Jump to content

Review of Wedding at Occidental Grand Xcaret Resort


Recommended Posts

I have been part of this forum since September 2008 when I first got engaged. I am one of the few guys who post on this forum. I think I have only encountered 2 other guys here so thank you ladies for accepting us :) This website has been an instrumental part of our successful wedding so here is my chance to give back with a review of my wedding

 

Xcaret Resort

The resort was perfect for our 80 guests. Food and drinks were excellent. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND bringing walkie talkies if you have as many guests as we did. It made it easy to communicate with everyone. The price was very reasonable to at around $1000 CDN for flight, hotel and transfer taxes in. We were originally going to get married at the Royal Playa del Carmen but the price was double. It made more sense to move to the Xcaret so it would be more affordable. A+

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Wedding Coordinator Marialma Ortiz

Wow what can I say but this lady is awesome. We met with Marialma the day we arrived and she had all the vendors there that would setup our wedding reception. This girl is so organized and she kept every single correspondence since we first made contact. She knew exactly what she was doing and totally put us at ease. Throughout the months leading up to the wedding she answered every single question no matter how complex or trivial in a very timely manner. My wife and I are very particular how we wanted the reception to look and feel. We brought so many decorations from Toronto and Marialma was able to follow directions no problems. It was such a blessing to have her. Also a blessing in disguise that we moved from the Royal to the Xcaret because from what I have been reading on this forum, the wedding coordinators at the Royal have gone down in quality and are terrible at responding. Glad I didn't even have to deal with that headache. On the wedding day Marialma was there from start to finish. Over a 16 hour day and she stood with us the whole time and was there for our guests and my wife and I. Seriously what more can you ask for? If having an organized and attentive wedding coordinator is tops on your list than book at the Xcaret. A+ for Marialma.

 

Marialma helping my wife

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Our setup with Marialma's help

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

Sarao

We saw some of the decorations Sarao did from some posts here. We were happy the way they transformed our reception site which was at the Beach Club into a more intimate setting. The Beach Club is huge but they made a nice enclosure that kept everyone together. A

 

Here is the dancing area

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

AVI SPL

We rented the sound system from AVI SPL. We had our own DJ so we just needed speakers, mixer, mics, projector, screen and all the necessary wiring. Unfortunately they weren't prepared by the time the reception rolled around. The wiring was messed up and nothing was working. Luckily my DJ was there and he was able to rectify the situation. AVI SPL was also giving me grief on paying for the bill. They wanted only cash payments but I insisted on prepaying using money transfer or mastercard. After much debate and contacting the head company I was able to pay with my mastercard. In the end the sound was good for the rest of the night but wasn't too impressed with the other stuff given how much I was paying them. B

 

We used the screen a lot

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Performances by our friends

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

We got married at the Nuestra Senora del Carmen Chapel in town. So we needed transportation for the guests and the bridal party. We used two companies:

 

Playa.info

We had 80 guests so we rented six vans that can carry up to 14 passengers each. I visit another forum called Playa.info and that is where I found them. Communication was a bit slow but on the wedding day they were there on time which is the most important thing. Everyone was transported safely from the resort to the chapel. A-

 

Lomas Travel

We got a Lincoln Navigator Limo for the bridal party. Very clean and the driver was prompt. I read some horror stories about renting limos in Playa but thankfully everything was ok. Dealt with Enrique Astudillo. Great response and was very thorough and following up. He actually noticed I had the wrong address for my ceremony. We got married at the Nuestra Senora del Carmen CHAPEL on 5th and Juarez but we put the address down for the CHURCH which was several blocks away. Playa.info never caught that but Enrique did. A+

 

Our pimp limo

Click the image to open in full size.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 55
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Some pics of the chapel

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

Coral del Caribe

My wife really wanted a mariachi band for our ceremony. I wasn't too crazy about the idea but I went along with it. Wow, I have to say that I am really happy we got these guys. They did a spectacular job from beginning to end. We had a 7 piece band and played every single song we requested. After the ceremony we all strolled down Benito Juarez to the water and they followed us and played. It was totally awesome. Highly recommended. A+

 

Here is the contact: Jorge jorgelgc@live.com.mx

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

Doranna

My wife's hair was done by Doranna de Bortoli. After reading the reviews and recommendations my wife was more comfortable using Doranna than the resident hairstylist at Xcaret. Doranna invited us to her house in Tohoku for the trial. My wife totally loved it but was worried the hair wouldn't stay on the day of the wedding because of the heat and we were also performing a high intensity routine that consisted of salsa, contemporary and tango. But Doranna was awesome and my wife's hair remained sturdy for the whole night. A+ easily for Doranna.

 

Freelance Italian Hair Stylist in Mexico - Doranna Hair Stylist - Playa del Carmen - Riviera Maya - Cancun - Tulum

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

Citlalli Rico and Gerardo Rivera (Claudia Rodriguez Photography)

Picking a photographer was probably the hardest thing. I initially wanted Elizabeth Medina. We are so much into color and we just love the way Elizabeth Medina makes everything pop. However we also wanted a videographer so we looked for a company that offered both services. After much research and reading and reviewing portfolios we went with Claudia Rodriguez's team. Citlalli, Tamara, Jerry and Jimmy were such an awesome group to work with. They were very attentive to our needs and our guests needs. Very patient, professional and charming. You can tell they love their work and work together as a team. We had them for 8 hours originally but extended them another 2. Great workers and great people. A+ all the way.

 

Citlalli Rico Photo Blog Wedding Photography Blog

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

Ana Da Roux

Must also thank Ana Da Roux for helping us with our passport invitations. A+ as well. Here is a link to my review.

 

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...de-roux-49987/

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

 

ThreeGalasDesigns

Our amazing Aisle Runner was done by Holly Carafa from ThreeGalasDesigns. Very easy to deal with and everything was done to spec. A+

 

Three Galas Designs www.ThreeGalasDesigns.com

 

Click the image to open in full size.

 

 

 

Anyway that is it. This is all coming from a guy's perspective so if you have any specific questions that I may have missed let me know and I or my wife will do our best to answer.

 

Lastly I must thank all of the people here who have posted and responded to my PMs. Every piece of info no matter how big or small was mostly from this site. It's amazing how great a resource this place is. You can find anything you need with that search button :) Thanks for posting all the pics, sharing your stories, your reviews, your tips and recommendations. It has all been so helpful. Our destination wedding was definitely the happiest time of our lives thus far. All our 80 guests had the best time as well and they even want to do a reunion a year from now. Thank you again to all past brides and grooms and my love and best wishes to all the brides and grooms to be :)

 

Our beautiful guests. 5 people are MIA.

Click the image to open in full size.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, amazing!! It looks like you had such a beautiful and well-put together wedding! It's clear you two put a LOT of thought into your guests and your wedding.

 

Xcaret was in our top two when picking resorts, though we ended up not choosing it strictly for its size. Given how yours turned out, maybe we should have!

 

I can't wait to see more pictures!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone :)

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by TamaraDan View Post
Your wedding looks amazing, congrats! Thanks for the review. Were the lanterns something the resort offered or did you bring those down yourself? That is something I REALLY want for my wedding. Thanks.

-Tamara

We got them from a company called Sarao. Here was the contact

 

Tarsicio Leyva <tleyva@sarao.com.mx>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Best Destination Wedding Sponsors



    Facebook Pinterest Google+ Twitter
  • Posts

    • Hi everyone! I have been doing lots of research on various wedding venues all around Mexico, my fiance wants a destination wedding and I am happy to have a wedding wherever so long as the vibe is right and guests are happy!  I have been seriously looking at Cabo Azul and was trying to find potential costs for them, but only found a page about their wedding costs from 2010. Does anyone have any updated information on costs / reviews they would like to share of this venue? Or advice in general, anything helps. Thanks so much, happy wedding planning to all!
    • Hello everyone, I am dreaming of a wedding in Costa Rica and was wondering if I could get any help with venues and wedding planners. I am thinking Tamarindo because a close friend of mine lives there and I've been in town more than a couple of times, she's being helpful but is at a loss when it comes to this subject really so I was wondering if anyone here had recommendations. I am not closed to other town suggestions either, if I happen to find a good place and staff somewhere else. These are the places I have so far, has anyone had any experience with any of them?  Stay In Tamarindo Luxury Villas in Costa Rica Luxury Villas Pinilla Tropical Homes of Costa Rica The Point Luxury Villa Thank you so much for your help!
    • Have you ever considered having a wedding inside a bubble? With the current global situation, many couples are looking for unique and creative ways to celebrate their special day while keeping their guests safe. A wedding inside a bubble could provide a whimsical and intimate setting for your ceremony and reception. Imagine saying your vows surrounded by a beautiful bubble filled with twinkling lights and flowers, creating a magical atmosphere for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
    • Adult only resort or not? Let's discuss the pros and cons of choosing an adult-only resort for your honeymoon. While some couples may appreciate the peace and quiet that comes with an adults-only environment, others may prefer a more family-friendly atmosphere. What are your thoughts on this? Have you had any experiences at adult-only resorts that you'd like to share? Let's hear your opinions and recommendations!
    • When it comes to planning a wedding, one of the most exciting parts is choosing the perfect wedding favours for your guests. These small tokens of appreciation are a great way to thank your loved ones for being a part of your special day and to make them feel appreciated.
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...