Ali0624

3rd installment of reviews: Cake: Jennifer Hatton (A+) I went through the Hilton for my cake, and Jennifer Hatton was the chef. We had a little bit of a mix-up in the beginning, which was my fault, but Jennifer was great to work with. I sent her my pic of what I wanted, and it turned out beautifully. I only got to taste the cake briefly, which is a huge regret. I wish I could have enjoyed it much more, but the one bite I had was yummy! http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/n...24/th_cake.jpg Flowers: Mazarte Floral (A+) Martha was so nice to work with. The flowers were one of the hardest parts for me, since I wanted to keep the cost reasonable, but still have beautiful arrangements. She really helped me to adjust to end up with exactly what I wanted. The only snag was the flower for my hair arrived too late for my hairdresser to put it in, but my girlfriend was able to do it with no problems. I was very happy with all of my wedding flowers. http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/n...nterpieces.jpg http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/n...24/th_kiss.jpg Minister: Minister Marco Arechiga (A+) Marco is such an incredibly nice guy, and he really made the ceremony wonderful. He gave us samples of vows that we cut and pasted and edited to meet our needs. He also added some lovely words during the ceremony, and it was just so perfect. Most of our family and friends also commented on how great the ceremony was, and how nice Marco is.

Next up is food: Mi Casa Restaurant (A+) We had our Friday night welcome dinner here, and it was a perfect spot. The decor is over the top Mexican, but in a fun way. The guests really enjoyed the ambiance. I also had 8 kids with me, and the staff kept them entertained through the whole meal. They brought over birds, balloons, etc. Most importantly the food was great and reasonably priced. We couldn't have been happier. Mauricio, who worked with us, was great! Mauricio Bogantes A. Mi Casa Group [email protected] Hilton Wedding Dinner ( The food was never my main reason for choosing the Hilton. It is good, but not great. I would have given them a higher rating however, but the appetizers that we picked were not the ones that were served! Ths salad course was my favorite. We chose the corn, tomato, artichoke salad, and it was delicious. Hilton Brunch (A) We had a private buffet brunch the next morning, which was very yummy. There was the usual breakfast fare, plus a large assortment of muffins, pastries, and bread. We also had a bloody mary and mimosa station. I hadn't really eaten much the night of the wedding, so I really appreciated this breakfast! Some other non-related wedding reviews: Melía Cabo Real food (B-) Some of the guests stayed here since it is an All-Inclusive and right next door to the Hilton. The food was mediocre at best. Some of the entrees were hit and miss. I ate there once at the nicest restaurant and ordered the Sea Bass. It was just unseasoned fish drowing in olive oil - not pleasant! Los Deseos in Cabo San Lucas (A+) I went here with some friends, and it was very yummy. We had an appetizer of flaming cheese with tequila that was excellent. This place is located on the harbor right next to the Tequila Museum Hilton Sushi Bar (A) This is actually the best place to eat at the Hilton in my opinion. The sushi, ceviche, and other dishes are fresh and delicious. Plus, the staff here is so fun because they are serving all the drinkers by the pool, and they love to joke around.

Quote: Originally Posted by Maura can you post contact info for your vendors you liked please? Violeta Poletek (violinist): [email protected] The full name of the Mariachi was: Mariachi Los Cabos Internacional DJ Ricardo: Ricardo Patiño DJ System - disc jockey entertainment in Mexico - dj services for your party in Mexico 01152.624.154.0708 01152.624.168.1610

As some of the other ladies have done, I'm going to do my reviews by topic to make it easier to find information. Music is first: Violeta (A+) Violeta was our single violin player at the ceremony. She also works as a duet with a guitar player if desired. Violeta was so sweet and great to work with. We just sent her a list of songs we liked, and she let us know which ones would sound best with the single violin. The music was really lovely and complimented the location perfectly. So many of our guests went up to her afterward to tell her how wonderful the music was. I highly recommend her. Mariach Los Cabos () I don't know because they didn't show up even after confirming with them days before the wedding. Luckily, we were supposed to pay them that day, so we didn't lose anything. It was a bit of a disappointment to say the least, but many of the guests commented that they liked the cocktail hour sans music because it was easier to mingle and talk. I'm sure they were trying to make me feel better, but I do think they have a point. The Mariachi back could have been a bit much. DJ Ricardo (A+) Ricardo is such a nice guy and a pleasure to work with. He kept in constant contact, which was great. We simply sent him a list of bands and let him run with it. He did a great job and kept everyone dancing. I think I danced the whole night - maybe I should have been talking with my guests more, oops!! But, everyone had so much fun. Thanks Ricardo!

So, I never had a pic of my dress before the wedding - lame, I know. But here are some nonprofessional pics that you can see now! http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/n...24/th_kiss.jpg http://s303.photobucket.com/albums/n.../th_atlast.jpg

Quote: Originally Posted by Allaballa I looked into shipping items to the resort ahead of time and was advised against it. There is no guarantee you are going to get the items and its quite expensive. I left all my stuff there (except the wedding dress) I really have no need for 100+ tea lights and bags and bags of rosepettals :-) Shipping is tricky - trust me I learned from experience. We shipped some items by FedEx (who were great!), but customs removed some of our items because they were made in China. All in all, we only lost about $50 of stuff, but the headache that accompanied it wasn't worth it!

Thanks ladies for all of the responses. I just shipped them out to Yari - enjoy!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by plumsugar We're adding our Mexico party faces to the OOT Boxes and Welcome Letters Ali: What a small world! We have the same wedding date and the same minister (I guess at different times)! I hope everything goes absolutely wonderful for you...I too leave in 2 days What a coincidence! Have a great day

Quote: Originally Posted by Maura omg ali! your wedding is in a week!!!!!!! i think all the things you have decided to do are great personalization ideas. where in cabo is your wedding? At the Hilton - we are leaving in 2 days!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by marcoloscabos Dear Ali0624! I finally realized your identity!!!!! Small world isn't it? I just wanted to say hello and happy planning, you're almost there. By the way, there will be a moment during the ceremony where a special surprise is reserved for you guys. This will be a surprise from all of your guests, something you have never seen before, and something that will make your wedding more personal!!!! See you sooner than you think. Oh my - now I'm curious! I am definitely getting excited!

I'm just curious, what details is everyone including to make their wedding special? Are their particular decorations or menu items that will make your wedding stand out? I just thought it would be fun to hear everyone's ideas. For us: We are naming tables after cities we've visited on vacation My nieces and nephews are acting as our wedding party We are having a bonfire on the beach after the reception I feel like I need more things to make it personal.

I do still have them, but I made a mistake. They are the bamboo fans here: http://www.blissweddingsmarket.com/s...dia/000049.jpg Bamboo Fans / Pack of 10 : Unique Wedding Favors - Wedding Reception Favors - Bridal Shower Favors I have 20, which I will sell for $10 + shipping. I am using them for my ceremony, but I just bought more than I needed.

Hey ladies, I have 20 extra palm fans from Bliss Wedding Market. Let me know if anyone is interested!

I just found out that I have 20 extra palm fans if you are interested. They are from Bliss Wedding Market

Hey girls, just thought I would let you know that I found really cute tealight size candles at World Market this weekend. They are inside seashells and come 13 in a pack for $7.99. The candles are mixed blue, white, and yellow. I burned one at home to test it, and they stay lit for about 2 hours and didn't drip on the table. They are great for destination wedding decor!

I'm sure everything will be fine. The only reason I do feel a little apprehensive is because it is coming up so soon. I just need to relax. Maybe I can convince Bill to send me the the spa

I know I have read some posts about concerns with the WC(s) at the Hilton. When I booked the Hilton, I was working with Emeline and she was one of the main reasons I booked there. There was so much great feedback about her, and she was easy to talk to and get information from. Since then, Emeline has been promoted (I believe) and I was switched to Mara. Now Mara is gone and Jaira is the new WC. Does anyone else feel stressed with all of these changes? Both Mara and Jaira are very nice, but much slower than Emeline was. I attribute this to the new duties they have had to take on. None the less, I am a little nervous with my wedding less than 2 months away. Any other Hilton ladies out there who can comfort me a little ??

I didn't do a shower, but I am having a bachelorette party. In the end, it is just an opportunity to get together and have fun before the wedding. So maybe you could do something like suggested above and organize "a girl's weekend." Maybe your family/friends are just a little strapped?? Is that possible? I know it takes a lot for everyone to pay to attend the wedding.

Yikes! I set my menu from our tasting in 2007. I hope there are no issues with this.

I think we just have to have a little patience. She took over for Emeline, so I'm sure she has a lot on her plate trying to learn everyone's requests while taking new ones. People used to complain about Emeline, too! I think we just have to relax (including me!).

Absolutely breathtaking. I love the colors.

Things have been slow for me too. I have just been chalking it up to the holidays.

Thanks, I was specifically wondiering about manicures and pedicures.

I am using them. I don't really have any real experience thus far, but here are my thoughts: Martha is really nice and her work is beautiful (from the stuff I have seen) She can be a little slow with communication, but it hasn't caused any problems from me They are expensive. I am going with them because I have a florist in the family and beautiful flowers are very important to me, but there are much cheaper options.

Thanks, ladies. I'm so bad about sending thank yous in general, but I want to make sure I get all of the wedding ettiquette correct. Is it too late to send thank yous for Christmas? Oops!