Diadiamond's Planning Thread - Iberostar Varadero, Cuba - Sept.24.2015

[Wafflesmom]

@@diadiamond your bachelorette sounds fabulous! You have such wonderful loved one to plan such an awesome surprise. And you know you've had tons of fun if you can feel it the next day lol

 

@ don't feel bummed, you'll have plenty of things to look forward to after your wedding like planning your anniversary trip, finding a house and helping other brides with their paper design needs

 

@@acw271011 that pic is priceless! Let's hope he never study blew across this forum lol

 

@@calgarybride2015 walking around with a yard drink in your hand is a must in Vegas! Last time we went there, my friend established a two drink minimum before leaving the hotel room. By 11 am, we were buzzed already

[acw271011]

@Wafflesmom  Walking around ANYWHERE with a yard in your hand is a must!! lol

[calgarybride2015]

Hahaha let's just say I think my liver is still hurting

 

 

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[diadiamond]

I'm starting to feel really old.  I had a two-day hangover from my night out on Saturday and now I'm sick!  I wish I wasn't at work today I really want to rest and on top of it all I just found out that my officiant for my legal ceremony just cancelled on me!  

 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but we're having a symbolic wedding in Cuba and a legal ceremony at a restaurant here on our anniversary when we come back.  I know a few Cuban brides who have done that and they said that it was okay to be legally married after.  Apparently my officiant got a new job and has to move out of province so she can no longer perform our ceremony.  I booked her 5 months ago and have been in constant contact with her.  I used an agency to find her and the agency has been really nice about it.  I just have to go through their catalog of officiants, pick out the ones I like, and hope that they are available for my ceremony date.  I booked the restaurant and sent out my invitations 5 months ago as well.  

 

Sorry to vent, but I feel so overwhelmed especially because I feel like I have a lot left to do and we leave in 3 and a half weeks!   

[acw271011]

Oh no! i'm so sorry to hear that!! Definitely stress you don't need right now this close to leaving for your wedding!!

 

Ok. Deep breath first. Positive thoughts second. It will work out but it just might take a bit of work. It's good that the officiant company is being good about things - they would have to be since it's their person that's leaving!! Can you take a sick day tomorrow? Do you get a lunch break that you can take some time and go through the catalogue and pick out the ones that you like the sound of then take your "sick" day and spend some time contacting them? I know it's hard to contact people in the evening. I don't get home usually until about 7 or 730 at night, then all I want to do is have something to eat and unwind. The last thing on my mind is "getting things done". At least you still have a bit of time but it's just a headache that you don't need right now!! Not on top of all of the last minute things to do!!

 

Hope you feel better soon! 

[calgarybride2015]

Oh no, that sucks to be dealing with right now

Thankfully they have some options for you to pick from, I hope you can find one for your date.

You must be so frustrated, hugs!

[TinkerSofi]

I'm starting to feel really old.  I had a two-day hangover from my night out on Saturday and now I'm sick!  I wish I wasn't at work today I really want to rest and on top of it all I just found out that my officiant for my legal ceremony just cancelled on me!  

 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but we're having a symbolic wedding in Cuba and a legal ceremony at a restaurant here on our anniversary when we come back.  I know a few Cuban brides who have done that and they said that it was okay to be legally married after.  Apparently my officiant got a new job and has to move out of province so she can no longer perform our ceremony.  I booked her 5 months ago and have been in constant contact with her.  I used an agency to find her and the agency has been really nice about it.  I just have to go through their catalog of officiants, pick out the ones I like, and hope that they are available for my ceremony date.  I booked the restaurant and sent out my invitations 5 months ago as well.  

 

Sorry to vent, but I feel so overwhelmed especially because I feel like I have a lot left to do and we leave in 3 and a half weeks!   

oh man, this just sucks, so close to the wedding date! The silver lining is that you're working with a "broker" of sorts, so it will be easier to find someone else rather than you calling each officiant one by one trying to find one that has your date. Good luck and I hope it gets solved soon! 

[deecol]

I just came to check on how your planning is going so close to the big day and saw your post about the legal ceremony - how frustrating!

 

Hoping everything works out for you, keep us posted!! xo

[diadiamond]

Oh no! i'm so sorry to hear that!! Definitely stress you don't need right now this close to leaving for your wedding!!

 

Ok. Deep breath first. Positive thoughts second. It will work out but it just might take a bit of work. It's good that the officiant company is being good about things - they would have to be since it's their person that's leaving!! Can you take a sick day tomorrow? Do you get a lunch break that you can take some time and go through the catalogue and pick out the ones that you like the sound of then take your "sick" day and spend some time contacting them? I know it's hard to contact people in the evening. I don't get home usually until about 7 or 730 at night, then all I want to do is have something to eat and unwind. The last thing on my mind is "getting things done". At least you still have a bit of time but it's just a headache that you don't need right now!! Not on top of all of the last minute things to do!!

 

Hope you feel better soon! 

 

 

Thank you so much hun!  It did work out.  I picked another officiant and he's amazing!  Unfortunately, since I'm still on my probation at work I don't get paid for any sick days that I take =(  I wish I could have taken one though.  I totally understand what you go through, the summer has been pretty good with work, but it's really started picking up and I've been staying a little later.  I'm usually home by 6 or 7p.m. at the latest and by the time I make dinner and everything I just usually want to go to bed.  

 

I'm feeling much better only a tickle in my chest and a dry cough I'm hoping that it clears up and it's not bronchitis which I usually get once a year in the winter.  Hope your planning is coming along well =)

Oh no, that sucks to be dealing with right now

Thankfully they have some options for you to pick from, I hope you can find one for your date.

You must be so frustrated, hugs!

 

Thanks hun!  I was really frustrated and then on top of that my future MIL pressured me into changing the time for my legal ceremony too.  It was originally scheduled at 1:00p.m. and she wants us to move it to 6:00p.m. because she's sure she won't get the time off to come.  I know this seems like a small thing that I shouldn't care about, but I've put a lot into planning this wedding and hoped everything was running smoothly.  I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but she's been against us having a destination wedding from the start and has been coming up with things and making things up to prove to us that we made a huge mistake by having a destination wedding and that we should have had the wedding she wanted us to have.  I sent my invitation for my legal ceremony out in April, which I thought was plenty of time.  It all worked out in the end and I hope it stays that way lol

 

Sorry for the mini MIL rant.

oh man, this just sucks, so close to the wedding date! The silver lining is that you're working with a "broker" of sorts, so it will be easier to find someone else rather than you calling each officiant one by one trying to find one that has your date. Good luck and I hope it gets solved soon! 

 

Thank hun!  I was able to find someone and everything, to my knowledge, is good =)  I just hope it stays that way.  I feel like I'm starting to lose my sanity lol.  I can't believe that you've been married for almost a month!!!  

I just came to check on how your planning is going so close to the big day and saw your post about the legal ceremony - how frustrating!

 

Hoping everything works out for you, keep us posted!! xo

 

Thanks hun!  Hope all is well with you.  Everything is okay for now, so I just hope it stays that way lol.

Ladies I leave in 2 weeks!  It's still not hitting me yet!  Like I know that it's happening and I've been doing a lot of work trying to wrap up the loose ends, but for some reason it just feels so weird that I don't believe I'm leaving in 2 weeks.  

 

I wanted to update much sooner, but work has been crazy since September started and some major changes are happening at work as well which have been stressing me out too.  I totally forgot to show you guys some of the decor elements that I'm bringing down with me.

 

Decor and More:

 

We decided that we didn't want to bring very much decor with us since we are getting married in a very picturesque setting and I felt that too much decor might take away from the beauty.  I've attached some pictures of the different spaces at the resort where different events will take place.  Our ceremony is in the beach gazebo which is just off of the beach, our dinner is at La Parilla restaurant, and our reception is at the beach bar. 

 

I thought that a giant rose flower ball would look really nice hanging in the center of the gazebo for the ceremony.

 

Also, I've seen other brides do this and I really loved how it looked.  I was thinking of filling the shell with sand and sticking the rings in them so that you can see the top half of the rings.  I think it would look pretty cool.

 

 

I'm having a semi-private dinner in order to keep our costs down since the resort offers that option for free.  From what I've seen we basically get a long rectangular table with chairs in a part of the restaurant so we are all together.  I wanted to add to the table elements so that we stand out a little more and just to add a small touch.  I bought the LOVE signs from Target before they closed down and the Mr. and Mrs. blocks I got from and Etsy vendor (I can't remember which one, sorry ladies!).

 

I love Monogrammed cake toppers and I decided to get one with Dan's last name since I'll be taking his last name.  I really love the style, but it's really small.  Before I purchased it online I should have taken a ruler so that I could see the actual size.  I thought that the cake topper would be larger, but it ended up being really small and cost a lot too.  

 

I love the idea of having a guestbook, but I'm not sure where to have it.  Should it be at the ceremony, dinner, or reception?  

 

 

I bought most of my decor off of Amazon since I was a little lost on where to find decor.  Shipping charges were so expensive for some items.  I think if I could do it over I would have much rather shopped locally.  I ended up going a little over budget with my decor.  

[maybeoneday]

Hi, so glad to hear your Officiant is booked and you are happy with him. Everything you have done looks wonderful! I love the flower ball (great idea) and the table decor! Only 2 weeks left! Exciting! X

 

Maybeoneday

14 /10/2015 - R R C, Mexico