Hellooooo ladies! (I hope this posts. I have been trying A LOT and it never seems to work)
Well I have FINALLY been able to settle since coming back from Costa Rica (sort of). We had to move the day after we got back, so it has been a little tough. Especially since it was into DH’s parents house until our condo is ready on Feb. 1. I have been having a tough time. It’s definitely not been easy. Because of the way they have treated me in the past, I am very uncomfortable, and I swear to god his mother is going to mother me to death! I have been on my own for years now and I don’t need a mother around LOL. But I am taking it in stride, BEHAVING, and am counting down the days!! Luckily we’ll be gone for Christmas, a week honeymoon in January, and then his parents are gone for a week right after that. Nice!
I also didn’t get to do my LP because our internet got cut off early. I just couldn’t get it together. However, I would have thanked every single one of you lovely ladies. I came pretty late in my wedding planning to the DW board, and I was never a fixture, but each and every one of you contributed to and helped me with planning in one way or another. For that I am grateful and you all helped to make my day what it was.
So on to the good stuff! G/B/U and Would/Wouldn’t Do
GOOD:
Having a DW! I wouldn’t have had it any other way!
Choosing the Paradisus Playa Conchal. The resort was absolutely amazing. All week all 68 of guests told me at least once what a great time they were having, how awesome the staff were, how yummy the food was, and just how beautiful the resort itself was.
Our room got totally upgraded. We were already in Royal Service, but then we got the 1 bedroom suite. It was incredible. And we had a jacuzzi on the balcony that the staff would fill for you every night at whatever time you wished, 2 full baths, a sitting room….it was awesome! And the staff at Royal Service were wonderful (my boys! Tri, Manfred, Nelson, and Bergen). They were my go-to guys for anything.
The staff on the whole resort was just great. We didn’t hear a “no” the whole week, and we had some pretty big requests.
Paola, our WC. Even though she doesn’t work for the resort anymore, she asked to stay on to do our wedding because it was so unique. She was awesome! Everything was done on time and beautifully. I handed her 4 boxes of decorations with out too much explanation, and the reception and ceremony areas looked amazing. She really became a part of or group. All of our guests knew who she was, and she came to hang out with us at different events and dinners.
Paola arranged for a local makeup artist to come to my room to do my hair and makeup. She came prepared for me with lots of photos for me to choose from. She had no problem doing the makeup and hair that I had already chosen. I thought she did a great job. A couple of friends got their hair done at the resort spa and it also looked good.
Our photographers were amazing! But I already knew that and that’s a part of the reason why we brought them. They were snapping pictures all week and really integrated into our group. It was more like they were guests then our photographers. It was great.
Both ceremonies went wonderfully. It poured rain in the mornings, and the WC told us to move everything inside but we decided “it is what it is”. And didn’t the rain stop on both days for both ceremonies with enough time for everything to dry up.
The reception was a TON of fun. Paola did an awesome job with the decorations and the guests all had a great time. Food was super good! And our cake topper was a huge hit.
I made sure that during both ceremonies and the reception I took a deep breath, looked around, and took it all in. I couldn’t have imagined it being more perfect.
BAD:
Nothing TOO bad really. My Aunt and Uncle were missing from the guest reservations, but it was the travel agent, not the resort. The resort was nothing but accommodating even though they didn’t have a reservation and it was all sorted out in no time.
Also, the morning on my Western Wedding, a pipe burst by the pool which resulted in the water in our building being turned off all day. But Royal Service arranged for me to get another room just to use for showering and the washroom if we needed t. It worked out just fine. No stress!
On the last day, we did an all-day excursion to the volcano, with hot springs, and ziplining. On the way back to the resort, our bus broke down about 3-4 hours away from the resort. They spent some time trying to fix it, but then sent us a new bus (from the resort). It was not the best solution that they could have come up with, and it could have been a lot worse (it was about midnight in the middle of the jungle LOL), but our guests were amazing. We all walked to the closest little town and took over a pizza place that was closed (he ended up opening for us). We ordered about 20 pizzas, some wine and beer, and continued our week of partying until the bus came. NO ONE complained and we all ended up having a good time. What could have been a terrible situation was turned into an awesome party because no one let it get to them and ruin their time.
UGLY:
Just one thing. A piece of my jewelry accidentally was left out of the safe and went missing. It was actually real and meaningful to the Indian ceremony. We offered a $200 reward, but never saw it again.
WOULD:
A destination wedding. And at the Paradisus Playa Conchal. And I would still choose somewhere fairly exotic like Costa Rica. Everyone loved the country and can’t wait to go back. Everyone was really impressed with our little personalized touches (in the OOT bags, at the ceremonies, reception, and events throughout the week). I am still getting compliments that ours is the best wedding they have ever been to. Also, doing both the Hindu and “Western” ceremony. Both sides of our family and friends really enjoyed seeing our cultures and being a part of it. I would definitely do the t-shirts as well. Everyone loved them and wore them on the way to CR and on the excursions, and sometimes throughout the week. They were a hit. I would also bring our photographers again. For just a bit more than the local photographer was charging, we got photography for the entire week from the time we got to the airport to the time we got back to Toronto.
Something that I would do that I didn’t do was stay for 2 weeks. I would have stayed another week after the wedding and when everyone else had gone home. I didn’t really get to spend anytime by the pool because there was always so much going on.
WOULDN’T DO
The only thing I wouldn’t do is so many of the Indian pre-wedding ceremonies at the destination. I was only given an overview of them, and they ended up taking up way more time than I thought they would (contributing to my no pool time). But that’s it!
I feel like I am missing out on telling you all so much! But it was just such a great time and I am MARRIED and loving every minute of it 