Beaches T&C BB package and private reception questions!

[beachbride0519]

Hi Ladies!

 

I have gotten some great information on here so far in regards to planning my May 2012 wedding...However, I just got off the phone with my Beaches WC, Monica, and honestly my head is spinning!

 

Originally we were going to do the most simple wedding down in T&C with family and friends and then have an AHR. We decided yesterday that we don't want to go through all the extra planning of an AHR and extra expense of course, and would like to have a private reception for the guests that join us in T&C...

 

Here's my issue:

My fiance's family is gigantic! LOL and they also have some money, so alot of the aunts and uncles are planning on coming to the wedding...this is good, but the guest list is adding up quickly...and with this, so is the extra costs associated with the private reception...so I am trying to figure out what things I can keep out of the wedding and reception to save some money, but not skimp on our guests.

 

Here's my questions: (in relation to each aspect of the day )

 

Pre-wedding, getting ready, spa, etc...

1. Did anyone choose one of the spa packages like "Bridal Bliss"? or did you just do hair and makeup? And if you did choose a package, did you like what it included and felt it was worth the $250?

2. Did anyone have the Beaches photography crew come and photograph you getting ready with your mom and the bridal party? If you did, how did the pictures turn out?

3. Did any of the men have any spa services day of the wedding or before the wedding?

 

Ceremony...

1. The arch is NOT included in Beautiful Beginnings...did anyone that got married on the beach not have an arch at all? What were your thoughts on this? I can't see paying $350+ for an arch that we are standing under for 15-20 minutes...

2. Pre-recorded music...I heard you can bring your Ipod with the music you would like...is there any cost associated with actually PLAYING the music on your Ipod?

3. Did you have a bouquet for your maid of honor, bridesmaids? Boutonniere for the best man?? My ceremony is going to be more on the casual side...

 

After ceremony...

1. Did they take pictures right away or did you go immediately into your private reception?? (just trying to get an idea of time-line)

 

Reception...

1. ONE decorated table is included...this will seat 8 people....we will need 4 more tables to accomodate our group. I was told that the additional tables will come with no decorations, only the white linens, if I would like the matching decorations it will cost $100 each table....for the BB package, the only decorations are a doile, clear vase and my orchids in the vase...again, can't see spending the extra $100 per table for that little bit...what are your thoughts? Or experiences on the tables being bare? It's only 2 hrs that we are doing the reception!

2. Food choices....they all look so good! I am able to pick 2 entrees because I will have more than 15 guests...what was good???

3. Did you have a DJ? Live music? Do you need any of that??

 

Thank you for anyone that decides to respond! This is hard to do sight unseen! Pics are greatly appreciated too!!!

[SabrinaB]

I'm wondering all the same exact things! So i look forward to any info anyone has on this.

[MTruvillio]

So glad you posted this beachbride0519.  I have a lot of the same questions.  Would love to hear from some of you married brides or brides to be on what you did around the cermemony , reception etc if you did BB.  I am wondering if it would be cheaper to purchase one of the other themes or just go with add on's to BB. 

 

Would love to see pics if anyone has them.

 

Thanks! 
 

Originally Posted by beachbride0519 

Hi Ladies!

 

I have gotten some great information on here so far in regards to planning my May 2012 wedding...However, I just got off the phone with my Beaches WC, Monica, and honestly my head is spinning!

 

Originally we were going to do the most simple wedding down in T&C with family and friends and then have an AHR. We decided yesterday that we don't want to go through all the extra planning of an AHR and extra expense of course, and would like to have a private reception for the guests that join us in T&C...

 

Here's my issue:

My fiance's family is gigantic! LOL and they also have some money, so alot of the aunts and uncles are planning on coming to the wedding...this is good, but the guest list is adding up quickly...and with this, so is the extra costs associated with the private reception...so I am trying to figure out what things I can keep out of the wedding and reception to save some money, but not skimp on our guests.

 

Here's my questions: (in relation to each aspect of the day )

 

Pre-wedding, getting ready, spa, etc...

1. Did anyone choose one of the spa packages like "Bridal Bliss"? or did you just do hair and makeup? And if you did choose a package, did you like what it included and felt it was worth the $250?

2. Did anyone have the Beaches photography crew come and photograph you getting ready with your mom and the bridal party? If you did, how did the pictures turn out?

3. Did any of the men have any spa services day of the wedding or before the wedding?

 

Ceremony...

1. The arch is NOT included in Beautiful Beginnings...did anyone that got married on the beach not have an arch at all? What were your thoughts on this? I can't see paying $350+ for an arch that we are standing under for 15-20 minutes...

2. Pre-recorded music...I heard you can bring your Ipod with the music you would like...is there any cost associated with actually PLAYING the music on your Ipod?

3. Did you have a bouquet for your maid of honor, bridesmaids? Boutonniere for the best man?? My ceremony is going to be more on the casual side...

 

After ceremony...

1. Did they take pictures right away or did you go immediately into your private reception?? (just trying to get an idea of time-line)

 

Reception...

1. ONE decorated table is included...this will seat 8 people....we will need 4 more tables to accomodate our group. I was told that the additional tables will come with no decorations, only the white linens, if I would like the matching decorations it will cost $100 each table....for the BB package, the only decorations are a doile, clear vase and my orchids in the vase...again, can't see spending the extra $100 per table for that little bit...what are your thoughts? Or experiences on the tables being bare? It's only 2 hrs that we are doing the reception!

2. Food choices....they all look so good! I am able to pick 2 entrees because I will have more than 15 guests...what was good???

3. Did you have a DJ? Live music? Do you need any of that??

 

Thank you for anyone that decides to respond! This is hard to do sight unseen! Pics are greatly appreciated too!!!

 

[caroleandchad]

Hi future brides!! I just got back from Beaches and got married on June 4th, I read and read and read and researched and researched everything before I went. I am also an X travel agent so I had some inside help with information. I have alot of pictures on my facebook if you would like to see let me know. I will say that when I first decided on this resort I had my heart set on doing the Vision in white package and after reading TONS of information I changed everything, and I am VERY glad that I did. I did do the Arch for 350.00 (at the time I booked it it was 650.00) but a girl on here said the price went down, I called and they reduced mine! It is alot of money to pay for a short amount of time, but it really creates a private setting as you are saying your vows, and it blocks you from any beachgoers. Not to mention that it looks soooooooooooo pretty in all of the pictures! I saw a wedding the Friday night before mine and she did not have the arch and I will say it did not have the same "beach wedding" feel to it at all. If you have it in the budget and considering it, you wont be sorry!

 

I did no spa experiences just because the prices I could not wrap my head around and I did my own hair and make up because I wanted to make sure I liked it, and actually it was kind of fun having the "girls only" in my room getting ready right before the wedding.

 

I didnt pre-purchase any wedding package ahead of time, simply because I have stayed at Sandals before and I know the photography is not top notch and I wanted to just buy only what I liked. I did do the DVD though. I ended up purchasing 38 pics for about 750.00 a few days after the wedding. My friends took photos of us getting ready. I also did the trash the dress session with tropical imaging 2 days after the wedding and it was a very fun experience.

 

Music, I was not intending to book the galpso band however I had heard good things about it and when we got there, I saw a reception with them playing and it was SO neat I booked them for the 1st hour of the 2 hour reception at a price of 500.00 (yikes) If I would have budgeted for that I would have done it the whole 2 hours it was GREAT! I played our ipod on the player for the 2nd hour and there is no fee for that.

 

Flowers- I didnt like the BB flowers for the bouquet at ALL, I made my own "real touch" flowers from hobby lobby and took them with me.

 

The BB tables are JUST fine! I saw a vison in white wedding and I would have been sooo mad if I paid 400.00 more per table for that, not worth it at all. The BB ones are nice!

 

If you have more than 17 people you can allow your guest to pick out of 2 choices, I picked chicken or beef and everyone said the chicken was great and I had the beef and it was 5 star quality!! Very very good and well presented!

 

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions!! I feel  like all the girls on here helped me so much I for sure need to return the favor! Congrats!

 

 

[acw8511]

Hello Everyone.

 

I am getting married this August at Beaches T&C. I have also done a lot of research, used a travel agent and communicated with Monica (which often felt like a one-way street) We have 17 people attending our wedding. As of today, we have everything planned, so I can fill you in on what we decided.

 

First, and foremost - use a travel agent!!! She booked our room (with Honeymoon perks) and our flights. We sent out invitations which directed our guests to a website (I created on the knot.com) with all the information on pricing and the resort its self. All of our guests worked with our (AAA) travel agent and we didn't have to worry about coordinating anything.

 

We're going with the Beautiful Beginnings wedding. My sister is the only attendant, so I bought her a corsage. I figured she would be holding my flowers for a portion of the ceremony so spending $26 rather than $65 seemed like an easy decision. Since we don't have a lot of people, we're only doing the 30 minute reception ($15 per/person) we are not adding a table for $100. I wanted to do something for our guests, but I couldn't justify spending $75 per/person for a sit down dinner when you could walk a few feet to a restaurant where you've already paid for the food. I am having my hair and make-up done before the wedding, mostly b/c I am not great at doing it myself and I don't want to be disappointed in the photos. We opted for the $1,600 photography package b/c we thought it was the best deal. Our main concern was getting the CD to play at our reception back home and that was the least expensive package offering it. FYI - The photography packages have changed at least 4 times since we booked the wedding in the summer of 2010. I also have some concerns about a time line, but I am assuming the majority of the photos will be taken after the reception, so we're allowing our guests to go and do whatever they wish while we are with the photographer. I really wanted to avoid people standing around and children flipping out.

 

I wanted to do gifts for our guests, but I wasn't 100% sure about what I could bring to the resort. I ended up buying fans for all of our guests to use during the ceremony and I will be sending a letter with wedding day itinery and a flip flop luggage tag by mail to our guests a week before we leave. Im hoping this will help them get excited and also let them know how happy we are that they are making the trip with us.

[MTruvillio]

Hi acw8511,

 

Welcome and congrats on your upcoming wedding.  Join us on the Beaches - Turks & Caicos Roll Call thread.  Be sure to add yourself to the list of brides and thier wedding dates.

 

Mary

 

Originally Posted by acw8511 

Hello Everyone.

 

I am getting married this August at Beaches T&C. I have also done a lot of research, used a travel agent and communicated with Monica (which often felt like a one-way street) We have 17 people attending our wedding. As of today, we have everything planned, so I can fill you in on what we decided.

 

First, and foremost - use a travel agent!!! She booked our room (with Honeymoon perks) and our flights. We sent out invitations which directed our guests to a website (I created on the knot.com) with all the information on pricing and the resort its self. All of our guests worked with our (AAA) travel agent and we didn't have to worry about coordinating anything.

 

We're going with the Beautiful Beginnings wedding. My sister is the only attendant, so I bought her a corsage. I figured she would be holding my flowers for a portion of the ceremony so spending $26 rather than $65 seemed like an easy decision. Since we don't have a lot of people, we're only doing the 30 minute reception ($15 per/person) we are not adding a table for $100. I wanted to do something for our guests, but I couldn't justify spending $75 per/person for a sit down dinner when you could walk a few feet to a restaurant where you've already paid for the food. I am having my hair and make-up done before the wedding, mostly b/c I am not great at doing it myself and I don't want to be disappointed in the photos. We opted for the $1,600 photography package b/c we thought it was the best deal. Our main concern was getting the CD to play at our reception back home and that was the least expensive package offering it. FYI - The photography packages have changed at least 4 times since we booked the wedding in the summer of 2010. I also have some concerns about a time line, but I am assuming the majority of the photos will be taken after the reception, so we're allowing our guests to go and do whatever they wish while we are with the photographer. I really wanted to avoid people standing around and children flipping out.

 

I wanted to do gifts for our guests, but I wasn't 100% sure about what I could bring to the resort. I ended up buying fans for all of our guests to use during the ceremony and I will be sending a letter with wedding day itinery and a flip flop luggage tag by mail to our guests a week before we leave. Im hoping this will help them get excited and also let them know how happy we are that they are making the trip with us.