Thread: Bridal Diary -- August 2011

Our wedding and honeymoon are booked for Couples Tower Isle in August 2011.

We have never been to Jamaica, hence also never to a Couples Resort.

I plan to use this thread to share our wedding experience with others planning their wedding through Couples.

I've already found the message boards to be a great source of information. I hope this thread can help answer additional wedding planning questions for all the anxious brides like me!

Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to our event!

It's just six short months away!

Current Status: 6 months and counting

Couples.com
Been emailing with Debbie Hall. She's amazing. I love that she gets back to me within 24 hours. I even emailed her before we booked and she was great.
Booked an Ocean Junior Suite.

Documentation
Passport applications will be filed by mid March.
Reserved our wedding date and time, paid the $200 Jamaican govt fees. The couples website was very easy to use for the reservation.
Have plenty of time to collect certified copies of birth certificates (due at least 30 days out).

Registry
We will use the Honeymoon Wishes website. I love how you can really customize it and that they can send you a check. We chose the option to eat the service fee instead of our friends/family paying for it.

Ceremony Details
Going with the free wedding ceremony.
On the beach, no shoes.
Undecided on music. We would love to have the steel drum band, but I'm not sure we 'need' it.

Photography
Using the resort photographers. With the extra fee to bring in an outside vendor, and ALL of the vendors recommended are already booked--we are just going to go with it!
Plus I plan to bring my nice camera and hope to make some friends that can take some pics for us.

Dress/Attire
I haven't even thought about a dress yet.
We both have weight to lose first.
I'm thinking flowy gown for me and a white or cream Cigar shirt/khakis for him.

Spa Services
We will be using the free His/Hers 30 minute massages!
Getting my hair and makeup done at the spa as well.
Registered for the Groom's package also. He'll love that!

Invitations
Wishing I could find a vendor that has access to the Couples logos to include in our invites.
Planning a welcome reception when we get home.

When is your wedding? I'm getting married there also August 11, 2011. We will be there from August 8-15, 2011.

Diva, we will be at CTI after your visit the 8th through 15th. Bummer! Would have loved to meet you!

Hi Sun! You should check out the "2011 are we crazy" thread. We've been counting down for over a year!! So glad you chose couples. You wont regret it. I'm getting married aug 6th at swept away and can't wait! Thanks for the countdown checklist! Thats helps me to be sure I'VE done everything i should
Enjoy dress shopping! You should do that soon, you're getting close!

So glad I'm not alone in this last six months. My fiance & I are getting married 8/23/11 at Couples Tower Isle. I also noticed that someone is getting married on my birthday, August 6....I love it! I was just stressing myself out about using outside or resort photography...I guess that dilemna is solved.

Still waiting on our passports.
We have started a fitness challenge to get HOT for our wedding!
So far my fiance's parents have booked to come for the wedding. We are SO excited!

Passport arrived! Mine took less than 4 weeks total! Still waiting on one for DF!

4 months and counting!
Our weightloss is on FIRE!!! So stoked about that!

We have set a reception for September. It's going to be amazing!

We have been finalizing the honeymoon registry option here. WOW is that really cool!

Going shopping for a dress with my sister and best friends in mid June!

Mailing off our documentation today! I'll send it certified so I can make sure it arrived.

Our weight loss is going extremely well. I'm down 5 pant sizes since March. WOOT WOOT!

I think I may actually start looking at consignment shops for dresses soon!

We are using the wedding registry through honeymoonwishes.com and got our first gift today. So excited!

There are several new wedding reviews on the message board and it makes us even more excited!

Nice!! We're august 6th and getting very excited!! We've sent in our paperwork and i'm checking my email every day to see if they've received it. Good for you for losing so much weight!! I was dieting for a while but have revently fell off the band wagon. After this long weekend i'm getting right back on. only 2 months to go!!! getting so pumped!!

You're doing an awesome job on the weight loss!! Congrats!!

A little over 2 months away from our trip to CTI to get married!
I went to David's Bridal yesterday and was very surprised to see some destination gowns with Chiffon on a huge rack. I have an appointment this weekend to check them out.

We've been looking for what the groom will wear as well. It's tough to find a nice white shirt with some sort of pattern that isn't obnoxious. He wants to wear linen pants as well.
Neither of us are wearing shoes at the ceremony. TeeHee!

We have been having a great time picking out our ceremony music.
We've decided to spend the $400 on the videography plus the $10 extra for the microphones.

I have the suitcase out in the bedroom. Too soon?? NO WAY!

I purchased my dress this past weekend! Fell in love with it at David's Bridal and then went to a consignment shop that had bridal gowns. Wouldn't you know it...they had the same exact dress new with tags from David's Bridal! Never been worn. And it was cheaper. What a blessing!

I fit perfectly in it, but I know that I will need to have it taken in, as our weight loss is still on fire!

We also selected a wedding cake for our stateside reception. It has white chocolate shells, sea fans, seahorses, sand dollars and some cala lillies mixed in. It's going to be amazing!

We are in the 60 day range countdown! YIPPIE!

I know you have to be SOOOO excited!! Post a pic of the dress!

Counting down the days!

I will post all sorts of pics after the event. My fiance visits the forums so I don't want him to see my dress.

I have my first dress fitting next week.

I'm doing a dress rehearsal of sorts with girlfriends this weekend where we can test my hairstyles, makeup and jewelry.

We are scheduling a tasting at the reception site within the next 2 weeks.

We found the perfect shirt for my fiance to wear to the wedding. Bought it at Tommy Bahama. Not cheap, but worth it. You can see it here:
http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/Men/S...Camp+Shirt.jsp
We bought it in the ivory color.

READY TO GO!

YAY!!! Your getting so close! Congrats on your upcoming weddingmoon!!! I know you guys are going to have a great time (from all of the great reviews I've read on the MB)...Can't wait to see the pictures from your wedding!!!

I cannot believe it! We are so close!

JUST MARRIED!

CTI was the perfect place for our wedding. We had a fabulous time!

Full review forthcoming, but we have nothing but praise for Couples Tower Isle.

For any brides worried at all....no need. It was absolutely perfect.

Email me any questions. K9sarchick@yahoo.com I'll be glad to put your worries at rest!