justineheart

So I stopped by the dollar store today to get all my “ingredients†for my DIY weekend (yay for first diy projects), when I saw TOTE BAGS FOR ONE DOLLAR! I am no where near ready to make OOT bags, but I thought for a dollar, I can do this. So any brides from the Alberta area dollar-rama has TOTE BAGS FOR ONE DOLLAR! They only had 10 at my store but I called my friend who works in a city near by (I’m in sylvan lake, she is in Red Deer) and she went on her lunch and picked up 10 more! So I’m set now! YAY YAY YAY! 20 tote bags for 20 dollars, don’t mind if I do. So now just to start them in 6 months time. I feel very prepared…right now *note to self do not leave every thing till the last minute*

thank you! hahaha ill try the beer! i got him to sew hair extensions this week with capital morgans help but beer sounds way cheaper! ha my mom and sister are amazing at arts and crafts ( i missed that gene) so i will get them to help! t we start doing save the dates next month and i cant wait! thank you again for all your diy info its priceless!

i absolutely love your decorations and theme! great job so far!

I LOVE THOSE BAGS! good job on the great find!

with my FI being in school i have till April 2014 till we get married, so i have a TON of time to find and plan and so i was not going to do a wedding planner, im also lucky enough to know two people who have lived in costa rica. but as i get closer and closer and do more and more research there are things that scare me that i think i may need a wedding planner. BUT if you ask some of the ladies on here they may be able to help you i no amanda+dave ( i believe thats her username any ways) were married in manual antonio. i dont no how far away quepos is but if its close enough you may be able to use who ever they used. i believe there are different packages you can do with wedding planners, just shoot them an email and ask and say you dont need a lot of help, more of just some guidance in the right direction?! and i would love the share with you what i have so far... i've only been in touch with one company, but they got back to me within 24 hours (escape villas) my questions where 1) are there other villa's within walking distance to it. 2) do you have an all inclusive plan or some thing similar to it and the cost 3) is it close to a beach to hold the wedding ceremony or is it possible to do it at all villa. Thank you. There response was: It is too far in advance for me to quote you a rate at this time but it will most likely be around $12,800 a week. There are another 7 options in the same neighborhood, all within 3 blocks. We can also offer you a full services package additional to the rental fee to make your vacation “all inclusive†and care free. The package would include round trip transfers from the San Jose airport, the rental of SUVs (customer pays insurance), chef services for 2 meals a day, and food and beverages (local brands only, no lobster, no shrimp). The cost of the package depends on the amount of guests staying at the house and if there are any children below the age of 12. Again the rates would not be available this early on. You can have the ceremony on the beach or at the house. Casa de las Brisas has a maximum event occupancy of 45 people, we do have other options for wedding with higher event occupancies. i asked him another question (i ask millions and it probably annoys people but o well) As far as payment of the villa is it possible to get my quests to pay separate? as well Do you offer the service of a wedding planner and if not do you have any recommendations - this is some thing that is important to me, as some guests we are paying for (my sister) but we dont want to be responsible to put the up front costs of the villa, than have people pay us that sounds like a nightmare to me. The concierge can help you arrange for all of the services for a wedding but cannot coordinate the event for you. If you will need coordination services we can recommend a couple of local American wedding coordinators. One is Erin Little of Oasis Weddings and the other is Karen of Tropical Occasions. We can break up payments between 4 separate people for one home, maybe a few more, but not between 60 people. As far as having the ceremony on the beach or in a jungle setting I do suggest speaking with a coordinator about this as they would have more details on what can or cannot be done. that is the information i go! hope some of this helps, also the email was with Fernando Ray [email protected]

i made my FI sit down last night and look at some of the things i loved that you did your yourself, i dont think he was nearly as excited as i was! did your FI get really involved? if he did do you have any tips for me haha also this may be a silly questions, but how do you mail the invitations in the box with out them being ruined?! haha it really confuses me (i swear im not blonde, but most days i should be)

Wow! I read through your whole post and at first I was excited and than a little overwhelmed at every thing you did and things i now NEED to do! I cant wait to put my own spin on some of these ideas. Also I have to say your he/she frame is the CUTEST most unique dyi craft I think I’ve never seen. It would be some thing you would have forever as a reminder and I love that idea that decorations can still be so personalized! Great job you have a serious talent for DYI porjects!

Thank you guys for all your imput and past experience! i talked with my sister and she was actually happy and she is still going to be very much involved, and her daughter is going to be my flower girl! so i think that worked out perfect. as for my fi sister we havent had that conversation yet because my fi and i are living two hours apart and wanted to do it together so heres to hoping it goes as well as my first conversation did! i really took to heart that you just have to make every one who wants to be involved feel like they are and things will work out! i swear some times i just want to be like you no what luke (my fi) you work out all the details ill just show up! when you think about weddings you never think of all the little drama that may happen

I love this! I think proposals mean so much more when they are unique to the couple! He obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this congrats!

Hey girls i didn’t really no where to put this so i thought this would be the best place. Any ways, Its time for me to ask the girls who mean the most to me to be in my bridesmaids but im having a hard time drawing the line and i don’t want to hurt any ones feelings. I no a lot of drama can happen from bridesmaids, ive read my fair share of bridesmaid drama posts...so i wanted some opinions! My FI has two sisters, one which i love to death, and the other i think is a spoiled brat. I get along with both, but would not ask the younger sister to be in my wedding party. (she has an its all about me attitude, and isn’t close with me FI at all) but his other sister has been one of my besfriends, so question # 1 Can i ask my FI one sister to be in my wedding and not the other. or do i just not ask either to avoid hurt feelings I have two steps sisters, who are a lot older than i am (im 22, they are 30, and 32) but i am extremely close with the younger of the two. She helped me through an addiction, we lived together and have grown up together. My oldest sister and i weren’t really close, She lived two hours away and although we have always got along, we were just never that close so question 2 is Can i ask my sister im close with and not the other (i should point out that my oldest sister is extremely easy going, and her feelings probably would not be hurt, and she doesn’t believe in marriage, but i still dont want to hurt her feelings) I have some girlfriends who mean the world to me, they are the great girls. But there are just some things that make me hesitate to ask them. Is it better not to ask some one who you no is going to be flaky and not really care about the little things that matter to me. I no she would be there for the big day and come on the trip, but its the other things i want her there for that i don’t think i could count on her for? as well she just found out she is pregnant, so that might make things more difficult Is it ok to NOT ask some one who’s wedding you’ve been it? I was shocked she asked me to be in her wedding because we really grew but i still want her to come, just i feel like i have to draw the line some where and we just arent that close My fi is only asking my brother, his brother and one of his friends to be in the wedding so he has three people and if i JUST ask the girls I want to be there i still have 4, with the girls i dont really want to be part of the wedding party its 7, do you think it will look weird to have uneven numbers? or am i just being OCD

ChocoTaco7568 i like the one on the far right but id put a little more plum and a little less chartreause! this is what i want mine to look like but with some soft pink in there some where!

i was set on this (but not with seashells, instead i wanted small flowers) because i really dont want a viel and thought it would like very earthy (we are getting married by a waterfall not a beach) and thought it would fit perfectly with big loose curls (i have long brown hair thats very think) but than i saw some one post the second picuter and now im torn! im very glitsy and love "bling" but i feel like the first picture still fits better what do you girls think?!

Hey girls! so i was looking to make some shoes for st.patty's day tomorrow and i came across this website psimadethis.com so i started looking at some of thing things they have and they gave me some great idea's for oot bags, and than for a headband (i dont want a viel) so i thought i would share it with you guys!

if you find any information please pass it on!! this would be so helpful! great post

I don’t no which villa you went through, but the one im talking too includes a bus for my guest to my villa (san jose to manuel Antonio). I now that it is costing me a little extra but i just thought it would so be worth it, especially since travelling with my family is like the movie home alone. I really wish i was kidding about that. I no its a long drive but from what i read its a beautiful one! So my fi and I have a bus for each of the villa’s (we plan on two to three depending on the number of guests) If you have a smaller guest list a girlfriend of mine is spending two weeks in costa rica and travelling all around (there are 6 of them in totally) and they are renting a car and staying at hostels that would be another option! I also no they said that for a small fee (20% of your grocery bill) they can do your shopping for you or im sure if you asked you could just use the same charter for the car as the one that shuttles from the airport. Because you have a guest list of 10 to 15 people you could do both a beach and do the reception at your villa. The villa i have my heart set on has said it would be perfectly fine if i wanted to get married on the beach (they would recommend me to talk to a wedding planner to set that part up the rest i will do on my own) and then i can have my reception at the largest villa and will have it catered and i will get my loving family to set up decorations the night before and in the little finishing touches in the morning with me. Usually your villa can set up the catering. I am choosing an all inclusive package so two meals a day or included (it will be an extra cost for the night of the wedding because all of the people in one villa) as well as i have requested to have two bartenders present for the night! As for chair rentals you can probably do it on your own, i’ve looked into it and if you want i can pass along some of the places i looked into. I don’t no if you have a villa picked but let me no if you want any information on that! Thats what all my googling has taught me so far! Hope it helps

im so down for this bikini picture posting! i think its a great way to motivate!!!

(hey girls this is an awesome thread!! My wedding is in 2014 so i have tons of time! buuutt i also want to loose between 50-70 pounds. i lost 30 in three months a year and a half ago and gained it allllll back and than some. i wanted to share some of the thing i used the first time to lose the weight. first thing i did was find a work out partner who would show up! this was the most important thing, because when all your friends are going for beers and you want to go but you have plans with your work out buddy to meet up you cant give them a call or a text to bail because you are committed. for me the person who worked best was my dad and honestly i love it! we have a really close relationship again and motive each other to push harder each and every day!!! plus now he is gonna look super good when he walks me down the aile! ( as a side note this time around i tried using my MOH who also wants to lose weight but she would be flakey and bail all the time... it would get more frustrating and just add to the stress of wanting to lose weight and the wedding etc. so i went back to just me and my dad and if she shows up thats great but i dont count on her now) the second thing i did was by a bathing suit on line .... but i bought it a size to small... this is hung up on my fridge so every time i go to grab the ice cream i look at this little thing i wanted to fit into so badly and grab an apple instead. than when i felt like i could fit into it (based on weight loss and measurements) i tried it on and it fit!!!! i can tell you there is no better feeling, its right up there with when i saw my boyfriend get down on one knee and become my fi! i would give myself a "free day" once a week. i dont no about you but as stated above i love ice cream, so one day a week id allow myself (a small) bowl of ice cream because really it isnt going to kill me i stopped making excuses on why i couldnt go to the gym or to a class or for a walk or run out side... do you no how many times i said "ok gym tomorrow, no matter what im going to the gym" than id get a call at 430 after work from a girlfriend wanting to go shopping, or needed help doing this or that. i made my time from 5 to 630 every day. id shut my phone off and just hang out with me and my work out buddy and after the first two weeks it just became normal. and you no what the best part of it all was! when my girlfriend would ask me to go shopping on the weekend instead of tuesday night i would fit into smaller sizes and i think a lot of women have the same problem as me as we dont want to be a little selfish and take time for themselves. im telling you! just do it. the world will keep going while you work out for an hour every day!!!! the grocery store will still be open after, its not the end of the world if you miss a tv show...take time be a little selfish and finally the biggest change in my life was i stopped eating out. I packing a lunch, bringing lots of healthy snacks so i wouldnt get hungry and dream of a big mac while at work and give in around 12 and go get a big mac .... honestly biggest thing in my life that i changed hope some of these work for you girls! GOOD LUCK AND STAY POSITIVE

which villa where you looking into?

I hear you on the cost calculator! being a financial planner i thought i was good at math up until i started planning my wedding! and the response time back from resorts you would have thought i was sending a letter on a owl and had to wait for it to get there and them send me one back (the owl still would have been faster if you ask me). i think i googled till i looked at every resort and price and still felt like i was getting no where! Have you thought of a villa maybe? because they are often personally owned or not dealing with so many guests ect. their responses back to where a) a lot fast more informative c) not general d) where able to give me a quote for what i wanted! I seriously e-mail i want this this and this, with this many guests and this date and by the next morning i had a response with total costs and saying "yes we will be able to accomidate that for you, but we couldnt do this for you" but good luck with your wedding! 80-100 guests is going to mean a very very big glass of wine through out your wedding planning proccess.

thats the kicker for me! my parents are extremely well off as well as my fiances family is very well off, the people we want there could afford to come (which was a huge part of our planning to make sure they people we wanted there could afford to be there). I no it will work out in the end but why do people have to make such a big deal about it. My parents have offered to hold the wedding at our summer home but that is what my sister did and i would feel like i was copying her idea even if i did put my own spin on it. but im with you on being so very close to saying to people "you no what, if you dont want to come dont, but telling me us we shouldnt do our wedding the way we want isnt an option" I want every one there but im trying to stay in my budget for my wedding and if a trip doesnt fit in your budget than i understand. as a side note, when i have been apart of a wedding or my finance has been apart of another couples wedding, by the time you pay for your bm dress, hotels, gas, food, the engagement party, the bachelorette party and a gift it works out to by around the same amount of money we would have spent for a trip, but i would have (personally) much rather spend a whole week on a beautiful beach than a hotel in freezing cold canada and a dress i'll never wear again! how come people never hate on that?! haha (i really tried not to sound to cynical there i promise) i guess my point is, dont crush my dreams, and i wont crush yours, wedding are expensive

I've known I've always wanted a dw, but i've always known my mother HATES them! I mean the whole meaning of hate, any time any one of our family friends has had a dw I've had to listen to her rant about how could some one think that they needed to go away and celebrate for a whole week and have people spend an insane amount of money to go. So i knew telling her and my dad that is what i wanted was going to be a fight. But last night i decided that i have to tell them sooner or later and maybe sooner is better than later. Now i understand where she is coming from, it is a lot of money, but should i have to give up my dream of what i want to fit what they want? no. i dont think i should have too. Also, you have to understand my sister got married last year and we are SO SO SO different, she wanted a small wedding (60 people) and was able to a her whole wedding under $5 000 including EVERYTHING! and it was beautiful, probably the most beautiful wedding i've been thats been in Canada, but i also no that is not what i want if i was to get married at home, I would want a huge wedding with all my family and friends, so a dw was a way for my fiance to a) get down the wedding size to a size he was comfortable with and be able to afford a wedding by ourselfs. As well i have another sister who choose not to get married even though she has been with the guy for ten years. My family has a very strong opinion on weddings. That big weddings are a waste of money. My mom and dad only had a wedding because they were forced too. But i am very different from them and have always been the extravagant one. But my real problem is I have another sister who could probably not afford to take herself and her daughter. It not only is extremely important to me that she is there but even more important that her daughter is there. I LOVE this little girl. I understand some of my friends and family will not come, but she is my sister. So this was all brought up last night when i told my parents this is what i wanted and my mom said to me "well what would you do if your sister couldnt afford to come" and than my father said "I dont think i would come if you had a dw wedding. it is a waste of money, you could put that towards a house" I tried to show him how it would actually cheaper, because i have planned both of the weddings out cost wise down to the last flower. It is a $15,000 difference between the two weddings i have budgetted out. and he still wouldnt listen. I left last night feeling horrible, like some one had just told me there wasnt a santa. i feel like this is MY wedding, my one day where my fiance and i get to say what we want and how we want it and not care what other people think. but should i be reconcidering? I have also told my parents that I would pay for my sister to be there. I'd also like to point out we have choosen not to get married till april 2014 which gives every one A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME TO SAVE!!!!!

Hey! I'm also having a larger wedding (50) and fell in love with a few villas in Manuel Antonio. I've done a lot of reading but there isnt a lot of options for brides who are choosing to do a villa instead of a resort. Personally after reading about villa's i think its the best way to go! I've yet to be able to decide on which villa i would like to go with and still have a few questions. (basically finding a villa that can accomidate 50 people or even within walking distance of each other??? Do you happen to no if there are any in the area) But to answer your question! From what i've read depending on the villa you choose you can have the option for a chef to come and prepare your feels for you / have an all inclusive option. My understanding is that for $50 a day per person you have an in house chef (you may also have to pay for food). It seems like that can all add up quickly, but I've found it still cheaper per person to go this way instead of a resort (for your guests at least). But for me a big positive is you can create the menu and deal with any food issues people may have like allergies, picky eaters because trying to find food that all 50 people can enjoy is hard! I've also looked into some villa's (not in Manuel Antonio) that give you an all inclusive option and you just have to pay for the groceries and a 20% shopping few. Most villa's will also include a bartender with the chef and you get a maid (or 2) for the whole week This is one of my favorite sites if you are still trying to decide on villa's. http://www.villascostarica.com/weddings/index.html Hope this helps! and if you have any info could you please please please help me out!

Hey girls! I was wondering if there are any brides who have concidered or are planning to rent a villa/ multiple villa's, instead of doing a resort. Not just in costa rica any where! Although I personally have my heart set on Casa de las Brisas in Costa Rica. There doesnt seem to be alot of information for brides that are thinking this is the best way to go! HELP!

Hey girls! I am planning on getting married in 2013 but am having a really hard time finding a hotel that I like. I've never heard being able to rent a villa for your wedding but from reading your posts this is more what im looking for than a hotel! could you guys answer some questions for me 1) do you plan your wedding yourself or is it possible to get a wedding planner to help accomidate with arranging a venue/flowers/dj ect. 2) what are you girls planning on doing for decorations 3) if you have a large group is it better to rent different villas instead of the hotel (in your opinion) 4) what are the benefits of doing the villa's over a hotel we are planning do have 70-50 guests