rachelia160

June 17, 2015 at the Now Jade, Riviera Cancun! Seems like just yesterday I was saying "it's a year away!" Can't believe we're already down to six months!

@@hyoungquist @@nadiakat17 I'm with you guys--the thought of my dad seeing my FI crawl up my dress is the definition of my worst nightmare! I still might get one for fun though--it makes for cute getting ready pictures, and just feels very fun and "bridal"

Hi Brides! I just had to share that David's Bridal is having a sale on 50% of markdowns right now, plus free shipping on $99. I got my two flower girls' dresses on black Friday during the same sale (except all shipping was free!) and got these dresses for $20 a piece: It's been my most exciting wedding deal so far! It would be a great time to get bridesmaids dresses, flower girl dresses, or trash-the-dress dresses! Just wanted to share

@@nattiegams325 that dress is GORGEOUS! Absolutely love it! Here are mine: I LOVE long dresses, but I was worried my girls would be too hot, but this has a slit pretty far up the side to "air them out" I got my two flower girl dresses online at David's Bridal for 50% of markdowns, which ended up being $20 a piece with free shipping! They're still having that sale now if anyone is interested!

I'm struggling because things on my resort board have been a little stagnant, and most of the "New Content" boards don't apply to me since they're specific to other resorts, and I don't want to be that annoying person commenting on posts from 2009

As I mentioned on one of your last posts, we're of pretty similar ages AND I'm from the midwest, so we're in pretty similar situations! My whole life my parents told me and my brother that they would pay for our education, but we'd be paying for our own weddings, because that's what their parents did for them, which is more than fair. BUT, I ended up going to college with a full ride, so my parents paid virtually nothing out of pocket. I was completely planning on paying for our wedding myself (I have a good job and no debt), and wasn't even considering anything otherwise as we began booking and planning, but then my parents came to talk to me and said that they wanted to pay for it since they didn't have to pay for my schooling. So, they're paying, not so much out of "tradition" but almost as a reward for my hard work. That being said, they're footing the bill at the resort, but I'm paying for everything else myself (decorations, welcome bags, photographer, DJ, the at home reception, invitations, etc.) I would just feel strange asking for money for those types of things, and I like being in control over the little extras I want to get. People have talked a lot about the "control" issue, and I can definitely see why, but my parents' are so laid back that they couldn't really care less how I do any of it--I have to drag my mom into help planning as it is. If if were up to them they'd show up and have everything be a surprise! A lot of people are getting married a little later when their careers have already been established, so parents paying then seems a little unnecessary, so I guess it's more of a question for couples closer to our age. Overall, I don't think there's really a "norm" anymore as far as parents' paying. Some do and some don't, and I don't think it's strange either way.

I'm with @@TheBHolders, except I think it would be my dad who would want to kill me (my mom would probably take a shot too!) Since you're even suggesting it, it sounds like your family/guests are way more fun than mine are, so in that case I think it's an adorable idea--really different and memorable! All your guests will go around for months telling everyone they know "I was at a wedding where the couple did shots at the 'altar'!"

I think that's pretty self explanitory, but to be safe you could post an example picture of an all white wedding so people get the gist.

I'm thinking that's the best way to handle it--making it sound sort of "dry" with words like "legal paperwork" instead of "ceremony" and "wedding." Thanks!

Congrats! Like @@calgarybride2015 said, a website is a must to list prices, travel information, etc. I sent a save the date 7 months out and will be doing invitations 2 months-ish out (that will be more for people not coming to the DW to invite them to the at home reception). I made my STD a magnet with our website so people could stick it on their fridge as a constant reminder to book! By the time I sent out my save the dates, most people who have booked so far were already booked. A lot of it was word of mouth for me, so just start chatting up your plans to your close friends and family since they're the ones most likely to go. That way, you can also encourage them to book sooner rather than later, since prices tend to go up closer to the date. Good luck!

Bright Pink, light pink, and orange! I love that destination weddings let you get away with bright, funky color schemes that would be hard to pull off in a church wedding!

Same here--I have ZERO DIY skills. Even buying a template of Etsy and printing it myself seemed stressful because I was worried I wouldn't get it printed right or know how to fold it!

@@tygrrlily Okay, acting like it would be okay to not have your family there is so NOT okay! I'm glad you stood your ground on that one! Since you said most of your guests are aware that you'll be married ahead of time, do you think that changed their attitudes about the whole thing, or did they understand why you did it? I just don't want anyone to feel "jipped." And wow, that is a pretty huge legal ceremony! But good for you for just rolling with it and having a good attitude about it. I guess the most important thing is what you and your FI view as your official wedding, not everyone else (that's the advice I need to take myself!) And at least you don't have to plan it Thanks for sharing your advice, I appreciate it! @@TAkathy I love this: "You could just tell people that you have carefully planned a way to satisfy all the religious and legal requirements and are excited that they can join you in the Mexican celebration of your marriage." It's the truth but still vague enough that I don't have to "admit" about having another ceremony. Hopefully the person asking won't push any further for specifics if that's my answer off the bat. To be honest, I don't really mind having a few close family friends at the ceremony, as long as it still doesn't feel like THE wedding, you know? Obviously it's still important and meaningful--I just don't want it to take away from the Mexico wedding we're working so hard on. The fact that I'm married in my church (where I was baptized, first communion, confirmed, the whole 9 yards) is really important to my mom too, so I would like to make her happy and let her invite a VERY small number of VERY close friends if it's important to her, as long as they maintain the right attitude that this is the ceremony but not the wedding, if that even makes sense. Thanks so much for sharing with me! I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem! It was important for me to be married in my home church by my priest, too. Even just getting that far was sort of an uphill battle--my FI is Baptist, and his family is really conservative and, frankly, prejudiced towards Catholics. Over the past five years I've been trying really hard to educate them that our denominations are much more the same than different (they even asked if I was a Christian! I'm shocked that they didn't even know that Catholics are Christians!) FI has always been great about being open to how I practice my faith, but was hesitant about having a Catholic ceremony because he didn't think his family would go. It was really stressful thinking that I might not be able to have my marriage recognized in the church, but I think we have all of that worked out. I'm afraid people will be shocked at me having two weddings as well, but in my mind I'm looking at the one as the legal ceremony, and the other as my WEDDING. But you're right--at the end of the day, it should be about what we want and what's best for us, and people can either get on board or leave! Thanks for sharing with me!

We're between "Then" by Brad Paisley and "18" by One Direction--different ends of the spectrum

I did a lot of research on pricing because it just seemed outrageous, and settled with Photos In Cancun. They've had rave reviews on this website and many others, and 6 hours of coverage costs $2000 (some photographers don't like their prices posted online, but theirs is listed on their website so I don't think they'd mind). That's the least expensive I could find, AND their pictures are gorgeous. Many photographers, especially the "big name" ones, cost from $3000 - $5000. Good luck!

@@TinkerSofi Me too! Even when someone says an event is "business casual," I'm like "Okay do you mean dress pants and a blazer but no heels or khakis and a blouse or will everyone be in jeans and a nice shirt???" and I end up googling obsessively. Literally just tell me what to wear and I'll put it on my body!

It is now my ultimate goal to earn the nickname Bride-chilla!

I've been worried about this too--strapless is NOT an option for me. As much as it pains me to say it, I'm going to go the tanning bed route before we go to get a little base color, and basically avoid the sun like the plague during the days leading up to my wedding (we get there Sunday and the wedding is Wednesday, so I don't think it should be too bad). Looking nice on my wedding day is more important than getting a little bronze to me, so I won't be laying out at all unless it's in the shade. I think a previous poster's suggestion of varying your swim suits and the types of straps so they don't land in the same spot every day is a really good idea as well.

I was going to post my remarks in response to someone else's post about their at home legal ceremony, but then I realized my dilemma seemed a little overly complicated for the topic! My FI and I are getting married a week before we leave for our trip in my church. I'm Catholic, so to have my marriage recognized in the church it HAS to be in the church building by a priest. I'm finding it stressful knowing what to tell people who ask how we're getting married. The majority of people don't realize that we might be having a ceremony at home so they wouldn't think to ask, but my catholic friends know the "rules," so a few have already asked me how we're getting married, or if I'm not having my marriage recognized in the church. So far I've just been telling the truth--I don't want to lie to a direct question, nor do I want them to think my marriage won't be recognized in the church. BUT, I don't want too many people to know that we're getting married ahead of time--I'm afraid people will think they're wasting their time going all the way to Mexico for a "fake wedding" (even though I obviously don't see it that way). Also, now I feel like my mom is over-inviting people to the legal ceremony. We were just going to do parents, grandparents (they aren't able to travel), siblings (who are going to stand up for us as our witnesses,) and possibly four close aunts and uncles who can't travel to Mexico. That's quite a few people as it is, but yesterday my mom asked if her friend could come because she's a "good Catholic girl" who can't come to Mexico and would really like to come, and thinks I should invite my confirmation sponsor, who is a close family friend who is also coming to Mexico....ugh. So after that long-winded rant, how should I respond when people ask how I'm going to have my marriage recognized in the church? Should I tell the truth, or say that we somehow found a way around it, or something else? Even for those of you who aren't Catholic, are you up front about getting married ahead of time or after in the states?

I did most of my dress shopping with just one of my bridesmaids, even though my mom and two of my other bridesmaids live by me. For me, it was a lot less stress and pressure to not have an entire entourage with me (plus my mom has a tendency to be a little overly critical, so I didn't want that to put a damper on my experience). I think it's only a big of a deal as you make it out to be--it doesn't HAVE to be like in the movies where your entire wedding party is with you. It's still special and fun with just a close friend Just send your mom and friends lots of pictures while you're there, and maybe even videochat once you've narrowed down your choices!

We're almost exactly the same as far as our age and relationship length goes--I'm 23 and he'll be 24 by then, and we've been together for 5 years (but we've never lived together--we just bought our home and he's there on his own until we get home from our wedding trip). Obviously, I don't have any tried-and-true wisdom to pass along like many of these brides, but for me I want to wait until I'm closer to 28 or 29. I want to travel, get our new house situated, put some money in the bank, and ultimately not have to worry about another human being for a few years before I have kids! If it were up to my FI, we'd start trying as soon as we were married, but I put my foot down on that one. I told him maybeeeee 27 if he's lucky (and that we could get a dog)! I guess I feel like you hear people say "I wish I would have waited" more than you hear "I wish I would have had them earlier," so to me, erring on the side of waiting a little with kids doesn't hurt. But at the end of the day, you guys know what works for you!

@@kcole123 These are GORGEOUS! I'm going to be wearing barefoot sandals like these during my ceremony on the beach, but I'd love to get wedges like those for more formal pictures and the reception (I could run a marathon in wedges but can't walk 5 feet in heels!)

"I regret how much I stressed over it now." I'm going to try VERY hard to take this to heart so I can actually enjoy the process!

Thanks for all the great responses! This is what I put on my wedding website as of now, but I've already changed it so I'm sure it'll evolve! "Beach chic attire. Shoes are optional! Some examples: For Women: Sun dress, linen pants and blouse. For Men: Cotton or linen pants, dress shorts, and button down shirt (long or short sleeve), polo/golf shirt, sandals or dress shoes (or no shoes!) Ties and jackets are not necessary!" I put "some examples" because I don't want people to feel like I'm telling them what to wear because that seems a little rude, but I think if I were a guest I would appreciate some suggestions and/or guidelines. Do you guys think that sounds okay? I'd REALLY love for my groom and groomsmen to do the dress slacks and suspenders/vest look, but I'm ultimately leaving it up to whatever he and they are most comfortable in. He knows I love that kind of outfit though, so hopefully he'll lean in that direction

I know how you feel--I'm so thrilled that so many of my friends and family are coming and get so excited as the number climbs up, but when I realize what that's doing to my wallet I start to stress! But I tell myself that this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and money is just money--time with loved ones is so much more precious!