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Hi ladies, We're getting married in Cabo in April 2017. Has anyone been quoted on outdoor string lights rental/set-up? We're being quoted $120 per 45 foot string light, which seems absurd to me. I just want to make sure this is normal. If you have any other vendors, can you please share their information? Thank you, Perla

The getting ready shot The getting ready shot. This one’s a classic! Get photos of the groom and groomsmen tying their bow ties, buttoning their vests, and donning their suit jackets. Make sure to capture the groom helping the ring bearer with his attire. So precious! The Chair Pose The chair pose. Guys and recliners have a history, right? You can mimic that connection by having the groom sit in a stuffed chair with his guys posed around him. The Superhero shot We love it when the guys in the wedding party wear superhero secrets under their wedding dress code, then pose with a few buttons undone to reveal the superhero symbols underneath. If they’re wearing superhero cufflinks, too…even better! The Groomsmen Pose Have the guys throw some sunglasses on and strike their coolest pose while the groom does the shoulder-brush attitude. The Cowboys The cowboys. Have the wedding party bring a hat. Dress down to the vests and put on your cowboy gear. If there’s a horse available, have the groom saddle up and pose with the groomsmen nearby. You can bring in other props like hay bales and rope, too The Stunt Doubles The stunt doubles. If you have a group of athletic guys in the wedding party, have the groom stand with his hands in his pockets or however he’s comfortable while the groomsmen chose to pose, jump, flip, or otherwise try to harness their inner stunt man. The Party Shot The party shot. A lot of guys enjoy a beer or cocktail, especially at a wedding. Get a photo of a toast with just the guys, or a candid shot of the guys laughing and enjoying a drink together. The Hollywood Stroll The Hollywood stroll. Have the groom take the lead in a casual stroll with his guys. The groom can wear sunglasses to stand out in the crowd and look more “Hollywood.” This is a natural and fun type of photo to capture. The Smoking Pose The smoking lounge. Break out the cigars and pose around a card table while you all enjoy them. The Bro Hugs The bro hugs. Even guys have to have some tender moments on the wedding day. Capture the groom giving his groomsmen bro hugs. These will be among the best shots of the day, we guarantee it! The Selfie Shot The selfie shot. There’s no avoiding cellphones these days. Why not incorporate them into your wedding photos? Have the guys each take a silly selfie and then pose with everyone holding their phone out towards the camera. Source: Perfect Wedding Guide ©DreamArt Photography 2010 - 2016. All Rights Reserved

I am planning my wedding in Costa Rica and I was looking at Jonathan Cooley the photographer for Costa Vida and his wife at Four Winds weddings? Just curious if anyone has ever used them before? Thanks!

1) Why are you worth the amount you charge? There are many reasons we charge the rates we do, some of which are quite obvious: all of our photographers have many years of experience and many, many weddings under their belts, we offer full resolution images with full reproduction rights, we use very expensive equipment, we edit the photos ourselves – each of the photographers edit the photos from the wedding, their own and the second-shooter’s; then there are the “hidden” costs, like having a beautiful lounge in most hotels we work with, having to pay all the additional people involved in the process of organizing photography and cinematography for a wedding – our colleagues at the Call Center, our Wedding Planners that meet the bride and groom in the hotel and help plan and organize the whole experience etc. 2) Do you shoot natural light or artificial light? Or both? All of our photographers in DreamArt, myself included, are comfortable shooting both. We do prefer using natural light whenever possible and as late as possible, but we also always look for opportunities to be creative with off-camera flash, or complement that available light with a little fill from our flashes. We also use flash to create better quality photographs when there is an actual need for the extra light – like during a reception where there isn’t much light or the light is in all different and weird colors. 3) Do you back up your files online just in case of a fire? Do you have backup equipment? We actually have several backup plans in place at all times. First off, we download the photos to the photo lounge in the hotel the same day we take them. Second, we have a NAS in place in our main office, where everything gets copied to, then there is the Online Gallery, where our brides can actually access and download their photos at all times. We also keep our photos for a minimum of eight months, most of the time much longer than that. 4) Will I get a high resolution DVD? We actually give the Full Resolution images (between 20 and 40 megapixels’ resolution), which is perfect for doing both large prints – we regularly print our photos in 18*12 inches – and also larger or smaller things too, like huge canvas prints or just regular 6*8 inch prints. We also give our photos on USB and online. Both versions are the full resolution files. 5) How do you make us feel relaxed for the photographs, especially when posing? Both myself and all of my colleagues have extensive experience working with people, from all walks of life, and we also have photographed quite a few weddings (I photographed over 150 weddings). Also, we all come from different parts of the world, so, if nothing else, our quirky accents will make you laugh. 6) What is your shooting style? Do you focus on storytelling? We pride ourselves in capturing your special day with all the possible details, storytelling being the main focus. It will be a combination of both photojournalism and some posed shots (especially the group shots and some of the bride and groom). We tend to be as unobtrusive as possible so as to be able to capture all those natural, genuine moments that cannot be posed and planned for, nor repeated. We only take center stage when we need to organize a specific shot. 7) Will you help us with the planning of photos and video for the wedding day? Yes. The most important things for us are for the bride and groom to first, have a great time and not worry about anything, and second for their photos to be as beautiful as possible. Since we live here and know what light is better, how long it takes to move from one place to the next inside the hotels, what can end up taking longer than initially thought etc. we do our best to help you plan accordingly, so that you take advantage of the best places with the best possible light and with all the time you have with your photographers and videographers. It happens often for a bide to come to the interview with our Wedding Planners with a specific timeline in mind or even written down, and leave with a very different schedule after that meeting. We try to have the photographer present during that interview, or at least have several questions and ideas written down by our Wedding Planners and communicated to the photographer. 8) What happens if you get sick on my day? We are very lucky in the sense that we always have someone that can take over if needed. The benefit of working with such a talented team for such a long time (there are around 40 photographers in DreamArt, and we have been working together for the past 3 years, or more) is that if you were to have a situation where you really can’t attend a wedding, one of your colleagues could take your place easily. This is something that hardly ever happens, and it has never happened to me personally. 9) What happens if it rains? This is an important question, because most brides would think their photos and video would be ruined if this happens. This is actually not the case. There are some photographs that can only be done on a rainy day, with rain as a backdrop. We always make the best of any situation and rain is just that: a different situation. There is always a Plan B in terms of where your cocktail or reception will take place, in case of bad weather, and we also I have also offered couples an hour of two of extra time on a different day so we can get photos with the beautiful Caribbean Sea in the background, rather than just rain. DreamArt Photography is the leading luxury photography company based in resorts in Mexico and Jamaica. In the past years, DreamArt Photography & Video has become world leader in its category with more than 1,000 weddings, 6,000 lifestyle sessions, and almost 250 events yearly, in both four and five diamond resorts. By Andrei Mihalache Kay English Photos: DreamArt Photography Event Resources ©DreamArt Photography 2010 - 2016. All Rights Reserved

Hi! I am starting my DW research. Planning on November 2017. I have narrowed it down to RIU Playacar and Barcelo Maya. I am leaning more towards RIU Playacar due to price. I also have a lot of family traveling from England. How do I ensure everyone gets the best price when my travel agency doesn't help with flights from England? Has anyone else had this issue? I really want the Barcelo Maya, I have heard only great reviews, however the price is a bit high for my guests, and I do want people to actually come! Has anyone had a good experience at RIU Playacar? It has been renovated since 2015 and the grounds/rooms look great. I'm looking for simple. I don't have a lot of specific ideas myself. I am good to use everything that comes with a package with a few add-ons. But I don't want to be ripped off by going only with what the resort has to offer. Any help or experience would be great! -SMiles.

Hi everybody! I'm a 2017 bride, but I already start making preparations for my wedding. I plan a destination wedding but still have no idea about the wedding venue. Anyone has some great ideas? I also would like to know your budget and wedding theme! xx~

Is anyone planning to get married at Beach Palace or Hyatt Ziva in Cancun Mexico? If so, do you have an idea of room rates for you guests during their stay? We are planning our wedding for November 2017 at either of these locations, but we want it as affordable as possible for our guests. Thanks in advance!

To all Mexican Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta area destination brides-to-be... ... WIN YOUR BRIDAL HAIR AND MAKEUP "DREAM LOOK" FROM STYLING TRIO WORTH $830.00 USD! Here's how to enter: 1) Register and create a profile at www.bestdestinationwedding.com 2) Follow link to our Facebook page post and to enter, simply submit a comment under the contest post, describing your "dream wedding look" and the inspiration for this look. 3) Add a link to your "Dream Wedding Look" inspiration board on Pinterest with up to 10 photos that illustrate your "dream look." In the event you don't have a Pinterest account, you can make a collage with up to 10 photos, snap a photo of the collage and post it in the comments with the description. 4) Share with all your friends and family because the posted comment and inspiration board with the most likes at the end of contest period wins! Winner will receive the La Perla makeup and hair package from Styling Trio which includes: 1) Hair & Makeup Trial 2) Hair & Makeup for the Rehearsal Dinner 3) Hair & Makeup for the Wedding Day for free! A value of $830USD HURRY! Contest ends on October 6, 2016 at 5PM Eastern Time. T&C’s: Prize does not include travel charges and winning bride can choose any date in 2016 or 2017 to redeem their prize. Winner must be signed-up with a profile on bestdestinationweddings.com in order to be eligible. This contest ends October 6, 2016 at 5PM ET.

Weddings are full of touching and heartfelt times to share with the one you love as well as friends and family. They are especially moving when they involve different cultures and backgrounds. Here are some of the suggestions we have for planning a multi-cultural wedding full of inspirational traditions that will bring together cultures, backgrounds and religions into a party that is sure to be loved by all! Celebrate Diversity! Enjoy this time of planning! Work together to combine traditions in a diverse celebration that will be uniquely yours! Sharing your culture with your partner, understanding together and appreciating the different customs will give you a great start to a long and happy relationship together! 1.Be Daring with a Fashionable Fusion We hosted a Hindu wedding for a couple and the celebration lasted 3 days!!! We loved the professional henna artwork that the bride and her entire family wore on their hands and feet. In the Hindu culture, it is believed that henna enhances the beauty of the bride – and we definitely agree! 2.Wedding Party Customs Bring together traditions from each background for the wedding party. You can add small symbols that represent each culture on the bouquet or the boutonniere. Or have the wedding party arrive in a traditional fashion. In the Hindu wedding, the groom arrived to the wedding with his family and closest friends in an incredible parade that included traditional singing and dancing. The entrance represented the happiness the groom and his family felt toward the new bride. 3. Blending Ceremonial Traditions In Jewish weddings, the couple breaks a glass together to be reminded of the fragility of relationships. In the Filipino culture, they include a money dance. At our Hindu favorite, they included a Ganesh Puja ritual for good luck. Ganesh represented the destruction of all obstacles. It may not be feasible to include ALL of the traditions of both the bride’s culture and the groom’s culture – but pick the traditions that will be the most meaningful and respectful to you and your family. Most of all – have fun while you plan! Check out the images above for more ideas and inspiration! On Trend: Reciting Your Vows in a Different Language We have seen this displayed in two ways. One: recite the vows to you beloved in your first language. There’s something so special about saying your vows in the language of your heart and mind. You could also change it up and read the vows to your spouse in his/her language – this version takes a lot more practice! Tell Us: What is the most memorable tradition you have seen at a multi-cultural wedding?