marinah84

@@SteeleTheSpotlight If you want the MS Word version to edit, pm me your email and I'll send it! I made it by hand off of something I saw on Etsy. I know @@calgarybride2015 also posted a template to a very similar one on her planning thread (sorry, Kim, I don't remember what page LOL). When I printed them on Vistaprint, I actually called customer service to have them help me line up the blue outside lines, because I couldn't get it to work haha. I think they added additional functionality when I reprinted, because I was able to crop/size differently. But I'd highly recommend calling them if you can't get it just how you want - it's free and they were VERY helpful! I even filled out the survey after, because I know they get rated somehow on the feedback (coming from a customer service driven environment )

GORGEOUS!!! I love them!!

@@acw271011 I've used both nail polish remover & heated coconut oil to remove, and the oil works the best! Here's a youtube explaining it: What I like about the oil removal is that it moisturizes at the same time, haha! I use those little flosser sticks to ease the separation. Here's an application video with my favorite method ("baggie") - my first manicure took a little bit to get a hang of cutting them, but the last few have been pretty quick! Update 3.1.2015 I finished the groom's bout today (it's the only one that still needed to be made). I also decorated the sand ceremony pourer...things. No idea what to call them, since they aren't normal sand vases I started off with just hot gluing the initials on, but it still looked a little plain. So I took the smallest spray painted starfish I had, and some leftover ribbon, and played around until i was happy. I think it turned out pretty well!

We're going to need to buy a few more big ones, I think We get 6 free checked bags, it'd be a waste to check little ones if it means we'll need to pay for bags!

@@calgarybride2015 SO happy on the hangers - I was really worried. One of the bridesmaid's ones is a little bent out of shape, but it was pretty easy to straighten. I'm packing the box she sent them in as part of my suitcase, so they should be protected! It's a pretty flat box, and it'll be easy to throw in a suitcase. @@TinkerSofi They just came out with new ones today omg, I'm already making a wish list! I'm getting acrylics this week, and am definitely doing the "mermaid" ones!! I might even leave them on for the wedding, since I wanted blue for my "something blue" and what's more appropriate than sea-colored nails Thank you!! I had gotten the bright colored ones from Oriental Trading like a YEAR ago, and Lily talked me out of getting hte weddingchicks bags (good thing too, as they haven't had a sale since I thought I was going to switch them out!). The hardest part was giving away the pink bags, hahaha. I have only 3 single ladies coming, and they are all in the same room, so I didn't want to give them all 3 pink. Plus only 1 of them would probably appreciate a hot pink bag anyway. If anyone wants to "like" my Jamberry business page, I'll be keeping it updated with new wraps and specials: https://www.facebook.com/MarinasJams You can message me there with any questions, too! I'm working on a craft for one of my best friends (who can't come to the wedding because her sister in law is getting married on the SAME DAY and plus she's pregnant now) and then will work on my sand pourers and the welcome book. Also. Fiancee thinks 3 big suitcases and 3 carryons is going to be MORE than we need for 2 adults, 2 kids AND wedding stuff for 9 days. HA. HA. HA. I'm going to need one JUST for the OOT bags, lmao! Men

Update 2.27.2015 15 days until the wedding! Hangers: After the scam fiasco, I was REALLY wary about using an Etsy seller. Especially when I didn't hear back from the seller after I messaged her. We ended up chatting back and forth a bit, and she put my mind at ease (especially when the 3 day priority mail came 1 day later, haha). I ordered from TheEliteBride (over 22k sales on etsy) - https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheEliteBride. When I ordered, I got 1 free hanger with a special she was running, and it was $52 total with shipping for 8 hangers. For the effort it would take me to learn it, this wasn't bad at all. And included double lines! Here's my hanger - went with last name instead of bride: A group shot: Up close: She only offers white ribbons, and if I think about it next time I'm at the store, I might grab a $2 roll of ribbon to change it out to blue. Or I'll leave it, it looks fine OOT Bags ALMOST done with these! I have to finish the welcome books, then I can pack them! I'll add the color changing stadium cups once we get to Mexico, it'll be easier to pack this way. For couples, I did one "Survival" kit (the ziplock with label) and 2 "recovery" bags (with the bandaids, tums, ibuprofen, etc). I ended up labeling the bags with names, since I have the final guest count & who is coming. I have a few extras, in case of surprises, but it's kinda hard to surprise show up to a DW! I ended up putting 2 schedule postcards in the couple bags - I have 50 of them, and only needed to make 20 OOT bags due to couples sharing. So I figured it's not a waste, since I still have like 20 extras Stuffed, waiting for welcome book! Inside: Welcome Book I test printed, and it's pretty much done. Adding in more "in memory of" for his family, and adding in guest names (more likely for people to use it if they just need to fill out room number!). I also noticed that the spanish pages I copied from a book on here was doubled (probably my fault some how) so figuring out what I need to change that page too. I like the size, since it's 4 slides per page it's a quarter sheet of paper size, it'll fit in beach bags easily. Debating throwing in pens, but assuming the resort has pens in the rooms? We have hundreds from our various school/jobs, so it wouldn't be extra $$ lol. I can't find my glue gun LOL. I need it to finish the boutonniere for FI and for the sand ceremony pourers to add the initials/ribbon. That's my weekend goal

@@calgarybride2015 I was mad, and then just figured it was a way to do a few things I'd put off to the side because I didn't want to spend more money, haha. It was only about $40 to fix the mistake, plus I got a beach bag & tshirt, so it could have been worse! The WC was like...sure, if you want someone to read something, that's fine? lol she seemed confused. I know the person they bring in to read the ceremony is a native Spanish speaker (obviously) and would like to incorporate some more of the guests into the ceremony. Glad you like jamberry! They are AWESOME!! I just put a wrap on my broken foot, hehe. @@Wafflesmom Thank you for your kind words! It hasn't slowed me down much, outside of the 15k steps per day goal. I can even still do a lot of lifting at Crossfit - I did some modifications last night, and it worked great! Lots of pullups, pushups, planks tho, eww. I actually took the sand to my FMIL's house over the holidays, so I don't have any sand to test with, haha. It's a big hole, much bigger than I thought it'd be when I had the idea. I am sure it'll pour pretty easily. We want to use some beach sand in the ceremony also, so I'm bringing a tiny strainer/colander to sift sand to make sure there aren't a bunch of shells/other stuff in it before we put it in the bottle lol!

@calgarybride2015 @veryvalero @TinkerSofi @@kcole123 @@MrsCtoB @@Meandhim Thank you so much, ladies, for all of the kind wishes! It's starting to bruise now, and I'm doing my best to stay off of it. I'm just thankful it wasn't worse! I'm already able to walk slowly so that it doesn't look too bad, so I'm sure 2 more weeks will do wonders! Found out the ortho only comes to this part of the state 2x a month, and so my appointment is the Friday before we leave, on the 6th! If I do need surgery (which I doubt) I feel like it'll be halfway healed by then anyway haha. Vistaprint So I found a MAJOR error on the programs, lol. Not only did it say that my bridesmaid was "friend of the groom", it said FIEND of the groom. FIEND. As in DEVIL. I about DIED laughing when I saw that! Luckily Groupon has a Vistaprint coupon right now for $27 for $70, so I went ahead and fixed the issue. I got it printed on 1 side - it saved me $5 AND will allow me to do the fans, haha. I'll glue them to the others already printed, with the stick in the middle. It's what I was going to do initially, and now I can go ahead and do it. I also got the door hangers printed on rack cards - it was harder to get to $70 than I thought it would be, haha, since I just did the order for the last bit. I used a stock image of a beach and used an extra menu rack card to hole punch to see where the hole will lay. I also got address labels for the thank you cards after we get back (had to get to that $70 haha). I also got my self a few items, to make up the balance. I got a beach bag to carry my stuff around, and a tshirt Bag (I got the 2-toned larger bag): Shirt: I already got the FI a "Game Over" tshirt that I'm giving him, so I figured I needed a wedding themed shirt as well Sand Ceremony I asked my friend to do the reading at the ceremony - this is what I have so far (probably mostly "borrowed" from this forum, haha): Marina and Greg, As you stand beside the ocean, may your love always be as constant as the tide; waves flowing endlessly from the depths of the sea. Just as water is the eternal force of life, so is love. Love is the force that allows us to face fear and uncertainty with courage. You have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings. But although you will be sharing one life, never forget that you are two separate people. Cherish and affirm your differences. Love each other. Keep your commitment primary. Together you will laugh and cry, be sick and well, be happy and angry, share and grow. We will now celebrate Marina and Greg's union with a symbolic sand ceremony. (Pause) Marina and Greg, today you are making a lasting commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other. This commitment is symbolized through the pouring and combining of these of these individual containers of sand. Each container represents the separate journeys you once were on. (B&G take turns pouring/layering sand) Each of you comes to this relationship with unique strengths, vulnerabilities, and histories. As individuals, you are beautiful people all on your own. Yet when the two of you are blended together, you form something even more beautiful. Those strengths can blossom and those vulnerabilities cared for. Each one holds its own unique beauty, strength, and character. They can stand on their own and be whole, without need of anything else. However when these two are blended together they create and entirely new and extraordinarily more intricate entity, as symbolized by the new blended colour. (Both B&G pour sand together) As the sand has blended together, your lives too are joined. Your once solitary journeys have become one of companionship, as you now set forth on a single path together into your future. Your friends and family are as one as well. You will now share those who are a part of your lives as you walk hand-in-hand. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual vases, so will the love and bond between the two of you render you inseparable. Any suggestions on funny wording/changes? I have been thinking about the sand ceremony vases, also, and didn't want to have to find a nice looking funnel and bring down vases to pour and have it spill, etc. I saw this on pinterest and it got me thinking: I have quite a few of these liquor pourers, so was looking for a bottle that would work. I then had the brilliant idea to look at oil pourers (the things you put on your kitchen counters to pour olive oil)! I ended up getting 2 for $6 at Walmart, and the holes are pretty big so the sand should pour great! And if it doesn't, we can pull out the pourer and pour through the wider mouth! If I finish everything else, I may decorate the bottles with the leftover wooden intials & raffia/ribbon. Otherwise, I'm sure it's fine like this Bridesmaid Gifts So this is one area I went WAY over the top with this wedding, my gifts to my girls. I've made them a little "wedding day survival" bag that includes some pampering items (will post pictures after I get them all packed!), in addition to the custom robe & other items I already got. I added these new items I found out about in January, Jamberry Nail Wraps! I LOVE them! They last almost 2 weeks on my fingers (on my 4th manicure) and up to 6 weeks on the toes, go on natural or artificial nails, and come in over 300 designs! You get at least 2 manis/2 pedis per sheet, and I have baby toes so I actually have enough for several more pedicures/accent nails too. For the bridesmaids, I picked out designs to match my girl's personalities. They don't have to wear them at the wedding, but can if they want to, especially if they don't want to pay for the nail salon. All you need is a pair of scissors and a hair dryer to apply! I'm getting artificial nails this week or early next week (depends on if I can hobble to the salon or not, haha) and will have a wrap put on there to wear until my wedding. I will have the nail salon at the resort do a fill on my nails the morning of the wedding, and apply a french manicure wrap so it'll last 2 more weeks! They ship in the USA and Canada right now, and if you're interested, check out the designs. There are about 100 designs expiring on Feb 28th, and a similar number of new designs starting March 1st. Here's my site! http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net You can also host online facebook parties, playing games & running specials, and earn free/discounted wraps! I ended up earning 7 free wraps (including 2 exclusive wraps for hosting a party), 5 half off wraps and 25% off the rest of my order, just for hosting a party for my friends on Facebook. Can you tell I'm excited about these, lol? I'm horrible at doing my nails, and this is an easy (and inexpensive) way for me to have pretty nails, even with my kiddos and working out and typing on the computer all the time! Which do you think I should apply for the pre-wedding festivities? Atlantis - I adore how this fades from blue to green, my daughter calls them "mermaid" nails: http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/atlantis#.VO-SNPnF98E Everything Nice - This is one of my FAVORITES - the chevron is trendy, and it's so pretty too! http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/everything-nice#.VO-TSvnF98E Champagne Toast and/or Sugar & Spice - I love this combo, but think they'd be nice alone too. Champagne Toast is very classy/elegant, maybe for the ceremony? http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/champagne-toast#.VO-T8PnF98E http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/sugar-spice#.VO-UuPnF98E These are the designs I got my bridesmaids - I think they'll LOVE them! : Star Crossed - MOH http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/star-crossed#.VO-VFPnF98E Seascape - my BFF http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/seascape#.VO-VNPnF98E Turkish Delight - good friend http://marinarhianne.jamberrynails.net/product/turkish-delight#.VO-VT_nF98E Navy Quatrefoil - FI's sister/groomsmaid http://www.jamberrynails.net/product/navy-quatrefoil#.VO-VwPnF98E