*The official St. Lucia Brides CHAT thread*

[CTall119]

Hi Kristy!

 

Yay! Welcome home from St. Lucia (and Punta Cana)

 

Can't wait to hear more details and see more beautiful pictures!

[sn0048]

Chantelle,

That's great that you and your parents are going up to St. Lucia early so yall can get acclimated to the place beforehand and I love that you're having a welcome brunch for all of your guests! Where are you holding the brunch? Sandals? It's very nice of you to let your guests enjoy their vacation as for us I think we might have suggested things going and people can choose to join Branden & I (I really want to try the ziplining). Your sunset wedding sounds absolutely romantic! I'm sure your guests will love it as well as the dinner on the beach. That truly does sound fabulous! As for me I wasn't anticipating being fully involved until my WC became unresponsive My fiance and I along with all of our guests are traveling together from Dallas and will arrive in St. Lucia on Monday 08/03 in the afternoon. They'll have almost three days to lounge/relax/explore. I really want to do the ziplining and I've heard awesome things about Joy's Tours so I think we might do that on Wednesday. The wedding is Thursday 08/06 and we're getting married at 4 P.M. at the Gazebo overlooking the ocean. After that we're having a cocktail hour while we take pictures and then we're having our reception at the restaurant on the pier. As far as the gift bags I honestly didn't know about them until I joined the website! I want to do something non-traditional but I have no idea what to put in them...any ideas? Also, other than gift bags and wedding favors is there anything else we need to provide for our guests? I'm not really up with wedding etiquette and any help would be appreciated!

~Shivani

[sn0048]

Hey Kristy,

Welcome back! Thanks for the flower shack suggestion they have beautiful and reasonable packages there! I can't wait to see pictures

~Shivani

[CTall119]

Hey Shivani!

 

Yes. I have had NO luck with the WC provided to me. She was from Miami...and, as you mentioned, totally unresponsive. My Fiance and I are spending WAAAY too much money to not have our questions answered (at all OR at least within a reasonable amount of time, etc.)

 

I understand the concept of having a wedding at a couples resort - and I LOVE the fact that they do not cater to LARGE groups. However...

 

I wanted to have a small brunch - nothing fancy, nothing private, nothing catered - just a small brunch to welcome everyone, to thank them for coming, and to inform them about somethings on the island - off of the resort - they can do (ie: ziplining, Simon Says tours, etc.)

 

I was told that it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a brunch for my guests at a couples resort UNLESS I wanted to pay $50 per person PLUS $1900 to rent a private room for an hour. I was shocked. This information came through the WC, too.

 

I ended up contacting Sandals direct and spoke to the Property Manager over the phone and through email. Everything is sorted now...and he is allowing my group to have a Champagne brunch the Friday after everyone arrives in a private room, free of charge.

 

In regard to the gift bags...there are TONS of ideas that can be found on this board; many that are creative and lots of non traditional ideas. I have been working on mine for what feels like forever, but in the end, as another gesture of my thanks (for spending $3000 to come and celebrate with us) a meaningful (I hope) gift bag for my guests I feel is the LEAST that we can do.

 

The contents of mine, thus far, include:

- Embroidered Towels (our colors are bright orange and bright fuschia; the men will get orange with their names embroidered in lime green and the women will get bright fuschia with their names embroidered in lime green)

- An invitation to our Champagne Brunch.

- A personal thank you note (that matches all of our wedding stationary) for coming to celebrate.

- A 3.3oz bar of handmade Aloe-Aloe soap from a soap company in Ohio (which has essential oils and shea butter so it smells good, is huge, and will help battle the burning after effects of the sun!)

- A disposable underwater camera (you can get these very inexpensively from Amazon.com)

- An organza bag with packages of: Swedish Fish and Gold Fish (beach wedding, fish theme) and a tin of mints that match our wedding stationary.

 

My mother and I are going out this weekend to see if we can find paper bags, raffia and faux flowers that will accomodate all of these items...as we are packing an extra suit case to fit them all in to bring down with us. Yikes, right?!

 

The restaurant on the pier is supposed to be LOVELY! Very romantic, open air, and great food. You have to let me know what you think...because if you like it, I will be sure to make a reservation to eat there upon my arrival to the Grande.

 

Are you staying in St. Lucia after your family leaves for your honeymoon? Are you planning on doing anything with the candlelight dinner (also looks amazing) or at the spa?

 

I love the Gazebo weddings; the pictures from them look beautiful...and if I opted to actually wear heels instead of flipflops...I too would have gotten married there as well. I guess it still may be an option!

 

Have you found your dress yet?

 

And dont be disappointed about the WC. You are better off planning for the minute details yourself! That way...you get what you want :-)

[sn0048]

Chantelle,

Way to go to the actual source to get things done! You are right it is far more efficient to get things done the way you want them by yourself The contents of your welcome bags sounds fantastic and I'm sure your guests are going to love them! I think I may make mine with tons of candy because anyone that knows me knows that I am a candy fiend! My fiance and I are staying an extra three days (I have to one week before I go back to school) and I really want to take the day trip to St. Vincent & the Grenadines but we will see if we have sufficient funds after all is said and done. Are you and your future husband staying longer or are you guys going somewhere else? I am 5'2 (and 3/4) so I need all the height I can get so I am wearing some killer heels under my dress I think they may be four inches. As for my dress, I know this isn't very bride-like but I ordered mine online and happily it worked out It's an ivory strapless dress with some crystal beading on the top and I'm wearing it for the reception and pictures but for the reception I'm going to change into something more comfortable...since I'm Indian my fiance wants me to wear a sari but we shall see because it takes a while to put it one correctly. But what about you? Do you have your dress all picked out?

~Shivani

[Kasey324]

Hello everyone!

I am planning a St Lucia wedding in May 2010 but undecided on location. I definitely want an AI kid-friendly resort for my guests. I've been looking at the Windjammer, Jalousie Plantation, Almond Morgan Bay, and Coconut Bay. After reading everyone's posts, I share many of your concerns/fears about planning a wedding on an island I've never visited. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[sn0048]

Kasey,

Welcome to the forum! There are so many resources here and everyone is super helpful As far as where to have your wedding it just depends on what you are looking for. I choose an All-Inclusive Resort because I wanted a no-muss no fuss wedding (or so I thought) but be careful because with most of the all-inclusive resort there are hidden costs associated with the wedding and sometimes the wedding coordinators are not as responsive as we'd like them to be. I figure that since we are spending so much for our friends and family to share in our special day, I would like prompt responses or sometimes responses at all but they might be on island time. I will let you know how things go when we get back. Anyway welcome again and good luck!

~Shivani

[Kasey324]

Thanks Shivani!

I am also looking for a no fuss wedding. I have been doing tons of research trying to uncover all the hidden costs at each place. Good Luck for your upcoming wedding!

~Kasey~

[Chickadee]

Welcome back, Kristy!! And welcome all new St. Lucia brides! I am so excited - we leave Monday for a day in Miami then Tuesday, look out St. Lucia, here we come!

 

We are staying at the Rendezvous, an all inclusive and will have our wedding on the beach, Friday June 19th. The wedding planners at the Rendezvous have been fabulous so far. I've had no hidden costs and lots of great communication with them. We've talked on the phone, letters and emails.

 

I just finished my bouquet and Rob's boutinaire. I did them in silk so I'd have just I wanted. I am one of "those" brides with 4 gowns! Eek! As we planned and I thought, my idea of our wedding changed. I started with a gorgeous Jessica McClintock that I bought online. However, it did not flatter my figure. :-( So then I got a fantastic deal on a chiffon Alfred Angelo that was very simple, again online, but didn't feel like a bride in it. :-( I ended up with a very elegant beaded and sequined lace gown (slight mermaid) that I absolutely adore! Then I got a TTD so that makes 4 dresses!! I'll end up selling the Jessica McClintock and the Alfred Angelo but I can't even think about that now!!

 

I have everything I need, including a short and a long veil that everyone here helped me decide that I needed depending on the weather. All I am missing is a garter - something that is not a big priority for me. If I get one that's ok, if I don't that's also ok.

 

I'm packing tonight as well as a few girl friends have invited me for a farewell drink. Oops, just saw the time - need to go have that margarita!

[Kasey324]

Have fun Chickadee! And of course we want to hear all about it when you get back

~Kasey~