loanmao

I LOVE them! I was actually looking into buying regular loofahs, but these are definitely cuter!!! What a great find!!!! I'll have to get myself to a dollar tree soon.

Autumn, great job! Can I ask where you got those white boxes from? I've seen them elsewhere on BDW. Were they expensive?

trobin01...no problem!! I'm glad they ship to Canada! I had no idea, but I've noticed that many Canadians are having trouble with expensive shipping costs to Canada. Hope this is helpful to all Canadians!! =)

You guys should also try Coffee Mugs, Shot Glasses, Wine Glasses, Beer Mugs, Promotional Products, Tote Bags, Champagne Glasses, Wedding Favors , Sports Bottles, T-shirts, Promotional Pens & personalized Glassware.. Great bags with free shipping! I bought 70 canvas bags at 1.70 each (with a 5% discount code I found online through Google)

lexibride...have you tried discountmugs.com? I got 70 canvas bags for 1.70 each with free shipping. I bought them blank and also got a 5% discount code online. Just google it!

scottishbride...when i went for my site visit in july, angie from general wedding sales, set it up for us. we just told her when we were going and our flight info. she will also help to set up an appointment with your WC.

Tighty-whitey...did u book Ivan directly through the hotel or did you contact him separately?

olsontco...here are some options: 1. Day before cocktail party...which will be the same as the a la carte pricing. 2. Welcome dinner...this is also priced similarly to the wedding day reception. $30/person for Real guests and I believe $60/person for non-Real guests. 3. Dinner at Maria's Restaurant at the Gran Porto. They don't take reservations, but you can contact your wedding coordinator or the concierge to book a large group. You can't reserve between 7-8:30 and the cost will be $10/person for Real guests. I'm not sure what the price will be for non-Real guests. The concierge person I spoke with was not clear on that.

Thanks so much for sharing!! Love the colors and the fishes!!! I've been searching everywhere for what else to include in my invites and how to word it, and your thread is super helpful! Thanks so much!!

Lady Di....mosquitoes at the Playa are HORRIBLE!!! They don't just come out at dusk...they're flying around all day long! I just got back from a site visit...we were there for 2 nights and I got 13 bites!!! Granted...I am the person who always gets bit in a crowd of people, but I was ready to leave just because of the mosquitoes! The one I got in between the eyes was the last straw...haha..

Thanks Tighty...i saw your teaser photos! I love how her pictures are so vibrant! But I wonder about the night time shots. Why do they look so grainy? Is it because there wasn't enough lighting? The black and white shots look great, though. Do all photogs have this problem?

Tighty-Whitey...this is an extremely delayed thank you, but thanks so much for such a detailed answer to all my questions. It has been a great help!!!

Tighty...which package did you chose with Elizabeth Medina? I have been in contact with her and feel that she's a bit on the pricier side...but I love her pictures! Anything you could do without or anything you loved? Have you received the table top book and pictures? After your TTD session, what did you do with the dress? Was it easy to clean? I LOVE TTD photos, but I'm not sure that I would want to actually trash the dress.

Olsontco...interesting question. I need to start thinking about this as well. I would like to get something concrete planned when I go down for a site visit in July. Perhaps I can ask for us. I hope it won't be too expensive, seeing as how all our guests will have already paid for their all-inclusive packages..

Maybride...have a great time on your wedding week!!! Can't wait to hear all the details when you get back!!!!

EmenGeeRoxx....I feel your frustration as well. I think all the resorts are hoping the high season will remain high in 2010. I almost believe that it's not worth it for guests to do early booking to be promised the guaranteed group rate. Perhaps if they wait a little longer, they can find a dirt cheap option. Their site even boasts $35.84 USD for last min deal to The Royal!!! That should be a question I ask the WC during my site visit. I'll be going down July 21-23. Any requests for pictures??

WOOO HOOO!!! COngratulations!!!!

Congrats Karen & Brian! There is a ton of Royal PDC info in this forum. Look for "Royal PDC..were kids allowed, etc." I, along with a few others, are also Royal brides. Looking forward to chatting and sharing info!!

Tighty-Whitey...thanks again for the review and the great pictures. FI and I are in the process of picking a wedding package and wanted to know what you thought of the Luxury Wedding. Aside from the photographer, DJ, and lounge chairs, did you add any other upgrades? Did you upgrade any of the flowers? Were all the vendors you chose a preferred vendor? Was there much leeway in negotiating what you do and don't want in the package? I ask this because there are certain things in the package that I don't really have a need for. Did you find it to be too windy on the beach during the reception? Were there many onlookers during the reception? Did all your guests stay at The Royal? BTW...I like the white board idea for the guests!! Your pictures are great in helping us choose our ceremony location! Sorry for bombarding you with questions and thanks so much for your help!!!

Congratulations and welcome, Taneia!!

Allison&Kevin...the prices are listed per person. For example, under Royal PDC, the price is $332 for one person in a junior suite, $210 per person in a double, and $160/person for a 3rd and 4th adult. Are these prices comparable to what you have been getting? Angie tells me that these are already discounted room rates and they cannot go cheaper. However, if the rates drop at a later date then she can give us the cheaper price. If the prices increase, we are locked in at these prices as long as the deposit is paid. If anyone is getting different numbers, can you please share for comparison? Thanks! EmenGeeRoxx...the prices are for rooms only. Flights are separate.

HI ladies!!! I emailed a bunch of questions to Angie and just got her responses. Thought this might help some of you. 1. What size wedding can you accommodate? 200 to 250 people 2. What is one of the best features of a wedding at your facility? We do a fantastic job from start to finish. 3. Are you flexible regarding customization? The packages are as is and cannot be changed. However you can add on. How much leeway would I get w/ menus, music, flowers, photography, etc? You would have to get specific before I can answer. 4. What type of spaces is available for both the ceremony and the reception? The Ceremony can be on the beach, in the gazebo or in the ballroom depending on the amount of people. The reception can be on the beach, in the gazebo, in the garden or in the ballroom depending on the amount of people. Is anything off limits? I don't understand the question. 5. Are any renovations scheduled on my wedding date? Will they be disruptive? Nothing that I am aware of and it is highly unlikely since that will be during high season and we do not schedule renovations then as a rule. 6. Can I see more photos of the facility other than the ones on your website? Tell me what you want a photo of and I will see what I have. 7. Who is the on-site wedding coordinator and what specific duties will she help me with? She will meet with you after you arrive and double check everything and oversee your wedding. Will she be available on the day of the wedding? Yes 8. Can I get references from recent brides? I will try for you. 9. How do prices vary according to day of week or time of day? They do not vary day to day through the week, but if your stay is over a holiday weekend there is a surcharge. 10. How much deposit is required to reserve my date? $200 and it needs to be done soon or we will not be able to continue to hold it. When would I need to make the next payment? Final payment is due 45 days prior to arrival. 11. Does the hotel have enough rooms for my guests? a. I have heard that in the past, Royal Playa del Carmen overbooks during high season. This does not happen often and anyone that books through here would be noted as wedding guests. b. How can I avoid problems for my guest when they arrive? Make sure that their reservations are noted as attending the Yost & Ray Wedding I don't know who Yost & Ray are. Wonder if she answered the same questions for someone else. c. What is the best way for our guests to book their rooms? They can book their rooms through us. d. How long are the rooms held for? They have 10 days to get their deposit in. 12. What types of activities do couples usually organize for guests? They are at an all inclusive resort and having the wedding and the reception scheduled at a certain time is the most scheduled time that guests usually want. Most want time to lay back and enjoy. What’s on the property? See the attached fact sheet. a. What kind of golf outings is available for guests? There is a golf course in Playacar and in Cancun. 13. How far are you from the airport? 45 minutes How much is taxi from airport? $50 one way or we can arrange transfers for $45 per person round trip. 14. Are there any weddings scheduled to take place on my wedding day? Will it interfere with mine? How many weddings do you book in a day? She didn't answer this one.. 15. How formal is the hotel? What is the standard attire? The attire is laid back and relaxed. They do request you to dress nicely for the nice restaurants at night. 16. Can kids eat at Royal (at other times beside day of wedding)? No, They are only allowed at the wedding it is an adult only resort. Infants? No, They are only allowed at the wedding it is an adult only resort. (We will have kids ranging from infant-7 years old) 17. Cancellation policy is 0-14 days w/ no refund…what happens if there’s another swine flu outbreak or similar? Do you provide wedding insurance? They take special circumstances into consideration when they happen. Those who were booked during the swine flu (even though there was nothing near our resorts) were given a full refund. 18. For guests staying at Porto, can they use all facilities at Royal? The people from THE ROYAL can go to the Gran Porto anytime that they want and use all the facilities. The people at the Gran Porto can only drink and eat at THE ROYAL during the wedding reception or if they purchase a day pass. 19. Is the beach public? In Mexico Yes. 20. Can we schedule a sight visit for the near future to look at both facilities, rooms, wedding locations, vendor samples, food sampling? We can schedule a site inspection whenever you are going to Mexico and a food tasting. The food tasting is free if your deposit is made or $50 per person which can be used as a credit when you book. We may only have time to do one site visit before the wedding. Those that do a site inspection usually only do 1 so you will be fine with that. 21. All inclusive questions: a. Will my guests’ food and drink be covered during wedding activities even if they aren’t guests at the resort? If they are not guests at the resort you pay double for them to include the food and drink. b. How are the charges for the ceremony and reception broken down? They are only broken down if you do everything separately. The additional rates are listed on the tariffs page that I sent with the wedding packages and at the bottom of the packages themselves. c. Are there plenty of included activities for all of my guests during their entire stay? See attached Fact Sheets. d. Is top shelf alcohol included in both hotels? No, just at THE ROYAL. Can guests enjoy alcohol from both resorts? The people from THE ROYAL can go to the Gran Porto anytime that they want and use all the facilities. The people at the Gran Porto can only drink and eat at THE ROYAL during the wedding reception or if they purchase a day pass.

EmenGeeRoxx...here's the pricing Angie gave me: THE ROYAL in Playa Del Carmen Single, Double, 3rd & 4th Junior Suite 332 210 160 Ryl Junior OV 345 218 165 Ryl Junior OF 414 263 198 Ryl Junior BFWO 445 284 214 Ryl Junior Swim Up 458 292 220 Ryl Master OV 470 300 226 Ryl Master OF 522 332 248 Ryl Presidential 591 377 281 Gran Porto Real Single, Double, 3rd & 4th, Teen(13-17 yrs), Child (6-12 yrs) Junior Suite 270 167 126 113 65 Junior Suite OV 283 175 132 118 68 Family Jr Suite OF 295 183 138 122 72 Junior Suite OF 295 183 138 122 72 Gran Jr Suite BFWO 331 209 159 142 78 Gran Master Suite 395 249 187 166 104 Sorry, I couldn't do anything about the spacing. I tried to make it table-like. These prices are for Jan 16, 2010.

Wow...we definitely have a wide range of professions in here. I am a pediatric dentist. I've been in the field for 1 year and love it...most of the time. =)

diana&steve...i have not put down a deposit yet because i've emailed her a list of questions for her to answer about the policies. i didn't want to lock myself in until i got all my info. i'm still waiting for her reply. do you know if the deposit is refundable if we decide to pull out? i'll post the answers to my questions as soon as i get them. however, i'll probably post in the other thread: Royal PDC brides...were kids allowed... be sure to check in on it for the answers.