rbarzu

Quote: Originally Posted by CristiandJamie Good thinking! At this point we have three bridesmaids, do you think if I order one bouquet and split it up three ways would that be too small? I might just stick with three bouquets but definitely think if someone has more BMs that would be a great solution! Thanks NaM! :-) Hey there, i do not know how you feel about artificial flowers. I first said - absolutely NOT... But I definitely changed my mind after I found a lady out of Florida, who did an amazing job with "natural touch" flowers - which I researched thoroughly - they are the most natural looking ones out there. She sent them via mail, very professional and helpful every step of the way. Everyone complimented our bouquets, and had no clue only mine was real. I have some pictures of the bouquets and this lady will work with your budget. I ended up paying $25.00 a bouquet (3 bridesmaids) and the flowers were beautiful. A side note - my REAL bouquet stained my dress...lol...I sincerely regretted not getting a bouquet of my own in "natural touch" after it was all said and done. The girls also got to keep their flowers as a memory/favor...I don't have mine and i had stains on my dress. Final score- Natural Touch: 2 Real flowers:0 :-)) (PM me for photos - the site is asking me to downsize them significantly and you will not see how beautiful the flowers really are)

Quote: Originally Posted by thefuturemrslutz Your pictures are absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I recommend Sascha Gluck, our photographer, all the way! As my post above says...I was a WRECK before my "I do" and Sascha made me look and feel amazing. He was such a part of our party group...everyone loved him. Once I get all of our photos I will post the link to our slideshow so you can see the many creative shots he took... thanks again Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by ddiinnyyeell We also had our wedding at 4 and you definitely are short on sunlight after the ceremony because of it. We decided to do our pictures before hand starting around 12:30 and had plenty of time and I am so happy we decided to do it that way. Of course, that is up to you -- you don't have the "wow" walking down the aisle moment. The sacrifice was worth it to me. By the time the ceremony and group pictures were done the lighting was about like this: Danielle, That is so beautiful - I love that shot... We did some shots with the sunset and I thought they were extremely romantic and different. I was very particular about the "wow" factor and not getting together before the ceremony so I didn't consider the option of photos beforehand. But many people who do (I have seen a lot on this forum) love that they have some special moments together before the big "I do." I was a wreck until the moment I walked down the steps toward the aisle so the before photos would have been (I think) a bust. I guess you can't anticipate how you will feel...at least I would have never foreseen myself to be in such an emotional state (6 years of living together + no jitters at all until the morning of...who would think I would break out in hives and have a meltdown??!) Just ask the girl that got married at 2 p.m., 1 hour before me, who had the "pleasure" of being in the beauty salon with me getting her hair done. Wreck is probably one of the lightest words she would use. lol So the hives went COMPLETELY away when I walked down the aisle and I was very calm and totally back to normal for the after photos and reception...all is well that ends well.. hugs Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by NaM I'm going to agree with Raluca and say RM is way better than Punta Cana in my opinion. They are both gorgeous but I'm just a little partial to Mexico in general. About the beach-a few people brought this up when they first got there but after we had pool time (at the swim up bar) and we went snorkeling...I think everyone was really pleased. We didn't hear a single complaint because everything else was so great. I, like Raluca, wanted a gazebo and the beach as a back drop "and what a backdrop it was" I'll hopefully have my pro pics back soon so I'll post those and my review within the next few weeks (hopefully sooner rather than later). But for now here are a few from my camera: **Just a note** since we got married in November I didn't take the time into account. We got married at 4 and although I enjoyed having all day to relax and get ready...we started a little late and missed out on some great pictures. If I could go back and do it again I would pick 3. That being said if I was getting married in the summer before day light savings time anything earlier might be too hot and I would def stick to 4. All personal preference though so make sure you research what will make you most happy!! Natalia, First let me say - YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL! I think I had told you that after Sascha had taken our pictures and was walking with us back to the Pandero terrace for the cocktail hour, we saw you and Justin being pronounced husband and wife - And I totally waved my bouquet and yelled and cheered (so did your guests, that's why you couldn't hear me lol) but i was far away and didn't really see much of your dress or what was going on. Now I am waiting to see photos! We also ran into some of your bridesmaids when riding the carriage over - their dresses were so cute! And, your grandpa and I danced up a storm at the disco one night - the man could twirl me so fast... (hahahaha...he told me later by the pool he was your grandpa, and then he took a pic of us...I thought he was so sweet...reminded me so much of my grandparents who couldn't travel from Romania...) All that aside, it is so sad we didn't take photos together (duh! we were just a few feet apart all the time that night) - maybe Sascha can photoshop one :-)) I too loved the free snorkeling tour (and it wasn't because Federico was the guide - which was the reason a lot of my ladies might have thought of joining the tour, but was definitely the reason why I did water aerobics often...lol) and I saw some cool fish too - and I was dead tired afterward...that lagoon is very long... Als, the time comment - TOALLY TRUE. The reason the light bulb went off for me was that when I booked, I asked ASP for a 6:30 p.m. wedding. And they replied to make sure that's what I wanted because it would have been pitch black. I went on one of the web sites that showed sunset and sunrise times and I realized the sun set at 5 at that time of the year....so for anyone concerned about this, it is really easy to figure out what your time of the year will look like just by going to one of these sites.

Quote: Originally Posted by rdsjcr Raluca -- you were a gorgeous bride and oh my- those pics are stunning! I was looking to get married in Punta Cana and now I am thinking Riveria Maya... and I am looking at Aventura. Quick quiestions-- did it bother you and your guests that you are not directly on a beach? How easy is it get to the beach? Also- I have a friend who does photography on the side and is willing to do for our gift, but after looking at your pics- how can I not go with him...would you say he is affordable? thanks and congrats!! Rd, I have been to Punta Cana twice, and I would choose RM any day for my wedding...but this is a personal decision, really....don't want to influence you...choose ASP...lol:-))) It didn't bother me not to be on the beach - but i heard that comment many times. And I would say that if you really want to be on the beach, ASP is not for you. I wanted to be in a gazebo, mostly because I am a shoe freak and so are my bridesmaids and ...well...I couldn't have imagined my day barefoot. (shallow? yes!) Now, we did take them off for the reception, but at that point it was very fitting and romantic to do so... Many people who dream of their wedding on a beach, actually want to do it on the sand - I wanted the ocean in the background (and what a background it was!) and for my guests to have fun not only on the day of but at the resort in general. And let me tell you, we had FUN. The activity pool was tons of fun -- not sure what others thought of our crazy group (NaM??:-))) but we participated in many events at the pool and had a riot (the swim up bar helped). So even if ASP would have had a beach, none of my guests would have preferred it over the activity pool. But it's up to you...you're the bride, you know your group and the kind of atmosphere you want. I recommend ASP all the way. As for Sascha, I can say, yes, based on my research (and I could swear I spent 9 neverending months on the internet with photographers and other vendors) he was AFFORDABLE for what we had in mind. The fact that he has an assistant (who takes photos as well - so you get all kinds of views and as he is shooting the girls getting ready, his assistant is meeting up with the guys to get their pics) he was there for 8 hours straight (and had fun with us!) and then showed up the next morning and picked us up for another 2 hours, coupled with the quality of the shots and his personal demeanor....his services are a great deal. I had priced a bunch of different photogs all based on this forum....he had the best prices, and you didn't sacrifice quality of work. (did I brag on him enough??) If you are considering him, I think you should contact him soon because I know he gets booked up...maybe just to see his pricing and get a status on your wedding date. He had told us he had some weddings booked up in July 2010, so it's wise to get on his calendar sooner than later. Does this help? Tootles! Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by FutureMrsRell Raluca - I think you had the MOST popular dress of the year! You are the 5th bride I've seen it on (between friends, photographers pics, and here!) However, I must say... YOU pulled it off better than anyone I've seen! You were an absolutely STUNNING bride! I loved how your hair was so natural. LOVED LOVED LOVED your flower! Makes we want to give up on this whole growing my hair out! Anyway love what you've posted so far! Can't wait to see more! =) FutureMrs, I KNOOOW! When I first bought the dress in March, it was a new arrival. I was stunned - loved it. It was THE ONE. So after, I started seeing wedding after wedding after wedding - in the local paper, on my friend's facebook, even one of my friends, on the photographer's site - all in the same dress!! Even at a fitting, I walked in to find another bride getting fitted in that same dress. I didn't even want to come out of the fitting room. lol. I tried others on and told myself I can find another one, but in the end it was THE ONE, and I couldn't rid myself of it. So I told myself just what you said (which I thank you for, really!) - that I will pull it off the best and that's that. And the reason why I chose this dress was my hair. It is perfect in my opinion for short hair. But, of course, before the wedding, I was obsessed with the "up-do" - no sites/magazines really show you short hair for wedding style...So I considered extensions heavily before leaving. But then, I told myself I want to be me on that day - and "me" is not long flowy hair at all...it's short and fun so I told myself that's what I will do. Now, not to say that I didn't have major doubts on the day of, watching another ASP bride get her long hair done so beautifully...lol...so it's really how you feel and what you decide...:-))) Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by KelleynEric Raluca your pictures are gorgeous!! Thank you for sharing! Sascha did a great job, I'm so happy you posted those pics and a link to him, looks like he did a great job and had fun! How long did you have him for? Did you have to pay for overnight? Cant wait for your full review!! Kelley, Sorry I haven't responded. I haven't had a chance with family in town and the holidays...I am working on a review. About Sascha - we had him for 10 hours - 8 the day of the wedding (he came at 2 p.m. for a 3 p.m. wedding and stayed through the reception, which was supposed to end at 10 p.m. - you will see in my review though, it was much later:)) and 2 hours for TTD the next morning. He actually came and picked us up at 8:30 a.m. and we went to a private beach where we had a fun TTD...and later even a beer at a restaurant. (yeah, we had beer at 10:30 - one that had spices in it for major hangovers lol) Sascha stayed in Puerto Aventuras for the night (which is 5 mins away) but didn't charge us for the stay. I honestly recommend him - I talked with so many photogs before deciding to go with him...and he was amazing...all the way! Hope this helps. Raluca p.s. And yes, I went with the Amber package for decor and I had a ton of compliments from my guests...

CancunPhotos by Sascha Gluck Ladies, I couldn't figure out quickly how to get 60 preview photos on here, but I thought the link above (to his blog) would suffice. These are the preview shots from Sascha (AMAZING!) and they are the first ones on the page - under the heading RALUCA AND CHRIS, AVENTURA SPA PALACE. Have fun! Review coming up soon....... Raluca

OK girlies-whirlies, I AM BACK!! Married and happy, trying to adjust to colder temps and being at work. I will post photos as soon as Sascha lets me take a peek and will try to find time this weekend for a full review. Until then, know that it was P-E-R-F-E-C-T! From begining to end. I am a perfectionist to the core and to my own fault amny times so I had doubts and criticism about EVERYTHING until the very moment we arrived at ASP. And let me tell you, it was indeed PERFECT. No other word can describe it. LOVED LOVED LOVED IT. So take a deep breath all of you future brides...it will be amazing! TTYS! Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by Jackie22 Hi Everyone, I'm new to the site and just planned my wedding at the Aventura Spa Palace for May. Were are having a small wedding aprox 12 people. We chose a 5pm ceremony. Can anyone tel lme about the bloodwork that is required, do they come to the hotel to draw it, how was the process? Did anyone have the fireworks? How were they? I chose the Diamond Package, did anyone choose this package? I'm trying to find a photographer, I'm thinking of using Del Sol but the want me to puirchase them a room for the night. Since our wedding is so small I'm looking for like a 3 hr photographer package. Does anyone know a photographer who will come just using the day pass? Thanks!!!! Look forward to hearing from you Hey Jackie, You have come to the right place to plan your wedding. This thread has been a life saver for me. I am leaving TOMORROW and our wedding is this Saturday. My photographer, Sascha Gluck, Destination Wedding Photographer for Cancun and Riviera Maya and the rest of the World - did NOT require a night's stay, but only the daily pass. His work is very good. I will post photos when we return and you can decide. We are doing some add-ons, a private reception and rehearsal dinner with about 27 guests so I will have a review upon returning. I will be very honest, I promise!! Also, NaM on this thread is getting married an hour after me, in the same location and I am SURE she will have helpful insights! (lol, Natalia, I just volunteered you:)) Mexico here we come!! Woo -hoo! Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by ddiinnyyeell Hi girls.... for those of you that have facebook.... I think this should work. Click this link and sign into facebook and I think you'll be able to view that album. This is our "sneak peak" at some of our wedding photos! Enjoy! Login | Facebook I looove them! You were g-g-g-gourgeous:) I can't wait to see more! Thank you so much for sharing, Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by ddiinnyyeell rbarzu -- I agree that the resort photographer isn't the best. Out of the 70 pictures we got, there were between 15-20 pictures that were nice. The rest were overly posed and corney. But the ones we liked were definitely worth it. I'll be sure to post them when I get home Friday. Danielle, Please do post them! You make me feel so much better when you say you had no problem with bringing an outside photog. As you can tell, I have been PARANOID. Yazmin has reminded me quite a few times of their outside vendor rules, so I was feeling apprehensive. And really, 15-20 photos of quality is quite a good number! Thank you for your post! I am so excited to see your review and all the photos when you get back (lol, no pressure at all!) take care Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by lily17bear Danielle, congrats on your wedding! Can't wait to read your review and look at your pics. Enjoy your time while there. I have a question regarding hiring an outside photographer. I've been told by the resort that they don't allow outside vendors, but I've also read on the forum that they have been able to bring someone from the outside. Does this mean that they really don't enforce that rule at the resort? I would love to hire an outside photographer. Would I be able to just bring them in with a day pass, and do I have to tell them that it's a photographer coming in? Thanks for everyone's input. Hey Lily, Bringing a photographer seems to be a challenge but I, like many other ASP brides, chose to bypass their rules and try to get an outside vendor to do our photos. I have gone with Sascha Gluck (Destination Wedding Photographer for Cancun and Riviera Maya and the rest of the World) and he and his assistant will come as guests to our wedding on Nov. 21. They will have a place at the reception tables, a day pass and all that...Just as a good friend and guest would. I told our coordinator that a dear friend and guest at the wedding is doing the photos. What can they say about that? It has worked so far...but the wedding is in less than three weeks, so...we shall see. Hope not to jinx myself! I also know other brides at ASP have bypassed the outside vendor rule by either having the local photog stay for one night (so paying for their stay would make them actual ASP guests) or invited someone to tag along from the U.S. and paid for their stay and travel. Some photographers request the resort stay as part of their contract. Sascha did not. Honestly, I think the solution with the day pass will work for us. For me, the resort photography is pretty sub-standard (maybe I am a little biased because it is close to what I do for a living) and I find it silly that they would try to force that on people getting married and staying at their resort, not to mention spending a lot of money on their services. Let me know if you need any more info. Good luck!!! Raluca

CONGRATULATIONS Danielle!! We are three weeks away and it helps to see your positive comments. We want to hear EVERYTHING upon your return. Have fun on your honeymoon until then! )

Your pictures are gorgeous ieemc! NaM - I sent you an e-mail - let's figure out the makeup deal, definitely. Playa is not very far. We are going to try and find our wedding favors (some sort of local souvenir). Yazmin is veeeeery slow on e-mailing. I asked for Mundaca for the rehearsal...we will see. trying to keep my cool.... So close, so close....

OK, that makes me mad, because Yazmin told me repeatedly I have to wait until the day we arrive to book the restaurant. I just wrote her an email about scheduling our rehearsal at Mundaca that Friday. Argghh. Natalia, I bet the flower idea is going to work. I mean, what are they going to do? I am getting my hair done there and my makeup. I emailed them to ask about what kind of makeup they use...I hope it is quality stuff. My hair does't worry me (it's quite a short bob, how can you mess that up) but my makeup is quite a stress. I am pretty good doing it myself on a normal day, but that will be far from normal. So I am banking on their skills....however, I have nightmares about looking like a made up geisha:-)) This is getting nerve-wracking overall. whew... raluca

Danielle, How exciting!! You sound like you are doing well - calm and organized. Wish I will mirror that in a few weeks when it's my time to start freaking out:-)) RE: Real-touch flowers -- I had mine done by a very talented lady out of Florida. They were very inexpensive, especially compared to the real ones at ASP. I was apalled by their flower prices. I think they take advantage of their "no-outside-vendor-rule." You cannot use anyone else, so we will charge you an arm and a leg for any services we provide... I suggest a bigger restaurant....but I am only speaking given my personal preference. We are having a private reception so we are doing the "rehearsal dinner" at one of the restaurants that can hold 35 people - however, they won't let me book that just yet. I appreciate any suggestions on best restaurants for a large group... Have tons of FUN!!!!!! And let us know all the details. I am about 3 weeks after you (so is NaM) and your advice will put our minds at ease. Raluca

hey everyone!! I have been MIA from the forum and from wedding planning, but with two months left, I am begining to STRESS!! NaM, what a great idea with the aisle runner...I hated the idea of the red one as well. I am looking for one for a pink&orange theme...I will let you know if I find anything fabulous. Rachel - do you have that outline still? I would love to see it. E-mail me at [email protected] if you can still send it! I am all over on the planning...we have 25 people coming and it seems like there is SO MUCH to do in such little time. talk to you all soon, Raluca

Ohiobride, You are right. you do get a reservation with your package becasue normally you cannot reserve for groups that size. We are choosing to use it for our rehearsal dinner the night before, to bring everyone together. However, Yazmin did say that we have to wait until we meet with her two days before the wedding to reserve it and that availability will be limited. We are doing a private reception the day of. Nevertheless, there are deals that include a cocktail hour or a reception for free, depending on how many rooms you book for your wedding. In order to do that we signed a group contract committing to a number of rooms and we only received the cocktail hour for free becasue we'll have about 13 rooms. We felt that the private reception is more than worth it. Having a DJ, a sound system, a first dance, a private area without onlookers was very important to us. This is an intimate and symbolic event for us and I wanted to create that atmosphere for everyone. Our guests will probably shed a few tears, give some funny speeches and dance their hearts out. I didn't think they would feel comfortable doing all that in a public restaurant setting. Or i wouldn't. And, in my mind, this is our gift to them for making the trip and giving of their time.

Rachel, I personally do not think that is true. My group contract for November has the same rate for both sides...I would first ask your WC (she will know for sure) and the confront the TA. let me know what you find out.

Quote: Originally Posted by NaM Sorry I've been neglecting this forum. Crazy busy last couple of days. I'm excited you're on here too. What a small world! I'll PM you my email address. I believe Yazmin is my coordintor. We've had this booked since the beginning of Janurary so I haven't looked much into it since then since we have no major decision left to make until we get down there! I'm not sure how many guests are going to wind up coming. We invited about 150 and we are expecting 30-100. We'll see. we have a large family and bridal party and they will all be there so that's most important to me. From what I hear the ceremony only lasts about 25-30 min. so I'm sure they'll have it all cleared out and make each of us think we are the only ones getting married that day Swine flu worries are already out the window. It sucks that it happened for some people but it's definitely off my mind and my guests. I think it funny that people freaked out so badly...I mean the normal yearly flu is worse, kills and infects more people and you don't see line ups of young, healthy people getting flu shots to avoid it. Why would you avoid an amazing vacation and someones wedding? To each their own I guess. Do you have an idea of where you are doing your cocktail hour/reception?? We'll have to party at the disco that night, bring all the wedding crew in and have a major party. Thanks for everyones input, it's nice to feel more prepared and what to expect. Looking forward to chatting with you all and then giving insight after it's all over NaM, I LOVE the idea of partying our butts off that night. Between your party and mine, we should have an amazing double post-reception. Woo hoo!! I have got some dancers in my group. How long are you guys staying for the honeymoon? We are leaving on the 27th and will arrive on the 17th. Most of our guests are planning to arrive on the 18th - and spend 4 nights. I think we will have about 30 people too. We have only invited those who verbally promised to come and who are special to us. To tell you the truth, we did send some "obligation" invites but i doubt more will show up than what we anticipated. Yazmin is great. She answers my questions regularly and quickly. We are having the wedding at the gazebo on the Cove side at 3, then a cocktail hour (drinks and appetizers) from 4:30 to 5:30 in the Pandero Terrace and the reception with a DJ, open bar and buffet from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. I hope to then move the dancing to the disco until midnight or so. i am sure we will "retire" about midnight but our guests will want to dance the night away. We have a 7 a.m. Trash the Dress Session the next morning so I am hoping to get a little sleep What are you thinking for your reception? A private party? Or, like some others, just a dinner and then the disco? Also, did you book a photog? I am trying to sneak in outside photog Sascha Gluck as my guest so it should be interesting. The reviews on the ASP photog are not good at all. I didn't believe it until I saw samples for myself. I don't think so... Yay! I will enjoy planning with you! Cheers, Raluca

Quote: Originally Posted by PhifeRules HI Everyone, We just finished our wedding here last Saturday , May 2nd. Yep, swine flu and all we came. It wasn't really a deciding factor for us because by the time CNN, FOX and MSNBC got word of the swine flu some of our guests had already made their way down here. We definitely were not going to leave them hanging! We had a couple of physicians in our group including two that are specialists in Infectious Diseases and there was NO problem down here at all. There a couple of people wearing masks on the plane but on the resort no one was wearing masks. Many of the workers didn't even seem to be phased. I think the news really made things a whole lot bigger than even in Mexico itself. The wedding was amazing.... so worth it..... beyond what we could have ever planned or done in the States. All of our friends (~50) had an amazing time and as soon as they hit the resort they forgot about the swine flu. None of them wanted to leave and they all said this was the best wedding!!! Well, I will write my official review later. We have a couple more days down here. The weather is perfect!!!! PS. ALL of our friends have returned to the States and not a single one had any problem. They are all healthy and no swine flu symptoms yet!!! Also by the time they returned, there were more confirmed cases of swine flu in their own cities than here in Quintana Roo, the state where Cancun, Riviera Maya are. PhifeRules, I am so glad to see a positive comment...Looking forward to your review!!! let us know when you post it! Raluca

Rachel. Congrats on graduation!!! We have that in common. I am also graduating with my master's degree in a few weeks. June 5. WOO HOO to us!! I hate to make judgements about your BM since I do not know her, but I think, like I said in my earlier post, those who are close friends and love you the most wouldn't miss this event for anything in the world! At least that's how I feel about some of my guests:) Let us know what you decide to do! Either way, Plan A or B, you will be getting married to the man of your dreams, so it will be a beautiful memorable event.

Quote: Originally Posted by NaM Hi everyone! Especially rbarzu...we're getting married on the same day! I've got the 4 o'clock ceremony on the cove side. Maybe 4:30 who even knows at this point. So about the swine flu... I talked to my travel agent (who is a long time family friend and guest of our wedding) and she has been to Mexico in the last week for some meetings. Cancun side resorts are at 75% occupancy and nobody is wearing masks. The flu doesn't seem to have spread there and Mexico itself is reporting a down turn in cases. Not to mention the people who have contracted the flu in the US and Canada have only been mildly sick with very few hospitalizations...the normal flu hits way harder and affects more people each year. I definitely think there is reason for concern but not alarm...esp for those of us who's wedding is still months away. We've decided to turn this into a positive instead of stressing and encouraged our guests to get their plane tickets now while prices have dramatically dropped. Buying insurance for $20 was advised of course and i think it gave some people peace of mind. I'm sorry for those who have had to cancel. It's a shame this whole thing happened in the first place. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all and exchanging ideas,thoughts,concerns, etc. NaM, OMG...I am so excited to find another bride on the same day. I think there is at least one after you, because that time slot was taken...We have to get together and compare notes once there and over e-mail before. You can write to me at [email protected]. Is Yazmin your coordinator? How many guests do you have?So many questions... That's funny that you are getting married at 4:00 p.m. in the same gazebo. I wonder how fast they have to undo the decor after our wedding and prepare for yours. You would think they would need some time for that...But maybe they're so good at this, they have it down to a science. I am also thinking positively about all this swine flu stuff... I got worried at first, especially since my invites went out the same day the swine flu news broke! I just didn't want anyone to panick, especially because my guests are from all over the world. Who knows what travel advisories they get? One thing is for certain...we have 40 people invited but only our closest friends will come, no matter what. They've all told us that. So we are on. I have even asked Chris, my fiance, about plan B, and he said..."we don't need one. We are getting married at ASP and it will be fabulous." This is unusual for him. So I am moving full speed ahead. I am reading the newspapers and it seems as if the swine flu will be old news in a few months. As of now, I am crossing my fingers and daydreaming about my beautiful wedding. I am soooo sorry about all of you who are having to cancel and who are having guests back out. I am sending positive energy out to you! Raluca

Jawedding, I am getting married at Aventura Spa Palace at the end of November, which is not considered rainy season in Mexico. I am not using a TA and I probably should since our guests are coming from the U.S., the Netherlands, Sweden and a big chunk from Romania. But they are all well-traveled adults so I see them having no problem with this. I found ASP to be cheaper than most but also heard great things about the quality. There is a forum in here for aventura where you can check in with tons of brides getting married there and ask questions, see pics and videos. Talking to them helped me make up my mind. As far as prices, my guests are paying $ 2,300 per couple which includes flights (from Ky) and four nights of all-inclusive stay. This is because we are booking through a group contract where we commit to fill a certain number of rooms. The group contract also provides spa and golf credits ($300.00 per room) and free tours through the resort. Of course, the tricky part is if someone who RSVPs changes their mind...there might be a fee involved past a certian date.(you have to ask the sales coordinator) But for us, most of our guests (30) are very close family and friends so we shared this policy with them in a very polite manner along with our invites. They know that if they say yes in the RSVP card, it means committing to that reservation and price. Another thing we did to be respectful to our geusts was to send invites super early. They went out last week and we are 6 months away. I felt this was important because even if someone really wants to come and spend $2,300 as a couple to do it, they need time in advance to plan and save for this, especially in these times. We have also set up a web site with information and a place for them to get in touch with us for any requests or questions. Does this help? All in all, I highly recommend ASP...and the price seems very reasonable, especially after I saw the survey Amarillis posted! :-) GOOD LUCK Raluca