RIU Montego Bay Wedding Review

[abullard1]

Ok Brides...I will try to be short but not sure if that is in my nature.

Wednesday--Got off the plane and was instructed to go to the booth that we booked with. We booked with Fun Jet Vacations. So they packed our bags onto to big airconditioned tour bus. We waited about 20 minutes until we filled the bus more.We got to the Hotel and was greeted by the FunJet Coordinator on site. She was pleasant and even took my dress out of my hands and directed us to the front desk.

As we were checking in the front desk guy poured us red jamaican rum punch on ice. Everything started to feel alright.

Everyone was dressed in either bathing suits with coverups or dresses and shorts. The guys..shorts and a t-shirt. Some people just walk around with bathing suits in the lobby. The entire lobby is wide open to air..There are no doors..and you can see the pool also. So we felt a little overdressed even by having jewelry on.

The front desk handed us a letter from the WC that our appointment for the wedding was at 12:00 the next day. I really wanted to give them all the crap I brought and instructions that day...that way I could say it was done...

We went to our rooms and had a couple drinks and went to the beach.

So we met Shereka and Roxianna. Shereka is pleasant and Roxianna is just like I really can't stand my job. I'm just here.

So I brought my seating chart with place cards, chargers, wedding favors, cake topper, knife set, sign in plate, gift bags at ceremony site, seating chart for the wedding ceremony. My vows to go over with the minister.. the DJ list, The ceremony list. "Canon D, and here comes the bride"- bla bla bla.

So I had a lot of stuff. She kept making comments about my planning and the amount of things I brought and told me I was crazy. If I weren't a bubbly person..I would have gone straight to her blank. But I kept it composed and let her joke and kid around with me. My girlfriend had a bachelorette party for me on Friday evening at Rose Hall and Shereka and Natalie from Tai Floral came and joined us. It was a little hilarious..one minute she is making fun of me..then the next joining me.So I was thinking..she must like me at least.?So all those things we dropped on Friday evening and the wedding is on Saturday at 4pm.

Saturday Morning all hell breaks loose. I had booked appointments at Renova Spa and they tell me that our appointment is at a different time and bla bla. I bring my vouchers and show them my booking with payment and they are like..we are sorry. So I go to Shereka's office and see if she can fix it and she does. But the plan was to get things kind of done..so I can chill out for my day...I ended up wasting around 3 hours with Renova spa. I got make-up and a massage. I did not get the hair done at all. They did ok on this one other bride...but I don't think it was all that for the prices they charge. I roller sat my hair and then worked with the curls.

So Shereka says she would come and get us at 3:45. No show! They come around 4:30pm. From my hotel room..I can see my guests outside standing in the heat..sweating like doggs. Why not direct the guests to a cool area like the bar and let them know the wedding is delayed almost an entire hour!

I get to the site and my curls have fallen because I had took my rollers out with the the thought I was about to leave my room. Now I am led thru the pool area and then we are delayed even further because the matron of honor went back to her room! So I stand there drenched.. Shereka is wiping my face and kneck and back and telling me how beautiful I am. Then she is about to send the wrong people down the isle..first. Oh I thought I did too much planning. I even told you who was going down first and they did not do that right. But I am the heavy planner..shame on me.

I get to the decorations and I am like ok..this is cool but does not look like the internet stufff...? We did the ceremony adlib. never had a rehearsal..the minister basically directed everything. I brought my own sand ceremony vows.The we had champagne on the beach..which Roxianna served on platters to the guest.nice. Then she walked away. At this point I could look up at a distance and see Shereka and Natalie working on the the table decor. But still did not know how long it would be..right. No one told the guests what time to go up for dinner. So people started going back to their rooms. So when we got back to the room..we had to call all the guests indivdually.

Got to the recption and it was just like I wanted it to be. Beautiful and colorful and bright! Now Tai Floral did an excellent job here.

We were sharing the upstairs with another bride. She had hired a DJ and had a private area. But we could not see here becausethe area is like an L .We had to go downstairs for our salad...not too bad. The food ok..the champagne toast good, cake cutting good.. but the cake was good to some. I am not a cake person. But it looked better than I expected. It was three layers and white and I brought decorations. I never got to talk to anyone about it..So they end up doing things at their discretion. The did not decorate the way I had planned. So after we cut the cake..the waiters are just standing there.. and I asked him if I was supposed to cut my own cake? not outloud of course. Then we moved on to club pacha...The DJ introduced us as Mr and Mrs. and we started in on our first song....this was so nice.

So to some things up....here are my final words of advice

 

Room-you wake up drenched with sweat...I thought I was going thru early menopause. Even when you put AC at lowest temp. There are mosquitos when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Bring some type of mosquito killer to spray in the room. plus wear some off. The safe... punch in 4 digits of your choice then press pound to lock. Do not leave any valuables ..phones, glasses, jewelry, or anything else you care about getting stolen. They have two rums and two vodkas to dispense. They also have a fridge stocked with coke, diet coke, water and stuff. You can bring plates into your roomif you want from the restaurants. Just put another plate on top as a cover. Also you can walk aorund with the cups from the restaurant.

The shower is slippery inside...marble.

 

Shereka and Roxianna- They are sweet. but be persistent with what you want and be precise..no matter how funny it is to them. Bring a list. Designate someone to announce you as you walk to your reception table. Ask all your guests to meet you at the bar as a group until food is ready...although i don't see how you can do that when the WC just walks away and says nothing. These people are the coordiantors and the workers. I never saw any help. I just saw some guys helping with the outside ceremony..that's it. So in a way..you can't be totally mad at them..they are the only people working.

 

Renova Spa- If you can. get an updo so it doesn't go flat if you get trapped in the heat sweating. Get the massage-swedish..it is nice and strong. and get a man to do it. The spa is beautiful and elegant. Get the make-up by camille. she is sweet and patient. Bring your makeup. The have revlon and loreal.She can put on your eyelashes. they say they don't but she did it for us.

Beach- Nice for the first 10ft then you get hit with seaweed. not nice! The pool is better. They do water aerobics each morning with a hot guy and he works you out in your bikini. The food is good there. Jerk chicken and sausage.

Pool- nice..get up around 9 for a good chair...after that people start fighting over the chairs.

Eating- the food is ok..their are so many choices you may not try everything. Mahoa Bay has a lunch also..if it's open go there for lunch. If not Rose hall is the main dining area.

 

Tours: Go to Dunn's River...it was crazy fun and adventurous for the entire family. no elderly and really young kids.

 

All in all it was nice...I am tired and will post pics and soon as I understand how to. Feel free to drop advice

[michellepicksbrent]

Congratulations! Your review was great, I'm sure it will help out future Riu MB brides.

 

Sorry to hear about the little bumps you had on your way.

[BlakleyBrideToBe]

Great Review! Congrats on your wedding!

[Preciousmi811]

Thanks for the review. I can't to see your pictures.

[kris]

Thanks for the review..Hooray for the hot pool aerobics instructor!!!!! Sorry for the few mishaps...I'm glad all in all you had a great time! Congratulations!!

[drucky14]

Congratulations!! We also have Sherika as our WC so it's good to hear that she was actually ok.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing some of your pictures. Congrats again!!

[kt1011]

Thanks so much for this review. The longer the better and this one has been really helpful

[kitten422]

Congratulations! I can't wait to see pics!

[angie8119]

Thanks so much for the review!! its so great to hear feedback, and warnings!!

[blumenthale]

Thanks for all the pointers.