Jamaica0619

I had some younger children at my AHR.  I'm not sure if this counts as a favor, but I made them a coloring/activity book from things I found on this forum and the Internet.  It was about 12 pages long.  It included facts about Jamaica (where we got married), coloring, word search, image search, etc.  I gave them a pack of 4 crayons (from Oriental Trading) and temporary tatoos.  I put the crayons and tattos in a small sand bucket (from Oriental trading as well).  The kids seemed to really enjoy them, and the parents appreciate it.  Actually more than one of this kids came up to me to show off thier tattoos.

 

I don't want to freak anyone out, becuase I think we are definitely the exception not the norm.  But, it took us a year to get the official certificate.  It took dozens of emails to RMB and Riu in general to finally get it sent to us.  We weren't too worried as I wasn't planning on changing my name, and his company let him put me on his insurance without any documentation.   And, thankfully, we had no other need for the official certificate. 

 

 

Originally Posted by *kellis* 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Believe me ladies, you will be soo happy you made the DW choice. We didn't get to do the DW and I would have loved it so much more than our big wedding with ALL our family and friends. You will have people there that want to make the effort to be there and aren't just coming for the open bar.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll second this.  We were disappointed that a few of our close friends were unable to come to our wedding.  At one point, I wondered if I did the right thing.  Then I had our AHR, and all I kept thinking was "Thank goodness this is NOT my wedding".  I barely got to talk to anyone.  I ran in circles all night.  Did not enjoy any of the food that everyone told me was delicious and I spent so much time selecting, because everytime I started to eat someone wanted to talk to us or take our picture.  I danced one dance with my husband all night.  My DW was the exact opposite.  I danced most of the evening, was able to talk to, hand out with and have a great time with all my guests, and got to enjoy the fabulous food. 

I had 24 people at our wedding and I did not bother.  Everyone was able to work it out very easily from what I was told.  After we arrived at the reception the photographers "borrowed" us for a couple of sunset pictures.  But, our parents told us that it was no big deal.  Everyone just grabbed seats. 

 

I wouldn't worry about it.  But, if you feel you really need to, I would try a DIY project.  I used sand dollars as placecards for my AHR and people throught they were really cute.

I agree...don't get too worried about the weather forecast. The four days before my wedding it rained at 2pm everyday like clockwork. On the day of my wedding, which was at 2pm, it was beautiful - not a storm cloud in the sky.

 

For my beach reception, it started to drizzle when we first started to eat. We just ignored it and it passed very quickly. There was not even any talk of what we would do. The team working the reception just kept going like it was nothing, and it was.

I would agree with the others about not buying a band that is too large. It will become annoying and given it is a eternity band the diamonds will begin to rub at your skin as the band moves. Have you checked with a logal jewelry store about getting something custom made? It might not be as expensive as you might think.

Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I got married at RMB, and I would advise the same. I took everything I wanted with me from the reception - with some help from friends. I wish I had done the same following the ceremony. They lost my extra sand for the sand reception, which I needed to finish filling my frame. I had to finish the fill process with sand that nearly matched. So, I would add anything that is not being transferred from the ceremony to the reception also be taken with a friend or family member.

We opted to do ours on the resort, and at the Rose Hall (the main buffet - no reservations needed). With some help from some of the waiters, we pushed tables together and were able to sit as one large group. But, ours was not really a rehersal dinner, since there was no rehersal. We called ours a welcome dinner - it seemed to fit better. We tipped the waiter for his help.

I read the Book Thief awhile ago. The writing style is unique, but the story line is really good. I really enjoyed the book.

My DH just got me a new laptop for Christmas - it is an Asus. I never heard of it before, but he did his research before buying it, and I did some after getting it. It is really well written up. And, from what I have been told from 2 IT people the company makes a lot of the parts other laptops use. I've been really happy with it.

I'm glad I found this link. I'm 36 and my DH is 38. We plan to start trying in March/April. I wanted to take a really big/unique honeymoon before trying but we had to delay in until then to save some money after the wedding. While I'm considered "high risk" not only because of my age but also becuase I have Graves disease (hyperthyroidism), which is controlled right now without medication, a pregnancy can cause significant issues. But I changed to an OB/GYN that routinely handles higher risk pregnancies and she did not even blink at my getting pregnant. She just told me to come off BC whenever I was ready and to come see her when I am pregnant. She also (not surprisingly) advised that I take a multi-vitamin in the meantime.

I agree with Geralyn and Maureen.

 

The major glitch I had was with the spa as well. There were two weddings double booked for the same time slots. And there were only two people to do hair, manicures, pedicures and make-up. There were four people that needed services with my wedding at 2pm and something like 6 people with the 4pm wedding. And, they made me wait while they worked on the 4pm wedding. And, both me and the other bride had booked in advance and had confirmations. So, I want to caution that even pre-booking isn't a gaurantee. You may want to call down there and communicate with the team at the specific location - in addition to booking in advance.

 

I unfortunately hated how they did my hair (it was nothing like what I asked for and was exactly what I told them I did not want) and I was extremely rushed to get ready for my wedding since I had to spend nearly an hour fixing what they had done. It took an hour becuase my MOH and I are horrible with hair.

I have yet to receive my certificate from the website or from the resort, and we got married on June 19th! This is a little frustrating.

Too cute!!!! I'm sure you will love it when you receive it.

 

I also had our cake topper made by Mudcards. Her work is beautiful. It is making a wonderful keepsake, particularly given how personal it is. Everyone loved our caketopper.

While no holiday season is complete without watching the Muppet version at least once, the version with Patrick Stewart is my favorite.

We are lucky. Our parents are 20 minutes apart, and my DH's family always does dinner at 12pm or so and my family always do dinner at 6pm or so. So, it makes for a busy day but we can see both families. Unfortunately I usually do the dinner for my family. So, we get home from my DH's family and I have to immediately start dinner. So, it definitely is a busy day. But, everyone's happy.

 

The only time it gets tricky is when my DH has to work during the day (he is a police officer with a rotating schedule, so it only happens every so many years), and this year is one of those years. So, I invited his family to join mine for dinner. His mom is thrilled - she doesn't have to make dinner. His dad is fine with whatever. But, his Nan (who always eats her big meal at 12pm) is not too happy, becuase we have to do dinner at 6pm since my mom also has to work during the day. The one downside is figuring out when to see his sister, BIL, niece and nephew. Since they do the evening meal with his family. But, at least we only face these dilemas once every several years. But everyone makes such as issue about it.

I had real touch flowers and carried them on. I have a small roller bag that I packed them in and only them in. I agree that I would not check them. They were fine when I arrived and needed no refreshing.

I'll try to help you out with this. I had a cake for 25 people - so I'm not sure if the size of the top layer varies with how many are attending.

My cake topper was about 4 inches in diameter and I would guess we had about a 1/2" to an 1" to spare around the outside of it.

We had Jeff's sister read the excerpt below. I don't remember when she did the reading. I think it might have been after the vows but before the sand ceremony

 

 

When You Love Someone

excerpt from ``A Gift from the Sea'' (1955)

by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

 

When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love, and of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror is ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.

 

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are hear and now, within their limits – islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.

I am so sorry to hear your sad news. Prayers and hugs to you and your family, especially your cousin and his family.

Gorgeous pictures...central park is great location for a lot of variety to the pictures

I got married at RMB and there were a few topless women on the beach. I did not see any by the pool. My DH's sister attended with her two young childern. We were told by both her and my MIL that it really wasn't a big deal - when the kids asked they made it sound like no big deal so it was no big deal for the kids and after the first question there was no issue after that.

I had the same timeline for my wedding at RMB this past June. The time was not an issue. By the time the ceremony is over, you take some group pictures and mingle it is easily 3pm. My DH and I then went and took pictures around the resort. My guests enjoyed the chance to go back to thier rooms and relax or just hang out around the resort. We reminded everyone what time the reception was when we were mingling. No one forgot about the reception.

My guests raved about the whole experience - first island destination wedding for all of them. And, only one couple had been to a Las Vegas destination wedding. Probably got the most "will never forgets" about our beach reception. They all told me it was an experience they will never forget.