islandbride317

Quote: Originally Posted by Thomasjsgirl Glad that you're well on your way to solving the problem -- just wanted to pipe in that that cake is gorgeous! I hope your baker can duplicate it for you. Thank you Lucy, and everybody else who thinks this cake is as beautiful as I do! I'm going to try to contract Cakes by Sam today, and I've been trying to even find small pieces of faux coral in white that look similar to what's pictured on the cake, and GEEZ has it been an undertaking!! I work 2 jobs, so I don't really know if I'll have the time to make them myself and get them to my baker in time, but she said she's gonna give it a shot as well, so I'll keep everybody posted on what we end up with!

Quote: Originally Posted by mnh1983 No, I don't think you should necessarily count a verbal "yes" as a yes. I say this because I've gotten a few "no" RSVPs in the last few days from people who told me previously that they were absolutely attending. And I am in the same boat about recent or upcoming bride friends who haven't responded at all. I figured that they of all people would know how important it is to have a head count. I know, right?!? ON BOTH COUNTS!! For our DW, yes, I also had a few people who were "definitely coming" that ended up rsvp-ing "no" in the end, (or not at all!) as well... I mean, I understand things come up, and people can't always do the things they say they are going to do, but when I still had people telling me, "we might have to book about a month or so before the wedding", I just told them not to be hurt or bothered when they didn't get the rather-costly OOT bags I was doing for the other guests as a thank-you then, because I had to start ordering the things I needed months before hand! People don't get it that nothing "just happens at the snap of your fingers"....it takes time to research, organize, order things, and money to pay for it all, and I don't want to go to the hassle for a bunch of people (who are supposed to care about us) that can't even be respectful enough to say whether or not they are going to show up! Double ggggrrrrrrr......!

Quote: Originally Posted by BachataBride I don't really have anything else to add that hasn't been said! I hope you can work it all out. Thank you, Manders -- you're right; everyone's suggestions are fantastic, and I just hope I can figure out a way to get through to this woman without compromising the personal relationship I've established with her family via my friendship with her daughter. Fingers crossed we all come out of this peacefully....and hopefully with a few nice photos, too!

Much love and thanks for your advice, ladies -- And I 100% agree that it shouldn't matter WHAT the event is...and that she should just shoot it the way the client wants, period, but I think she IS just really set in her ways, and now I am stuck with it! She would try to tell you that she's not inexperienced (as she's been in the wedding-photog. industry for 10 + years), but most of that time, she was working for other area photographers, and I feel like she's stumbling a bit since she decided to go out on her own a few years ago. And while I'd like our photos of the AHR to be something I can be proud of, I realized from the start I wouldn't be getting award-winning photos from her, and accepted that (when I pretty much was guilted into/felt obligated to work with her) -- what a mess! I just want her to drop the attitude with me when I am TRYING to tell her we want -- is that too much to ask?! @ Rachel, yes, I think I just might try to get a few sample photos together and email them to her to show her was I'm looking for -- great suggestion! What bothers me most is that during our initial consultation, she said she was "all about" finding a nice balance of posed AND candid photos, and now she's acting like "capturing-the-moment candids" are a brand new concept! Gggrrrr.... I'll keep all of y'all posted on any other developments in this photo-saga....thanks again for all of your help!

Betty, love... Your "Big Day" with your husband-to-be is gonna be the most *magical*, memorable experience of your life, REGARDLESS of who is there! IT IS only about the two of you....I can assure you, eveyone else just sort of fades into the background a bit! WE only ended up with 10 guests, plus ourselves, and it was perfection!!! My husband and I knew when we decided on having a DW that there were only a few "must attend" people, namely my parents and his parents -- to us, everyone else was a blessing, and a few more relatives were able to make it and we were overjoyed! And for your dress, I'M SO GLAD YOU LOVE IT!! You're gonna be a stunning bride in your husband's eyes, no matter what!

Hi, Kelli -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Stacy -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Misti -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Linda -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Anna Marie -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Fiona -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Paula -- ** I can't suggest any wedding planners in Costa Rica specifically, but from what I understand, Florablanca Resort is simply EVERYTHING you could want and more and they do really beautiful weddings there.....it looks like the definition of luxury! ** Otherwise, CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Leanne -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Michelle -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Jenny -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie

Hi, Jill -- CONGRATULATIONS on your engagement & WELCOME to BDW!!! I think you will find that this site will become the single *most* important tool available to you during your wedding-planning process -- I KNOW it was for me! Very best wishes as you're planning your way, toward walking down the aisle on your Big Day!! ~ Christie