Karen&Rene

My FI works for a small company too, but he's only inviting the people he considers friends. His coworkers like to travel and have the $$$, so he's pretty sure they would ALL come if they were invited. We need to keep our wedding small due to reception logistics, so that's why he decided to limit the number of coworkers he invited. If the # of guests you can have is not limited, and there's no coworkers that you particularly dislike, it probably wouldn't hurt to invite everyone.

I was a bridesmaid in a DW, and she asked me well before the invitations went out. However, I did tell her right after she made the decision to have a DW that I would be coming. I don't think it would hurt to casually ask your potential bridesmaids if they would be able to attend. Some may know for sure that they're going to find a way to make it, and others may know immediately that they're not going to be able to afford it. But I also agree that you should probably just ask the people closest to you... even if they can't make it to the wedding itself, maybe they would still want to take on the role of bridesmaid in helping to plan all of the events that take place at home (e.g. bridal shower, bachelorette party, etc.) and at least they would know that you thought of them!

I was dreading telling my dad about our decision to get married in Puerto Vallarta since most of his side of the family would not be able to afford it. Even after he offered to pay all the expenses for my grandma to go, she still refused! (And without even giving a reason except that "there are 48 states she can choose from to have a wedding.") While it sucks that a lot of people aren't going to be able to make it, no one has the right to say that having a DW is "selfish." I've never heard that eloping is selfish, and that includes even fewer people in your wedding! It's your day, and everyone else can deal with it. My cousin just had a DW in Cancun, and all my family that attended her wedding is really excited for ours! Trust me, once they see first-hand how beautiful, laid-back, fun, and intimate a DW really is, they'll take back anything bad they've ever said. In our situation, we decided to subsidize the trips for select people on my dad's side of the family (with the $$ we're getting as a wedding present from my dad), and we're not registering for gifts to try to cut back the expenses for our guests.

Another 2011 bride here! We recently booked Las Caletas for April 2nd, 2011! Still deciding on a photographer... my FI loves Michelle Turner's work, but we're also thinking about possibly Elizabeth Lloyd (local), or bringing a local photographer from Chicago.

About 10 months... had our first date on April 24th, 2009, and got engaged February 13th, 2011. But I knew the day we met that he was "it" for me! My sister texted me on our first date to ask how it was going, and I replied with "I'm going to marry this guy!" Lol.

Hey everyone, Newbie here from Chicago! My FI Rene and I are getting married in Puerto Vallarta on April 2, 2011. Just put down our deposit this week and we're so excited! I think I've spent over 20 hours on here soaking in all the info on hotels, venues, restaurants, etc. and I am officially addicted... -Karen