After our heartfelt wedding ceremony, it was time for the guests to mix and mingle.  What better way to showcase Aruba's beaches & sunset than to host our cocktail hour on the beach (same area of our ceremony)!  So while the sun was setting, our friends & family enjoyed drinks, hor dourves, and the sounds of a caribbean steel pan player! 

     Jeff and I had the privilege of having a site visit last year while planning our wedding and we had the opportunity to have a food and cake tasting.  We preselected our cocktail hour hor dourvers and they were delicious!  We chose the chicken satay, shrimp with mango relish served on a spoon, chilled beef tenderloin on foccaccia, & conch fritters.  Though Jeff and I tried the appetizers during our site visit, we didn't get to enjoy them during the actual cocktail hour, but I know everyone else did. 

     During cocktail hour the hubby & I were having our own wedding shoot and so did everyone else!  Here are some of my girls, aren't they beautiful with their colorful dresses and sun kissed tans!? 

     I'm glad that the bamboo arch had more use than us just using it!  We chose a simple bamboo arch without any floral decor, we didn't want to take away from the already beautiful scenery and besides being simple is just our style.

     You might be wondering where all the fellas are in the photos.  Where else but at the bar, right?!  All our guests enjoyed a fully stocked open bar.  From what I heard our bartenders weren't being greedy with the alcohol either!  So everyone was having fun and feeling nice!

     So while our family & friends were getting the party started, this is what the newlyweds were doing.  Here's a sneak preview of some of the shots our photographers took!  They really have an artistic eye and I can't wait to see the outcome of the pictures! 

     So our guests got to enjoy each others company while I enjoyed the alone time with my new hubby (and the photographers).  Did you enjoy your cocktail hour with your guests or did you have one on one time with your husband?

     I've been asked to post pictures of our cake, so I'll skip all the other stuff right now and fill that request (anything to help a fellow bride)!  Below is the inspirational picture of our cake that Jeff & I showed our wedding coordinator during our site visit last year. 
     Because I've heard horror stories of cake replicas at destination weddings my expectations for our cake wasn't very high.  Stepping into our reception, I was a little scared to see the cake table.  I was thinking I was going to see a hot mess!  I feel bad for even saying it cause I know you should have more faith in your cake baker, but when you haven't seen previous photos of their work, you just think the worst I guess. 

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     The Westin's cake baker proved me wrong!  When I saw the cake table, I was in awe.  The cake looked beautiful and it was beyond my expectations!  The detail work was amazing, though this picture doesn't show it as well, it was gorgeous in person. 

     Here's a closer look.  The fondant was imprinted with a floral design (it's kind of hard to see in this photo, but believe me it was gorgeous) and then garnished with real seashells.  The flavors we chose were chocolate cake with dulce de leche (bottom tier), chocolate cake with vanilla custard (middle tier), & chocolate cake with chocolate custard (top tier). 
     The hubby and I had a cake tasting during the site visit and I remember it being very delicious, but to be honest, I didn't eat cake at our wedding (besides the traditional cake cutting & feeding moment).  I know, you're like "WHAT?" but I was having too much fun at our reception and there was no time for eating cake or even the macadamia pie that was served after dinner!  But I did hear from some of our guests that the cake was really yummy! 

     So after the reception was all said and done, the top layer of our cake was delivered to our room.  I didn't realize that the waitstaff saved it for us to enjoy together, what a sweet gesture!  Again, we still didn't eat it!  Jeff was so determined to get this home in one piece to devour on our 1 year anniversary!  Sometimes he can be more sentimental than me (one of my favorite traits), so I agreed just as long as he was the one carrying it! 
     The cake made it home safely and is now wrapped in tons of plastic and foil wrap in our freezer!  The thought of eating cake a year old doesn't sound appetizing, but I guess I can do it for the sake of tradition! 

     In the end, we were both very pleased with the work that was done and it got me wondering why I was even worried in the first place!  Just makes you think that we should all have a little faith and if it doesn't work out the way we hoped for, just let it go-no biggie, minor detail for the BIG DAY!
     Were you surprised with your cake outcome?  In a good way or bad? 

     Another anticipating moment occurred last night, when my BFF called me last night frantic!  When I finally answered her call, she yells, "What took you so long to answer the phone!?" 

My response, "I'm watching a movie with the boo!  What's wrong?"

"Your wedding photos are posted on Scott Hayne's blog!  The link just got posted to your Facebook!"

Of course my reaction was pure excitement with lots of screaming!  So I quickly paused the movie and got on the Hayne's website!  I then got off the phone with the BFF so I can enjoy the moment with the hubby!      OMG...I got teary eyed looking at the photos and reliving the moment all over again!  I'm so in love with the pictures and just so impressed with how our BIG DAY was captured!  Our amazing photographers, Hayne Photographers, always leave me speechless!  I can't describe in words how these pictures make me feel and can you imagine this is just a sample!!  I can't wait to see the rest of the photo gallery, I know that I'll probably gush into tears and maybe even cry a river!
     See what I mean!  This picture below was taken when I received Jeff's wedding gift and letter!  He wrote me the most amazing letter and just talking about it gets me choked up!  I love that man with all my heart and I'm utterly happy he will be mine forever!

     This is one of my favorite pictures!  I love how they caught my love crying as my parents walk me down the white sandy aisle! 

The beautiful scenery of Aruba will never let you down!  This was taken while the sun was setting behind us!  Not only was the sunset gorgeous, but so was our wedding party!

Our wedding day has just been the most memorable part of my life thus far and seeing the rest of the photos will just make my heart jump for joy!  Check out the blog to see more amazing wedding photos!
                               Wedding Day in Aruba 

If you haven't already, check out our Trash the Dress session too!
                                    Trash the Dress

Enjoy the pictures and let me know which one leaves you speechless!

     The sky was the prettiest blue, the breeze just right, and the day couldn't have been more perfect for our eventful WEDDING DAY!  The Lord works in mysterious ways, considering the unexpected rain & lightening we endured the day before during our Trash the Dress session!  He also tested us when there was a power outage on the whole island!  Yes, that's right, the power went out as my bridesmaids & I are waiting for the elevator to meet everyone beachside.  I was almost tempted to take 15 flights of stairs to meet my hubby to be because nothing was going to stop me that day!  Luckily, the Westin's generator kicked into high gear.  And with all the excitement, the power outage didn't phase any of us, not even me, and for a bride to not be stressed about that, says a lot, maybe it's the whole Aruba mentality of "One Happy Island!"  Well lets just say, that motto worked for me the whole time we were there.
      Now down to business, we had our ceremony on the Westin's beach property, keep in mind, this is a public beach and there were a couple on-lookers, but we didn't mind the attention!  I have to say, I love that the Westin is the first hotel on the high rise side because the beach is usually less crowded (partly due to not having a neighbor hotel), which was an advantage for our ceremony.  I noticed with the other hotels on the high rise side, their beach properties seemed cramped and busy. 
     For those brides that hear its windier at the Westin, don't believe it.  I'm sure it depends on the season (it was really windy in August during our site visit), but it was perfect for our wedding day!  I wore a veil and had my hair down during the ceremony and the wind wasn't an issue for me at all.
     Here are some pictures of the ceremony setup as well as cocktail hour setup.  The bar was located where the palapas are and the steel pan player we had for the ceremony was under the tree!  

     Because our ceremony was on the beach, I thought it would be cute if I added a simple DIY project just to let our guests know how relaxed our ceremony is, so sit back, kick your shoes off and enjoy!

     All our guests met in the lower lobby of the hotel and were escorted to the ceremony by Patrick.  The steel pan player kept the guests entertained while they patiently wait for my arrival! 

     Though we arrived fashionably late (only like 10 minutes...it's the elevators fault), I made it down the white sandy aisle to meet my Mr. Right!  You might see a smile in this picture, but I was trying to hold back my tears as I saw my groom waiting for me, him already in tears!

     Our officiant, Greg Leyder, did an outstanding job!  He was so nice and his humor and sincerity was just our style!  Afterwards, several guests commented on how lovely our ceremony was because of his beautiful words and prayers.

     To make it all "official" (not really, just for keepsake purposes) we signed our marriage certificate along with our witnesses (our Matron of Honor & Best Man).  

     TIME TO CELEBRATE!!  Cocktail hour and ceremony to follow...stay tuned!

     After much debate and discussion about our venue for our Welcome Dinner, we finally decided that Aqua Grill will be the place for our family and friends to mix & mingle.  Besides, Irma, the sales manager, had been so attentive and helpful from the beginning that we couldn't pass.  The restaurant was in walking distance from The Westin (where most of our guests stayed), so it was convenient for all of us as well.
     The dinner was held in Aqua Grill's Pavilion area, which was only used for our party.  The chef made a special menu for our dinner to fit our specified budget, Irma then made personalized menus for each place setting, which we thought was a nice touch.     
    

     Our guests were seated and drink orders were taken by our own waitstaff.  The restaurant included beer or wine with the meal as part of our Welcome Dinner.  Irma added this to our event to  convince us even more to host our party at the Aqua Grill.

     While the guests waited for food or drinks, I busted out the trivia cards I made.  They were a huge hit and the guests loved the questions and the pictures.  It also made the time pass by quicker as we waited for the food to come out.  On that note, the food was delicious, but it did take a while for it to get served to our guests.  Management knew the food was taking too long, so they offered our guests another round of beer or wine on the house!  

    Below, Jodi reads a question out loud to the table.  The trivia did serve its purpose!  I love it when a project comes out the way you expected it too!

     When it comes to being the bride and groom, there is a lot of mixing & mingling being done.  So while guests are chit chatting or taking pictures, I do the same thing, but walking around Aqua Grill's Pavilion doing my rounds.  Here I am with my beautiful bridesmaids!  It's funny how they ended up wearing our wedding colors and I didn't even have to tell them!  They love me!

     Jeff does the same and mingles, doing his rounds.  Here he is with some of his boys!

     After about 40 minutes of waiting, the food finally comes.  I ate the Mahi Mahi, which was delicious, as well as the polenta.

     We also served the Asian Chicken, which I didn't try, but heard was flavorful too.

     The best part of the dinner was finally served, Key Lime Pie!  That was really yummy, though I couldn't finish it because of the big meal we were served and the appetizers prior to that!  I had to remind myself that I had a dress to fit into the next day!

     After everyone was done eating, Jeff's father made a speech, letting everyone know how happy they were and thanking everyone for coming and celebrating with us.

     And with that said, Jeff expressed our gratitude and then we passed out the Welcome Bags!  Another huge hit, I just love giving and seeing all the smiling faces!  It makes all the time and money we spent doing everything worth it all!

     I would recommend hosting a party at Aqua Grill, the attentiveness and prompt communication, as well as their willingness to work out our budget were all pluses for us!  Thank you to Irma, for all her hard work and attention!  As far as the waiting, it can happen anywhere, the restaurant was pretty busy including our party, and this is why you keep your guests busy with trivia cards (just kidding), but on the serious note, it's hard to be impatient when you're on "One Happy Island!"  Besides, management handled the problem and fixed it has well as they could have by making our guests happy with more drinks!   
     In the end, all our guests had a great time and it was just the beginning to all the fun we were going to have together on the the wonderful island of Aruba!  So one event down and three more to go! 

     I found out today from a co-worker that our wedding is featured on an Arubian website, visitaruba.com, how exciting is that!?  Out of all the weddings that were taken place on the picturesque island, they chose to feature ours!  I had no idea they were going to do this so thanks to my friend who was just surfing the net for her next vacation spot. 

     See on the right side under Latest Aruba News... Jeff & I are that Virginia couple!  Eekkss, we're famous, well not really but we're very flattered!  So check out the site to read a little wedding excerpt and see a couple of our wedding pictures!
                                       OUR ARUBA WEDDING
     Oh yeah and they featured our Welcome Dinner at Aqua Grill as well!  Aruba LOVES us just as much as we love them!     
                                       OUR WELCOME DINNER
     Did you come across any good surprises after your wedding?

     So you read the post about me finding 'The One' and now is the time to show her off!  Without further ado here's my Jim Hjelm 8950.

     I just love the neckline of the dress and its form fitting style.  This dress was very much me.  Though it have been a little challenging getting into the dress, it was all worth it in the end!

     The dress really did show off my 'ass'ets, but there's nothing wrong with that right!?  With this train I ended up with a french bustle, which looked gorgeous during the reception, and might I add worked well during our first dance (stay tuned for that post)!

     Though the dress might not be beach appropriate, it was me, and that's what it's really all about right!  It's all about me & 'The One' (and I do mean the hubby this time)!

     Did your dress reflect your style or was it something totally not you, but still fell in love with it?

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     The day before our beach wedding, the hubby & I followed our photographers around the gorgeous island of Aruba to "Trash the Dress!"  It was probably the best part of the entire trip!  Scott, Adina, & Hunter's talent are beyond words and their photos are jaw dropping gorgeous!   
     The anticipated email finally arrived today!  Our pictures have been blogged by the ever talented Hayne Photographers!  I just wanted to share with you the fabulous pictures and to let everyone know how much we highly recommend the Haynes as photographers!  Not only are they talented, but they are truly sincere, down to earth people, who Jeff and I consider great friends after sharing this wonderful milestone in our lives!!  Much love goes to them and they're work!!
     So check out the blog...
http://www.scotthayneblog.com/aruba-beach-wedding-photographer-photography-destination-filipino/

     Now that its all over, I wanna show off the dress!!  I've been waiting to blog about it for quite sometime, but then I was too scared the fiance might see it, plus I wanted our guests to be a little surprised!  In the beginning months of wedding planning, I was always flipping through bridal magazine and Jim Hjelm's dress designs always caught my eye!  So despite the costs, I was determined to walk down the aisle in Jim Hjelm!
     Every girl envisions how they would look walking down the aisle to meet their future husband, right?!  Well I pictured myself in something romantic, a trumpet or mermaid style dress (a dress that'll show off my 'ASS'ets (heehee)!   At first I feel in love with this one, an all lace number, it's so classic & elegant, wouldn't you agree?

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     But when I tried it on, it wasn't quite what I pictured.  I basically looked like a doily, as my sister would say!  So this dress was out of the running!  Next dress, I tried...

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...a gorgeous modified A-line with a floral one strap.  Stunning isn't it, but this dress didn't quite bring me tears of joy or the over excitement of finding 'The One.'  I could sense that finding my dress was getting closer.
     So then the bridal consultant showed me this baby...

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     OMG, it was love at first sight!!!  It's everything I imagined I would wear walking down that sandy aisle & saying "I DO" under the Arubian sun!  After trying this baby on and getting the smiling approval of my mother, mother in law to be and my loving sister, I knew it was meant for me!  Though there were no tears of joy, there was utter happiness and lots of jumping for joy, seriously lots of jumping!   
    
     So after months of waiting for the dress to come in and then the fittings to follow, I carefully (hand) carried this beaut to Aruba!  The dress made it safely to paradise and I rocked it out!  I couldn't have seen myself in something more gorgeous or more ME, than THIS dress!   

     Stay tuned for the debut of the me and "THE ONE!"
     Did you end up in a dress that you envisioned from the beginning or did you go with something totally different than what you imagined?   

     The BIG DAY is all about you and the new husband to be, but the morning of, its all about you and your girls!  I'm so grateful for the girls that came to stand by my side while I say "I do."  So the morning of the big day my girls and myself got together for some QT and before heading down to breakfast, I showed the girls just how much I appreciate them.

     These H&M bags consisted of a monogrammed robe, spa hotel slippers, a Coach makeup kit, monogrammed hangers, a Swarovski starfish necklace, & survival kits I DIY'ed.

     The husband & I thought that the necklace was a perfect gift.  A gift that would always remind them of their time in Aruba. The necklace was purchased from our local Swarovski boutique.  The necklace has 2 starfish (one all sterling silver and the other white with colorful Swarovski crystals) hanging from a sterling silver chain. 
     The robe was from Target and I purchased the rhinestone monogram from an Etsy seller.  This project was easy and turned something so traditional into something so personal!
     The monogram hanger I did using the same concept from my fauxligraphy.

     The Coach makeup kit consisted of a nail kit (only $2 at Michael's), Nivea hand creme ($1 from The Dollar Store), & Bath & Body antibacterial ($1).  Your gifts don't have to be all that expensive, it's just the thought that counts, right?
    I might add that the Coach makeup bag was from a Coach Outlet.  Because I went to the outlet on a weekend they were having an extra 20% off all sale items, I only got them for $25 a piece....great deal huh!?

     These survival kits were a cute, fun project.  The first kit I added antibacterial wipes, makeup remover, Shout wipes, blotting sheets, lip gloss, tissue, & a packet labeled "to hold it in place" which held bobby pins, double sided tape, & safety pins.  I made the label and stapled it to the Ziploc bag.
     Because I made these for the girls, I wanted to make a "survival kit" for the guys.  So I decided to use mini alcohol bottles for the gents (mini Jack Daniels, Jager, Absolute, & Capt. Morgan).  And because I did this for the guys, I couldn't help not doing them for the girls (I used Coco Rum, Firefly, Absolute Mandarin, & Parrot Bay-you know girlie drinks).

     The girls enjoyed all of it and I enjoyed watching them get into it!  It's like kids on Christmas morning!  So after the gift gifting, we went down for some good eats and relaxing massages (another gift I gave the girls!)

     Some might say I went all out, but for these girls I would do anything!  Besides, the upside to having a small bridal party is the gift of giving can go on and on and on and....you get the point!
     What do you plan on giving your girls to show your thanks for being a part of your special day?