diadiamond

Thanks for your input hun! I love Cayo Santa Maria for my wedding because it's so remote and quiet. We really want to be able to spend time with our families. I looked up the price and it's pretty much the same and the same star rating too. I've heard only positive reviews for Melia hotels and I've been to one and loved it, so I would really like to do my wedding at a Melia hotel. I like some of the rain plan options at the Las Dunas. No bride wants it to rain on her wedding day, but with an outdoor wedding it's always a possibility =(

@@DinaQtobe Thanks for the advice, it gives me so much hope that our situations are the same and yours turned out great. It's been really hard dealing with the criticism of wanting to have a destination wedding. I'm slowly learning that whatever I do won't please everyone. I've been a people pleaser all my life, so it's hard to do something that makes people unhappy. At the end of the day it is our wedding. We are going to do it the way we want to do it. I think I just need to learn to stand up for myself. It kind of bothers me that my future MIL really wants to take over and plan a wedding for us at home. I'm starting to learn that the bridal experience isn't always sunshine and lollipops. There are ups and down that come with it as well and I think that it does test your relationships. I think for us destination brides part of the experience is to grow a thicker skin so we don't take criticisms so personally.

This was one of the reasons aside from cost that I considered when I was thinking of not doing OOT bags. I really want to do them, but it seems so complicated. I definitely don't want to pay the resort to do it and we're not having welcome cocktails or a welcome dinner. I was thinking of just giving them out on the day of the wedding (having my bridesmaids or the wedding coordinator do it). That way everyone is in one place so I know everyone got theirs.

I'm going to start by saying that everyone has an opinion and there is no right or wrong answer. For brides who love the TTD and want one all the power to you, it's your day and your dress you should do what you want. Personally, I'm not a fan of the TTD. After spending a significant amount of money on my wedding dress I don't want it to get ruined. I also want to wear it to my at home reception as well. That's just my opinion.

We're planning to have the legal wedding on our real anniversary with just our immediate family. Nothing fancy pretty much just signing our marriage certificate. We want to keep it a secret from everyone (aside from our family of course) then have our real wedding in Cuba where we do vows and exchange rings and everything. My future mother in law doesn't really like that idea because she feels that the Cuba wedding is unnecessary, but I heard from other brides that it takes 6 months for you to receive your marriage certificate and I don't want to wait that long. Also we want to avoid any legal issues that may arise.

I've been thinking the same thing too. There are pros and cons to it. I think the biggest factor is how many people you have coming to your wedding. The more people you have the more it will cost. I like the maracas idea, it seems cute and affordable and it's a little souvenir for your guests. Also there's the issue of luggage which will cost you. We're thinking of just having immediate family and close friends so inviting 20 people. We really want to do favour bags. I love DIY projects so this combines my passions and is budget friendly.

I think it would be totally fine. I'm currently looking up options and they both seem to contain the same information so I personally don't see the point in sending the same information twice, but that's just me. I think you should do whatever you feel comfortable doing and what you have budgeted for. I actually have the opposite question. Is it okay to not send a save the date and just send a formal invitation? I LOVE your idea of sending save the date magnets! That's so cute, not tacky at all.

I'm so glad you asked this question! I have the exact, same question. I live in Canada too and the cost for an engagement shot is so pricey! Most photographers want about $450.00 (before taxes). That's like the cost of my ceremony lol. I don't think they are necessary unless you want them or are planning to use them for your invitations or something. Personally, I would rather just have my wedding pictures. We're still on the fence with having them done, but if we get them done it would probably be by a friend or a student to cut down costs.

Thanks @@DinaQtobe I really appreciate your advice. I've been coming to terms that not everyone is going to be happy with what we want to do, it's still really hard though. Aside from wanting a small wedding budget is a huge factor for us and the more people that come the more the cost would go up too. Congrats on your wedding! I wish you all the best, and hearing that you were in a similar situation as me gives me hope that my wedding day will be the most special day of my life.

We haven't booked our dates just yet, but our plan is to have our legal wedding on October 2, 2015 in Toronto. Our actual anniversary is on October 4, but it's on a Sunday and during hurricane season so that date didn't work. Our symbolic Cuban ceremony will hopefully be on November 24, 2015, the anniversary of the date he proposed.

We were thinking of giving our bridal party $100.00 each towards their trip as a gift. I'm not very picky so I'm letting the bridesmaids and groomsman pick their own attire, shoes, jewlery, ect. We have 10 people in our wedding party so paying for their entire trip is definitely not in our budget. Am I doing enough, or should I be doing more?

Hi Everyone! I know my question doesn't appear to make a lot of sense, but if you read on it will. I have a large family (my mom has 6 brother and 6 sisters who all have kids of their own). My fiancee and I want a small wedding and I included only a few uncles, aunts, and cousins on my list. On top of that my parents are divorced and are now married to people who also have kids of their own (I have 4 step brothers, 1 step sister, and 1 actual brother). So it's still a lot of people and we're not sure if our venue can accommodate the number of people we have and we're not sure we can afford to have a wedding with that many people as well. We know that only about half of the people we invite would probably come (36 people) and we're not sure if we can afford that. The root of my question is: Is it rude for us to have an intimate wedding with immediate family and close friends only? We're hoping to have an at home reception after the wedding for all the people we wanted to invite. What do you guys think? Is anyone in a similar situation?

@acw271011 I'm sorry to hear about your health episode. I'm not an expert in diet or fitness, just a person who has dealt with weight issues all her life. I worked in a physiotherapists office one summer and have also used physiotherapy as well. I had a herniated disc in my back in 2012 that didn't get better until I did physiotherapy. I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist to learn some techniques and exercises that will strengthen those areas and help you manage your pain. I threw my back out in July 2012 and I still do the exercises and strategies that I learned to this day to manage pain. The physiotherapist can also recommend exercises for you that won't cause you pain. I hope everything goes well with your surgery. I think that aside from diet and exercise the key to losing weight is attitude and believing in yourself and what you can achieve.

@@kmanna I've encountered similar forums before too! I think it's so ridiculous! But at the same time it's a little hurtful. My mother in law to be isn't really cool with the idea of a destination wedding and passive aggressively lets us know that. We're planning to have a city hall wedding here so that we don't have to wait too long for our marriage certificate and having our symbolic wedding in Cuba. We are putting the focus on our Cuba wedding and she doesn't see the point in us going to Cuba. She's really been persuading us to have our wedding here. A few of my friends in college are also engaged, but having traditional weddings and they constantly make me feel like the odd one out. A lot of people looked at me weirdly when I mentioned that I want a destination wedding. It's hard to not let it get to you. After much thought we've decided that we are going to have a secret city hall wedding here, a symbolic wedding in Cuba, and an at home reception when we return.

Emma, congrats on getting healthy! Weight loss and being healthy has been a huge struggle for me. At my largest I was 264 and lost 100 pounds. I've since gained and lost the weight. I too, am looking to get healthy for my wedding and the rest of my life. I trained with a personal trainer in 2012 and had an awesome experience! The benefit is that the trainer gets to know your body and your fitness level so they will recommend workouts suited to your needs that will get you results. It might be painful your first few times if your body isn't used to exercise. That's normal though and a good sign! When you're achy take a hot bath and don't quit exercise. After a few times you won't feel achy anymore. The pain comes from lactic acid being released from your muscles. As for cost, shop around. I suggest going for someone who doesn't work in a gym, I've found that they charge the most. When I was training my trainer had a gym set up in his garage and charged me $40 a session or he had group sessions for $10. A trainer in the gym will usually charge $80 a session. Most trainers want to see you 3 times a week for you to get results. Sometimes I would go once a week and just replicate the workouts I did with my trainer at home 2 times a week to still get the benefit. Some trainers also provide nutritional counselling as well. As csho mentioned, Sparkpeople is completely free and provides a great support network. My fitness pal is also a great resource to track your nutrition and exercise as well. You can do it!

Hi Everyone! I was wondering if any of you are getting married or have gotten married at the Melia Las Dunas? If you're planning to get married there what has your experience been like so far? If you have gotten married their I would really love to hear your experience and maybe see some wedding pictures. I know I've been really set on having my wedding at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria; however, I thought about a rain plan and there isn't one that appeals very much to me. The lobby at the Melia Las Dunas looks perfect for a rain plan. Also the Melia Cayo Santa Maria is a smaller resort and the Las Dunas is much bigger. My mom and dad are divorced and still not on the best terms also we think about 36 people out of the 78 people we're planning to invite might come so investigating a larger venue doesn't seem like a bad idea. Thanks - Dia

Hi Everyone! I went to the Toronto Destination Wedding and Honeymoon expo last night hosted by Romantic Planet. The event was nice, but I found it more suitable for those who are investigating their options for a destination. My fiancee and I already know where and when we want to get married. I did some research as to reviews on the company and found some rather negative ones and a few positive ones so I'm really not sure if I should consider using them. My question is: Have any brides used Romantic Planet to plan their destination wedding? Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks hun! My problem is that I'm such a perfectionist by nature that sometimes it's hard for me when things don't go as planned. My fiancee has definitely gotten me to loosen up a lot and he also told me that as long as our parents and siblings are there that's all we pretty much need. We decided on having an at home reception so I think i'm more comfortable with the fact that everyone might not be able to make it.

Thanks ladies! I'm a planner by nature and wanted to think of a tentative wedding date when I got engaged. I'm a goal setter so nailing down a deadline is important to me because it gives me something to work towards. Thanks for the advice! As much as we want everyone there you ladies and some of the forum posts have helped me realize that sometimes that isn't an option. I think I'll be okay as long as my immediate family and his immediate family are there. Doesn't mean that I won't miss other people, but I'm willing to get married as long as those people are there. The reason that I wanted to choose a date so far in advance is that most of our family members have to submit their vacation time by January so I wanted to think about a time that was: Convenient for everyone or most people, that was not near any major holidays, and a time where Cuba typically has good weather (not too hot, rainy, or humid). I'm glad people can relate. I was beginning to feel crazy.

After getting engaged all I wanted to do was dive into wedding planning and explore all of the possibilities. After crunching some numbers and doing some soul searching we decided that a Cuban Destination wedding was for us. We are dead set on it! The next thing was to pick a date. Now, I don't know about you, but I really hate the "When's the big day" question. People have been asking since the day I got engaged. I know it probably comes from a good place, but it does grate on you after a while, especially when people continue to badger you about it. Being extremely organized and on top of everything I decided to dive into finding a suitable date. My fiancee and I knew that our engagement would be longer than a traditional engagement. From my understanding most traditional engagements are about a year. Being students who are trying to set the foundation of getting a career and moving in together we knew that was not realistic for us. However, on the other end of the spectrum, we don't want to wait too long before we get married. I know a couple that's been engaged for 10 years (yikes!), but it's whatever they want and feel comfortable with. My fiancee is really hesitant about setting a date because all of the unknowns, and I understand that. However, with a destination wedding we NEED to come up with a date to let everyone know what's going on. Most of our friends and family have to save money and request vacation time off. Personally, the first thing I wanted to do was to set a date. I originally picked May, 2015 since it seemed not so away, but not so close either. Shortly after the new year my fiancee and I got into a small disagreement with the wedding. This led to me compromising that we move our wedding about 6 months. We compromised on the first week of October, October 4 is our anniversary and it was important for us to be married on or around that date. After doing some research I discovered that our ideal date is really close to Thanksgiving (we're Canadian, so thanksgiving is usually the second weekend in October) and I didn't want to make anyone sacrifice their holiday weekend. Furthermore, it is in the middle of hurricane season meaning lots of rain and humidity (What bride wants that?). The only plus seemed to be that trips to Cuba are really cheap around then. After thinking it over and doing some more thinking and discussing we agreed that we want to be married on November 24, 2015 at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria. November 24 was the day he proposed to me so our wedding will still be special. November is a "shoulder month" meaning that it's in between seasons. After doing some weather research we determined that the weather would probably be better in late November than early October. I've spent the last few weeks clearing that date with our family and friends. It seems to be okay for most people; however, it is exam time for those who are in University. This is a downer since two members in our wedding party may still be in school. It feels like whatever I do or choose someone out there isn't happy or there is some problem with it. It becomes discouraging after a while and grates on you. I just don't want to make my wedding about other people or what they want. We really want our wedding to be about the love we share for each other. I'm also a little frustrated at my fiancee's lack of commitment when it comes to setting a date. I know that there are things that arise that we can't plan for, but I feel like that doesn't mean that we can't do any planning. I want to send my save the dates out a little more than a year in advance to give everyone the time they need to save and book the time off. Is anyone else in a similar position or can relate to what I'm going through? How did you guys decide on a date? Happy Planning, - Dia

If I want to change my last name do I have to change it on my passport first or through Service Ontario? Also, how long does that process take? I want to change my last name and we're planning to do our legal wedding about 7 weeks before our symbolic Cuban wedding. Is that enough time to change the name on all of my documentation?

I'll start off by saying that I was the last person I saw having a destination wedding. I never wanted one and didn't see the appeal of it, I had also never traveled before. Last April I went with my fiancee and his family to Cuba (it was everyone's first time) and it was so incredible. After watching one wedding on the beach I started to entertain the idea. Other reasons we chose a destination wedding are: 1. COST! I have an extremely large family and my fiancee does too, it would cost us at least $40,000.00 to have a decent wedding here. A Cuban wedding would cost a quarter of that! 2. I don't like most of my relatives and I don't want them at my wedding. My fiancee and I thought that having a destination wedding would be ideal because we only invite our closest family and friends. People we actually want with us on our big day. We want a small wedding and if we had it here it would be huge. 3. We've learned that we love to travel, love Cuba, and love the beach. After two trips to Cuba we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our marriage. 4. It was also a way to keep the wedding in our control. I feel like so many relatives want a say in everything, it was to the point where I started to feel like it wasn't even our wedding anymore. 5. I've heard that a destination wedding is basically stress free. I'm a worrier and stress about everything so I'm sure I'll still stress a little. 6. It was an awesome way to get the people we love together to a place we love and just spend time with our loved ones sipping pina coladas on the beach. We live in Canada and Canadians can always use a break from the cold.

We're planning to have a simple "city hall" ceremony then dinner afterwards with our immediate family. We're hoping to have our city hall wedding near our actual anniversary. Then about a month or so later have our symbolic wedding in Cuba. Since our anniversary is in hurricane season we've opted to do the legal part near our anniversary and have a symbolic Cuban destination wedding after hurricane season. Most of the people we plan to invite were uncomfortable travelling in hurricane season.

We loved Holguin too! I'm definitely going to check out that resort online. I think it might be a good idea to think of a back up venue just in case we can't get our date at the Melia. I might also check it out to ear mark it for our next Cuban adventure. Thanks for the recommendation.

Wow! I too was hoping to stay near the $10,000.00 range. After seeing this I'm not sure if that is possible. I didn't even think that I'd have to pay for having chairs on the beach for our ceremony.