This is torre068's Orange Wedding!

My girls and I are staying Monday and Tuesday in July at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa in San Diego California. We are going to do a pub crawl for the night in PB...the pub crawl theme is "Girls at Sea!" I will be in a white sailor/captain-esque attire and my crew will be dressed in blue sailor crew gear :) I am so excited because my sisters are throwing it so I KNOW it will be wonderful! :)

www.paradisepoint.com

We are going out Monday and spending Tuesday by the pool, relaxin with some mojitos!

Made through vistaprint.com

Since we are going on a cruise, I thought it would be cute to send the save the date as a ticket! The actual card sent out is a little different...color font, etc. But it is very similar...I thought it was really cute! We were going to do a postcard but thought it was more fitting for our cruise!

My family is very picture oriented and I LOVE taking amazing pics :) So to me the 3 most important things to a wedding...
Food/Alcohol
Music
Photography!!!
The dress a close fourth :)

I am so so so blessed to have bought my dress where I did because I was able to find the two nicest people ever!! Shari Ann and Steven Wayne are an amazing couple who truly enjoy their passion as photographers. They are joining us on the cruise! I was thrilled that they said yes:)

We have our engagement photos on July 8th... Pictures posted!

http://www.stevenwaynephotography.com/

We are getting married on Catalina at Descanso Beach...it is SO pretty! I am so excited. We have always dreamed of a beach ceremony. I can't wait!
Julia with Wedding Designs by Elizabeth will be helping us coordinate this ceremony. I think she is going to be amazing! I will let you know! :)

I am pretty tall (5'10) so I don't do well with high heels. I have to buy some shoes tomorrow so that I can continue with my fitting on Friday! AGHH! I wan't to do something cute...but it is hard to find a good pair of shoes that aren't too high heeled! :(

Hmm...do I want a big cake or a little cake?? We are doing the ceremony on Catalina island....So if I get a cake it would be then.
If I wait till back on the boat, I have to buy one from the cruise line...which are NOT cute:(

Our first song....
Van Morrison: Into the Mystic

We were born before the wind
Also younger than the sun
Ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic
Hark, now hear the sailors cry
Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic

And when that fog horn blows I will be coming home
And when the fog horn blows I want to hear it
I don't have to fear it

And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And magnificently we will flow into the mystic

When that fog horn blows you know I will be coming home
And when that fog horn whistle blows I got to hear it
I don't have to fear it

And I want to rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old
And together we will flow into the mystic
Come on girl...

Too late to stop now...

If you are planning on doing a destination wedding on a cruise...please be advised.

We were approached by a family friend who is a travel agent and she told us she wanted to plan this for us as a favor. We thought, wow, okay, great. She started getting prices and booking the cruise, great.

We then learned that if you do book a large group on a cruise line you earn credits (TC's) for the more people you book. So we addressed this once to our agent and she skated around the question by answering with an explanation about amenity points...which is also a bonus for booking big groups.

A few weeks later, since the question was not answered, we still assumed that we could use those credits (TC's) for our benefit...since we were the reason this booking happened. Right? No one said differently. So we told the agent that we wanted to use those credits to pay for the open bar and the bride and groom's room. At that point, she preceeded to tell me that those TC's was her commission and it was her right to put them anywhere she chose. We had an issue with this, but came to a conclusion that we as long as our room was paid for, we would be okay that she got the rest (remember, there was no talk about this because she said she was doing it for us as a favor-our bad though for not clarifying before preceeding)

Well, we thought we off the hook with anymore issues until we found out that she used the TC's to pay for her room, her sons room, and then gave the rest to us...which wasn't enough to cover the entire room. Hmm...

After another argument...blah, blah, we came to the conclusion that instead of the son getting the TC's, we would get our room covered (Which I thought was the agreement in the first place?)

When we were sent our invoice, she had forgot to mention that the TC's don't cover taxes, fees, insurance and gratuity...which we had to pay...so still paying 500 for our room.

All along the travel agent who is supposedly our friend is claiming that these TC's are the only commission she is receiving on this booking. We then find out that Carnival pays the travel agency 10-15% per person ON TOP OF THE TC's!! OMG. Can not believe this. When we confronted her, she says she does not receive that commission check....although she OWNS the company...but the check goes to paying her "overhead"....umm, it still goes to her...she owns the company! I am so so so so so so so so so so so upset.....because she is a friend and the mom of one of our friends, we can not get rid of her.

It is terrible. I can't believe I have to deal with this. So, my advise to you...don't mix business, especially wedding business with family/friends. And make sure you ALWAYS figure out responsibilities/commissions/payments BEFORE!!!

We'll see how it goes from here....

I have six bridesmaids...a maid of honor and a matron of honor (my two sistas) also in the party is my best friend, my soon to be sister in law, a good friend and my niece. They are all extremely different body types!! So I went to David's Bridal so they could pick dresses that fit their body; also, I wanted to find something that they could wear again. I think I've accomplished that!

The girls will be in black, but they can be dressed up/down. Still deciding on shoes. Should I have them pick their own? Do color? Or all wear the same (black/or color?)

Flowers are really important to me, but because we are having the symbolic ceremony in Ensenada, Mexico, I am worried I will not get the right type/colors, etc. We made my bouquet as well as the bridesmaids...mainly because the cruise ship will not allow us to bring on fresh flowers. They are awesome though. I couldn't be happier. For my decorations, I am still torn about what I want. I don't want to over do it....