fogdog

Depending on your handwriting, you could do a very fine gold (or silver) sharpie pen. The shimmery pen on the dark paper looks really cool.

Thanks, ladies, happy to be helpful! Any other questions, I'm happy to try to answer as well. I just went back for an anniversary trip - it was great! There were 2 weddings while we were there - brought back nice memories!

I wish I had something encouraging to tell you, but I had the exact same experience at the Sheraton. They were frustratingly illogical and inflexible at every step of the way. Don't expect this to change - even when you are there for the wedding - they just didn't do anything to make things special or easy for us. That said, I thought my wedding was beautiful and I wouldn't do anything differently - except leave more of the planning and dealing with the Sheraton to my WC. As for the cake, we had our reception at dCortez and they did the cake there and most of the guests said it was the best wedding cake they ever had. It wasn't that pretty or creative but it was really good (tres leches,chocolate, and vanilla). And way more than we needed (I think we all at less than half of it).

I felt the same way and this was the one thing we really argued about and that I maybe got a bit bridezilla about. In retrospect, I wish that I had been more respectful of his taste and his ability to get this done (and not try to be so controlling about it). In the end, of course, he looked great. His suit looked great which he picked with my brother and his best man - they all have good taste and I really should have just left it up to them. I say trust him, he'll do a great job I'm sure and will love to surprise you the same way you'll surprise him. Maybe suggest he goes with a friend/family member for a 2nd opinion if you're still doubting (perhaps even show one of them your dress).

I used almost all Laura Mercier for my wedding - tinted moisturizer (which I still use every day), loose powder, waterproof mascara, and lip gloss. It photographed beautifully and I was really happy with it. Incidentally, in 2 weddings I've been in before where I've had my makeup done, the makeup artists used Laura Mercier and it always photographed well.

I think you all are right - I definitely need to say something, I just hate to have confrontations like this. Also, I really like her and loved our photos and just don't want to offend her taste. Since they are actually photos, I'd have to scan them to show you, but a good example is in beckyandbrian's siggy - notice how the edges of the photo fade to black? (that's what I meant by "frames") She did this in black, white, and fuzziness in several photos. In others, she faded or whited out the background and I feel like we got married on the beach for a reason and I actually want to see the background - it was a big part of our day. So I just don't like the look, but I don't know that that would entitle me to have her reprint the photos, ya know? Especially bc I think she thought she was doing me a favor. Thanks for all your opinions and suggestions!

Hi Ladies - I could use your advice on this: I loved, really loved, our photographers and all the photos when I looked at them online. We did not get proofs to choose from, rather, I picked them online and the photographer printed them. I just got them in the mail and am really disappointed. She did a bunch of photoshopping to the photos and did things like whiting out the background, or fuzzing the edges, or adding frames. In some cases, this clearly detracts from the photo - like people who are too close to the edge have been blurred or cut out. In others, it's just a matter of taste, and I think it looks really tacky. The photographer loves stuff like this and it's obvious on her website. But, she did not tell me she would be adding these "details" to my photos. I thought it was a "what you see is what you get" thing from the website. What should I do? Wait to get the files and just have them reprinted? Risk totally offending her and asking her to reprint them? Just let it go? As everyone knows, photography is not cheap, so it's really disappointing to think I have these great photos and then get the prints and be so unhappy. What would you do? Oh, and by the way, I've been a bit lazy so haven't actually paid for the prints yet. I guess I could deduct the ones that are really bad? Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

He did my wedding and was great. More details in my review (Fogdog's Hacienda del Mar Review).

It works the other way, too. If you have light skin and light hair, the laser cannot pick up the difference in pigment to know what to go after. It worked great for me on underarms and bikini area, but after several (expensive) treatments on my legs, I still have hair. Much less, but I still need to shave. The best combo is very light skin and very dark hair.

We were engaged in late Feb and didn't want to make any decisions right away. Probably bc we knew we had totally different visions for the wedding which we ended up fighting over quite a bit. So, in the end, we didn't really start planning until June and were married in Nov. I felt like I had more than enough time for everything. In fact, once I signed the contract, I probably didn't even do much more for the next couple months aside from send out a save the date. Totally doable.

It was definitely too big and it did spin, but I wouldn't call it a problem bc it's an eternity band. But, once the beads were put in, it stopped spinning and it tends to stay put.

I also had beads (or for those of you with dirty minds, balls) installed into my ring. My husband got it as a surprise and thought I was a 4.5 but I'm really a 4 and the ring is not the type that can be sized. So, the jeweler suggested the beads and I was very skeptical at first, but now I love them. It helps the ring slide over my knuckle but then stay in place around the looser part of my finger. I have 3 and I don't notice them at all. They also mentioned the benefit of being able to take them in/out, like when I get pregnant or during the winter. They are platinum and were done at no cost. I think it's a great solution.

I did not have a bridal party and it worked out just fine. Just have someone (your mom, brother, etc) give the rings to the minister right before the ceremony. We had a very close family friend sign the certificate - he was honored to do so. It's amazing how much simpler things become without a bridal party.

Sorry to interrupt this hilarious conversation with a serious answer, but one other tip: Williams-Sonoma also owns Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, Williams-Sonoma Home, and West Elm. Though not all concepts have registry, you can register at one and, if you return things, you can use your merchandise credit at any of the stores. So, you could register for stuff at Williams-Sonoma (I recommend knives; expensive, small, and don't go on sale so easy to return) and take all your credits and buy a piece of furniture at Pottery Barn or West Elm.

We did ours at sunrise. I think it was about 6:30 am. It wasn't that bad. After all the craziness leading up, even though I was tired, I was relaxed and it was really fun.

I take them occasionally, but agree that the best thing to do is try to get them naturally through diet. I have chronic sinus problems that require me to be on antibiotics regularly for long stretches of time. When I finish the antibiotics, I take the probiotics for an equal period of time to "repopulate the colonies" of good bacteria. I go to a natural pharmacy and this is what they have recommended. I take New Chapter Pro Flora 1st thing in the morning with a big drink of water and don't eat for 30 min (not sure why but they advised taking them on an empty stomach). The one advantage to probiotics over yogurt, etc. is that you can get several strains of bacteria - I think mine has about 15 - whereas yogurt typically has 2-4. The only side effect I notice is increased regularity, not necessarily a bad thing. I'm a big fan but probably wouldn't take them regularly if not for health issues, they're a bit pricey.

My WC was working at our welcome dinner so I can't comment from experience. But, I would say, invite her. She will likely decline (because even though you might have become friendly with her and you like each other, it's still sort of "work" for her to be there). But it's a nice gesture and I'm sure she'd like that you thought of her. And if she accepts, it's just one more person.

Congrats on your decision! I was married at the Sheraton too - let me know if I can help with any specific questions about it! Maybe navy blue for the bridesmaids?

I did not have a bridal party, but my various groups of girlfriends did get together and have showers for me. I somewhat organized by own bachelorette by telling 3 very close girlfriends that I really wanted to have a girls weekend in NYC, not necessarily as a bachelorette, just for some fun! They all said yes and we all went and stayed with another girlfriend who lived there and each took part in organizing the weekend's activities. So I didn't have 1 huge party night out with the veil on, etc, but it was one of the best weekends of my life. If you have 1 or 2 close friends who you can tell what you have in mind, judge by their response - if they start to get excited about it then you can all plan it together. If not, you'll know you'll need to do most of the work yourself and might have trouble getting full participation.

I've been and loved it! You will have a great time!

ok, don't kill me for suggesting this, but perhaps you could just ask a family member to be on photo duty for it? There's not a whole lot of action to the ceremony and it's probably not worth the cost of getting a photographer. We had a guest do pictures of our Catholic ceremony, and, aside from our group shot at the end with the priest, there wasn't much to take pictures of. Not at all to take away from how much it will mean to everyone there, it's just not a very photo-friendly type of thing.

Quote: Originally Posted by mauraw Also, a bit of an update:[/color]I called our family priest this evening, and he suggested that what we do is try to reserve the church for Saturday morning and we can do a private mass with just our parents present. Then, in the early evening at the hotel, our family priest will do a vow renewal type ceremony for all our guests (but we would not tell our guests that it is not the real ceremony). I actually like the sounds of this! Given how important it is to you and your immediate family (and maybe not quite as much to friends, etc. - keeping in mind a Catholic mass can get long for those who do not practice) it could be really neat to get up early and start off your day with a more intimate and spiritual event with very close family. Then have brunch together after, part ways with your husband, and get ready for your party! You could wear a cute cotton sundress - a whole new wedding ensemble! just trying to help you look on the brighter side of this mess

one other thing, to get that light, you really need to be out there at dawn, or very close to it. once that sun gets up, it's not so flattering. i can see the progression in our photos and, even though it was painful, i'm glad we got up when we did.

We did our photos the morning after and they came out beautifully. They are my favorite photos out of the 1000+ we got back. I had an updo and slept in my hair and it was totally fine. Went to Laura Mercier for all my makeup and did it myself - with the help of my photographer - the next morning and, imho, I look just as good as the night before except a heck of alot more relaxed. I was talked into photos before the wedding - for the same reason, lack of light - and those photos are terrible. We are all stiff, posed, and not at all relaxed. But I felt like the next morning, you can see the perspective in our eyes - we are so happy to be together and just enjoying the moment. Plus, in Cabo, the dawn lighting is far more spectacular than the evening. If you wake up early the morning of, you might peter out before the night is over too...

We had ours the weekend before Thanksgiving and many people commented positively that it was easier to get the time off work bc people were expected to be out around the holiday. Several took full advantage and stayed a few days after too. The flights were a bit trickier, but as long as you do your save the date well in advance, I think you'll be fine.