KyraJohnson

Oh my goodness!! It's exactly 2 weeks until we leave!!!! It has come up so fast!! I'm so excited though. I think everything seems to be pretty much ready. I am still working on figuring out what kind of guest book I want to do. At first I didn't think I was going to do one that's why this is so last minute. I saw a super cute idea using Polariod pictures. I don't want to buy a new Polariod camera so I'm on the hunt for a cheap secind hand old one and film for it. I've got a few prospects but if that idea doesn't pan out I have a few morw. here is my Polaroid inspiration... My next favorite idea is to get a map of either Punta Cana or DR and have my guests sign that then we can frame it. And my last idea is to do guests fingerprints in either a book that they sign or a picture... So anyways those are my last minute things to finish up. I'm going to start packing this week end so I can see how many bags I am going to have to take. Once I get back I will provide you guys with some great pictures and a review.

If its one of your "guests" taking pictures I bet you can get around not paying it. The fee is to bring in an outside photographer because they claim that their site is copyrighted (are they worried that someone is going to be taking pictures of the resort and advertising them or what?). But if you ask your WC about it they will tell you they aren't charging you they are charging the photographer, well obviously its going to be an additional charge out of your pocket. I suppose technically they are right cause we are having to pay it to HDC because they will have to pay it when entering the resort,

No we are going with HDC Photography. When we looked at the samples from the resort photographer we just didn't like the look of their work. I hate that we are having to pay them that $1000 "copyright" fee (more like greedy fee) but HDC said they will give us 3 complimentary hours to compensate for that, I was really impressed. And they were here in Edmonton last month to shoot a wedding. I've been following them on Facebook and their work looks amazing! Pictures last a life time so we really wanted to make sure ours were something we are happy looking at forever.

So we did end up doing invites and they turned out really well. And ya even though we booked the Tides 50 package which states we get a semi-private venue, and I've heard from other brides that this is the Dominican restaurant, Esterlin will NOT confirm it, just keeps saying "we will confirm when you arrive". Quote: Originally Posted by capecodder I'm getting excited for you!! Can't to wait to hear all about it!! What? I thought we decided before we got to the resort what restaurant the dinner would be in. In the original email I got from my WC, she asked what we wanted to do for the reception and we picked dinner at the Italian restaurant. I will be doing up invites with more details on them since, like you, no one really knows the plan for the week. If I were you, I would do up invites and put to be determined, that way it gives your guests some idea of a timeline. Good idea of doing seating cards! Maybe your WC can put reserved on a couple tables close to yours. Could be another option! That's alot of suitcases!! I haven't even thought about that part yet!lol!

Hi Astef, To be honest I'm not getting my hair done by them, I am taking one of my BM who is ok at doing hair and my hairdresser is going to do a "trial" and teach us a nice simple style. However I did secure an appointment at the spa for the day before the wedding to treat my BM to a mani/pedi. I had just mentioned it in an email to my WC and she told me it was done. I'm interested in where your having your wedding if not on the resort? the Jelly Fish Restaurant? La Bacaraza (the boat). Are you even having your ceremony off the resort?

I have asked her a few times. We even have the Tides 50 package booked which states that you get a semi-private venue, which I have heard from previous brides that it will be the Dominican restaurant but Esterlin will NOT confirm it. She just keeps saying we will decide when we get there and see what is available. So we did do invites and the way I worded it you would never know we don't know what is going on. lol. Hope you can see that (I copy and pasted the invite).

Hey Capecodder, Ya time has gone by pretty quickly! And now friends and family are always talking about how excited they are so I'm getting more and more excited too! Planning has been pretty good. The only big thing that is bugging me is that the WC says that we don't decide on the restaurant until we get there. I wanted to send out invites with all those details like time and place since all we have sent out is STD cards with the week on them so I feel like no one really knows what day of the trip the wedding will be on. I think what I'll do is maybe do hand made invites and fill in the missing info once we get there, or I might still do printed invites and just put "to be determined" for where the dinner is. What are your thoughts on that? I can't decide what to do. haha. The other thing that I have been having trouble with is the seating, since we have 50 guests I want to make a bit of a seating arrangement just so that the grandparents and parents don't get stuck sitting in the back of the room but all the WC will say is "You will seat same area separated tables with the same restaurant set up" so that makes me a bit concerned. I think to solve that though I will do seating cards with every ones names and have a general idea of who should sit with who and get one of my friends who isn't in the wedding party to go in before everyone else and put them out. I hope that works. I haven't started packing but I have started a packing list... which is getting quite long. Between the OTT bag goodies, the chair bows, and all the stuff I'll have to bring to look great on the big day! I think I'll be bringing like 3 big suit cases lol. This week we sent off the legal papers to the Dominican Consulate in Toronto for translation and what not so I'm excited to be getting that done so our wedding is really real lol.

Astef, Plus I'll give you a review once I get back.... 70 days to go!!!

I take all TripAdvisor reviews with a grain of salt. Some people just can't be pleased. They seem to want to be served on a silver platter and be waited on hand and foot. I found it the same for our trip to Mexico this last February, some of the reviews we read before going made us worry (bugs in rooms, broken electrical equipment, bad service ect ect) but we had an amazing time (didn't see a single bug in our room except one fly and never saw anything that made me feel uneasy and I'm an Electrical Engineering Tech)! I think as long as you go with an open mind and realize your in a country where the culture is different a smile, a thank you and a small tip can go a long way in making your trip amazing! I'm a believer in situations are what you make them so go, don't fret the small details and relax and have a blast! Kyra

Wow those flats are so cute Astef!! LOVE THEM!!!

Thanks! I took a while finding some of the stuff, especially deciding on the bags. I originally had towels too but decided to take them back it was just going to be too many bags to haul down there. Oh the 18th is the day after we arrive!! We chose the beach gazebo!! I loved the pictures I found of it!! My FH right from the start was saying we would have 50 people, both me and our TA thought he was crazy! But wow he was right!! including us we have 53! And I have 2 more people who have expressed interest in coming now! We went with the Tides 50 package. I'm pretty sure we will be having our "dinner" in the Dominican restaurant, I've heard there a semi-private room. (note how I am trying not to call it a reception lol)

Steal away! lol Ya I was thinking about using Google Translate and putting it in English then the Spanish underneath. That was what I did for the maps and that worked out pretty good. I got a response with the maps attached the next day (they were in Spanish but hey beggars can't be choosers haha). I talked to my hairdresser and she agreed to have me and one of my BM come in for a wedding hair trial and she will teach us how to do a style (I think we will go with a chignon bun). Then for my makeup I was thinking of going into either Sephora or Mac and getting them to teach my how to do makeup for the day. I know at Mac it's only like a $5 charge (rumor from a friend) and they donate that to charity. My hairdresser is an avid traveler and she was telling my that she went to a wedding in Cuba and did the brides hair but the BM's went to the salon and the girls who were the "hairdressers" were the ones who were waitresses the day before, haha. I think I should be able to do just as good if not a better job than them.

Also we have almost everything for our OTT bags... Bags picked out by FH from Dollarama $1 each. Fun floaty toys... got many different kinds from dolphin and alligator to water wings and a mini water volleyball set. All from Dollarama between $1 - $2 each. Pail and shovel sets, we got all different colors, $1/each. Water guns from Dollarama, 2 for $1.50 Our personalized Mugs, found on eBay... didn't realize they weren't "travel" mugs until they arrived no lids! We will make them work. Waterproof bags for money/camera/etc. We are planning on doing 1 bag per couple and we will include one floaty or pail/shovel or water gun, one waterproof bag and a mug each. We are still considering adding a hangover kit and would include stuff like Crystal Light singles, Pepto Bismal tabs, Advil, Starbucks instant coffee singles, etc.

Hey Jenn, That is great news!! I'm so happy that you will be able to have someone so close to you perform the ceremony, it will make it that much more meaningful As for planning everything is going pretty well. My FH has finally asked all his GM so now we need to get on finding their outfits. I think we will be doing a Tommy Bahama shirt, khakis and flip flops. My dress is in and I have my fist fitting in August... diet, diet, diet lol (well more for the swim suits than the dress). The BM dresses are on order. The thing I'm still struggling with is trying to figure out a seating chart for the reception. Esterlin just doesn't seem to understand what I'm asking Also FYI if you refer to the dinner that is included with your wedding package as a reception she will think you mean that you want a private reception for extra charge, I hope in my response back to her I sets her straight. haha.

Hey girls, This is the former Destination_Diva, I lost my account PW and even though I messaged the admins for PW recovery they never got back to me So I decided to just start a new account. I hope all my fellow Melia brides planning is going well. 4 months from today we will be on our way to the sun! We now have 53 people booked including bride and groom! So excited!!! KyraJohnson (formerly Destination_Diva)