Ann's (AnnR) Las Caletas/Dreams PV/Hawaii Review ... LOOOOOOONG!

[weez]

What a wonderful review Ann! I bet all the future Las Caletas brides are breathing a little easier now!

I am so glad everything went well, and well done you for rolling with the punches! Mishaps are not fun but it sounds like you didn't become a bridezilla anyway! LOL!

Steve and I both got sick the day before our wedding too and I was so upset! Everyone kept saying that it was only nerves but it truly wasn't! I couldn't believe we had planned all this time just to get sick! LOL!

Anyway your pics look amazing (of course!) you look gorgeous and you both look really happy!

Congratulations and best wishes to you both!

[LCBride2007]

I just added some links to pictures - I put them in the original post so it's all in one spot.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by weez What a wonderful review Ann! I bet all the future Las Caletas brides are breathing a little easier now! I am so glad everything went well, and well done you for rolling with the punches! Mishaps are not fun but it sounds like you didn't become a bridezilla anyway! LOL! Steve and I both got sick the day before our wedding too and I was so upset! Everyone kept saying that it was only nerves but it truly wasn't! I couldn't believe we had planned all this time just to get sick! LOL! Anyway your pics look amazing (of course!) you look gorgeous and you both look really happy! Congratulations and best wishes to you both!

People kept telling me it was nerves too - but I wasn't nervous! I wish it had been - then they would have gone away eventually. I wasn't feeling totally better and like I wanted to eat until like Sun or Mon.

[TammyWright]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akh the main reason that this review is already done is that i had A LOT of plane time - from Mexico to Hawaii, and Hawaii to Minneapolis - that's when I wrote 90% of it, and why it's so long! and had it been an "ok" wedding - it probably wouldn't have happened either, but i was just so excited to tell everyone how great it went! i thought about that, Tammy, should I write Dreams a letter? i don't think she charged me for the offsite people, or the kids (she told me she wasn't charging me for the 7 kids). but still, she screwed up left and right. if it had been my wedding, i'd have been so upset. we turned it into a joke that night ... we had everyone sit first, before paul and I sat - then we didn't have enough seats. paul and i said we were headed out for the night - and enjoy the dinner. people thought we were serious! anyway - they quickly brought over another table, we just put all the kids there, and it all worked. but still - it was a little embarassing. and i didn't even remember about the cigar gal until after. i just get frustrated when people don't do their jobs!

I already sent a email to the sales manager and general manager...but if you wanted to write a letter i would also forward that to them. it sounds like they are trying to make the situation better by moving Marilu but i think they still should know what is going on.

[TammyB]

Ann, silly question what color did you end up doing on your toes. :-)

[~Melissa~]

Great review Ann! Like you said it's great for those gals getting married at Las Caletas.

 

Looks like another amazing wedding. Can't wait to see more pictures. All your guests looked so happy and your neices are adorable!!!!!

[LCBride2007]

it was that magnifico mexico color - i had a pedicure at Dreams and they had that one, and since i owned it and would be able to do touch ups - i chose that color!

[TammyB]

he he he,, I knew it when I seen one of your pics.. lol That's my BDW sister we had matching toes for our weddings.. :-)

[LCBride2007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TammyB he he he,, I knew it when I seen one of your pics.. lol That's my BDW sister we had matching toes for our weddings.. :-)

how perfect! we both had a starfish, and matching toes!

[MarlaB]

Okay, enough about your toes (haha). Awesome review! Please let us know how the guests liked the Trio. I have to figure out if I want them or not. Did you say they played during the ceremony? I must have read wrong. Did you use the traditional "here comes the bride" song when you walked down the aisle? If so (or whatever song it was), did the DJ take charge of this? What if I don't hire a DJ? Who does it?

Now, for an embarrassing question: After figuring out what a TTD session was (trash the dress), I still am not clear as to what this means. I know it has something to do with the photographer taking pictures the day after but there must be something I am missing.

Oh, and what are b-pics? Apparently Paul saw those before the wedding. Please don't tell me the b stands for before!! Oh Lord, I need a translator on this site!

As for the bathrooms on Las Caletas, is there one closer to ground level that guests can use? I never went when I was there but my FI said they were way up in the jungle.

I noticed you being barefoot as you walked down the steps with your father. Did you ever wear your shoes you purchased?

Where did you find pictures of the chuppa for Nicole?

What was the temperature/humidity like? Were you sweating the whole time getting ready?

Did Nicole have it arranged as to how the guests would be seated at the ceremony and reception or did they just sit wherever they wanted?

Were you seated at some sort of head table?

You mentioned bringing aqua sea glass. Where/how was this used? I may have missed the picture. My darn computer at home is so slow.

Did you design a wedding program? Not sure if I will need one or if it is necessary. I kind of like the 'fan program' idea though for the guests to keep cool.

By the way, the guests all sat in the sun, correct?

What flavor cake did you choose? (Again, maybe I missed seeing the picture of it).

Did you opt to pay more and stay longer than 10:30pm? If not, do you regret it (if you weren't sick of course!)?

Do you think it would be too hot for my FI to wear a tuxedo? Am I being silly in requesting this of him? I don't see many guys wearing a tuxedo in the pictures on this forum. Maybe I'm a huge dork.

Did you do any cool excursions while in Mexico?? Canopy tours are always fun!

Did you have to also pay for Matt Blum's airfare and a separate fee for him to also shoot pictures of you or is this the normal set up for Leigh?

Lastly (I think), I had no idea you were officially getting married in Hawaii. That's the coolest idea ever!! Did you just visit Oahu and Maui? What were the highlights of both places? I too am thinking of Hawaii for my honeymoon but just not right from Mexico! I have no idea how to pack that many clothes all at once!

Well I've blabbed entirely too long and I hope I didn't make it sound as though your review wasn't spectacular. I am just thinking of all those extra little details being I am a soon to be LC bride!!

Did you post your Hawaii pics somewhere?? I need a faster computer.

 

Thanks Ann!!!

[LCBride2007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarlaB Okay, enough about your toes (haha). Awesome review! Please let us know how the guests liked the Trio. I have to figure out if I want them or not. I heard them while I was waiting to come down from the bridal casita, but not really after that - maybe a little on the recessional. Did you say they played during the ceremony? I must have read wrong. They did play during the processional, and recessional - I am not sure if they did anything during the actual ceremony - I didn't hear it anyway. So they played as the guests were arriving, and then until cocktail hour - which we didn't attend much of since we were getting pics done. Did you use the traditional "here comes the bride" song when you walked down the aisle? Nope - not for us! I just had Nicole tell them to play "appropriate" music, so I have no idea what they played! If so (or whatever song it was), did the DJ take charge of this? What if I don't hire a DJ? Who does it? If you don't have a DJ or a Trio (or other live music), you could just use an iPod hookup or something I assume. Now, for an embarrassing question: After figuring out what a TTD session was (trash the dress), I still am not clear as to what this means. I know it has something to do with the photographer taking pictures the day after but there must be something I am missing. You can get down and dirty in your dress - like in the water, rolling around in the sand, etc. It's basically just some fun shots - and you don't have to worry about your dress getting dirty. It's called "trash the dress" but often the dress isn't actually trashed - just gets a little wet and/or dirty! Oh, and what are b-pics? Apparently Paul saw those before the wedding. Please don't tell me the b stands for before!! Oh Lord, I need a translator on this site! These are boudoir pictures - sexy little pictures of myself that I had taken, I had Leigh (my photographer) create an album, and I gave it to him as a gift - he loved them! As for the bathrooms on Las Caletas, is there one closer to ground level that guests can use? I never went when I was there but my FI said they were way up in the jungle. There is one upstairs - you do have to walk up to the room above where you're eating dinner, but it's not the ones that are way up in the jungle. I noticed you being barefoot as you walked down the steps with your father. Did you ever wear your shoes you purchased? I had 3 pairs of shoes with me but I never really wore any of them. I ended up kicking off my heels before I even walked down teh aisle because my dress was snagging on them. And I think I may have been barefoot for dinner too, and most of the reception. Once I changed into my other dress, I did have on some wedge shoes. Where did you find pictures of the chuppa for Nicole? No idea anymore - just various pictures - I do think my final choice was on this forum somewhere, from someone's wedding! What was the temperature/humidity like? Were you sweating the whole time getting ready? It was pretty cool up in the casita - there was a nice breeze, thank goodness. I did get warm while getting my hair done - but not too bad. They do have a fan in there - but we never used it. I was warm, but not unbearable. Did Nicole have it arranged as to how the guests would be seated at the ceremony and reception or did they just sit wherever they wanted? I gave her a seating chart - and she worked with us to make it work for the space. We did this the week before the wedding. Were you seated at some sort of head table? We did a little table for 2 - I've seen it done different ways. I will see if I can attach my seating chart. You mentioned bringing aqua sea glass. Where/how was this used? I may have missed the picture. My darn computer at home is so slow. It's the aqua colored stuff at the base of the centerpieces. Did you design a wedding program? Not sure if I will need one or if it is necessary. Nope, I didn't do a program. We also didn't have a wedding party, didn't have any planned music, or readings - not sure what I would have put in there! I kind of like the 'fan program' idea though for the guests to keep cool. Like I said - I did do those little straw like fans as place cards/thank-you cards. By the way, the guests all sat in the sun, correct? I guess so - though I think it was pretty overcast - there were no umbrellas though. What flavor cake did you choose? (Again, maybe I missed seeing the picture of it). It was white cake. Did you opt to pay more and stay longer than 10:30pm? If not, do you regret it (if you weren't sick of course!)? No, we didn't extend the evening. We thought about it - and the night did go super fast, but you do have a 45 min boat ride back and, for us there was another 20-30 min bus ride after that to Dreams. I think our crowd was ready to get back. Depends on your crowd. Do you think it would be too hot for my FI to wear a tuxedo? Am I being silly in requesting this of him? I don't see many guys wearing a tuxedo in the pictures on this forum. Maybe I'm a huge dork. It's a personal preference really. I do think he will be pretty hot though - I was in my dress, and the guys were in just their light clothing. Once you get dancing and by that bonfire - it's warm! I personally didn't want Paul to wear a tux - that wasn't the "mood" we were going for - we wanted more casual and "beachy." Did you do any cool excursions while in Mexico?? Canopy tours are always fun! I didn't want to do a dang thing - but other guests did the canopy tour, and some deep sea fishing. They liked both. Did you have to also pay for Matt Blum's airfare and a separate fee for him to also shoot pictures of you or is this the normal set up for Leigh? It's normal for Leigh to have an associate photographer with her I believe, I don't know what their financial arrangements were, I just paid Leigh the amount that we agreed on. Lastly (I think), I had no idea you were officially getting married in Hawaii. That's the coolest idea ever!! Did you just visit Oahu and Maui? What were the highlights of both places? I too am thinking of Hawaii for my honeymoon but just not right from Mexico! I have no idea how to pack that many clothes all at once! You just wear the same thing ... no one knows! lol We were only in Honolulu for 1 full day, and we did Pearl Harbor, and then out to dinner. Hard to pick a highlight. Maui we did a lot of cool things - cool beaches, great restaurants, helicopter tour, snorkling, etc. Again, not sure I can pick a highlight! Well I've blabbed entirely too long and I hope I didn't make it sound as though your review wasn't spectacular. I am just thinking of all those extra little details being I am a soon to be LC bride!! Did you post your Hawaii pics somewhere?? I did post them somewhere - I think they're even up in my review somewhere. If not, I will add them. I need a faster computer. Thanks Ann!!!

My pleasure! Let me know if you have more questions!