Invitations: Baby Shower #2

I mentioned that I was planning two showers this fall... and I already blogged about the first one (Click here to see the beautiful invitations) and as you know, I absolutely adore the site where I got the customized invitations from. Storkie.com is the perfect place for fun invitations for any occasion! Of Course Storkie includes all types of invitations and paper goods including cute bridal shower invitations and wedding invitations as well as the perfect  Baby Shower Invitation.

So the second shower was for one of my dearest, closest and oldest friends from back home.  And there were many many choices to choose from but at the time we ordered the invitations she lived in Seattle, so we figured the perfect baby shower would be the Hip Baby Shower invitation

But since we knew she was having a girl, this is how we customized it... (and btw, i just love how it comes packaged in the beautiful eco-friendly box... so pretty!

and of course we had to bling them out... 

Aren't they adorable? Have you gone to storkie.com yet? I love just playing with their customizable invitations and changing all the little features. I definitely want to use them for my own baby shower (**Cross fingers**) when the time comes!

Westin St. Maarten Giveaway Winner

In a world where every penny counts, I'm so excited to be able to be part of a way to help a couple save a dime (or several thousand dimes) with the Westin Resort & Spa, St. Maarten Stay Giveaway. And I said from the very beginning that I hope the winner is a blog or twitter friend whom I "know" ... and I'm so excited she is because now I know she'll share all the fabulous details after the big trip!

Without Further Ado ... the winner is

Heather Walrath, the Bi-Coastal Bride... you are the winner. Your winning entry was one of MANY entries you placed (one of the top #'s of entries put in) into the giveaway (not including your husband's entries as well). Your diligence paid off and the entry placed on

 

was the randomly selected BIG WIN!

I can't wait to hear all about your trip, and hope you will post all about it for the Relentless Bride Blog and Weddzilla Blog. 

If you haven't already signed up for Weddzilla.com, make sure you do now - more fun giveaways and big contests on the way and its a great way to simplify your wedding planning!

It's a Bargain BASH. YO!

Have you heard? Our wonderful friend Dana at The Broke Ass Bride has launched The Broke-Ass Bride's Bargain Bash.

What's The Broke-Ass Bride's Bargain Bash? It's the first marriage between a wedding blog and group buying, allowing the site to feature exclusive savings (up to 90% off) on favorite products to savings-loving brides (and beyond), nationwide. Plus... a lot of the products are fun whether you're a bride or not :)

The first bargain features Fit In Clouds shoes - foldable flats you can carry in your purse for when your feet can't hang with your heels anymore. Genius, right?

Want to learn more? check out the press release below and make sure to head on over and visit The Broke-Ass Bride's Bargain Bash now!

Jamaica: Weddings, Honeymoons & Celebrations Oh My...

It's one of those rare opportunities that I get where I'm soaking alone in my tub, with nothing but the sound of... well, just the water filling the tub and the ocean. The sound of the ocean is the gentle reminder that I'm not just relaxing but I'm relaxing in JAMAICA! With all the assumptions I had prior to arriving in Jamaica, it's nothing but truth behind the Jamaica ads of "Once you go, you know!" Truly, I can't tell you what a lovely island it is or how friendly the people were with just words ... you really have to just GO!

Jamaica is an island escape, rich with culture and history, food and entertainment. There is something for everyone. Whether its an intimate wedding at the small but delightful Coyaba Resort or a honeymoon to the Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall or a family trip staying at a Villa at the Half Moon Resorts, just in Montego Bay, the options for weddings, romantic getaways or family vacations are numerous. All these choices and that's without even venturing into other hot spots like Negril, Ocho Rios or Kingston.

For the naturist, Jamaica offers a natural environment for hikes, river rafting, zip lining, snorkeling and gardens galore. You really can't see it all in just one short trip. For the romantic getaway, sunsets on private beaches or gorgeous beach side restaurants will help to set the mood. Of course for the person who just needs a getaway to getaway, Jamaica is the place that will cater to making you feel welcome, at peace and very relaxed. With everything at your whim, you can create your magical paradise of a vacation, honeymoon AND wedding.

In Jamaica, your weddings can be catered to your style. While destination weddings are great, many places offer a limited selection of what the bride and groom can choose from. Of course, this can help make planning easy, Jamaica offers tons of choices with the similar ease of simple planning with the expertise of each resorts staff. They are not amateurs to creating the wedding that fits each individual couple's needs and that's what makes Jamaica an excellent place for destination wedding fun.

But of course, for me... the newlywed, I can only envision romantic getaways while staring at the gorgeous sunset thinking of my husband. I keep saying to myself "next time you are in Jamaica, this is where you have to take him." It'll be a romantic trip planned by me for a change and I have no doubt he'll be just as taken with this gorgeous island. And in the not so distant future, I can envision a family trip, complete with our own butler and cook on site? (Half Moon Villas!) A relaxing and family fun vacation with no worries...

And as they say (and drink) in Jamaica, "No Problems"... a perfect getaway for any person, couple or family to have the perfect getaway ... to get away!


**read more about my Jamaica Press Trip**

A little moment to relax

I didn't have a lot of time to relax, but since I had to scoot on out early from the trip for prior engagements on Sunday ... I did have saturday morning all to myself at the Ritz... So this is what I did...

I had me some breakfast... YUM!

and then i scooted on down to the beach

New friends Mon...

I made a couple new friends on my Jamaica Press Trip, and one of them (Ashley Small from Jones Magazine) recently sent me a link to her Jamaica Article.  Ashley had used a few of my photos but I just wanted to share it with my readers not only b/c they are my photos, but b/c I adore Ashley and think the publication she works for - Jones Magazine - may appeal to some of you if you don't read it already...

So go check it out!

**read more about my Jamaica Press Trip**

A Local Favorite: Scotchies

Now you can't visit Jamaica and not have a local favorite : Scotchies! Now if you want delicious jerked meats, you gotta visit this place. It's affordable, delicious and definitely memorable.

Coyaba Resort {Part II}

As we all know, a small scale wedding doesn't mean it is less extravagant, less romantic or by any means less period... And Coyaba Resort seems to have perfected exactly THAT type of wedding. Ranging from ethnic, religious and a variety of cultural weddings, Coyaba Resort in Montego Bay can tell you exactly the types of weddings they have here...

Coyaba Resort {Part I}

Looking for something a little more intimate? Maybe a smaller resort? The perfect place in Montego Bay is Coyaba Resort (with its sister Resort in Negril, Country Jamaica Resort) ... This adorable resort boasts 50 rooms, three restaurants and bars and impeccable service.

Take a look at the resort...

Romantic River Rafting Martha Brae

To make any visit to Jamaica complete, one has to explore the beautiful nature Jamaica has to offer. When I first heard of river rafting, I was a little scared... I won't lie... But when they say "romantic" river rafting at Martha Brae, they aren't joking... Think Italian Gondola... but in Jamaica... I took some Video Clips to help you get the idea...

and of course I love the way the Jamaicans are so friendly... just whoopin' and hollerin' at each other to say hello!

Half Moon, Rose Hall Resort {Part II}

To get an idea of how man different options you have for wedding venues at Half Moon Rose Hall, I've attached just a few pictures.

Lily Pond Gazebo

Proud Recipient of the Weddzilla Guru Awards 2010

The Relentless Bride Blog was named one of the top 25 wedding blogs!!!


Now, I'm sure you are thinking, but WAIT, don't you work with the great site Weddzilla.com? To be honest, my first reaction was to email our lovely Sara Morgan and say "Am I allowed to win this?" and she emailed me back "You did win fair and square, we double checked all our numbers!" ... And actually, that makes this award mean that much more to me because I didn't even think I could be voted in :) So thanks to all y'all who voted - and thanks Weddzilla.com for putting me on a list with amazing fabulous bloggers!

Check out the Press Release below and a list of all the other fabulous blogs listed on the 2010 Guru Awards !!!

Half Moon, Rose Hall Resort {Part I}

Jamaica is an abundance of anything any visitor could want. And since we all don't idealize the same vacation, honeymoon, or wedding - the JTB had us also visit an amazing resort: Half Moon, Rose Hall. Half Moon boasts a resort with some of its original buildings from 1954 that accommodates 33 4-7 bedroom Royal Villas (each comes with its own Butler & Cook), 164 Suites and 34 rooms spread over 400 acres of beautiful Jamaica land. Now you are probably thinking, all that space? What else is there?

Half Moon also has a golf course, 13 tennis courts, 3 resort pools, over 50 PRIVATE pools, equestrian center, squash facilities, private dolphin lagoon, Spa with its own Elder, and on site shopping... All this on one resort.

The gorgeous entrance to the resort

Blue Mountain Coffee Body Scrub

Can life be any better than vacationing in Jamaica? ... Well, I'm glad you ask because I have to admit (none to shyly either) that nothing beats a Vacation in Jamaica like a Spa treatment at the Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall, Montego Bay while IN Jamaica. :)

Call me spoiled rotten, That weekend in Jamaica, I'll admit it... I was. And to top things off, I experienced for my first time a Body Scrub, but this one was exclusive to the Ritz in Jamaica. Blue Mountain Coffee is known world-wide as a great coffee... well imagine that fragrance while its being scrubbed into your body to exfoliate you... Yup, A Blue Mountain Coffee Scrub was amazing...

Starts with scrubbing the coffee grinds and sugar all over your body, then you soak in a pre-heated tub ready with ice cold hand cloth to keep you from overheating and Ice water... and then after you are all clean, you are swedishly massaged with honeydew lotion into heaven...

**read more about my Jamaica Press Trip**

images sourced from Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall (if not my own photos)

Ritz-Carlton, A Wedding Venue {Part II}

Over dinner, we got to discuss life in Jamaica, things to do but of course we snuck in a few questions about the Ritz-Carlton, Rose-Hall as a wedding venue. With a combination of 8 distinct spots to have a ceremony, cocktail hour and/or reception...that is quite a selection of unique ways to have your wedding (I can't calculate, but you do the math). The Ritz-Carlton, Rose-Hall as a wedding venue can accommodate up to 500 guests in a variety of locations and can accommodate any type of cultural weddings as well. From Jewish celebrations to Indian weekend wedding celebrations, you name it, it can be done here. And while the Ritz may have more than one wedding in any given day, there is never overlap for time or space so that each bride is given FULL attention to maximize their beautiful wedding celebration. Special incentives are made as well to ensure that the wedding guests can all make it for this special trip and of course while the wedding ceremony and reception are the highlight, the Ritz-Carlton hotel makes every day at the resort fun for each and every guest.

Spa Services for the ladies the day of or a round of golf the day before? All guests will have such a great time, that the wedding celebration is the icing on the already frosted cake.

So, I have to share some of the various areas with you that we toured on the Ritz-Carlton, Rose-Hall Resort.

View of the Grand Terrace looking in

The perfect spot for an outdoor/ballroom feel

Ritz-Carlton, Wedding Venue {Part 1}

So since I am all about weddings, I have to share the Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall Montego Bay as a Destination Wedding or for locals, a Wedding Venue. I warn you that this will be a bit picture heavy post, because this one resort has so many different options to completely customize your event, that it truly is going to be difficult to cover everything in one post.

And lucky for me, I was able to actually do more than just photograph spots on the resort for weddings, I was able to experience first hand what a wedding reception and dinner on the beach would be like