Glass Green Strawberry Passion

Sooooo we've made some progress! First of all we decided on our wedding package, its called Strawberry Passion. Oo la la. We ended up going with the slightly more expensive private beach dinner. I know, I know, but my mom brought up a good point when she said we should give all of our guests the nicest evening possible in order to show our appreciation for them coming all that way to be with us on the Big Day. When the lady's right, she's right. Also, we would have ended up spending about the same amount of money had we gone with the cheaper package. It was pretty bare bones and after we included the essentials (like a minister!) it ended up being roughly the same cost. So decision is made, check! Here are all of the lovely details included in our package:

- Premium wristband for bride and groom
- Decorated seaside wedding location
- Special Amenities and bottle of sparkling wine sent to the room
- Document arrangements
- Justice of the Peace or Non denominational Minister
- Marriage certificate
- Bridal Bouquet and Groom Boutonniere
- One Tabletop flower arrangement
- 50 minutes Massage for Bride & Groom
- Manicure & pedicure with strawberry essence for the bride
- Make-up and hair style with natural white orchid for the bride
- One-tiered Wedding Cake (for up to 10 people)
- 3 bottles of domestic champagne (for up to 30 people)
- Live Music during the Wedding Ceremony
- 3 Hours Private Served Dinner on the beach with exclusive waiters with set menu
- 3 Hours Open Bar during the reception
- Celebrate your Honeymoon with Champagne Breakfast in bed the next morning
- Late check out until 3:00pm (on request, subject to availability)
- Wedding Coordinator services
- Witnesses if required
- Guaranteed King-size bed.
- Bathrobes and slippers in your room.
- Special decoration in the room and rose petals on the bed
- Special gift courtesy of Barceló Maya Beach Resort

There will be a few more things we are going to add like a mariachi band, a hupa ,and obviously a photographer as well. They are pretty strict about not letting people bring in outside photographers and making you use the resort photographers instead. If you want to bring in your own photographer you have to pay for a couple nights stay for them at the hotel. What a rip off. I think you should, at most, buy a day pass for them. But whatev, we'll make do. I'll give very specific instructions to the resort photogs about what pics we want and then I'm sure our guests will be taking a ton of pics as well.  No worries.

I recently found this picture in a destination wedding magazine. It pretty much captures the essence of what I've been picturing. What the groom is wearing, the white flowers, the color of the bridesmaid dresses and even the gauze wrapped hupa (its exactly like what our resort offers yay)

Which brings me to my next thought, the bridesmaid dresses. When I saw the pic above I fell in love with that shade of green and immediately started an online investigation to find something similiar. Then voila I found a dress I really like by Alfred Angelo. I think the style of the dress is perfect for a beach wedding, its flowing, not clingy, a light chiffon fabric and the color is very beachy. Its called Glass Green but if I could rename it I would call it Sea Foam. Mmmm. Here it is:

                                              

Love it! But nothing is set in stone. I'll run it past the ladies and then check it out in person. For all I know this pretty green color could look like something pulled out of a sewer in person. I'm also open to the girls wearing different dresses but all in the same color. My main objectives are to make sure they feel pretty and above all else feel comfortable. I love these girls too much to make them suffer!

Editor's Note:  I wrote this late last night, a little worn out and tired, and I forgot to mention about the quality of the resort photographers. Some of you may have been wondering why all the fuss about bringing in an outside photographer and its because of the horrible reviews I've read about the resort's company Foto Carribean. Very old school 'posey' pics and I like a more photo journalistic style.  And that's just my picky reason. I've also read that they've shown up late to ceremonies and also lost a couple's pics! Yikes! But I have also read some good reviews, mostly from people who I feel are more laid back about the picture aspect and know that a few good shots are all you need to capture the memory of the day. While I don't want our pics lost or for them to show up late, I do think they should be good enough. I'm hoping the horror stories are just random experiences and not the norm. ps. Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! In the spirit of our Mexico wedding I shall be enjoying some margaritas later today on the beautiful patio of one of my oldest and dearest friends and his lovely, lovely wife. !Bueno!