Chapter 1 - Destination Wedding in Puerto Rico
Even before we knew we wanted a destination wedding, Puerto Rico always had a special place in my heart.
Many years ago, as young college graduates wjp just started flying more, Puerto Rico was the destination where we were upgraded both ways to the first class as a lowly Silver Medallion (or Flying Orchids depending on your generation).
During our first visit to the Island of Enchantment, we cleared our upgrades prior to check-in (wow!) and, after asking the hotel nicely over Twitter (it was new back then), we were upgraded to Ocean View Penthouse Suite on our
Priceline Name Your Price reservation. Quite special, isn't it?
During my booking process, I found that American Airlines ran a daily 767 to San Juan from Philadelphia with flat bed business class seats. Taking a regional jet at 5:50AM right before your wedding.... hmmmm.... it will be worth it, with that 3 hour flat bed flight, I thought (big mistake).
They say you should sleep separately for the day before the wedding.... but who has money to book two separate hotel rooms? So I gave each other a bit of space, so that we can each write our vows on our flight down.
(that smile disappears from my face about 25 minutes after this picture...)
On our LGA -> PHL flight, everyone gave us a big smile as we boarded.
Congratulations, they said.
Some of fellow passengers voluntarily moved their coats to the overhead bin so that they could hang our dresses in almost-non-existent hanger space in E...170? I think?
OK. This is it, I thought.
buzz.
OK. 15 minute delay. That's not so bad. We still have enough time to make our connection in PHL.
10 minutes passed
20 minutes passed.
buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz.
Crap.
No one knows what's going on.
Everyone's confused.
I tell my wife-to-be
MAKE SURE TO BRING BACK OUR DRESSES
and I dash out the plane.
As I get to the gate agent, he starts to realize that the flight isn't taking off for another 8 hours or so.
While I am chatting with the gate agent to make sure we are not late for our own wedding, a long line forms behind us.
He rebooks us to a LGA -> MIA -> SJU flight that's leaving in 40 mins (boarding already started) in the different terminal.
We dash for it, and make our flight
Praise the lord.
I don't care that we are not going in a flat bed at this point. I am just thankful that we will make it to our own wedding on time.
Even during the hectic process of
1) flight cancellation
2) running in LGA to make it to a flight that already started boarding
3) running in MIA to not miss our flight
4) cramming in the overhead bin due to the last minute seat change
Our dresses make it in one piece. Ok that's a good sigh for the marriage. We check in to
San Juan Marriott Resort - because (1) there's where the wedding is and (2) I need five more nights to make it to Platinum this year.
We booked a suite because a lot is going to happen here in the next few days.
Six hours fast forward, boom welcome back assembled
Another two hours fast forward, boom place cards printed and cut
Our suite at the Marriott smells like a factory at this point with papers flying around and different parts of welcome bag assembly lying around... but hey that's why we booked the suite right?
I wish I took a better picture of the room, but hey, it's two days before my wedding, so taking pictures for a trip report is not my priority at this point.
