Joey and Lana Done Tied the Knot

No longer under construction...

2010-01-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

...the blog we mean!

We are up and running full swing at www.joeyandlana.com!

come. comment. and follow our new obsession - home ownership.

xo
j&l

We Moved.....Again!

2009-12-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

Kinda.

joeyandlana.com :)

it's under construction.

Turning a house into a home...

2009-12-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

Below are a handful of photos of our house, before it was our house. I keep going over and over how they decorated, and how we will, and all those saved photos I have clogging my hard drive of inspiration from other homes. We have 4,200 SF of finished space to work with and another 1,400 of unfinished SF to completely renovate. I thought I was prepared to decorate! I, in fact, am not even close to having it figured out. I thought it might be fun to post "then" and "now" photos as we make progress through the year. This is where we start...

We done moved!

2009-12-01T18:55:00.000-08:00

After a mild hiatus, I am back to the internet once again. The actual closing on the house went much smoother than we anticipated. I credit that due to the fact the owners were not present and had their lawyer fill in for them. Alas, we have a home sweet home.

We celebrated my 30th with a slumber party of games, silent movies and junk food. Perfect way to say good bye to the youthful youth years and hello to the youthful adult years.

Thanksgiving was a fun time with the new fam down in TX!J's parents just bought an amazingly beautiful home we got to check out for the first time. They actually closed the same week as us!

Joey and I are sooooo excited to have space to make stuff now. Here is a little project he did:

That's it for now. More puppy photos to come!!

xo,
L

Micro Pigs and Moving

2009-10-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

We are moving in two days. It surely has not hit me, even though it's all I talk about and think about the last few weeks. Our Brooklyn apartment is all packed up to almost an unlivable state. Do you pack the pots and pans, or not? That's the place we are at. In all the chaos of moving and buying a house for the first time, Joey introduced me to something I may not be able to live with out for very long.

Micro pigs. Have you seen these little guys? They are widely accepted as pets in England. I have a feeling they will be a trend in the states as well. Have a look...

You want one, don't you? They reach about 12 inches tall and are smart, clean, and affectionate! Maybe I can swing this now that we will have a yard.

In the meantime J and I have A LOT of house tasks to accomplish and with the holidays and my birthday coming up we will be super super busy. Perhaps in spring we will have a little wiggler, til then, wish us luck with the move!

xo

Countdown almost over!

2009-10-16T17:35:00.001-07:00

We are moving in ONE WEEK from today! I can not believe the amount of chaos and how quickly time decided to act lately.

We also realized a few days ago that I am turning 30 in a few weeks and we MUST celebrate that!

Hopefully in the next few months things will calm down. We are excited to take our time to make this house a home and we will not rush it.

Last night I got to see a friend from grade school for a little bit at a fun party, but for the most part we are staying in and trying to get everything ready for next week while preparing for winter. Also I just fount the camera I brought to London last year (YES LAST YEAR!) Being I lost the cord to upload the photos I will get them transferred to a CD and post them sooner or later.

xo
J&L

The word is, Summer is over...

2009-09-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

.......really? I feel like it's just starting! This summer has been pretty wonky. We kicked it off at the end of May with our wedding in Jamaica, and from that point forward we have been so focused on buying a house, summer slipped through our fingers! We leave in a few weeks for our honeymoon, return, them move into our new house. Have I mentioned we have been on "go" for the past two years?!

Our trip will be hectic and relaxing all at once. We are renting a car in Nice, France then taking a road trip until we hit Rome. I can not even express how excited I am for this amazing trip with Joey! I can't wait to post photos!

xo

We finished the business blog!

2009-09-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

come check it out!

Working on Working.

2009-08-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

A lot of my life, postwedding, has been dedicated to the business Jason and I started.Bricks and Clicks Marketing Group, LLC is a full service marketing group specializing in website conversions and high end unique marketing scenarios. We are getting very very exciting because our website is almost complete and we will be able to offer our services to the public. Have a peek below, and tell your friends!

xo

House. Puppy. Changes.

2009-08-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

With the wedding over and so much going on, I decided to maintain the Joey and Lana blog after all. I am notoriously awful at updates as the day always seems to get away from me, but I cross my heart to try this time.

This little bugger above is the new addition to our family. We named him Porkchop VanderSandwich. He's a hoot. He likes to much on my hair and Joey's beard. He loves to snuggle and hog my pillow at night. For 90% of the day he and Rocket chase each other around the house and play. Porkchop was my wedding gift from Joey and I couldn't have asked for anything more special.

After years of discussion and months of searching, we finally found a house we LOVE. and I MEAN LOVE. We are so excited to move into this beauty in the next few months and call it home. It isn't very far from all we know and love, and the neighborhood is simply brilliant. Jason and I found a secret park when the engineer was inspecting the house and I got to show Joey a few days ago. We played on the swings and got really excited about the move. It's pretty large and is fully renovated, except for the kitchen, which we have big plans for. We also want to make a magical outdoor deck, which is right off the kitchen. We also found out there are beaches close by and amazing little towns. I can't wait to have a housewarming party!

Jason and I are almost done with the Bricks and Clicks website! I am so so excited to launch it. Perhaps a launch party is in order.

cheers

It flew by!

2009-05-28T08:44:00.001-07:00

I can not believe after a year of planning, our wedding is over! Done! Finished! Thank you all so much for coming and sharing this with us! It meant the world to use! Photo information coming soon!

xo
Joey and Lana

We depart in ONE week!!!!

2009-05-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast the time has gone by!!!! We have stitched, glues, taped, packed, mossed, and used every craft we could possibly do to make this wedding happen! We are EXHAUSTED and EXCITED beyond belief. It looked like we will have a full house of guests coming, which we sincerely appreciate!!!! I just wanted to give some quick reminders as the day gets close:

-Light clothing will benefit you most! Even at the wedding!

-Bug spray!!!!! Sundown is the worst time. They suggest long sleeves is the best repellent!

-No need for expensive jewelry.

-Sneakers if you are joining the activity day.

-Bring the info packs I sent you, you never know when you'll need a car or internet cafe!

-Phone are CHEAP there. You can rent one and put $25 bucks on it and be set to call America as much as you want.

-If you don't want to smoke what they are selling, tell them you are religious, they will back off. Trust us, they will keep trying to sell to you until you tell them this.

We have no words about our excitement and anticipation to see each and everyone of you!!!!!!!!!

xo
J&L

In less than three weeks....

2009-05-08T16:07:00.000-07:00

We will be in Jamaica. We realllllly need a vacation. Jessica has sorted out pick up's from the airport, here is the schedule:

May 24th 1:08pm
Eric
Adam
Braeden
Grant
Justin
Grandma Garcia
Grandpa Garcia
Henry Garcia
Marie Garcia
Steven Harden
Lulu Garcia
Gregory Katsaros

May 24th 10:51am
Jason Haaf
Karen Stern
Paul Migliore (10:00)
Joshua Hay
Helena Garcia (10:00)
Charlie (10:00)

May 24th 3:10pm
Samantha Sloane
Grandpa Joe
Rita Villa

I will keep posting anything else helpful I can think of!

xo
L

No Joke - It's Close

2009-04-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

If I wrote it a million times, you still wouldn't believe how busy we have been. I can not believe the wedding is but a couple weeks away. It's absolutely insane how quickly the time goes by. We are still crafting away odds and ends and managing food, entertainment, etc for the wedding. I will admit (as I have many time before) - we will be so bored when this is over. :)

There is a wonderful blog I read, which I tell at least one person a day, creaturecomforts.typepad.com. Ez posts these wonderful quotes, and I couldn't help but share this one.

I hope everyone is well. We are REALLY excited to see you soon.

love + hugs
joey&lana

Long Time - No Post

2009-03-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Life has been very very very very (did i mention very?) hectic! I hope you received your info packets and got in touch with Jessica regarding your food request, etc. Sadly spring has not shown her face around these parts of town and a Jamaica trip will be much needed for many of us :)

Be well and see you SOON!
J&L

PS

2009-02-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

Two more sneak peeks for those who are visually stimulated.

wedding purse

for the polaroid station

xo
L

NYC to JAMAICA?

2009-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

My friend Karen just booked round trip from JFK to MBJ for $89 each way! Total per person came to $255 with tax. There are plenty of seats left. She booked May 24-27th on JetBlue.

Thought I would share the news.

Info packs coming to your home this week for those who RSVP'ed "YES".

Dont forget to comply with our requests wo make your trip nice and easy!

xo + love
j&l

1. 2. 3. Steps to follow for your trip!

2009-02-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

Wedding is getting close! We are mailing out packages - but in order to reduce waste, if you would like to participate digitally, please do so! Be Green!

We need to know the following things about your trip:

1. If you are staying at Tensing Pen and wan to know who may have the same flight as you or if you can ride in the bus with someone else to the resort - please contact Jessica (Jessica2.Ortiz@gmail.com) and tell her your flight information!

2. What 'cha eatin'? Please select one meal, per person, in your group:

Non Vegetarian Entrée

Jamaican jerk chicken served with home made festival

Grilled lobster tail / garlic herb butter (seasonal)

Vegetarian Entrée

Wilted greens finished with hot sesame oil pan seared tofu

Jerk soya with callaloo

All entrees are served with vegetable and a choice of pumpkin whipped potatoes or rice & peas

Please e mail Jessica (Jessica2.Ortiz@gmail.com) with your selection(s).

3. Our activity day - May 26th - will be comprised of zip lining and waterfall splashing. With transportation to and from Tensing Pen it's running a little less than $80/pp. We are tentatively set for 12:00 pick up at Tensing Pen and the activities shall last most of the day light. Please contact Jessica (Jessica2.Ortiz@gmail.com) and let her know if you will be joining us. Night festivities to follow.

We need these replies by March 20th! Thanks so much!

xo
j&l

we won!

2009-02-17T13:10:00.000-08:00

jen curtis is now our photographer

oncewed.com ran the contest.

<3 + xo

J&L

photo love - rocket wants in

2009-02-11T13:24:00.000-08:00

Hi there!

I think I mentioned our friend Karen came over to take some photos of us for our engagement. She did a really great job! Remember how snowy and cold NY is this time of year? Well, we had to do our photos in our low lit apartment. Rocket, our dog, really wanted to be part of this. :) We plan on doing some outdoor ones once it warms up. Here is a peek for now! I adore them

little break!

2009-02-06T20:05:00.001-08:00

j+l

hey there! thanks for letting us know if you would like to have an activity day. based on the response we will be doing it for sure! soon we will be working on the info packets and sending them out to your home shortly.

joey and i are taking a little vacation this weekend and will be back in ny on tuesday.

in other news...

our lovely friend karen took engagement photos of us this weekend! they look super awesome and cute. some are kind of silly, but i guess that's just us. when i get them, i will be sure to post some.

work has been insane for both of us. i may be heading down to austin mid march for sxsw in addition to the chaos. :)

we are working on making: cake topper, tie backs for the chairs, info packets, favors, center pieces, and so much more!

joey's suit should be finishing up soon. he looks awesome in it!

we selected our menu!

we home everyone has a wonderful weekend!

<3 j&l

Bridal Party People

2009-02-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

For the Bride:

Maid of Honor - Best Friend - Julie Navarro

Joshua Thiel - Close Friend - Bridesmaid

Gina Cardino - Cousin - Bridesmaid

Todd Macaluso - Friend - Bridesmaid

For the Groom:

Justin Nava - Friend - Best Man

Richard Sherwood - Friend - Best Man

Adam Baker - Friend - Grooms Man

Gregory Katsaros - Brother of Groom - Grooms Man

Just a little peek of some people you'll be seeing in Jamaica. :)

L

No Photos Just Yet, But....

2009-01-31T15:18:00.001-08:00

We picked out and put down the deposit for our wedding rings!

<3
J&L

updates + more off topic stuff

2009-01-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

hello!

we have been busy busy bees! this weekend we went to a fantastic wedding in the woods. we had an amazing drive of snow covered farms and spotting deer along the way. justin was one of the first people i met in ny, and i am grateful to still have him as a friend and excited he found a beautiful wife!

here we are enjoying the festivities!

Here is what else we have been up to...

joey got some new toys for his studio. he's really happy!

hanging out with our good friends jason and todd.

we made some napkins. yes. napkins.

completed the numbers for the center pieces.

and we have been making a mess, of course.

joey trying on suits for the wedding!

Now for some solid information!

My wonderful cousin Denise has done some great research and found some AMAZING all inclusive deals. For those who can not fit in Tensing Pen, may we officially recommend the following:

Travel Agent (his name is JB): 1800-338-4962 X8557

RIU in Negril, Jamaica: http://www.riu.com/en/negril-jamaica.html

RUI is all inclusive and provides free transportation from the airport to the resort. Speak with the travel agent for full details. Expect to pay $700/per person or less for flight+stay+meals+drinks+transportation (prices, of course, are subject to change)

BE WELL!!!!

xo
J&L

Some Important Stuff - Negril is booking up quickly!

2009-01-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! We have some important information we wanted to share to make your your travels pleasant! - Please read carefully.

Jessica, our wedding coordinator can help you with the following:

- Once your flight is booked, you can contact her, or in due time she will contact you to help with you arrangements from Montego Bay Airport to where you will be residing. We hope to get everyone's flight information to help coordinate people with one another.

- Jessica is not a travel planner. She can help you and recommend options, but all of that information can be found right here on this blog. If you do not have internet (or your reading this and you know someone doesn't have internet) Jessica can pay special care to those needs.

-If you have a specific questions about flights, or if hotels have rooms, etc please contact the vendor directly. If you have a wedding related question (how long are most people staying, I have specific dietary needs, how is this week going to go...) please contact Jessica.

The process will go something like this:

Yay! You decide to come!
Book Your flight to Montego Bay Airport
E mail or call Jessica with your flight time and accommodation information

Receive a package in the mail (Late February/Early March) from Joey and I requesting:

What meal you would like during the wedding reception
Asking if you would like to join in the activity day we plan for 5/26
Providing you with details about Negril as far as currency, transportation, etc
A map of our venue
Anything else that gets brought up we feel you may need. :)

********ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION*******

IF YOU RSVPed YES - BOOK YOUR ROOM IMMEDIATELY!

Please note something important. We have rented the entire Tensing Pen property May 24-27th. This may sound like there is room for a lot of people, but unfortunately there are only about 12 cottages. Currently we have filled these rooms with wedding party, wedding helpers, parents, etc. If you have any questions if you are in the room, please e mail or call Jessica and ask. IF anything opens up we will be MORE THAN HAPPY to pass on that info.

Also - TenSing Pen has no air condition, no wi-fi access and no TV

If you are not staying at TenSing Pen:

It has been brought to my attention that rooms in the West End of Negril, Jamaica are filling up FAST!

Currently:

Sandles is booked the week of our wedding
Tensing Pen is booked from the 24-27th (I believe the week before and after as well)

Beaches - May also be booked
http://www.beaches.com/main/ng/ng-home.cfm
1.888.Beaches

You may want to try:

The Rock House (right next door and very much like TenSing Pen)
1.876.957.4373

Negril Escapes
1.876-957-0392

Nirvana on the Beach
(941) 708-0203

Xabi
1-876-957 0121

SeaSplash
1-888-790-5264

A map of the area

Thanks + Love
J&L

oh dear, it's getting near...

2009-01-18T20:51:00.000-08:00

ok. i'll admit it. i have been super calm these past 7 months, but now it's crunch time and i am overwhelmed with DETAILS. joey is doing his darnedest to keep me level headed, but i have few second spurts of "ahhhhh". planning a destination wedding takes a certain level of clam and flexibility and i am dancing with those thoughts so i can enjoy this whole process and not turn into one of "those" brides.

thanks for everyone who has sent back the RSVP's so timely! we really appreciate it and are excited to open our mailbox everyday!

so for more sneak peeks and happy visuals....he come more spoilers!

i found the sweetest train case to keep my "emergency" items in the day of the wedding. its vintage and has a bird on it. i needed it. :) Rebekah (a friend of ours getting married NEXT WEEK(!) had bought the cutest one to keep her make up in - thanks for the idea <3

i bought my hair piece. i couldnt find one i looooved so i bought one i could tweak to my needs. i think it fits in with the tiny bit of hippy residing in me. :)

we have been behind on 2 things. engagement photos and our logo. being the non photoshop wiz, it took me a while, and it's not perfect - but here she is. engagement photos to come in 2 weeks.

be well and stay warm

xo
j+l

a map of the venue + more photos

2009-01-05T17:43:00.000-08:00

more sneak peeks of where the merriment and you will meet.

*some photos below taken from people on flicker

xo
J&L

holidays are a'over - wedding invites are a'movin!

2009-01-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

we hope everyone has a fantastic holiday season. we have been up to catching up with old friends and bonding with new ones.

Nicole V. My best friend from high school - it's been 10 years!

New Year's Eve

we have been receiving lots of phone calls with lots of questions - so i am going to continue to provide as much info as i can on our blog. i have also tried to make categories over to the right (---->) so you are not forced to read the whole blog. :)

below is a great little map of Negril, Jamaica (were our wedding is located) Tensing Pen (our venue) is located right next to The Rock House (another resort like location)

we have rented out the entire Tensing Pen property - so if you call they will say they have no availability from May 22-27th 2009.

The red dots on the map indicate hotels - the closest ones are:

The Rock House
Ocean Edge Resort
Bungalo
Negril Escapes Resort

we have been to rock house and it is VERY nice and clean and accommodating, the other places we can't comment on - because we don't know what they are like.

now for the elephant in the room -

Tensing Pen holds 45 people - we have invited about 150 - we can not fit 150 at tensing pen (does everyone RSVP yes when your wedding is in Jamaica? - we'll find out :)

we have a break down of wedding party, immediate family and support tentatively filling these rooms - if something opens up - we will contact you for sure.

Jessica Ortiz (who's info is in the invite will help you/contact you if/when something opens up)

(click map for larger view!)

The first batch of invitations have gone out today! Standing there putting them in the mailbox was an insane feeling. Each little handmade imperfect invite will be coming to your home very very soon! We have made two unique versions of the invites. Some are craftpaper brown, and some are light green.

Wedding sneak peeks:

we love you and hope your year is exciting and joyful! xo

j&l

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

Joey and I would like to extend warm wishes to all of our friends and family this holiday season!

Invitations coming to a mailbox near you...soon!

xo
J&L

holidays and a bit more progress...

2008-12-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

i hope everyone had a fantastic thanksgiving! we are very excited about our calm and peaceful christmas to come. we are hosting a small xmas dinner and staying local this year. if you didn't know, joey took me to london for a very special show last week as a birthday gift to me. we had the most amazing time! as soon as i find my camera cord, i will post some photos.

the invitations are still with to coordinator being addressed, and will be mailed shortly.

we are ALMOST DONE with everything. so so close. so so exciting!

i will leave you with some images o my best friends wedding we went to in october.

xo,
j&l

I found something special...

2008-11-21T08:36:00.001-08:00

As you know we are getting married at TensingPen. If we had not know about this place I think we would wind up at BlueBay Resorts. Take a look around on their page. My word - IT ALL LOOKS AMAZING. I would love to visit the Morocco location some time. Spend a day in the spa.

Just wanted to give a little info for all those brides out there searching for that perfect place.

xo,
Lana

fancy dresses!

2008-11-06T18:03:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but look around for dresses for the festivities. my word, i could spend our wedding budget in dresses alone.

see below.
xo,
L

i tried really hard to get it, and once it was accessible to me i found out it costs $14,500. Yes, you can buy a car for that. Oh Oscar....

i have always loved this dress from Mary Adam's. She actually designed my wedding dress and has a lot of fun stuff on her site

if you watched project runway this past season, you most likely know this dress. i adore it.

this dress has been on my mind for a while. mmm.....

Inspire + Create: Wedding Happenings

2008-10-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

i found a wonderful wedding blog: oncewed.com i love all the ideas i am finding. the images above are mostly found from that sight. we plan on recreating them for our wedding!

can't wait!

xo
j&l

other weddings, and doing things out of order

2008-10-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Julie and Andres' Wedding 10.11.08

my best friends wedding was earlier this month. i was a brides maid, and it was so exciting to see everything close up. it also reminded me that joey and i have A LOT of work to do before our wedding.

i tried on my dress last night - and though i need no alterations - my neck was killing me when it took it off.

the wedding initiations are ALMOST back on schedule. i would say this has been the most difficult part of a handmade wedding.

i also came across a wonderful wedding website which i am addicted to. oncewed.com has the most fantastic ideas and "how to" projects!

I Found A Photo The Day Joey Proposed!

new photos soon of the invite and tiebacks we have been working on. :)

xo
j&l

More Organizing and Hecticness

2008-09-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

We still keep thinking about the engagement party and how wonderful it was. Our friends and family are still telling us what a great time they had, and it's so wonderful to hear.

Things are very hectic in our neck of the woods. Lots of visitors were here, and more to come. Joey and I will be heading off to St. Louis soon for my best friends wedding. We have another wedding in January, and a Vegas trip in March. Sometime soon we also have to squeeze in a Fla trip and (cross fingers) a Jamaica trip to work out the wedding details 100%.

I am still obsessive drooling over my ring daily, and now I have the dress too. It's all becoming more real. We can not express how happy we are we decided on a Jamaica wedding. If or engagement party is any indication of how fast the time flies we surely need a few days to celebrate!

Progress:

Wedding invitations have been designed and a prototype is done. We have one small problem though:

IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYPLACE IN THE CITY WERE WE CAN BRING CUSTOM PAPER TO AND GET IT PRINTED - PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! :)

I was hoping to finish them Tuesday when Jess comes over and get them mailed out. Cross fingers.

Other than that everything else is on schedule. Day by day I sew more for the tie backs of the chairs and the details.

oh....we are a little backed up on having engagement photo's taken. Know someone?

Thanks!

xo
Joey&Lana

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

2008-09-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

We would like to reach down into our insides and pull out all the gratitude we have for all of you who joined us last night!

Planes, trains, cars, or walking we really love that our friends and family took the time to celebrate with us.

Thank you again! We has such a wonderful time! We love each and everyone one of you so much.

xo,
Joey & Lana

2008-08-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

QUICK!

2008-08-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

Super Low Fares!

Jet Blue is up on yr way to our engagement party!

$49
From Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) to New York City, NY (LGA)
*Taxes, Fees and Restrictions Apply.

$79
From Houston, TX (HOU) to New York City, NY (JFK)
*Taxes, Fees and Restrictions Apply.

american airline update and more!

2008-08-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Great News! I worked out a deal with American Airlines for a discount.

Here is the info:

American Air Website: www.AA.com

You can book via phone (there is a $20 extra charge) 1-800-433-1790 from anywhere in the United States or Canada.

The Promotion Code is: A6859AD.

You will receive: 10% discount off the lowest applicable published air fare.

Discounts are valid MAY 15 – JUNE 4, 2009 for travel to MONTEGO BAY and KINGSTON, JAMAICA.

To receive the discount off Avis rental cars, please call 800-331-1600, and reference AWD - D003737. Though we do not recommend renting a car, we have provided a discount deal for those who chose to.

We have begun HAND MAKING our invitations. I know this is time consuming and a little left field, but it's been fun and more personal.

a combo of paper, sewing, screen printing, glue and love. :)

The engagement party has been creeping up quickly and we have been focusing on getting those ducks in a row. I am really excited about our brainstorming with the chef's. A feast style cocktail hour followed by a sit down dinner. The seats are quickly getting filled with such a wonderful RSVP, we can't wait!

xo,
J&L

Suggested Packing for Jamaica/More Info

2008-07-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

Just some small suggestions :)

- A valid passport
- Bathing Suites! Bring as many as you can.
- Flash Light. It gets very very dark at night.
- Jamaican Dollars, I think it's cheaper if you exchange in America
- Any cosmetics under 3 oz., you can't really shop for these things in Negril, Jamaica
- Very light clothing
- Sunglasses
- Bug Spray (under 3 oz.)
- SPF

We will bring a steamer to fix wrinkled clothing and delicates. TenSing Pen will provide shampoo, lotion, bar soap, towels, and other basic lodging accommodations. There is a small "shop" across the street where refreshments, beer, and snacks can be purchased.

TenSing Pen can provide spa services as well as book activities. Just look on TenSingPen.com.

I also found this place which looks great!

Here is a good site to check weather.

Internet service can be found at the TenSing Pen office. If you want more internet time, I found these:

Easy Rock Internet Cafe (West End)

http://www.negril.com/ezrock

Blue Waters Internet Cafe (West End)

http://www.negril.com/BlueWaters/2

Surf N Talk (Beach Road)

http://www.surfntalk.com.jm/

I will post more as I find things our guests may need.

xo

More info on Jamaica

2008-07-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

So I added a helpful links section to the right of you. These links will always be there. The links are for both information on engagement party venue info, as well as wedding, registries, currency converter etc.

as of today this is the current exchange rate:

I also dug up more photos of Tensing Pen. Thanks to flickr and google, I present to you more of the beauty TenSing Pen holds:

ps!

2008-07-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

been working on the wedding invitations. jess and i have been trying really hard to figure out the wording. i took some time to try to design something great. so far, this is what i have come up with.

oh, the little things :)

action plan

2008-07-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

as some of you already know, our wedding is nearly 100% hand made. everything is earth friendly, hand done, and completely unique. i am excited to have a wedding that represents the life we life, however it has been proving a bit more difficult to have the things we want, because it's jamaica. im betting they dont have peonies. i love the environment, i just dont want tropical decor. im sure we will figure it out. also i learned that when you say "wedding" the price goes up about 50% for everything!

i have to admit though, we have been pretty lucky. we agree on almost everything, not one ounce of arguing about anything, which is a wonderful relief. i heard so many horor stories of how planning a wedding can ruin a relationship. im happy to say it's actually making us stronger, and teaching us to communicate really well!

we have had the return address labels designed, as well as stickers and some favors. pixelbypixel (on etsy.com) did the work. they did a good job, though communication was a bit difficult (emails only.) It was worth it though, the results are exactly in the theme of the wedding.

thats all for now really! still havent quite nailed down table design.

xo

Progress

2008-07-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

Jess and I have done a bunch in the past week. The invitations for the wedding are 90% complete, now we just need to figure who is going to print them. Next we need to work on the menu for the engagement party and decor for the wedding.

I need to find a dress for the engagement party as well. A brides work is never done....

:)

Invitations and so on...

2008-07-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Invitations have begun going out for the engagement party. This week I will be designing the actual wedding invitations. We decided to make them! This is going to be fun. :)

So, after a lot of people asking "where are your registered", and us going "no place", we caved in.

As most of you know, Joey and I moved in together this July, and have been setting up house. This is what we came up with:

anthropologie - unique and fancy
CB2 - crate and barrel's younger, more affordable store
jonathanadler- collectible and keepsake <3
macy's - you know - the basics
west elm - crisp and clean home goods
crate and barrel -traditional

cb2.com
Lana Migliore and Joseph Katsaros
Registry Number: 4210314
Event Date: 5/25/2009

west elm
Lana Migliore
5/25/2009

macys.com
Registry
Lana Migliore
5/25/2009
Registry

crateandbarrel.com
Registry
Lana Migliore and Joseph Katsaros
5/25/2009

anthropologie.com
Wish List
5/25/2009
Lana Migliore

http://www.jonathanadler.com
Registry
Lana Migliore

Anyway! Off to figure out invites!

xo,
Lana

Just a coupon I found/Working on Flight Deals

2008-07-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

I know this doesn't count for anything to Jamaica - but it is during the Engagement Party. Use the code below and get $15 off your flight to NY for our engagement party (Sep 14th).

I have contacted American Air about a group discount. I will post any information after we sort something out.

xo,
Lana

More Ideas/Brainstorming...

2008-07-13T18:02:00.000-07:00

I think I decided on Favors:

I am thinking of putting peonies in birth vases like these:

I am really confused about table decor. We will be in a tropical environment, but the wedding is a little more traditional than the environment. We'll see if I can make it work!

xo,
Lana

Ideas (and yours are welcome too!)

2008-07-12T11:31:00.001-07:00

Music!

2008-07-12T10:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to say that Jonah Matranga of his solo project, Onelinedrawing, will be able to play our wedding. For those of you who don't know about him, I highly suggest taking a peek at his work on itunes or checking out his website www.jonahmatranga.com. For over 12 years I have loved his music and his message and we are so excited to be able to share this with everyone.

The Ring

2008-07-11T12:07:00.001-07:00

Because so many people are asking.....

took my breath away :)

A little about TenSing Pen

2008-07-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

Joey's Uncle Doug suggested a few years ago that Joey and I go to Jamaica and stay at TenSing Pen, and we did, and wow.... We fell in love with this place before we even arrived.

We found ourselves not wearing shoes, having the best sleep of our lives, and just relaxing. Relaxing is huge for us! Being in NYC, we are always GO GO GO! When you fall asleep, you hear the ocean right outside your window, the plant life is that of a fairy tale, and the cliffs and ocean are simply breath taking. We showered with crabs running around at our feet, and ate the most delicious natural food we have ever tasted. I even got Joey in a boat and up on a parasail.

You can always find out more at TenSingPen.com

Here is some Travel Information:

You will need a valid Passport to get to Jamaica, you can go through your local post office to obtain one.

Air Travel

Airport: Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay (MBJ)

American Airlines
Nonstop from New York (JFK), Boston, Miami
No fee for reservations made online at www.aa.com, enter A6859AD under "Promotion Code". AA charges $10 for tickets purchased via the phone or $15 at the airport.

Air Jamaica
Nonstop from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago, Newark, Boston, Los Angeles, New York (JFK), and Toronto.
Champagne is complimentary on all classes.

Continental / Delta
Continental offers nonstop flights from Newark and Delta from JFK.

From the airport at Montego Bay, it is a 50-mile drive southwest to Negril, a trip that usually takes 2 hours but could take more or less, depending on traffic conditions. The road winds scenically past ruins of sugar estates and great houses.

He popped the question and the planning has begun!

2008-07-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

So the engagement party invitations are complete, and the real wedding planning has kicked in. I have to say it is much more overwhelming than I anticipated. So many ideas! First off, it's a destination wedding. Joey and I have only been there once, but as most of you already know, we will be wed May 25th 2009 in Negril, Jamaica at a wonderful resort village called TenSing Pen.

So far I got the dress, and that's about it.

So welcome to our blog! I hope we can provide you with all the info you will need regarding our big day.

xo,
Lana