dcarter4

I agree....it was a lot less stressful. The hardest part was keeping it a secret from my mom!

Dwayne

Dwayne (if you're still out there) THANK YOU so much for posting this journey! We are planning a cruise wedding and still unsure about which port we will have the wedding in. The Bahamas is on our list and I was, like you, in search of some information; particularly about the 24 hour residency rule. So, again, thank you for taking the time to post all of this great information!

I'm still here!!

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!! Try to enjoy it...it will go by SOO fast!!

Good luck on the residency rule. We just couldn't make it work..and to tell you the truth...I'm glad we didn't. It would have added too much stress on that day.

We got married a week before the cruise..and to tell you the truth..we hardly even think about that moment. Our REAL wedding day, is the bahama Beach Wedding day!

Good luck...and let me know if you need any help!

Dwayne & Kel:D

Hi Dwayne,

 

I am just looking at the Future Shop (Canada) Flyer and I see that the DSC-HX50V is on for $330 CDN. .... I had to send it back to Sony service this week. Somehow during the cruise I got dirt/debris either on the sensor or the lense. I Purchased Accidental Damage Extended Warranty from Sony so I should be good.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Kevin, I'll keep my fingers crossed for your camera!!

Dwayne

Kevin,

As I said before...you put me to shame. You have also inspired me. This week, I will purchase my FIRST Sony camera (the DSC-HX50V/B)! My old Canon just won't do anymore.

Thanks again for the excellent report!

Dwayne

Hi,

I'm not sure who you are addressing? I'd like to help...but who are you directing your question to?

If you are asking me (the OP from the Bahama Wedding Diary post)...then I won't be much help.

We avoided the who issue by getting married in the states, before our wedding.

Dwayne

Hi Dwayne,

. But, if I was buying a point and shoot today I would buy the replacement model for my Sony HX30V. Why? Optical Zoom is incredible in such a compact footprint and not to mention its incredible massive megapixel count.

 

Regards,

Kevin Reid

Kevin,

Thanks for taking the time to answer!! I have always been a Canon man (mostly because I get them at cost....) but it looks like I might have to pay retail and get a Sony!!??? Thanks again for the info!:)

Dwayne

Kevin,

Thank you so much for this wonderful review! I must admit...I'm a bit jealous.

Before your posting, I had one of the most read reviews!!

It was more of a diary, called: "The Bahama Wedding Diary"

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1930867&page=9

It was a 5 month story about throwing a wedding in the Bahamas...in just 5 months...from a guys point of view!

It reached almost 17,000 views....but you are killing my total number of views with your great writing!!

...and your pictures look great, too!!

I saw your photo and descriptions of each camera...but which one do you use the most!? Which one is responsible for most of the wonderful shots?

The Sony?

Let me know...'cause you convinced me to buy a new camera (and those great grips)!!!

Keep up the great work, Kevin!!!

Dwayne

Hey All!

OP here...

Thanks for the info and the kind words....

We thought about smuggling limes onboard while in Key West.....but I was chicken....

....welll...I DID for get ONE lime that was in my pocket....:D

Christine Frances.....

Yes...and thank you! We were married on a beach, in the bahamas a few weeks ago..

I actually wrote a 6 month "Diary" leading up to the cruise-event, on this forum, called the Bahama Beach Wedding Diary:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1930867

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I really miss posting that diary.....:(

Oh well....we are looking at a cruise in April 2015 and another in June 2015....hope they have LIMES by then!!

Dwayne & Kel

Hey All,

Took a 4 day cruise on the Constellation a few weeks back. Had a difficult time enjoying my Premium Drink package.

Why?

NO LIMES!!! I think I have a lime in every drink I like?

Has anyone else experienced this on their recent Celebrity cruises?

Or..is it just Connie??

Dwayne

Thank you all for your wonderful comments!! Hope to post again, soon....!!

Dwayne & Kel

Hey All!

“It's something unpredictable, but in the end that's right,

I hope you had the time of your life…..”

Well friends….like the end of every great cruise…it’s time to disembark. I have truly enjoyed this ride.

This Bahama Wedding Diary started Oct 17, 2013…in response to….well…the forums lack of responses to my query. I simply asked….

”Does anyone know about getting married on a beach, in the Bahamas”?...

…..the response….silence. Zero replies.

Now…that question (and many others) have been answered.

To date, my Bahama Wedding Diary has had over 15,459 views!!

I wanted to “pay it forward” to this wonderful forum…but I never expected such a response! I am truly humbled.

I had been reading the forum for a while…but rarely responded. I thought…If no one can answer me…then I will do it myself!! (…and post my thoughts for all to view).

And so I have.

Just two weeks after proposing to my (now) wife…I started posting this diary about the difficulties of throwing a destination wedding, (in the Bahamas) in just 5 months (from a Grooms perspective).

In reading my post (from the first to the last), I am amazed at the transformation; from my original idea…..to the final event?!

I debated continuing the diary, outlining the rest of our trip…but I have decided to end on a high note. I was looking for a sign..and today…I received one.

Our wedding photographer posted our pictures, today. Our final contact with the Bahamas is now complete. There’s my sign…..

Besides….if you are on this forum…you have probably cruised before…so…you know how your typical cruise works?!

So I will leave you with some words of wisdom…from a guy who just went through it all…

“Closing Time….”

If you are reading this diary….you are debating a Destination Wedding of some sort. The obvious question(s) you are asking…..are???

1) Should we do a Destination Wedding?

My answer is…YES!!….and NO!!!

Are you ok with relinquishing a bit of control..to someone who is (possibly) 2,000 miles away?

Are you ok with sending them thousands of dollars….sight unseen?

Are you willing to say “WWhhhooosssaaaaaaa..” and let some things go?

If so…then you are probably in the right frame of mind, for a Destination Wedding. If this is your second wedding, or a vow renewal?...then it’s the PERFECT choice!!

If you are a control freak…a Bridezilla or (if) this is your first wedding…then…probably not. First weddings tend to be very traditional and very structured. Destination weddings are (generally) not.

2) Who will come? Should we invite our family?

My answer (again) is…YES!!….and NO!

Invite EVERYBODY you want to, and give them as much time as possible (We only had 5 months) to decide. Send out the Save The Date cards are soon as possible! If you use the right website…it will set you up for the entire wedding (see my Resources, below)!

Invite everyone….because you have NO IDEA who will actually come!!

People who you never thought would actually come…do. People who you thought, “ wouldn’t miss it for the world”….don’t.

In our case….Kel’s mom…decided…”she just couldn’t do it” (travel). Yep…the mother of the bride was a no-show.

If you throw a wedding 2,000 miles away from home…be prepared for some odd responses to your Destination Wedding Invite….which brings me to FAMILY.

3) Should I invite my Family? How do I handle them?

AAhhh…..Family. Like with every family gathering….If you have family members, all in one place.…you’re gonna have problems.

You just are. As with any wedding, your family issues will not, miraculously disappear, because you are on a boat…or a tropical island.

They are still there…just maybe liquored up and overly tanned. When it comes to family…you need to decide early on…what you will put up with…and what you won’t.

Weddings are very socio-economic beasts. Money and social status/position play a key role in a wedding.

What I’m saying is….if this is your first marriage, and Mommy and Daddy are paying for the whole thing?

….Then you better believe that they will have final say on what your wedding will be like, and where your wedding will be!! Which brings us to…..

4) MONEY (i.e. your BUDGET)

Money, as in life (for most of us) is THE controlling factor in your wedding. Virtually every post in my diary, mentioned money. Because we only had 5 months to pull off our wedding

…every dollar counted.

In the end…my wedding came down to my last paycheck.

Talk about cutting it close….

Obviously, a wedding (like a car), is something you can spend as much (or as little) as you want. My advice….

Create a Budget and a Priority List…and stick to it!!!

Start with the hard numbers (numbers you have little control over), like the cruise cost, airline tickets, rental spaces.

Then, start plugging in the soft numbers, like flowers, food, booze, DJ’s, and photographers.

Cost isn’t directly tied to quality. Shop around. Get referrals.

If you dealing with a Cruiseline….call back once or twice and ask about the same item. You’d be surprised by how many different answers and prices you will get??!!!

And by all means…if you can help it….DON’T skimp on items YOU think are important. It will bug you forever. USE your priority list to decide where to put your funds.

Our list was simple. Since this was the second wedding for the both of us….we didn’t feel the need to do a lot of the First Wedding staples.

For example:

NO DRAMA!! Sounds simple...but it's not. We probably pissed off some people...but oh well....no drama wedding. It can happen! You and your partner must be in sync!

Jewelry: Kel’s ring was important..mine..not so much (this is typical for any wedding, right?)

Wedding Dress: Totally Kel’s decision…but she bought it online and had it modified. Cost $ 200 plus modification.

Wedding Cake: As you’ve read in earlier posts…$ 75.00 and it was awesome.

Reception: Included with the cruise….but would have spent more (see below).

Wedding on the Beach: Topped-out at about $ 5k. Perfect.

If possible…try not to walk away from your wedding in debt…..

5) Regrets…(ah yes…I have a few…)

I hate regrets. I have too many in my life….and I don’t want any more. Luckily, our wedding was near perfect. And for a Destination Wedding…that means it was perfect!

Looking back…there are a few…

The Reception. Celebrity provided us with a free one hour reception, with free drinks and canapés.

As you have probably read….we were late for our own reception…so we missed most of it.

If I had to do it all over again….I would have paid for a 2+ hour reception.

A late afternoon wedding. The actual time of the wedding wasn’t the problem…

We changed our wedding time, to allow people the morning…to go on some Shore Excursions.

THIS caused a bit of stress with our guest (who scrambled to make it back in time…some didn’t make the wedding at all).

If I had to do it all over again….I would have made the whole day about the wedding. Perhaps throw a small reception on the beach, then a formal dinner back on the ship??

Presents…or lack thereof... You probably shouldn’t expect too many presents.

To date…we’ve received five (5) presents.

Two (2) of which, were from people who didn’t go?!

Now….I’m not that type of person. I didn’t get married for the presents. As a matter of fact…I’m not sure what the protocol is, for a second wedding?

We did hear comments, that some weren’t giving presents…because their present to us…was coming on the cruise!!

I will point out…that WE PAID for the cruise for some of these folks!! (yep…you heard right)!

In any event…because people typically don’t want to drag presents with them on a cruise….you probably shouldn’t be expecting many.

To make it easy on people, we only registered at one place. An online Honeymoon site.

If guests wanted to send you a gift..they just log on or call an 800 and donate to your honeymoon.

In our case, out of 40 invited guests (25 who actually came on the cruise), only 5 gave gifts (two on the website….two sent cards with cash).

It bugs me a little…..but Kel is pissed!!!!

Oh well……I guess some people weren’t raised right!!

Post-Wedding Depression... You may laugh…but this is real. My new Bride has it bad!!

True…it’s usually the bride…but I ‘m the one who did most of the planning!! It stands to reason….that the person who is dealing with the majority of the preparation and planning for (usually) a year or more

….feels a little let down….when it’s over...

Now…in my case….I’m sure Kel has been fantasizing about marrying me, from the moment she first met me. That kind of build-up would send anyone reeling…..

(..Ahem….)

But, yes….you might experience a bit of the blahs, when you return home.

We didn’t go on a Honeymoon (it’s planned for June 2015…Celebrity Cruise to Italy and Greece)…so we slipped right back into our normal work routine pretty quickly.

We are planning a mini-honeymoon in Vegas next month…but she’s already complaining that it’s too short.?!

Women….

6) Resources:

There is SO much info out there….it’s hard to know where to turn! The best thing you can do, is ask for recommendations.

If you are reading this post….you have started in the best spot. CruiseCruitic.com.

From here, I needed to send out a Save The Date. I went with Paperlesspost.com.

I then setup a wedding website at TheKnot.com. Did I mention this was all FREE?!

If you are going by cruise ship…connect with your Group Rep and ONLY talk to this person. After 6 months or a year…you will become pals….

If you are doing it in the Bahamas…we honestly recommend Weddings In the Bahamas.

Future Cruises. Our frequent cruiser friends always book their next cruise…ON the cruise…and they are RIGHT!!

BIG discounts and LOW deposits!! We booked our Honeymoon cruise…while we were onboard…..just don’t wait til the last moment…BIG lines!!!

And by all means….ASK questions….believe me…somebody will know the answer.

Fine’…….

Final words of wisdom……

Try to remember what this is all about…….

It’s about a wedding…in that perfect place…

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..and the bestman (or maid of honor) who’s got your back for the day..…..

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..and YOUR wedding day!

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Yours……

Dwayne & Kel

Hey All! (The Reception……)

“We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat…”

It is now 3:30pm.

Our Reception starts at 4:00pm…on the Celebrity Constellation…in the Reflection Lounge.

…..I don’t think we’re gonna make it…??!!!

Our Limo weaves its way to the pier. And by pier, I mean to the front of the Straw Market (many, many vendors). I know that it’s a good, 15min walk from here.

I also know, that it would be bad for me…to drag my lovely new Bride….

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Amusingly, in front of us, walks (or stumbles) what I will call “The New X Generation” or the new generation of Celebrity Demographics they are hoping to attract (re: a conversation that fills our Cruise Critic Forum pages).

These late twenty-something’s are stumbling in front of us…headed for the ship. At first, I assume they are heading for the Carni ship (a Carnival Cruiseline ship). They are about the right age…but dressed a lot better.

Two couples…The men (boys) are both wearing “captains” hats, muscle shirts and dress shorts. Both girls are wearing tank tops, and half a pair of shorts…each. I have a clear view of both of their buttocks.

A clear view…

I swing my trusty HD Camcorder in to action…

Disappointingly…..neither twenty-something ladies, have taken very good care of themselves.

If this is the clientele that Celebrity is hoping to attract…then I might have to look around for a new Cruiseline….eventually.

Don’t get me wrong. I am ALL for scantily clad ladies. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to wear it….and this was just…wrong.

[Note: We continued to see these four “guests” through-out the rest of the cruise. Yes…the guys wore the “captains” hats EVERYWHERE…and yes…the ladies continued to dress in little or no clothing…and NO…their appearance (or attitudes) never improved.]

My new bride gives me her best “..you’re so sad” look…then a big smile…and we continue towards the ship.

Now ladies…I know what you’re thinking.

“Is he looking at other women, just 30min after his wedding?!”

Umm..yes…yes I was.

They were right in front of me. Correction…stumbling right in front of me!

For you “soon to be married” B2B’s….this is a clear example, of the difference between a first and second marriage…or….the difference between marrying the right person or not.

Age also gives you some perspective…..

This scenario, much like a destination cruise wedding….teaches you to focus on what’s important…and what is not. To accept things that you can’t change…(you know the quote).

I’m a flirt. Always have been..always will be. My bride is well aware of this fact. She is also comfortable and has high self-esteem. She is also very comfortable, with the fact, (that she thinks); I am too old to land a twenty-something.

I am comfortable in the fact…that I think… I can.

The detente works for us….

Anyway….watch out for “The New X Generation” cruisers…..

We board the Constellation and make a bee-line for the stateroom. We need to freshen up and grab the cake topper!! Our Reception has already started!

The time…4:10pm.

We head to the top and across the pool deck. It is surprisingly crowded for an in-port day?

Again, we are greeted with round after round of applause. Even cruisers laid out in their best tanning poses, stop and applaud. It is a wonderful, fleeting moment.

As the wind tosses us left and right, we finally make it to the doors…..

..and into the Reflections Lounge!

We immediately make eye contact with a rare site…the Montana Clan is here!! We give them a good and deserved ribbing!!

You see…they were at the famous Atlantis Water Park and they decided to make one more run down the slide and…..

…They missed the wedding.

They are truly some of the nicest people you could ever meet…and the most fun. So we forgave them….naturally. They are the life of the party, the entire cruise.

We wind our way deeper into the lounge.

Everyone is just sitting around. Quiet. Just talking….

In my mind, this was supposed to be a bit of a party!

Suddenly, the Constellation Event Planner pulled me to the side. She explained, that they are hosting a private party in the room at 5:00pm ( I knew this…).

It is now, 4:25pm.

She stated, that she would be willing to let us stay a bit longer…but would have to turn off our music (another iPod station!!) promptly at 5:00pm…because we were starting late.

I agreed…and the music started!!

Unknown to everyone (except “the Child”), Kel and I had prepared a special “First Dance” to the tune, “ Lego House” by Ed Sheeran. Not wanting to just do the side-to-side slow dance, I had imagined us doing a modified Viennese Waltz.

We worked on it for a few hours….in the garage…a few days before this. It wasn’t going to look like Dancing With The Stars…but I think we could have pulled off a few moves.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) Kel’s dress wasn’t having any of it!!

After Kels final dress fitting, she told me that she would be unable to move the way we rehearsed. Half of the dance would have required her to dance backwards, matching me stride for stride.

I am 6’.1”. She is 5’.4”.

Not gonna happen……

I was a bit disappointed…but I understood. With us being 20min late to our own Reception….our “First Dance” fate was sealed.

Ladies…if you are thinking about dancing in that dress….try busting your moves, during the fittings…

Being serious music people we had crafted a fun playlist, complete with dance hits, R&B, old school funk and some slow grooves. I had timed the playlist for 50min (plus the “First dance”).

Needless to say, we only got as far as the old school rap…before they shutoff our playlist (at about 5:05pm). I wasn’t upset. Celebrity allowed us to stay til about 5:20pm!

That was cool of them…

They really had to shut our party down, though!!. The private party was starting to come in (a bunch of stiff shirts if I ever saw any)…and we were starting to rock out!!!

Friends…I will never forget the look on this older couples face (part of the private party), when they walked into the Reflections Lounge…and we were cranking “O.P.P” by Naughty By Nature”!!

“You down with OPP (Yeah you know me)

Who's down with OPP (Every last homie)

You down with OPP (Yeah you know me)

Who's down with OPP (All the homies)”

The look on their faces…priceless!!

But music alone, does not a reception make!!

Part of our group perks included an open bar (up to Classic Package) and Canapés.

If you are a follower of this diary; you recall I was working with our Celebrity Group consultant, Rob, trying to get the classic drink menu, upgraded to the premium menu.

Try as they might, they were never able to do this. I was willing to pay the difference, but in the end…we had to let this request go….

..and that was FINE!

NO ONE complained or requested a drink that they couldn’t get.

And the Canapés……?

FORGETABOUT IT!!!! They were fantastic!!

They started out very simple, and became more unique and delicious as the (short) reception went along! Kudos to the chef!!

And the cake…..

Ah…the Wedding Cake....

Can you think of one wedding icon, that has caused more fear, more stress, more money, than any other?!

The Wedding Cake.

I know of some weddings, that were almost ruined, by a bad wedding cake….

…but not for us. Nope…not the second time around!!

A brief recap. Early on, in the diary; I mention contacting Celebrity’s Wedding Department.

It was a brief but informative conversation. Not to slight them in any way….but it was made very clear, very quickly…that to involve Celebrity’s Wedding Department…we were going to have to pony up some serious cash.

We already knew that we were going to have a beach wedding…so all we really needed help for, was the reception and the cake.

They wanted $ 1,750….just to get started!!!

Ahhh…no.

I called Rob (our Celebrity Group Consultant) and asked what he could do for us. He said that the ships kitchen could “whip something up”, if we could just send him a few pictures??

I asked if it could be round….he said “Sure…” I asked what flavors we could have….he sent me a little list (we picked cheesecake). I asked the cost..and he said, “about $ 100 for twenty-five people”.

I said sure.

We were expecting and round sheet cake. We sent them some pictures…

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Final cost….$ 75.00…..and it was DELICIOUS!!!

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We had an excellent, non-rushed meal. HIGHLY recommended. All I can remember, is that I had a Veal Chop..and apparently, “the Child” had the best steak of her life…..WITH asparagus !!??

Obviously…she is “sick” of steak at home, when I try to serve it…oh…and the asparagus had a “sauce” on it…and mine doesn’t.

A lesson for you parents. To get your kid to eat vegetables…all you need to do is, pay $ 1,200 for a cruise…THEN they will find them delicious!!

After the meal…our wedding cake was served for dessert. It was awesome…again!

By 7:30pm everyone was clearing out for Karaoke night at Michelaels….including my Bride!

I found myself by the elevators, with my Best Man and crew. Suddenly, the head waiter ran up me..!!

“Sir…I need the cards for 8 people!!”

Yep….8 people left the dining room….without giving them their cards….and the groom was standing there….

Lucky for me….TIMMMAAA jumped back into Best Man mode, and made a dash to Michaels.

He quickly returned with cards for 4 people. “My Boys” (and I split) the remaining cards (cost).

OK…paying the $ 35 for someone else on my wedding night, was not cool…but it was no biggie, either.

Besides…I had some GOOD wine in me, by this point!!

As we saunter down to Michaels…I am hit by a twinge of sadness. My wedding day is almost over. Our beach wedding, just a few hours old…was already a past memory….

I brush it aside. I am fully relaxed now! Time to do a little partying!!

We find almost the entire group packed into Michele’s. Karaoke is in full sing. We have secured a few tables in the back (by the bar), and I pull up a seat. I order one of my favorite Belgian beer (Chimay….made by Trappist monks….seriously…what else do they have to do?).

This wonderful elixir has provided me with some wonderful nights…and some crazy stories in the past. Mixing this with a martini and wine…probably not the best thing to do…but my mother didn’t raise a quitter!!

I down the whole 750ml bottle by myself...

Later that night, one of the Nerd Crew (Neal) mentions to the performer…that it was our wedding day (no duh….there’s a woman in the crowd wearing a wedding dress). Naturally, we get called up on the stage. I have to sing some Elvis….I think I did ok.

I was feeling no pain….at this point.

An hour later…and it was time to take my bride away.

I am a gentleman, so I will let you finish the story from here….

I will just say, we had a wonderful night…and I was EXCELLENT!!! (Seriously ladies…you should be very upset that I’m off the market…really…your loss).

Well….I think I will do a final wrap up. A summary of some sort.

One more post for my fans…..

Constellation Event Planner: B

Constellation Group Consultant (Rob): B+

The bakers who made our cake?: A

The Tuscan Grille Staff: A

Stay tuned for……(The Final Thoughts….)

D & K

Hey All!

(Our Wedding Day continues…part 2)

“Tell It To The Preacher…”

Our Destination Beach Wedding was right in front of my eyes!!!…my squinting, wind-blown eyes (did I mention the wind)?

It was just like the pictures…just smaller? No…Not the archway (which was very tall and nice), but the actual distance from the berm to the water. Let me try to explain, because it’s all about perception.

In my mind…25 people (well 22…actually…no Montana Clan) lined up in front of an archway…on a beach…would take up more space?!

Annmarie sent me a graphic/diagram layout, showing me, four rows of 5 seats…so I KNOW what I was supposed to see…I just perceived it would be…well larger?

No matter….it looked GREAT!!! Everything looked perfect!

Our music was playing (but “the Child” wasn’t manning the controls..one of the Nerd Crew [Renzy] was……

The Archway was flowing and adorned with flowers (with some AS@#@#@ para-sailing behind during the entire event)….

Our guests were happy and milling around (some apparently had too much to drink…already)…

The dress code (which we did not specify) ranging from a White Tux (my mom’s husband…he got confused..) to flip flops and shorts. Interesting pictures these will make….

The time is 2:15pm. Time to get married.

Let’s do this!!

I walk down the aisle (fabric runner….surprisingly sand free…at this point) and greet my best man. He is scanning the scene, like a general. He informs me, that Renzy is controlling the iPod docking station…because the “iPod docking station” is actually a DJ’s mixing board!!

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Finally, my B2B starts to move. She just reaches the steep bridge…when the track ends!

Thankfully, Renzy has mastered the system now, and expertly drops the volume, resets the track and the processional song begins again!

Kel can finally hear the music and walks the short distance to the archway.

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Just that quickly, the preacher asked for the rings, and Timmy, (nervously) handed them over. (I guess Timmy was worried about what would happen if he had dropped the rings in the sand?!) [Note: That would have been bad, Bro….]

When it came time to put her ring on…I was having a bit of a hard time!

Very lady-like, Kel said….“Just shove it on!”

God…I love it when she talks dirty….

Then all too quickly…..

“I am pleased to introduce to you, for the first time….Mr. & Mrs. Dwayne and Kelly Carter!!”

On cue…Renzy started our recessional….

“Somebody to Love” by Queen.[Extended mix]….

….What?!! What were you expecting?!!

Can we take a moment to discuss the wedding music?

Folks….play what YOU want! Yes…a second wedding and/or a Destination Wedding lends itself to a more casual atmosphere. But these are YOUR memories of YOUR wedding. What do you want to remember about this moment?!

Thankfully, Kel and I have the same taste and appreciation for music. We were both musicians, and it was music (marching band, actually) that brought us together…oh so many years ago.

I spent a few agonizing hours, pouring over the several (but short) playlist we would need for this day…and fighting off some demons of the past (remember…wedding # 2 for both of us). I didn’t want to hear ANY music from…well…THAT past wedding.

Luckily, Kel and I both agreed on fun and memorable song selections. The First Dance song proved to be a bit of a struggle…but that turned out to be a non-starter, anyway (more on that, later).

OK…on with the Beach Wedding!......

Shortly after walking down the runner (I mean VERY shortly after…as in 15 feet), Annmarie directs us to the side, where the photographer instructs us on what will happen, now.

Any group shots we’d like…followed by just the photographer, his assistant….and us…walking down the beach.

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We both briefly stop at the bathrooms to freshen up. It’s 30min limo ride back to the boat!

While in the bathroom, I notice myself in the mirror…

..and am taken-aback by how handsome I am in this Tux!?!!!

Upon leaving the bathroom, I make sure to tell my new bride...just how handsome I find myself to be!

As customary….she just rolls her eyes and shakes her head……(Yep…she knows….she knows how lucky she is…..)

We pull “the Child” off the bus and into the limo. She is more than thrilled. TWO limo rides in ONE trip?! She is the envy of all her classmates…..

We have a bottle of champagne to share in the limo, so the bumper to bumper traffic is barely noticeable.

What I AM noticing though…is the time!!

It is now 3:30pm.

Our Reception starts at 4:00pm…on the Celebrity Constellation…in the Reflection Lounge.

…..I don’t think we’re gonna make it…??!!!

Weddings In The Bahamas (Annmarie): A

The Photographer and Crew: B+

The Poop Deck and SandyPort Beach: B

Stay tuned……(The Reception….part 3)

D & K

Hey All!

Our story continues…Day 3 (Wedding Day!!)

“Goin’ to the Chapel and we’re gonna’ get Married….!!!”

Neither Kel nor I slept well….

Kel had decided against having someone in the Spa or Salon do her hair or makeup. Paying $100+ for someone to do your hair and another $ 100 for makeup (which she had to supply) seemed like a waste of money.

Unbeknownst to us; my niece does makeup jobs for side cash…and just happened to have her “Kit” with her!. Kel made plans the first night, for my niece to come over before the wedding…(but apparently forgot..she was a little tipsy the first night). She confirmed 11:45am or so.

That issue straightened out, we moved on to more important tasks…like COFFEE!! (I just gotta’ have my “joe” in the morning!)

We cleaned up a bit and headed for Café Al Bacio. Two barista’s were slaving over the machines, cranking out coffee’s and pastries. There were only 6 or so chairs, none of which were empty.

Two of the chairs were occupied by two kids, who were having a great time throwing sugar packets around…while their father played with his phone.

A few well placed “sighs” and an evil glare from yours truly…and he finally scooted them out of the way.

I’m sorry…but if you have kids…keep them under control!!! I do not find them as adorable as you do…especially in the morning…when they are blocking me from my coffee!!

I offer the barista my best morning greeting, “So how are you this morning….”

Only to be greeted with…”You know…livin’ the dream….”

Really? Ok…maybe he’s just having a bad day?

I get a Double Cappuccino and Kel orders a Latte. Two Seapass swipes later…and we sit down in some nearby chairs. Timmy, Kels sister and BIL join us a few min. later. Totally unarranged?! They just happened by. Nice. Looks like they are getting the lay of the land!

Kel finds her drink to be bitter and “disgusting”. I find my drink to be a little frothy and sweet?? Moments later…we switched drinks! DDuuuuhhhhh…..

Aahhh….much better!

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...time for me to exit!

I find refuge in my BM’s room. His girlfriend is already dressed, and looking quite fetching!

I decided it’s the perfect time to ask her about her intentions with my best friend!! Needless to say…I am relaxed.

My best man (TIMMMAAA!!!!) is in FULL best man mode ! He grabs the only copy of the Contact Sheet (CS) and is going room to room…making sure everyone is headed to the pier by 1:30pm.

Me?

I’m looking for some Champagne. I TOTALLY forgot to have some chilled for us, while we dressed?!! Rookie mistake!!

I poke my head into our room, and can barely see my B2B. She is surrounded by my family, who is working on her hair and face.

The ladies have found some champagne somewhere, and quickly pour me a glass.

I have a bit of pride, watching my family take care of my B2B. Kel’s family is not very touchy feely…but mine are..and they are showing Kelly all their love.

My sister and niece have the situation totally in control, so I grab my shirt, tie and shoes..and exit.

It’s almost 12:30 and I need to finally start thinking about getting dressed…..when suddenly…..

….my Mom comes out of her room….in tears!!!

She is all dressed and looking nice…but is wearing tennis shoes? I ask her about the shoes….and it’s full blown sobbing…..something about Ray unpacking her suitcase before they left home…and now she doesn’t have any shoes…and blah blah blah….

I tell her that our room is filled with women, and that someone will have some shoes for her to wear….I continue towards my BM’s room.

Now friends…don’t think me heartless. The sight of my mother crying, would usually bring me to my knees….but this is one hour before MY wedding…and I don’t need this DRAMA…

besides…this isn’t even REAL drama…this is…

Mama Drama!!......If you do not know the difference…then I pity you.

(BTW…My mother was in the B2B’s room, laughing…. 5min later….so…..)

Regaining my relaxed mood, I knock on my BM’s stateroom door.

He opens the door, FULLY dressed in his Tux….and in a PANIC!!

BM: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!! Why aren’t you dressed?! We’ve got to go?!!

Me: “What are YOU doin?” (in my best Joey from Friends tone)

BM: “Dude…it’s almost 1:30…we’ve got to go! Is Kelly dressed?!!

Me: “Timmy…relax….dude…it’s 12:30…we are fine!”

BM: “No…you are on SHIP time…NOT Bahamian or Island time?!!!

Hhmmm…my friend might have a point here….?

Not relishing the act of walking into the B2B’s room and telling her she has 5min to get dressed for her wedding….I go into full Project Manager Mode!!

I grab for my cellphone….it shows one time…his cellphone show a totally different time….useless!!!

I press the Concierge button on the stateroom phone…no one picks up!!!….(my pulse is quickening). I press the Guest Services button…again…no one picks up!!!!

I start trying to remember how much it cost, if we delay the limo….

Timmy wants to tell the B2B. I say flat out….”absolutely NOT…not until we can verify the actual time”!!

I ask the BIL to go to the B2B’s room and pull out the Matron of Honor (his wife, Kels sister). Take her somewhere and fill her in…just in case. She can be trusted not to tell the B2B….until we have to.

I remember that the onboard TV channel (the one with the camera images of the ship) always shows the right time…. It is reporting the time as 12:40.

WHeeewwww…..

Meanwhile, Timmy has charged all the way down to the Concierge desk. They confirm. The time in Nassau is 12:41.

We all let out a BIG sigh…….

I slump down on their bed and stare at the TV for a moment. As I am watching the screen (along with the BM’s GF)….the clock changes from 12:41 to 1:41pm!!!

I SWEAR TO GOD!!!! Right before our eyes!!!

Timmy returns to find us laughing on the bed…(I’m sure this must have looked a bit…odd……??)

He confirms that he actually spoke to Annmarie, from Weddings in the Bahamas…and that she confirmed the time…and that we are on schedule.

Whhhhhoooossssaaaaaaa…..

At 1:15pm, Timmy does a final room check, and takes “the Child” with him, to the bus. She is in charge of the music (ipod dock and speakers), so she needs to arrive before us. On his way out, he informs me, that the only people he can’t get a hold of…is the Montana Clan.

Naturally……

By 1:25…I am dressed and heading to the B2B’s room.

I open the door…and there she is…..my beautiful bride!!

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I walked down the steps….over a steep wooden bridge….and BAMMMM!!!

There was our stunning wedding site….

Hmmmm….I guess I’m gettin MARRIED today????!!!

Best Man pre-Wedding: A+

My Sister and my Niece (i.e. the Makeup Crew): A+

Fellow Cruisers, crew and strangers well wishes: B+

(Wedding Day part 2……continues….later….heheheheheheh)

D & K

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My fiance and I are planning something similar through WITB (May 16 2014). Which beach location did you choose and why? We are debating on a few different ones but cant seem too make our minds up. Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks and Congratulations!

We went with Sandyport Beach (connected to the PoopDeck Restaurant.

Why?

Cost and recommendation. It worked our perfectly. We had a dumbA#@# parasailer behind us during our wedding...but oh well....

D &K

Hey All!

Our story continues…Day 2 (Embarkation Day)……!!!

“We’re On A Boat!!!”

Kel & I awaken from a much needed sleep….

Crap…it’s already 9:00am!!!! The bus to the dock arrives at 12:45!!

I call my BM. He has a rental car (he’s afraid to fly…so he and the Geek Squad drove down from Chicago…wimp!). We agree to meet in 45min. I need to get to Total Wine and More to pick-up my pre-ordered (and favorite) champagne!

I hit the showers while Kel arranges some beach time with the girls…

As I exit the shower…I remember the critical event of the morning…..Did my paycheck go in?!!!

YES!!!!!! We are good to go!!! [Deep Breath #3: Thursday morning when I check my phone for my Direct Deposit.]

As scheduled, we head to Total Wine. It’s a beautiful day. A little cloudy, a bit windy…but I am relaxed. The Montana Crew is at the airport. All 25 guests are present and accounted for!! This is starting to come together!

I just need my Starbucks (just 2.3 miles away…across the street from TW&M), some booze…and I’m golden. Heck…I might even grab a bagel….?!

We enter TW&M and grab our carts. I’ve got $ 200 budgeted for some booze…and I’m gonna get some good stuff! I stop by the customer service desk and hand them my confirmation number.

A friendly guy tasks my notes and tells me that I just need to grab my pre-paid champagne at this desk…when I’m ready to check out. EXCELLENT!!!

My boys and I are playfully arguing over who makes the best Pinot (Foley)….when the salesman interrupts me.

Salesman: “I’m sorry sir…but there’s a problem!”

Me: “WHAT problem ?!!!

Salesman: “They won’t release your order…due to possible fraud.”

Me: “WHAT FRAUD?!!!

Salesman: “Did you call them in advance…to release your order!”

Me: “NO…where does it say THAT?!!!

Salesman: [Looking at my printout confirmation] “See…it says right here….…to call”

Me: [Looking at the SAME printout confirmation] “NO…it says to call IF I wanted to CHANGE my order….I don’t want to CHANGE my order?!!!!

Salesman: “Right…you’re supposed to call…”

My mother always told me…to never do battle, with an unarmed opponent….or an idiot….so I grabbed my confirmation and headed to the parking lot (for better reception…and so I could yell at someone).

18min. later….and after providing them with all sorts of confidential information….to prove I was the guy who order this champagne..they released the order!!??

My feeling of relaxation…..GONE!!!

It is now after 11:00am. We load our booze and head to Starbucks. While waiting in a LONG Starbucks line…I realized that I forgot to buy a bottle of wine my mother wanted…..for Ray.

A bottle of White Zinfandel.

Yep….a $ 4.00 bottle of White Zin. (To you non-wine drinkers…White Zin is the equivalent of Kool-Aid. Nothing more).

I felt like I was buying porn….

Total Wine & More Online Pre-purchase experience: D-

Total Wine & More (Ft. Lauderdale location): C-

With no time to spare, we head back to the Hotel. We are greeted in the lobby by half of the group!!

Me: “Hey guys…..what’s up?! The bus doesn’t arrive until 12:45??”

Them: “…but checkout is at noon?”

Jesus…….Newbie travelers……

This encounter should have given me a little warning of what lies ahead….

…it did not….

I run upstairs to change into my “Cruise Clothes”. Kel’s all packed and ready to go. We call for my strong and handsome (he looks just like me, ya know..) nephew to come give us a hand with the bags…and we head down to the lobby.

Everyone is down there (minus the Montana Crew). It’s a bit chaotic as we slap on our Celebrity luggage tags. Luckily, I printed out several copies for the newbies…..because they had few…or none). And yes….they were informed of the need for them a few weeks ago!!

We stuff bottles of wine into all the luggage…..Time to go!!

The Driver is right on time…and tells everyone to come to the side of the building to board….

..no one moves?

I herd them out the door, as I attach a few more tags in the lobby. Finally, Kel and I head to the bus…

…only to find them all lined up against the wall….(and the bus door open)??!!

Me: “Ummm…..let’s get on the bus?!!”

Them: “OK!!!”

Most of them slap a $ 20 in my hand to help with the cost…and we (finally) board the bus!

As we merrily head to the pier…I realize…that Kel and I are the Host. They are our guests. They are waiting on us…to tell them what is what. We invited them….and they are looking to us for direction….

I accept that. Kel….mmm…not so sure….

The excitement builds…and we cross over the bridge…and they all get a glimpse of the Celebrity Constellation!!

Folks….this is ONE of the moments we have been waiting for! All the blood, sweat, and tears….just to see the looks on their faces. For many of them…this was their first exposure to a giant Cruise ship!!

Most of them had never even SEEN a modern cruise ship!!

I make a point of letting them know…that this isn’t even their LARGEST ship!!

With mouths wide open…they exit the bus……

…and into the grumpy hands of the Port Everglades Security!

Accepting my role as Tour Guide and Host, I lead them all the way to the Celebrity Embarkation building.

We were told no photographs…but many of our guest wanted pictures of the Constellation…including myself.

[/img]

I pull out the MOST VALUBLE DOCUMENT OF THE ENTIRE CRUISE…

…my Contact Sheet or CS!

It’s a simple word file I put together, listing everyone’s stateroom number, who’s in the room…and their cellphone numbers.

This simple document helped save this adventure several times over. I HIGHLY recommend you put a CS together, and carry it with you at all times (like your SeaPass).

Our rooms were all on the same floor, on the same side…and (mostly) together…but how can anyone remember 12 different stateroom numbers and who’s in them?!

With my CS in hand, I did the “host” thing, and checked on everyone, room by room.

Every room have the welcome champagne and wine we asked for....even the room with the minors...we'd have to grab those bottles...and quickly!

I let everyone know, that we would be taking a tour of the ship, starting with the Spa (so the girls could book their massages).

In what became the only realistic way of corralling 25 people on a cruise ship…I simply stated….

“Hey _______, we are headed to _____. Please join us, if you wish. After that, we are headed to _____ and then _______”

Those who wanted to join us, did. Those who did not…didn’t.

It soon became apparent, that it would be impossible to try to keep track of 25 people. Cut to a few hours later, when our cellphones stopped working (a SERIOUS problem throughout the cruise), and you could drive yourself crazy trying to track people down.

After the tour of the ship, we would head up top for the send off…then descend to the Martini Bar.

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I live in a pretty big city. It took no longer to get a martini at this bar, than it would at any crowded bar. I ordered Kel and I our usual..Greygoose martini, with lime. About 10min later, we were served, two Greygoose martinis, with LEMONS.

I flagged the bartender, and kindly asked him for Limes. Simple mistake.

Him: “Sorry Sir…we have no limes”

Me: “Oh..you just need to restock?”

Him: “No Sir. The entire ship is out. There is a LIME shortage”

WHHHAAATTTTTT???!!!!

Folks…do you have any how many drinks require LIMES?!!

Needless to say….this issue raised itself MANY times throughout the cruise. I hear a rumor, that some limes may have been smuggled aboard….while is Key West. It’s just a rumor I tells ya’!!

Celebrity Martini Bar Staff: B

Lime-Gate Shortage: F

The majority of us made it to Blu for our first dinner, with a few of our guest going to (discounted) specialty restaurants for the first meal.

“The Child” discovered the Buffet, and soon became the expert on what dish was at what station at what time….

For Kel and I were looking forward to a nice meal at Blu. About 12 of us arrived at Blu, around 8:45pm or so. The maitr’d was very accommodating, but asked that I give him a little advanced notice next time.

I did so for the remainder of the cruise. I would tell him each night we dined there (at about 7pm), how many of our group would be dining at Blu…and at what time. Each time, he was able to seat us close together. EXCELLENT service.

The food??

Well….the first night I ordered a Ribeye….and got a very tasty ¼” thick piece of streak.

Now….being a “healthy” dining room…I wasn’t expecting a 2” slab of meat…

but this thin little steak was….disappointing.

Tasty….but disappointing.

We dined in Blu 3 of the 4 nights. The service was always excellent. The food was always tasty….but it was a step down, from how we remember Blu on the Solstice. Also, the sommelier was, (at times) hard to get a hold of.

Clearly, ordering bottle of wine got his attention, much more than ordering glass after glass….which is understandable.

Blu Restaurant Staff: A-

Blu Food Quality and Experience: C+ (Clearly a step down….)

After dinner, we broke apart. We were all tired…but Kelly wanted to check-out the Casino (naturally). I had a bit of luck, pocketing $ 300. Kel…none that I know of. We soon headed off to bed.

Big day in the morning….we were getting’ MARRIED!!!

Later….

D & K

Hey All!

I forgot to add this...now I'm too late to edit my last post.....

I want to add a simple grade to each event or Vendor:

1) Southwest Airlines: B+ (On time...no surprises)

2) Virgin America: A- (Great entertainment, time flew by!)

3) Infinity Transportation, Limo: A+ (on time, on budget)

4) Marriott Courtyard Hotel: C- (needless check-in issues...but good customer service after the fact)

5) Cafe Del Mar: B (food and drink were ok...but service and entertainment was outstanding).

More to come....

Hey All!!!

Weeee’rrrrreee Baaackkk!!!

“May I present to you……”

Kelly and I tied the knot, on a beautiful beach in Nassau, Bahama, March 14, 2014 at 2:15pm!

It was a wonderful day! The sky was clear and blue…the birds were singing…the….

WHHHAAATTT?!

You want the whole story? A day by day, blow by blow?

Well fans….let’s begin at the Beguine…..

“Day # 1…or as I say…A.I.S. Time (A__in Seats)!!”

After a restless night of sleep, I awaken before out 4:45am alarm. A thousand different thoughts in my head…and sleep wasn’t one of them.

I had time to set the lighting automation and make one last check of the electronics, before the ladies started to stir…well…Kel anyways. “The Child” won’t budge…. Skip forward….

We kiss the kitties’ goodbye and head to the airport. Our Southwest Flight is on-time and we head to LAX to catch our Virgin America flight to FLL.

Kel asks the flight attendants if there is anywhere she can hang her dress (it’s in a clear, see-thru garment bag).

The answer….is “No…..just lay it in the overhead bin…on top of the luggage…it will be fine.”

Well…at least they said it nicely….

As we land at LAX, I decide it is now a good time to inform Kel that we have just 85min to get our bags and re-check and board them…in another terminal!!

Hey….leave ‘em no time to panic, right?!!

Luckily, our bags arrive quickly (all four of them..), and a short shuttle bus ride lands us at the Virgin America counter.

If you recall, Kel wasn’t thrilled with flying in the wrong direction for an hour…just to try a new out a new airline…..but I was!

After check-in and a frustrating security line (where “the Child” is allowed Pre Check status the entire trip?)….we board our first Virgin America flight!!

We all find the interior lighting (a cool pink and purple) and the larger than normal coach seats to be VERY cool!

Again…Kel asks the flight attendant’s if there is anywhere she can hang her dress

Again….the answer….is… “No…..just lay it in the overhead bin…on top of the luggage…it will be fine.”

She’s done asking this question…..

Folk….unless you are in First Class….your wedding dress is getting NO LOVE!

I immediately distract the ladies with the touch screen and power outlets on each seat.

We are surrounded by babies and toddlers…so the headphones go on, as we all start to channel surf! Soon, we are all surfing thru the food menu, as I order us some wine…..

We are all smiling….as we take off and head to FLL!!!

(Deep breath #1……ahhhhh……)

“Your Chariot Awaits….”

Four hours and twenty minutes later…we arrive in FLL!!

We are all anxious…a combination of stress and anticipation. We see all four bags come down the slot…This reoccurring vision (of seeing all of our bags) will repeat itself throughout the trip…but is the most important…right now.

Four bags mean tuxedos for me…and everything to the B2B (Bride 2 Be).

I have ZERO reception in baggage claim (our cellphones and communication will plague us throughout this odyssey). I NEED some bars…because I have arranged for a stretch limo for us. The limo driver can’t contact me!!

I lead us to the curb…and our reception returns. The humidity hits us and….Our cellphones start BLOWING UP!!!

Text after text…….her family is delayed in GA!!…My family is delayed in GA!! One of my friends is already at a bar…my best man is at the hotel….one of my friends says the hotel is not honoring the special Marriott rate…..My family now see’s Kel’s family…they are on the same connecting flight! They are gonna do a pub crawl in the airport for 2 hours….

I feel my pulse quicken……

My phone rings….

It’s my limo driver from Infinity Transportation. He spots us….

A nice, white stretch limo pulls up. “The Child” is ecstatic. Kel is confused….

We get in….

Once inside…we both let out an audible breath…..

[Deep breath #2: When we are headed to the hotel…with all of our luggage.]

As “The Child” snaps picture after picture and posts them to her friends online….we notice a cab pull up close to the limo…it’s my sister and her family!!! They are right behind us!!!

Suddenly…this is real…we are all converging on the Marriott Courtyard Hotel…

“Welcome to the Terror Dome”

Kel and I steal a little kiss, before we exit the limo. We’ve done it…we are in FLL for our wedding!!

Family and friends are everywhere…in the lobby…by the cab….by the limo. I square things with the driver (the amount is EXACT…to the penny), hand him a $ 20….and step into……..

…HELL!!!

Suddenly my BIL (Brotha in Law) from WI races past me. We is on the phone and practically running down the street. His wife (Kel’s sister…) has left her cellphone in the cab!!

This is bad…..you have NO idea how bad this is. They do NOT handle stress very well (or change). If may recall what it took JUST to get them here!

Once inside…there is commotion at the desk. Only a few of the 25 guest (i.e. 11 confirmed rooms) are getting the $ 175+ discounted rate. It seems the forms are wrong…..

I am quickly losing my cool….

Then they inform me that whey will be charging all of our credit cards…because…they only put a “Hold” on the room charges….

Not to bore you with the details….but my poor sister and I now accessing our online bank accounts….trying to prove them wrong.

In the end…our forms were accepted…and I put my credit card down. We were 2 hours into our wedding trip….and I was down $ 320.00 (for two rooms).

NOT good.

How will I pay for dinner? My check doesn’t come in for 5 more hours….

Mia, the helpful and patient desk clerk gave us our keys and said….”Here you go…we took care of you…congratulations!”

OK….whatever…..

We agree to meet by the pool bar and head up to our room.

We open the door….

…into our SUITE!!!!???????

Mia hooked us up!!!! A separate living room, Full kitchen, master bedroom….BOOOM!!!

We both could not believe it!! We were smiling again!!

Our phones continued to ring, constantly. My power is low (yep…I forgot my power pack in my office)…but I keep texting back.

Everyone is arriving….everyone is STILL having check-in problems…(“Ask for Mia”) becomes my mantra….Mia makes everything better…

We freshin’ up and head downstairs to face Kelly’s family….a missing phone is NOT good….

“If You Don’t Have A Geek…You Don’t Have Nothin…”

Timmy (TIIIMMMAAAAAA!!!…you must say it this way….ala South Park…. throughout the entire trip, mind you..) is downstairs with his/our fellow friends (and ultra-geeks, Renzy and Neal).

Together; TIIMMMAA, Renzy and Neal, are not only the best friends a guy could have…but win the love and admiration of the entire group, throughout the trip.

As a groom, my best man and his “team” took care of everything…and everyone. I have not figured out how to thank them properly…but I will.

Upon arriving back into the lobby, I am greeted by my friend, TIMMAA!!!!

I ask about the details of the lost phone, and where K and J are?

“Dude…don’t worry…we’re on it”!

This becomes their mantra throughout the entire trip.

When they said they had it….they had it!

The Geek Squad had already reviewed the security photage (to identify the cab company), spoken to the bellman, and started to hack and track the phone….but they also had K & J at the bar…with several drinks in their hands.

Believe it or not…but there were Mac’s and WAPs connected on the bar…messages being left and rewards being offered….all before we could order a drink!! Many laws were broken in the next few hours, my friends….

With all their effort…all of the tracking attempts were unsuccessful. While they were able to hack into her cloud account to locate all of her files…(they were going to take her to an AT&T store, just 2.8 miles away..the next morning, get q new phone and download her info into the new phone….) they failed.

You see…she had NEVER backed up her phone to the cloud…so her account was empty…and “Find Your Phone” feature was never turned on…and….etc…etc…

Her phone was never setup properly….

Time to head to the Café Del Mar….

I needed a stiff drink…and Kel was spiral into a mood…..

“Table for 25 please!!....”

Café’ Del Mar turned out to be a wonderful suggestion by our Elite Cruisers, Cathy and Jeff.

They quickly put together a table for 12 within minuetes. We were right by the entertainment..so talking was a bit strained. I didn’t care…I just needed a DRINK!!!

K & J announced that THEY would be buying our dinner?

WHHATTTTTT????

This was a pleasant surprise…as I was very worried about covering the bill….until my check is deposited. Service was a bit slow….but I finally got a margarita…but no limes.

NO LIMES…..this would haunt us the ENTIRE trip!!!

Slowly…our table grew from 12 to 14 to 16…to 20!! They just kept adding table after table……

The meal was ok…but the music was fantastic!!

I was desperately trying to relax. TIIMMAAA was summoned by his girlfriend (this would be the first time we will meet her). He had to leave for the airport to pick her up.

My mom was texting and calling me…but I could not hear her over the music. After 15min…I found myself ready to smash the phone against the wall.

Luckily, my sister was there…and in communication with Mom.

Mom was headed to Miami ……you see…she didn’t know the address of the hotel so…Miami sounded right, yes?!!

AARRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh…and Ray (her husband…who I did not want to come)…was pissed.

Naturally……

(Stress deflector shields on HIGH)!!!!

Thankfully,….my sister saw the look on my face….and took care of the details. Mom was now headed to the right hotel…..Mia was on standby….

I kept Kel in the dark about most of these issues…no since upsetting both of us…..

TIMMAAAA returns with his lovely girlfriend, Deanna. He makes an

announcement over the music.

“I present to you……Kasey’s LOST phone”!!!!

In his hands….he held my SIL lost iPhone…..and single handedly saved the day (and possibly the wedding).

To this day…the details of how he found the phone…remain a mystery…..

After the meal, we decide to find some booze…and have a little party in the Suite!!

Two bottles of $ 12 wine (marked up to $ 24, of course) later…we head to the Suite!

“Turn..this Motha..Out…”

Eventually, everyone migrated to the Suite. My lifetime friend Jeff (who just flew 26 hours from Taiwan) arrived with his wife. He didn’t stay long…

Even Mom and Ray showed. Last to arrive was Jules…..Kelly’s long-time friend from WI.

She was rooming with “The Child” and was ready to collapse.

By this point..we had been warned by security twice (noise violation). No music…just talking….

Wow….TALKING TOO LOUD?? Really? Boy…are we getting old….

By 1:00Am Kelly tossed everyone out….we were all tired…by happy to see everyone. The only people missing were the Montana Crew (yep….there’s a theme here….), but they weren’t expected until the morning…..

We cleaned up a bit and fell into bed. I don’t remember a thing until the next day….

......The day we boarded the Celebrity Constellation!!!!

Wanna hear how that went?.....

Well my friends…you are about to find out…..

Dwayne & Kelly

Hey All!

1 Day to Go!!!

“Well I’m Leavin’ On A Jet Plane……”

Well this is it…..1 day to go!!!

(actually....about 10.5 hours from now...)

Oddly, one the best things about tomorrow..will be practicing “The Art of Letting Go” (Pat Benatar reference)..

Once we turn over our bags to security (for the second time), they, like the rest of the trip, will be (mostly) out of our hands. Our wedding will be in the hands of fate…and numerous professionals whom we are trusting to do their jobs, correctly.

For a control freak like me, it will be a welcomed relief. For some people, relinquishing their power, drives them crazy. Not me.

I will have four moments of relaxation:

Deep breath #1: When we board the plane…headed for FLL.

Deep breath #2: When we are headed to the hotel…with all of our luggage.

Deep Breath #3: Thursday morning when I check my phone for my Direct Deposit.

Deep breath #4: When we board the Constellation....

At that point in time…we are a GO!!! What will happen…will happen!

But not yet……

Is that a Viennese Waltz you’re doing…or are you just glad to see me???

Kel and I nailed down the music selection this weekend. If the “Child” will play it in the proper order…it should be good.

We were very unsure about the First Dance. Would we do one? What would it be? How would we dance to it?

I (naturally) have been thinking about this for weeks. Kel…has not.

Needless to say…we decided to do a First Dance…which I have already choreographed…in my mind! The reality….is a bit harder. I mean…I have reluctantly watched too much Dancing With The Stars…how hard can this be?!!

Um…it’s a bit hard….

Now…I DID try to get some professional help….but she could never find the time.

So we are on our own!

We are using our garage as the dance floor. I think we’ll pull it off. Worse-case….I step on her train…and shred it!!

She can't really move too much in her dress...so....I’ll let you know how it comes out… in the review.

Checking the cushions….

Even with all of my planning, working and pleading…our trip will still come down to my weekly paycheck. I can’t be helped at this point.

If my direct deposit isn’t in the account, come Thursday morning…our trip is a bust…(you rich followers won’t remember what this feels like…but the rest of you do).

Now…I’m not complaining, mind you. We have pulled-off the unthinkable. The unimaginable (for us).

As of this writing….we have paid off: $ 13,377.50..in 5 months!!

Not a single $$ came from borrowed credit. A combination of wages (yes..we do OK), frugal spending, a LOT of weekend work, a LOT of luck, a little gambling wins, a little family help, and a little tax refund….but we did it!

[Note: As of this writing..my client has asked for me to order him a few more items....it's only a few $$$...but you KNOW I will do it after this post!!]

Well…at least we PAID for it. You will have to wait for our return…before we can answer whether or not…we got what we paid for!!

So here I type……pouring over the few remaining items. Thinking about what to wear, and trying to remember how to dance. What electronics to bring? Do I have enough memory.

The list just keeps getting longer….

Starting with the proposal in the Wine Country…all the way to these few remaining hours…

WOW….what a trip so far!!??

Surprisingly, we kept the drama to a minimum. I certainly expect drama on the trip (that goes without saying)…but for the past 5 months…we saved the Drama for Your Momma!!.....

..which is ironic…considering most of the attempted drama came from both of our Mama’s :D

Speaking of which, Kel’s mom did send us a nice card and check. They spoke this past weekend. I was not privy to the conversation, but Kel mentioned that is was more of the same.

“Why didn’t you just do something NORMAL, then it wouldn’t have cost so much”..I just don’t do cruises…” Blah Blah….I think she’s a bit sad…..and we are sad for her, too.

Regrets are a Bi#$.

I don’t envy her this one……

In conclusion….

This is my final posting before we leave. I want to thank all of you for your support and kind words. I know that this forum page is mostly filled with anxious Brides……but rarely the groom.

I wanted to take you all on this journey..from a guy’s point of view…

I know I approached this diary from a different angle than most. It was heavily geared towards and about the money.

While it is possible to have a Destination Wedding for a lot less (and certainly a lot more money)….the all mighty dollars (as in life) plays a critical role in your wedding plans.

It remains to be seen, if the cut backs we were forced to make…will make or break our wedding day. I wish I knew in advance…what will go wrong?…who will screw up?…what will blow up.?.. But we can’t, can we?

That’s what makes this all the more exciting, right!!?

So…here we are folks…..here at the end, we return to the beginning.

This whole odyssey started with a single question…

Can you throw a Destination Wedding in the Bahamas…in just 5 months?!

Well my friends…we are about to find out…..

Yours….

Dwayne & Kelly

Hey All!

4 Days, 15hours..3 minutes to Go!!!

Under Pressure…

Taking a few minutes to update you all…..

Kel and I had an EXTRA special day (and night) yesterday…..followed by an extra special hangover….those of you who have followed this diary from the beginning, can probably do the math…

Today was rough…..but no rest for the wicked...

Tomorrow I need to deliver on some programming and Sunday, we have a small Catbitat to install.

Unlike last week, I’m really hoping to get back home by 1pm or so.

We have sooo much to do…..

Is that a problem???

I rented my Tux(s) from Men’s Warehouse. I wasn’t overly thrilled with the service I received during the fitting…and I am less happy today!

I thought I’d give them a call, to double verify that all was well…glad I did.

I called them at noon. The guy who answered said they were very busy…and that he would call me back…he did.

After spending 5min trying to explain to him, that I did not know a Phil Thompson…and that I have no idea HOW he got on my reservation (REALLY!!!)

….the guy then says….

Him: “OK…it looks like it’s on our truck for Tuesday. Should be here by noon”.

Me: “Well I hope so…I plan on picking it up on Tuesday. I leave early on Wed. morning.”

Him: “OK…so we’ll see you on Wed…”

Me: “Aah….NO…you will see me on Tuesday afternoon. I fly out of town on Wed…”

Him: “Oh…well I hope it’s all here by then”

ARWERWEWEJWRIHI*(#$&@)(@(_#*@(_#@_(#&@_##@:mad:

I hope for Men’s Warehouse’s sake…that it is ALL THERE…and that it FITS!!!!

Or else…you will be seeing me on CNN!!

I’ll be the story about the quiet computer geek, who suddenly went on a shooting spree….

B.Y.O.M.U. (Bring Your Own Make Up)

Being a guy…I don’t get why my bride wants to spend money for a stranger to “do her makeup and hair” on the one day where you want to look your best.

I mean…Trusting some stranger to do something to you…that you do every day…and know how to do it EXACTLY the way you want it….well…it’s a bit of a needless risk for me. (Risk Mitigation in Project Manager speak…)

What if she makes you look like a clown…or a hooker?!:cool:

But she wants it…so I tried to hook it up.

My Celebrity Group guy, Rob, said he would contact Group Relations, who would then contact the Spa Manager…blah blah…

I give him the time…he sets it up. I called today to confirm (naturally)….

He assured me that everything is good to go…and mentioned that the Spa people recommend that she bring her own makeup?!!

WHAT?!!! So….we’re paying for WHAT exactly?!!

Oh well….I’ll leave it up to her. It’s her thing….I won’t pretend to understand it.

She doesn’t get the beauty of a fine, $ 3k Tube amp….and I don’t get paying money for hair and makeup..BYOMU?

Check the seat cushions….

Naturally…..I’m obsessing over the remaining items…and how much we will have left…during the cruise.

Now I know what you are saying…relax! Have Fun!!!

I WILL…..as soon as I know I will be able to pay my bill, when I leave the ship.

There is no time left for anymore side jobs…..no last min. Catbitat sales are comin’ my way (I think)…It’s down to the good ol’ paycheck now!!

After paying for our Drink package (which seemed about $ 80 higher than it should be), I started looking at every splurge.

Kel’s mom sent us a Wedding Card…and a nice check!!! Some of it will make it to the Cruise fund….but I’m still not in my comfort zone.

Let’s see how this weekend plays out…

Later

D & K

Quick question. Where did Kel order the inter-racial cake topper? I have been looking for a decent one for months now.

HAHA...I just LOVE how you assume KELLY ordered the cake topper?!!

She did not....

I ordered it...but after receiving a warning about advertising...I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention websites...which makes this informative forum...kinda less informative. Send me a private message and I (the MAN) will link you to several sites!

Dwayne

We used The Knot and Paperless Post for the (e)mailings!

D

Canesgirl....

I just saw your post....NEVERMIND!!!:rolleyes:

HAHahaha......I'm loosing it!!!:eek:

Congrats Canesgirl!!!

Our wedding will actually be on the beach, and not handled (much) by the Celebrity crew...but good to know!!

I know I speak for all the people on this forum....WE are expecting some pictures of your wedding!!!

Congrats again...and thanks for reading!!!

D & K