vancouverpetunia

I wish I could help! I've been to nearby Curaçao but not Aruba. I'm sure you will have a wonderful trip and wedding. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow! You are so close. Glad you had a nice time at the shower and that you got a few goodies and you look great in that dress! Looks like your ceremony sandals are from Le Chateau? I could use a pair like that. Were they $60? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk And I love the sock sleeves. So cute! How did you make them? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@@JennyU I'm really sorry to hear that! This Zika thing has not been kind to us If it's not too late, I would suggest your MOH consult a doctor, if she hasn't already. I don't believe there is any increased risk to babies/children and even if they were to get sick, it's supposedly not really that bad of an illness. The problem is really for unborn babies, as far as I know. Good article from CAA (Canada's AAA): http://blog.caasco.com/travel/get-the-facts-about-zika-virus-before-you-travel/

@@krystalball Hahaha love the mound of sand idea. My FI is MORE than a foot taller than me, so I may use your idea!

Luckily this shouldn't have much impact for our group (media exaggeration aside). We are older (I'm in my early 40s), so most women are either done with kids or aren't planning to have any. I did send an email to only a few women where I don't know their "family situation" - i.e. they could still be trying for kids - I don't know. The one I was most concerned about lives in Australia so I didn't know if these media reports would be getting to her. She replied saying that she is not planning to get pregnant any time soon, so not to worry. I included links to a CBC news article & US CDC info page. I also noted that while I'm not a medical expert, it would seem that only those pregnant or trying to get pregnant really could be impacted. And that I have rarely had a mosquito bite the 5 times I've been in the area, and those few times were when I left the resort to visit ruins or a cenote or something. Another friend replied saying she was more worried about Montezuma's Revenge. LOL But I feel for the brides who have a younger crowd, where some women may already be pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I don't know how I would be feeling if that was our situation

@@yycbride2016 Wow - that's impressive longevity on your makeup If you do decide to get your makeup done at the resort, I think you can show them the photos and they should be able to replicate it pretty closely - to make sure you get whatever "glam" effect you want. I'm sure they can adjust from very natural to very, well, unnatural LOL Also, I think I may have done silver when I did those nails - that's more me as well. I haven't noticed shellac peeling with sunscreen, but then I'm not sure if I have had shellac when on a tropical vacation before. Hmmm... shellac was my plan. @ Awwhh freckles. So cute

@@yycbride2016 Make sure you are fueling your body! You don't want to get worn down with so little time left. After my 2.5 lbs the week before last, I didn't lose anything last week. Not surprising. I've been slacking. Jeff is away on business this week so he won't be here to be a bad influence on me (he often has potato chips in the house which is a major weakness for me) and I can eat whatever healthy stuff I want without having to worry about him (he's kinda picky). Hopefully I will make some good progress. I posted in my planning thread that I tried on a bunch of dresses in my closet and they fit again! I'm really happy about that, since they haven't fit well since at least last spring (every lump & bump would show). I even tried them on at the end of the day and they are still fine. YAY!

@@yycbride2016 My wrists are tiny, too! And rhinestone bobby pins are a great idea. I don't know why I didn't of that. @@ashhtayy Also a great idea to possibly getting the bracelet shortened. I'll have to look into that. That's so sweet that your friend had her grandma's brooch remade into a hair accessory! I love that idea, but I don't think I have anything that would work. So tonight I tried on a bunch of dresses I have in my closet. Most of these I haven't worn more than a couple of times - if that. I think one I've never worn (well, actually 2, but I just bought the other one). I work in a casual office, so jeans with boots & a nice top is fancy. But I love dresses and I'm pretty excited because a few months ago these didn't fit very well, but I'm really happy to say they do now. I'm thinking I should wear one of these for my legal ceremony. I don't really want to make too big a fuss about it, and Jeff hasn't even seen me wear most of these dresses, so any of them should work. Which do you like the best? Sorry for the bad photos.

@@yycbride2016 I'm not sure what to suggest about the make-up. I'm not exactly a make-up expert myself! I would think that your photographer will be able to work with (and/or edit) your complexion. That said, professional make-up will probably last longer and really highlight your features. But I get the added cost. I'm lucky that it's included in my wedding package. I do think the two examples that you posted are gorgeous I really like the last set of nails you posted. I think they are a bit more elegant than the original ones. Are you going to get fake nails done? Or just gel? I am thinking of doing something like the photo below. I actually had it done for Christmas a year ago and I loved it. Kind of the reverse of the last photo above. Glad you had fun with the boudoir shoot. I don't think I could do it!

@@snswedding2016 Thank you for telling us (and showing us) all about your wedding. It looks amazing and you guys look so happy and cute! I have to confess, I actually skipped over your vows because every time I read vows on here I'm a blubbering mess. LOL

Hello ladies! Hope you are having a productive weekend I bought most of my jewelry yesterday and wanted to share. Bracelet from The Bay $25. This was attached to a box, so I wasn't able to try it on in the store (I should have asked). It's quite large on me. Not enough to fall off, but it flips around a lot so that the rhinestones are backwards. Not sure if I should return it and keep looking. Thoughts? 2 headband options from Claire's $23 (they have a "buy one get one for $5" sale right now). I'm not sure if I will keep these either. The more I think/ask/read about hair options, I think I need to put it back, or partially back. I was thinking I would have it curled and use a headband to keep it off my face, but I don't think the curls will stay. And I don't want it just pulled back with the headband, but straight. Too boring. Earrings from Blue Ruby $75. I decided to splurge on these since I have, on occasion, wished that I had fancy rhinestone earrings, so I think I will wear them again. They are sterling silver and they really sparkle. Hard to tell in the photo. So... I guess only the earrings are the only items set in stone. I'm thinking something simple like the screenshots below for my hair, and adding some sort of pin or comb. Does anyone know what kind of accessory it would be that would fit into the area where the hair is pulled together at the back?

Great post, Steph!

@@maria1488 Thanks for posting! It all looks beautiful and I'm sure it will be helpful for future brides!

@@TinkerSofi Looks like you had a great time. I'm glad to hear everything went well (except getting sick - that sucks).

@@ashhtayy I love your legal ceremony plans. They sound simple & sweet. @ Thanks for the giggle. I can totally see my parents weeding the garden if we were to show up for a surprise ceremony, too! Although I don't think they would be hoping for pregnancy as the surprise LOL.

I'm breaking away from the group (therefore likely being unhelpful) #2 first and then #1. But they are really similar and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Really pretty. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@, @@calgarybride2015, @@yycbride2016, @@snswedding2016 Thanks, ladies, for all of your great feedback! It's starting to feel real now! I'm leaning towards the belt below rather than the one I tried on. Just a little more subtle. Also from my wedding dress Etsy vendor and, in fact, I'm pretty sure it is ON my wedding dress in this photo. Haha. Regarding hair... all very good points. I forgotten the "dirty" hair trick, but I don't know if it will be enough. Maybe I will have a trial with my own hairdresser to see how it holds here and/or to try out an up-do. Jeff really doesn't want me to do anything with my hair (boys!). He wants me to look like me and I do to a point as well, but I also want something a bit special. For my BMs, I'm still not sure. I like the idea of offering one spa service - but I would like them to choose, as I think one would prefer professional make-up and the other hair. If I do that, I will probably just stick with that as the gift, along with the robes. I wasn't planning to do anything special for the ladies (or anyone) not golfing. I figure it's nice enough to have a break from our guys haha. There will also be quite a few of the guys who don't go. Those who do go will be footing their own bill. We are paying for a yacht excursion for anyone who wants to go in lieu of welcome bags. Thanks for the comments about the bachelorette & shower. I'm not super comfortable with either, but I'm sure they will both be fun, so I've decided to go for it It's nice to be pampered and hopefully it only happens once LOL Since my last update, I've found out that we will get about a $5000 credit from Transat, which is great. It means our entire trip will be free. But it also means we will have about $1100 extra in credit which apparently can only be applied against travel that has already been paid for. So I guess we credit it to some (or all) of our guests? This was not made clear to me originally, so I was planning to pocket that money and use it towards wedding costs. I'm a bit irritated about that, but least our trip is free! YAY. I also wanted some advice on what to wear to our legal wedding. I was thinking of wearing my BM dress from my sister's wedding a few years back, but I don't know if it is too summery (given that we will have the legal ceremony in early March). I also don't know if it fits (and it's in off-site storage), but I would love your feedback on the dress and if you think it could work, I will dig it out and try it on.

@@yycbride2016 I have no idea how I did it. LOL. I didn't work out as much as usual last week because I had a cold. But also because of the cold (and ongoing teeth issues), I also was eating a lot less. I assume it was just calories in vs calories out. Good to hear you didn't overdo it at your bachelorette party, but also glad that you had fun. You can't count calories all the time! I'm sure you will still make some progress before your wedding, but what's a pound or two in the scheme of things if you don't get there? You'll be the only one who knows

@@yycbride2016 Such an awesome deal on your dresses! Good work And your wedding dress is gorgeous. Looks to fit you so well. Bachelorette party looks like fun - love the make-up idea. Crazy that you are a month out!!!

Also looking for main course recommendations... Can past Now Sapphire brides please comment on their main courses? We're trying to decide which two choices to offer. We did a menu tasting at the resort last year and loved the beef filet bordelaise, but weren't so keen on the supreme of chicken stuffed with seafood (dry & not a lot of flavor) and the surf & turf (not very tender and too much gristle). We'd like to add a poultry or seafood option. We have the Divine package, but open to the Eternity menu as well. Has anyone had the grilled salmon (Eternity) or shrimp provencal (Divine)?

@@rebeccarpeck, @@krystalball Thank you! @@acw271011 I do like that belt. I actually wouldn't have picked it off the rack - a bit too much bling for me, but I think it looks good. I'm going to hunt around a bit, but may end up getting it. No veil... thinking a headband, which I might try to match to the belt (i.e. if I go with a rhinestone belt, go with a rhinestone headband). The shoes are these: They are a little more ivory than the dress, but I don't think you will notice since there is quite a gap between the dress and the shoes. I don't know if I would have picked them to go with this dress (I picked them to go with a different dress), but I think they'll work. I'll probably end up in flipflops later anyhow

Oh that sounds like so much fun! I know I'm not a GTA bride, but hey we have airplanes out here on the Wet Coast too, you know? [emoji12] That said, I'm not sure that a Mexico AI is in our plans for 2017, but I would love to be kept in the loop until I rule it out entirely [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So I picked up my dress last night and I couldn't be happier [emoji4] It's not exactly the same as the photo but it's similar and I think it's very pretty. It is also beautiful work(wo)manship. And it fits like a glove! Not a gap or a pucker anywhere. The belt doesn't come with with it, but it definitely needs one. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk @@acw271011 Thanks, Ann, for you suggestions, feedback & support! [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

OMG OMG OMG... somehow I lost 2.5 lbs last week, which takes me to 16lbs total and only 4lbs from my goal. I am super stoked and just had to tell you guys!

Ladies... sh*t just got real: Now we just have to figure out the plans for the legal wedding! I think we have picked out a restaurant that is on the water in Vancouver, with the Seawall in front of it. If the weather is nice, we could do it outside. If not, they have a little Juliette balcony from their second floor that overlooks the restaurant that would be very cute. I went to the restaurant in December and they said they would be happy to have us come in 30 mins before they open, so that we could have privacy. And then we would stay for an early dinner. But Jeff hasn't been to the place yet and he wants to check it out, so we have reservations for Feb 6. It will just be me, Jeff, his best man and his girlfriend. Still have to find an officiant, but I think we will do a Sunday, so there should be lots to choose from and I'm really not that fussy about who they are or what they're like. Quick in & out. Onto other updates (warning - it's long)... Dress Also in the "getting real" category, I pick up my dress tonight! Yikes. I haven't seen any photos since the last one I posted, so fingers crossed. I don't think I will be able to try it on at the dressmaker's, so it may be a few days before I can post any photos. Unfortunately she doesn't do fittings or alterations. It is what it is and if I need anything changed, I have to do that on my own. Bachelorette Party This is planned for Feb 20. My bridesmaids don't live here, so two friends are planning it. I don't really know who's attending, although I do know that my BM who lives in Portland, OR is making the trip up for the weekend, so that's very exciting. I asked them to invite most of the women invited to the wedding - I left out the older ladies (aunts, etc.) and a few who are on Jeff's side who I don't know all that well. I've asked to keep it low key. It sounds like there will be something earlier and something later in the day, so maybe a spa day followed by dinner? Not sure. They are being very hush hush. Bridal Shower My cousin has kindly offered to throw me a shower. I'm not sure what to think about that. Honestly, I didn't really want either a bachelorette party or a shower. I don't really like being in the spotlight and I don't want people to spend even more money when so many of them are going to Mexico. Plus, for the shower, we have pretty much everything we need, not to mention, nowhere to put anything else! That said, my cousin suggested a "wine & spice" theme. Not sure what the spice part is - food or lingerie? LOL. But the wine part sounds good to me! So, I assuming I go ahead with this, who should I invite? I was thinking this would be great for the older/family ladies to attend. But for everyone else, I'm not sure. I feel like I'd rather have those NOT coming to the wedding, since they aren't spending the big bucks to come. But then it would be a great opportunity for those who ARE coming to the wedding to get to know each other. Any suggestions? I'm not sure what is "proper" etiquette. Stationery I have found a company that will do custom artwork for all of my stationery for very cheap! They come highly recommended from FB group I'm in, so fingers crossed. I've asked them do everything in a Mexican/papel picado theme in our colors, so: welcome letter, mad libs card (in lieu of a guest book), program fan (decided to go with all matching stuff rather than do the one I posted previously, although I really liked that one), escort cards & table numbers. I think I can get away without a seating chart/placecards. We'll just include the table number on the escort card - I don't plan to assign actual seats. I'll let you know how they turn out. Hair & Makeup A friend of mine was supposed to do my make-up and possibly my hair (she's a trained make-up artist, and can do basic hair, but I only wanted basic). Unfortunately, she and her husband have decided they cannot make it (that takes us down to 39 guests, including kids). They have some financial issues right now and they would be coming all the way from Australia, so I can't say I blame them. But I'm disappointed, of course, especially because my wedding was going to a mini-reunion for a group of us who now live in Vancouver, Toronto & Sydney. But what can you do? Luckily, I have hair & make-up included at the resort salon as part of my package. So my friend has sent me some make-up suggestions with more to come (these are pinky-brown smoke, apparently, and she's also going to send some that are more purple). I'm busily pinning hair photos. I have an angled bob (short at the back & longer at the front) - actually very similar to the make-up shot above. So I'm somewhat limited in my options. Plus it is is poker straight without a lot of body. I do want it off my face, at least partially, in case it's windy. I love the look below, but I don't know if my hair will hold the curl (it doesn't really hold a curl at the best of times, but does puff up a bit in the humidity so maybe?). Can anyone speak from experience? Or have other suggestions? I'm not sure what to do for my BMs. I don't know if either will want hair and/or make-up done at the salon. I would like to offer to pay, but it's $160 USD each for both services. Would it be tacky to tell them they can pick one and I will pay for it? If they want the other, they'll have to pay for it themselves? Haven't paid for any part of their outfit, and I don't really have a gift for them yet. Just a getting ready robe. Other We booked the golf excursion for the guys. It's the day before the wedding and I've told the groomsmen that I will KILL them with my bare hands if Jeff is hungover for our wedding day (he is the worst with hangovers). Jeff's ring is in for resizing. Our MC is confirmed. Next Up Well, we're now 75 days out from the wedding day, so it's getting to crunch time. Here's what we have to get done next: Rings engraved Legal ceremony booked Figure out & book spa appts Get local appts booked: nails, waxing/laser (hair already done) Sort out beauty stuff: tanning (HELP! I know nothing about tanning) & teeth whitening Figure out any gifts for parents/wedding party, etc. Finalize & ask people to give speeches