Wedding Dreams Begins-a pre cruise wedding journal

[Bestdayever]

Here's the back of the bag

[Bestdayever]

Here are the starfish welcome bags

[Bestdayever]

The inside of the bags

[Bestdayever]

And the anchor bags we are not using

[MidAmericaGal]

Hi,

 

Thank you so much for sharing your daughters wedding plans with us. It helps me tremendously because we are just beginning to plan for our daughters in Grand Cayman 1/25/2016

 

You sound just like me in that I have kind of taken over the planning and am really excited to be helping. You have some awesome ideas and I love your gift bags, etc.

 

We are sailing on RC's Brilliance of the Seas on a 5 day out of Tampa Florida and even though we are Veteran cruisers it's still a challenge to wrap my head around this whole event.

 

I love your idea about getting married on Carnival's private island. We have been there and it is beautiful, she will love it and the photos will be wonderful! I kind of think the ships try harder to make it to their own ports, ha Less interference with other ships etc. so makes sense to me.

Unfortunately, we are doing a short itinerary (I tried my best for a 7 day but too many of her younger friends couldn't swing the time off work)

 

We are only going to Grand Cayman and Cozumel so she decided to get married in Grand Cayman. So far, we have not booked any venue and are in the beginning of pricing etc. I am wondering if RC would be easier to work with if it's arranged through their wedding dept. Kind of pricey, $3500 or close to it and that does not include the reception on the ship, it's separate. I love your idea of hot food in buffet style. They offer it with an open bar too and it sounds like that's the way they want to go.

 

So far, we have the Save the Dates ordered, sending out about 45, similar to you and she knows for sure she would like me to type up a calendar of events for the week to include private time for them after the 2nd day of the cruise for them to "honeymoon" But she also wants a few events the day after in Cozumel to spend on the island and is opening it up to all who are on board for the wedding. We are also designing a group T-shirt to give everyone before they depart to the port to wear on embarkation day and a t-shirts for the gals/guys for the night before the wedding so both she and her fiancee can have their bachelor/bachelorette parties. She wants to do a scavenger hunt, no clue what the guys are thinking.

 

Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your planning....you are a blessing and I would appreciate hearing how the event went and what to avoid etc.

 

Julie in Omaha (MOB)

[MidAmericaGal]

And the anchor bags we are not using

Our daughter may be interested in buying those adorable anchor bags. Can't believe you made those, I have a sewing machine but it's dusty if that says anything!

[DustinandStacy2015]

I was just going to say that too! I would be happy to buy those bags from you if you have no use for them! :) Sounds like you have everything planned and orderly I LOVE IT! Where did you end up buying the cups from? I've been looking into that and can't seem to find anything I loved. I know its hard to mention websites you use on the forum but it would be good to know where you ordered the starfish gifts too. If you would be willing to share could you email me?! dustinandstacyjohnson @ gmail obviously no spaces ;) I love the idea of just doing the ceremony on Half moon cay without all the drama. We looked into HMC for our ceremony as well but decided to get married before the cruise and just have the reception on the cruise. She's lucky to have a mom who will help her plan everything! :)

[Bestdayever]

Have not been on here in a while. Busy with holiday planning:)

 

Midamericagal......so happy someone is like me :rolleyes:. Please keep me updated on your plans...maybe we can learn a thing of two from each other.

 

I would be very interested in selling the anchor bags ( midamericagal or dustin)

 

Dustin...just getting ready for work right now...I will email you within a day or two and let you know where we got the cups from. They are really nice for the price.

[Bestdayever]

stacey,

 

got the cups at saveacup they are the alpine tritan sports bottle 25 oz.

 

hopefully thats ok to post

[Bestdayever]

I am really glad to that I have some followers. And thanks to those that have commented.

 

I usually am just a lurker…am not a good writer. I have read some awesome trip reports.

 

Anyways with the holidays coming up we have been pretty busy preparing for that. Plus I have a cruise in January that I am trying to plan for. So not much has been done for the wedding cruise.

 

 

 

We did receive the napkins, coasters and sports bottles. I will post some pictures. They all turned out very nice.

 

Still trying to decide on what we should put on the sports bottles. I have a Silhouette vinyl cutting machine that I plan to use to put vinyl lettering on them. Not sure if we will stick with the starfish logo. Wanting something so both men and women will enjoy.

 

 

 

Did make the deposits on both of my son’s cabins. So I am all paid up on all our cabins until February when final payments are due. What a chunk that will be for 6 people.

 

Still debating on having the kids fly into Ft. Lauderdale or Miami. I did find a shuttle that was $14.00 per person. My brother lives in Margate so the thought was:

 

Stay at hotel close to my brothers, which will be way cheaper than in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami

Park car at my brothers and have shuttle pick us up at his house.

After cruise have shuttle take us back to my brothers, those flying can shuttle to the airport.

 

If they fly into Miami, we would still have to get a taxi or shuttle them to the hotel. Then taxi’s to port, plus port parking. I am thinking it just may be cheaper to stay in Margate. The only problem with that is the hour drive to the port Saturday morning. So we haven’t put this in stone yet.

 

Looking for someone that has ordered their flowers from Carnival. I have some questions:

 

Pricing

Do you order once you’re on the boat or can you pre-order.

[Bestdayever]

Here are the coasters

[Bestdayever]

And the napkins... I know exciting right:rolleyes:

[Bestdayever]

Midamericagal...sorry Friday I only had a few minutes to comment on your post. Congrats on your daughters engagement....I bet you are excited. I remember being a little over a year out and so far it has gone quick. Sounds like you have a lot planned already. T-****s will be awesome for the guests. We are trying to do tanks for all the women....still need to figure out what to put on them.

 

Good luck and keep me posted on your planning.

[Bestdayever]

It seems like forever since I have been on here. Not a lot of wedding planning going on. With the holidays just around the corner, I believe everyone’s focus is on that.

Seems like the wedding will be here before we know it. 4.5 months away. Hard to believe that it is so close.

Here is a list of what I know for sure we have left to do:

 

• Ordering the bouquets. Still not sure what my daughter has in mind.
  
• Figure out the music for the ceremony and reception: thankfully her and her fiancé are in charge of that. I do have a few songs for the reception that I feel are a necessity. For example “ I’m Happy”
  
• Save the dates for the at home reception. For the original wedding that was to be last September, I had ordered 100 Save the date cards to be mailed. Luckily we hadn’t mailed any before we found out the wedding was cancelled.
  
• Design and mail the invites for the at home reception.
  
• Design and mail the Bridal shower invitations
  
• Find a place to have the bridal shower. Luckily I have all the shower favors done and gifts for door prizes bought. Plus all the decorations are done. My daughter did have a little melt down the other day concerning the bridal shower. You can’t have a wedding without a little drama.
  
• Finish the welcome bags. I think we are pretty close to having everything that we want in them.
  
• Tank tops and t-shirts. We really want to do shirts for everyone attending. The problem is paying $15-20 shirt. I owned an industrial embroidery business a while back. I know what it cost to buy tanks and t-shirts. I have a hard time purchasing these for $15-20 with a print on them when I know we bought t-shirts for $2.00. I do have a silhouette cutting machine. I have not tried the vinyl iron on yet. I am debating on whether to buy t-shirts plain and try and make them ourselves to save a little. When buying 30 the money adds up quick. I may try a t-shirt and see how they are. I don’t want them to look cheap.
  

I am sure there is more to the list, I just can’t think of anything at the moment.

The frustrating part of this is I have already done most of this for the 1st wedding. It is not as much fun doing it again. Save the date cards in the garbage. Bridal shower invites in the garbage etc, etc. The only plus is most of the decorating for the at home reception, the reception favors for the at home reception are done. Bridal shower decorations and favors are done.

 

so other than that, not much going on.

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful holidy.

[Bestdayever]

well the holidays are over. Our cruise in January is over. So now to finish the wedding plans.

 

We have got quite a few more things accomplished. First the t-shirts or tanks we were planning on doing. We ended up buying zip sweatshirts/workout jackets in black and screen printed on them with the silhouette machine. They turned out awesome.

 

Might end up doing the tanks also.

 

Ordered wedding time lines and door hangers thru someone on Etsy. They turned out really nice.

 

Made some more thank you tags for some gifts.

Found some awesome starfish at Kohls...ended up paying $1.00 for them.

Found a fish net with starfish at tjmaxx for $10.00. Will use that on the cake table or gift table with starfish and shells on it.

 

Got the flowers ordered. My daughter found a florist where she lives to do the bridal bouquet for $65.00 using real touch flowers. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

Got the airfare booked for my sons.

Booked hotel for the night before the cruise. Booked a shuttle to pick us up at the hotel and take us to the port.

 

Booked Godfrey Tours for 18 of us for St. Thomas.

Booked 3 golf cart rentals for Grand Turks.

 

Finished the bridesmaids make up bags.

 

Got the bridal shower booked. Having it at a wine bar. Ordered the food. A couple of the bridesmaids are going to make cupcakes for it. Got the bridal shower invites. They will go out in the mail at the beginning of March since the shower is in April.

 

will try and post some pictures

[Bestdayever]

Here are the wedding time line cards

[Bestdayever]

The door hangers

[Bestdayever]

Bridesmaids makeup bags

[Bestdayever]

here are the bags I did to put the mini first aid kits in.

[Bestdayever]

here is the fish net. It is HUGE.

[Bestdayever]

and the box of starfish.

[Bestdayever]

here are the jackets we did. Forgot, we also did the flip flops for the girls.

the one picture is the back of the jacket, we just put a small starfish on it.

I thought they turned out really nice.

[mrstriceasnice]

Sounds like you are on top of things!

 

One small word on the gift table, remember any gifts other than cash/gift cards brought onto the ship have to be declared at customs when you disembark. Just something to think about when you are planning.

[Bestdayever]

Thanks for that info. Never thought of that.

When I wrote about the fish net maybe on gift table I was referring to the gifts for our guests. We are hoping our guest don't bring gifts....spending thei vacation and money on the trip is gift enough.

[mrstriceasnice]

Thanks for that info. Never thought of that.

When I wrote about the fish net maybe on gift table I was referring to the gifts for our guests. We are hoping our guest don't bring gifts....spending thei vacation and money on the trip is gift enough.

 

We made sure to put on our wedding website and to tell the few who don't use the internet that we couldn't accept gifts at the wedding. Most seemed to assume it was because we didn't want to have to fly home with them, either way it worked. :)