Shay2679

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Stephanie~ Shay!!!!!!!! OMG I have Missed you!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously woman, I am so glad you posted and I am sooooo happy you are finally going to Mexico! Please report back, with pictures of course! I miss you on the Royal thread, and I am so happy you checked in! I hope you have an amazing unforgetable trip, you so deserve it hun! *big Hugs* Steph, I freakin love you lady! You are one of the main reasons I'm even back here! I missed it too! Hubby and I are SO excited to get away and enjoy some time in Mexico... and I am SO excited you are still making plans to get married at the Royal. This year is going to be great! I'll be in touch with pictures (nothing has changed there, still a picture whore)!, and of course if you ever need to de-stress as your big day draws nearer, just come find me! xoxoxo

I'm just checking in today, and...thought it has been quite a while since I posted, I wanted to extend another HUGE thank you to all that have helped us this past year. After the craziness and excitement of the wedding passed, I really started to feel ... sad...about things. I guess I wasn't able to hold it together THAT well! Anyways...it has just meant a lot that you all were there to support me, and really ... approaching our one year anniversary ... is the most exciting time! Hopefully my next report will be that we're expecting a baby! xoxo

Hello! It's been SO long since I've been on the forum, mostly because it's still a little painful to remember the wedding that could have been! My DH and I were supposed to be married at the Royal PDC last May 7th. Three days before we were to leave, Swine Flu hysteria broke out, and our entire trip, flights, everything...all cancelled. (Our first trip to Mexico was also cancelled due to a hurricane...so this was our second kick at the can)! We had planned an At Home Reception in Alberta upon our return from Mexico (which was scheduled to be the long weekend in May)...thank goodness we did that...as not only would we NEVER have been able to book anything for the long weekend that late in the game, but...it gave my mom the opportunity to find a J.P. and have us married in front of the 150 guests we had invited...something we had not afforded ourselves with the small 10 person guest list that was to attend in Mexico. Anyways...9 months later...we're still recovering from the "loss" of that day we had spent so much time planning. Don't get me wrong, the wedding in Alberta turned out lovely, and ultimately, I still got the guy, so its all good... Its just...we've always felt like ... we missed out on something. I'm not sure if that makes us selfish or what...but... Wow...ALLLLLL that to say...HERE we are today. My husband and I are just a few months away from our first wedding anniversary, and he is taking me to Mexico!!! Third times a charm right?! Not the same resort, but...the Grand Sirenis Riviera Maya! We leave April 14th and we plan on making the absolute MOST out of this trip! I just...wanted to tell someone! haha... I'm so excited!!!! Just in case...if you or someone you know if planning a trip to this resort, during this time, you may want to advise them to ... go another week! LOL Just kidding...I don't believe in curses...I don't believe in curses!!

Quote: Originally Posted by marny61 Your dress is beautiful and I loved the back of the BM dress as well. Congratulations and I am glad you made the best of it. I love that you loved the back of her dress! Funny story actually... At the beginning of April, when she finally decided she wasn't going to lose any weight, as was the plan, she tried the dress on for the first time! She's lucky we live in seperate ends of Canada, otherwise, I would have been over to her place the moment it arrived getting her into it! She kept putting it off, and finally, when she tried it on, it didn't fit. WE were expecting that...but...anyways, she took it to a seamstress, and they removed the full back zipper originally in the dress, replaced it with a half zipper and corsetted back, and I think the finished product was even more beautiful!!!! The long and short of it is...don't wait! BUT..if you do, there are some really talented people out there who can make just about anything work!

That is really stunning....you look amazing in your pics! Congrats Leah. I also really love your set-up in the gazebo...how romantic!

Quote: Originally Posted by BlissfulMsMiranda Aw Shay congrats!!! You looked GORGEOUS!! Everything looked amazing, I'm so happy things worked out for you despite all the craziness!!! -xo- Congrats to you too...MRS!!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by LC_Rachel This could have totally gone south too! No pun intended hey Rach!!! Thank you. It was difficult...but..we made the best of it, and it was a fabulous, memorable two weeks! xo

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Stephanie~ Shannon- Girl you are an inspiration! I know I could never pull it together as you did. I'm sorry you didn't get your wedding at the Royal but as you said before, you still got the guy! I know this was hard for you but it makes me smile to see how happy you are in your pictures. You look so beautiful Shannon! I hope you stay in touch now that you are a happily married MRS! Aww...Steph! Thank you. You helped me so much...to vent and chat at, when I wasn't feeling all that inspiring! Everything did come together in the end...and...we had a beautiful, perfect wedding day. I'll stay in touch, and as always, if you ever need advice, or have questions...email or PM me!

Quote: Originally Posted by dcheung1111 Thanks for sharing your pictures Shay - i'm so glad everything worked out for you. You looked beautiful on your wedding day - Congrats! Thanks sweetie. We saw a few weddings while in the Dominican, which was...difficult...but...the holiday was much needed, and our wedding day was...magical! We are going to try to plan a trip to the Royal in the winter...it won't make up for the lost plans...but we have a credit...and we deserve "another" honeymoon!

Quote: Originally Posted by Sandra&Mario i freakin LOVEEEEEEEEEEE your dress!!!! it's like a modern vintage, it's gorgeous!! who was the designer? It is a Casablanca gown...I can't remember the style number right now, but if you need it...PM me, and I'll look it up for you!

Hi my lovely ladies...and gentleman! Sorry it took me so long to post anything for you... I just uploaded a few pictures of our adventures! http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t43132 I'm battling a terrible cold right now, and would love to stick around...but...I'll check back in later! Love you girls...and thank you again ... for everything.

Me and Dad. Cousin of the Groom - what a cutie! The end! Thanks again ladies!

Held in Alberta upon our return...the most amazing day of my life!

and now...the wedding!

More coming.... Snorkel lesson! Our bestman pulled anchor on our Sunset Catamaran! We were surprised with champage and a toast on the Catamaran! Most beautiful bathroom entrance ever! I miss you palapas! They loved their bobbleheads!

I have an awful cold right now, so I'm going to keep this short. After our wedding was cancelled in Mexico at the last possible hour, our wedding party (sans parents ) were redirected to Paradissus Palma Real in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The six of stayed for 7 glorious days, and upon our return (the following weekend) we carried on with our scheduled AHR, only now, we added a full out ceremony to it! More than half our guests were completely surprised, and SO thrilled to be a part of our actual day!! Without further ado...a few pics from our days. (p.s. Thank you to all of you who helped me maintain my composure; and for those who reminded me daily what was really important in all this...I still got the guy)! Our arrival - EMOTIONAL (Our wedding party arrived the day before us) Our welcome champagne! Before grooming - the really was beautiful most of the time! Victor, the best bartender ever!! They stamped the ashtrays every day with the logo! Hotel residents - so crazy! Dragonflies a plenty.

Quote: Originally Posted by heidi&alex Alex and I are planning on the Royal for Christmas this year so perhaps we will see you there! Best wishes to you and all the other girls! That would be awesome! I'll keep you posted as to the timing... xo

That is really unbelievable. I hope Mexico as a whole can bounce back from the over $1billion they have already lost from tourism... After the WHO announced today, that the Mexican government and health official, and they, the WHO themselves, may have jumped the gun, citing that the "PANDEMIC" was actually more like a bout of flu, similar to the seasonal flu, and that some 40 previously reported swine flu related deaths, were actually false, I imagined for a second them reopening the borders, and allowing us to have our dream come true after all...but...after all that...I realized that dream was gone over a week ago! Wow...I truly am not feeling that sorry for myself anymore...we're ready to fly out tomorrow for a glorious week in the sun...but...I can't help but feel super angry that the panic that was started, really was all for nothing, and our dream wedding won't be because of it. I'm sure I'll get over it...but...wow...its just so hard to accept! Anyways...love you guys. I'll be in touch in a few weeks (but checking in while on holiday)! xoxox

We are twin dates!!! Ahhh...that is special. I will certainly be thinking of you on that day as well....all of you...thinking even though we exist to each in cyberspace...you are the very realist of friends... Isn't it crazy though...the emotions you have gone through over the last week. At least in our case, the decision was made for us...but we were facing having to make it ourseleves, and though determined to go, we knew with the panic and concern everyone was feeling, it just wasn't fair to continue to ask them all to sacrifice anything for this trip. Steph, making that decision...well, it sounds like everything is going to be amazing and is absolutely for the best. And hello...Hawaii!!! NICE! I'll definitely be checking in while in the DR, and I'll try to post some pics along the way. Once I'm back in Canada and at home with the family....I'll make sure you all get a little taste of the Dominican as well! We are looking into hiring a new photographer for the AHR, and we might do a beach session in DR! Something we weren't planning before! So...it could be fun. I can't remember if I let any of you know, but..we were able to get the full amount of our final payment to our Photographers refunded, and we got it yesterday. The Royal is keeping our $300US deposit, but Lili said they would put it towards a future stay at the hotel, and I am going to let her know today that we are going to try to visit around Christmastime! (On a side note, this is the 2nd attempt at visiting Cancun area - our first trip was to be to the Xcaret...a few years back right before that huge Hurricane ripped through the area)! If anyone is planning on going to Mexico around Christmas from this thread...let me know...as there may be some natural disaster...as they seem to follow our trips! LOL Anyways girls... Much love to you all, and I'll be in touch. If there is anything I can offer while you finish planning your weddings at the Royal, just say the word! I have lots of shit!

Quote: Originally Posted by ~Stephanie~ Shannon, I hope you have the trip of a lifetime, take lots of pictures we still want to see them! You are a stronger woman than I, I truly admire you. AWW! Thank you, and I promise to shower you with pictures...upon my return. xoxo

Hello my wonderful girls (and boy(s)?) I need you to all know that I appreciate any ounce of concern you have afforded me! I love you for thinking of us during this crazy time. The last few days have been...crazy. I've tried to remember throughout it all that I have what is most important...I still get the guy! I've also been mourning the loss of this "THING" that I have been planning and building up in my head for the last 14 months...its a tough thing to let go of. We are going to be legally married May 16th, at our AHR. It will be a surprise to most of the friends and family attending. Ken, myself, my MOH and her fiance were able to secure a flight and hotel in the Dominican (P.C.) and leave this weekend for 7 days of sun, and relaxation. No beach wedding, but...there will plenty of Mexico OOT bags and goodies to go around between the four of us. Everyone else cancelled their trips completely and will not come with us. Trying to stay positive...and...remember the important things aren't necessarilyare all here...health, love, friends and family. It can't get better than that... xoxoxo I'll be in touch soon.

Quote: Originally Posted by istephiez OMG shay are you serious, what the hell, is it for sure? Is it until a certain date? What are you doing? How many people were coming with you guys? I am crying for you because it sounds like the decision may have been taken out of your own hands. According to the media, and the Air Canada/Vacations websites, its official. They have cancelled all flights until June 1st... We have a small group...only 10 of us...but everyone has their time booked off, everyone needs the break...and everyone will probably stay at home drinking Jose Cuervo, pretending to be somewhere we are banned from visiting. I'm so devastated, I cannot even begin to explain how much so. The real clincher is it appears that we are only permitted to REBOOK our vacation for another time, before October 31, 2009, and...FI and I might be able to take more time for a trip...but...my dad, his mom...no, it just won't happen. I'm hoping my TA can do something for us...hoping our travel insurance we purchased can recover most or all of the costs, cancelling our trip, and getting married in some fucking hotel ballroom (AHR)... I...am just numb. Maybe I'll do more about this tomorrow....but with my luck...I'll just catch the flu on the metro between home and work, and...do more of nothing.

Air Canada Vacations announced the cancellation of all flights to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cozumel tonight. We will NOT be having our wedding in that freakin gazebo, on that god damn beach, in Mexico. If I weren't so tired from all the crying...I'd ... punch something! I don't know what to do.

Our Air Canada Vacations flight was just cancelled. I don't even know where to begin as far as...who to contact...what to cancel...how to get my money back....when to cry...when not to cry... crap.

Quote: Originally Posted by LSUangel25 Thanks for the invite Stephanie! Shay - I will probably see you at the Royal! We leave on Wed 5/6. I posted on the swine flu thread after speaking with the CDC this morning (). Best of luck to all of you all! I will keep you posted once I talk to the CDC again. Michelle Sweet Michelle! I'll see you there!!! I should just make us all t-shirts that say BDW on them ... or hats or something, and that way, we'll all know each other! LOL Anways...I hope Shannon and her crew are all having a blast at the Royal!!! Her wedding is Sunday...and I hope everyone ended up going after all...she had two bridesmaids and 6 other members planning on cancelling... Shannon if you're reading this...we'll SEE YOU SOON!!!!