RaynDrop

That's what I was afraid of. I don't know any photographers to bring so I think we may look into finding a local photographer and taking photos off the resort after the ceremony. Then we can pick a few of the sandals photos a la carte and still have some from the ceremony. Hopefully it will work out!

 

Sounds like that might work!

Well good luck with your projects Rayn! I don't have any DIY projects planned yet. I think we will end up doing an AHR a month or so after we return so I'll likely DIY invites for that. When do people usually send out those, is it okay to send those out after you get married or should those be sent out further in advance (as long as OOT guests are made aware by word of mouth to make travel arrangements if they wish to attend)?

 

Shooting for 10/10 as our date...deposit put down for our photographer but waiting on a few details to fall into place with the resort but will likely finalize the date by the end of the week.

Oh mine is 10/22

For AHR I think you can go with a more traditional time frame for sending invites - which is six weeks.   If you have guest that you are considered with needing more time then I would consider Save the Dates.  Or if you don't want to do both I would say just send out invites when you think it is right.  I sent out my DW invites a twelve months prior - which seems to be further out then a lot of girls do.

Whee I'm excited! It's been kind of a whirlwind past couple of weeks. Tried on dresses with a friend too kinda spontaneously so now I have an idea of what I want too. I feel like now that I'm engaged I'm allowed to trek ahead full steam lol

 

How's your planning going?

Its going!  I spent last year brainstorming and buying - now I am trying to focus on executing some of my plans.   Been getting projects part done this weekend.   Finding I don't have all the supplies I need to finish any of them LOL but at least I am getting things started!

So I forget -- do you have a date set?

I thought that I had plenty of time and I was going to wait til after the holidays but now I feel like Im packed with wedding stuff! It's fun though, but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.

When and Where are you getting married??

Thanks girl!! Heard back from the WC, she said she can offer my parents same rate as us so that'll be nice. Figured if they stay for a few nights they'll get to experience dinner there and we can just do dinner as newlyweds on our own

 

 

Thanks I hope that's how it works out!!!

Wohooo -- it is all coming together for you!!

I was thinking about handing out my OOT bags before we leave?  I was going to give a nice beach bag, sunscreen soduko/puzzle books and maybe flip flops out before we leave and then have a little paper bag in their rooms with maybe some asprin, bandaids, aloe, etch and snacks.

 

This would save on room for us.  I have looked at shipping boxes and it is over $100 to ship a box, and my parents are going early and would be taking the items and they already have a bunch of luggage.

 

Any thoughts?

If you are close enough to your guest to do this I think it is a great idea!!  I also really like that you are still doing something for them in their rooms!

I have so much stuff and have to take it with me I don't know how I am going to pack it all LOL

Hi all!! I am back and I got engaged on Christmas eve!! After visiting my parents and extensive talks, I think we are all set to go ahead and do a DW elopement or very private wedding with only my parents in attendance, and doing an AHR after. Definitely seems like the best of both worlds. 

 

However, problem I am coming across in booking the wedding package is that once there are 2 guests, they automatically classify it as a ~wedding~ and many times there is a large price diff between the elopement and wedding packages! T&C requires 2 witnesses anyway, what's the difference between having my parents stay at the resort on their own accord and just "showing up" at my wedding as witnesses? Anyone else have experience with this?

I can't really help with your elopement/wedding question..

but 

YAY for getting engaged

does anyone have any suggestions for affordable beach bags?

http://www.orientaltrading.com/

Sometimes you can get lucky at Dollar Tree

I happen to find some at Christmas Tree Shop Last year.

Sometimes groupon has deals for vistaprint that makes getting them reasonable.

Umm That is all I can think of at the moment

That's what I was afraid of. I don't know any photographers to bring so I think we may look into finding a local photographer and taking photos off the resort after the ceremony. Then we can pick a few of the sandals photos a la carte and still have some from the ceremony. Hopefully it will work out!

That is what I was going to look into right before I thought of asking someone I know to do it.     Are you having any guest?  If so maybe they will be able to get some good shots for you.

Hi all!  I'm also a Sandals bride.   We will be getting married at Sandals Grande Riviera on 6.7.14.  We chose a DW because it seemed simple and stress-free, however I'm starting to worry about the photography.  I just don't want to be disappointed and am nervous about the quality of the Sandals photography.  Has anyone seen any examples of their pics, are they cheesy? lol

I haven't seen any pics besides what is on their website - but I have heard from multiple sources that the pictures are ok.  Not bad but nothing with that WOW effect. 

Did you ask for the nightly events or is that on a website somewhere?  I'd love to incorporate that in my welcome packages!

I asked my WC about this ... she said that they change all the time so they don't release until the month prior for the following month.  

I am also a Sandals bride and will be getting married at Royal Plantation in November 2014. I've had difficulty finding other Sandals RP brides, so I'm excited to find one here. Our guests are also staying at SGR, while we will be at SRP. I'd love to share ideas. I have my WC call in mid January and already have a ton of questions, even though our wedding is 11 months away! We are planning to do a 3-hour reception after the wedding. I am still very unsure about photography. Do you have any idea how much the packages the local photographers they work with range from?

Yay for another Sandals girl Welcome!!!

I can't speak for your resort but I did inquire about the local photo packages in St. Lucia.  They only offer one package - it was $2000 for 4 hours with a CD of images.  You could add additional hours for $300 per hour.

I actually looked on Sandals website to get the name of the photos then emailed them directly asking for prices (without mentioning that I was getting married at Sandals). They sent me their price list which was actually decent, then almost immediately they sent me another email saying - if you are getting married at Sandals we only offer one package.  

Their "normal" 4 hour package was only $1200 -- I found this a little annoying - clearly Sandals is still making some good money with the new program!

Another Sandals bride to be here. We are getting married in March 2014 at Sandals Grande Riviera. I'm so excited. Also debating about pictures and hair and make up. I find it hard to pay for things without seeing examples. We are trying to not incure too many extra costs but we also don't want to have any regrets. Omg I'm getting stressed.

Wohoo Welcome!! So exciting to see another Sandals Girl.

I don't have any of this set is stone quite yet but here is my plan (for now LOL) 

I'm going to have them do my hair and make up for the day of

---- I am going to have my hair dresser do some stuff after I get my dress so get a clear idea of what I want... I will bring lots of pictures with me so they can duplicate it as well as possible!

---- I know they use mac makeup so I am going to go to Macy's for some consultations - I will then buy the basics - They can use their make up (if they have the right colors) or they can use mine (if they dont) but I figured I will at least want my own lip stick for touch ups.

---- I am bringing someone I know who is a photographer - She has agreed to do it for her stay and flight.  She will be bringing someone so they will pay for their own flight (although it is most likly going to be another photographer) 

Hello - How are you? I had sent you a private message right before they re did the site.. So I do not know if you got and/or replied to my message, because they were all deleted.

I was wondering if the lanterns are still available and how much would they be to ship to 02476?

Thanks

Hello - do you have pictures? Thanks

Hey there - I am so sorry I missed your post until just now! 

YAY for another Sandals girl

Did you have your call with your WC yet?

I'm not sure what the answer is to your question about contact with the officiant but I was told by the WC that I can customize the ceremony script 100% if I want - so you should be able to do the anything you want!

When is your wedding?!?

These have sold

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandahugs 


Thanks Rayn!! I heard back and they said since October is a slow month it'd be no problem! Now the only other thing I'm wondering is if it's totally odd to have the wedding at the end of our week there? I know it takes two days to process our application for marriage, but we would be flying down Saturday the 4th then leaving the 11th (am shooting for our ceremony on the 10th). Like how terrible/strange is it to basically have the honeymoon first then the wedding? Keep in mind it is just the two of us anyway

I don't see a problem with your plan,... if you two are okay with doing your honeymoon before the ceremony that I say go for it!!  

We will be at the resort for a week before our wedding which is 5 days before any of our guest...  

We might end up leaving the resort a couple days earlier then what we have booked and do a cruise instead (I am working on the details to see if it will work out) but right now 

we are booked at the resort for a week after our wedding but so are some of our guest - so if we end up just staying at the resort we are sort of doing the same thing 

I am glad  your date worked out!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandahugs 
 

We are looking at Seven Stars! They were very quick to respond back but I just need to hear back still on whether we can do it on our date since it actually falls on a Friday and their elopement wedding package says the private "for two" weddings are offered Monday through Thursday...

 

I've emailed one photographer and now I need to email a few others to get some comparisons because DBF thinks that photography is ridiculously expensive for just the two of us! 

all so exciting!!!! I hope they can do your date

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferSS 

Congrats on choosing Sandals- You will love St. Lucia!

JenniferSS - are you still around??

I am a Sandals Halcyon 2014 Bride - Sandals Brides are few and I haven't found any St. Lucia Brides on here

I'd love to get some info from you!!

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandahugs 

Hi everyone! Been a while but I've been kept busy at work the last few weeks. As a recap, DBF and I have been trying to decide on a destination and I think we have settled on Turks & Caicos. I have one resort in mind and did go ahead and contact them with some questions regarding their packages and available dates etc. The way my work schedule works out and general timing of the year, we are shooting for October '14 in T&C! (DBF said it has to be later in the year rather than May in case I get cold feet on the elopement and want a wedding...he comes from a farming family so if we have a wedding it can't be during the summer months which is a bummer because I've always pictured a summer wedding...but our anni is in October and we'll be somewhere warm so it's a good compromise!)

P.S.   You get the best of both -  A perfect fall wedding on a tropical beach = AMAZING 

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandahugs 

Hi everyone! Been a while but I've been kept busy at work the last few weeks. As a recap, DBF and I have been trying to decide on a destination and I think we have settled on Turks & Caicos. I have one resort in mind and did go ahead and contact them with some questions regarding their packages and available dates etc. The way my work schedule works out and general timing of the year, we are shooting for October '14 in T&C! (DBF said it has to be later in the year rather than May in case I get cold feet on the elopement and want a wedding...he comes from a farming family so if we have a wedding it can't be during the summer months which is a bummer because I've always pictured a summer wedding...but our anni is in October and we'll be somewhere warm so it's a good compromise!)

Ohhhh Which resort are you looking at?  I T&C was on the top of my list - but I had decided on Sandals - There is a Beaches there but we decided that we didn't want kids there so we went with the other top choice of Sandals in St. Lucia --- and YAY for another October girl!  Did you pic a day yet??

I have 10 of these chap sticks (I changed my mind and bought different ones) 

They retail for about 1.50 

I am selling for 1.25 (Including Shipping) 

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownsugarbride 
 

That awkward moment when you realize that you've screwed up ROYALLY.  Long story short is that I booked a resort about 35 minutes away (so I thought) from my ceremony/reception site because I knew that some people would prefer all of their food and drink to be bundled into one package.  However, after talking to my transportation guy, I have realized that my calculations on Google Maps didn't take into account real world traffic, getting to the Blue Venado itself from the highway, etc. In reality, it could take more than double the time (about 1.5 hours)!!!!!!!  My friends are saying that it will be okay, that it will be like a party bus. However, I think that's just too much to expect from guests.  Argh!!!

Aww that does stink - I would say just go with the vibe your friends are giving you and make a party out of it

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownsugarbride 


Your wedding is nearly 6 months after mine and I haven't sent my invitations yet! I need to step up my game! LOL

Hahah I wanted to send them in October but I the Mr. wasn't on top of his game with helping me with the SMALL part I asked him to do for them.  So they just went out.  I think sending them nearly ahead of time is more time them more DW Brides do (from what I have read around here)  I only did it because I have lots of little surprises I am sending out over time next year so to get those out I needed to get my invites out and RSVPs back early.

When do you think you will send them?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 27dress 
 

wow, you are cool to do craft.  I am getting married 2 years later, do i need to prepare now, is it too early to prepare all the things, I want my wedding to be perfect.  Thank you~

Hello by the time I get married I will have been planning my wedding for 2 years.   I only invited a small amount of people and I know for sure all but 4 of them are going to go so I started buying things for my Welcome Bags right away - I figured buying stuff over a couple of years will make it seem like I didn't shell out too much for them.   I am also doing lots of little DIY projects so for those things that I can commit to now I am going ahead and making them.

There are definitely things that you will not be able to until closer to your wedding but I do advice not waiting on things you dont have to. 

When and Where are you getting married?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ywilliams315 


Thanks....yeah I'm working on the AHR we've just designed our wedding cake & sorting out decorations

How's your planning going?

Xx

Wow you are workong on your AHR already! That is great.  I have it all planned.. in my head but that is about it .. other then some decorations things I have bought in hopes of using them.

I just sent out my invites yesterday (later then I wanted to) but they are OUT - ETA is tomorrow sooooo I am glad that is over with!!! 

I want to get started on some other smaller projects I plan on doing now so that I do not have a million to do right before we leave!