Updated Grand Cayman Weddings Thread

[uhura526]

How's everyone doing with their planning?  I am sort of now just focusing on getting my wedding gown.  I'll be in NYC this weekend trying on dresses and I'll decide by the end of this month.

 

Anyone doing a welcome party?  We want to do one in lieu of a rehearsal dinner since our families haven't met yet. 

[agm04]

Things are moving along nicely for me!  How about for you?  Enjoy your gown shopping - so fun!

 

Regarding the welcome party, I'd really love to do one, but my family is paying for the entire wedding and we can't add that to the budget (our resort is not AI).  I was hoping FI's family would choose something like that instead of a rehearsal dinner, but it doesn't sound like it will happen.  We're expecting close to 100 guests, so incremental expenses add up really fast.

[agm04]

Forgot to add - FI's family wants to do something nice for the rehearsal dinner, so it will probably just end up being wedding party and family.  But I'm hoping maybe we can work something out for a bonfire on the beach for after dinner.  Maybe have smores and make it BYOB (there's a liquor store across the street) just to spend a little time together and get to know each other.

[atrigler]

We're having around 100 people and we're doing a welcome dinner on Thursday night (wedding is on Friday) We got a great deal at Deckers...its a buffet, with open bar that's capped at a limit we set, and Hi Tide is performing since they perform there on Thursday nights anyways!  If anyone wants any additional info just let me know. Since we have over 75 people, they are shutting down the restaurant for 2 hours for just our group.  Jesse is really great to work with over there!

 

I'm 99% sure we're going to hire Juliette as well, and we'll have tons of silver shells, and starfish leftover if anyone wants them!  I'm planning on spraypainting them myself and flying down with them.  We're going to have some starfish aisle decor as well.  I can take some photos in the next month or so and send them to you girls.  

 

Also - I'm working with the Flower Dell and she made a beach wedding sign for me if anyone's interested. She's going to be renting it out.

 

[ktlb826]

I love the sign! How big is it?

[uhura526]

I love the sign too!    I may private message you regarding Deckers but I was thinking we might do something ultra casual for our welcome party and do something at Royal Palms.  My Fiance and I always go there when we're in Grand Cayman to chill out and they have food platters and stuff.  We are having a very small group..like 30 people or less.  

 

 

BTW,  how long did it take after you sent out your Save The Dates did people begin booking or RSVPing?  I'm saying before they get their invitation.  Also, how far out is everyone planning to send their invitations?

[agm04]

I sent out save the dates the first week in August, and no one has booked yet to my knowledge.  FI's family is even waiting to put down a deposit on their rooms (eek).  I put an early bird RSVP tool on our website, and no one (other than my mom of course, lol) has used it yet either.  I've had people tell me either that they wouldn't miss it, or that they're definitely trying to make it work, but neither of those is a sure thing in my book!  I think I will send out invitations by mid February at the latest.  Our room block is only held through March 22, so I may even send them a bit earlier.  I'm interested to know what everyone else is doing too!

[agm04]

I'm also wondering when everyone's RSVP date will be.  Thanks!

[uhura526]

Okay we are getting married April 19th.  We sent out our STD's August 22nd.    We have had a few people use the RSVP tool on our wedding website and they are already booked which equated to having 4 out of the 8 room minimum we need to have booked for our hotel block at Sunshine Suites.

 

I planned to send out our invitations right after the holidays, first week of January with an RSVP by date of February 1st.   I don't want my invites to get lost in the christmas card black hole so I am waiting until after christmas.  Anyway, everyone would have known about the wedding by that point for at least several month so I figure they will know by January if they can make an April trip to Grand Cayman.  

 

I am not going to get myself worked up over this as long as we meet our minimum hotel block (which I am certain we will) I really don't care who shows up outside of our immediate family.  Icing on the cake outside of them is fine.

[ktlb826]

The fiance and I leave tomorrow morning for a week in Grand Cayman! I'm so excited! We will be visiting and picking a venue, doing a cake testing, and visiting some of the hotels to decide where we want to stay for the wedding week. I'll report back!

 

We are planning on sending Save the Dates as soon as we get home (so early Oct. at the latest). I don't want invititations to get lost in all the Christmas mail either, so I was thinking of sending them in November and asking for RSVPs by early March. Is that too early to send invites? Or do you think it would be better to send invites in January? I feel like for a destination wedding it's ok to send them earlier, right? I want RSVPs in as soon as possible!!