Large Wedding Party

[cathyoo]

My daughter is getting married on the Carnival Pride March of 2010. I am getting nervous about the size of her wedding and her wedding party. Hopefully, you wonderful past brides can help me out.

 

She is having 6 bridesmaids, six ushers and flower girl and ring bearer. They are wearing traditional bridal wear (Long dresses and Tuxes). I know they generally have a room ready for the bride but what about all the attendants? Tuxes. if they rent from Carnival how will they get fitted?

 

She's thinking of having her bridesmaids hold something other than flowers. Any ideas?

 

She is probably going to have 30 sailing guests and 50 non sailing. Any suggestions on how to make this flow smoothly.

 

My daughter has NEVER cruised and is basing her desire to do so on having a unique wedding and my love of cruising.

 

thanks for any help you can give me

[maddam_5maria]

She is having 6 bridesmaids, six ushers and flower girl and ring bearer. They are wearing traditional bridal wear (Long dresses and Tuxes). I know they generally have a room ready for the bride but what about all the attendants? Tuxes. if they rent from Carnival how will they get fitted?[/i] Carnival asks everyone but the bride and groom are to be dressed for the wedding before they board the ship since only the bride & groom's cabin is the only cabin that is guaranteed the be ready. With such a large bridal party I think it is the best way to go. All those ladies won't want to be crammed into one cabin getting ready and those men aren't going to want to get dressed in a ship's bathroom. As far as the tuxes...they will all need to go to a tailor and get their exact measurements to be sent into Carnival.

 

She's thinking of having her bridesmaids hold something other than flowers. Any ideas? Does she have a theme?

 

She is probably going to have 30 sailing guests and 50 non sailing. Any suggestions on how to make this flow smoothly. It will run as smoothly, no worries. I had right under 100 guest and had no problems.

 

My daughter has NEVER cruised and is basing her desire to do so on having a unique wedding and my love of cruising.[/b][/b] It's certainly unique, but she needs to be the "go with the flow" type of person for the most part. There is only so control cruise brides have and it can be stressful.

[attorneybride2010]

One thing I like about having my wedding on a cruise is that things are a lot more relaxed and can be less formal than a traditional wedding. I also have a pretty big bridal party- 7 bridesmaids and 5 groomsmen! I was also told to have the bridal party be dressed and ready to go before boarding the ship and that they can only guarantee that the bride and groom's cabin will be ready.

 

As far as getting a tux from Carnival, I think the guys are supposed to go to a tailors or other tuxedo shop and get fitted. When your daughter signed up for the reception they sent her a giant packet with a ton of different forms. One of those forms is for tux rentals and you just plug in the sizes and colors you want.

 

I wouldnt worry about things not running smoothly, thats why you get a Wedding coordinator (and an extra one if you have over 50 ppl coming), they'll take care of everything for you!

[vateacher]

When I got married on Royal Caribbean, they let us all use our rooms even if they weren't ready (which they were) so I think they would be ok not wearing their dresses until closer to the wedding. Everyone just had their hair and makeup completely done.

 

As far as tuxes, the guys can get fitted at Men's Warehouse for free then just submit the information to the tux place on the boat. We gave the tuxes to the guys as the groomsmen gift. It worked out well since 2 of them were not sailing.

 

The girls could always use fake flowers. If someone is crafty you could make the bouquets.

 

I never cruised either but the wedding coordinators help make things go smoothly.

 

Best of luck!

__________________

[kwilliams137]

She is having 6 bridesmaids, six ushers and flower girl and ring bearer. They are wearing traditional bridal wear (Long dresses and Tuxes). I know they generally have a room ready for the bride but what about all the attendants? Tuxes. if they rent from Carnival how will they get fitted?

 

I had 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen and we were fine. Also you can contact your Carnival Wedding Planner and ask them for another cabin to be ready for the groomsmen. Thats what I did and they had it ready! As far as the Tuxes go you should check with Men's Wearhouse for their price (usually with a party size like that you could get a tux for free).

 

She's thinking of having her bridesmaids hold something other than flowers. Any ideas?

 

Silk Flowers is what I did

 

She is probably going to have 30 sailing guests and 50 non sailing. Any suggestions on how to make this flow smoothly.

 

Carnival will place you in a room based on the total amount of guests you will have... Everything will go smoothly as long as everyone shows up on time!

 

My daughter has NEVER cruised and is basing her desire to do so on having a unique wedding and my love of cruising.

 

She will love it!

[jerseygirl79]

She's thinking of having her bridesmaids hold something other than flowers. Any ideas?

 

I checked online and here are some ideas. Hope they help!

 

-a single flower (real or silk)

-a candle (maybe flamless)

-a parasils (small umbrella)

-fan (asian style)

-pomander (flower ball)

-wrist corsage

-lace hankie

-beaded or sequined purse to match dresses

-rosary beads (if catholic)

-bell

-prayer book/bible

[maddam_5maria]

 

I had 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen and we were fine. Also you can contact your Carnival Wedding Planner and ask them for another cabin to be ready for the groomsmen. Thats what I did and they had it ready! As far as the Tuxes go you should check with Men's Wearhouse for their price (usually with a party size like that you could get a tux for free).

 

 

Using Men's Warehouse you can't rent & return like you would on a land-based wedding. Unless the guys rush, undress and pass them over to a non-sailing guest to take them back off the ship. If tuxes aren't being bought, renting from the ship is definitely the way to go.

 

Defiantly do ask for a second cabin to be ready as mentioned above. My groom's cabin, along with most others, was ready. It never hurts to ask, and most of the time they can accommodate you...it's just not guaranteed. I have read a post on here once before where a second room wasn't ready and the groomsmen ended up getting dressed in a bathroom. If it were me, I would certainly have as many ppl dressed and ready to go before hand. I had a small wedding party and everyone was dressed except my maid of honor, my groom and myself.

[txtwinmom]

How about them carrying large brandy sniffers filled with sand, shells, etc for a beach theme. My cousin used them filled with floating candles, but I don't think the ship will allow the flames.

 

Decorated fans could work, too.

 

A friend of mine had her bridesmaid carry wreaths made from grapevines decorated with silk flowers. They had 2 little "legs" on the bottom which made them stand up later and she used them on the tables as decorations.

 

My bridesmaids carried baskets filled with silk flowers.

[jerseygirl79]

Using Men's Warehouse you can't rent & return like you would on a land-based wedding. Unless the guys rush, undress and pass them over to a non-sailing guest to take them back off the ship. If tuxes aren't being bought, renting from the ship is definitely the way to go.

 

True. My husband had two groomsmen, neither sailing. One was returning home after the wedding, the other was driving to Atlantic City. The one not going straight home changed out of his tux in my mom's cabin toward the end of the reception and gave it to the other to return.

 

We purchased my husband's tux online. It matched the rented ones perfectly.

 

My 6 y/o brother was the ring bearer and sailing. I rented a suit for him from MW and paid twice the rental so he could keep it for the 2 elegant nights.

[cathyoo]

thanks for the information. Lots of wonderful ideas. Thank you

[merocket59]

They could also hold large white finger starfish with a matching ribbon tied around them.. I'm having my ringer bearer do that but it could def be made to look more feminine based on the ribbon choice.

[maddam_5maria]

They could also hold large white finger starfish with a matching ribbon tied around them.. I'm having my ringer bearer do that but it could def be made to look more feminine based on the ribbon choice.

 

This is such a great idea for the ring bearer! I searched and searched for a dang seashell type of pillow. I eventually stumbled across a clamshell pillow for almost $50. Grant you, it is very elegant looking..(silk, crystals, pearls, lace, etc)..but I would have certainly saved money going your route. Kicking myself right now cause it never crossed my mind. I even glued starfish & shells all over the sand pail my flower girl carried...never once thinking this and it would have matched her pail soooooo much better!

[merocket59]

Aww sorry I didn't mention is sooner, I stole the idea from someone else. I made a matching pail too but sadly I have no flower girl, but I'm not letting that stop me, I'm going to put either my favors or program fans in it.

[RiverDiva]

I'm also having a large wedding party. 8 BM and 8 GM! I'm making all the bouquets myself. Still working out the suit situation now. I have 60 non-sailing and 55 sailing. I think it will all work out fine. I'm just trying to not stress over the small stuff. Oct. 1 will come and go and we'll be left with one heck of a memory....I'm sure of it!

[maddam_5maria]

Aww sorry I didn't mention is sooner, I stole the idea from someone else. I made a matching pail too but sadly I have no flower girl, but I'm not letting that stop me, I'm going to put either my favors or program fans in it.

 

Programs would for sure be cute in it!

[lowash67]

If you rent your TUX from Mens Warehouse,you can return them to the location in Miami if you are getting married there.You can return them to any location that has a Mens Warehouse and they will accept them. You can let them know that you are getting married on a cruise and they will let you keep the TUX for a weekend you have to let them know. If you don't mention it they will not let you keep it pass the due date.

[cathyoo]

If you rent your TUX from Mens Warehouse,you can return them to the location in Miami if you are getting married there.You can return them to any location that has a Mens Warehouse and they will accept them. You can let them know that you are getting married on a cruise and they will let you keep the TUX for a weekend you have to let them know. If you don't mention it they will not let you keep it pass the due date.

 

We will be sailing from Baltimore (I'm sure there is a Mens Warehouse) or could even bring them Philadelphia. However our cruise is 7 days. Will they let us keep them that long?

[wendy_bird]

Using Men's Warehouse you can't rent & return like you would on a land-based wedding. Unless the guys rush, undress and pass them over to a non-sailing guest to take them back off the ship. If tuxes aren't being bought, renting from the ship is definitely the way to go.

 

 

We are renting our tuxes from Men's Warehouse. I explained the situation to them. They just set it up so the tuxes are due back the day we return. We wanted them for the formal night on the cruise. I am going to collect the tuxes and take them home right after the cruise (it is on the way home and we are going on a 5 day cruise) we are picking them up on Sunday getting married on Monday and returning to port Friday and returning them on Friday (then going to Disneyland for US time!)

 

I am also having a second room ready. My room and my mother in law's rooms will be ready. the flower girl's and I will be getting ready in my room and my fiance and the ring bearers (and possibly the grandparents) will be in the other room. For that many you might want to even ask for a third room one for the bride, one for the boys, and one for the bridesmaids. The worst they can do is say no. :)

[TNGALOHA]

We are having 3 BM and 1 jr. BM with 3 GM and 4 jr. GM with a flower girl and a ring bearer. We bought the GM Guayabera shirts with black dress pants and the jr. Gm I made their guayabera shirts and bought them black dress pants. I also made the ringbearers shirt and we bought the flowergirls dress.

Planning our vow renewal has been so much fun because you get so many ideas from these boards. 3 years ago when we started this process I would have never thought of all the things we are doing without all of you guys helping me and giving me the ideas. So here is a big KUDOS out to all the brides out there past and present on these boards that have help me. THANKS so much.

Gerry

[wendy_bird]

I forgot to answer the last question. I was going to have the girls hold Lanterns filled with flowers. I am now not having people.

[maddam_5maria]

We are renting our tuxes from Men's Warehouse. I explained the situation to them. They just set it up so the tuxes are due back the day we return. We wanted them for the formal night on the cruise. I am going to collect the tuxes and take them home right after the cruise (it is on the way home and we are going on a 5 day cruise) we are picking them up on Sunday getting married on Monday and returning to port Friday and returning them on Friday (then going to Disneyland for US time!)

 

This is good to know that some locations are willing to help their customers. Ours however, wasn't much help and wanted to charge extra. Therefore, us purchasing the suits just made more sense.