Any 2011 Brides out there?

OMG...thats ridiculous@!

Arrrr, i remember now!!!! yes what a flippin' joke that is..... Funny situation that, i just dont understand why they have that pathetic rule? Have you asked WC to clarify this for you? As i remember in an earlier comment on the situation, you'd think they would want to keep the business inside Mexico!!!

I had a look at Ivan's website today and see what you mean, he is fantastic.... :-) I hope they re-think this rule very soon......

xoxo

Wow, that is horrible! But I have to play devil's advocate here and say... I don't agree with not going to places because of a murder, simply because you'd be hard-pressed to find a place where someone hasn't been murdered. A guy I knew was murdered in my college town while I was in college, but that doesn't stop me from going there. As for Haiti, that really has no impact on DR. There are murders going on all along the border of the US and Mexico, yet we still travel to both countries!

Hi Ivan! First time I spotted you on the forum so just wanted to say hi! My name is Tara & we arranged a meeting in July when we are doing our site visit at the Lindo!

Quick question: Do you have a videographer you frequentlty work with?

Looking forward to meeting with you!

I agree with you totally, but my FI is 110% sure that he won't go there. His ex gf was born in Belgium, and somehow moved to DR with her mom, then one day she came home found her mom got robbed and stabbed. Apparently even DR is much better than Haiti (where even the Cubans find them, the haitians, poor and salvage), DR is still very poor.
Of course, Canadians do got robbed and killed in Mexico every year (I have to say only those who take their retirement there...pretend to be rich and live in a very poor country). In relatively wealthy countries like US, UK and Canada, people got killed for sick/complicated reasons...it is very rare to get robbed and killed (usually robbed only).
My sister is heading to Punta Cana this June, my feeling is ...DR is almost like Cuba, very poor, decent food with very nice beaches, but with Americans...heehee

it is not pathetic, they just wanna make $$$ off us! I have to pay $350 to be able to use my photographer. I think the Barcelo is 1 night of stay or $300...it varies from hotel to hotel...

That is a really awful story. But true of just about anywhere in the Caribbean if you leave the resort areas. I have a friend who did the Peace Corps in Jamaica and returned after just 6 months (they are supposed to do 2 years). In his 6 months there, 4 of the 10 girls in his program were raped, he saw two people killed right in front of him, and he feared for his life 24/7. Yet ask any of the Jamaican brides on here about their wedding and they'll tell you what a perfect tropical paradise it was (and I've been and had the time of my life)! These countries need the tourism to survive, so they do everything they can to protect the tourists from the realities. It's so sad, but true of all of these places, Mexico included.

OMG - that is awful :-( I agree though. When it boils down to it tourism is a major industry in these countries so when you are talking about their livelihood ... like any other business they are going to hush up any PR nightmares. Providing I am acting sensibly and not making foolish choices, I do not feel anymore of a target in the Caribbean then I would if I visited any big city in North America.

I think you putting that comment on here is not appropriate to be honest - yes we all have opinions on why we would or wouldnt go somewhere - but do we need to know this highly personal and opinionated information. We all know the risks of travelling anywhere in the world; but at the same time travelling to these places helps the economy. I take it you dont work for the DR tourist board. Rant over........ and back to happy wedding stuff :-)

I have to agree with you...I've actually taken a few trips to the DR, and spent a lot of time travelling around the country not in AI resorts, actually with the locals, and I never once felt like I was in any danger. Like all countries there are the very poor and the very rich....and it's very beautiful and the people are extremely friendly....and I also found this to be true in Cuba!