snswedding2016

Hey Ladies! Day 1 complete of the BDR - today was completely free. We got to Mexico safely, took USA Transfers to get to Azul Fives (they were great and accepted 1CAD for 1USD....which is pretty amazing right now!!!). We checked in without an issue and was told our room would be ready. It was almost ready when we got there but not quite -our WC was really apologetic. It was totally fine - we were just happy to be there and decided to grab lunch while they finished cleaning up the room. We ended up getting a sky suite and it is absolutely gorgeous!!! We had our first meal at the Oriola Grill - they have a fresh ceviche bar (so good!!) and then we ordered some tacos for our mains. We then went back to our room and changed into our bathings suits and headed for the beach. I was really impressed with the seaweed. I was expecting it to be fairly bad but I hardly noticed it at all. The beach is also not rocky...something we were concerned about after returning from my cousin's wedding at a different resort a couple of years ago. We were in the ocean and the infinity pool today and they are both wonderful. Luckily our TA was at Azul Fives last week and she made us some reservations for restaurants! We ate at Arezzo tonight, and it was fantastic! We also checked out the Sky lounge, 1910 Mexican Cantina and the Gin Bar tonight. I recommend the following drinks: -1910 (from 1910 Mexican Cantina) -Batillon (from 1910 Mexican Cantina) -Tropical Water (from the Gin Bar) Here are a couple of pics from Day 1: Keep you all posted on the rest of the site visit!!

@@TinkerSofi We're here!!! It is soooo beautiful!!! We've only been here for a couple of hours but we're already in love with it. I'll try and post some pictures later today!!

@hirvine83 We're having our ceremony on the Sky Terrace (one floor below the Sky Deck) and our reception is in the garden. We decided to just use the basic Always and Forever package and then build a la carte from there. I'm bringing most of my decor with me but keeping it fairly simple. Where in Ontario are you? Are you close to Toronto? If so, you should join us next week for our GTA brides meet up! There's a separate thread on here for it.

@@hirvine83 I'm getting married at Azul Fives in January 2016. Most of my planning is done, just trying to tackle the to do list for the home stretch. I'm going to the BDR this Sunday!! I'm so excited to see the resort in person finally. Let me know if you have any specific questions and I can report back for you. Happy planning!

It's your day!! I hope you're having an amazing day so far!!!!!

Thanks ladies!!

I worked on assembling our key card holders last night while watching Game of Thrones (Sean and I are behind, we're just finishing season 4...no spoilers! ) Remember when I thought I ordered all the same coloured ring coils....I doubt people will even notice or care that they have different coloured ones. I'm happy with out they turned out! One more thing off the list...slowly but surely...

@@TinkerSofi somehow I missed your post with your dance and the sneak peak of your photos! Your dance with Juan is amazing!! You guys looked so great and comfortable...just beautiful! Love your pictures - they look so good without any editing at all!! Can't wait to see the rest of them!

Love the invitations!! They are beautiful!!

@@diadiamond can't believe you're day is this THURSDAY!!!! So so excited for you! can't wait to hear all about it at the next meet up!! have the best time ever!!

I know right?! Our flights changed since we've booked - the dates are the same, which I'm so thankful for but the times are later. I've been getting a lot of "Is that really the time of the new flight...it kinda sucks because it's cutting into our vacation". I totally get it I'm slightly annoyed too but I can't do anything to change the time back. I would love to maximize our vacation time but I don't control the flight schedules!

@@calgarybride2015 your comment made me laugh really loudly at my desk at work!! Thanks ladies for the support! I know this couple is really annoying me. Our cut off day is in a couple of weeks but I was really tempted to tell them it has passed! Sean talked me down and reassured me that we probably won't even notice them on the trip. I felt guilty but the more they make their demands the less I want them to be there. I'm sure this is just the start of the last leg of the drama as our final payment deadline is coming up next month!! Eek! Fingers crossed it will go as smoothly as it can be! @@TinkerSofi you should totally come to the BDR this weekend!!!! pretend you're planning a renewal next year ! We can have drinks together on the beach in Mexico!!

Sean's Wedding Band I knew Sean would take a while to decide on his ring. Like me, he never wears jewelry. I was pretty sure he wouldn't pick a gold band just because it didn't feel like him. He tried a bunch on and like I thought he didn't think they were the right look for him. He was naturally more interested in the tungsten, cobalt, titanium rings. We thought we might get his ring at the jeweller where my engagement ring and wedding band is from but we realized they only have gold bands for men to choose from. We ended up getting Sean's ring at European Jewellers and purchased a tungsten band. Although it can't be resized, the price of the ring was way under budget that we agreed that if the time came where he needed it resized that we would just get a new one! Lucky guy! Sean being the science geek that he is, loves that tungsten has the highest melting point of all the elements, is scratch resistant, it translates to mean "heavy stone" and that it is also referred to as Wolfram. Little tidbits about the metal that make him love it more. Here is the ring: Last minute bookings: We have a couple who called, emailed and texted us frantically to as us the details of our wedding so that they can book. They wanted to know the dates, the resort and our TA's contact info....umm we did send out invitations with all of this info last NOVEMBER. sigh! The kicker is that they want to know if our TA can get them a "good deal" despite the fact that they are booking 3 1/2 months before the wedding AND want a 2 bedroom suite. I just don't understand people sometimes. They are also complaining about our flight times - it's a package deal you take it or leave it! They asked us where our honeymoon resort is and what the name of it is because they are thinking of staying longer than the 7 days. Yea...so not telling them the name of the resort. The last thing I want is to hang out with guests that basically invited themselves on my honeymoon. I'm kinda hoping that the price will be too outrageous and they don't come but know murphy's law, they will be there regardless. We leave this coming Sunday morning!!!! I can't believe it! I know this isn't our wedding but I'm still so excited to finally see everything in person! For all of the fellow Azul Fives brides out there - let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try and get them answered for you. I'm sure I'll have lots of updates very soon!

Yes, I'm leaving in a week for the BDR at Azul Fives!!! So so excited to see it in person finally! Let me know if anyone has any specific questions and I'll try and get them answered for you!

Thanks everyone!! I really love my wedding band...I keep wanting to wear it and then realize we're not actually married yet. haha! @ I'm definitely in the lull for sure. I might send you a message about some of my paper items after I come back from my site visit or maybe we can chat at the brides meet up about it. If you're up for it - I'd love to use your etsy site for my menu, itinerary etc. @@deecol I'm excited for the GTA meet up as well - can't wait to swap planning stories and ideas! @@acw271011 I know!! I can't believe it is here as well. It feels like I just booked it and that it was so far away. Our big days will be here before we know it!

I'm in as well! I will have just returned from our site visit that Wednesday so hopefully I'll have some great things to report back!

It's been ages since I've updated my thread! I don't have too many updates but some are better than none right? It's not like the date is coming up close or anything!! In Aug I decided to start a new business alongside my current job and it's just been kinda crazy ever since. I often think I'm nuts for deciding to do this with an already hectic work life on top of planning this wedding in less than 4 months!! I keep reminding myself that this opportunity came to me for a reason and it will all work out like it should...hopefully! anyway back to the updates... Wedding Bands I have been eyeing a couple of different wedding bands for a while. I wanted something a bit contrasting to my engagement ring but that still complimented it. I can't remember if I've posted this (I think I might have...it's been that long since I've posted on my thread) of the rings I had my eye on. I was leaning more towards the ring on the right but in white gold. I loved the shape but didn't love the beading around the edges. We decided to go back to the jeweller that Sean got my engagement ring from. I loved being able to see the place, Sean's been telling me stories of this place since we got engaged so it was cool to finally see it. It was quite the operation to get in with a buzzer and double doored system! I showed the jeweller the rings I liked and she said she knew the perfect ring. I put it on and immediately loved it. I tried a bunch of other rings on too but this one was it right from the start. I kept going back to it and putting it on. It was also the perfect size which is saying something because my fingers are kinda chubby lol! Sean looked at me and said "why are you still trying other rings on, you clearly love the first one - it's the one." I knew he was right, I looked at the price tag and nearly fainted because it was WAAAY out of budget. We gently asked what the price was and thankfully the price tag was NOT the actual price they were selling it for and it was a lot less and exactly within our budget. Gotta love going to an independent jeweller! This is my wedding band and engagement ring together: I also found really thin bands with diamonds on it that I also really liked and they looked beautiful on top and underneath my engagement ring. Sean and I talked about maybe for a 5 year anniversary we'll switch it up and get the two stackable bands to wear with my engagement ring and then I'll wear my wedding band on my right hand as it looks good on its own too! Sean and I have also been working on finalizing both of our ceremony scripts (legal and symbolic). I'm still trying to sort out our witnesses for our legal ceremony. I'd love to have my mom there but Sean's parents can't be there for the legal ceremony and I think my future MIL would be very sad if she couldn't be there but my mom could. We decided to go with my cousin and her husband who can't make it to Mexico because she's having a baby in Nov but the problem is our legal ceremony is schedule for the week after her due date. gah! I'm trying to move things around but even so we're not sure how long her recovery is going to take so it might just be easier to get other witnesses to be there. The big thing coming up is the BDR (Brides Dress Rehearsal aka site visit) to Azul Fives at the end of Sept. I can't tell you how much Sean and I are looking forward to this!!! I'm excited to be able to finally see the resort in person but I'm more excited to just have a couple of days off just with Sean. We haven't taken a proper vacation just the two of us in a year and a half! With everything going on work wise I really need this break even if it is only for a couple of days! I imagine things will be kicked into high gear as soon as we return from the BDR as we'll really get a sense of what needs to get done and how to make it all work!

@@acw271011 I'm so behind on your thread! Your new rings look gorgeous!!! I can't wait to see them all together. One of the few things I've done recently is get my wedding band as well. So happy to have that off my list! Your new dress looks amazing!!! It will all come together I'm sure with the alterations. I also love the menu and door hangers! @ is super talented!! Your day is coming up so soon!! Can't wait to see all the details come together!

@@ashhtayy your dress is beautiful!!! If you want to go a creative route and less expensive for the belt I would suggest checking out Sussman's bridal (since you're in Toronto). It is a little hole in the wall packed with bridal accessories on Queen West. They have tons of options to do custom made items (hair pieces, veils, belts etc). The price will be based on the style, length (half or full belt) and the labour cost. Now to be fair I haven't seen their final products but a lot of other places recommend them and it's probably worth checking out to see if there is anything you like. I've also been severely neglected my planning thread. I'm trying to catch up on everyone's and hopefully later this week I'll have some stuff to update my thread with too!

@@Meandhim I have been so MIA on BDW for the last little while and just now trying to catch up on everything. I just wanted to send a big big hug over to you for everything that is going on. As for all of your DIY projects - everything looks amazing!!! You've done such a great job! I am so severely behind. I've taken on way too many projects right now and the wedding planning is the one that is lagging behind. Hopefully I'll get my act together soon!

That private room sounds like it would be perfect! I agree find a large round table to fit everyone is really tricky.

That area works for me too!!

I'm taking the plunge and joining as well! My name is Stephanie, I'm 30 and I'm getting married January 9 2016 at Azul Fives. This feels like one more thing to add to my crazy busy life (which feels a bit overwhelming) but now is the time and it will be worth it! As a kid and teen I was an extremely active dancer and rhythmic gymnast and never really thought too much about my weight but things really changed in my mid-late 20s. I noticed my metabolism really slowed down, I was less active and there was more stress from my job. I've really started to gain weight in the last couple of years. Sean and I haven't been exercising as much as we'd like and we loooove food. We really wanted to get our butts into gear for the wedding and while we both feel a bit better we're really feeling the crunch time to feel healthier for the wedding. I've started to take barreworks classes with a friend and I love them. They are super intense ballet barre based workout classes that incorporates cardio, strength and balance. We haven't gone in a while though. With our busy summer schedules it's been hard finding class times when we're both available. It makes such a huge difference to have someone to go with to keep you accountable (like this group). Sean and I have also started cycling/jogging more in the last couple of weeks. We have this great trail by our house and Sean will go jogging and I will cycle. I HATE jogging, for some reason I've just never been able to get into it and so this is our compromise and this way we can go together. Sean will usually jog 9km and I'll cycle 18km. I would love to keep this up in conjunction with going to barreworks. With the wedding coming upon 4 months - life seems extremely hectic but its good and I tend to thrive in a higher pressure environment so I hope it keeps me on track for my health goals as well. On top of wedding planning and work, this week I decided to start another business on top of it all. It seems a bit insane but just like this group - I'm just jumping all in and going for it. It feels very strange that for the first time since I've joined BDW this week I was barely able to check in. Goals: Health - eat healthier, lose ideally 10-15 lbs by January, exercise more (classes and cycling) Planning - staying on top of scheduling time to plan, continuing to go through my to do list, delegate more items to wedding party!! Here we go ladies!!

@@acw271011 You look absolutely gorgeous in your dress!!! Love the back!! I would try and wear your shoes with some socks. That usually helps break them in a bit.

@@RivieraBride15 What resort are you booked at? Did they give a specific time frame in which they would contact you to go through your details? It's hard to say without knowing the resort as each one operates differently. I started booking my details immediately after I put down my deposit but I know many resorts that don't go through the details until 1 or 2 months before your wedding. Do you have a phone number to call? I always find when I'm having a hard time getting an email response from the resort, calling them usually works. I'm sure it will all work out! I hope you hear from them soon!