SheriB

We've been blogged!! www.licensetostill.com Love Nate!!!! Still has the TTD and Holga pics to come.

Hey Lizajane12. I hope our videographer caught it but I haven't seen the video yet so don't know. He is the only person who knew the parrot was coming so he could catch it. What is happening with Kelley in regards to the email? She is an amazing wedding coordinator and really fantastic person - my wedding would not have been the same without her!!

My wedding was three weeks ago down there and PV felt so safe. We stayed in Nuevo Vallarta, walked one day down the beach to Bucerias and took a taxi into PV for an afternoon. We never felt worried or unsafe at all. I had many older aunts and uncles some of whom were worried before we went and they all felt totally comfortable. I don't think anyone had a moment's worry. People were talking while down there wondering where all the bad press comes from...definitely not PV! I did have video done by a friend of mine - not Vallarta Adventures. I am so glad I got it done because everything flies by so fast I can't wait to relive it through the video!

I found the bikini bags in a bathing suit store at West Edmonton Mall. I can't even remember the name of it! They were on sale on the clearance rack and the last two in there! The lounge chair covers were a hit and I love mine!!

Just posted my review of Dreams Villamagna in the review section. I didn't get married there but stayed there for a week and did my Welcome Dinner there.

Just wanted to let you all know that I just posted my Planning thread and my review for LC. Talking about it makes me want to go again!!

Pahminas from Ardene $5 each. These were popular. I was worried they wouldn’t be needed cause everyone was bringing a wrap or jacket anyways but they got picked up and used! I saw them the rest of the week too so kind of neat. Fans from Etsy seller the Purple Peacock. They were gorgeous – I got them all wrapped and with the flowers so I didn’t have to do it. I glued the program on – didn’t stay too well. Vistaprint large postcard – it was too big so I cut off the bottom half with the Wedding Party on it and just had the program part. Cake boxes from Michaels with small Vistaprint sticker with monogram I just had some paper bags from Michaels for people to use for their wine stoppers, pashminas, cake boxes etc. Seahorse diecuts from Weddingstar. I hand wrote each guests names on these and then Kelley placed them on the wine glasses according to the seating plan I gave her Handpainted signs from My Painted Porch. I also had a “Shoes Optional†and a “Thank You for Sharing in Our Sweetest Momentâ€. I think that is it!! Thank you to everyone that I got ideas from. I learned so much during the planning. Now I am getting started on the AHR planning...woohoo! And next project is to write my review.

Guest book: I got two friends to run the camera and make sure everyone did this. We just got the photos back and they are great! Going to make a neat scrapbook. Table Numbers from Weddingstar, holders from Kate Aspen Bouquet charms from Aristocrafty on Etsy. Lace for bouquet wrap from my mother’s wedding dress. Seahorse wine stoppers from Weddingstar. Used cards from Vistaprint to make seating cards. Kelley put these in a box of sand for me.

In Sickness & In Health Kit: Little packages of pills from Minimus, stickers from Vistaprint, bags from Michaels. Bandaids, Aloe etc from Walmart and Dollar stores. Bag contents: Mugs from 4Imprint, Albums (welcome booklets) from Kate Aspen, Playing cards from Weddingstar, Tip Holder from Acklands Grainger (found lanyards finally at Staples), air freshener, candies, Photo share card from Vistaprint. Welcome Booklet: Map of Banderas Bay, Photoshare card, Welcome note, List of week activities, wedding day itinerary, List of guests, Common Spanish phrases Items for kids bags:

Mailed out a brochure at the beginning of Jan. Some PV info, airport info, a general schedule mentioning the adventure tour we were considering booking, weather, money etc advice. Gifts: FlowerGirl – tank top with flower girl iron on, cute sweater with “In Charge of the Petals†on the back (thanks Andi for the idea!), swimshirt, bracelet, book Junior Groomsman: Snorkel set, swimshirt, Mexico book, sunglasses, t-shirt from VistaPrint Bridesmaids: “Itsa†lounge cover from Aamzon (I got it embroidered with names here), Starfish necklace, Bikini Bag, Coach wristlet & make up bag, tank top with iron on, beach bag with our logo from Vistaprint Moms: Itsa lounge chair covers, beach bag. I didn’t give the hankies cause I never got time to get them embroidered. I also gave a beach bag to Grandma. Groomsman got a wallet. I had these wine glasses for family and special guests (our MC, ceremony reading). Got the wine glasses at Winners – so cute! Added the decals myself after ordering from Etsy seller scrapsoflovebyjen OOT Bags: White bags for adults. Coloured for kids. Just from Michaels and added our monogram sticker

The dress. We started shopping in June. It didn’t take long to find. I loved it right away. Suited my personality and the beach I thought! And it was on the sale rack so I was able to walk out of the store with it...even better! It was an Alfred Sung. BM’s dreses. This was difficult. We thought right away that we would just do casual dresses from somewhere but we didn’t look at the right time of the year so by the time we did look all the pink summer dresses were gone. We tried waiting until after Christmas thinking they might start appearing in stores but no luck! Luckily the bridal stores will sell off the rack so we were able to get the colour I wanted. They both picked different styles in the Alfred Angelo Fuchsia Groom’s Outfit. Did this one month out. Pants from Tommy Bahamas. Cotton shirt from Tip Top Tailors. Shoes from Aldo. Groomsman. Found the perfect orange shirt at Tommy Bahamas. He did the rest. Junior Groomsman. Bought an orange golf shirt at The Children’s Place. He did the rest. Flowergirl. I found this dress hanging in a second hand store when I took some stuff in to sell last fall. Just happened to see it! It was too big for her but her grandma was able to fix it up easily for her. It was perfect! Jewellery. Stella & Dot jewellery line that I sell. My necklace is actually this lariat that I put on backwards and double stranded. My dress was so high I couldn’t have anything that hangs. My earrings were these hoops with the pearl dangle on them. My bracelet was one my grandma used to wear that my mom kept. No pic of it. BMs necklaces also Stella & Dot – pefect starfish/pearl/sand dollar ones! My MOH earrings also S&D

STDs & Reply Postcard - Vistaprint. Notice that the STD says "Formal Invite to follow". It never happened! Seemed kind of redundant after we knew who was booked and who couldn't make it.

Asking my BMs & FG & Jr Groomsman. We had little tequila bottles and shot glasses from our trip to Mexico. I gave the girls a compact mirror and a jewellery roll. Monogram by Allurements by Rebecca. Love it!!!

So it is finally here...actually it has been and gone but I didn’t manage to get this planning journal posted before going! When my fiancé proposed we both agreed right away that we wanted a DW. I assumed that meant no frills, on the beach at a resort. Little did I know... !! I started googling resorts and came upon this website. Did I learn some stuff! Thanks to the amazing website and the great girls on here for giving me so many ideas and helping me to make them happen! And thanks for shocking the fiancé...he had no idea! So here goes my probably really long planning journal: We got engaged on Oct 6, 2009. It was a surprise dinner at the restaurant where we first met. It was a complete surprise! He picked the ring all on his own – we had never even looked together and it is perfect! I could not get a decent pic of it by itself but here is the band and them together. FI's band The fiancé figured we could get married that spring – Feb 2010...like 4-5 months after he asked. I explained that was not going to work!! So we went to Puerto Vallarta in Feb 2010 to check it out and visit Las Caletas. I had found it thanks to BDW and was pretty sure it was going to be the wedding site! We wanted Vallarta Palace as our resort after visiting it but when we returned home and started working on prices they were just too high. It came down to good deals at Dreams Villamagna or Riu Palace both in Nuevo Vallarta. We hadn’t been in either but had driven by them. We finally went with Dreams for a couple of reasons: seemed a little smaller & more intimate for the group, no reservations, no wristbands. We had toured Dreams PV and liked it but did not like that you could not walk the beach – one of our favourite activities.

Our wedding party Table at reception

Centrepiece on ceremony table Centrepiece Cake table with pashmina basket, thank you sign, cake boxes etc Our Cake after we had a piece!

The Mariachi band (who were awesome!) The chuppah:

Here are some no pro pics from our day at LC. Ceremony Set up Our centrepiece on the head table and my bouquet.

Not sure what size they were. They were definitely bigger than cupcake boxes - I saw lots of those and they seemed awfully small to get a piece of cake into. That sign next to the boxes is a normal sheet of paper so maybe 6x6?? Also the cake was tall so I think these worked good.

I did one per couple and then one for each of the kids. We only had 7 kids total though.

Here is a pic of our cake boxes. Just plain white cake boxes from Michaels and then I added our monogram sticker.

Woohoo!! So fun...makes me sad I am all done. I'll just have to live through you girls with wedings still coming up!

Just got back from our week at Dreams Villamagna. It was perfect! I loved the hotel and I think all the guests were blown away too. Food was awesome, service was great. We did a private Welcome Dinner and Estephania had everything exactly right....she just about killed me with her slow responses to emails but she was great down there and after the Dinner if I saw her anywhere she was always smiling and saying hello. Carlos was the head waiter for the WD and he was great too. The size of the resort was so nice...easy to find everyone. We had 44 people staying there and the walk from the hotel to the beach always turned up most of them. It was busy sometimes...the service in some of the restuaurants was a little slow once and awhile but not because they weren't trying...the waiters were literally running to get things done! The kids loved the pools and the Explorers Club. Played in the waves a bit too. Couldn't have had a better time!!

We just got back from our wedding and it was AMAZING!!!!! All of you planning for your LC wedding...you will be blown away. It was a perfect day in every way except that it went too fast of course! Kelley is truly amazing, the DJ was awesome, Brad is wonderful, Nate & Yanen were great photographers...I can't rave enough! For those of you waiting for a reply from Kelley - she is running like crazy right now I know. Four weddings this week after ours so she is working on emails but don't panic if she takes a bit. We had some slow moments in the last month but then she really pulls things together...she is a complete pro. We had the mariachi band for the arrival of the guests and the cocktail hour. Yes, expensive but tons of fun and the guests enjoyed them. That cocktail hour speeds by if you are doing photos. I did still get a little drink in and a couple of appies and heard some of the band but it is dinner time all too soon. Dinner was sooooo good. Especially the desserts. The cake was also good but didn't eat much of it! Many of the guests took some home in the boxes I provide though. Anyone have questions I can answer while it is fresh in my mind feel free to ask! I am working on my Planning Thread (didn't quite happen before I left) and the review for you all.

I am using Nate Broshot www.licensetostill.com. He has worked at Las Caletas several times before. He is bringing a second for the wedding day as well. The total package for us will be around $3500 including two photographers for 7 hrs on the wedding day, the TTD, 2 hrs rehearsal dinner, his flights, a per diem and hotel. He comes from Seattle but used to live in PV. I have seen some of his LC work and love it and he was a lot more affordable than many of the others I contacted. Happy planning!