bshortzie

Just an FYI, we used Rabbi Ian Adler from Pacific Synagogue for our wedding in Cabos last summer. He actually organized another wedding there for the same week so it worked out well. He did a fabulous job.

I had my wedding at the Westin. No outside coordinator is necessary there. They do a fabulous job! I used Maye for my legal ceremony arrangements. She is great to work with as well.

Maura- Just wondering when you'll have some pictures up for us to see and your review. I can't wait for both!!

I just got married in Cabos at the ned of June. The sunset was around 8:00 so it will still be pretty hot at 4:00. You can start your pictures earlier (before the 6:00 ceremony) if you are worried about light. I started pictures at 6 and everything came out fantastic.

I had 2 ladies come to my room at the Westin at the end of June. How many people are using her services? If you have a lot, you should be able to work it out.

I didn't have a podium but i did get a microphone system for the ceremony on the beach. The waves make it tough to hear. I didn't have anything on the pool desck, just up on the terrace. My ceremony was at 7:00 and there were still a lot of people around at the pool. They watched the whole thing from above. I did see a cocktail hour set-up on the pool deck a few days before my wedding. They cl;ose off the area all day so noone can lay out there but there will be people in the pool next to the area. They did a very nice job with the set-up.

We had chocolate cake, raspberry and buttercream.

I had them make the cake and it was awesome. Everyone loved it. Plus, they told me to pick a picture of what I want and send it to them and they will revreate it. They did it exactly the same as the picture. They charge $5 - $8 per person to do that. Maybe you should look into their flavor options and see if there is anything you like.

Maura- Congratulations and best of luck. Enjoy every moment! Barrie

I did bar on consumption because I thought it would be cheaper too. Only half my guests were really drinkers but it wound up costing more than we thought. First off, there is no way for you to keep track of how many drinks go out so you are stuck with what they tell you. Second, the service was so good that if a waiter saw your drink empty or almost empty, he brought you another without even asking if you want it. This tends to make people drink more as well.

My mother has the final version of the letter (Sorry!) but here is the second to last version. Hope it helps CabosHotelLetter.doc

I did a welcome letter that had a lot of info on what to do, where to eat, etc.

BEACH CEREMONY: Wooden avantgarde chairs: US$ 14 each White aisle runner: US$ 100 Hoopa with fabric and flowers: US$750 Flower petals: US$ 60 per dozen Flower sachets: US$ 50 each RECEPTION Wooden avantgarde chairs: US$ 14 each Rent specially-colored linens: aprox US$ 35 each (price may vary depending on final selection) CAKE $12 US$ per person If you go with chairs that the Westin has, they will not charge you a rental fee. They can cover them in white and will add a bow. They tell you your color options to choose from. The linens are also included if you select from their color options on site. I did pay $100 for a white runner, $50 per dozen rose petals, and $8 per person for the cake. The cake price depends on how many people and what your dinner selection is. I paid $610 for a chuppa with flowers but it depends on the amount of flowers you want. Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

I did the legal ceremony and then a religious ceremony all in Mexico. The legal one was done by a judge and we had a translator there. They did the blood work the day before. It was very easy. Our religious ceremony was done in English by a Rabbi we had fly down there. The religious ceremony is not legal in Mexico. You must have the civil/legal ceremony performed by the judge and then get the paperwork sent to the appropriate place for it to be legal here in the U.S.

We had both our legal and religious ceremonies in Cabos. It was really very easy. We filled out most of the paperwork and faxed/emailed it months before. The coordinator came to our room with a technician and it was over so quick. My husband is usually such a wuss and was a nervous wreck but even he said he barely felt a thing when they took blood. The legal ceremony was the next day. It was done in Spanish with a translator there as well. It was actually a beautiful ceremony. Then we signed and fingerprinted the papers and they sent them to the appropriate place to get stamped so it would be legal here in the US. We had our religious ceremony on Sunday. It was great! Our families came to both ceremonies, although we consider our religious ceremony to be our actual anniversary.

I posted my review under the Review forum. Enjoy! If you have any more questions, just let me know!

Barrie’s Westin Los Cabos Review 1. Flight (A) We flew Continental first class with a layover in Houston there and back. All the flights were on time, the service was great and they were able to accommodate my dress. We also were able to spend our layover time in the President’s Club which made the trip much more relaxing. We were allowed to take up to 3 bags each so packing and bag weight was not an issue. I carried on the few breakables I was bringing for our religious ceremony without a problem. We used the transportation company through the Westin. They were a few minutes late but had a large van to accommodate our bags. The driver was relatively fluent in English and gave us some info on Cabos. Other relatives took the shuttle which was way cheaper and they said it was fine. It made 3 stops and was very comfortable and affordable. We all had to take taxis back to the airport due to the transportation issues happening there. 2. Westin Hotel (A if infinity pool was open; but have to give it a B+ because of closure) Let me start by saying that 2 weeks before my wedding I was informed that the main activity/infinity pool was closed due to a massive leak and that La Playa restaurant was closed as well. This was supposed to be where our reception was being held, so we decided to move up to the Bugambilias Terrace (which turned out to be a much better and more beautiful area). We also wound up negotiating upgrades for all of our guests to Royal Beach Club so they all got a free champagne buffet breakfast and 3 hours of appetizers/cocktails in the evening. Since we were already RBC, we were upgraded to a Baja Suite which was absolutely gorgeous. It had a living room area, a huge walking glass shower, and a large balcony with a daybed and Jacuzzi bath tub. The Westin is a spectacular property. The architecture is amazing, it is very clean and the service was amazing. When we arrived, our wedding coordinator and her manager were waiting for us at the front. They gave us welcome drinks, checked us in quickly and we set up a meeting for the following day. Everyone was aware of who we were and went out of their way to make sure we always had everything we needed. I have to mention Jorge, the pool deck/beach manager who greeted us every morning, saved chairs for us and our guests, and was so unbelievably helpful throughout the trip. 3. Legal Ceremony- (A+) They came to do blood work on Thursday and the ceremony was on the balcony of our suite on Friday. The judge and Maye were on time and very professional. It was really a very nice ceremony and the paperwork was relatively simple. 4. Suzanne Morel Hair and Make-up (A+) They were fabulous and I now understand why they get such high ratings. Three women came, one to introduce the stylist and translator and take care of the paper work. She left relatively quickly and the stylist and translator set-up and we got to work. I had a hair trial done here in NJ and had emailed them pics, as well as brought hard copies as well. My stylist did an amazing job, much better than the stylist here in NJ! My hair did not move one millimeter the entire night. She also did a great job on make-up. The translator kept asking how I liked it and what I wanted to change along the way. I don’t usually wear much make-up so it was hard for me to deal with the foundation and heaviness of the makeup application. She told me it would loosen and soften as the day went on and she was right. I would recommend them to all Cabo brides! 5. Photographer- (A+) My uncle is a professional photographer so he did all the pictures for me as my wedding gift. He did an amazing job! 6. Ceremony (A) Our religious wedding was held on Sunday. The set-up for the ceremony was tough because of the tides. I was not able to have the ceremony in the exact spot I wanted it because the Chuppah would have been washed away. My uncle had the Westin move lounge chairs and umbrellas to block out any sight of the white construction panel around the pool. You would not have even known it was there. I got lucky with the weather; it wasn’t too windy so my rose petals stayed on the boards and runner leading up to the Chuppah. I hired an acoustic guitar player top play while people waited (luckily since the Rabbi was late!), for our processional and recessional. We had Rabbi Ian Adler officiate. He was supposed to arrive at our hotel by 6:00 PM for a 7:00 PM ceremony but his flight was delayed 3 hours and he arrived a little after 7. We met quickly and then got started. I had ordered a speaker and microphones to make sure my guests could hear the ceremony over the ocean. It was the best decision because you can hear it clearly on our video as well. Rabbi Ian did a phenomenal job. He made it interesting and personal. I would highly recommend his services! Since the ceremony was on the beach, everyone in the pool area listened as well. They made some noise but overall were very respectful and clapped along with all of our guests at the end. The only issue was with my bouquet. It was supposed to arrive in my room by 5:00 but was nowhere to be found at 6:00. They finally tracked it down and I had it just in time for family pictures. 7. Reception Dinner (A+) The setup on the terrace was beautiful. The food was outstanding and the service was wonderful as well. We decided to have a buffet since we had so many people with different tastes and dietary needs. There was no point in the evening when any of the guests had to even get up or wait to get a drink. The wait staff was always there, often bringing more without you even asking! My fiancé and I decided to have our own table and we were assigned our own waiter as well. We used a speaker system with an IPod for music and that worked out great. They lit the fire pit and people were able to sit around it on a couch if they wanted to. Our cake was delicious and they copied it exactly from my picture. We had chocolate cake with raspberry filling and butter cream frosting. I had them cut it right on the terrace and serve it. They then packed up the rest for me and brought it to my breakfast the next morning. The best surprise was when we got back to our room, the Westin had left a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, rose petals on the floor and in a heart shape on the bed, and they filled our outdoor tub with bubbles and rose petals and lit all the candles around it! It was beautiful. 8. Breakfast (A) We had a breakfast for all of our guests on Monday morning. We weren’t supposed to start until 9:30 but there were a few people who needed to catch flights so they let us bump it up to 9:00 to make sure everyone could attend. The Westin did a beautiful setup in the Cactus Foyer. There was a buffet and the food was wonderful. They did forget to put out big plates and bowls but they took care of that quickly. I also asked for the rest of my wedding cake and they brought that out as well. 9. Overall Overall, the Westin did a fabulous job and really came through in the end. The planning process was often frustrating because it often took 1-2 weeks for my wedding coordinator to respond. I was also upset about the pool closing because they waited until 2 weeks before the wedding to tell us about it when they had known since May. They just did not want us to back out and I thought that was unfair of them. They did accommodate our guests with upgrades and us as well. The service was amazing and they went out of their way to make sure we had everything we wanted. In the end, the wedding was everything I had imagined it would be and worked out perfectly! If anyone has any questions, I would be happy to answer them! I can only post 10 pictures so you can view a few more sample pictures at: bshortzie/BDW Sample pics - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

The Westin made (or got) the cake and it was fantastic! I sent them a picture of what I wanted and they copied it exactly. We chose chocolate cake with rasberry filling. Everybody loved it. We had them pck it up and they brought it out again at the breakfast the next morning. The lanterns were attached on one side (closer to the hotel)to the wall and then they used poles wrapped in white ribbon to support them on the other side.

Okay, I think I got it! Here are some sample pictures. The quality isn't great but you'll get the idea Setting up the ceremony... The Terrace... My Centerpieces... The Cake... Walking down the aisle... At the Ceremony... Feeding the cake... You can see a few more at this album link: bshortzie/BDW Sample pics - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting Set-up for breakfast...

Just seeing if I can add a pic.

Hi Ladies, I am back and have some pics for you to see. Everything was amazing. The Westin was beautiful and the property was unbelievable. The service was also outstanding. There were a few bumps in the road but in the end, it was everything I wanted it to be! Now I just have to figure out how to post pics on here... Barrie

We will be there from 6/25-7/5. I am in the process of printing out all my emails and correspondance with evryone in Mexico. I still can't believe how fast time flies!

I am using my own photographer. My uncle is a professional photographer and is doing all my pictures/albums as my wedding gift!

I think we talked about the ceremony a while ago. I am having it on the beach, but due to the construction on the pool, I think I am moving it to over by the putting green. I was having my reception dinner at La Playa but that closed so I am moving up to the terrace where Steph had hers. All my vendors arfe through the Westin. The only outside people are Maye Cortines and I am using Suzanne Morel for hair and makeup.

Steph- The pictures are great and you look fabulous! Thanks so much for writing the review. It was very helpful, especially since our wedding is next Sunday. I will not let the cake out of my sight! I am using Suzane Morel as well so I am glad you had such nice things to say about them. Its also wonderful that you thought the food was so good. I am going to use an Ipod at my reception dinner, we have a guitartist coming for the ceremony. I guess I can just keep my fingers crossed and hope all goes well!