hara_3d

Quote: Originally Posted by Huey Hey there, I am working with White Orchid right now, doing a wedding in Maui. They've been really great - prompt, good ideas and certainly flexible to what my needs are. That's great. Where are you getting wed, and do you find the budget is reasonable and friendly to your guests?

I can't download the pdf either. Could someone pm me the file?

Hi Flo. Congrats. I'm a newbie too. If you like Jamaica, you should check out the Caves resort. I checked that one out a long time ago. There's also a really nice castle resort by the sea, but I forget it's name. It may or may not suit your taste, but it has been voted the most romantic spot in Jamaica, and I'm sure it's personality would be a welcome touch to a happy wedding.

Quote: Originally Posted by AnnR ok, i'm not going to lie. i can't help but read this and get a little pissed, for lack of a better word. calling mexico, jamaica, and the DR "not classy" enough probably offended a lot of people on this forum, myself included. you can go anywhere in the world and go somewhere that isnt' safe or is classless - the US and Canada included. some of the nicest resorts are located in Mexico, maybe you and your FI haven't been there yet? it's pretty bold to say that an entire country isn't classy. my wedding was held at a private beach, there are cliffs, an ocen view, private bridal casita, etc. ... and then we chose what resort we wanted to stay at while in PV, we chose Dreams PV. i can promise you that there is not one person that attended my wedding that would say it was anything but classy. many have said it was the most amazing wedding they've ever been to, and some have gone on to have their own DWs. anyway, i just wanted to point out that you're ruling out some very good options, especially with your budget. don't be so quick to judge an entire country just because of some less-than-flattering headlines. Ouch!!! I will try to keep my head as I respond, but, seriously, where did that come from? I think this kind of response is not constructive and highly offensive. Why do people feel the need to lecture and put people down, especially when all they have are assumptions and misconstrued "facts". Nowhere in my post did I ever call a country 'not classy', nor would I ever assume so. I really shouldn't validate this post with a response, but I know that there are people out there who will read one bad comment, relate to it, and ignore an entire post (which would give them the whole story and a more objective view of things) to jump into a post-war. I never had any disinterest in Mexico, I am actually fully open, but my partner has other thoughts. His opinions are based on reputation and from many websites around the area we researched, which turned out tacky, barren, and simply not our style. I, being ever the optimist, still had high hopes that we could find a place somewhere, but he has gotten fed up with over a year of consistent disappointments through our research to form a mental ban on certain locations for our ceremony. Granted, my post was long, but that's why I had to condense information to spare any reader the details--which unfortunately did make my post sound rather awful, for which I posted an apologetic correction. I hope people take the time to read the corrections or understand the ironic truth that sometimes, words come out one way and can be interpreted an entirely negative and unintentionally bad way. People are allowed to have their opinions. Some people would get married in Florida, and others wouldn't. Some people would live somewhere, and other's wouldn't. Even itsfinallyhere wrote Quote: Originally Posted by itsfinallyhere My FI had an issue with Mexico and nothing I said could sway him. . Taste is a very personal thing, and not everyone agrees on something. That's the beauty of this forum: people with like tastes can offer you alternative options, while others can find things you would overlook or offer their objective perspective on things. This should be a positive environment, and I don't see any need to jump down someone's throat for example, because they may not like feathery dresses, while your dress is full of feathers. Please try to confirm your reading of something before you post some spiteful and undeservedly offensive remarks next time. It's not good to go around making enemies. By the way, I've been to Las Caletas before, and yes, I do think it is beautiful. Keep in mind that if you would have worded your comment differently, my response would have been much more positive.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jennybell1 I really hope you can find what you are looking for..... Thank you.

I thought that TAs were huge rip offs because they apparently take a huge cut and charge you more... what kind of travel agent/company did you use?

I saw this on the waleia wedding site. It's gorgeous, too bad it's not by the ocean/sea.

Quote: Originally Posted by Huey I'm using White Orchid Weddings and I've been very happy with them Are they incredibly expensive, or have they managed to meet a decent budget and still deliver something as beautiful as their website promises?

Quote: Originally Posted by caribbeanLover I picked Jamaica, sent my invites out. Then realized that it wasn't a place for our wedding. So we had to notify everyone of the change (how embarrising!) So, out of curiosity, what made you pick Punta Cana and what made you change your mind about Jamaica?

I really like the third and second the most. The third wins by color combo, and the second ties closely after due to it's design. In the end, it's up to you, because it has to be a reflection of you and your wedding theme/colors/vibe. But I love them all. What amazing luck you had getting them done for free:)

Thank you, Karla, I will definitely look for that book. And future_mrs2010, thank you... I will focus my attention on the virgin islands and check out turks and caicos, again as well. Congratulations on losing all that weight (I saw from your ticker)... how did you do it? I need to lose about 60- 75 pounds as well and it hasn't been easy so far. I exercise daily but I am thinking my problem is in keeping my calories down... I probably go over about 200 cal/day or so. I'd love to hear what you did to make it successful.

That list was so incredibly helpful. I have already had those thoughts in my head, but it was great to have them on paper, to use as concrete stepping stones when discussing where we want to go with my fiance. I can't open the spreadsheet, however.

By the way, Karla, what was the name of that book you bought?

Thank you all for your input. Italy is actually where we first wanted to have our wedding, but we decided against it because of the cost. Ireland would be wonderful... the cliffs there are quite breathtaking, however, the rain and cold would likely ruin it for us, and our guests would not appreciate paying that amount of money to go to Ireland, when they could pay for a vacation and get all-inclusive service. I understand that it is hard to meet everyone's expectations, but I believe that we can find something beautiful, classy and affordable for everyone (including us)... I just haven't been lucky in my search so far. BY THE WAY.... I do have to clarify that my fiance is not snobby or controlling. I feel awful because I think I did not put my words together properly, in an attempt to condense the information. He is incredibly sweet, but he has standards he won't compromise against, as I am sure all of us do, too. For example, if my mother wanted me to get married in her backyard with a dress made out of curtains and only her friends would attend, then I would have to put my foot down and say 'no' that is not an area of compromise when it comes to our big day, because, regardless, it has to be special and speak of US. I think he wants a classy, James Bond-esque wedding. I want a beautiful, cliff side (or even beach side, if the cliffs are not possible) wedding with lots of dancing and fun for everyone involved, and I think the both worlds can easily meet. Classy and beautiful are compatible, are they not?!? We both want it intimate, and both don't want onlookers interrupting our festivities. It is a very private engagement and we want to keep it 'in the family' so to speak. We agree a lot on the vision, but unfortunately, not all locations offer all inclusive, and I am wondering what places are left that I may have overlooked. Mexico is 'not good enough' because of the reputation he has heard, swine flu, terrorist attacks--I am sure all of you heard of the drug dealers killing those children and locals and it's just not a place that sounds safe (or classy in the context of OUR WEDDING). Just yesterday, he was able to compromise on Mexico, with ESPERANZA - An Auberge Resort, unfortunately the cost is out of our budget. I was not complaining about my fiance, I was just hoping I could get advice on some places that I have overlooked that capture the classy/beauty/intimate package, for a price that is reasonable for us and our guests. Sorry for the miscommunication on my part.

Be careful what part of California you do go to. There are some places that I drove by that are quite beautiful at the end of august, and they were pretty cold. I also am considering California--among many other locations--so let me know how it works out, and be sure to get a weather check on the location before you book.