calgarybride2015

I am so sorry for what you are going thru - it must have been a tough decision and you seem to be handling it very well. Cudos to you for doing what your fiance needs in this tough time! I second you going and doing a trash the dress. Enjoy yourselves. Will this be like a honeymoon? Are you getting married at home beforehand or? Good luck!

Love them both, but the second one is so my style!

I would go somewhere that a lot of ladies on this board recommend. Wouldn't necessarily try someone new. A lady I work with bought one off alieexpress and it was made to her specifications, NOT! she said maybe the front was, but the back had no shape whatsoever. She even said it was dirty. Not sure if this place was reputable or just a good deal but she ended up not being able to use it and had to get another.

Ohhhh I love yours too!!! Love all the diamonds and that you found a matching band! I can't believe that only cost $600... did you forget a number? hehe My ring isn't necessarily what I had thought I'd choose but when I saw it I was like 'love it!' And when I got it made in platinum it was just so much more beautiful than the fake stock ones. And I just realized my picture doesn't really Show off the detail in the band. My fiance's ring is a rope too. Here is his. He's pretty proud Of it. Hahah Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Any update? hope everything is going ok!

Personally I feel that is a lot, so maybe just something small? but nothing over the top, IMO! I guess it also depends what your budget is. I paid for only about $40 each of my BMs dresses because I (keyword I) felt guilty about the cost ... $160 each, but they didn't care either way. So of course I got them a gift.

haha my fiance went with his mom and she was picking up the $30000 rings! but, I picked up a $100,000 ring so I was worse. I like dainty things so it narrowed it down as I didn't want a thick band. Did you post yours on the ring thread? would love to see it. I posted mine in there with my wedding band on too.

When I went back to change my ring I swear I could have spent hours in there and drove myself mad. I kept going back to the one ring from the first day I was in there so I knew it was the one... but was very fun to try them all on!

LOL!!! My band would have cost that IF I went custom! My original e-ring was very modern and odd shaped. I would have had to get a custom band and it made me sick because it's hard to justify a cost of something you potentially might not like. I am a very visual person so I couldn't wrap my head around a drawing coming to life. I decided to change in my e-ring for another - it was from Spence so I got to keep my original diamond - I ended up with something that is much more me. My band was only $609 I believe... and it's platinum! mine is dainty almost like a rope.. hard to explain.. love it!

I have mine at home. And I'm glad I do as getting to put it back on a 3rd really summed up I did the right thing by buying it. I haven't had it on since but plan to in another month or so to see where I sit with potential alterations. Being careful to not gain or lose too much as it fit perfectly. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk You will look fabulous. We all will Congrats to all you all who just bought dresses Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes very pricey! My BMs are paying for their own. 2 Forsure are and the 3 may do her own. We may do our own makeup with a consult at MAC before we leave. Hair for me is $140 and makeup $85 at resort. I have a short bob though so hope they don't actually charge me $140 when they see my hair. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went to Mexico in April 2013 and didn't have Mosquitos but sand flees are annoying! Saw a cockroach near our room but it was on it's back so I figured that was bad and laughed at it hehe The fact she wrote it freaked me out - just the one reviewer of thousands I've read. Struck me she'd mention it. Thanks ladies!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

She didn't clarify where she saw them she just mentioned she saw a lot of things and this was in her list. Trust me I already had nightmares. In my world they don't exist whatsoever so I can sleep at night. Snakes also scare me. I thought ?!?! Resorts sprayed for pest control but unsure what that includes. May just the flying critters? Cockroach? Well as much as I'm still considering calling it off lmao it gives me comfort I am not alone. I asked a girl who I know who stayed at my resort in march. While she may have just been humoring me she said the spiders where in the bushy part not around pools and such. The T word never came up. Eek! Sorry to ruin anyone else's day. Note to self - no more trip advisor Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I've also been to Mexico and never saw one. Even ziplining they the jungle so going to try to move on hehehe LauraM this is why I'm very reluctant to go to Costa Rica, my sister saw tarantulas and snakes but while exploring. She chased what she thought was a crab. Bahah it wasn't. She freaked. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So while I know when you travel anywhere tropical there are a lot of 'wildlife' and bugs and spiders. I have been to Mexico in the Mayan and it took some getting used to have large iguanas, raccoons and monkeys around, but never really saw any nasty bugs or spiders. I really appreciated I saw nothing in Cuba although it was there. Spiders are my worst fear in the world, even the smallest one will make me scream like a little girl! No really! lol So today I was on Trip Advisor because I hadn't looked at my resort reviews in awhile - Grand Sirenis - and the lady mentioned seeing Tarantulas, no really she listed it in her review. OMG! really? like I knew they would probably be in Mexico (but how dare they really) but right on the resort? I hope not, I hope she meant down the road somewhere else. I am already have heart palpitations about it, and wonder if I saw one that I may die and there would be no wedding. Am I the only crazy fool? Maybe I can pack some raid haha!

Our numbers are similar. Our trip is $5066. Our wedding costs to the hotel around $4500 and our photos $1600 then the allllllll extras. I also hope to have 0 debt at the end but didn't factor in the exchange rate and we will lose about $750-1000 in that grrrr so that may be the debt we encounter... but we budgeted to save all our wedding expenses by November, so December we could focus on Christmas and my kids' birthday so hopefully in January before we leave we can make this up!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Thinking of budgets.... anyone worried they forgot something entirely and will go DOH when the WC asks about it!!??

For me it's not so much that they booked elsewhere (ok maybe a little since they are the wedding party) but more they convinced others as well. This is your day not theirs. It seems a little selfish they did it for personal reasons when everyone is traveling for you. And as we said before if you factor in the day pass and transport it's not that much savings sigh!!! I wouldn't pay for a day pass to go to their resort. They chose to stay elsewhere that's their issue they can come to you. Hehe sorry I guess this bothers me a little!! Glad you guys are trying moving forward from it and the majority of the people booked with you. I would be curious to know what resort they chose! Getting people to RSVP was stressful but after that deadline passes it goes away Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At my resort the DJ is $59 per hour or renting the sound system is $42/hour. I guess someone could bring their IPOD speakers - not sure if the girls above did this or not. I opted for the DJ, but will still have one of my guests be the MC. Why? not sure, just what we chose.

And the men (mine included) think Mexico photography is expensive, they clearly haven't seen what Canadian photographers are charging for the same thing! it's a deal! Most of my Calgary friends paid more than $4000! I think we are sitting around $15K right now for the wedding, I had wanted to spend $12K then realized I can't skimp on things that I thought I could. We also had a lot more people RSVP than I had budgeted for.

My TA agent sends me updates. We are in constant contact about it. I did make my own spreadsheet though. Name, RSVP, deposit paid, full payment made, number of guests total, number of double rooms total, number of adults vs kids, etc.

I am not buying one either. Just can't justify the cost as I will never use it again. Just plan to use the resorts.

I am going for the beach solely because that is what I envision in my mind. That being said I did consider a resort (Sandos Caracol in Playa Del Carmen) that has gazebos that are near the beach and show that as your backdrop. So you aren't right on it, but close enough. I would have been happy with that as well. The more I plan, the more I am super happy with our choice of wedding resort and location there... private beach. It's your big day, do what works best for YOU!

We sent our invites out when we booked our resort so never had time for STD's. We did nothing when they paid their deposit except say 'thank you' but once they have paid their trip when the final deadline hits in October everyone will get a pre-travel letter and luggage tag. I understand some people may still drop out now, and possibly more will still come. So we plan to do it once final payment has been made and everyone is pretty much guaranteed to come. I plan to send this all out early November.

$140 for hair and makeup is great! My resort is around $110 us for their hair. Brides are more. So with makeup would be pricey! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Curious, how much did you pay at Dollar Tree? $1.25 each? I paid $2 at Dollarama, didn't think to go to Dollar Tree as it's new here in Calgary. EDIT - sorry realized you used Discount Mugs, how did you avoid the shipping? I wanted to use them but the shipping was over $100 to Calgary and just not justifiable.

@NJBride2014 Beautiful!!! (I did see these in your planning thread, my bad).... The 3rd pic was somewhat what I had initially envisioned my dress to look like, but then decided I wanted something more fancy!