Azul Sensatori Brides - POST HERE!

[dstinationdrmr]

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Originally Posted by bigboponthebeach Hello Everyone! I'm a Newbie and just joined BDW about 3 days ago. My FH and I signed our contract last week for a May 2011 ceremony at the Azul Sensatori. I found this site after searching for reviews on MR photographers and I have been lost ever since. :-) I spent hte past 2 days just trying to read this thread alone and have only gotten about 75 pages completed. I posted twice, once as the automated welcome email asked me to, and another in a 2011 Brides thread. I have not received any responses thus far, so I don't even know if I'm posting correctly on this site. :-/ Anywho, it looks like there are quite a few of you in here and if anyone who has recently married at the Azul Sensatori is game to "initiate or haze" me into what what to expect and which vendors I should be looking at closer, please feel free! I am all ears and eager to accept all advice I can get. Oh and I have to share with you all that I am trying to break the bank to get Elizabeth Medina to photograph our wedding!!! I found her site by accident and I AM IN LOVE with her work!!! If anyone has experience with her as well.....I'm ALL ears! Have a great Sunday, Ladies and I so look forward to getting to know you all! All the best!

I know its a lot, but try to read or at least skim the pages. It took me about a month to actually get to the point where I could start posting because I was reading most of the time. We're here to answer your questions, but reading past posts really may bring things up that you never thought of. The ladies here are amazing!!! I COULD NOT PLAN THIS WEDDING WITHOUT THEM. I kinda feel bad for the people who don't find this post or got married at AS in the beginning stages of the post. The things they must have missed out on!

I'm not sure if anyone has told you this, but you can't use any Mexican photogs other than Caribe and Matais Cano (accepted vendors from the resort). Other than that, you have to bring someone with you, which I decided to do. I like Elizabeth Medina's work too, but from what I hear, the money you would spend on her, you can bring someone with you from the States and save money. Just a suggestion.

[dstinationdrmr]

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart Meredith - I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I know it is rough, even moreso going through wedding planning I'm sure ( I know I was very emotional planning my wedding) so just know my thoughts are with you and vent to us if you need. Why don't you take over and do the to do list's for the thread if they helped, I think you'd be perfect for it Also, the best advice I ever got planning my wedding was, don't listen to anyone HAHA, catch 22 I know. I agree with Meaghan, I think it's actually rude to send invites to guests who have already told you they aren't coming. I didn't send invites to guests not coming, I plan to send them announcements when I get all my photos and I'll do like a photo announcement just letting everyone know we thought about them and they are included. Wendy - LOL! Dear husband, now that makes sense Destination husband I guess does too but it's funny the first thing your mind goes to. Amy - Holy cow girl... no words can describe how excited I am for you!!! You think you're excited now? You're in for a brand new feeling... I feel like a part of a special club and have felt something that only happy married Mrs. feel and can't wait for all the amazing bride to be's I know that are about to join <---- sooooooo cheesy! LOL! Sammyhawk - Congrats Mrs.! So glad your day was unbelievable! I thought the same thing on my wedding day, you know if it rains, it wouldn't have even mattered, I would have had a blast regardless. Besides rain on your wedding day is gooood luck!

Thanks Amy. As far as me taking over the to-do-list I haven't even figured out how to multi quote! Lol. If no one else will do it I guess I'll have to sit and figure it out because it was TRULY helpful. Something about other people looking at what you're doing that makes you behave

[dstinationdrmr]

I was browsing the site and found a thread for sky lanterns. Has anyone getting married @ AS tried to use these? I'm wondering if they'll be allowed.

[thefuturemrslutz]

Sorry girls, I have been MIA!! Do you girls want me to do the list? I will be glad to do it...

[thefuturemrslutz]

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Originally Posted by meghan Amy, your photos are amazing! I'm so excited to go now! I'm glad you had so many good things to say! Your advice is super helpful...thanks for telling us! Katie, Congratulations!!! Your pictures are beautiful!! Thanks for thinking of me...we did have a big stress for a while. Our airline went bankrupt, so we had to change our flight date, which meant we had to change our wedding date, so for a while we had no wedding date. ...and we lost our photographer. But our TA has compensated us, plus our guests and we have a photographer we like....whew!

THIS IS AWESOME NEWS!!! SO glad it all worked out for you! I knew it would

[thefuturemrslutz]

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Originally Posted by amandamarieb Thanks guys. Oh and by making a photo booth I mean I am getting some fun vintage fabric and having it hand from this 8' tall collapsable event banner thingy. (I have no idea what to call it. I do PR so it was a client's from an event... basically a retractable hook on either end of a self standing poll.) We bought this great polaroid type camera that prints out mini photos that have an aged feel to them. We are going to leave the camera on the table next to the booth with directions on how to operate. We are going to bring a box of props for people to use in their photos. Then we are ordering antique looking placard frames that fit the mini polaroid-type photos.

THIS IS AN AMAZING IDEA!!!!! Love it!!!!

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart Hi girls! Just for any of you that weren't able to see my FB pix, my photographer just posted them all on his blog: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...blogged-59268/

I heart your pictures soooo much!!!! I know I have told u 100 times, but I needed to tell u on here too!!

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Originally Posted by taylorwd Hahahaha you're right! I think we all forgot about this in all of our post-wedding glow! Because I scheduled my shoot so close to my wedding, I still don't have my book. I just sent the revisions back last week so hopefully I'll have it really soon! I might give it to him when we have our AHR. I think we're staying in a hotel downtown so that'll be a good time. BUT, hubby LOOOOOOOOOOVED the pictures I had printed for him!!!!! I gave them to him in person on our wedding day while we were having breakfast on our balcony. When he opened it and I explained the reasons for doing the shoot for him, I made him cry!! One now sits very nicely displayed by our bed. The other is in his underwear drawer so he can see it every morning

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart OH!! Well, at 4pm I sent my MOH over to the boys room where there were all getting ready. They already had one of my photogs over there taking pictures of them getting ready so I asked my MOH to take him away from all the boys and deliver it to him privately and the photog captured his reaction and all that. I haven't seen those pictures yet. The first thing he said to me after we got married and walked back down the aisle was... "OMG, that BOOK. A-MAZING! You are sooooo damn hot!" He was totally blown away. One of the groomsmen told me later that after he received the book my husband told him that he was going to take it with him on every work trip he went on and keep in in his desk next to a bottle of whiskey... LOL, I'm not sure why exactly but its cute and manly I guess. My MOH said his face was priceless and she made him look at every single page and he teared up at the end. The end of the book was that photo of me walking away holding my bra and next to it I put some Frank Sinatra lyrics that I absolutely love... so I'd say it was a total success!

Amy and Wendy!!! These stories are soooo sweet!!! I was literally in tears reading about your fi's reactions!!!!!!! I was telling my FI about your books and he seemed so confused...so now I am worried he won't even like mine

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Originally Posted by amybermuda Hi Renee! I was panicking last week but am much calmer today! I delegated a lot of tasks to bridesmaids and Mom (iPod playlists, bug spray, ring cleaner, and favor candies). So my To Do list is: Figure out which corset to wear under dress Return other corsets Organize taxi transfers from CUN (ours were blank) Get new sunglasses Get false eyelashes (any recs ladies?) WORK OUT Pack Send out AHR invites (this will be time consuming b/c I have to hand address them - going to have my friend help me tonight) All of the extra wedding crap I could have gone either way on doing or not doing --- I am not doing anymore in the interest of sanity! You have all day Saturday and Sunday - 8am to 8pm - Just remmeber that - you will get everything done! And don't feel bad delegating I cant wait to hear all about your day!!!!!!!!!!

You seem like you are on top everything! YAY!!!!

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart Ladies, I just found out my AHR (being thrown completely for me financially and all by some of my friends & MOH) is next Saturday! I'm actually completely freaked out by this... I feel like I've easily put on 10lbs during my honeymoon week... which lasted throughout this whole week as well, I'm not gonna lie For you girls doing an AHR (or already did one), any suggestions?? All I can think of now is to bring my guest books for people and maybe the wedding photo pictures of my parents and grandparents etc. It's weird being totally in the dark about everything except, where and when!

Hey what about making a video slideshow online of your wedding pictures? VIMEO is a great site, and I don't think it takes long at all. I think you just upload your videos and music and it creates the show for you. I know how you feel about the weight, but do not worry! And you know how to drop 5 lbs in a week...I am sure you look fabulously happy and in love and complete!!!!

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Originally Posted by dstinationdrmr Hi Ladies, Gonna post for some inspiration/motivation.... I have not been doing anything lately. Kinda depressed actually because someone I know is in her last stages of life. Her health has declined quickly and it kinda caught me by surprise. She's not related to me or anything, but I highly respect and admire her. Not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but because of that I've kinda lost the pep in my step! Naturally I got on the to-do-list band wagon as soon as Amy F "graduated" from doing it, lol. But I can say it really helped. I actually completed every task on my list at the time besides buying his ring and that's because the jeweler says his finger should be measured in the summer to account for swelling. Anyway, my next big decision is invites but I have no clue what to put on/in them! I am leaning toward doing a boarding pass type invite, but I'll need to include a lot of info and adding pages will of course increase the price. So, then there's a pocketfold invite with inserts but I'm not sure what to include. Do we really need an RSVP? I'm sure it would be helpful to include info about the resort, airport transfers, TA, cocktail party, ceremony and reception info...am I missing anything? Sad part is some of that may change because my WC says that if my party goes above 50, we'll have to move from Plaza Zavaz (which is booked for both the party and reception). And go where is my question? Plus I have FI's cousin helping me with things and she says it's not proper etiquette to not send invites to those who we know aren't coming (esp since on the STD it said "formal invitation to follow"). Ok, I get this, but am I crazy to think that if people were interested in coming we would know about it? I mean who plans to come to a DW and not ask questions or express interest to the bride/groom or TA for that matter? Not to mention the fact that we are now @ 47 people coming (2 groomsmen still haven't booked not sure if they're bringing dates) and we only budgeted for 50! So basically I'll be buying 125 invites to send to people who have already made up their minds not to come or will change their minds and come at the last minute (which won't help matters much). I feel like I'm at a standstill because everytime I inquire about guest list with my TA it has changed. Last time I checked in with her it was 37. 10 people booked in less than a month and after the rsvp date mind you. OMG! As I'm typing this I get the call that the lady I was talking about just died. I guess all I just typed seems unimportant now.

UGH this is sooooo sad!!! I am SO sorry!!! I was having a bad day about the wedding bawling my eyes out...then I felt guilty. So I know how you feel, but it is STILL you wedding and STILL important. It's all relative...
Now in regards to invites...I can help you. I did passport invites AND pocketfold invites all by myself...They were not expensive at all. I have a fabulous paper store online (Card Stock, Vellum Paper, Envelopes, Metallic Cardstock, Invitation Cards   Specialty Wedding Stationery - Paperandmore.com) that is VERY reasonable. Let me know how I can help you!!! You can email me if you like: [email protected]

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Originally Posted by amybermuda Ok girls.... I am closing up the computer and getting ready to go to bed. 9 hours til I board my flight to Miami and then off to Cancun. I have 2 suitcases packed and Mark has 3 (2 of which are the OOT bags). I have the wedding details sheet printed as well as our ceremony and readings; packed my USB key with all the details. Shoes - check; dress - check; rings - check!!! I am so nervous and excited !!!! This has been over a year coming and I am so happy its here but also sad that it means my wedding planning days are over. Its been a roller coaster of emotion, starting from when, 2 months after getting engaged, FI got transferred to Boston and we've been living apart for 9 months. I can't say I regret anything - even my stupid travel agent got us a beachfront massage and our guests on the short list for upgrades, so it seems it was just a hassle more than anything looking back. Very surreal now... Anyways, I will post my planning thread and review when I get back. Hope you all have a great week and think of me on May 29th!!!! Amy

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!! SO excited for you!!!! AND PROUD that you lost allllll that weight!!! I can't wait to hear all about it when you return!! xoxoxoxoxoxo

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart Meredith - I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I know it is rough, even moreso going through wedding planning I'm sure ( I know I was very emotional planning my wedding) so just know my thoughts are with you and vent to us if you need. Why don't you take over and do the to do list's for the thread if they helped, I think you'd be perfect for it Also, the best advice I ever got planning my wedding was, don't listen to anyone HAHA, catch 22 I know. I agree with Meaghan, I think it's actually rude to send invites to guests who have already told you they aren't coming. I didn't send invites to guests not coming, I plan to send them announcements when I get all my photos and I'll do like a photo announcement just letting everyone know we thought about them and they are included. Wendy - LOL! Dear husband, now that makes sense Destination husband I guess does too but it's funny the first thing your mind goes to. Amy - Holy cow girl... no words can describe how excited I am for you!!! You think you're excited now? You're in for a brand new feeling... I feel like a part of a special club and have felt something that only happy married Mrs. feel and can't wait for all the amazing bride to be's I know that are about to join <---- sooooooo cheesy! LOL! Sammyhawk - Congrats Mrs.! So glad your day was unbelievable! I thought the same thing on my wedding day, you know if it rains, it wouldn't have even mattered, I would have had a blast regardless. Besides rain on your wedding day is gooood luck!

hahaha DEAR HUSBAND...that makes complete sense. I was thinking it was dedicated husband!
SAMMYHAWK!! COngrats MRS! and welcome back!! Can't wait to see pictures!

[taylorwd]

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Originally Posted by Sammyhawk OMG girls, so I know I haven't been the biggest contributer to this forum, mostly used it for major questions and to vent! I have to say that I am so thankful that I found you girls in February, this forum has been a life saver. I just got home from our wedding at Azul Sensatori, and it was fabulous! I have to say the weather wasn't the best, the worst day was of course our wedding day, but it was still a blast. We still got married on the beach rain and wind in all! So much for buying a TTD my first one got soaked! It is actually fine, I ended up getting more use out of my TTD though (since it was dry to put on for the reception). I will try to put together a planning thread now that I am done with wedding planning, though I am still working on the AHR planning, so be patient. That and a lot of my details got drenched (my fan favors, which who needed them in the rain and wind? And my programs were totally saturated) which was totally sad but they did turn out great. I will post pre-rain pictures . What an amazing week it was! I am so excited for you girls!

YEA Sammy!!!!! back!!!

I'm so glad you had a positive attitude about the rain. It's true, once you're there and it's your day it doesn't matter in the slightest. There's so much emotion and excitement going on that rain seems inconsequential. Thankfully the rain held off for our ceremony but it did rain on us for our pictures afterward. It just made for some great, stormy shots!!

I'm soooo excited to hear about your review and see pictures! The siggy you posted looks amazing!!! And take your time. It took me like 3 weeks to get my reviews up. There's just so much to do when you get back and I too am in the midst of doing my AHR.

[taylorwd]

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Originally Posted by KittenHeart Amy - Holy cow girl... no words can describe how excited I am for you!!! You think you're excited now? You're in for a brand new feeling... I feel like a part of a special club and have felt something that only happy married Mrs. feel and can't wait for all the amazing bride to be's I know that are about to join <---- sooooooo cheesy! LOL!

Oh my god so true!!! LOL I thought I was the only one that felt this way Strange how it feels so different and special and wonderful!! Yup, very cheesy but I'm on board with ya! And I too cannot wait for everyone else to join this club

[taylorwd]

Lindz, LOVE LOVE LOVE the engagement pictures you've put up!!! You look amazing and have the most beautiful hair!

 

Oh, don't you worry about your FI and the BD book. There's no way he could not like it. There isn't a man alive that wouldn't appreciate a gift like that, and coming from you who's such a hotty, I'm sure you'll take his breath away!

[meghan]

Lindz, those pictures of you and your FI are so beautiful! Love love love them!