RonNMel

Congratulations to all the brides I saw getting married this week at Laguna Azul. Our wedding was amazing and I hope all of yours were as well! Have you checked out the Iberostar Laguna Azul Brides group of Facebook? You can see some pictures there.

We didn't have lots of items in our OOT bags, but here is what was used/not used anyway. Used: -The bags themselves. We gave them out at the airport, and already some people started using them. We saw lots of our guests using them all throughout the week. The only guests who already had their own beach bags were the ones who travel to all-inclusives frequently. We had a choice of plastic or mesh, and plastic was preferred by most. - The list of all the guests in our welcome booklet. We all used it to write down all the room numbers, which proved to be very useful throughout the week to call each other. - The itinerary in the welcome booklet. People loved to know what was happening when, when they had free days, plus it was a great place for them to write down and keep track of their dinner reservations. Not used: - The stadium cups. We bought too small stadium cups (16oz), and the resort seemed to be using the same size of cups at the pool and beach, so our cups were not very used. I do believe that they did appreciate them anyway, and might use them at home for something. I have a feeling that insulated mugs would have been more of a hit, but the shipping cost to Canada was too much to make it worth it for us. Bigger stadium cups (22oz) would probably have been used more too. - The *advice and tips* section of our welcome booklet. It took a while to write it all down, but not many people ended up reading it. It was just too much writing for them to bother with it when they were all so busy chatting with everyone and stuff. Maybe if we had sent the booklets home a week earlier in preparation that section would have been more useful? Or just make it smaller and keep it to the minimum.

I'm in love with Amélie Cousineau's work, so you might want to check her out.

Have fun Sandra&Greg! Congratulations Emily! I agree with Kelly, we have to take a group pic! :-)

Thanks

Gorgeous dress Kelly! I had my eye on those bridesmaids dresses as well, good thing I went with something else or there might have been some confusion on the beach. LOL

Hi Kelly! It's great to hear from a fellow May 4th ILA bride. :-) As you may have read we are getting married at 2pm but having the late dinner. We will be somewhere between 30 and 40 people. Like you we are getting legally married here, but doing a symbolic ceremony there. We will also have the sand ceremony and write our own vows, though we haven't really done much preparation on that front yet. I do believe there is a microphone for the beach ceremony, but you should ask Yahimara about it. I know for us when we do have questions for her she seems to respond quicker to our travel agent. (Though it might be because our travel agent writes to her in spanish). Just like you it is also our second marriage for both of us. However, unlike you, I'm really not stressing at all about the decoration part of it. Part of it is because it would bust mu budget to do it right. But Mostly I think it's because from what I remember of my first wedding, the centerpieces and stuff like that is really not what sticks out. Same for other weddings I've been to; I might say wow when I walk in, but the next day I'll remember more if I had a great time or not (dancing, eating, hanging out with friends/family). So we are not bringing anything at all. No chair sashes, no centerpieces, no extra flowers, nothing. Maybe a cake topper, but that's about it. Yes chair sashes look great on pictures, I'll just use whatever is available out there at the most minimal cost possible. For OOT bags we bought beach bags at the dollar store and will buy insulated mugs. We will also create our own "welcome booklet" in which we will include a suggested packing list. That way all the stuff that we would buy for them for OOT bags "just in case they forget", they can buy themselves. Instead we will focus our money on something they won't think of, the mugs. We plan on visiting all our guests in the weeks before the wedding to hand all these out, bringing with us only the ones for out of towners (which so far is only 1 family). I hope that answers your question. Feel free to ask me anything else. I look forward to hanging out at the disco with you too! Mel

We have our official date now, so putting it in. January 7 - Jenn & Mike - 2pm February 4 - Sandra&Greg February 10 - Jon & Janine (bride.to.be) - 4pm March 31 - Ella and Benji April 4 - cristina2011 (Cristina and Mark) - 4pm April 8 - LRohr (Lyndsey & Jeremy) April 14 - Luna81 Apirl 25 - AngelaVaradero - 2pm May 4 - Ron & Mel - 2pm May 1-8 - Janet and Larry JNL

Thanks!

I posted a picture of my dress about 8 months ago, but it was on the model. Yesterday I finally was able to try it on again, and got pictures! I'm not sure about the necklace. I bought the same one in three colors because I couldn't choose: white, turquoise and pink. I forgot to take pictures though.

Lots of gorgeous dresses! I posted a picture of my dress about 8 months ago, but it was on the model. Yesterday I finally was able to try it on again, and got pictures! I still very much love the dress, but I'm quite disappointed by the whole dress shopping experience. Maybe I have just watch too many "Say yes to the dress", but I was expecting better service. Back when I first bought it the lady was ok, but not a very warm personality. Plus, she had really bad breath. When they called to say the dress was ready I wanted to make an appointment, but she said just show up whenever you want, no need for an appointment unless it's for your fitting (which won't be until winter). So I show up there Saturday and the lady is like "Did you tell us you were coming?" I was like, hum, I tried, and was told it was no. The sales lady who had helped me was busy with another bride, so she just went to the back, got my dress, and gave it to me to put on by myself. Luckily it's a fairly simple dress with just a zipper. Not once while I had it on did anybody come and see me. I just felt very ignored. It's like, "Well we already have your money so why bother paying any attention to you now?" Bpink and Michelle, I'm sorry you had even worse service than I did!

I too had a baby dream last night! I dreamt that I was breastfeeding. Was kinda cool, though weird. Also dreamt that my fiance hated my wedding dress, not as cool. :-S (Probably dreamt about this because I just got a call yesterday that my dress has arrived and I can go for my first fitting. ) Â On a related note, my friend is currently going through IVF. Really hope it works out for her!!

Yahimara's email: Â [email protected] Â As for pictures, check the reviews and PM the brides who have already been married there, they might be able to help you.

I'd love to help you, but I don't know that much about it. Here is what I do know: We will get married here before we leave. Over there the symbolic ceremony will be performed by Yahimara, the wedding coordinator. She had giving us the option of doing a RENEWAL of VOWS instead, which would have meant that a lawyer would have performed the ceremony. We still would have gotten legally married here. If you want it to be as authentic as possible, that might be a better option. It's only slightly more expensive than symbolic (100cuc more), and requires much less paper than actually getting married there. I think all you need is your wedding certificate. Â Hope that helps!

I know what you mean about the stress. A friend of mine tried for over a year, no success. That failure to conceive was taking a toll on her. Also, she was having a lot of stress at work, and eventually had a burn-out. About a month or two into the sick leave (for the burn out), as she was not even trying anymore, she got pregnant. Â Hat0112, I know what you mean. I don't want to get off the pill before the wedding, just in case. I'm not sure when I want to get off the pill though, as I don't want to get pregnant before our honeymoon to Disney (3 months later), but I'd like my cycle to be back to normal by then. If I get off the pill right after the wedding, then we are prepared to use extra protection for the next few months, and start trying while in Disney. Â What is scaring me a little right now is that I went to get a haircut last week and my hairdresser is CERTAIN I will be pregnant soon, even after I told her I'm still on the pill. Now I know she can't know for sure, but that, coupled with the fact that my body has been a bit weird, makes me scared that I could actually be pregnant NOW. That would be a freak thing, because the only days I didn't take the pill were the week I had my period, but you never know...

I'm sorry about what you are going through Valentine_Baby. Though I can't even begin to understand what you are feeling, I can imagine a little as I have a good friend in the exact same position as you. Her last chance is IVF. But as much as I know things could go wrong if we wait, I can't bring myself to start trying now. I would end up being pregant, and maybe even close to delivering, during my destination wedding. It would mean that I might have to choose between my wedding and my pregnancy, and it's not a decision I want to make. Plus, if I were to choose the baby, I would be letting 20 other people down who have already booked, and I can't do that to them either. Hopefully things will work out when the time is right. Good luck to you!!

I think it's normal to freak out, Hat0112. Yesterday I read something saying one in 5 women will get a miscarriage, and that scared the hell out of me. And even without that, just a normal pregnancy and giving birth are HUGE change in someone's life. It's very scary, even when deep down this is what you want and have been dreaming for for a while. As for my little issue with my fiance, well, turns out it was just all a big misunderstanding. He thought I was asking his daughter to be out of the room from the moment we set foot in the hospital, even though I might not be delivering for many hours, which concerned him because that would me she might be alone for a very long time. What I really meant was that I didn't want her there for the actual delivery part, when I'm going into labor. So it's all good now.

I work with a TA named Yenny, from Club Voyages at Fairview Pointe-Claire Mall. She's great, and we especially love that she not only speak French and English, but Spanish too.

I'm having the baby fever big time right now. If it wasn't for our destination wedding and Disneymoon planned for 2011, I would start tryingr right now! I watched about 5 minutes of "Bring baby home" on TLC today and was already tearing up at the thought of me being in the woman's place, having just given birth with my DH going to announce it to our families in the waiting room. I'm a little upset though. My fiance just asked that it would be just the two of us in the delivery room, which is exactly what I want too. His ex had her mom in the delivery room with them when they had their daughter, but I don't want her there, I prefer she just be waiting in the waiting room. But then when I told her that, if I happen to go into labor while his daughter is there, I don't want her in the room either, he got a little upset. She's gonna be old enough (in high school by then) to wait alone in the waiting room until one of our parents arrive, and I think it's perfectly normal to not want a child that's not even mine in the delivery room while I'm going through a very personal time. I don't want her to see me in such a position, and I don't want her taking her dad's attention when I will need him the most. Is that bad of me to think that way?

Just because they do spend lots of time in day care, doesn't mean their milestones are all gonna happen during that time. As for someone else spending more time with your child, it's just the same as when they enter school. They may create a bond with other adults, but it never comes even close to the bond they have with their parents. Don't worry, you'll always remain #1 in your child's eyes. ;-) And I agree with you, svetayasofiya. I know having a child changes your life, but it doesn't mean that the mom should completely disappear as a person. Same goes for the couple. I firmly believe in continuing to see friends with AND without your child, and going on date nights with your SO, even having a hobby.

I am totally for day cares. I think it helps kids learn to socialize (be around other kids, sharing, rules of living with others, to learn to trust and respect adults outside the family) and makes for a much smoother transition to kindergarten and school later on. I think it's all about choosing the right day care, the one that fits your parenting style. To me, that would be one that brings the kids outside to play often, that has a variety of activities during the day, and where they don't spend too much time in front of the tv. I also am lucky in that I am a teacher and I'm allowed to return to work not completely full time. I can either choose to work 3-4 days a week, or get extra days off to take when I need during the year. Of course that comes with a smaller salary, but it's a good compromise to not working at all.

I'm sorry you had to go through this. :-(

We've had a name for a baby girl for a long time, but last week we finally found a name we both really like for a boy. So now for the first time ever, I'm actually ok with the possibility of having a boy. Before that all I wanted were girls.

Very nice picture Khan!

Thanks Tilly!