yumyum90

I think the photographer will not take a credit card, but I just received an "extras" price list from chandlyn and it states that all the extras like steel drum, reception, cake, decorations etc, can be paid by cash, credit card, or travelers checks. However, I'm not sure if you will incure a extra fee for the credit card.

I love your pics, it looks like you guys had a great time. The pics w/the horse are unique and beautiful, it looks like the weather was gorgeous that day too.

Congrats and thank you for writing this!

i'm sending you a pm

I think you can find it. I just got my "extras list" form the wedding coordinator and there was an option for a saxophonists. Finding a pianist might be a little more challenging. Ask the resort or WC, you might be able to find something.

I'm not sure about a phone call, but I did see something on the website that said you should be contacted by the WC about a month before your wedding via email. I can understand your frustrations, I would email Chandlyn again and maybe put in the title "6-17-10 Wedding-Urgent Question" or something like that. Most girls on the board have written they didn't get an initiated contact from the her but Chandlyn is such a pro that when you get to the resort you just make an appt. to see her and everything goes very smoothly. Most have said the meeting only lasts about 25 minutes and she does everything that you need her to. She does weddings 3 times a day so it's probably no big deal to her. I know its frustrating though, but I think things will be okay.

It sounds like you defintely know what you want. I've read and seen pics about Moon Dance Villa's and Rockhouse Hotel as a beautiful setting for weddings as well as a great place to stay. Very private and romantic. Also, if you were interested in staying at a resort and getting married off site, I think Negril Escape is absolutely gorgeous! I got a quote from them and they were reasonable and the setting is just breath taking.

Preciousmi811 how did it turn out? Did the Riu honor their prices or did you end up going with Negril Escape? I got a quote from Negril Escape when I was looking and it looks like a gorgeous wedding location. You may even be able to get more bang for your buck their. I hope everything works out for you on your special day!

Has anyone experienced their cake melting during the reception. I'm getting married in July and I'm worried the heat will melt the cake before we get to eat it. Does anyone know if they bring the cake out last or if it sits out during the entire reception?

I met my fiance online. I signed up for E-harmony on October 19th my mother's birthday and my fiance was "matched" to me within 2 days. We began talking online for about a week and met up at a restaurant. We have been together ever since. He is everything I could ever want in a husband.

I've been reading the forum for awhile and I haven't seen anyone mention it but it sounds like a good idea. I think Dunn's River Bar opens at 5pm though. So it would be great if you had a 4pm ceremony. I think Blue Mountain Bar is open in the early afternoon and you could have an informal reception there. I reccommend search "ROR Bars" and you should find some helpful information.

I've been reading this board for awhile and I haven't heard of anyone doing their wedding reception at the bar. What I have heard of is renting out the seagrape or the pool for a reception afterwards for about $15/pp for drinks and a bartender. I've seen people mention using Dunns River Bar as an informal place to meet up and do a welcome or just meet up to have fun. You should search through the forum, just spend time reading through the information or use the search function and you'll discover more information that you could have ever dreamed of. I know I have. Good Luck!

Quote: Originally Posted by aelliott Hi Everyone, I have a question about large receptions. I'm pretty sure we will have more than 50 guests at our wedding reception, So, are there any restaurants that could accommodate approx 60-70 guests as part of the "included" semi-private reception? or would I have to pay $55/person and host a private reception? Or, does anyone know if you can host a private lunch reception? Our wedding is at 11:00am so if we had to pay for a private dinner reception, we'd rather just pay for a private lunch reception if possible. PLEASE HELP ME!! The Semi Private (free) reception is only for 50 people or less. If you have more than 50 people you will have to do a private reception. I think you can pay $1000 flat rate to rent out the Plantation restaurant for 4 hours or $500 to rent it out for 2 hours and again it would be private. Or you could choose the buffet option, the most expensive is $55/pp and includes alcohol, there is a $35 option as well. Sadly, there is no such thing as a lunch reception. All receptions are dinner receptions and begin at 6:30. You can search through the Jamaica forum and find a ton of information on what brides have done while waiting for their reception.

If you search through the Jamaica forum you will come across alot of brides who have had this dilemma. What some of them have posted is that they did hours'de ovres afterwards for about an hour and then either let the guests enjoy the rest of their day and come back together at 6:30, or some brides have chosen to do a group acitivty such as chartering a catamaran cruise for a couple of hours. If you had lunch somewhere on the resort then it would only be a lunch buffet so your group could pull a bunch of tables together at one of the restaurants but it doesn't seem to exciting to do that for your wedding day. You could also consider going offsite for an earlier reception but with that option you have to pay and defeats the purpose of an all-inclusive.

HeavenlyBride, i am also working with Elite specifically with Katie. I didn't think about asking her to arrange it though. I had been emailing Chandlyn myself, because Katie is hard to reach sometimes. When I asked Chandlyn she said I could only reserve it for up to 50 people for a rehearsal dinner. However, maybe I should email Katie about it. Thanks for the info.

Oh wow, you too! Well I just came up with the idea to see if it was possible to have an informal cocktail hour at one of the bars. I see there are 3 bars at the hotel "Blue Mountain, Sports Bar, and Dunns River Plaza Bar". I searched through the forum and found that the "Dunns River Plaza Bar" overlooks the beach and has plenty of room, it opens around 5pm and is also near the main stage where the show is. Supposedly they also have a live band playing around there before the show starts too. Based upon what another bride did, I am going to host an informal welcome cocktail reception there 2 nights from 8-9. That way I can greet people who are arriving at different times and see the show as well!

Hello All, It looks like so far we have had about 80 people book. I was hoping to be able to do a Welcome Dinner at the Steakhouse or Plantation but I asked Chandlyn and she replied that we could only reserve a restaurant for up to 50 people. We will be going with the BBQ Reception at $55/person so I don't want to go offsite for a Welcome Dinner and incur those costs too. I'm curious as to what other brides with large wedding parties did in regards to a Welcome dinner or reception. I don't want our guests to feel as if we didn't greet them or spend time with them until the wedding day.

Nevermind, I found out its the same menu as the Steakhouse.

Hi All, I've searched for an hour on this site for the menu for the Plantation Restaurant. I'm thinking about trying to change my reception to that vs. the poolside. Could anyone post the menu? The only thing I can find is the price for a buffet menu there. What's the menu option if you just reserve the place for 4 hours?

I completely understand your feelings and have had the same thing happen to me, except my good friend chose to get a dog that costs the same amount as going to Ocho Rios and being in the wedding. Anyhow, you have every right to be hurt and upset, it's not what you expect from someone your so close to. What I have come to learn is that not everyone views your special day the way you do. Some peoples priorities are on a different page and we can't change that. I think you should tell her that your hurt and don't understand how she can do this. Don't take the road I took and not address it at all, because you will just hold resentment which in the long run just ends up hurting you because the other person will be oblivious to it. Bottom line is she still is probably not going to come, but don't let anyone else rain on your important day. Celebrate and be happy with the people who are coming.

I am having my wedding in Jamaica and my fiance's family is Jamaican. I am at a crossroads because my fiance is letting his mom do whatever she wants. I thought the wedding was about the bride and the groom not the mother She has decided without asking me, that she is bringing a jamaican rum cake as the wedding cake, she is ordering rum that she wants for the welcome bags, inviting her friends who live in jamaica (they are not on the guest list and not in our budget), and has decided that i need to have my welcome dinner changed to a welcome breakfast!He even took the extra invitations that we had and gave them to her so she could invite more of her friends even after I asked him not to. It's so frustrating because my fiance doesn't stand up and say anything. When I brought it up to him he said "the ceremony in Jamaica is just what it is, we have only so much control" Excuse me... why don't we have all the control? We had agreed that this would not be an expensive wedding and set a price range. Now because of her we are expected to pay an additional $100/pp for her friends to get on site and pay for their food at the private reception as well. Not to mention that I don't want a rum cake, or the type of alcohol she wants to provide, nor do I want a welcome breakfast. I don't want to come across a rude to her but I'm not sure what to do but I'm about to blow up. Somebody please give me advice.

delete delete

You are defintely not alone. I have read of many women on this board who are in the same position and I am one of them. I had one of my bridesmaids bail on me to get a dog. Other friends have claimed they couldn't afford it even when the prices dropped to $350/pp for 3 nights. I've decided that people who want to be there will and those who can't, well I don't know about those people. Some people in this economy defintely have money problems, or don't see a destination wedding as much of a priority. I've decided that we just have to choose to be happy with who is there. Don't worry about those who can't make it, I'm sure if you were getting married locally they would be there. For me its been especially hurtful because out of 7 friends I invited only 1 has attempted to come while my fiancee's friends have all agreed to be there. It's defintely hurtful, but it's also just one day out of the rest of our whole lives that we have to live. As a bride don't let that bring you down. Celebrate with those who will be there and for those who don't show up, I hope they at least send a card or a gift of acknowledgement. If they don't do that then I would really question their sincerity.

Hi All, We had a slight problem with our travel agent and many guests started to book using other agents and travel websites. Since the ROR is so large, I wanted to ensure that we could all be in the same building. Do you know if it's possible to call ROR and still have them block out a group of rooms for those who've already booked and place them in there? I just want us all to be within distance of each other.

Thanks so much for all of the great advice and outlook on the situation. It has really made me think more deeply about it all. I must say that today I found out she is trying to go to Bejing for the summer as well. I can't understand it. I can understand getting the dog, but I have come to the conclusion that if she can't manage to try to make my bachelorette party or anything, but can book a trip to Bejing, then she is really just thinking about her own happiness. She can't value my friendship that much because if so the least she would do is be upfront with me. She bailed on another friends local wedding last year, but said it was because she didn't feel like she was that close to that person. Point blank, I'm going to take your advice and just focus on the people who will be there and those who want to be happy for me.