Joannabanana's Planning Thread - May 12Th 2016 - Grand Sirenis

[acw271011]

So now I'm curious - where did you get the textured paper? It looks great!!! And I love the colours!!

 

Are you doing the GTA brides meet up?

[JoannaBanana]

Michael's! $7.99!

 

As for the meet up, I'm debating. It's far, I'm shy, and $$

[JoannaBanana]

So I mailed out my invitations today.  Now I'm kind of at a loss.  Picking the resort was huge, then the push was for invitation design and creation.  Now I'm just going to sit back and wait for RSVPs aaaand... what's next?  I can't really pick my dress yet so that's off the table.  What's the next big fish to fry?

 

Speaking of invitations, my shoulder is completely screwed up from my marathon invitation production.  I have a Japanese style coffee table (which you can eat at sitting on the floor) and this is where I made all the invitations.  Sitting on the floor for four days has caused such a mess that the muscle in my left shoulder has been cramping up (like how it feels with a leg cramp!)  Might have to go see my Chiropractor sooner rather than later.  Or maybe a RMT.

[JoannaBanana]

@@calgarybride2015 I know you posted your timeline once before and I was poking around in your review, but I didn't find what I was looking for.  What time was your ceremony, and at what time did your reception proper begin?  I'm doing the same thing that you did, free package with the palapa upgrade.  So if my wedding is at 5pm, what time will the reception begin, and what happens in the middle?  Is there an awkward standing around phase, or is it all relatively seamless for guests?  The champagne toast and canapés is included, yes?

[calgarybride2015]

@@calgarybride2015 I know you posted your timeline once before and I was poking around in your review, but I didn't find what I was looking for.  What time was your ceremony, and at what time did your reception proper begin?  I'm doing the same thing that you did, free package with the palapa upgrade.  So if my wedding is at 5pm, what time will the reception begin, and what happens in the middle?  Is there an awkward standing around phase, or is it all relatively seamless for guests?  The champagne toast and canapés is included, yes?

 

Hey!

 

Yes the champagne toast and canapes are included.  We had this immediately after the ceremony.  As you walk back up the isle your WC will serve you your drink, then everyone else gets one. We had our MC (my brother in law) do a quick toast and tell everyone about group pics and he was ushering them around.  Canapes were eaten during pics, my husband had one but I did not.

 

We had our ceremony at 3pm.  It lasted maybe 15 mins, then had the toast.  I would say this was all over by 3:30pm maybe a bit later with all the hugs.  Then we did photos from 3:30pm to 5:00pm.  I was told for our group that 1.5 hours would be good - was approx. 30 mins for group and family shots, then 1 hour for us.  We had more than enough time and were waiting to enter the reception right for 5pm.

 

During the photos I paid for an open bar and mariachi band to entertain the guests.  Since the palapa is secluded, I didn't want people to venture off, or take the shuttle back to the bar and then not make it back in time.   So people just hung out and talked and watched us do pics.

 

That was all in all 2 hours. So you could have your dinner for 7pm unless you don't want a lot of photos taken.

We have have everyone 'standing around' but everyone knew eachother and mingled and chatted. Noone complained.  Most were tipsy because the waitresses work hard! lol!

 

The reception flowed due to our MC. I didn't give him a timeline because I fly by the eat of my pants but it worked well.  When we had our intros we then our family gave their speeches.  Then we had the buffet.  After that we did a fun game or two, did the first dances, then we danced.  About 30 mins before the photographer left we did cake (my MC knew this so ensured it happened) then we were available to take photos with whoever wanted them before she left. Then we partied till it was over. 

 

I had a 6 hour reception.

 

Hope that helps some!

 

EDIT - the cocktail hour between the ceremony and the reception does NOT happen in the palapa but on the beach.  They are working hard to move all the chairs into the palapa from the ceremony.  I had rented 5 tables/20 chairs so people had a place to sit but they forgot them (lol) we got our money refunded. I do recommend if you do the cocktail hour to get the tables/chairs.

Edited August 11, 2015 by calgarybride2015

[acw271011]

Michael's! $7.99!

 

As for the meet up, I'm debating. It's far, I'm shy, and $$

 

You should come...

[yycbride2016]

Congrats on getting your invitations out! Thats so exciting. Id say the next step would be just poking around getting ideas of how you want the whole thing to look and come together. If you plan on bringing decorations i'd say right now is the perfect time to look for a few odds and ends since it's summer and lots of summer decor items are starting to go on sale. I've also found if you look on your local facebook wedding swap and shop page a lot of brides who just got married this summer sell their decorations for pretty good prices on there. You can never plan too early I think! Better to be prepared! 

[JoannaBanana]

So I got to thinking about bombonieres, which initially I didn't think I would do.  But this whole process tends to sweep you up, doesn't it?  Some friends of ours make a habit of buying a set of shot glasses from each destination they visit, and Sean and I have adopted the idea.  So why not shot glasses?  I don't want anything with our names on it, but possibly the date.  I really would like to do sugar skulls, but I think maybe some older guests might not like that.  So I think maybe 50/50 sugar skulls or traditional Mexican style flowers. 

[calgarybride2015]

Is a bombinieres a favor!? Never heard the term used. I love the shot glass idea. We had contemplated it. Even having a shot with everyone at the ceremony and then they keep the glass lol. I love them both and if you think the older folk won't like the skull you can do both. I love the skull one though

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JoannaBanana]

Oooo even better, have a shot and keep the glass. Perfect. And yes, it's a favor!