beckys98

Gorgeous! My gosh your dress is so fantastic! Congratulations!

I went on Saturday for my second fitting and still have anxiety a few days later - seeing the lace trim cut off my dress and the scissors in her hand FREAKED ME OUT! The only alterations I even need are hemming, bustle, and strap-shortening but I still felt so uneasy seeing my beautiful (expensive) dress cut. Rationally, I'm sure it will be completely fine, but I'm a worrier so I guess I'll just be worrying until I get it back!

I'm probably not a good person to answer, but carrying a fake cake down sounds inconvenient to me just for a photo opp. With such a gorgeous setting there will be plenty of other awesome pictures and memories! But, honestly, the cake is easily the lowest on my priority list. I'm not even doing a cake topper or decorating the cake table - and I'm not planning to stop the party to formally do a cake cutting. As long as it is delicious (I do love to EAT cake) I don't care!

Awww...I did it and didn't get anything funny! The best are #DandB2015 or #HappyHerons

Yep - we leave for Jamaica in 29 days! It still feels very surreal - very hard to picture the whole thing coming together - so it is hard to be excited. I have moments of pure panic, moments of disbelief (I'm going to be a WIFE! Whoa), moments of excitement, and moments of sadness that the whole thing will be over before we know it (not the planning part - I'm totally over that, but the vacation with our friends/family part). It really is a once in a lifetime thing! To be honest, my fiance's to-do list is longer than mine right now, which is about right but makes me nervous at the same time. He hasn't had many tasks up until now The music is his main domain and also planning the excursion. His ring. He needs to review/edit/approve the ceremony script I wrote. I also asked him to write the letter for our welcome bags. He sent off all our notarized paperwork to the wedding coordinators today to apply for our marriage license (we're getting legally married in Jamaica). On my to-do list are place cards for welcome dinner and reception, all final vendor payments/coordination and other document organization, itinerary for welcome bags. I have an alterations appointment tomorrow and I'm hoping it is perfect and no other alterations are needed. We both need to put together our picture "must have" list for the photographer. My sister and my niece are handling my guest book for me. My niece is home from college so she is also going to assemble the hangover kits for the gift bags for me. Outsourcing! And, of course, PACKING and all my pre-trip beauty appointments I'm sure I'm forgetting a million little things too...

Oh I get that frustration! Our wedding is a week before yours and the mother-of-the-groom still hasn't made her plans?! My fiance asked her twice again last week and we still don't know what her deal is and if her boyfriend is coming! I give up. She is impossible. I have a feeling she wants us to offer to pay for her trip, but that conversation should have been had a year ago when we sent out the travel information, not a month AFTER our final payment deadline. Get it together people

Oh my gosh! What a run of cruddy news. I hope the concussion isn't too serious! Taking care of yourself is the MOST important thing so rest up! I do also really love your key card holder with the tags! We ultimately decided not to do them, but I'm still second guessing it. It seems like everyone says their guests loved them!

This is completely true! I thought my fiance would flake out on it a bit but he was very diligent about going twice per week and he would also swim once he was allowed. It is SO important! The only issue he has is he has to be careful which gym shoes he buys because some come up higher in the back and rub the scar, but he still plays basketball 3 times per week!

@@JoannaBanana I think I tried that dress on! Or at least one a lot like it. It was in my top 3! The back is so stunning and your entire "backside" looks really great in it! I love the buttons down the back. I did end up with a backless one so I'm a little biased though I'm small in the bust so I loved the idea of showing off my back instead!

Yep! We leave for Jamaica in 29 DAYS!! Sometimes that feels like a lot of days and some times it feels like no time at all - just depends on my state of panic on any given day

Oh that is good! He definitely may be in good shape by your wedding then! Sounds like how my fiance described it. Although, his was torn all the way so he definitely did have to have surgery. His recovery was pretty long and living in the city where we walk everywhere was really inconvenient - and it was winter. Wearing a boot and using crutches are not ideal in the snow and ice. Ugh...I think I've blocked that time period out of my memory. Ha!

@@TinkerSofi - Bummer about your dad!! My fiance tore his Achilles a few years ago playing basketball and had surgery to repair it. At least it happened NOW and not right before the wedding! He has some time to heal before your big day!

I think it is very generous to pay for it if you can, but I've always had to pay for my hair as a bridesmaid - even in one wedding where the bride did REQUIRE us to get our hair done (and I had super, duper short hair so it was a waste of money for me) and even as MOH in my sister's destination wedding. So I think if you don't pay for it, that is completely fine as well.

@@Meandhim - I think I cashed in my good wedding karma this week! We are getting legally married in Jamaica and notarized copies of our passports and birth certificates are due to the resort by TOMORROW. Well, I was 100% sure I knew where my birth certificate was but when I went to grab it Monday evening it was NO WHERE to be found! I tore the whole house apart and was so upset thinking we wouldn't be able to be legally married on our wedding day and that we wouldn't be able to get married until after we got back Our state capital, where the records department is, is like 3 hours away and work is so crazy right now that I cannot take a whole day off to go get it. And even a rush request by mail said it took 7 days to turn it around. I desperately called the County Clerk in the town I was born (which is also 2 hours away from where I live) on Tuesday and they told me if I mailed them the payment and form they would turn it around the same day! I included a prepaid overnight mailing label and it was delivered back to me this morning! Fortunately I was born in a small town where the County office is not very busy - I live in Chicago now and there is NO WAY you could get anything done that fast here! So, now we can get married like planned! I'm so, so relieved and I definitely think the universe was repaying me for getting you your shoes! Hahaha

Oh wow! Tough choice! I actually love the fuller bottom, but the way the top wraps on the other one with the sparkly best is really very flattering! I think they are both gorgeous and look fantastic on you, but if I have to pick I would say the one with the simpler bottom (not the lace one).

Oh crud. Reading this about the welcome dinner just stressed me out! Our wedding is on a Thursday and a critical mass of our guest arrive on Wednesday - so to do a welcome dinner we kind of have to do it on Wednesday! And we have to do it at 6:30. I know people will be tired, but I'm hoping they'll be so excited that the adrenaline will carry them through? Plus outside of the wedding that'll be the only other night we can all eat dinner together. BUT, now I'm wondering if everyone arrives in time? I better double check flight times for those who arrive that day to make sure they do. We are doing a beach bonfire after dinner, so even if they have to (or want to) skip dinner they could definitely just join us later for the bonfire. Also for OOT bags, I'm having them pick them up at reception when they check in. Since everyone arrives on different days, this makes the most sense. My sister got married in Mexico about 2 years ago and she did it at check in and it was really fun to have it there when you checked in! Plus, every all-inclusive I've stayed at had bellman carry our bags to our room so that shouldn't be a major problem. That said, if our guests were arriving mostly on the same day and a few days in advance of the wedding, I might do it at the welcome dinner! That would be fun too! Basically I'm saying don't over think it - it'll be great and appreciated no matter how you do it

Great minds think alike! Although I can't take credit - this was one of the few things my fiance was INSISTENT upon

Oh no!! We booked our June 2015 date in July 2014 and had plenty of date options. I think with DWs people get married on all days of the week so it isn't like everyone is competing for just a few Saturdays! I know the feeling though - once you're ready to book you just want it finalized Ours is on a Thursday and I'm SO glad we did it that way - I wanted to have a few days AFTER the wedding with our guests where I'm completely and totally relaxed and done with all chores But the resort is so close to the airport that if people were just coming for a long weekend they could still get in the day of the wedding in plenty of time to make it. We only have 1 couple coming the day of the wedding though. Most people arrive Tuesday or Wednesday and are staying until Sunday or Monday.

We are doing the exact same thing! We'll have my dad and sister and his brother do the "formal" speeches but then throughout dinner we're letting the mic be open. On my "to do" list for this week is exactly what you describe - a communication about this and the expectations. We'd like to keep them to 2 minutes max each So, thanks for posting this! I'm anxious to see ideas!

Hi @@Kristin18 - Do you have a travel agent? Before I had confirmed my wedding date my travel agent did all the communication with them and it was very quick. Then after we booked I've just been working with them directly and haven't had any issues - usually 2-3 days for a response. I save up my questions and send several at a time! [email protected] is the email address I use. Any other questions I can help you with in the meantime?

It disappointed my fiance a bit, but it was nonnegotiable for me to have our reception indoors! Since we are getting married in June it is going to be extra hot and I sweat when it is like 70 degrees out. I do not want to be that uncomfortable and gross at my own reception so I need air conditioning. BUT our ceremony is outside and we are doing an outdoor beach bonfire party the night before, so we have outdoor events, just not the reception

We are kind of doing a hybrid - We ordered 4 floral centerpieces and then we're bringing vases for the other 4 tables. We liked the look of the tall fluted vases with tropical flowers, but it would totally bust the budget to do it for all 8 tables! Well, it still is kind of busting the budget, but that is sort of how it goes. For the other tables we're bringing vases wrapped with burlap and a starfish tied on with a royal blue ribbon. Then we'll have framed table numbers (names actually, we are naming our tables) and some votive candles. That is about it! I'll pack the 4 vases and carry those on so they don't get roughed around with the baggage.

Hi @@Kristin18! I am getting married there in 5 short weeks with about 65 adults staying at the resort! Happy to answer any questions you need. We are just doing the basic star package, which includes 15 guests. Then, we pay $20 per person over the 15, which includes the champagne toast, set up and cake pretty much - oh and the semi-private dinner if you choose to go that route. Most brides have said the semi-private dinner is perfectly great and usually follow it with a bonfire party on the beach or they rent out the mango walk disco for dancing. We are doing a private reception at Calabash, which is $800 to rent out which includes the meal and beer and wine. We are adding a bar package on top of that, which depending on how high end you want it is either $7 or $10 per person, per hour. I just really want air conditioning for my reception so I didn't want to do dancing on the beach! The night before we are doing a semi-private dinner (no extra charge) and then a bonfire on the beach with a steel drum band! I don't care if I'm a sweaty mess the night before Like I said, let me know what other questions you have! I'm in the homestretch!

@@Julande - Here were the things that put us over the edge on IRHS: - Family friendly (we have nieces and nephews coming) - Proximity to the airport - even though we really WANTED to be in Negril, the 90 minute transportation time would be a burden on our guests who are only coming for 3-4 nights. But also it is in between Negril and Ocho Rios so it is a good location for excursions to other parts of the island as well. - They only do one wedding per day! - I have never seen a single bride on here or other review sites have anything less than a glowing review! - Some of the other resorts we looked at had RIDICULOUS charges for extras like chairs, the DJ, private dinners, etc. All resorts charge extra for stuff, but Iberostar is reasonable. I can send you some of the pricing information if you don't have it. We were also looking at Royalton White Sands and could easily have picked that as well - my fiance ultimately picked between the two and it was mostly a gut feeling! More than happy to answer any other questions about IRHS. My wedding is 6 weeks from TOMORROW!!!!

Start one! I waivered and never did it and now I wish I had. I NEED FEEDBACK - or someone to tell me I'm not crazy - whatever Now I'm only 6 weeks out and I just don't have time to do it (mostly because of my work schedule PLUS the wedding), so I say start earlier than later.