csk_needweddinghelp

Quote: Originally Posted by klhutsell Has anyone used Paulina lately that could post some pictures? And also does Paulina offer a TTD session or has anyone used her for a TTD? THANKS Hello, My wedding was on 06-07-08 and Paulina was our photographer. My husband and I loved working with her and her pictures of our wedding came out beautiful. Not only did we think so, but our family and guests also commented that some of the photos looked like magazine quality shots. I'm comfortable letting the photos speak for themselves. I posted the proofs to our personal wedding web site at Cindy and Eric...06.07.08 Wedding WebSite, the password required is CSEK678, then click on photo album. Please note that the web site will only be valid until November 2008 and taken down after that. I plan on writing a full review of Paulina and my wedding planner Priscilla Armino with Prisar in a separate thread. Our experiences with both were excellent. I would like to address the negative review in this thread. It is so sad to hear anyone not happy with their wedding photos. I know I would have been devastated if I were unhappy with mine. But her review, though negative of Paulina, brings up some very good points about choosing a photograper that is right for you. Though Paulina takes gorgeous pictures, her style may not suit everyone. The primary reason why we chose Paulina was because of her more "natural" "photojournalistic" style. My husband absolutely hates to take pictures and the more "posed" the more uncomfortable he appears in them. Paulina's style suited him very well and I have some of the best photos of him and us together that I've ever gotten in the 4 years we've been together. I am comfortable in front of the camera so I was fine with either style and I prefer "posed" "stylistic" shots which she gave us many of those to suit my wants as well. For us, we got the best of both worlds and we are both extremely happy. Honestly, I did not know Paulina did not speak English until our wedding day but we didn't have any issues communicating with her via her interpreter. Also, we usually understood what she wanted us to do with her gestures even before the interpreter explained. Not to mention, I thought she did a very good job of getting candid, more natural shots as the course of events took place. This helped with the comfort level of my husband. I booked Paulina after our WC, Priscilla, sent me some pics of previous wedding Paulina had shot and explained her style of photography. Also, I read up on her here in this forum. Selecting a photographer I think, is one of the most important vendors you have to choose in order to preserve the memories of your wedding day. Don't just book one because your wedding planner suggests him/her. Make sure to either speak directly with that photographer or do some research to make sure you know how that photographer works (his/her philosophy on photography). Also, express your particular needs or wants in advance and the day of to ensure you get the style of photos you're hoping for. From then on, cross your fingers and hope the images get saved and come out great! Also, I meant to make a list of specific shots I wanted but didn't get around to it - luckily I have a great memory and we pretty much got everything I wanted, but I still recommend writing a list. Hope this helps someone! Cindy

Great info. It's so nice of you to share! Now I can copy and paste. Thanks!

Hi, I am using Prisar as well. Priscilla has been great. I think they have been getting a lot of referrals via this forum and word of mouth--deservedly so. I think they really try to treat their clients' weddings as if they were handling their own. All of my communication has been via email and phone but I still feel a personal touch from them. I can't wait to meet her in June when I finally get there for my wedding! Cindy

Edna, you always give such good and thorough info. Priscilla is great via email and phone but its still comforting to hear how great she is to work with in person. I can't wait to finally meet her in person in June. Thanks again. Cindy

Quote: Originally Posted by jilly76 my husband was telling me up until the day before to cancel ours because it was too much money, but honestly in comparison to what others have spent, we didn't really spend much at all and he still complained! I can relate. The first time my FI and I discussed the photography budget, he just about fell over when I explained the average cost range and then he promptly lowered it according to what he thought it should be...I never thought I'd be able to get one for the amount he suggested but I'm foregoing prints and instead increased the number of pics on the CD. I figure this way I can sneak in the cost of professionally printing them here in the US after the wedding! I live in Maryland just outside of DC and there are a lot of professional photography labs that can print the photos with great resolution and color saturation. So it was very important to me to have the pics I choose in high resolution on a CD that I could have printed whenever & wherever I want. I think in the end he will be happy that we had a professional photographer. By the way - the wedding picture you have tagged to your message is beautiful, what a great view!

Hi, I wanted to share this post with other brides out there that might be concerned about the pricing info they are seeing on the photographers' sites and price lists. I was also very discouraged and concerned that I would not have the quality of pictures that was important to me. However, I believe many of the local photographers will work with your budget -- it never hurts to ask, as the worst that will come of it may be a polite "no." I'm not saying to lowball them just for the sake of trying (your offer will have to be somewhat comparable to their service fees) but if you truly have budget constraints some are willing to at least work with you and offer flexibility in the number of hours covered, # of pics on a cd, & # of prints for the amount you have budgeted. That's why many of them say to contact them for an exact quote. Here's my story: My FI and I are on a fairly tight wedding budget (we think in comparison to what others are spending on their weddings) and while I consider pictures very important -- he doesn't really (not to mention he hates having his picture taken). We finally agreed on an amount for a photographer which did not provide enough to fly in a photographer so I knew it had to be a local one. I explained my situation to my wedding planner and she then relayed this to the photographers we were interested in. They all came back with packages that were within our price range and what we felt were reasonable for the amount we had budgeted. Even though we had our wedding planner contacting the photographers for us, she did so because I explained our situation and I think the photographers still would have worked with us on pricing if I had contacted them directly. Bottom line I think I got a great local photographer with a package and price my FI and I could live with. IT NEVER HURTS TO ASK - ESPECIALLY NICELY AND WITH SINCERITY! Despite what my FI thinks, these pictures will be some of the only tangible things we have left to remember our very special day by and I think this is how most brides (& some grooms) feel. So don't settle for a photographer you're not that impressed with just because his/her price fits your budget. Contact the photographers you're interested in that may be a little more than your budget and see if they will work with you. Good luck!

Hi, Like Edna and Jaime, I am also using Prisar (Priscilla & Hector) and though all of my communication has been via email & phone, I'm very happy with the service they've provided. I believe they have been able to negotiate better pricing for me than if I was on my own, plus I wanted the convenience of having someone else stay on top of scheduling and handling payments for me. Not to mention they have ongoing relationships with the vendors they use (caterers, florists, djs, photogs, etc.) so I have to think that they know which ones deliver the best (thru trial & error) for the budget you have. They have never made me feel like the budget I have is not workable. Feel free to PM if you have any questions. Cindy

Quote: Originally Posted by christinepg Thank you guys so much. I revised the link once I figured out how to put the song on. Thank you for the nice comments about my dress, my mom made it (the white one not the reception sequin dress)! She was so happy when I called her to tell her all your lovely comments!!! We were amazed at how beautiful it turned out because she hadnt made clothes in like 25 years and she never made a wedding dress. I got married at the Marina Mayan and I used Prisar Vallarta as my coordinators. They were the best. Christine, I cannot believe your mother made your wedding dress -- absolutely gorgeous -- I'm so jealous. Also, loved your pics. By the way, I ended up hiring Prisar -- your recommendation helped. Everything is going really well with them -- Priscilla is great, so nice and I feel like she really tries to give me advice as if it were her own wedding. She's helping me narrow down my photographer choices right now. Anyway, just wanted to send you a shout out regarding your dress and pics, also say thanks. Cindy

Quote: Originally Posted by mora Have you asked Prisar about the photos from Heather's wed? I think was at Conchas Chinas, also you can check 3 or 4 pics on prisar web page. Hector and Pris mentioned this house for us, but considering the dates we want they asked for a rental fee of 2 weeks!!! so REALLY out of Budget... LOL.. but it looks AMAZING!!! BTW, you will love Hector and Pris they are amazing and really nice people!! Hi Edna, Priscilla is supposed to send me the layout of the villa and I think she mentioned sending me pics of the wedding she did there too -- I guess that's Heather's wedding? I've only spoken to Priscilla and she seems very nice and accommodating. I'm happy we went with Prisar. Next MAJOR thing we have to choose is the photographer, so I'm trying to not drive her crazy by starting on decorating ideas right now while we still have more important vendor selections to make. I agree that the high season rates for China Blanca is expensive and that's why we went with the first Saturday in June. I'm praying that rainy season doesn't start til mid or late June!

It's a cute idea --especially with the different outfits & poses. Who wouldn't want to see cute pictures of our beloved furballs!

Quote: Originally Posted by Lorilou if it makes you feel any better, we booked ours site unseen... here's a link. La Punta Realty - Christie's Great Estates - Pacific Mexico luxury real estate and vacation rentals - Puerto Vallarta, Punta de Mita, Costa Careyes, Costa Alegre, Costa Nayarit land, luxury and leisure. Funny, but that does make me feel better and I remember seeing that house on the La Punta site -- it's super fab but way out of our price range! BTW - I did see those pictures on the DD's site before. I looked at every villa they had in their gallery so I could get an idea for how weddings could be set up at the different villas we were considering. I just wish there were more pictures of that China Blanca wedding. Do you still have the contact info (email address) of that bride? Maybe she would be willing to allow me to view her online wedding album!

Quote: Originally Posted by anacgarcia wow I haven't seen it in person but in pictures it looks really stunning, tell us more info please!!! Hi Anny, What are you interested in knowing? We are planning a small wedding 30 - 40 people but the place/grounds can accommodate more (I think up to 125 - need to doublecheck what the sites said). We were deciding between China Blanca and Casa Valerie but picked Blanca because 1) it is newer, completed in 2005 2) outside grounds is larger with a flat top gazebo area already there for the ceremony 3) oceanfront with private steps down to the beach 4) really cool overall design - did you notice how there is water running under the floor from the entrance into the foyer of the house? 5) WC said that Casa Valerie is "nice" but that China Blanca is "amazing." I first heard about it when I posted my newbie message and someone replied suggesting China Blanca.

Okay, so we booked this place site unseen, based on the gorgeous pictures of it and the recommendation of our wedding planner, Prisar. I know it will be amazing in person but I thought I'd ask. Has anyone seen it in person or better yet attended a wedding there? If yes, do you have candid pictures of the place that you would be willing to email me?

Quote: Originally Posted by mora Same here when I asked DD they didnt worked with the Mayan. She sent a quote for NH Krystal and she also said she works with Dreams and private villas. Jaime we have our appt with Hector and Priscilla next Sunday, they are taking us to check the Mayan, the Patio of the Westin and Casa La Salamandra for our venues, also we are going to see the Church and we will check the music, decoration, photos, videogs, and in thursday they will take just me to check on hairstylists and make up , also florists. I can let you know how did it went as soon as I come back. I have possitive feedback as far as today, they have send me better prices than the ones I originally found/negotiate with providers..... and since we are having a catholic ceremony also , they are coordinationg this event also, they will take care of everything: timing, flowers, priest, documents, etc so for me is much better. Hi Edna, I booked Prisar for our wedding 06-07-08 at the villa Casa China Blanca. Unfortunately, I am doing everything with Prisar via email & phone since I don't think my FI and I will be able to visit beforehand. I'd really appreciate a thorough review from you when you get back regarding everything (food, bakery, music, decoration ideas, etc) you check out while you are there with Prisar. Obviously I can't do taste tests through email! Cindy

Thanks, your review was one of the reasons I purchased my Sottero & Midgley gown from bestbridalprices.com. Also the $120 towards a veil and $50 towards shoes that they offer on top of no tax or shipping! Since I didn't want shoes, they let me order $50 worth of other stuff. I'm supposed to receive my order by mid December this year and I can't wait!!!

Okay so I'm an obsessive freak about cleaning my ring but I don't have a pave setting which as noted is prone to falling out from overzealous cleaning -- it has happened to some of my cocktail rings. Mine is shared prong in platinum and I drop my ring in my Gemoro ultrasonic which I got online from Otto Frei and then "dry clean" it with my Jewel Jet steamer which I got from HSN. I clean them weekly cause it takes a whopping 5 minutes and all of my friends stare at my ring constantly cause it sparkles like crazy. If you can't afford cleaning appliances, there's nothing wrong with a baby toothbrush and Dawn dishwashing soap. Diamonds and platinum can't be hurt by those other "jewelry cleaning liquids" but that stuff might wear down rhodium plating on white gold. Yes, you should have your ring checked at least once a year by a reputable jeweler in your area (my FI got my ring directly thru a NYC diamond dealer so I didn't have a "store" to go to regularly. I had to find one near me - our independent appraiser recommended several to me and I trust his opinion). Hope this helps!

Hi, I went to several shops in the MD & VA. The one with the prices closest to the internet was Pattrapon in Kensington, MD. They have a website: http://www.pattraponbridal.com. It is a tiny boutique but the owner (this tiny little woman from Thailand) has a TON of dresses there ranging from size 6 thru 14. She actually had dresses that were less than $600! However, the Sottero & Midgley dress (also by Maggie Sottero) I wanted was not there but I tried on dresses by Sottero that were similar in design. I think she would have matched the online price I found but I still would have had to pay tax and I wouldn't have gotten $170 toward a veil and shoes. Even though her prices were the most competitive locally for me, I still bought mine online from Wedding Dresses, Prom Dresses, Wedding Accessories at BestBridalPrices.com, because they threw in $120 for a veil and $50 for shoes (though I got $50 worth of other stuff because I did not think it a good idea to buy wedding shoes I had never tried on--need them to be comfortable). From what I've read here and other forums, this online bridal store is legitimate and registered with the BBB. Good luck!

Are you doing the math correctly? Do you mean they want to charge to $300 - $350? Let me get this straight. Your insurance company was trying to charge you $3000 to $3500 per year to insure your ring? Unless your ring is worth over $100,000 -- that is ridiculous. I live in Maryland and my home/auto insurance company quoted me $205 annual premium for $18,500 worth of coverage. Chubb quoted me $265 for the same amount so I went with them.

Blue Nile is a legitimate online diamond retailer and has access to excellent quality diamonds (GIA or AGS certified). My ering's center stone is a Blue Nile diamond but my FI got it thru an independer diamond dealer for a little less than Blue Nile had it listed at. Basically, Blue Nile's list of diamonds is a list of virtual diamonds (the diamonds aren't at a store named Blue Nile). These virtual diamonds actually live in diamond districts (like NYC, LA, etc.) where the diamond cutters are holding them and Blue Nile happens to have something like "preferred access" by the cutters to the diamonds listed on their site. IMO, buying a diamond thru a legitimate online retailer or dealer is the smartest way to buy a high quality diamond for the lowest price available to the public. You should always buy a GIA or AGS certified diamond and have it immediately appraised by a qualified independent appraiser (preferably not a jeweler). My FI was able to buy me the ring of my dreams for about 50% less than Mervis tried to sell him that was similar in quality & size (actually my diamond is higher in quality because it is GIA certified and the Mervis one was EGL certified). Anyway, the best advice I can give anyone looking for an e-ring, wedding band, or upgraded ring is to visit the forum called Pricescope. Like this forum, it is an independent public forum providing advice on diamond & jewelry purchasing. I'm so glad I sent my FI there before he bought me my ring. Good luck!

Hi, thought I'd bump this thread with a reply since no one has mentioned Chubb insurance. I learned about them thru another great forum (pricescope). They are similar to Jewelers Mutual but a little more expensive because their policy is amazing. Basically, they will cut you a check for the replacement amount your ring appraised for (e.g., you buy a ring for $10K but got a great deal and according to your independent appraiser it's replacement cost would be $13K). Because you are paying the insurance premium for the replacement worth $13K, you will get a check from them for at least $13K if you file a claim. If you get a revised appraisal after your ring is stolen/lost/damaged (to account for increase in diamond or platinum pricing at the time of the loss) and it appraises for more than $13K, then you will get a check for the higher amount up to 50% (i.e., up to $19,500). I don't know of any other insurance carrier that allows for this. Also, keep in mind that many homeowners insurance with riders for separate jewelry only stipulate that you get an item of "like kind." With Chubb, you get the check and get to pick whatever you want with it. Not to mention with that higher amount, you could probably upgrade! I'm with Erie insurance for home & auto coverage. When I asked Erie for a rider estimate for my e-ring it was only $60 less than the amount Chubb quoted me, so I went with Chubb. Keep in mind that Chubb rates vary state to state so mine might be much lower than what you get quoted. You can contact an authorized Chubb agent local to you for an accurate quote. Good luck!

Quote: Originally Posted by bbdq_21 you might want to check Puerto Vallarta Weddings, Event Planning and Catering Services and look at the site Casa China Blanca. My girlfriend had her wedding there and it was truly amazing. That villa is SOOO gorgeous but it seems expensive to rent. Did your girlfriend post her info on this site? If so, do you have links to that info? Thanks.

Quote: Originally Posted by IrieBride08 Hi and welcome to the forum! I'm from the DC Metro area too. I'm taking the easy way out and getting married in Jamaica. (Planning for about 50 guests.)I figured it would save money and time. Hi, we went to the Couples resort in Jamaica last year and loved it but we wanted to try visiting somewhere different for our wedding. At the couples resort we only saw three weddings the entire 8 days we were there and none were on the same day so it didn't seem so "factory" like. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Quote: Originally Posted by JANET1111 I live in DC too! Cabo is a longer trip for people on the eat coast too. We had most of our guests from the west/west coast so that is why we chose it, but it's not exactly close to DC Hi Janet, Initially, Cabo was a real contender but then I started reading some posts saying it is really expensive. Did you find that to be the case. Were you happy with the location, photographer, caterers, etc? Any vendors you would recommend? Would you do it again there? Sorry for so many questions. BTW - your photos look great! I liked how your photographer had posed and candid shots.

Wow, I can't believe how friendly of a welcome this is. After I posted, I started reading some of the other threads to get more info on WCs and locations. Thanks for all of your warm wishes and suggestions already. I'm really leaning towards somewhere in PV. It sounds like Cabo might be too expensive (for us and our guests). Part of the reason we are doing a DW is because we wanted to lower the cost of the wedding and the number of guests that would actually make it--not to mention I wanted a beautiful local and only semi-formal. I'm from the Washington DC metro area and weddings in this area easily cost $20K and up just for a small affair. We want to try to keep everything to less than $12K and I think we will only have between 25-45 people actually make it down to Mexico. Anyone have any recommendations for wedding planners in PV that you've used (and are priced less than $1500)?

Hi, My fiance and I are considering a DW in either the Bahamas (Sandals) or Mexico (Cabo or PV). I would prefer Mexico as it seems it would be possible to hire an American wedding planner that I can correspond with and have some control over the vendors chosen. I am not a "bridezilla" or "uber control freak" but I feel like if I leave everything up to Sandal's, it will feel more like a "machine" that just processes thru 5 or 6 weddings a day and not very special for us. Any suggestions/tips regarding a DW in Cabo or PV? Thanks.