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Showing results for tags 'event details'.
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Can anyone advise where to rent event furniture for my rustic wedding?
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I am beginning to work out some details for our AHR. I know we want a DJ with dancing and just a fun celebration, but I'm wondering about including some of the traditional reception things. Are you guys still having a 'first dance'? It won't technically be our first dance since we will go dancing while we're at our DW. Are you doing a traditional cake cutting? Again, we will cut our wedding cake in Jamaica, but very few people will be there. Speeches? We won't have a bouquet toss or any of the cheesy dance songs, like the cupid shuffle, but I just can't decide on some of the others! HELP! What are you all doing?
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I hv been with my girl for 3 yrs, I am going to propose to her, and I want to choose an engagement ring for her in secret, but brand engagement rings are at a very high price. so I wanna know if there's an affordable brand? Girls care about the brand? -
hi friends! I'm looking for some feedback / ideas on our centerpiece mock-ups.... A few ideas/comments: I'm planning to frost the bottles, so it's a little softer we have 8 tables and my initial thought is to do a different flower arrangement for each table Plan to use the silk flowers to help keep costs down yes, the vase is a small patron/tequila bottle do the flowers/vase add to the centerpiece or do they distract? Are the flowers needed or does the bottle on it's own look ok? FI likes the first and last photo the best... Thoughts? feedback? love em? hate em?
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Hi everyone! I’ll be getting married at Dreams Tulum, Mexico in a few months. I have been doing some research to find fun/different forms of entertainment for our guests. One of which is called mojigangas (large dancing puppets) I am trying to find a company that offers this but not having too much luck since it’s more common in a different part of Mexico. Has anyone heard of this or do you know of somewhere I can contact to hire them?? Thank you and happy planning ladies!
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Kerala is full of diverse tradition and culture. The three major communities in Kerala are Christians, Hindus and Muslims. Christians of Kerala have immersed themselves into the customs and practices of other two communities in Kerala, the Hindu and Muslim which blend to form a truly special wedding ceremony. Taking a look at the wedding attires and the bridal jewelry the Indian Christian weddings are quite distinct from what we imagine. The major wedding ceremonies in a Kerala Christian wedding: Matchmaking Marriages are considered the union of two people predestined by God. The initial proposal of the marriage begins from the brides sides through elders, relatives or with the help of brokers. Once both the families are fully convinced and satisfied about the family status and background, then they proceed to fix a date for the engagement or manassammatham and wedding day after the Kerala is full of diverse tradition and culture. The three major communities in Kerala are Christians, Hindus and Muslims. Christians of Kerala have immersed themselves into the customs and practices of other two communities in Kerala, the Hindu and Muslim which blend to form a truly special wedding ceremony. Taking a look at the wedding attires and the bridal jewelry the Indian Christian weddings are quite distinct from what we imagine. The major wedding ceremonies in a Kerala Christian wedding: Matchmaking Marriages are considered the union of two people predestined by God. The initial proposal of the marriage begins from the brides sides through elders, relatives or with the help of brokers. Once both the families are fully convinced and satisfied about the family status and background, then they proceed to fix a date for the engagement or manassammatham and wedding day after the male members from the groom’s side of the family goes to the bride’s home for fixing the wedding also known as kalyanamuraappeeru. Pre- Wedding Rituals Betrothal or the Manassammatham After the date for the wedding is fixed the next function is the betrothal or the manassammatham. Generally, the engagement ceremony takes place in girl’s home. Both the bride and groom show their willingness to marry in front of the church and their relatives. Betrothal is usually done as a small marriage function itself. The groom and his family members reach the bride’s parish along with the letter from their priest. All family members attend this ceremony and give their blessings to bride and groom for their married life and future. Announcement of Marriage via Church - Kalyanam Vilichu Chollal After the betrothal function, the marriage acceptance of both the bride and groom are announced to the public during Sunday Mass. Wedding Eve Madhuram Veppu The day before the wedding is filled with a number of ceremonies and rituals which follow the customs of Christian marriages. Night before the marriage, at the brides and grooms house, the Madhuram Veppu is conducted. The bride /groom is placed in a special seat and then the prayers are done and the uncle of the bride/groom will ask to the group of close relatives, whether he shall give the bride/groom the sweet, It will be asked three times and then sweet is given to the bride/groom. Wedding Day On the wedding day, the bride and the groom set off from their home after offering prayers. Marriage is usually conducted by the groom’s party, at their parish. The marriage is done along with the holy mass. The marriage is blessed in the middle of the holy mass, by the priest. One of the most imperative rituals in a Kerala Christian Wedding is Minnukettu. The bride ties a thaali on her neck. It is hanged on a string which is made from the seven threads that are taken from mantrakodi. Later, this string is replaced by a gold chain. At the end of this wedding ceremony, the couple signs their names in the register along with two witness’s signatures. With the end of the marriage functions at the church, the bride changes her costume to wear the mantrakodi. More about Kerala weddings visit- https://fonixeventmanagementcompany.blogspot.in/ -
Indian brides who married in Cancun Moon Palace Did you bring your own garlands for the wedding? Did you find some in Cancun? As well as all other necessities for prayers and the ceremony- where did you find everything from Cancun? Where did you find your preist? I want to have my Sangeet outdoors but they only allow outdoors until 10pm. So did you end your party then or move it Indoors because I have a lot of Indian families are used to staying up til 2am partying.
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Help ! I'm stuck in between venues in the DR. My fiancé and I have been working with a travel agent for quite some time now and we are having difficulties finding a venue to best suit our big day. What are the opinions of the best venues for a wedding in the DR. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
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Help ! I'm stuck in between venues in the DR. My fiancé and I have been working with a travel agent for quite some time now and we are having difficulties finding a venue to best suit our big day. What are the opinions of the best venues for a wedding in DR. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.
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Should I send out "Save the Date" notices for my wedding or just send out the official invitation? It's a common question many couples ask themselves once they start planning their wedding celebration, but when it comes to those having a destination wedding, it is a certainty -- Save the Dates are a must! Here are a few important points to keep in mind when it comes to sending out your Save the Date memos aka STDs to your guests. - Send out your Save the Date approximately 8 to 12 months before your destination wedding date. This gives your family and friends enough time to plan for your celebration. Most importantly it will give them time to save up for the getaway, ask for time off from work as well as make proper travel and lodging reservations. - Create a wedding website even with general destination location info right away and include the website on your Save the Date. You can fill out the remaining wedding details as you set them into place and update your website accordingly, it's an easy way to send out updates and distribute info to your guests throughout the planning process. Once you have the venue set, make sure to include your travel agent's contact info so guests can begin to make their plans as soon as possible. - A simple Save the Date postcard will do. Some brides like to get creative with their Save the Dates, creating travel themed notices -- like boarding passes, passports or even a message in a bottle. But don't feel pressure to turn into Martha Stewart if you just don't have the time or money to get crafty, a Save the Date postcard is perfect for giving your guests the heads up on your wedding plans. - Save the Dates are important because they will give your guests a heads up on your destination wedding plans, therefore increasing the chances of more guests attending your celebration. If you want a good turnout for your Wedding Day, then make sure to send out those STDs with plenty of time to give to ensure your guests can make the proper plans. - Must have info on your STD: the couple's names, wedding date (or dates if you're planning to spread the festivities out over several days), location (at the very least the city/region if you don't have your venue nailed down yet), and a memo that the official invitation will follow. Also make sure to include that wedding website so they can refer to it for additional information and event updates. Side note: ask for RSVPs in the formal invitation, asking for it on the STD is too early of a request if you send them out a year in advance. - Make sure you are clear on the STD if it is an adults-only affair or whether people can bring guests. This is info your guests will need to consider as they make plans to attend or decline the invite. To find out more information about booking your honeymoon or destination wedding, contact Wright Travel Agency at: www.wrighttravelagency.com or you can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
Hello! My name is Kimmie, and I work for Discovery Studios - the in-house production company for Discovery Communications. We are making a pilot with a wedding planner duo, and are looking to connect with brides who would be interested in FREE day-of coordination! We are looking to film from April 11th-April 17th and April 25th-April 30th, 2017. If your wedding in those dates and you would be interested in the free coordination, please email [email protected] or call 323-308-3751.
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If you're looking for a special but simple way to renew your wedding vows with the one you love, Karisma has the answer for you and it's just $399 for a celebration that begins in the morning and ends at night on your Wedding Day. Karisma Hotels & Resorts, a luxury provider of vacation properties worldwide, now offers the perfect vow renewal package to celebrate love at some of their most incredible destination locations. Vow Renewal Celebration Package: $399 (for two-person ceremony only) For couple's who want to keep it simple and intimate with just the two of you, Karisma's Vow Renewal Celebration package is the idea way to renew those I Do's. Priced at $399, this package offers: A non-denominational Minister to perform a romantic symbolic ceremony Romantic ocean front ceremony location Sound system with speakers and microphone Symbolic wedding certificate Professional services of a signature wedding designer Sunrise breakfast basket including assortment of cheeses, sweet rolls and mimosas on the morning of ceremony Chilled bottle of domestic champagne at the ceremony Romantically decorated suite with rose petals, aroma therapy and candles the night of the ceremony This package is offered at El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels, Azul Hotels (excluding Jamaica), and Generations Riviera Maya, but the following requirements apply: - Valid for couples based in USA & Canada only - Valid for ceremonies taking place Monday through Thursday at 5 PM or earlier. Weekend ceremonies must take place at 2 PM or earlier. Ceremony location restrictions apply. - For those qualifying for the Memorable Moments Honeymoon & Anniversary package, the ceremony will take place at the dinner location just prior to the honeymoon dinner on the beach. - Package inclusions may vary without previous notice. Not combinable with any other promotion unless otherwise specified. Couple's also have the ability to further customize their vow renewal experience, including adding options for photography and video as well as decor and floral options. To find out more information about booking your Vow Renewal Package at Karisma Hotels & Resorts, or booking an all-inclusive vacation for your honeymoon or destination wedding, contact Wright Travel Agency at: www.wrighttravelagency.com or you can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
5 Reasons Why the Weekday Wedding Is the Way to Go
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
Some couples are set on having their wedding on a particular date that falls on a weekend. But if you're a pair who is more flexible on the date you tie the knot, you may want to consider having a weekday wedding. Here are five reasons why a weekday wedding may be the way to go for you: 1) It allows your guests to extend their trip into the weekend. While you and your sweetheart may be spending an extended amount of time at your destination location before and after the Big Day, your guests may not have that flexibility. When you plan your wedding a few days before the weekend, it may give them a chance to extend their stay by taking advantage of the weekend. For example, plan your wedding on a Thursday or Friday and that gives your guests the option to take some additional time to unwind on Saturday and Sunday. 2) May help cut down on crowds at your venue. While destination locations usually double as popular vacation spots, having your wedding on a weekday could drastically cut down on the crowds in or around your venue -- especially if you are having a beach wedding. Having your wedding ceremony on the beach on a Thursday could cut back on the chances that you'll have a bunch of swimsuited observers watching the festivities nearby. 3) It will give you some flexibility on the rest of your wedding festivities. When you plan your wedding on a Saturday, it's very likely that your guests will make plans to depart and go home on Sunday. But if you plan your wedding on a weekday before the weekend, you'll be able to schedule other fun group activities during the remaining days thereafter. You'll also have less of a chance of booking a day when another wedding will be taking place, especially if you're having it at a popular venue that hosts more than one wedding a day. 4) Popular vendors are more likely to be available on a weekday. When it comes to booking your wedding at a popular destination location, some couples will find during the planning process that their favorite or preferred vendors may already booked. Popular photographers, videographers, event planners/designers, hair/makeup stylists, DJs or bands will often book weddings several months or even a year in advance. So if you find out that your favorite vendor is already locked into another event, consider a weekday wedding to increase your chances! 5) It may cut down on some wedding and travel costs. While destination locations are no stranger to weekday weddings, you may find that your location/venue or even vendor offers a small price break for a weekday event. It's not common, but definitely worth asking about. You may also find that your weekday event date(s) will also cut down on travel and lodging costs for your guests. To find out more information about booking a destination wedding or honeymoon, contact Wright Travel Agency at: www.wrighttravelagency.com or you can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
If you and your sweetheart are one of the many couples that got engaged over the holiday season, you're probably wondering, what do we do now? Here's a list of to-do's to help get you started on the journey toward the wedding of your dreams! 1) Call family and close friends: Start making those phone calls or sending those messages to let those closest to you know, you are to be wed! 2) Make it social media official: Once you've let your closest circle know the good news, make it social media official. Post a photo of the proposal or perhaps one of you and your spouse-to-be with your new bling. 3) Get ring resized if need be: If the ring doesn't fit the way you want it to, make plans to get the ring properly sized as soon as possible. And if you have the means, get your ring insured. Always better to be safe than sorry. 4) Begin looking at dates: Sit down with your sweetheart and begin the discussion on when you'd like to get married. It doesn't have to be an exact date right away, but at least start thinking about the season and year you plan to tie the knot so that you can start planning accordingly. Your wedding date will help determine your timeline for the rest of your wedding to do's. 5) Decide on a local wedding vs. a destination wedding: The location of your wedding is typically dependent on how big your guests list will be. Do you want it to be a huge celebration? Or do you prefer a smaller more intimate wedding? Keep in mind, destination weddings tend to weed out a lot of people on your guests list simply because some won't be able to travel, take time off work, or afford the trip. So bear in mind that when it comes to planning a destination wedding, your guests will be incurring their own costs to attend. But most importantly, plan your wedding at a location you both agree on -- this is your day to celebrate your love. 6) Start an inspiration board: When it comes to weddings, there are tons of details involved. And whether you plan on having a wedding planner or not, you can start the planning process by creating a vision board of what you want your wedding to look or feel like. Pinterest is the most popular option for creating an inspiration board. So start searching for those ideas and pin away! 7) Wedding planner vs. self planned: Wedding planning is hard work. So if you can, invest in a planner/coordinator who can take care of the big details -- or at least hire a day-of coordinator at the very least. You'll find that having someone to organize and take care of the overall planning will help a ton when it comes to alleviating wedding stress. If you don't have the means to hire a planner or coordinator, then invest in a good planning book and ask your friends/family for help. Keeping yourself organized is most important if you plan to do it on your own! 8) Create a wedding budget: Determining your wedding budget is often the hardest and most stressful part of wedding planning. Sit down and talk with your sweetheart about wedding finances and also take time to determine whether you will have any financial support or help from your parents. And always keep in mind that there are typically unexpected expenses that will come up during the planning process so plan to set aside extra money as needed. 9) Start saving $$$: Planning for your wedding can be a huge expense. So after your plan your wedding budget, set aside some time to determine how you plan to save along the way. Perhaps it means cutting back on other expenses in your life, just remember, saving up for your wedding is temporary. Also don't go broke planning the wedding of your dreams -- a wedding only last for a day, make sure to plan for your marriage and life together as well after the Big Day. 10) Start booking priority vendors: If you've had your heart set on booking a particular vendor (i.e., photographer, entertainer, caterer, venue, florist, hair/makeup stylist, etc.), it's important to reach out to those vendors right away to secure your date. The earlier you book these important vendors the better, as vendor pricing can often increase without notice. 11) Ask for parents' input on guest list: Once you've decided on a venue and budget, it's time to start drafting up your guests list, consult with your parents on their thoughts as well. Take into consideration their input when it comes to who gets invited, and then make it a joint effort with your spouse-to-be to decide on who makes the cut. It's normal to have various revised guests list and keep in mind that the location of your wedding may affect who attends your wedding as well. 12) Go dress shopping: Some brides likes to go dress shopping early, some like to wait till later. But at the very least, start looking at the different styles and designers of wedding gowns that catch your eye. Remember that some designers will require that you order your dress months in advance, also keep in mind that styles change, so if you don't plan on getting married for a year or more, it may be better to wait. And don't forget, to set aside time and money for alterations! Most importantly, enjoy the process of wedding planning. It can be a stressful process, but just remember that in the end you'll end up marrying the love of your life. So enjoy the journey! To book or inquire about any destination wedding venue/resort, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! or visit our website at www.wrighttravelagency.com - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
Destination Vow Renewals are a growing trend -- after all, it's an opportunity to do it all over again and perhaps this time around, do it even better than the first! Here are five steps to helping you create the destination vow renewal of your dreams: 1) Pick a location: First and foremost sit down with your sweetheart and pick the site of your dream vow renewal together. For many couples, committing to your second round of I Do's together means you're in a better place financially compared to when you were newlyweds just starting off. So don't hesitate to pick a location that is epic and on your travel bucket list, unless of course you want to return to the site where you first said your I Do's -- whatever route you decide, make sure it's a place that you both agree on! Karisma Resorts & Hotels offer a plethora of beautiful locations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean, some locations even include a free vow renewal ceremony or special rates for vow renewals. You may also want to consider renting one of Karisma's private villa to celebrate your special occasion in absolutely luxury and style. 2) Narrow down your guest list: Unlike your wedding day, vow renewals don't have to include everybody and anybody. This celebration can focus on just the two of you or include just your closest circle of family and friends. It's totally up to you because this time around, you don't have to worry about offending that aunt or cousin you didn't really want to invite but had to in order to avoid family drama. Make your guest list as little or big as you want it to be, and if you want it to be an elopement vow renewal party of two -- so be it! 3) Pick family to be in your bridal party, if you decide to have one: Should you decide to have a bridal party, consider picking your children or perhaps siblings, parents or other close family members or friends to stand by your side. There's nothing more beautiful than seeing a bride walked down the aisle by her children. Much like your celebration, keep your bridal party small and meaningful. 4) Go simple on the details and focus on the experience: Perhaps you were one of those "go bananas on details" brides your first time around. Well this time, you don't have to go "there" if you don't want to. Instead of focusing on all the crazy little details, why not keep your mind and heart focused on the experience you'll share with your spouse and anyone you invite to join you. Make it all about the experience rather than the details, this is your time to truly celebrate love and live in the moment. 5) Make it a vacation to remember: Plan activities, excursions and outings together with emphasis on enjoying the experience. This time around you don't have to go big on a Welcome party, rather plan something special for your group -- maybe a day trip snorkeling or diving. Or perhaps a fun outing like an ATV tour or camel safari. Keep your Destination Vow Renewal focused on making unforgettable memories together! To book or inquire about any destination wedding venue/resort, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! or visit our website at www.wrighttravelagency.com - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger. -
I can't believe I'm less than a year out from the wedding! We booked it in March/April when they released the dates. We are having an embarkation day wedding on the Oasis of the Seas out of Port Canaveral on November 5, 2017. The ceremony will be held in Dazzles Nightclub. I have been lost in this whole process. I can't seem to find much information for what I'm looking for. I've been scouring the sites since we first booked and I feel like I'm being spun in circles! Things I'm trying to find info for (specifically for embarkation day weddings/Port Canaveral/RCCL): I'm trying to figure out a timeline for my wedding day (time to be at the port, embarkation, wedding time, disembarkation for non-sailing) Transportation for wedding guests from Orlando International to the hotel Photography - I don't think/feel like 3 hours is enough time for all the pictures I want done. I have a list of pictures and I'm sure the photographer will be (hopefully) creative and come up with another list. Can we get 'first look' pictures? Getting ready pictures? I know its a no-no to bring your own, but I can't help but think about it. Its a long story but after what had happened with my dad only a month after my sisters wedding pictures are very very important to me! Invitations - I am doing a traditional pocketfold invitation for the wedding. Has anyone done the traditional pocketfold before? If so what information did you include for your inserts? Are you willing to share pictures? I love the idea of the boarding pass/passport invites but I don't feel they are for us. Decorations - How much does the cruise line provide? Has anyone gone all out for their wedding? Is an aisle runner worth it? Beauty - Does anyone have any/Know of any hair stylists/makeup artists in the Port Canaveral area? I'm looking for someone who would come to the hotel the morning of. Welcome Dinner? OOT Bags? Flowers? Getting everything on the ship?
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Hello! Not entirely sure where to start- I feel like I've looked all over the internet and have found limited information. I am a newbie to planning a Destination Wedding! We have selected the Luxury Grand Bahia Principe Don Pablo Collection resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica as the place we would like to get married December 2, 2017. However, I'm hoping to find input on what other brides have chosen/ what they're doing for their wedding at this resort- or other Don Pablo resorts. We are probably choosing the Emerald package, but it's not set in stone. I'm really curious as to what the food options are as well as lighting/decoration/reception locations. I hope someone out there can help me ease my mind a bit! -
Our Dream Wedding in Puerto Vallarta, November 2016 After 1.5 years of planning our destination wedding, we just returned from Puerto Vallarta and it was the most flawless beautiful wedding I could have imagined. Upon our engagement in May 2015, I began researching wedding coordinators in Puerto Vallarta. With the type of wedding we wanted, I knew I could not organize it alone. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to have our wedding ceremony at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and the reception at Vista Grill Restaurant…we just needed help making it happen. Of course being in Canada, we wouldn’t even know where to begin in finding vendors for the wedding either. After some research and referrals from friends, we decided to host our guests at the NOW Amber and Secrets All-inclusive in PV. It is an absolutely incredible resort, and the food is unbelievably good. Each meal is fine dining, some of the best meals I have ever had! Since we were not hosting the wedding on resort, we did not receive any special “wedding perks” at the resort, but we were okay with that, we just wanted a nice hotel for our family and friends to enjoy their entire holiday. I was very thorough in researching wedding coordinators in Puerto Vallarta. I contacted almost every coordinator I could find listings for, and requested proposals. Right off the top, I could tell some were trying to take advantage of us, as they were quoting insane amounts for the meal at Vista Grill, which I already knew the prices of the group menu, so I knew they were trying to make a kick back for themselves. This made it easy to cancel out quite a few planners/coordinators. When I found Eva and Michael at Vallarta Weddings, they were my instant favourite. They charge a flat fee for their services, and were incredibly up front about the costs of everything. In retrospect, I would actually say their fee is very low for all of the work they do! I gave them my ideal wedding budget, and they did everything they could to ensure I stayed within that! Eva and Michael’s compassionate approach to their work gave me instant trust in them planning our day. To be honest, I wasn’t very clear in my own “visions” of décor and what not for the wedding, but it was like Eva could read my mind, and would send me pictures of exactly what I liked! They gave us a rough time table of when we should be planning different things, and this helped immensely. After the initial venues were confirmed and deposits made, most of the detailed planning didn’t occur until the last three months before the wedding. Eva and Michael took the time to meet with my parents while they were vacationing in PV a year before the wedding, and also took the time to meet with our Priest who was vacationing in PV, and would be doing our ceremony at the church. This was all extra time and coordination for them, however they were happy to do it and went above and beyond in everything they did. The planning process was entirely smooth and I trusted all of Eva and Michael’s recommendations for every vendor etc., (which all turned out absolutely beautifully ). Two days before we left to fly to Puerto Vallarta, I received an email from Eva asking me to call her urgently, as the Mexican Government had just closed down our reception venue, Vista Grill, that day. I was absolutely devastated of course, and so worried that my wedding, which I had 82 people flying to Mexico for, was going to be a flop after so much planning. Eva was an absolute angel and rock through this, she was so compassionate and understanding I was blown away. Even though this was obviously not her fault, she was apologetic and vowed to do everything she possibly could to ensure our wedding was perfect. The day after we arrived, Eva and Michael picked us up at the resort and we embarked on re-planning our wedding reception. They spent probably 8 hours with us, showing us new venues, and then working out the details as we selected one. We ended up having the reception at the top terrace of the Grand Miramar hotel, which was the most beautiful place I have ever seen! Eva and Michael were also kind enough to take my parents to the venue the next day so they could see it as well. Everything works out for a reason! When times get tough, you really get to see peoples’ true colors… and Eva and Michael truly amazed me I cannot speak highly enough of everything they did for us to make our day perfect! I also can’t imagine the amount of hours they put in over those few days re-planning the wedding. When Eva arrived at our rehearsal the night before, she actually had gold spray paint all over her hands that she hadn’t even noticed, which was from her making my décor! They are some of the most hardworking people I have ever met. In addition to Eva and Michael saving our reception, they also saved my ceremony! Little to my knowledge, my brother’s guitar broke in transit and he was supposed to play the guitar while I walked down the aisle at the church. I found out after that Eva and Michael spent an entire day finding a rental and taking my brother to get it as well! The day of the wedding went so smoothly, you would never know we had so many bumps in the road. We had hair and make up done by Franc Gole and Jesus Avelar, truly the best pair you could get in Vallarta. I haven’t ever had make up done that good even in Canada! When we got back to the hotel, the photographers were there, the flowers were there, and the guys were already downtown with the assistant photographer. We had 10 passenger vans transporting all the guests and bridal party between the hotel, church, venue, and hotel again. Vallarta weddings organizational skills were flawless, it all went very smooth. Soko Sandoval was our photographer, and from the few photos I have seen so far, I am sooo thankful we chose her! She captures every moment perfectly and creatively. We didn’t like typical “posing” wedding photos, so she was great at getting candid and edgy shots! After the ceremony we walked through the streets of PV with her taking photos of us. Her eye for things was amazing, I am so excited to see the rest of the photos. When we arrived at the Grand Miramar and walked out on the upper terrace, I could’ve cried I was so happy. The sunset was beautiful to start, but everything was SO elegant and gorgeous. Beautiful white floral centerpieces with gold highlights, black and gold maraca favours, lights strung above…it was right out of the movies. The wait staff carried around appetizers and cocktails for our guests, the service was incredible. The meal was delicious as well. We had a three course dinner, salad to start, prime rib, and churros for dessert. Everyone commented on how great the food was here. Eva and Michael were still running around busy this whole time, making sure everything was flawless. I learned after that many guests approached them with their own questions (ie. Allergies in salad dressing, kids menu, etc.) and Eva and Michael assisted them graciously. We also had Michael as our DJ and I am so thankful we chose him! I was nervous as I didn’t have time to prepare a song list in the chaos of things, but we briefly told him the styles we like a few days before…and again it was like they read our minds! He played Mexican/Salsa light music during the cocktail hour, acoustic folk covers (think Jack Johnson type music) during dinner, and really got the party going after! We told him we wanted some stuff that was top 40ish for everyone, but with a majority being hip hop based for our younger crowd. He nailed it- I was amazed! He played really cool covers of Snoop Dog that I need to try and find now, blended with some oldies, and into some awesome classic hip hop to finish the night. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect, even better than I ever dreamed it could have been….and I can honestly say it was entirely because of Eva and Michael of Vallarta Weddings. A few of our friends who are not yet married asked us how much the wedding cost, as they estimated it to be well over 50 K Canadian. I am so happy to say that Eva and Michael helped us hold this beautiful wedding for under our budget of 20 k. I share this because I know when planning my wedding, I was always wondering how much things cost. I have no hesitations in referring anyone and everyone to Eva and Michael as I know they are the best you could have in Vallarta! If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me at [email protected]
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Hello ladies, We picked the NOW Sapphire as our DW and the date is set for May 2nd, 2017. I had some questions for past brides or anyone that could be of help. We are paying for my 2 (soon-to-be) stepchildren (1 of which will be at an adult rate as he's over 12 yrs old). Plus our photographer friend. So paying for 4 adults, 1 child as well as our honeymoon (so already at approx. 15k there)--- so we are trying to save where we can! Where there are 5 children so far coming, (that all love to dance), we decided we should have a "reception" of sorts. We currently are set up for the "Complimentary" (Your Moments) wedding package as we did not need a photographer and all packages would still require us to pay extras. We decided on the gazebo with the Preferred Pool as the "dance" location. We want to have the "dance" so that our photos include our first dance, father/daughter, mother/son, etc. photos... plus the kids would not be allowed at the disco later, AND if we were to opt for the disco instead of a reception, the parents of the other children would have to tend to their kids so I'd be missing 4 wedding party members. I'm terrified of all the extra costs. The cost is adding up and I'm not convinced that a "Package" will even help us out either. We're looking at renting the speakers from the resort (180$ per hour - 3 hours), and cost per additional guest after 10 is 22$ approx. (for the Your moments package) we are currently 30 attendding. Renting the Preferred pool is 1000$ and we are using an off site make up and hair team which wasn't cheap but it was something all of us ladies agreed on. 1-I'm thinking of bringing "fake bouquets" cause they seem pretty costly at the resort. I have 4 bridesmaids, 2 groomsmen and the 2 stepsons. What have some of you done regarding bouquets? 2-In regards to renting the speakers, we have also been in contact with a DJ where the speakers, the DJing would all be included but that would come with a vendor fee on top of their fee so approx 700$ I believe. Do any of you have any tips to share? I hear lots of brides mention a DJ app, how user friendly is this? 3-The lighting or decor... we want it to be very pretty for the photos, do any of you that chose the Preferred pool needed to bring anything additional? Lighting starts at 600$ and bringing your own, you'd still need to pay 100$ per pole to hang them. Any experience advice on that location? 4-During the wedding, do they play music or is that an additional fee? 5-Has the WC given out decor or anything complimentary with this package? i.e. aisle runner or little decorations on cocktail tables, etc or do they nickel & dime you every chance they get? 6-I was thinking of having some sort of video (short one), but not paying an abundant amout, has anyone done this at a reasonable cost? Basically - Have any of you chosen the "your moments" package, and if so, could you share your cost saving ideas? We aren't opposed to paying for some extras but just are looking at cost cutting where we can so that we can permit to spend a bit more on our guest bags and "at home party". I'm extremely excited about our choice and when I see all the photos our WC posts of the weddings, I'm in awe - I guess I picture that each bride must have paid for the packages and had a much larger budget than we do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :-) -
Gran Bahia Principe, Runaway Bay, Jamaica Wedding Jayne and Mason were wed on 1/13/2012. Jayne, username JayKay, used the BDW Community to bring her destination wedding to life. Jayne gives back to the BDW Community as she kindly shares the details of her perfect day in an interview below. Wedding Profile The Bride Jayne The Groom Mason Hometown Medecine Hat, Alberta, Canada Wedding Date January 13, 2012 Wedding Location Gran Bahia Principe, Runaway Bay, Jamaica Why did you choose to have a destination wedding? For us we always knew we would have a destination wedding. When I was in grade 4 I wrote a short story about how some day I would get married in Jamaica surrounded by the beach and ocean. Once we became engaged we just knew it would be a destination wedding rather than an at home wedding. We both come from very large families that are spread throughout all of Canada and the USA. I was also in University finishing my nursing degree and didn’t have time to plan a big formal at home wedding. And because I was in University, finances were tight and we knew a destination wedding would be cheaper. Why did you choose your location? When we first decided on a destination wedding we thought we would get married in Mexico. Once we started doing some research we decided Mexico wasn’t for us. We never really found any resort that jumped out at us as being the place we would get married (well beside a few resorts that were out of our price range). We had a pretty limited budget and wanted to find an affordable place for our guests. Also, some of our closest family members expressed concerns over Mexico due to safety reasons. We then pondered a few other locations, such as Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba. We eventually decided on Jamaica as we had only ever heard wonderful things about the country. Another perk of Jamaica was that it was super simple to get legally married there, which was really important to us. As to choosing the resort, lots of time and research went into deciding. I spent hours researching various resorts on BDW and tripadvisor. I made a list of every possible resort on the island of Jamaica and was able to narrow it down based on some criteria. We wanted it to be all inclusive, family friendly, reasonably priced wedding packages and a place that none of our family had been to before. We were able to narrow down our search to 4 resorts. From there we used the help of a travel agent who was able to provide us with feedback on the resorts as well as pricing. In the end we choose the resort, the Gran Bahia Principe, because it fit our budget and our checklist. Another plus was that it offered a free wedding package, which helped us save some money. And I fell in love with the ocean side gazebo! What were your wedding colors and/or theme? At first I wanted to have bright tropical colors to accent the blue ocean and white sand. I wanted to have fuchsia and orange. My husband thought that would be way to girly so we compromised and went with turquoise with lime green accents. In the end there really weren’t too many lime green accents but more of a variety of shades of blues. What made your wedding special? Every wedding is special in its own right. What made your wedding unique? I know its cliché, but I married my best friend in front of my family and best friends. The whole entire wedding day was so special, starting with the night before. My husband and I stayed separately as I wanted to see him for the first time on our wedding day when I walked down the aisle. I got to spend an amazing night with my now sister in law having so much fun, laughing until we cried. We spent the morning getting ready, just the two of us and I’m so happy we had that time together as she was able to help calm my nerves (she was married in Mexico 3 years ago). Another very special moment is when my parents walked me down the aisle. My parents mean so very much to me and I’m so glad they were able to be a part of my wedding day. I know there are many brides out there who have lost their mother or father, or whose parents couldn’t be a part of their wedding day so I feel very blessed mine were there. One of the major challenges of putting together a destination wedding is finding and working with your ideal vendors from afar. What wedding vendors did you use to put together this spectacular wedding? Photographer -- Merrick Cousley Photography Florist -- Tai Floral Wedding Coordinator -- Wedding Dress -- Tai Floral Invitations -- Vista Print You were an active member of BDW and created some great content. Could you please summarize (with hyperlinks) some of your best work for us? Iron-On Transfer for OOT Bags VistaPrints STD Magnets JayKay's Jamaican Wedding Planning Thread Your Wedding was absolutely beautiful! Your posts and reviews will be extrememely helpful to our new brides. Thank you for sharing your special day with us at BDW. Dear members, if you planned your wedding with the help of our community we would love to hear from you. Contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in sharing your wedding experience with us. For more information here is the "BDW Real Weddings | Featured Wedding Submission Information Thread" Thanks! -
Hi everybody! I'm a 2017 bride, but I already start making preparations for my wedding. I plan a destination wedding but still have no idea about the wedding venue. Anyone has some great ideas? I also would like to know your budget and wedding theme! xx~- 11 replies
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This post is the final part of my 3 part review of SWO and my wedding in Jamaica. If you missed Part 1 & 2 go back and read them as there is valuable info about the resort, outside vendors, and SWO wedding coordinators. (Part 1 of 3 is here and part 2 of 3 is here) BRINGING DECORATIONS FROM HOME I brought 1 suitcase of various items from home with me for decorating the gazebo and took them to the meeting with the wedding coordinator 2 days before our wedding. I was a little worried before the meeting because during my emails with the wedding coordinators they said I would have to pay a minimum of $50 for setting up my decorations on the gazebo. This annoyed me because all the other SWO brides on here said the wedding coordinators set everything up for them for free and these brides had way more stuff than I did. Turns out I was worried for nothing though because once I got to the meeting the coordinators said they would take care of everything and there would be no extra charge. My room was overlooking the gazebo and on the day of the wedding I was able to watch them decorating the gazebo. It was very windy and they struggled quite a bit to get my drapery hung but they never gave up and in the end it looked beautiful. I will say I did bring a little treat of maple candies I picked up at the airport before leaving Canada for each of the wedding coordinators to our meeting so not sure if this helped them decide not to charge me but I’m pretty sure it didn’t hurt either CEREMONY (MINISTER, CAKE, VIOLINST) There are several beautiful locations throughout the resort where you can have your ceremony but we chose to have our ceremony at the gazebo on the Wild Orchid side. I will break down each of the other location options in the next section. We really loved the Wild Orchid gazebo location since it out on a pier and you can only get to it by walking down a long boardwalk so it was more private than the other locations. If you have 12 guests or less then I highly recommend the Wild Orchid Gazebo location. We chose to have our wedding in the 4pm time slot so we could take some sunset pictures after the ceremony. Getting married at 4pm is a little risky since this is the time of day you are most likely to experience “liquid sunshine” in Jamaica but we were lucky and did not have a single drop of rain on our wedding day. As a side note: you can pay extra to have your wedding at 5PM which they call the sunset wedding option but before booking it check with dateandtime.com because depending on the time of year the sun might not be setting until later so you’ll pay extra for nothing. When we got married in February the sun was setting until 6:30PM. The ceremony is 20 minutes long and then you have another 30 minutes to do the post ceremony activities (IE: champagne, cake). the wedding coordinators run the whole thing with precision. They did do a beautiful job but I often felt like they were rushing us through the signing of the marriage certificate and cake cutting to stay within their allotted time. Even our photographer cracked a joke about being in the military at one point. Just before the ceremony was about to start one of the wedding coordinators came and picked me up with a golf cart from the lobby of my building. She escorted me to the start of the gazebo boardwalk and instructed me when to start walking so I would be in sync with the wedding music. She also reminded me to keep my head up and smile so Misha would capture good pictures which I appreciated because I probably would have looked down to avoid tripping had she not reminded me Music - originally I was just going to bring some pre-recorded music on my iPod but in the end decided to splurge and hire the violinist provided by the resort. I’m so glad I made this change. He was so amazing and added an extra something to our ceremony. I provided a list of songs I wanted to the wedding coordinators during the planning stage and they confirmed with the violinist that he could play them. I originally asked the wedding coordinators for a list of what he could play but they said he didn’t have one and to just request what I wanted and they would check with him to see if he could play those songs. Not sure if they were just being lazy or if he really doesn’t have a play list but either way everything I asked for he was able to play. I had him play “All of me” by John Legend when I walked down the aisle and he did it flawlessly. His name is Jose Salgado and here is a link to a YouTube video of him playing a selection of songs: When you get the violinist you have him for 1 hour so I had him arrive 15 before the ceremony to play music for our guests before I arrived. He then stayed after the ceremony and played music while we were having our champagne toasts and cake. I highly recommend hiring him. Minister - Our minister’s name was Terrence and he was such a character. We met with him at the wedding coordinator meeting 2 days before our wedding and went over the details of the ceremony. He then told us we had two choices how to respond to his questions during the ceremony. We could either say “I do” or we could say “I will”. He suggested we go with “I will” as “I do” means you’ve already done it, “I will” means you will always do it. We chose to say “I will” During the ceremony Terrence had us all laughing with little jokes and crying tears of joy during the tender moments. I’m not sure if the resort only uses him as their minister but if not request Terrence; he’s fantastic. Cake - Right after the ceremony and marriage certificate signing we moved on to the cake. Since we had the free package we had a 1 tier cake in either chocolate or vanilla. We chose vanilla and it was delicious. This cake feeds about 12 people so we had leftovers and asked the wedding coordinator’s box up a second slice for my grandparents to take back to their room, had a second slice boxed and sent to our room for later and then had the rest of the cake delivered to the Preferred Club concierge staff to share. They really appreciated this and it meant the cake didn’t go to waste. PS – I brought individual size cake boxes from home for this. You can buy them from Michaels. During the pre-wedding meeting with the coordinators I gave them a cake topper I had made to match my other flowers and some dark blue ribbon. They passed those onto the cake people and they decorated the cake with the items I provided. They did not charge extra to decorate the cake. My husband is a firefighter so since we were getting married far from home and couldn’t have true firefighter wedding I special ordered a fire axe with our names and wedding date engraved to use for cutting our cake. We gave that to the wedding coordinators at the meeting too and they made sure it made it safely to the ceremony and then kept it safe after the ceremony until we picked it up at their office the next day. It was actually pretty funny when I first pulled the axe out of the suit case to show them at our meeting. Their eyes got so wide and they looked scared until we told them what it was for. Then they each took turns waving it around and telling my husband he better behave or else apparently we were the first people to bring a fire axe to cut our cake because they thought it was a great idea and said had never seen it before. As a side note – We live in Ottawa Canada so once the weather got nicer at home we arrange to have a local photographer capture a post wedding photo shoot with my husband in his firefighter uniform and me in my wedding dress. Even though it was not our wedding day it was nice to be able to capture this very important aspect of our lives. I will make a separate post about this topic later. ALTERNATE LOCATIONS FOR CEREMONY If the Wild Orchid gazebo is not suitable for you because your group is too large or you don’t like the location then you have a few other options around the resort. The St.James side also has a gazebo on the water but in my opinion the Wild Orchid is in a better location and looks like it is better maintained. Just like Wild Orchid it is only suitable for groups of 12 or less. For larger groups you have the option to get married in the beach front casita. This location is nice but is very close to the main Wild Orchid pool and right beside the main water front walking path of the resort. This means it is not private at all. You have about 25 feet of space between the walkway and where you will stand to get married. We witnessed several other weddings at this location while we were there and each time a big crowd of people in wet bathing suits were gathered watching the ceremony and taking pictures. I’m sure this crowd made the wedding photographer’s job harder….trying to capture the bride and groom’s special moments while trying to keep the fat middle aged man in a speedo out of the shot The wedding coordinators do try to contain the crowd and keep them quiet but if you’ve ever been in a big group of drunk people then you know this is easier said than done. If having a bunch of “looky loos” watching your wedding doesn’t matter to you then go ahead and book this location as it is right on the water so you won’t need to decorate it much to have a pretty backdrop for your pictures. If you do have your ceremony in this location the wedding coordinators will set up your dinner reception on the small beach area right beside it so everything will be in the same location. small beach area beside casita where receptions are View from casita to main walkway View from main walkway to casita The alternate location for larger groups is the on the beach right in front of the Barracuda beach bar on the Wild Orchid side. This location is more private than the Casita but there is no shade so if you are worried about your guests sitting in the hot sun rent a tent or maybe provide them with cute parasols in your wedding colours to shade themselves. Just like the Casita the wedding coordinators will set up your dinner reception on the beach right beside your ceremony. This beach area is bigger so if you have a really large group then I would recommend it as you will have more space for everyone once the party gets started. This is the location I had chosen when I thought we were going to have a large group as I was also going to have a steel drum band and bonfire party after dinner so I wanted enough room for everything. No matter which location you choose if it rains the wedding coordinators will move your ceremony to the covered patio beside the ball room and your reception will be in the ballroom. I never asked because I wanted to be married outside but I’m sure if you wanted to get married in the ballroom or its patio (rain or shine) that would probably be an option too. PRIVATE WEDDING DINNER IN GAZEBO If you book 7 nights or more at SWO for your wedding then you will qualify for the Honeymoon package. This is apparently a $995 value that they give you for free. Along with a couple massage (which we used 2 days before the wedding) the Honeymoon package included a candlelight dinner for two during our stay. Once we discovered that it was just going to be us and my grandparents at the wedding I went ahead and booked a special dinner for my grandparents at the French restaurant (reservations are required at this restaurant if you want to sit inside.) I then asked the wedding coordinators during our pre-wedding meeting about booking our candlelight dinner for the night of our wedding. They said they could not do that and we would have to eat in one of the restaurants with everyone else or pay for a special beach dinner on our wedding night. Preferred Club Concierge to the rescue again. After our meeting with the wedding coordinators I stopping in our lobby and asked the concierge if they could book our candlelight honeymoon dinner on our wedding night and they said “no problem, mon!” Normally when you have the candlelight dinner it is set up on the beach but our concierge arranged to have it in the Wild Orchid gazebo where we got married and went even further to make sure all our wedding ceremony decorations were left up so we could enjoy them. Needless to say I tipped them well The concierge reviewed the menu options with us and we picked our selections ahead of time. For our main course we both had filet mignon and lobster and everything was delicious. Our dinner was booked for 7pm so once we were done with our photos we invited Misha and Kenmar to join us for a drink in our lobby, after our drinks we said our good-byes to them and heading off to our dinner. As we walked towards the gazebo we noticed that on top of our decorations our waiter had decorated the walkway to the gazebo and the gazebo itself with candles. During our dinner the waiter stayed at the far end of the gazebo boardwalk to give us our privacy. If we needed him we just waved and he would come. Everything was so romantic and beautiful. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful and private location to enjoy our first meal as husband and wife. So this concludes my very looooooong review of SWO and Jamaica. I will leave you with the following tips and suggestions: •Stay strong and don’t get pushed around by the wedding coordinators. They will try to bully you into doing what is easiest for them but it is your wedding so fight for what is really important to you. •Get rsvps from your invited guests before the resort’s 2-month deadline. I was naïve and set my response deadline for the same day as the resort head count deadline and ended up having to chase people to get their replies. I ended up being about two weeks late with my finally head count. •Be willing to accept that many (or all) your friends and family will not be able to attend your wedding. Some will not be able to afford it, some will not want to go to the resort you choose, and some will not have a valid reason they will just not come. Every destination bride out there will tell you this is just comes with the territory of having a destination wedding. •Hire a private driver to pick you up from the airport upon arrival. You will be bringing extra luggage and having private transportation means you can get to the resort quicker….we left the airport about 15 minutes after the bus had left and still beat the bus to the resort by a good ½ hour. We hired Jeffery Stephens from Reggae Tours and he was fantastic. •If you are flying into Montego Bay book with Club MoBay for arrival and departure services. On arrival they will greet you at your gate with a sign that has you name on it and personally escort you past all the security and straight to the exit. If you’ve ever been through security in the Mo Bay airport you know what a lifesaver this service is. They also have a private lounge on arrival and departure where you can have free drinks, snacks, and freshen up/change your clothes. This is great if you are coming from or going to a cold climate since you’re not stuck in your winter clothes while travelling to or from the resort. •During the planning process don’t panic; the coordinators know what they are doing. it will all come together and be beautiful. •Most importantly: BREATHE. You are marrying the love of your life in a beautiful tropical location….enjoy the moment!
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Hi everyone! I'm going with Jasmin and Matt photography who I highly recommend for my big day on 1/21/17 at Azul Sensatori in Mexico. The outside vendor fee is 800 dollars though...wowsers. Anyone ever negotiated this down or have any tips for doing so? It really seems over the top especially since I'm using the resort for everything else so it's not like they're not making plenty of money on me lol. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. Thanks! -Sarah- 2 replies
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Brides.com: 5 Things Guests Hate Most About Wedding
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
We've all been to at least one wedding in our lifetime, and while it is a joyous and celebratory gathering, no wedding goes 100 percent as planned. Things go wrong at weddings all the time, both big and small. But there are some aspects that a couple should consider ahead of time to avoid having unhappy guests during their Wedding Day. According to a recent article published in Brides.com, here are 5 things guests hate most about weddings: 1) Delayed Receptions Don't wait too long to feed the guests once the ceremony ends. At the very least, have a cocktail and appetizer hour to keep your guests happy before the reception begins. Also keep in mind that if you're having children present, there should be activities to keep them occupied rather than having them run around amongst starved guests. 2) Lack of Planning Keep in communication with your guests to ensure that they are aware of any changes to the schedule. Remember when planning, to think of every aspect of the day and carefully plan your details out -- having a wedding coordinator, or at the very least, a "day-of" coordinator is a great way to ensure that all bases are covered. 3) No Microphones at the Ceremony Make sure you have the proper tools (microphones) and sound system in place to ensure that your guests can actually hear your vows. This is especially important if you're having a ceremony outdoors (beach especially!), there's nothing worse than your guests traveling both near and far and then not giving them a chance to fully witness your nuptials because they can't hear them. Consider having microphones if you're not sure your guests will be able to hear you during the ceremony. 4) The Bride Venting About Her Wedding (At the Wedding) Don't be that bride who complains about her wedding while at the wedding! Yes, you may be stressed and exhausted, but expressing your disappointment to your guests and bridal party will make them feel uncomfortable during a time when they are there to celebrate you. 5) Cash Bar If you're having guests travel to your destination wedding, consider offering at least a limited bar if an open bar isn't within your budget. This article was originally published on Brides.com. Tell us, what is your pet peeve when it comes to attending weddings? -
The hashtag -- it's the modern day way of putting a stamp on your wedding and collecting all those photos that will make their way onto social media throughout your Wedding experience. Last weekend I photographed a destination wedding for a couple who hosted a lavish Las Vegas wedding and their hashtag was #epicloveparty -- it was a brilliant way to brand their wedding and all their guests totally bought into the hashtag process. The morning after their wedding, I sat in bed and sifted through so many fun images on Facebook and Instagram based on their hashtag. And now the couple says they're working on their #epiclovestory -- seriously though, how cute is that? Do you love this idea and want to create your own epic hashtag? Wedding Wire has an awesome hashtag generator to help you craft the perfect hashtag. The Knot also offers these great tips to consider before creating your hashtag (to read about these tips in more depth, click here): Step 1. Start with your names. Step 2. Use numbers for a simple way to set your hashtag apart. Step 3. Get punny. Step 4. Avoid easy misspellings. Step 5. Capitalize the first letter of each word. Step 6. Check the hashtag. Step 7. Spread the word. Step 8. Don't overthink it. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world.
