2014 Sandals Grand Antigua Brides

[Imgettingmarried]

Hello all

 

I'm getting married at sandals Antigua this April. I'm really looking forward to it, so excited!!!!

 

I'm looking for other brides tying the knot in Antigua this year. I want to know EVERYTHING, please share.

 

What room are you staying in.

How many guests are you taking (if any)

Where are you planning to get married?

What flowers/ package have you chosen

What extras are you going to have

What sort of dress have you picked out

 

Is there any body out there??

 

I've read through another topic here

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/55954-sandals-antigua-brides/

These girls were fab and I really enjoyed reading there experiences, but the tread is a little out of date now, so I thought I'd start a similar one here.

 

XxxxX

[rachaelrm]

Hi there!  I don't know how much help I can be because we are bringing no guests, but I wanted to join in and say that there are other Sandals Grande Antigua brides out there!  We are getting married in May.

 

 

[Imgettingmarried]

Hello Rachael

 

I was starting to think there was no one else!

 

I bet your getting excited now, it's not long to go now. How's all your planning getting on?

 

We're also not bringing any guests, it's just the two of us going

 

We go in April (next month) I can't believe how fast it's come around.

 

Xx

[rachaelrm]

April is just right around the corner!  We have a lot of the planning done.  I think I have finally settled on getting my dress steamed there. I don't want the hassle of having to worry about getting it there uncrumpled.  Making that has been a major relief, but I am going to reach out to see if anybody else has had good/bad luck with their steaming.  What are you doing?  Our highlight is that we are doing a private sunset cruise the night of our wedding.  It wasn't that much more than the big group one, and we could choose the night we wanted to go (and not have to deal with a whole bunch of drunk people).  Are you having a morning or afternoon wedding?

[Imgettingmarried]

5 weeks and counting!!!

 

I'm not sure what I'm doing bout my dress yet, but in not too worried. I'm on resort nearly a week before wedding day, so I'm hoping if i hang it up straight away, any creases will drop out. The lady from my bridal shop is going to pack it in to my carry on case with the appropriate tissue paper and stuff. She's also shown me how to give it a quick steam with a travel iron (so i might go and get a cheap one from Argos or somewhere)! Do you mind me asking how much there charging to steam your dress?

 

i asked about a private boat trip and sandals said it wasn't available in Antigua... Oh well. We've opted for the sandals exclusive circumnavigation boat trip the day before the wedding (we wanted to do it in the first week so we could go exploring ourselves in the second.

 

have yo opted for them to do your hair and makeup or are you doing that yourself.ive paid to have them do it. Although in a little nervous about it, its hard to know what itll be like.

[rachaelrm]

5 weeks!! How exciting!! Please let me know how it goes. We will be leaving right after you come back!!

 

They told me the dress steaming starts at $80. At first I was like "no way" but since I've decided to do it I've been so much more relaxed. I was going to buy a hand steamer and then stress about getting it there and everything. Now, no worries. I've read some people say it was $30 if it was a simple dress, but I'm counting on $80 and ready to be pleasantly surprised.

 

Sandals was no help with the cruise. So, we looked around for our own. It came down to Miramar and tropical catamaran sailing/cat tails 2. Both get rave reviews on trip advisor. We chose tropical. It's about $300 for a private 3-hour sunset cruise with a bottle of sparkling wine and canapés. They have a sound system we can plus our iPod into. We are excited--it feels like our reception (I'm staying in my dress).

 

I did opt to have them do my makeup and hair. The hair was almost a given--as embarrassing as it is to admit, I always burn myself with a curling iron--I did not want pictures with a huge burn mark!! I was more hesitant about makeup because I didn't want to just want to redo it and I hadn't worn Mac for a longtime, so I went to a Mac counter here and had a trial application. Loved it!! I had them so my face chart with the colors they used. That way I could go into the sandals place with a clear-- this is the specific looks I'm going for. I'm going to use and apply my own mascara and bring one of my own Mac non-transfer lipsticks. The only thing I'm worried about is having the trial hair done late afternoon before the wedding and again the morning of the wedding. My poor hair!! I didn't want to do it the day before the day before because I didn't want the mani/ pedi to look like a disaster on the wedding day.

 

Please please post when you return!

[Imgettingmarried]

When do you fly out and when do you get married? Have you long on resort before the wedding? We get home on the 3rd of May. I'll try and remember to post as soon as I get home!!

 

Where abouts are you from, I'm in the uk

 

I'm having my hair and make up rehearsal 2 days before, as we wanted to go on the boat trip the day before (they only run hue trips on a Wednesday and we wanted it in the first week). I presume that means they'll do my mani/pedi then...... I'll probably ruin it before the big day, but I'm not too fussed about my nails.

 

I hadn't realised they used MAC make up. How did you know this? I'm so nervous about the makeup.... I'm taking my bare minerals makeup with me just invade I need to redo.

 

I too am absolutely rubbish at doing my hair, I just never have a clue what to do with it, I can never get it to look right with curlers!!

[rachaelrm]

We fly out May 10 and get married May 13.  I'm trying to change my pre-appointments now to May 11.  I just can't see my hair going through that 2 days in a row--my hair hurts just thinking about it.  You are totally right on the nails--i wasn't even going to do any manicure until it part of the package. Would rather have hair look nice than nails!! I heard from other brides that Sandals uses MAC and that was one of the first things I confirmed with the WC.  MAC has already made a profit off of me because of this!!  Seriously though, I was really worried, so I went to the MAC counter and had them to do the whole shebang.  Loved it.  Going back one more time because I found a girl there that had some good ideas, so I'm going to have her do it as well.  So far, at least the people here get the "soft bridal" look I'm going for. I also brought in pictures, and that helped (the first girl tried to recreate the picture).  That has eased a lot of my makeup angst.

 

I'm in the US, in the Washington DC area.  All of the snow we are having is making me even more anxious to get into the sun!!

 

Is it just the two of you or are you having guests

[Imgettingmarried]

It's just the two of us going out, no guests.... (Much to my parents disgust) but that's the way we wanted. We want to be married but neither of us want the wedding. It seems mad to me spending so much money on a big wedding just to keep every one else happy. I'd rather spend the money on having an awesome time with my best friend.

 

He keeps reminding me that if I start stressing or worrying about things, to just chill and relax. He seems to think it doesn't matter if things arnt perfect, as long as we have each other, a excellent holiday and come away with a marriage certificate we'll be winning..... He has a point!!!

 

Gosh, it'll be a right shock to the system coming from snow... I bet you've had enough of it now! Just imagin that feeling as you step of that plane. The weather is just starting to chear up again over here in Britain, still wet as always, but it's getting there..... I can't wait for the beach and the sea!

[acw271011]

Congrats ladies! Both of your weddings are coming up quickly! And you both sound like you have everything well under control!

 

I have been to Antigua once, many years ago as part of a cruise so it was only a day stop unfortunately. It's a beautiful island though, and definitely a gorgeous place for a wedding!!

 

I'm in the Toronto area, and we still have lots of snow, and it's still quite cold although it does seem like we might get a few milder days coming! I have almost all of my family in the UK and they have all thankfully managed to stay dry. One family member left for Cypress yesterday and another is off to Majorca for 2 weeks at Easter so I'm totally envious!!

 

Good luck to both of you and have the wedding of your dreams!