saraece

My TA says that we can't pick our reception site until a couple of months before the wedding. I am not sure of all the options. I think it is just one of the resturants. Any idea how many weddings they do a day? I just don't want to be given what's left. We chose not to have our wedding at the Gazebo as it was very windy up there. i was torn because it is such a beautiful location but we did want to get married on the beach. So we will go up there for photos after. I had the same idea about the Ipod and hope they can help us with that. I have no idea if they have a sound system we can hook into or what. I did see the flowers somewhere but can't remember where and of course I can't find it again. If I do I'll PM you. I hope to get all the flowers there as I am basically looking to have a worry free, just show up type of wedding. The ONLY thing I am doing extra is the OOT bags. I am not bringing decor with me, i am not bringing little gifts for everyone at the reception (chartiy donation in leiu of) I am not going crazy on details. I want to travel with my friends and family and somewhere along the line get hitched. I am excited to have another bride on here. We got our rates in May originally for leaving on Jan1/09 @1499 taxes in, then they changed our flight to the 29th of Dec and tried to up the price but my TA fought it. So I am happy. We get to be there for New Years and at a reasonable rate. Hope they upgrade our room. What wedding package are you picking? What extras are you thinking of getting?

We are at a Riu and were only told after we booked that the 7 staying at the sister Riu would be charged $39 to attend the reception but my TA fought this and they waived the charge completely! And we picked the free wedding option! On another note we were also going to be charged $150 extra because our wedding is on a Sat., but my TA said "that will be my wedding present to you, I will pay that fee" How cool is that??

Super helpful!!!

I have decided to try and dye my own boring brown hair (and to cover some grey coming through). I don't want to have a drastic change but a colour boost of some kind would be nice. I have gone and gotten highlights before but am trying to save $. I tried Nice and Easy this weekend and didn't mind the result although FI said it looked the exact same. Any suggestions for a good brand, or what I can do at home??

I am getting married at the Riu Bachata in Puerto Plata Jan 3 2009

My tips so far...1)Any guests staying at the Merengue or Mambo will be charged a day day pass to attend the reception. Our first quote was $100 each, then they said $39 each. My TA fought this and now they can attend for free. 2) we chose the free package (well $580 for legal fees) if you get married at the Gazebo the minister will charge you an exra $80 for the walk I supose amd if you get married on a Saturday (like me) the minister will also charge you an extra $150 for working on his day off. So my free wedding would have cost over $1000 and I haven't gotten anything extra yet. BTW how did you get flights out of Halifax? When we looked into it in May they said Sunquest won't fly out of the east coast until Feb/March.

I always get the munchies at the weirdest times when I am on vacation and don't always want to lug myself down to the snack bar to get something, so I have included a few munchies in my OOT at our AI. Check the list out there is alot of things people could use on the trip but don't think of bringing. I love the post it idea so people can leave notes for others on doors.

Very cool idea. I have 100 post cards I ordered for free through Vista Print that I had no idea what to do with . Thanks for the idea.

I agree with Armarillis, Cuba is a bit different. While we were there a waiter was given two party dresses for his daughters and we saw him cry while showing them to another waiter. Pantyhose, dispoable razors...things they need to have to work but are very expensive. Shoes are another expensive item. Cash can be good but Canadian $ is too hard for them to exchange, they don't want American and the system down there has tourists using one type of money and locals using another. They can exchange CCP but it is harder for them. We tipped our hotel staff by finding out if they had kids and gave them things (toys, jewlery, school supplies, clothes) for them. All seem to love this.

Quote: Originally Posted by TA Maureen I think 20% is a good tip. I don't know how all hairdressers work but I know some posts discussed tipping servers in a restauarnt. Just an FYI and I don't wan to hijack a thread but if you don't tip by percentages at a restaurant you could actually be costing the server money. Most servers make less than $3.00/hour so tips are what they live off of. At the end of the night the server has to take her total sales and give a certain percentage of those sales to the bus boy, food runner, and bartender. So if someone tipped 5 bucks on a $50.00 check then the server has to tip out to the other employees according to the $50.00 sale and may lose money because that person only tipped 5 bucks. That is why a percentage is always a good idea (18-20%). I also know of resturants that at the end of a shift the till gives the server 15% in tip money regardless of what they brought in. So when I left a 25% tip the resturant got teh extra 10%, not he server. Some of my more favorite places to eat I tend to frequent more often, I have asked how the tipping works. No ever seems offended and are actually appreciative you are going to tip. Surprising enough some don't.

I found tiny bottles of hand sanitizer at Shoppers Drug Mart (canada) 6 for 3.99. They are about 18ml/ 0.6 fl. oz each. I think they are fine for one week.

Try this thread. http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t1058

I just have to say I went on the OUtback Safari tour in 2006 with a group of people in PP. I loved the trip it was fun, and exciting. Some of our group couldn't do half the tour as you climb up waterfalls, literaly. With water pouring down on you. I loved it. However I watched a news story about a 12 year old boy who died on the tour. He jumped into the water and never came back up. They found his body later. So be cautious. Of course I couldn't find he story on line except this site, DAMAJAGUA WATERFALL WARNING

If you are looking for a fun place to get married that isn't an AI check out this place in Jamica. Strawberry Fields, Jamaica

I am interested in seeing what everyones wedding party looks like together. Please post a group wedding party shot here!

Is anyone being charged for guests attending their reception that are staying on another Riu resort? Our wedding/reception is at the Riu Bachata and we have 7 people staying next door at the Riu Merengue. They are not being charged to attend our wedding but I just read that they may charge us $35/pp to attend the reception (we chose the free package offered). They really didn't have to stay at the other resort and since I thought it wouldn't make a difference I didn't encourage them to stay at ours.

The blog mentioned above by Jodi's sister sure made me think. I love the kids adn the show is fun but I am sad to here about all the family bickering. If it is true it would make me think about watching the show.

I would love to hear more about all the extra people they have to help them...one lady comes in to fold laundry every week another volunteer irons..so yes I am amazed at how organized Kate is but she does have a bit of help. (which she deserves) Love the kids!

Great thread, this will be very helpful to me because I am not hiring a photographer. My BM's hubby is a photographer who has never done weddings before. Although he has had showings in galleries of his other work.

Try Creamy Dill Ruffles...ummmm creamy dill...shoot how do I get drool off the keyboard??

I have to vote for #2. You look gorgeous in it!

Here is my two cents... I was surprised to find out that Butter tarts are a Canadian thing. So yummy, eh! Butter tart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Oh since we are on chips my new favorite is Creamy dill pickle!

He would have to navigate up the stairs and through the front or side doors.

I kept hearing squeaking everytime I went downstairs today, but thought not much of it. I was washing out a paint brush then I saw it....I was initally shocked but when I looked I saw a chipmunk! For some reason I was like OK there is a chipmunk in my house no biggy?? Why is that better then a mouse?? Anyways I can hear it squeaking away, I think it is trapped in my laundry room and can't get out? Not sure how it got in, but now its here and FI is working until tomorrow morning. Poor thing..but I'm not going in after it.

Travel mugs are great because on all the AI's I stayed at (even the 5 *) they give you small plastic cups so some people have to keep going up to the bar. This way you get one large drink that stays cold. Most bartenders love you using them because they won't see you again for awhile.