taylorwd

Great idea!!

Admittedly, I haven't read the whole thread yet, but I just want to say, TA TA TA TA TA!! Get one if you don't have one!

 

Planning a DW is stressful enough without having to negotiate prices, get your guests to book, figure out their travel arrangements, coordinate their travel info, and most importantly, fix the hiccups that will definitely arise between you and the resort or last minute changes in your guests' travel plans.

Me too!! It's a great start to what could have been a very stressful weekend. The final outcome of it all was the kind we all hope to get from luxury properties like Karisma.

Semi-private would have been okay if it weren't that we're paying for private. I have no doubt you'll have the whole restaurant joining you by the time your party gets going!!

You too have a great weekend! You're dogs are absolute cuties, BTW!

Wow, that is a huge jump in price!! $28 seems very reasonable for filet mignon and lobster tail...I want to come to your wedding!

Ooooooooh, how exciting!!!

YAY!!!! I'm so excited for you! And jealous. I need to be sippin' a cocktail in the Mexican sunshine right now!

Can't wait to hear all about it!

We tried that argument. I have lots of emails stating we could have the Blue Terrace. My TA is trying everything possible and working on it as we speak!

Wonderful! It'll make getting myself all pretty again worth it!

Aw that is sad! If it was in fact her, she had the wedding date booked that we wanted, lol. But, losing your fiance for sure trumps a wedding date!

We're doing our TTD session in town as well! Puerto Morelos. For the exact same reasons--to give some variety to our pictures. Our photog has sent pics of all the beautifully colorful and antique doors in the town. It should make for great pics!! Although I have to say, I'm not excited AT ALL about getting all dolled up again the day after our wedding. I love my dress and am excited to wear it again, but the hair and makeup...ugh!

We're not counting our chickens yet. But, apparently we're not the only couple up in arms about this. This new policy went live 2 weeks ago and they've been dealing with the backlash ever since. I'm told the resort has yet to cave for a couple.

Nothing's final, but we're checking other options. I have a call in to my photographer. He has connections in Puerto Morelos and we're thinking he might know of a restaurant in town that would be more than willing to take our money!

And the official answer is...... Wait, are you ready for it?

 

No way no how are we getting the Blue Terrace!

 

Because we haven't paid our balance yet (due Monday), nothing is considered "official." They consider us to have been in "negotiations" up until now and therefore feel they have the right to change or renege on promises made.

 

We added it up and in total our party is paying over $24,000 just for the rooms. We will have almost 15% of the rooms at the resort while we're there. We helped get them to capacity, and now that they're operating at full capacity, we get screwed. There are not enough censors for what I'm feeling toward them!!

Lol, I have said many times I wish I had known about you guys when I was starting out! You guys rock!!

Thank you!!!

You actually have a twin on here with your same date. She's getting married on the 16th at my same resort. I don't know her name anymore. She introduced herself to me months ago but has since disappeared and been inactive.

I would have to respectfully disagree on this. Yes, Karisma is one of their partners NOW, but when we started this process last summer they didn't have their current partnership or promotions. We got great rates from her for our runner up as well, Occidental Grand Xcaret. We loved Xcaret and only chose Azul over that one b/c of the size difference. I think it really does depend on who you get as your TA.

Janelle- I'm glad things are now working out for you!!

28 guests (22 adults & 6 kids).

We just want something private. If they'd give us that porch area that would be fine, too!

Amybermuda,

How many guests do you have? If it's less than 50, I guarantee they are going to try to move it. I want you to be prepared!! Apparently, they're running at occupancy now and since the Terrace seats 80, they can't afford to close it off for less than 50 guests. It overloads the other restaurants is their claim.

Not to harp on this for everyone out there that this doesn't apply to, but it just blows my mind that they're doing this. And so close to the date.

Initially, our options were 1) The beach up to 50 guests 2) the Wave Lounge as long as it's under 25 (We have 28 and they refused to fit a seated dinner in the Lounge b/c we were 3 guests over the limit) or 3) the Blue Terrace.

Now, it's 1) the beach 2) the wave lounge with the same restrictions, or 3) a semi-private dinner in the Blue International Restaurant.

So, anyone that wants a private reception with over 25 guests but less than 50 is totally screwed, unless you want your reception directly on the beach!!

OMG, I'm sorry I'll stop ranting until I have an update on the situation...

I know this thread started a while back but I thought I'd throw in my two cents since finding a good TA is something every DW bride needs! A thread like this never goes out of date!

 

I use DW.com and yes, it's hit or miss depending on who you have. I've been working with mine since last August. How I answer about the service I've received depends on the day you ask me!

 

I will say that having a BIG company behind you like DWT is a huge plus. A bit of a crisis came up yesterday and though it's not her job to do so, my TA went right to the top of the chain at the hotel to try and get it fixed. Today I think she's the most fabulous person in the world!

 

In general, she's very quick to respond and get things done. If something takes a while, it's not b/c of her but rather the tour group they're partnered with or the hotel. When we were researching hotels, she was extremely quick and on the ball with her research. I think it took her about a week after our initial conversation to come back with a very extensive list of resorts, and we've been chatting ever since! She has been there whenever I need her and has gone to bat for us with the wedding department on multiple occasions. I know I can call her whatever the hour and she'll do her best to help me. She also got us a really great deal on our rooms.

 

That said, there have been some hiccups. Some of our guests have not jived with her personality and found her to not be as helpful as they would like. She's also caused us undo stress by not having all the facts right on some things. In addition, she mixed up who had paid and who hadn't b/c of getting the names wrong on some guests, causing us to needlessly hound our families for payments they'd already made! On more than one occasion we've considered switching TAs.

 

IMO, the pros have far outweighed the cons. Just remember they're TAs and not WC! That was my mistake at the beginning. I will say that there are absolutely wonderful TAs on BDW that I wish I'd known about when I started this process!!

I'm still waiting to get Fabio's contact info but will let you know.

Funny thing, I just checked Azul Beach's website info. The Blue Terrace has been removed as a reception option and replaced by the Blue International Restaurant. AND, they'll only offer you a semi-private reception inside the restaurant. This is total BS

Hiya ladies! I'm jumping in here, I hope you don't mind! I'm April 17th, I just never saw this thread.

Just wanted to say that is a FABULOUS dress! Go you!

Affrommert, you're always offering to get involved and help...you're so nice!!!

OMG ladies I am absolutely LIVID!!!! This is for all you AB brides out there.

 

Our final payment to Tiffany is due on Monday, and she just sent me our latest details sheet. After all these MONTHS of planning, she says that Karisma has a brand new policy. We can no longer have our reception on the Blue Terrace if we have less than 50 people and we have to change the location to inside the restaurant. Are you F-ing kidding me? This is the only outside location they have unless we want to be on the beach. I am so so so so so mad.

Welcome, congratulations, and good luck on your search!!

Those are fabulous! I vote PINK!!

I think you have to ask to see it.

That would be very pretty if you can figure out where to get them!

The way we did it was that we got a block of rooms but our guests paid the deposit and not us. It was $150 per adult, and that was due about 6 months prior to the wedding. Then everyone paid their remaining room balances about 2.5 months out.

The upside: We knew we had enough rooms for our guests.

The downside: If rates happen to go down before the wedding, the rates are locked in at whatever we negotiated at the beginning. So far this hasn't been an issue for us. The current rates are still higher than our rate.

Nice highlights! You had one sexy wedding!