Vikki

I went to the local co-op for the first time (it's on the other side of town) and it was like entering another world lol. I felt so freaking lost in the aisles full of incredibly healthy, all natural, unidentifiable stuff. Thank goodness there was a sweet lady in the bulk section that took one look at my list and got me headed in the right direction. So now I'm home with my bee pollen, agave nectar, quinoa and some motivation to make sure my $$ doesn't go down the drain. I don't think I'll be able to follow a strict diet but since we eat pretty healthy anyway adding and subtracting a few things shouldn't be too hard.

Ugh, I'm home sick today. All week actually. I feel like I should be doing something but I keep re-organizing my list instead.

I like dress two. The back is really pretty and adds a unique element to the dress.

I'm so happy for you! Everything sounds like it was perfect.

How are you doing with this so far? I decided to look into it as well and started on "Cooler 1" today. For me the sweet cravings are going to be the worst so I bought some agave nectar to add to my green tea or whatever else if I need a small boost of sweet.

If you can't swing a photographer other than the resort you might consider using them for the ceremony itself then hiring a local photographer to do pictures for you off the resort. I've seen some photos done that way and they are stunning. There are lots of great Jamaican photographers. That way you'll still get the ceremony pics but you can have some other fun shots, maybe even your TTD at the same time taken by a photographer you feel like you can trust.

Melissa-I'm sure your dress will be fine if you ordered it with customer measurements. I would contact an alterations store to put them on alert though in case there are some last minute minor changes. That way you aren't running around all crazy. Ashley-I actually had my credit card company start declining charges because of all the online ordering I've done this last couple weeks lol. I had to call and assure them it was all intentional since the small amounts to lots of different places were out of character for me. I appreciate they're looking out for me though. Anyone else had that problem with ordering stuff? I had a great time with my mom last weekend. She's hemming the edge of the material I'm going to drape over my bamboo pillars for me. As much as I like the free flowing look of the fabric having no hem is causing it to self destruct every time I mess with it-which is all the time :-) It's time consuming but she's thrilled to be able to help with a "wedding project". We also went to the craft store and bought some pearly beaded strands (I'll post pictures soon) and dyed them with an alcohol based dye to match the wedding colors. I put some ribbon in with them to tie on some little table ornaments we got. Some of this is really spontaneous stuff considering I don't even know how much the resort will allow me to decorate and if we'll even get a reception other than signing the documents. But we're going to bring it all with us and find somewhere to add it in. Our group is too small to have a private room but even a table reserved in the corner of the nice restaurant would make me happy and I imagine we could drape a couple things and add our name plates and chair sashes. Either way my Mom and I are having a great time with the projects and if we don't get to use them it will be ok-the memories are worth it. I'll post pics when I get them from her.

Happy Birthday!

Welcome and congratulations. You've definitely come to the right place to help you pick a location and arrange the other details. Happy planning!

Welcome and congratulations Dana!

Hi Susan, I'm laughing because you sound like me. I hate leaving things to the last minute and "hoping it will work out". I think it's wonderful you're helping Josie with the planning, the date is sneaking up so fast for us November '09 brides! Just relax and remember, it will be a wonderful wedding and enjoy the special time with Josie as you plan it. Some of my favorite parts of planning my wedding have been the time spent with my Mom. Take lots of pictures for memories later. Happy planning and welcome!

Welcome Marne, it's always nice to see another Jamaican bride! Congratulations and happy planning.

Welcome Ken. And be sure to check out Engagement Advice, Wedding Planning Tips and More for the Guy Getting Married from ThePlunge

Welcome to the forums, there is a lot of great advice and ideas here to help you plan the wedding of your dreams. Congratulations!

Welcome Trinity! Congratulations on your recent engagement. If you decide on a DW you'll find lots of great information here. Happy planning!

Hi Lisa and congratulations to you and Daniel! Welcome to the forums, there are quite a few Hawaii brides here so you'll find lots of ideas and tips. Happy planning!

Welcome Phyllis, Check out the Dreams thread and wedding reviews. Congratulations and happy planning!

Welcome and congratulations Taylor! You'll find lots of great information and ideas here so happy planning!

Welcome and congratulations. I hope you have a wonderful time planning your wedding and I know you'll find lots of great information here. Happy planning!

Welcome Michelle and congratulations on your engagement.

Hi Leah, Welcome and happy planning. You'll find lots of great tricks and tips to help you with the process. Congratulations!

Welcome Janny-can't wait to see some of your DIY projects in the threads. You must be so excited, your big day is getting really close. Congratulations.

Hi Jami and welcome! You'll find lots of great advice and ideas here so happy planning.

Congratulations Kirsten! I hope you have a great time meeting with your TA and choosing a resort. I'm sure you've already been through it but there are some great ideas here to keep in mind when choosing a resort, TA, WC and all that other essential stuff :-) Happy planning and welcome to the forums!

First of all congratulations-this is a very special time for the two of you. Second-this is your wedding. The day that you and your FI make the commitment to spend the rest of your lives together and it is about the two of you. If you both want a DW then forget the negative comments and just move forward planning the wedding of your dreams. I think most of the brides that post here have run into some level of resistance to having a DW. If family involvement is very important to you then have a special reception at home after you return. That way people that couldn't make it can feel included and have a chance to celebrate with you. But please don't let this backlash keep you from having your dream wedding. Good luck and we're all here if you need to vent :-)