During our stay in Aruba, the hubby & I enjoyed so many great meals with our friends!  Let me just start by saying that Aruba really knows food, good food at that!  We visited Aqua Grill, El Gaucho, Gostoso, Madame Jeanette, & Hostaria Da Vittorio, just to name a few.
     Disclaimer:  I hope you've eaten before you read this, because these pictures will make your mouth water and your tummy growl!

Gostosos:  Above is the Creole "sushi roll" which I think was the best thing ever, I think I'm craving it just looking at the picture!  It had seafood (salmon or shrimp-you pick), cream cheese, & plantains! 
     Below is the Espetada a la Marinera, its a hanging kebab made with bacon wrapped grouper.  This is probably the coolest presentation I've seen at a restaurant.  The hubby loved it so much, I think he's fav fish is grouper now!

     After our dinner was devoured, the waitstaiff came and brought the hubby & I dessert and sang to us!  The plate read "Pabien (means congratulations in papiamento) Newlyweds."   It was super sweet (the singing & the gesture) and the cake was scrumptious too!

     Did I mention that I have a sweet tooth?  We ended up ordering 3 desserts:  tiramisu, tres leches, & cheesecake (I think).  All yummy!

    Below is from Madame Janette's.  We loved the atmosphere of the restaurant (outdoor seating, candle lit dinner, & delish drink menu).  This is their Jumbo Shrimp "Coco di Rasta."  A friend had it for his dinner and raved about it!  I had their Sea Bass (no picture), which was very good, but I left the restaurant way too full!  You can notice how big their portions are, so you either have leftovers to enjoy the next day or you need to share with a loved one!  Or if you're me... you'll need a wheel barrel to carry yourself out of there!

     Next is Hostaria Da Vittorio, an Italian Restaurant located next to the Aqua Grill (all within walking distance from The Westin).  This place was so yummy and the service was excellent.  Below the hubby's food is pictured, some type of seafood linguine and I had ravioli, as you can see there is no picture (sometimes the food is gone that fast, even before the picture is taken)!  Sorry people, I'm a heffer! 

Here's their "bread" (more like a pita) they serve before dinner.  It was really different, but yummy dipped in olive oil.

     If you are a steak lover, El Gaucho is the place to go!  This by far was the hubby's favorite restaurant in Aruba.  Him and a couple of are friends say that this steak is the best they ever had!  The waiter even told us that the meat comes all the way from Argentina, so it's really authentic!

     If you've been keeping up with my blog, you'll know we had our Welcome Dinner at Aqua Grill, which was a very succesful event.  We served Mahi Mahi with jumbo shrimp & polenta or Asian Grilled Chicken with stir fried veggies & rice.  I must say that the food for our Welcome Dinner was excellent as well! You can read more about our event here.

     A lot of friends visited Le Petite Cafe for breakfast daily because of their great breakfast prices, while the hubby & I enjoyed the breakfast buffet at The Westin's Bon Bini Cafe.  Some of our other guests did visit Le Petite for dinner as well.  This was their dinner entree (seafood platter) which was served on a 600 degree volcanic stone.   

     Last but not least, our favorite:  the KitKat Mcflurry!  The one thing that a lot of us won't be able to forget is visiting Aruba's McDonald's asking for a KitKat Mcflurry and getting vanilla soft serve with bits of KitKat pieces on top!  Aruba doesn't have a Mcflurry machine so this is what we ended up with!  We later joked with one another and said it was false advertising!  But the "Mcflurry" was still good nonetheless!

     Every restaurant we ate at was so worth the money and the weight gain!  I don't think that any of our friends and family were ever disappointed with the places they dined with. 
     So even if you hear that a lot of the places are over priced, (what do you expect, you're on vacation) just enjoy it 'cause Aruba only happens once in a while!  SO EAT UP!!

     Our last event of our wedding extravaganza was our Farewell Breakfast hosted by my wonderful parents.  The breakfast was supposed to take place in the Westin's Pago Pago Restaurant, but Patrick informed me just 2 days before the event that there was another event taking place that might overlap our Farewell Party.  It's a good thing I don't have bridezilla tendencies, because I could have easily flipped, but something about being in Aruba and under the care of the Westin, that just relaxed me!
     I know that Patrick was trying to look out for our best interest and he truly did!  He knew that we wanted our breakfast to be a private affair, so I thank him for always having our back!  Thanks again Patrick for your perfect party planning!

     Because Pago Pago Restaurant was being occupied by that other party, Patrick suggested we move our event into the Westin's Lobby Gallery!  They really turned the venue into something beautiful!  After seeing the setup, I was kind of glad that our party was moved!

     The majority of our guests were leaving on Sunday, 2 days after our wedding day, so to send them off with full bellies and say our final thank yous & goodbyes, we held the event early Sunday morning.  Some guests did leave prior to the breakfast (some were worried about getting through customs because of the busy holiday weekend), but we still enjoyed the last time we'd see the rest of our friends and family in Aruba! 

     The gallery was setup with 4 tables of 10 and a buffet style breakfast filled with fresh fruit, yogurts, cereals, pastries, breakfast burritos, scrambled eggs, ham, sausage, country potatoes, and even an omelette station!

     Omelettes made to order are always a must have at any breakfast event!  Well its the line I always hit up first and our guests had the same idea.  Because the line was getting long, they brought out another burner to get the line moving!  I love how The Westin always worked out every problem with a great solution (and quickly, I might add)!  

     I must say that the Breakfast event was bittersweet!  I got a tear or two saying bye to everyone!  Our trip to Aruba was unbelievably the best vacation I've ever had!  Nothing beats sharing those special moments with all your loved ones!  Our decision to have a destination wedding was probably the best decision the hubby & I made together and we would do it 10x over again if it means sharing it with our friends and family in paradise AGAIN!! 

     Because we are so grateful for our friends and family that came to celebrate in our joy, we wanted to treat them to a little piece of Aruba.  And what better way to do that than take them on a sailing and snorkeling trip!  We left this part as a surprise and announced it to everyone during our welcome dinner at The Aqua Grill. 
     The look on the faces of all our loved ones was priceless, and for that reaction alone, it was worth the money!  Besides, we knew everyone would have a blast (and we were right)!  All our guests were so excited and couldn't wait!
    

      We chose to private charter a boat through Mi Dushi, because of the great reviews and also because of the pier's location (which was right next to the Westin).  We chose the Sundown Safari package, which included up to 40 guests (with a max of 60-just pay individual prices exceeding the 40 guests), open bar, snacks, 2 snorkeling locations, and 3 hours of sailing!

     The crew was great!  They were so friendly and really showed us a fun time!  There were 3 crew members along for the ride, the captain, snorkeling expert Victor, & the bartender (I'm bad with names-sorry!). 
    

     Victor demonstrates the dos & don'ts of snokeling!  He made everyone laugh with his comedic personality!

Everyone from every age range came along for the fun, but the older ones had a harder time enjoying it just as much as the younger ones.  Lets just say I wish I added Dramamine (or barf bags) to our Welcome Bags! 

     While the husband pretended to man the boat it was  time for me to get in the water!  The first snorkeling location we stopped at, the water was a little choppy and murky, so needless to say, wasn't that great for seeing life under water.  But the second stop, was AMAZING!! (I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the shipwreck area).  There was so much underwater life:  gorgeous fish, unbelievable shipwreck, and even sea turtles!  Another friend even saw an eel (scary, but cool at the same time)!!  Snorkeling this shipwreck area was probably the most memorable part of my vacation to Aruba (besides the wedding itself)! 

     After snorkeling was done, we all enjoyed the rest of the sailing trip and watched the beautiful Aruba sunset! 

And once the boat was anchored near shore, some of the guests left on the water taxi (the older ones who got motion sickness), while the young ones stayed in anticipation to use the rope swing!

     After the whole excursion came to an end, we all walked back to the Westin from the De Palm Pier and took the opportunity to take some amazing shots with the sunset!  Here's all my girls & I taking that big leap for the cameras!  So beautiful!

     The whole day was amazing!  I'm glad the hubby & I chose to do this sailing & snorkeling excursion for everyone!  It's the least we could do for them since they came to Aruba for our wedding!  It was such a wonderful time and will forever be lasting memories.

     Jeff & I had a surprise in store for our guests, no one, not even our parents knew our secret!  For our first dance, Jeff and I did a choreographed foxtrot to Harry Connick Jr.'s "It Had to be You"!      
     We had secretly taken lessons at Rigsby Jig Dance Studio.  We took a total of five lessons, which started 2 months prior to our wedding day.  It was our little date night and it's something that we'll remember we did together, so not only was it pure entertainment for our guests but it was quality QT for the fiance and I!  And not to mention an unforgettable first dance as husband and wife! 

     Because the Sirrocco Lounge had a max of 50, we needed to get the most from our dance floor.  We couldn't have pulled this off without Patrick's help.  Ok I lied there was another person who knew, Patrick knew about our dance only cause he was trying to help us out.  We wanted as much dance floor space that the area could allow, not only for our first dance, but because I knew we had a group full of dancers!  So with Patrick's help, he tweaked the floor plan and our dance was executed perfectly!

     I can say now that the one regret I do have is not having a videographer, purely for this reason!  The darling husband and I opted not to have one thinking that we would never watch the video, but I wish I could see how we did during our first dance.  From what our guests have told us, it was great, but I guess we'll never know! 
     My father in law did get a partial video of it, but then scanned the room for people's reactions (all good by the way), but we didn't get a complete video.  Hopefully our photographers got great shots of our dance number!

     I remember my mom shouting, "That's my daughter!"  She was so proud of us, she'd like to believe that I got this talent from her!  Thanks mom for passing down the genes.

     We are so glad that we planned our first dance!  It'll be something we'll both never forget!  All the memories from our wedding night come rushing to my mind when I hear "It Had to be You!"  And sometimes I still try to get the husband to do it with me in our living room!  Truly unforgettable moments!

     Do you and your hubby-to-be plan on doing a choreographed dance or a traditional slow dance?

     Once cocktail hour came to an end, all our guests were escorted to our reception at the Westin's Sirocco Lounge, an outdoor reception area full of beautifully decorated tables and two lounge seating areas.  The maximum for this reception is about 50, which we reached to its full capacity (and then some).

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     Let's get this party started so on with the introductions already!  Here the hubby and I patiently wait for the DJ to introduce our wedding party and then introduce, MR. & MRS. MADRIDEJOS!!

     Let's just say that every time that Justin Bieber song, "Baby baby" comes on, all our guests will be reminded of our wedding!  It was our wedding entourage's intro song, look at them getting down!  They certainly helped get the party started for sure!

     Next up, the newlyweds!!  If you read some of my posts, Jeff & I partied in DC the first night we met, so we always joked and said that Flo Rida's song, "Low" is our song!  So of course it would only be right, if that's what song was playing while introduced as the Mr. & Mrs.

     After the fun intros, it was time to get our eat on!  For those couples getting married at the Westin, we totally recommend the plated dinner #1, our guests are still talking about it!  The entrees were Grilled Iron Steak & Chilean Sea Bass!  The bass was to die for and the steak was cooked to perfection.  But before the entrees were served,  a tomato mozzarella salad was presented for starters. 

     Here's a picture of the Flat Iron Steak courtesy of a guest, but unfortunately I don't have a picture of the Sea Bass (it was eaten up before the picture was thought of)!

     Desserts are always the best part of the dinner, right?  Our dinner selection included chocolate macadamia pie, but unfortunately I didn't get to indulge in it, I was too busy having fun!  It's true when they say that brides will hardly eat on their wedding day, there's to much going on (but in a good way)!

     After dinner was through, the FUN really began with lots of dancing, drinking, and partying with a little paparazzi moments mixed in!  Our DJs did a really great job (Cool Pro DJs), they kept the music flowing and our guests on their feet! 

Even our server, Judith, had a great time at our wedding!  I have to give Judith a shout out, she was the sweetest person ever and I'm so glad we had the privilege of having her at two of our events, the wedding reception and our farewell brunch.

     Even after they played the last song, our guests kept chanting "ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG..." and the DJs granted our wish and guess what the song was!?  "Baby, baby, baby, oohhh, like baby baby baby...!"  Can you see why I totally have Beiber Fever now!?  Haha!
     Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention, it was so much fun that we had wedding crashers during the last song!  No worries though, it just made me think that our wedding was a party not to be missed!

     I also have to give Patrick, our wedding coordinator a huge THANK YOU for pulling it off even with a power outage!  He stayed with us until the end of the night and he went above and beyond his call of duty, to even go to the store and get citronella candles and mosquito repellent (the mosquitos were out that night, but it was the only night we noticed them, not sure if it was due to having no power), but that couldn't even ruin our night of fun!  Our big day will forever be embedded as one of my best days ever, after all it was in gorgeous Aruba surrounded by loving family and friends, and of course my LOVE! 
     What do you remember most about your big day?  What kind of challenges did you come across during your big day?

     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!