Have you searched through the official thread to see if it can answer your question? http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/66415-official-now-jade-wedding-thread/

Hello @@JLove5815, which RIU are you looking at around PDC?

@@Lilian84 I wore it to my pre-wedding photoshoot. It's an Asian thing...we wear formal wear to our photoshoots instead of casual wear. So, no engagement photos, just pre-wedding photos. It kinda make sense for us since I bought a wedding gown for quite a bit of coin to only wear it for a few hours? I don't think so! Better rock it over a few photoshoots! I will be wearing the same dress and veil for our wedding in Dec. I have some more pictures of our photoshoot here: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/76802-elsas-arthurs-wedding-rprm-20141208/?p=1864158

@@calgarybride2015 Vancouver, the land of perpetual rain (except recent couple of weeks).

Keep talking! Almost thereeee!!!

I bought a very cheap one. Check out my review: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/45886-got-my-veil-great-ebay-seller/?p=1846449 Cheers!

@@calgarybride2015, I was just in Kelowna getting my pre-wedding photos done this past week! I some times think about it, but not really. We have been together for 14 years and plus we got legally married this Feb...so not really. Our OMG moments were when we were counting down for our new home a couple of years ago. We are more in the mode of just making sure all the tasks for the wedding are done nowadays. I gotta order my red cheongsam, finalize bouquet, etc., etc.

@@Lilian84, you are so close!! Post something about the weather in Montreal!!

I agree 100%! My pre-wedding photos came out really nice with a long veil and my photographer was very glad that I had a long veil.

Hello @@ElleDill I don't know how else to comfort you except help you think beyond the small stuff: - Hotel: What have you looked at that made you change your mind? No resort is absolutely perfect...if it is rather small details in the resort then just think about other things. If you can't change the resort choice, move on. You got bigger issues to deal with. - MUA and photographer: I'm sure you can find other local vendors to help you that are just as competent. Search around this forum for reviews and suggestions. - Dress: I found mine at a consignment store that didn't need any changes or alterations. You may be able to find something like that as well. If not, talk to some seamstress to see what they can do to add some length. Perhaps there is a dress maker online that can make a dress within 2 months? I used Dressilyme to make my 2nd dress so they may be able to help you make a dress on priority. Drink a mojito, breath, prioritize your essentials with a checklist and finish them one by one. Good luck with your wedding! Elsa

Both dresses look great on you. I am leaning towards dress #2.

Sneak Peak! Our Pre-Wedding Photos from Abby Photography We finally got our pre-wedding photos done. What are pre-wedding photos, you ask? Basically, we wear our formal wear to take photos instead of normal, casual outfits. Here's the story about our photos: we already have our photographers lined up for our wedding and TTD, but we need to find a local photographer that a) is within our budget (approx. $500-$700) b ) willing to take photos in odd settings (no gastown, yaletown, Stanley Park, Hycroft Manor, etc. please! Too redundant!) c) not too "Asian-styled" pre-wedding photos (ie., overtly-posed-turned-awkward bride and groom, over-use of back light, Korean drama look ) d) we have to fall in love with them when we see their pictures Of course, my fiance does not search high and low for a photographer that fits into these criteria. So, this task rests on my shoulders... I searched through every photographer that has taken pre-wedding photos in the GVRD. I shortlisted a bunch, but we crossed them out one by one because they just simply was not the style that we were looking for. I expanded my search to all the photographers used by our family or friends. Either they are outside of our budget or the photos just doesn't capture our attention enough.I then searched through all the wedding photography award sites (WPJA, BCWedding Awards, ISPWP, WPPI, PWPC) to see if I can find anyone. NOPE. I was ready to throw in the towel and just find some random photographer and be done with it. And then I remembered seeing our photographers based in Mexico winning the Fearless Awards and I thought maybe there's a slim chance that someone will be listed in BC? I searched for all the photographers in BC and I see two photographers from Abby Photography winning multiple Fearless Awards. AND THEY ARE BASED IN BC!!! What are the odds of that?!? I showed my fiance the photographer's website and we both fell in love. However, there are other hurdles. They are based in Kelowna, which is about 4 hour drive from Vancouver. I joked with my fiance and said, "Since we both love to drink wine, wouldn't it be cool if we have some pictures of the vineyard?" His response was, "Oh, I love that. Let's do it." Another thing is about costs. We can't afford too much since we put a lot down already for our wedding. We emailed Abby Photography to see what their pricing is for engagement photos (we didn't notice any pre-wedding photos on their website). They responded quite quickly. Their prices are a bit higher than what we budgeted, but fiance said he is willing to work overtime to pay for Abby. He is head-over-heels in love with their pictures. We set up a time with Elisha to talk about the photoshoot and pre-wedding photos. We had a great discussion and then we signed the contract and made the payment! Now, we can't have nice photos without makeup and hair. I contacted 5 different MUA's based in Kelowna, but they are either too busy or out of my price range (I budgeted $150 for hair and makeup). I had no choice but find a MUA based in Vancouver to be able to do it early morning and then drive to Kelowna. After contacting another 5 MUA's in Vancouver, I finally found a MUA, Leah Roberts, that can do both hair and makeup and is within my budget. She was super nice and quick to reply emails. We decided to stay a couple of nights in Kelowna to tour some wineries in the region. I was searching up vineyards to visit on TripAdvisor when I noticed Kelowna Mountain Bridges & Vineyards. The view took my breath away and I thought it would be sooooo amazing if I can have some pictures there. Abby had plans to take us to Father Pandosy Mission at 5:30pm, but I just really, really, REALLY wanted to have pictures on the mountain...BUT KMBV closes at 5pm. Seems like my dream is not going to come true. My fiance said he doesn't mind Father Pandosy Mission. My brain went on an overdrive to think if there is a way to have photos on KMBV. Just in case I can take photos up there, I emailed Leah the evening before to see if I can have my makeup done earlier so that we can head out earlier. Leah was kind and flexible in agreeing to come earlier. So, with my hair and makeup done we are off to Kelowna. I still can't stop thinking about KMBV. As we were driving to Kelowna the day of, I contacted KMBV to see if I am allowed to take photos up on the mountain. There's not a lot of cell towers around Hwy 97C, so as I was talking to Nicola at KMBV, I was cut off every 2-3 minutes. Nicola said we just need to pay for the entrance fee and take as many photos as we like. And then cell reception got cut off. I left a message with Abby to see if they are willing take photos up on the mountain around 1:30pm. No cell reception for the next hour. We arrived at our BnB in Kelowna around 2:45pm. Elisha called us back around 3pm. She is interested if we are allowed to take pictures up there. I tried calling KMBV back, but I kept getting the vmail option. We finally got a hold of Ali at KMBV around 4pm. We confirmed that we can take pictures and we can take pictures from 5pm to 5:45pm. We called Elisha back and confirmed location and agreed to meet at 4:45pm. We drove like mad to KMBV. Got lost and then found the entrance. We were sweating buckets already and now we are going to take pictures. Anyways, we trekked around the mountain in our formal wear and took pictures. We were sooooo happy and fortunate that Elisha and Chris are willing to trek around a mountain in 38°C heat to take our pictures. They are funny, patient and super professional. We are also very fortunate that Nicola at KMBV let us stay after hours to take pictures. The mountain is beautiful. Chris and Elisha then took us to a vineyard to take some more photos and then we are done for the photoshoot. We were exhausted from all the last minute coordination, but we were super happy that we can take pictures up on the mountain. Anyways! I have typed enough! Abby Photography posted some of the sneak peek pictures on their website. We were stunned and super ecstatic to see how beautiful they are!

The story is so sweet that I felt like I had a large gulp of icewine!

Hi @, have you checked out some of these links for reviews? http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/74155-riu-palace-mexico-brides-2014/ http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/68589-riu-palace-mexico-vs-riu-palace-riviera-maya/

We bought the dress, necklace for BMs and suits, ties and socks for groomsmen, plus we are paying for both mom's and BM's makeup and hair.

@@Sara1603, some people just have a much higher standard than other people. It's like when I go to a restaurant and I love the food and found that it was packed with flavour, gave it a 4 star...then some other person said the food was bland, terrible, would never eat there again, gave it a 1 star. So, I know where you are coming from but I also think that reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. Maybe the sales clerk took things the wrong way. Whistling? Isn't that a compliment that you are pretty? Food was bad? Everyone's palette is different. Beach was bad? We don't have much sandy beaches in Vancouver so any beach is great!!

#2 - I'm a maggie sottero bride so I may be a bit biased here, but I like how the MS hugs your body and how the train just falls softly. Is pricing of a concern?

hi @@kcole123, I can feel your pain. Costs can quickly add up. I find that for something that I really want (not need) I tend to go outside of my budget. For instance, I don't have to do a TTD photo session, but I really want it, and so $ needed to be spent. Or the fact that my fiance wanted to have the pre-wedding photoshoot in a vineyard instead of around the city (difference of about $500). It is very hard to keep the costs down since we all have the mentality of "this is a once in a lifetime" thing going on. I have a certain leeway for items that I'm willing to go past my budget for and not others. Photography? Yes. I don't think time will reverse and capture my 30 yo self again. So $ needed to be spent. Makeup and hair? Yes. It's part of the picture! Invitation cards/Save the dates/RSVP stuff? No. I don't really remember how mine looks like anymore and half our guests never looked at it. All I have is each invited guest receive one airline ticket (front and back) for the invite. I don't have save the dates or rsvp stuff. My building manager was nice enough to print the invitation free for me. My website was all done by us and Wix is free. OOT bags/Gifts? No. Chances are guests will buy/bring their own stuff. My OOT bag is per couple basis. That is, one deck of cards, one fan, one bag to share pr couple. Most guests will probably be like me--I have my particular brands and own stash already. I spent $14/couple. If my fiance has his way, there will be no OOT bags at all. Decor? No. Dollar store (so far $80) and DIYs during weekends and evenings. We did some projects on Vistaprint and ended up spending about $50 (will post pics of them later). So far, I have only spent $30 for all the paper for the passport brochure. BM dresses? I don't know about other brides, but it is always the bride that pays for the BM dresses in Chinese culture. I vowed to find a dress that is below $90. I ended up finding one at $68 at Dressbarn on sale. Most of the time I find that brides that made the programs and menus and stuff (with color and theme coordination) don't usually post how much they actually spent on all everything. I think to some people a beautiful wedding is worth more than the price tag...so don't worry about it. I am very liability-adverse, so my mindset is on only spending what I have on my hands.

We haven't decided yet. I'm not sure if the prices are the same since our wedding is in RPRM and your wedding is in RPCSL. RPRM & RPM is charging $30 per person for cocktail at the bar.

Hello @@TheBHolders, are you looking for information on the RPM or RPRM? If you are looking for information on the RPM, then there are other topics on the website that may have the information you need: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/74155-riu-palace-mexico-brides-2014/?p=1763844 http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/75838-newbie-here-riu-palace-mexico-2015-consideration/?p=1821666

Nice website!

What sort of decorations are you looking for? My wedding is in December. We only have 28 guests and after calculating the price, we found that it is cheaper to go with the free package and then add guests to the package. I am planning to bring down my own centrepieces and some decorations...and then get one of my BMs to help with decorating to save some money. Lol We are planning to have semi-private reception since we don't want to pay for a private reception and we don't have enough people to meet the min. threshold for private.

Hi @@Lynsey92714, I'm getting married at neighbouring RPRM and I hope I can help somehow. Which package did you pick by the way? I think the set up fee has to be paid if the wedding coordinators have to set up your personal items for you. Items such as: chair sashes, centrepieces, etc. I believe you can avoid the fee if you have someone from your guests doing the set up. Unless you are having a private reception...If so then I believe it is mandatory to pay for the set up fee. The aisle, according to pictures on Google, seems pretty short. I don't know too much about shortening songs. Music during the reception is not allowed...unless you are having a private reception.

What sort of graphics are you looking for?

Hey @@marinah84. Thanks! I used Publisher to create it. I have attached the back here. Elsa - Boarding Pass Invites Template.pub