adridashanne

welcome and happy planning, Dessy! I'm the moh in a paradise island wedding this coming October at the Cloisters in the One&Only Ocean Club.... I know you'll have tons of fun planning your Bahamas wedding!

Welcome Nikkelle! You should look into the Grand Palladium resort - it seems like it fits a lot of what you are looking for, and it also has a brand new chapel (just built last June) that would satisfy your Fiance. Also, just a little word of advice, the Dreams Tulum chapel is rather small, holds comfortably approx. a little over 20 people. Considering your expected guest count, you may want to consider something bigger or in a different location within Dreams Tulum. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I'll be visiting Grand Palladium, Dreams Tulum, and El Dorado Royale next Mon/Tues for site visits. I too was looking for a lot of the same things you are and after LOTS of research, 8 months to be exact, we landed on those 3. My main concern was having a Catholic wedding in the chapel though. Anyway, GOOD LUCK and Happy Planning There's so much info on this forum, you'll find everything you need.

Congrats and welcome, Sam!!

Congrats and welcome, Maude-Elysa!! Happy Planning

Quote: Originally Posted by finleys7 Iberostar Paraiso has one on sight. We are getting married there in less than 2 months. It's called Our Lady of the Paradise. It's hold about 60 we are at 74 but we'll squeeze, plus I am making the bridal party stand... =) The Iberostar chapel is gorgeous! That was one of my favs. We knocked it out of our running because the trip for my guests was going to be too expensive staying in the Iberostar's. Otherwise, it by far was my favorite... besides the X-Caret chapel..

Quote: Originally Posted by StephyD Has anyone hired an outside wedding coordinator?? I wonder if I'd need one... I want to get my flowers done from an outside florist and I just wonder if the WC at the resort can handle everything I'd like. Any thoughts? I worry that she might be hard to reach as opposed to the outside WC who's being paid for it. StephyD - I'm also in the same boat. I'm really considering hiring an outside WC as well to handle all the decor and flowers. If you find a recommendation could you pass along? I'll do the same. My main concern is having it still stay cost effective. I want things a particular way, but a part of me also feels like the resort WC could possibly handle it well. There have been a few good recommendations on this site that I've found, but haven't found the perfect one yet. Good Luck!

We're staying at the GP for our upcoming site visits March 19-26. Grand Palladium is our first choice and we're hoping it meets all of expectations and more since we've fallen in love with everything we've heard and researched online. I can't picture my wedding anywhere else right now! It's perfect for us. Once we get back I'll be able to give you guys our confirmed date but right now we are (fingers crossed X) hoping that we'll be getting married on JUNE 17th, 2011. I'm not anticipating any problems confirming that date since it is so far in advance. We're also doing a Catholic ceremony in the chapel and a private reception in one of the private areas... we'll choose once we see them in person. I'm so excited and can't wait to go for our trip! We're also visiting Dreams Tulum, El Dorado Royale, and meeting with DJ Doremixx. I'll let you know how it goes!

Sorry, one more I forgot - the Palace resorts too!

Grand Palladium just built a gorgeous brand new chapel... also there's Dreams Tulum, El Dorado Royale, Barcelo Maya, and Gran Caribe

I requested site visit quotes for all of the resorts I was interested in visiting. Unfortunately, It was cheaper just to purchase a package on Orbitz then it was to pay per night with the special rate since we still have to purchase our flights. What I did do though is after I booked, I emailed the hotel to ask for preference of room, etc. and had them note that I was scheduled to meet with the wedding planners during my stay. I'm pretty sure this will give us a little special treatment if anything.

I actually just rcv'd an email response from her regarding our up-coming site visit on Sunday, Jan 29th. Quote: Originally Posted by Ahand85 Is anyone having trouble getting in contact with Valeria? She is my wedding coordinator and up 'til now has been very good at responding to my emails. I am wanting to start planning the reception and I haven't received a response to my email(s) in a week now. OR, am I just being paranoid and need to be more patient?

Hi Everyone! So excited to finally see this thread go up... I've been "lurking" since our engagement in July 2009 and have been having major wedding envy reading about the 2010 brides. I never imagined myself having a long engagement but due to LOTS of close friends getting married in the upcoming months, and being the MOH in a 10/10/10 destination wedding in the Bahamas for my best friend, I decided I wasn't going to step on anyone's toes. The FI and I decided after only a few weeks of being engaged that we wanted a June 2011 wedding in Mexico. We're going down to the Riviera this March for 8 days to meet with a few of our vendors and do some site visits. We're set on getting married at the Grand Palladium in their new chapel but will still be visiting Dreams Tulum and El Dorado Royale to see if they can 'sway' us, but we're pretty sure the Grand Palladium is going to blow us away. It has the whole package and I can already picture the entire wedding from start to finish in that location. We're hoping for the date June 17, 2011 and I don't think I'll have a problem securing it since it is SO far in advance. The only issue will be waiting for the price list, but I'm hoping they'll still let me book the date when we visit. A bit of advice though for you ladies - most of my vendors I have booked or are holding their prices (until I come back from our visit with the exact date) because being that I was asking for price lists so early, most are willing to give me the 2009/10 pricing if I put down the deposit now. I've already saved a few hundred dollars this way! Really the way I see it, I'm only booking 4-6months sooner than I would have. Excited for Dec 31, 2010 when 2011 is no longer Sooooo far away. The way I've been planning you would think I'm having a 2010 wedding, What can I say - I just know what I want? Can't wait for us to confirm the date so I can start making purchases. I have my entire wedding mapped out on a powerpoint file - from ceremony decor and cakes to each item in the OOT bags to everything everyone is going to wear down to their underwear! (literally, MY underwear!) So excited to start reading your posts 2011 brides!

What are the 2 options for the private receptions? Does anyone have photos?

I would make a list of what your priorities would be regarding the ceremony and start your search there. Are you looking for religious or just spiritual? Will you legalize at home before arriving @ the destination or do you want to make it legal in your location? Do you want a chapel or beach/gazebo? Do you want a certain themed reception, like on the beach or in a restaurant? Are you happy dealing with the wedding coordinator / package provided by the hotel or would you like to bring in your own people? Are all-inclusive's easier for your guests or do you not care and just want the best for your ceremony? Do passports matter? etc. etc. I've run into some of these issues when starting to plan. At first I thought of avoiding the passports all together in hopes of having more guests so I was looking into Puerto Rico or the USVI's.... but then the more I looked into the options for ceremony locations I really felt that it wasn't what was in my heart, and those places really wouldn't mean anything to us. Low and behold here I am looking into Mexico which we LOVE. Now I also, after discussing with my family, will be having a Catholic ceremony which limits my ceremony/hotel/reception locations drastically. In Mexico I need to be married in an approved Chapel. Also if I want to make it legal, I will need to arrive 4 days before hand and go through the extensive "check-list" to make sure we can do that. Sorry for exhausting post - but I think that's your best bet. Sit down with your FH and jot out a list of whats important to you. That should help with the process of narrowing down locations. Hope I could help a little!

same here... oh well Quote: Originally Posted by Meyer2010 Hmmmm... I guess I'm too new to this forum. I can't open it. Bummer ~ Erica

Hi Everyone - I'm desperately trying to get ahold of someone at XCaret so I can get more information regarding their weddings/receptions as well as price list but I've had no luck..... I figured I'd give it a shot and see if there were any brides that had this info already that could email it to me, as well a working contact for their special events. [email protected] We've called the phone # on their website to the special events dept, and they pretty much claimed they didn't speak english. I've tried a few emails, again... no response. From what I've read so far on the forums, it seems to be pretty common in dealing with the park. again, I would really appreciate any info at this point. Thanks again!

i would love it if someone could send me something like this too - thanks so much! [email protected]

would anyone be able to forward me the information / price lists? Thanks so much in advanced! [email protected]

I'm not able to view the files... would someone kindly email them to me? I'd really REALLY appreciate it. Thanks so much! [email protected] Quote: Originally Posted by Jaime I just got info from Julieta at the eco-park she replied within 2 days from my email request. I will post the info she gave me as long as I can figure out how to do it Note that there will be a 10% increase in 2009 approx. Hope this helps those of you interested. I plan to visit the ecopark next week and will post an update when I return.

I was looking at photos from an Xcarat wedding last night and it looked AMAZING. are you allowing your guests to stay at whichever hotel they please, also where are you planning your reception, also at Xcarat?

If you don't mind me asking, I'm also looking for the same thing - what made you choose to have it in a seperate local church rather than find a resort w/ a chapel that can hold a catholic wedding such as the El Dorado Royale? Thanks!

Hi Everyone! my name is Adrianne and I'm planning a June 2011 DW in the Riviera Maya. Hoping to find a great resort that can accomodate all of my family and celebrate a Catholic ceremony (give or take). I'm currently looking into: Dreams Cancun El Dorado Royale El Dorado Maroma Excellence Playa Mujeres Gran Caribe Real Cancun Well now that I'm thinking, I'm not really sure about any! A Catholic ceremony would make my mother ecstatic but the fact is, I want a gorgeous wedding & reception on the beach, the one of my dreams. If anyone can recommend any of the above, photos would be a BIG ++, please PM me. Any help or recommendations I can get would be amazing! Which I guess is why I'm here on this forum. I've been finding out SO much already. Thanks to everyone!