Travel Agent Update

After exchanging many e-mails today that really got me nowhere at all, I finally was able to decipher what it was exactly that I was getting.

Her first e-mail, the one that sparked my whole previous rant went like this:

Hi Amber,

Your travel documents are ready for your pick up. We are open until 6pm on Monday and Thursday. Five pm on tuesday, wed and friday.

Obviously from that I gathered that my travel documents ( which I was told that I already have) would be ready....duh, right?

So I then asked her if she could mail whatever it was to me so that I didn't need to go in, and to clarify what exactly it was that I was picking up.

Her only response was that she would mail them. Didn't bother to answer the other question.

When I again sent the question via-e-mail she finally sent this to me:

Amber,

You received a nice leather bound travel document holder for your honeymoon from NW World vacations. I can put it in the mail if you want.

Now would you kindly explain how I was supposed to gather from that first e-mail there were no actual documents there for me, but a leather travel case? Seriously, I am the only one who managed to miss it, or is it really that she's just that crazy?

The Terrible Travel Agent Strikes Again!

Seems that the closer to the wedding we get the faster little things are going wrong. Like the DJ not responding to me yet, and now my stupid travel agent!

You might remember me venting here or on Wedding Bee (if you visit there) about the agent from hell who was so terrible at her job that I wanted to scream! Friendly, upfront and informative is what I got until I announced that we were booking our trip and then once the commission bells went off in her head, it was bye bye customer service.

To recap - the first thinng she did was totally mangle the terms of our travel insurance, so much so that we thought we were covered to get back 100% should anything come up that we needed to cancel. Yeah that was totally wrong! 50% back IF we are ON the honeymoon and have to go home. Yeah, it's her job to know this...and this is what I get.

So anyway, I called them a few months back asking for a receipt that showed everything was paid. They said they don't send them, the ones they send look like invoices and then the "just know" it's paid off. Unhappy with that, as any normal person would be I asked if they could just make one up for me and they said sure. Did I ever get it - no.

Then I asked them where our tickets were and how I would go about getting them. I was informed that all I needed was the info they mailed me, to present it at the airport and my tickets would be there. I don't travel much anymore, and when I did I was young so my dad took care of it all. Not to mention that I never have used a travel agent in my life! Needless to say this made sense to me and I planned to do what she said even though my paper work looked like nothing more then an itinerary to me.

Just now, in my e-mail I get a letter from her saying that my travel documents were ready to be picked up. WTF!?

Okay, I'm busy so I asked if whatever this is if it could be mailed to me. I'm sure I can take a few minutes to run there but I think that if I see her in person I might scream at her and cause a scene.

I can not for the life of me figure this lady out. Ugh! How does she even keep her job with all the mess ups. I mean getting an e-mail that I needed to pick something up is better then her totally forgetting, but how hard is it to answer simple, normal every day questions related to your job?

ARGH!

Where's The Music....

I'm waiting to hear from my DJ. Yes, I know that my wedding is in 13 days, hence why I'm a bit worried.

I talked to them a month ago and was assured that they just tend not to assign a specific DJ until a month before the wedding, and that they would go anywhere and meet me at a any hour to take care of things. This eased me a bit but I was expecting to hear from them sooner then this.

I like to be on top of things, and this last minute issue is going to drive me insane until they call. I did e-mail them on Thursday with no response yet. I'm giving them until next Wednesday and then I will start looking for a back up. I've paid the $225 deposit with another $400 going to them if they hurry the heck up.

I'm really worried that I'm not going to find a back up if something should happen. Now, I should add that while I'm not ready to list the DJ's name because I have no ill fee lings towards them as of yet - they do not have anything on their BBB that is negative. So, as far as that I shouldn't worry too much about it - but that's what I do and I am good at it!!!

I'll keep you updated on things....fingers crossed people!

The past few days...

This is the first blog written from my new laptop! KNowing that we wanted tot ake one on the honeymoon,but not wating to take Mr S. very expensive Alienwear laptop - we popped into best buy yo pick up a more portable and cheaper lap top. Though I did really want a pink one, it just wasn't in the cards - and I ended up with black,. I do intend to put one of those sticker things on the front of it to change the color at some point ;-)

So reat assured you will be getting updates and photos from the honeymoon! Even though Mr S is trying to make me promise not to do it at all, I informed him that me readers deserve updates ;-)

I also, yesterday attended a wedding for our good friends Mr and Mrs F, if you recaall I made table name cards for her a few months back. Her wedding was amazing and left me overly anxious to have my own day. Until seeing hers, my days was still a bit of a dream . Even with all the planning, talk and money spent it was yet "real".

I soi enjoyed sharing my wedding month with her. I read a lot on Wedding Bee how some people have a hard time sharing it thinking that it's "stealing thunder" and what not, and I just don't get how that is!!! Mrs F was one of my greatest support systems throughout and still is even though her day is now past. I loved sharing it with someone else, and more over I'm happy she went first because now I know that I too can make it with out freaking out and needing to breath into a paper bag most of the day :-)

I will upload pictures from her day soon. As I'm on the laptop and with out my trust Photoshop (sigh) I haven't a clue how to make my digital images smaller for use on the blog page.

Today I am off again, no wedding stuff in sight for me. I am going to hang out with other friends from Denmark and the in laws for what will be I'm sure a very interesting BBQ!

Later ladies!

"The Good Wifes Guide"

My step mom sent me the check for what she and my dad are contributing to the wedding today. When I opened the envelope, tucked inside was a photo copy of a clipping from "Housekeeping Monthly" dated May, 13 1955.

It totally cracked me up to see how things have changed, can you imagine if this was coming out in a magazine in this day and age! Holy uproar! Haha! Check it out...

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.
• Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
• Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
• Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the tables.
• During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
• Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.
• Be happy to see him.
• Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
• Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
• Don't greet him with complaints and problems.
• Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through at work.
• Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
• Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
• Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
• A good wife always knows her place.

Candle Depot, How Can I Help You?

Holy crap! I knew I had a bazillion candles on my pool table waiting to be used for centerpieces, but OMG I didn't really know there was this many!
Never mind the mess of toys behind me! I'm a stay at home mom, 2.5 weeks before her wedding! The house is a mess, deal! LOL.

Mr S and I took advantage of Paige going out with her father for dinner last night, to sort out the centerpieces and box them up. My biggest fear is I won't be able to get into the reception hall the night before the wedding to set up, and I will have to leave it to other people. If that should happen, I want the set up to be as easy to understand as possible! So we boxed up each tables items in separate boxes. Each one will also have a photo of the "general idea" of the centerpiece layout, and all the place cards, table name and holder.

As you see in the photo - it's not like I'm drowning in candles, but we didn't shouw you the head tables set up. 7 of those tall glasses and 36 votives, not to mention the flower vases for our bouquets well be there as well.

When all is said and done, it will be just a little over 300 candles to fill the room with candle light! I can't wait it's going to be GREAT!

This is the "general idea" for the candles. Randomly laid out, there will be crystals scattered amongst it as well to add some "bling". Bear in mind that my reception tables will not be toddler sized ;-) I was working with what I had around me at the time.

About 14 candles per table, should keep things lit up nicely for the evening! And for those of you wondering, since my pillars and medium holders are in fact NOT really candle holders, but glasses from Ikea - I did a burn test last night and they were FINE!

I CAN NOT WAIT!

We booked our Sea Life Discovery Adventure today and I am so so so excited! It was a bit spendy but for how much I have always wanted to swim with dolphins and how much Mr. S loves animals, it is totally worth it!

We'll be visiting Dolphin Discovery at their Puerto Aventuras location. We're doing the Sea Life Discovery Plus which will give us a swim with dolphins, sea lions and manatees! How friggin' cool is that!

Paige is having a temper tantrum right now because she wants to come with us. I'm talking full on the floor screaming and crying! It's quite a lovely noise....ugh! Poor sweetie!