Missb's Isla Mujeres wedding - March 17, 2013

So we're just about 2 months away, I can't believe it's coming up so quickly! 

Our story...

Dave and I met online when we were both freshly divorced (actually still separated, our divorces weren't final yet).  We were both just looking for friendship, nothing even remotely similar to a relationship.  After two weeks, he told me he loved me, and although I didn't say it back to him at the time, it was just a matter of months before we knew we wanted to be together forever.  He met my children after we had dated for 2 years and our divorces were final.  After another year, we moved in together - us, my four children, and his two girls.  Talk about chaos! 

I had always said that we didn't need marriage, that we were married in my mind.  In the spring of 2012, his Dad became very ill with no explanation.  He spent 9 months in ICU, and was not expected to make it out of heart surgery, and ended up losing both of his legs below the knee.  During this 9 months, Dave stayed with his Mom who is legally blind, with brief visits home.  To say it tested our relationship was an understatement, and when he finally moved back home, he planned a wonderful dinner.  Over a bottle of wine, he proposed, and I cried.  It took me a while to say yes, because I was just so floored.  We had always said that if we got married, it would be a destination wedding.

A couple of weeks after he proposed, we decided to get married on Isla Mujeres in Mexico.  We had visited the island many times before, with one being a week-long stay in the house shaped like a conch shell.  We knew that we wanted just a handful of friends with us, and a courthouse ceremony with the kids right before we leave.  When we get home, we'll have an AHR that his sister is dying to put together.

This is the house, called El Gran Escape on the south side of the island:

The ceremony will be just past the pool at the cliff.  Here's hoping I don't fall off.  3 other couples are coming with us, we are paying for the week rental on the house, they are paying for their flights.

Here's my dress, shoes, and jewelry:

Dave is wearing a tan linen suit with a light blue dress shirt.  We're still trying to find a dress that my MOH likes, and figuring out the best man's attire.  The ceremony itself is being done by Sundreamers, with a simple setup on the cliff.

After our ceremony, we're hopping on our golf carts and having our wedding dinner at the Sunset Grill on Playa Norte.  They'll set the tables with white table cloths right on the beach next to the water with tiki torches.  The menu is:

Shrimp Cocktail

Beef Bordelaise with grilled shrimp

Potatoes Au Gratin

Steamed Asparagus

Open bar beer/wine

We have decided not to have a wedding cake since we won't have a way to bring home the top layer for our 1st anniversary, but may order dessert.  We'll have a wedding cake at our AHR.

There's still so much to do, it seems.  I need to order the items for the couples' gift bags.  They're getting etched shot glasses, pool chair covers, cigars for the boys, barefoot jewelry for the girls, and personalized plastic cups for drinks at the pool.

For our courthouse ceremony, we'll have the kids with us, then head to a nice dinner with them afterwards.  I'm trying to decide what to wear for the courthouse, Dave thinks it's silly that I'm bothering, but I'd like just a stylish short dress that will be ok in the early spring weather here.  I'd like him to wear a suit, and the kids to look nice, as there will be pictures.

I'm waiting on my dress, I ordered from DHGate and really hope it's amazing.  It is supposed to be here in about 2 weeks, and then if it needs any alterations, I'll take it to a local seamstress.  Crossing my fingers I don't have to find another one!!

Originally Posted by missb0308 

 

So we're just about 2 months away, I can't believe it's coming up so quickly! 

 

Our story...

Dave and I met online when we were both freshly divorced (actually still separated, our divorces weren't final yet).  We were both just looking for friendship, nothing even remotely similar to a relationship.  After two weeks, he told me he loved me, and although I didn't say it back to him at the time, it was just a matter of months before we knew we wanted to be together forever.  He met my children after we had dated for 2 years and our divorces were final.  After another year, we moved in together - us, my four children, and his two girls.  Talk about chaos! 

 

I had always said that we didn't need marriage, that we were married in my mind.  In the spring of 2012, his Dad became very ill with no explanation.  He spent 9 months in ICU, and was not expected to make it out of heart surgery, and ended up losing both of his legs below the knee.  During this 9 months, Dave stayed with his Mom who is legally blind, with brief visits home.  To say it tested our relationship was an understatement, and when he finally moved back home, he planned a wonderful dinner.  Over a bottle of wine, he proposed, and I cried.  It took me a while to say yes, because I was just so floored.  We had always said that if we got married, it would be a destination wedding.

 

A couple of weeks after he proposed, we decided to get married on Isla Mujeres in Mexico.  We had visited the island many times before, with one being a week-long stay in the house shaped like a conch shell.  We knew that we wanted just a handful of friends with us, and a courthouse ceremony with the kids right before we leave.  When we get home, we'll have an AHR that his sister is dying to put together.

 

This is the house, called El Gran Escape on the south side of the island:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ceremony will be just past the pool at the cliff.  Here's hoping I don't fall off.  3 other couples are coming with us, we are paying for the week rental on the house, they are paying for their flights.

 

Here's my dress, shoes, and jewelry:

 

 

 

 

Dave is wearing a tan linen suit with a light blue dress shirt.  We're still trying to find a dress that my MOH likes, and figuring out the best man's attire.  The ceremony itself is being done by Sundreamers, with a simple setup on the cliff.

 

After our ceremony, we're hopping on our golf carts and having our wedding dinner at the Sunset Grill on Playa Norte.  They'll set the tables with white table cloths right on the beach next to the water with tiki torches.  The menu is:

 

Shrimp Cocktail

Beef Bordelaise with grilled shrimp

Potatoes Au Gratin

Steamed Asparagus

Open bar beer/wine

 

We have decided not to have a wedding cake since we won't have a way to bring home the top layer for our 1st anniversary, but may order dessert.  We'll have a wedding cake at our AHR.

 

There's still so much to do, it seems.  I need to order the items for the couples' gift bags.  They're getting etched shot glasses, pool chair covers, cigars for the boys, barefoot jewelry for the girls, and personalized plastic cups for drinks at the pool.

 

For our courthouse ceremony, we'll have the kids with us, then head to a nice dinner with them afterwards.  I'm trying to decide what to wear for the courthouse, Dave thinks it's silly that I'm bothering, but I'd like just a stylish short dress that will be ok in the early spring weather here.  I'd like him to wear a suit, and the kids to look nice, as there will be pictures.

 

I'm waiting on my dress, I ordered from DHGate and really hope it's amazing.  It is supposed to be here in about 2 weeks, and then if it needs any alterations, I'll take it to a local seamstress.  Crossing my fingers I don't have to find another one!!

Congrats! We are doing our honeymoon in Isla (wedding in Cabo). I can't wait to go to Isla, I have heard wonderful things about it! Best of luck to you, and hoping you don't fall off the cliff! haha

Thank you, Houston!  You are going to absolutely LOVE Isla Mujeres.  We have introduced the island to many people, and there has never been one who was disappointed.  We'll be happy to tell you the must-dos while you're there.

I kept getting an error message when I posted my journal the first time, so I'm shocked to see it here and hope there isn't a duplicate from trying to repost it.  Oops.

My real touch flowers - bridal bouquet, MOH bouquet, Groom's bout, and BM bout:

I booked our flights this morning, which made it feel so real that we're actually going.  We have already paid for the full week's rental on the house, but that could have been refunded.  Now we're doing this for real!  LOL  Luckily we got a direct flight to Cancun getting in by 8:30am which gives us a full day on the island before the wedding the next day.

Hmmm, I swore I posted a reply....

Houston, you'll love Isla!  It's a place that you fall in love with, truly.  And we love Cabo, as well, I'll have to search for you on the boards and see where you're getting married.

Here are my flowers, Bridal bouquet, MOH bouquet, Groom's bout, and BM bout:

I finally got the pictures of my dress, and I'm thrilled with it!  I actually got them last month, but didn't know the message was waiting for me.  Oops.

They made the skirt full just like I asked, and without any extra charge!  $116 for my wedding dress, not too shabby .

We booked our flights last week, our flight in is direct, thank goodness.  Another couple who is going to the wedding is flying with us.  And our return flight the following weekend isn't until the afternoon, which is nice so we don't have to take the ferry off of the island at the crack of dawn.

Next week I'll order the gift bag items and hopefully will have heard back from the wedding planner so we can place our deposit with her.  She has already reserved our date, but I need to let her know I have ordered flowers to bring with me and won't need them from her.

wow - your jewelry is really gorgeous!!! and that house looks lovely. your flowers are gorgeous too. don't worry, it'll all come together. and you're going to have wonderful celebrations. congrats to you!! 

I love your jewelry!! Its so stunning.

Beautiful wedding and story!  And i loooove those shoes!

What a wonderful love story!! The house looks amazing and I cannot wait to see the pics of the ceremony and that cliff!

I love your dress and the jewelry.

Looking forward to your updates!!

I love your jewellery- do you have a link to where you got it from? 

Thank you all so much, ladies!

The jewelry came from Dressbraw (in China, I believe), here's the link to the specific set:  http://www.dressbraw.com/product/Handsome-Alloy-With-Blue-Rhinestone-Wedding-Jewelry-Set-Including-Necklace-And-Earrings-Dx-1808744.html .  I searched and searched for exactly what I wanted, and this was it! 

I have been knocked back with an abcessed molar .  Root canal in 3 days, but so much pain and swelling!  I'm just so glad this didn't happen while we were in Mexico!  The good news is that I have lost 3lbs just this week since I can't really eat.  That puts me at 9lbs since January 1, and I'd like to double that by March.  My dress came and it's made soooo well, I love it so much!  I was so nervous it would be or look cheap, but it's a very heavy taffeta with lots of boning and padding at the top, very full at the bottom - just what I wanted!  It's a tad snug, so I'm giving myself until Feb 1 to be able to zip it or I'm taking it to a seamstress.  As I am now, it's about 1" too small.  I can do an inch, right?