Mangosong

@@TaraW Do you still have any available?

We have until January for our guests to book. Our travel agent said she would send a reminder to the group (we gave her our guest list and all their information) a week before everything was due.

@@MaraO good luck! Are you looking for an all inclusive? Adults only? @@Kcusack89 The vendors being on "island time" is one of my biggest issues. Getting a response from the wedding coordinator... My photographer... My DJ is pretty on top of things (so far), but we can't give him answers until the coordinator gets back to us! Our STDs went out and our travel agent is supposed to update our website on monday with the pricing, etc. My invites are decided on except the font.

So happy I read this! Was planning on using discount mugs and was going back and forth about having them personalized or having a sticker put on. I'm just going to go with the sticker now.

@@tiffanyt In a perfect world, mine would have been sent out a year in advance too. Unfortunately, our wedding is a year from the day we got engaged, so that wasn't happening. Also, the design we wanted (we custom made our STDs), the original place we were going to order from could not customize it to our needs. Then, after originally deciding not to include the part with the travel agent information (I figured people would just go on the website), I changed my mind last minute, sooo that insert is being finished this week (hopefully). I'll feel SO much better when they go out.

@@tiffanyt Hi! Eep! I feel like I'm a little behind! Our wedding is March 20th at the westin playa conchal. I need to pay for my room block. But I'm waiting on our contract and my travel agent is away until May 3rd. Our wedding website is done except for the rooms/pricing. Our STDs hopefully go out this week. Need to book my photographer asap!!!

@@aeisenberger Welcome and congrats! I can totally understand not knowing where to start! Aruba looks so pretty! I've always wanted to go! After figuring out the location, I looked into all inclusive resorts. I knew around how many people we were planning to invite (I cheated, I send out holiday cards every year, so I had an idea of my guest list - also a good way to get people's addresses). For me, an all inclusive was important because I knew my guests would be flying out to the wedding, basically making a vacation out of it, and I wanted them to get the most of it. My FI, BEFORE we were even engaged had also told, like everyone that we were planning a DW. Which at the time, I was not so pleased about, but in retrospect, it gave our potential guests some time to plan as well. After finally settled on a hotel (and getting engaged), I contacted the resort directly and spoke to the wedding coordinator and secured our date/signed our contract. I did not get a travel agent until I was ready to negotiate a room block. Good luck on planning!

When's your wedding? Where is your wedding? Where are you in your time line?

@@KJCoins While I do think it's a legit concern, they are saying that Zika has already spread to the US and by this summer it should be in NYC (where I live). My theory on it is, it's going to be here anyway by this summer, so unless you plan to live in a bubble for the whole summer, there's really no reason to think it's going to be any different, any where else.

@@Ao1070 I'm planning on putting in: Tote bags Hangover meds: (Advil, Emergen-C, Tylenol, PeptoBismol) Water bottles (for excursions, or double up on drinks) luggage tags inflatable pool toys decks of cards sunglasses (maybe) activity books

@@RoxRoy2015 I've been going back and forth with this idea. My BFF was like you should hand them out beforehand so you don't have to ship them/have an extra suitcase full of it. But I'm afraid people will forget to bring them. Or how would I hand them out beforehand.

Wow, I feel super behind. Ours is in March, and are STDs are supposed to go out this week.

For any brides who got married at the Westin Playa Conchal, what did you do for your hair and make up? My make up I can deal with worst comes to worst, my BFF has a air brush machine, or I can buy my own before we go. So not as worried, but my hair, I need help with. Who did you hire for your hair?? Did you like how it turned out? Were they able to do what you wanted?

@@xoxokrista I also went back and forth about using a TA. The ladies on here convinced me to go for it. I'm not paying extra for her and so far she has been awesome and super helpful.

@@jengak5 Not yet. I had to put research on the breaks for a short while I was a BM in another wedding. I'll be going back into full planning mode after another wedding tomorrow. So we've only managed to pick our STDs... which doesn't help if we haven't picked a place. Hah hah. I had some questions on both that I haven't gotten answered yet. Could I send you a PM?

@@ASmooth I think it's up to you and your relationship with them. I personally have a rule about inviting co-workers - work is work, social is social and the two don't mix. It's not that I don't like my co-workers, I do. I just don't want hurt feelings, one over the other, etc. And I just feel like [for me] it should just be kept separate.

@ They look amazing!

@@Noelia Like I said with my BFF's order, they did mess it up... BUT she called and they fixed it for free. It did take two times, but they did fix it. I would just suggest giving yourself double the time, so in case it does get screwed up, you can have them fix it. For STDs, I found magnetstreet for my other BFF, and they were AMAZING. Her STDs were a custom design she sent them (a friend's husband designed), and the STDS came out spectacular and magnetstreet were super easy to deal with. I'll send you a picture if you want to see.

@@jengak5 What ended up happening?? Was everything okay in the end?

@@colleentf09 Welcome and congrats!

We still have some time, but the other night we talked about our colors and so far we've come up with navy with our neutral color being grey. The accent color is sort of up for debate. I like yellow or lime green... he thinks pink (for me) will be a good color. I like pink, but I don't know...

@@jengak5 Congrats! We are still deciding between the Westin and Riu. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding.

@@ccoburn142 This is a super dumb question. But what restaurants are included at Riu? As in do you have to pay extra to dine at any of them? I'm a little confused, because I thought it was an all inclusive, and than I was reading some small print. TIA!

@@agm04 For two different weddings I was in, us BMs did books for the Bride with pictures and stories from us. We used http://www.milkbooks.com/about.aspxand they came out AMAZING! I highly recommend them.

This! I don't think your guests are going to sit around and talk about your wedding. BUT, if you need an ice breaker, maybe you and each girl can talk about how you each met. The stories (from both sides) are usually interesting, if not hilarious. We actually did this at my best friend from high school's shower and there were some really hilarious stories. Including how my best friend and her FI met, which I didn't realize until the shower was inadvertently my fault.