marinah84

What a great idea, I hope I can remember to do that - I'm going to limit my sun exposure AND alcohol intake until the reception! Then I don't care if I gain 10lbs the last 5 days, ha! Getting in on Wednesday and married on Saturday makes it tougher, but I am determined!

I'm guessing it's fairly normal for brides to have nightmares like these before the wedding - someone actually told me that they didn't think I should have any stress, since it was a destination wedding. I laughed and told her "it's still a wedding, and it involves planning/coordination/etc PLUS the language barrier!". Oi! I'm lazy, but it's more that I don't want to edit my book I made (almost a year ago lol) in terms of updating info - but mostly printing so it looks good. It was such a hassle with the coloring book, and this is like a 20 pg little book! I kind of want to do the book just because I have spent time on it, and it has a great section for guest names/rooms plus resort info already, and puzzles/games! I work on the computer, so theoretically in between meetings it shouldn't take me toooooo horribly long to fix it - I'm just stubborn ha! It'll honestly probably take me longer to remake a brochure with the info than it will to fix the margins @@TinkerSofi - you are TINY!!! I wouldn't worry about your muscle mass at all (if you were, which I don't think you were, but just in case!). When I swam, I seriously had delts like a football player. I didn't work out for YEARS because I wanted to lose the muscle (which I did, but also gained fat haha). I am definitely talking to Samuel about how to de-emphasis them in my photos (I wouldn't say no to a little photoshop, bahahaha). It is what it is - I'm just happy that I have a corset for the swelling! I'm kind of worried now for the wedding band, when we put them on, if my fingers will be too swollen...didn't even think about it LOL I did just send off my wedding band to be duplicated for the anniversary band. That was scary, mailing it to the jeweler. It got there ok, and they have promised to have it back before we leave for the wedding!

Update 2.13.15 29 days until the wedding, eek! Some quick updates in regards to where I am. It's all coming together fairly nicely, which is amazing! Legal Ceremony Unfortunately, my small town only does weddings as "courtesy" so the next available date is April 20! That's what I get for letting FI slack off I guess lol! We still plan to celebrate 3.14 as our anniversary - after all, we picked Pi Day for a reason! Wedding Dress So I dropped it off in early December, and called to check earlier this week. She goes, oh I was going to do it next week. Um, what???? I don't understand the wedding industry. I do things in advance so it's done in plenty of time, I don't want to wait until 2 weeks before I leave the country to do my dress fitting Lmao. I go in on Friday - can't wait! I've been hitting the gym super hard and have definitely toned up. Crossfit plus hitting my 15k step goal per day plus hitting the gym has really paid off. I feel in the best shape I have been in like 8 years lol, tho I still have a ways to go. I'm worried about my arms in my dress, I've always had broad shoulders and big muscles, so I don't think it'll ever change unfortunately. Swimmer issues, ha. Hangers I ordered from another shop on Etsy, and they should be here next week. Got my money back from the scam shop too, whew! Will update with pictures once I recieve them (a little gun shy...IF I get them, haha). Nightmare Had my first official wedding nightmare last night....dreamed we were at the wedding but it was in a hotel in downtown NYC, but had Mexican staff from the resort and Chicago suburbs. I dreamed I forgot the top of my dress so it was see through, but I figured it was fine, I'd just wear the second one. Then when I put it on, it had a huge hole in the train (which this dress doesn't have?). So I was freaking. I also forgot the flower girl dress at my MILs house, and called my SIL (who's the groomsmaid) to grab it because she was at her house in the burbs still. Even tho the wedding was on like thirty minutes! Vistaprint also screwed up programs and misplaced the paper items at the hotel. The wc didn't know who I was, and kept confusing me with the other 2 weddings happening at the same time! I woke up in a cold sweat lol. I'm guessing it's because I was bragging about my organization & 7 page Excel spreadsheet with line item detailed budget...whoops. Sunglasses Finished up the tags for the ones I have, and realized that I'm short like half the guests lol! I looked at eBay for more royal blue ones, and with the holiday in China there's no way I'm getting them in time. I'm also not spending 9.99 each from a USA seller (good to know lol). So got similar wayfarer black ones from Amazon from a link posted here, and will just have two choices. Wedding party is all getting blue tho, for pictures! To Do list This is pretty awesome, it's short! But I'm scared I'm missing things...my biggest item is the welcome book for the bag. Do I scrap the big book and just do a brochure? It's getting close, and honestly, I'm a bit lazy right now. iPod playlists (send ceremony mp3s to WC, put together dinner & reception lists for MC) Vistaprint - order programs & menu/i spy cards (completed), decide if I want to add the postcard for the timelines or just "lose" the $5 credit from livingsocial voucher print parent wedding photos in 5x7 form for table frames notarized permission form for kids to go out of country without us groom starfish boutonniere (yep, only one that isn't done haha) stuff/pack OOT bags finish sunglasses tags (once I get the ones i just ordered) pre-travel wedding guest information (email most likely, maybe mail?) finish welcome booklet (or brochure...) pick up wedding dress (eek!!) PACK!!!!!!!!!! It's all getting so real!! Most immediate is the pre travel info, via email most likely, since we're 4 weeks out. What did you include/suggest? I'm putting in general timelines, Monday excursion info, packing suggestions (especially as it can get cold), wedding attire suggestions, asking for gluten free/vegetarians to let me know.

Love it! Your dress is absolutely stunning, I love it! It's just the right mix of traditional and dw. Love planning threads, keep updating us

The person can gift you the money as friends/family, which doesn't charge you fees (but will them if they use a credit card instead of bank account). I would suggest request as goods - this offers 180 days of protection in case one of the parties scams, and also automatically gives you the shipping address if you want to print a shipping label directly. If you do this, the fees are .30 + 3% of the total. So of you request $100, you'd send them an invoice for $103.30 (I believe). You need their PayPal email to send the request, or you give them yours for them to send the amount. They can send as goods, too, so it'll automatically charge them the fee and give the same protection. Hope that helps!

It's pretty pricey - I was quoted between 1500-6000 by different photographers. I went with Samuel Luna, who does great work, for photography but am using the resort videographer for the ceremony video (I couldn't justify an additional 1500+ for the video alone!). Look at your budget and look at photographer costs. Ask for quotes, if they have specials, if they'll work with you on price. There are lots of great photographers, and there are lots of reasonably priced ones too. Look around, especially on this board, and look at portfolios/examples. Find a style that you like, and research research research! Ask for recommendations!

We're doing both! I got "took a shot, tied the knot" shot glasses from oriental trading company (plastic), and the resort will serve them following the ceremony. We're also doing a sand ceremony during the ceremony! We're doing a mixed tequila shot, probably a blue agave margaritas, just for this lol. I'll be sure not to spill!!

Update 1.30.2015 I've gotten quite a bit done this week, and will continue to update as I get the last details done! Ceremony Time We've moved it to 4:30, for the time change and hopes to get the sunset photos I want! So now I have to alter all my timelines/etc, but I can start printing Flower Girl Necklace: I found a necklace on ebay close to the colors of our wedding, and she is insisting on having a pretty necklace. Just like the dress sleeves, I'll let her have final say on the day of the wedding! Ebay picture: In person: Kid "Busy Bags": I put these together to keep everything organized, and to have things for the kiddos to do! For the bigger bags, I'm putting in their spf shirts (ordered), some sand toys, an aquadoodle thing, coloring books and some snacks (such as fruit snacks, because my oldest is obsessed). The reception smaller bags I grabbed items from the dollar store. I anticipate that my son is going to be most interested in food, lol, and will add snacks to these as well, tho there should be plenty at the reception! The goal is to keep them entertained long enough at the reception to make it to the first part (where I've planned a dance with the four of us to "You'll be in my heart" by Phil Collins) and then if they want to pass out/go to bed with my older relatives, they can Flower girl big bag for all gifts Flower girl reception "busy bag": Ring bearer big bag for all gifts: Ring bearer reception "busy bag" Coloring Book I also finished the coloring book for my daughter (maybe my son, although he hasn't shown much interest in coloring as of yet!). She's had a lot of fun coloring the mess up test prints, haha! For her to color, I printed on regular ivory paper, but you can see how it bleeds through to the other side (she doesn't care). I printed out one on the nice ivory invitation paper for me to keep, though. I don't think it'd be great paper for her to color on, unfortunately, so I'll just let her have the regular one. Her version to color on the regular paper: The nice paper print, that I'm going to keep for myself! Both papers side by side: Placecards I know *most* everyone who is coming now, and have *just* enough of the luggage tags for everyone who is for sure and the 2-3 who are "probably". So I made them I took an avery label that had 30 slots or so (it was for spices, so the picture is a little spoon/fork which I thought fit really well!) and just put in the names. I used the teal paper leftover from invites for the background and the ivory paper also leftover to print names on (which is awesome!). They're pretty cute! I'm going to figure out some way so that people know which table to sit at - right now, I have 4 tables with 9 at 2 and 8 at 2. The ones with 9 have my kiddos lol. So if 2-3 more come, I have to do a switch (so dates can sit together) or just make one of the 8s a 10. The tables sit 8-10, but 10 adults is a little tight... Maraca Tags They are done! I made enough for about 40 maracas (we're at 34 guests plus the 2 kids plus a few extras), and just stuck them in a bag with the roll of ribbon to make when we get there. You need the maraca to tie them, so makes sense just to wait. I plan on bringing a pair of scissors, so this will be just fine Chapsticks FINALLY done. I had to look at the ebay seller to see how the shrink wraps work (they are amazing), and put them over the labels. They fit a little funny, but I'm just glad to be done. Passport Holders FI is going to groan when he sees them, but they dropped below $7 with shipping on Amazon so I thought it'd be cute