Menus

I have been warned that at a destination wedding held at an all-inclusive resort, menus are quite possibly antiquated. Or at the very least, not useful and potentially more work than they are worth. As I am not often deterred by such nay-sayers, I set out to create a simple menu that will spruce up our rather simple reception tables and convey the all-important reception menu (which will be the same for all guests, save for a few vegetarian types). I plan to print them on all-white cardstock that I already own to save costs, and then cut them in squares to add visual interest. For now, the two favorite picks in terms of font and layout are...

OOT contents - are we done?

I think so. I hope so. I can't possibly think about adding one more item to our already overloaded suitcase world. The latest (and possibly last) adds: individual packets of Motrin and chewable Pepto Bismol tablets. These items are a particularly useful addition to the OOT bags, and I definitely think they will be used by our guests. Got them on Amazon.com ($18 for 100 2-tablet packs of Motrin; $18 for 3 48-count chewable Pepto boxes; free shipping!).

Shoes: The Finale

I know what you're thinking: so soon? Heh heh. Yes, I ordered, and received, the gorgeous little numbers that I posted just below (Luichiny Duchess, in Grey). Completely uncomfortable (going to invest in some foot petals) and completely to-die-for-cute. I will not allow myself to return or purchase new shoes until after the wedding, as a matter of principle.

Without further adieu, here they are - in all their haute glory.

Shoes: The never-ending saga

Yes, I am still fretting about wedding shoes. This is partially due to the fact that I have 2 dresses, and partially due to the fact that I love perusing for shoes and don't ever really want to have to decide already because there are so many pretty things for feet!

One such example: LOVE these shoes for bridal wear by Luichiny (the Duchess Sandal) - and how perfect is the heart on the bottom? I want them! $28 for the taupe color, and $63 for the silver. Which to choose?

How to Adapt

Literally. My sister wrote me yesterday and asked whether we need to bring along plug-adapters for the trip to Mexico. Uhh....honestly, I had not yet thought about that. Dang. So, I did a little basic research and discovered the following:

1. Electrical sockets (outlets) in Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) are very similar to the electrical outlets found in the United States and Canada, and if your appliance has a North American plug, it's possible that you won't need any adapter at all in order to plug in there.

2. Sometimes though, if you have an item that has a 'grounding' agent (aka, that third plug below the other two plugs) it will not fix into the plugs in Mexico.

3. Therefore, bring an adapter so that you do not find yourself languishing without a hair dryer for a week.

4. Electrical sockets (outlets) in Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos) usually supply electricity at between 110 and 120 volts AC. If you need to plug in a U.S. or Canadian 120 volt appliance, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need.

5. However - here again it is important to consider what kind of voltage your appliance can take. You may need a voltage transformer in order to handle this properly.

6. Moral of the Story: Bring it all, to maybe need it.

You could go all-out and purchase something like this Samsonite Dual Wattage Converter/Adapter








Or, just forget the converter (the more expensive component) and get the adapters, like this Lenmar AC5 World Traveler Plug Set. If your appliances can handle the voltage differential, this should be all you need.







Do the research before you go, and you won't find yourself with unnecessary headaches on your vacation. Oh, and ask your little sister for ideas on other things you're forgetting in the whirlwind-wedding-fog of the last 30 days prior to your destination wedding. :o)

Florals and Flowers and Petals, oh my!

While I appreciate the beauty of flowers, let it be said that I do not consider myself a connoisseur of floral design in any way. However, I do know a few things about wedding flowers. First, they should be 'pretty' (at least to the bride); second, they should be hearty (so as not to wilt as they are jostled around from photos to ceremony to reception); and third, they should be reasonably-priced (since they will eventually pass on to flower heaven - I'm just too darn practical to spend tonsa money on things that don't last beyond a day or two). So, in the case of our lovely Mexico wedding, our package with the resort includes my bouquet, the groom's boutonniere, and 2 other corsages and 2 other boutonnieres (typically for parents is my guess). We also receive a large table arrangement that will be placed on the ceremony table, and then moved to our sweetheart table or the cake table for the reception.

After we chose the bridesmaid's brightly-colored dresses (look in the blog history below for photos), the colors definitely suggested that a 'bird of paradise' flower-focus was the way to go. So, without further adieu, here are the photos that have been sent to the resort for replication; crossing fingers!

Songs I Heart: Say Hey (I love you)

This little ditty is by Michael Franti and Spearhead, and it's very simple yet very inspiring at the same time. Some people said he 'sold out' when his music started moving in this direction; I say, if music can make the people who listen to it happy, then who cares. :)

TTD, still motion style

WOW. By now you likely know that we have signed up for a "Trash the Dress" photo session the day after our wedding, somewhere on a beach/jungle in Mexico. VERY exciting. Many people would instead call is a "smash the dress" or "wet the dress", since most brides don't actually trash their dresses. I intend to be a wet/dirty-the-dress bride as well, as I do so want to donate my threads to the Making Memories Foundation. In the spirit of things, I keep my eyes peeled for any inspirational TTD footage or links that come along...and this one takes the cake. Check it out. I love how artistic it is, and the way that the music flows along with it...if we had something half this inspiring, I would be oh-so-happy. What do you think?

Shootin' at the Slough - Cheryl + Andrew's TTD // Vancouver from StillMotion on Vimeo.

Courtesy of Mrs. Milkshake on the Wedding Bee blog.

Joshua Radin: TODAY

budget budget, who's got the budget

Through all the glory and beauty of a wedding, there is one insidious issue that, although we would like to forget it, keeps cropping up. Money. Payments to vendors. Dress and Suit purchases. Gifts for wedding party, gifts for parents, gifts for each other. Plane tickets, resort stays, food, drinks, activities. A wedding, and the commonly-surrounding events (i.e., bridal showers, engagement parties, honeymoons, etc.), costs a lot. No matter how you slice it, or how cheaply you try to do it, and no matter how wealthy you (or, if you’re lucky, your contributing parental or familiar units) are, most families feel some burden from the financial obligation of a wedding. And, if there is one thing I’ve learned through helping others plan weddings, it is that almost everyone, almost always, goes over budget. I’m not a huge fan of the phrase “over budget,” primarily because it seems to indicate that at one point, there was a plan to be ‘under’ or ‘at’ budget, and someone failed at that plan. Ew. I like to avoid the feeling of failure whenever possible. So instead, I propose that we give that situation a different name. For example, instead of saying “Yes, we’re over budget on our wedding,” perhaps people could say, “We decided to spend a bit more than we originally planned so that we could have the things that we want on our wedding day.” Doesn’t that sound more mature and reasonable?

I look at it this way: the only things that get in the way of sticking to one’s budget are one’s desires (or two’s desires, so to speak). If a bride or groom desires to have things in the wedding that are outside of the budget, a conscious decision is made to either pursue that desire, or not to pursue that desire. There are no accidents in wedding budgets (unless of course a vendor is dishonest with you, or you do not read the fine print in a contract), and if anyone tells you otherwise, they’re lying - because they too do not want to feel the failure that comes with having to admit that they have gone “over budget.”

Wowie Wow

As I'm working my way through grading 2 weeks worth of student postings (thanks to my abrupt bacterial infection last week, I'm behind), this pop-up ad for www.like.com comes, seemingly out of nowhere, and entices me to look into some handbag sales. BAD IDEA. Just a few weeks ago, I lost my composure and purchased this adorable and perfect-for-the-beach-setting handbag by HOBO at TJ Maxx (I love the Maxx- can you tell?) so I am in no good position to purchase another bag. However - I may just reconsider that thought after seeing this ridiculously functional and fun-shaped bag by Kate Spade (at bloomingdales and other places, no doubt) - it's so wonderful!

Ok first, to give props to the bag I actually purchased:

"Amuse" by HOBO International

The bag I will just drool over (I swear; it's $262 on sale at bloomie's, ugh) --

Kate Spade "Tamarind Cove"

Keeping our Guests Cool

I love the idea of raffia or similar fans placed on every chair at the ceremony site, with a little ceremony program tied on the front (our ceremony will be quite short, so I'm thinking 1/4 of a typical 8.5x11'' piece of cardstock would do the trick). But which type of fans to choose? I found a few slightly different looks that I just can't decide between, so I am hoping that someone out there will point out some pros/cons for each type. I keep transportation of the fans (from the U.S. to Mexico), as well as the likelihood that guests may keep and use them again in mind...and of course, the price is always something to consider. Colors...textures...shapes....ribbon or flowers on the fan....I'm maybe not as picky about those things, although if someone has a thought on which would 'go' best with our wedding destination, I'm all ears.

The Anti-Bride Phenomenon

Here we are, just 58 days from our wedding day. And, here I am, a bride just 2 months away from her wedding day. You know what that means - all social situations involve some kind of questioning about the wedding. "So, are you ready?" "Are you excited?" "Do you have everything done?" Due either to the fact that I'm a little wedding-crazy to begin with, or to the fact that we chose a wedding with as few drama-causing elements as possible, I don't at all mind that everyone and their grandmothers ask me the exact same questions. Over. And. Over. Honest.

I have, however, started to feel like I'm "giving up" on certain details of the wedding. I have really tried to maintain a reasonable perspective on the whole event. It's just one day; yet, it's an important enough day that 32 people (woo!) are traveling to another country to witness it. I don't know about anyone else, but, to me, that makes it more than 'just a day.' Keeping the spirit of 'more than a day' is difficult when the day is happening a few thousand miles away.

So - maybe I'm not giving up on details, per se, but instead, becoming more 'normal' and reasonable in my approach to these things. I have, for the better part of the past 18 months of our engagement, allowed myself to get lost in the details. And when one is planning a destination wedding (read: more simple than at-home-wedding), there are fewer details to obsess over, which means more time to obsess over fewer details. Hmm. I'm fairly certain that I spent hundreds of hours on things like choosing the invitations, the favors, the bridesmaid dresses, the wedding dresses, the wedding resort...but, yet I have failed to make any decisions about reception decor. Well, technically I did make a few decisions, but I haven't fully committed to them yet (i.e., nothing has been purchased yet). Am I excited to make these purchases? Not really. Do I still have to do it? Yeah. This is just one example of the anti-bride phenomenon I am experiencing.

How about those out there who are married? Did you become the anti-bride as the wedding got closer? Or get sick of the details and just want it to get here already?

SMB Tip Number 83: Cancun Airport

A colleague of mine just returned from her honeymoon in the Riviera Maya, and having flown into and out of Cancun airport, had a few tips to share.

First - the food in the airport is ridiculously priced (2 burgers, 2 onion rings, 2 shakes at Johnny Rockets = $33). Eat elsewhere if possible.

Second - walk past every person IN the airport who tries to give you a ride or persuade you to talk to them. They are selling timeshare presentations. Your ride is OUTSIDE the airport with a sign that has your name on it.

Third - plan to be delayed at Customs coming into Mexico. If you are bringing a mass quantity of items (say, for a wedding...) place copies of your receipts inside your luggage, with a note written in Spanish explaining that the items are for a wedding and that you do not plan to sell them in Mexico.

More tips to come!

SMB Tip Number 82 :o : Cash Flow

A recent SMB bride wrote me today with some great insider information. If you believe you would like to have some cash on you during your trip to Mexico (pesos or dollars), get it prior to arriving at the resort. SMB does have an ATM on hand, but apparently it works only sometimes, and the front desk will charge you a whopping 10% fee (wow!) to withdraw money from your account. While you may not believe you'll need any cash, we have learned from countless blogs, forums, and emails, that a few dollar bills here and there can encourage things to happen more quickly (or, if you forget your sunscreen and need to purchase that $20 bottle from the gift shop, you won't have pay international credit card fees in the process). Just a little tip from the world we'll enter in approximately 65 days!