badgergirl8

Hi Ladies! I ordered my wedding dress from Monica Bridal and had a GREAT experience with them, dress was great, communication was wonderful and shipping was super quick. We had a perfect wedding day, here are a couple of pics:

Correct, ordered it from Monica Bridal...I HIGHLY recommend them. GREAT communication, got it very quick (about 4 weeks total) and only $120 total! I ordered it to my measurements and it was perfect, only ended up taking to a tailor to have a bustle put in as the train was a little longer than I had anticipated. I'm very happy with it and SO glad I found this site!!

I did some pre-bridal pics before my wedding in the Dominican in 2 weeks. Got a chance to get a full pic of my dress, I ordered it from Monica Bridal.

I hadn't really ever heard of doing "pre-bridal" portraits of just the bride, taken at some point before the wedding. However, my friends is getting into photography and had done bridal portraits before her own wedding and suggest she and I do a session. It was so much fun! I enjoy having these pics too since we don't have a professional photographer for our wedding in the Dominican, just friends taking pictures. Here are a few:

Here is my engagement ring and band and my future hubby's band, and then a pic of the detail on the side of my e-ring.

oh and someone asked about supplies for the flip flops. I got the white flip flops at Old Navy for $2.50 each. The swarovski crystals came in packages of 100 at Michael's craft store, I used the coupons in their flier for 40% off and bought 3 packages (300 crystals!), I also bought a small bottle of "jewel glue" from the craft section of Michael's that is apparently made specifically for sticking crystals to things! Total cost for all 3 pair of flip flops was about $25

I actually think they look better in person. I got the flowers at Michael's craft store, they were $6 per bunch (but I got them when they were half off so only $3). I got 4 bunches so at half price that was only $12. The spool of ribbon was about $3, I used the whole spool for the 2 bouquets. So it was about $15 total for both bouquets!

I am getting married in Punta Cana on June 28th. We don't have a wedding party really, just us and my future husband's daughters ages 8 and 5. So I decided to make bouquets for the girls rather than buy extra flowers since just my bouquet was included in our small wedding package. We are planning on being bare foot for the ceremony but will need shoes for dinner at the restaurant so I decided to glue swarovski crystals to cheap white flip flops for me and my step daughters. Two EASY DIY projects for a total cost of about $30!

unfortunately I have no idea where that necklace comes from, I just saw the picture doing a search on google images for "colored wedding necklaces". Sorry!

That sounds perfect, my dress is a sweetheart neckline as well so I look forward to seeing it! Enjoy your wedding, also looking forward to seeing pics of your day!

yes, please get a hold of me!!! you can email me at [email protected] or feel free to contact me on here! My wedding is June 28th, we fly out June 23rd. Thanks MUCH!!!!! t

this is beautiful and PERFECT!!!! Where did you find such a great necklace?!

thanks so much ladies! Clgriff: point well taken, I will have to be careful to choose something I really love and that has a more timeless look yet still get the chunky look I'm after. I don't want to look a few years from now and cringe...so nothing too trendy! LaraJo: thanks for the pics!!! I think I definitely want to do something turquoise or multistrand and chunky (or both!) Besides, turquoise has been around forever, so it won't be too "trendy" years from now. yay! thanks!

I ordered my dress through DH gate, and also ordered 2 flower girl dresses from China off Ebay and did not get any customs charges. I'm in the US. I think it depends on how they label the package and what the value is.

Ladies! Do you think it would look odd to do a pop of color in my necklace for my Punta Cana beach wedding? We do not have a wedding party, so we don't have a "wedding color". Just me in my white dress, white veil, white orchid in my hair. DH in his khaki linen pants and white linen shirt. so no color anywhere other than flowers. I'm debating getting a necklace that has a pop of color, I'd love to find something that has some turquoise color stones or beads or some iridescent color or something, just something to add "tropical type color" Below are a couple of examples. my dress is strapless chiffon, overall pretty simple so I think it could handle a stronger necklace. I was thinking something that is long that I would wrap around 2 or 3 times to create a little bit of a chunky look, or something that is multi-strand so already chunky. Has anyone done or seen this done? thanks! some examples: I like how this first one has some color but it is not overwhelming color. I think the chunky style might lend itself nicely to a simple dress and a casual beach setting?? Number two isn't exactly what I had in mind, it is the best pic I could find of a colorful pop. I think I lean more toward turquiose bluish colors like the ocean??

I think the problem you will run into is that it won't look exactly like that so you may be disappointed. That dress has a very unique lace that is probably impossible to match. The designer made it with that lace for a reason, it might not look right with a different type of lace. Unless you are very openminded and flexible, I'd steer clear of trying to do an all lace knockoff.

Oh gosh Beachy, I love them all! I love the look of the 1st, short one...but I might prefer it long personally. although the short is still super cute! I guess if I had to choose one, I'd say the last one is my favorite. But I think all 4 are great dresses and I'd be happy with any or all ha!

thanks everyone! I ordered the flowergirl dresses off ebay from a chinese dress maker. They haven't arrived yet, I'm hoping they are as cute in person. They were so cheap, so I'm sure they will be great considering the steal I got on them! As for my dress, I had it custom made, also at a very good deal. I just couldn't stand to spend a lot on all of our dresses, it just didn't seem right to pay full price on the dresses I tried on...I didn't like the idea of spending more on my clothes than I did on my all inclusive trip lol I'm happy with the results, I think they will all be nice for the beach.

you could try having a seamstress add a little bunch of stiff tulle under each ruffle that you want to "pop", way up at the seam, just so the ruffle is laying on something stiff so they can't lay flat against each other (I'm thinking like a strip of stiff tulle bunched together to form like a thin piece, like a pencil sort of I guess right up at the seam if that makes sense)

Hi Sweetp: Just a clarification for you, DHGate isn't a specific dress maker company like Landy and Duosheng. DHGate is essentially a Chinese Ebay. There are sellers who list or run their businesses through DHGate (not just bridal, but a ton of things, like Ebay). I used Monica Bridal who runs her business through DHGate for example. Another thing I will warn you of, if you are looking for an exact replica you might be disappointed. There is a reason these authentic dresses are $1000 + and these knockoffs are 100-300 typically. You simply cannot expect an exact replica for that price. I actually LOVE my Monica Bridal knock-off dress. It has the same lines and looks very similar to my "inspiration" dress but it isn't 100% exact. I'm afraid you are simply not going to be guaranteed the exact same lace nor fabrics. Although US bridal shop dresses do have inflated prices, the materials are often simply more expensive than what you are getting in these knock offs. I don't think it is true that these dress makers need "a lot of time" as you said, my Monica Bridal dress is fairly simple but it took 15 days including shipping.

I have my dress ready to go and my future step-daughters will be flowergirls in our wedding, ages 8 and 5. We don't have a wedding party otherwise, just us and the girls but figured they needed beautiful dresses too:) Mine is on the bottom, they don't match but I think they look nice together anyway. Ordered the flowergirl dresses on ebay for a steal! Can't wait to see them in person.

fyi Moon Palace Punta Cana is now Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana

Not surprising that your TA didn't know much about it, my understanding is it recently opened, it was a buyout of a different resort. I'm pretty sure it just opened within the last year.

here are the dresses my step daughters will wear, ages 5 and 8. Ordered them off ebay, just waiting for them to arrive now.

awesome! Be sure to post pics so we can see them when you are done!!