May 2013 Brides

[JA2012]

What is the name of this restaurant?? I feel like I ate there...more than once because I enjoyed the food. 

Does it have an area that is up high overlooking the strip?  It's in Playa Del Carmen?

Look on Party Packagers website....they have some lighting options that you could set up in the corner and it would be like a strobe light effect with the colour of your choice.

Also, you could do something simple like string some lanterns with bulbs in them overhead or ask them about uplighting.

If it's the same place I think it is, I recall that it was dim at night but not too dim. It's a nice ambience. I had both lunch and dinner there on different occasions. 

Originally Posted by cherany 

Welcome, MrsHK!

 

Nice to see the plans coming along for everyone.  I feel like so much has happened since I last updated, yet not nearly enough is done.  I'm feeling the pressure of being behind and getting scared whenever I look at the calendar and see how soon it's all coming!

 

I'm really embarrassed to say this, but I don't even have our invitations out yet!  A couple of my bridesmaids came over to help me with them a few weekends ago, but we didn't finish them.  I was really ambitious with a DIY message in a bottle invite/boarding pass reply card/passport travel booklet combo.  I don't regret my choice, but finding time to finish them has been a challenge.  My idea was to get them out in January, since the RSVP date is March 1, but it seems people will pretty much have to return the card as soon as they get it, because I'll be lucky to get them done and mailed out this week.  I did send STDs a year in advance from the wedding date, so I remind myself that everyone has had time now to make a decision.  Still, I wanted to give them more time with the invite in their hands, as people tend to forget about things they received notice of nearly a year ago.  Luckily, we know what's going on with most guests, but I still feel weird and awful about it, like I've messed up an important part of the wedding.

 

There are many other things I'm concerned about, but I think my biggest worry at the moment is that our reception venue is rather lackluster in terms of lighting and color.  It's a restaurant with terrific reviews on food, and they've been really helpful and great to work with, but I don't like the neutral decor at all and don't know how to word questions about it without insulting them or sounding like I don't like the place. It's just that we're having a colorful event, and I feel like colored lighting would jazz the place up.  If there's something easily packed in a suitcase that can be plugged in and then used to spread colored light over a wall, that's the kind of thing I'm looking for.  Or, if anyone has other ideas, I'm open.  Some photos of our venue:

 

 

 

 

 

We're probably bringing down colored table runners and chair sashes (another thing I'm way behind on and haven't done), but because we're asking the staff to put out everything we bring down, I worry about asking too much of them.  Of course, now that I"m typing all of this out, it makes me realize I should just e-mail them and ask for suggestions for bringing colored lighting into the room.  Surely that is not an offensive question?

[JA2012]

Another thought...maybe they could switch out the bulbs in all of the lighting fixtures for a colour to match your theme?? That's not a lot of work. and if need be you could even bring the bulbs in your luggage or carry on.

[PuntaBride]

Slowly I am checking things off my to-do list.  Tonight I finished my seating plan for dinner.  I'm now wanting to figure out the order the bridal party will stand at the alter, as well as the order the bridesmaids come down the isle (5 all together).  I am not having a maid of honour (too hard to choose), so it is hard to pick who should stand beside me, sign as witness, etc.  

 

Any ideas?  Someone I know said I should think of a fun contest and let them battle for the role! lol  Anyone heard of this idea before?

[PuntaBride]

Here are my Dollar Tree cups - with waterproof stickers I ordered from Etsy  The colouring is off - but it's coral, sea foam blue and a indigo.

[PuntaBride]

Here is my guest book from Shutterfly.  Just a few pages...

 

Cover ....

 

Inside page ...

 

mad lib ....

 

[ChocoTaco7568]

Michelle - Your guest book is aweseome! what a great way to use your E pics. I love the tumblers too.... keep at, your to do list will be complete before you know it.

[SamIAm85]

This site sells unfinished wood candle sticks that you can paint.  http://www.woodcrafter.com/candlecupsandsticks.aspx

[jnitschke]

Did your girl Vanessa happen to suggest flowers to use that would be in season there?  It's the same problem I'm having, all the flowers I like are out of season. 

Originally Posted by MrsHK 

Okay, here's the flower info! There are quite a few little flower shops in town, or "florerias" as they are called down here. One is on 30th Av between Constitueyntes and 20th St and its a little shop painted green. I'll keep an eye out for other ones and will let you guys know the cross streets if I see one. Another place I've consistently seen flowers available is Walmart. I took a picture of what the roses cost and as of last week it was 47 pesos for 6 roses ($4) and 85 pesos for 12 roses ($7).

 

At both places, the florerias and Walmart, I've only seen roses, carnations, lilies, orchids, china mums and maybe a few others that I'm forgetting. The selections are not as big as you'd see at home but between Walmart and maybe one floreria you would be able to find enough for your bouquets and tables, depending on which flowers you want. The roses come in various colours too although I'm not sure exactly which colours aside from the usual red and pink. The quality here can vary, meaning that the displays could have have a combination of flowers in good condition and some not so much, but there will be enough in good condition for you to choose from.

 

Another thing to consider is if you'll have a fridge to keep your bouquets in. It is very hot and humid down here and your bouquets might wilt if you leave them out for a day or two even if they're in water. I'd recommend keeping them in a fridge in a bucket of water if you can. 

 

We're getting married in Tulum which is a small town south of Playa Del Carmen by about an hour, for those who don't know. I have yet to find a flower shop down there, so I'm using Vanessa Jaimes for my flowers. http://www.vanessajaimes.com/ 

 

I want peonies and ranunculus for my bouquets which she said they'd have to import from Holland for a very high price. No thanks! She suggested that I buy silk peonies and ranunculus and she will mix them with roses, freesias and lisianthus for my bouquet and centrepieces. She's had brides do that in the past and she said they looked good. I'm going to order the silk flowers from afloral.com and save-on-crafts.com to Canada and bring them down here before the wedding. That's another option if you are particular about the types of flowers, although its probably more expensive than just grabbing them in town. I wish I knew where she gets the freesias and lisianthus from, I would just buy them myself! I'll keep looking over the next few weeks though before I give her a deposit.

[MrsHK]

Originally Posted by jnitschke 

 

Did your girl Vanessa happen to suggest flowers to use that would be in season there?  It's the same problem I'm having, all the flowers I like are out of season. 

As far as I know there's not really seasonal flowers down here as the temperature doesn't vary a huge amount year round. The only season we have a rainy season, hurricane season, mosquito season and holy moly it is really hot and humid season.

 

The ones she suggested for me are roses, freesias and lisianthus. I haven't been able to find the last two in the flower shops though, only roses. She suggested silk flowers for the ones that I want that would require her to import them from Holland. She also has all kind of tropical flowers such as lilies, cala lilies, gerber daisies, orchids, snapdragons, birds of paradise and a few others. Her prices are of course higher than the flower shops but she will arrange them for you, deliver them and you are guaranteed good quality.

 

If you pick tropical flowers you'll have a better chance of finding them at a reasonable price since we are in the topics, either on your own or from a wedding florist.  Most of the tropical ones I listed are availble at the flower shops in town.

 

I went to a flower shop last night and their prices were a bit higher than Walmart although the quality is probably higher too. You can also pre-order with them via email with the shop I went into. It is called Floreria Sac-Nah and it is on the corner of 30th Ave and Calle 16, right across the street from the Walmart. Their email address is [email protected]. They don't speak English so I reccomend using Google translate if you want to email them to pre order your flowers. I would say you're having a gathering of friends and don't need them arranged, and don't mention they are for a wedding!! I wouldn't do it too far in advance either since "gatherings of friends" aren't usually planned months ahead of time.

 

I took a photo of their price list (all in Spanish and pesos but I translated it) and here it is:

 

Carnation (Clavel): 12 for 60 pesos or $4.70

Daisy (Margarita): 12 for 80 pesos or $6.30

Pom Pom: 12 for 80 pesos or $6.30

Gladiola: 12 for 80 pesos or $6.30

Spider (Spaider): 12 for 80 pesos or $6.30

Alstroemeria: 12 for 150 pesos or $11.76

Roses: 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

Gerber Daisy: 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

Cala Lilies (Alcatraz): 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

Hibiscus (Hawaianas): 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

Birds of Paradise (Aves de Parasio): 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

Heliconia (similar to BoP): 12 for 220 pesos or $17.24

 

Iris: 1 for 25 pesos ($2), price for 12 was blocked by a shelf... why they put a shelf in front of their price list, I don't know... the rest of the prices will be per 1 stem since that's the only price I could see

They had a bunch listed that all seem to be coming up in Google as lilies...

Lily (Lili): 1 for 25 pesos ($2)

Tiger Lily (Acapulco): 1 for 45 pesos ($3.53)

White Lily (Casa Blancas): 1 for 45 pesos ($3.53)

Lily (Azucenas): 1 for 45 pesos ($3.53)

Tulipanes (Tulips): 1 for 45 pesos ($3.53)

 

Hope that helps for those of you doing DIY bouquets! Again, I think the prices at Walmart are better than the florerias but you're risking not being able to pre-order and having a limited selection. I'm going to Walmart today so I'll have a look at what the other prices are.

[MrsHK]

Here's the schedule that my WC suggested with a few changes from me. I haven't talked it over with the photographer yet so it may still change a bit. We don't have a wedding party so we don't have to schedule photos for that in. Sunset on May 22 is scheduled for 7:21 p.m so this is what we're thinking...

 

Breakfast with FI, family & friends - 10:30

 

Start getting ready - 12:00 

Getting ready pictures with my family & girlfriends - 2:00

First look & photos with FI - 3:00

Freshen up & have a snack so I don't pass out from nerves! - 4:40 - 5:00

Ceremony - 5:00

transition to cocktail & photos with family - 5:30 - 5:45

Cocktail hour - 5:45 - 6:45

transition to dinner 6:45 - 7:00

Dinner & speeches - 7:00 - 9:00

First dance & cake cutting - 9:00

Party time!! - 9:15 - 1:00

 

Michelle - Your guest book and cups look great! That book will be such a treasure for you two We found some vintage Mexican postcards in Mexico City that we're going to have everyone sign for our guestbook. I spent hours at the antique market sorting through them and looking for blank ones, but we found enough!