PaddleAddict

I am planning my wedding in Maui from California. I have never been to Maui, and I don't have a wedding coordinator. I am a great researcher though and I love to plan, so that works for me! I have found lots of info here at BDW, as well as the local Hawaii boards on the Knot. There is so much information available on the internet that it really isn't too hard to plan a wedding away. A lot of girls take trips over to scout out locations and stuff before the wedding, but we won't be doing that. I am pretty flexible and mellow, though, so I feel comfortable booking without seeing it in person. Now, just explain that to my mother, LOL. She doesn't know how I can do it!

Hi Thanda, I am a wannabe SeaWatch bride. We want to book late September. I am researching other options at this time, including the Marriott, the Five Palms restaurant (in Kihei) and the Fairmont Kea Lani. We really want SeaWatch, though, so I am going to wait just a tiny bit longer to see if the bookings open up. Sherry posted a great review (under Wedding Reviews) of her wedding in Maui. She had the ceremony on the grounds of the Wailea Marriott and the reception at the SeaWatch. The weather in Hawaii in February will be wonderful, but be aware that it is "high season" so prices for flights and accomodations for your guests will be very high. The reason we booked late September is because it is considered "low season" (after Labor Day, before Thanksgiving) and the prices for flights and hotels/condos are amazing!

Good luck on your quick Maui wedding. I'm sure it will be beautiful! For a photographer, you might want to check out the local Hawaii board on the knot. Those girls have a lot of info there! When you get back, could you please post a review about the Maui Prince? We are considering staying there the night of the wedding (and one more night).

These are great suggestions ladies. Does anyone know more about that Drysol? I was thinking of going to a dermatologist and inquiring about it. Do you know if you can use it on your face? I believe that I sweat more than is typical/normal, especially on a few places of my body (oddly, not really my armpits), but I am sooooo afraid about my face. I sweat profusely on my upper lip and forehead (I've always been that way) and I will sweat on my upper lip if it's 78 degrees out. You can imagine what that does to my makeup. I also sweat an unusual amount on my back (why it's so strange) so I think I will definitely try the spray on antipersperant there. I've never been motivated to do anything about it until now. I don't want my wedding pictures to look awful.

Thanks for the post on the bags. I bought 20 of them for my OOT bags. They just came last week and they are super cute and really well made!

Hi Chem, Where at the Marriott will you be getting married? The coordinator from A Dream Wedding, Maui quoted me a pretty high price for just the site fee, chair rental and day-of coordination. I wish the SeaWatch would get its butt in gear so we can have the wedding there as planned because it will cost so much more to do it at the Marriott. Of course, being close to the ocean at the Marriott would be really nice...

I think announcements are supposed to be sent AFTER the wedding takes place.

Hi Sherry, Can you tell me how you liked the Wailea Beach Marriott (rooms and grounds)? We were planning on having both the ceremony and reception at the SeaWatch, but SeaWatch is having some problems with their lease and they are not booking past Aug. 18, 2009 at this time. They gave me a courtesy hold on the date, but can't/won't tell me if/when I can book and I am starting to stress out about it. Plus, I can't book any vendors or send save the dates! I am starting to look into the Marriott for the ceremony (not sure about where to have the reception, but probably not there), which looks pretty reasonable, and I also like the fact that you can get married right by the water. (How was the wind down there, by the way?) I'd love to get your impressions on the hotel rooms and grounds. TIA!

We are inviting about 70 and I really hope only about 25 come. We know immediate family and most of our closest friends can make it, and that is all that matters to us. We are really looking forward to a small, intimate wedding, one where we can interact with our guests who we are closest to. Fi and I never wanted a big wedding, and best way to ensure that was a DW... best idea ever!

Quote: Originally Posted by MsShelley please search the forum, this has been brought up numerous times http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t34634 http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...2-5#post643927 Thanks for the links. I did use the search function before posting, but I didn't come up with anything... I guess I didn't use the right terms in the search.

Did you do one OOT bag per guest or per couple? The bags I am thinking of using are quite large and sort of "girly" so I was thinking of one per couple, and one per guest travling alone, and just filling the bags with two of everything? Is this okay or do I need to do one per guest?

I'm sorry you had a hard time at David's. I had a good experience here in SoCal, and my consultant was awesome, but some of the other employees in there were morons. The store manager was great though, and he kept popping over to offer me suggestions. By the way, the dress I tried on was my size, but it had been tried on a bunch of times and I asked the manager if I could order my dress new (I asked really nicely) and he said yes. When I told the consultant this she said, "Wow, we aren't supposed to do that, that was really nice of him."

If you look at mermaid style dresses online at the David's Bridal website scroll down and look at the "comment/ratings" section. Many "real" girl post picture of themselves in their dresses.

Quote: Originally Posted by litl_april I think both are beautiful but I voted for the first one. I think it looks absolutely fabulous on you. However as many others have said, you have to go with what you feel. As someone else mentioned too, it's worth finding out if you can get the lace-up put in by a seamstress. I was that girl too I always imagined having that corset back and of course the dress I found and fell in love with was zippered. So I talked to the seamstress I knew I'd be using to find out if she could alter that and she said there'd be no problem! So if you're leaning towards the first in style but not loving it because it's missing that dream detail, it's definately worth talking to a seamstress about! Good luck! Can't wait to see what you go with! Enjoy tomorrow! I can tell you that you won't be able to have a lace-up put into dress number one due to the fabric and the way the dress is made/layered (although I suspect the OP already realizes that!). It is a really gorgeous dress!

My advice: When you go back there, try on some more dresses (I browsed online after my first visit) and then AFTER that try on your current top two. You may find that you have completely changed your mind, or that you like on of the new dresses you try on better. The first visit was so overwhelming to me that by the end I didn't know WHAT I thought... LOL. Also, the dress I finally chose, I had written it off after the first visit. But when I tried it on again in my size (on the first visit the dress I was trying on was three sizes too small), I was in love with how flattering it was to my figure and it just felt right. And, at the end of the day, if you want a white dress, by all means buy a white dress.

Okay, this is so funny. I also bought my dress at David's and in the end it was between two dresses... one was your first dress (the ivory Galina). I thought it was the most beautiful wedding dress I ever saw, especially once it was on. The photos of the dress on the model really don't do the dress justice. And it's just perfect for a DW! However, as gorgeous as it was, I just didn't think it flattered my figure (even though my friends and mom said it did). I wanted to buy it sooooo bad, but in the end I didn't want to feel self-conscious or uncomfortable on my wedding day. Then, I got to try on my dress #2 in my appropriate size and I fell in LOVE!!! I went to David's twice and tried my top two, plus others on the second visit. That really helped me clarify how I felt about the dress. That said, I think both dresses are equally flattering on you and I think you should pick the dress you really want--not based on whether or not it's for a DW or what other people think--just the dress that makes you feel like a bride! And, for what it's worth, I also think the second to last dress on the "no" list is also very flattering and beautiful on you! Good luck!

Thank you, everyone, for all the kind comments! Everyone on this site is soooo nice. I am so happy to have found BDW!

Quote: Originally Posted by Tlseege Very beautiful and very flattering on you! I love the top! Thank you! I have a large chest and broad shoulders, but narrow hips, so it's always a challenge to find something that doesn't make me look too top heavy.

Here is my dress (please ignore bad hair and makeup, yikes!).

I struggled with choosing my dress. I tried one on that breathtaking, but I really didn't think it flattered my figure and I didn't feel comfortable in it. Sadly, I moved it to the reject list. BUT, when I tried this dress on I fell in love and I'm so happy this is the dress! It needs to be taken in at the hips, but the top fits great. Please ignore the bad hair and makeup and bad lighting in the store!

When my friend was getting married about five years ago, she pulled me aside at one point and said, "Just so you're prepared when you get married some day, you think that this will be you and your fi's wedding, but it's not. It's you mom, his mom, you dad, his aunt, your cousins... everyone will have an opinion and a comment, and in the end it feels like it's not anything you wanted." Granted, she was stressed at the time, but I know that she did cave to her manipulative family's demands on many points, and wishes she would have stuck to her guns. I am finding this is even more true with a destination wedding. In the beginning, we had family tell us we were selfish (for wanting them to travel), rude (for excluding extended family, most of which we never see or even talk to!), and ask us if we are going to regret not having a "real" wedding. WTF? We ARE having a real wedding. It is the wedding that WE want. And if it were just my fi and I, I would still be happy. Some people can't come. Some people aren't invited. But at the end of the day, I think you need to just take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is YOUR marriage ceremony and you can do it exactly the way you and your fi want. I do think the "hurt" feelings will blow over in time. After all, you are having an AHR for those not invited to the ceremony. That is a very nice way to include everyone. I would also have a word with your mother and ask that she refrain from such behavior in the future. Point out that it not only puts added stress on you and your fi, but also makes the other family members unneccesarily upset.

Congrats and welcome. Playa del Carmen is such a beautiful place! I fell in love with it while on a cruise years ago.

Welcome shimmer! I am also getting married in Maui in September 2009 at the SeaWatch in Wailea. So excited!

Sherry, you look absolutely stunning and your photos are incredible. In fact, thanks to you, we decided to hire Mike to photograph our Sept. 2009 Maui wedding! Thank you so much!!!

I just bought the dress on Saturday (yay!). It's satin, but lightweight, with only two layers to the dress. I will have to avoid ribding, as well. On another note, I bought my dress at David's Bridal and this was my second trip there to try on dresses. The first time, the long line bra I was wearing was totally fine, didn't warp (I wore it for three and a half hours). But this time, the bra I was wearing began to crease and warp at the bottom, like you mentioned. The top was still fine, but warping at the bottom could be seen through the dress! I'm wondering if Nordstrom might have something well made?