jrb

Quote: Originally Posted by MrsMarch4 MRS Shellk: beautiful pictures!! You looked amazing, and your hubby is not too hard on the eyes either! Jrb: I am also bringing my rabbi with us to Mexico (we are having a religious ceremony), so you will not have a problem w/ a Saturday ceremony. I would recommend getting your legal wedding at home though, since I believe your rabbi will not be able to legally marry you in Mexio. PM me if you want to know where I got the items needed for a Jewish wedding. Sammysgirl: Renova spa sent me an email a few weeks ago reminding me to book my appointments. Paula Casas was so helpful in scheduling all the hair/make up appts for my wedding party. I booked everything online via email. ~Alexis Thanks Alexis...I would love any and all info you have. I sent you a PM, but would be happy to provide you with my e-mail as well. Thanks! Jenna

Hey Chicago brides... Can anyone recomend a travel agent?? Thanks!!

ahhh, great info and a huge sigh of relief!! thanks for the info. Yeah, I don't think bring our own rabbi is an issue as they are staying at the hotel anyways.

Hello all, I have been reading conflcting reports on this matter: Can you get have a legal ceremony on a Saturday?? Also, if we chose to have a symbolic ceremony on a Saturday, could we use our rabbi that will be with us anyways-- as they are an aunt?? I am worried a judge won't be availble on the date that is on hold for us--a Saturday. And am trying to come up with a plan b. Thoughts??

Congrats!! Great photos. I can't wait to see more. Were these taken by the riu photographer?? I am also looking forward to seeing pics of the beach wedding since that is where I put in my request for.

I am still unable to get our date confirmed with the riu palace riviera maya. They are saying they can't book weddings for feb since they don't know if a judge will be working?!?! I am worried cause we might have up to 80 guess that will need to book their room as well. It all just seems alittle shady.

Finally got an e mail from riu. They are holding my date for 2011 but can't confirm it until march when they know if a judge will be working then. My guests ate ready to start booking so I am not sure what to do.

Just got an e mail from our hotel that the date is on hold for us but they can't confirm until march when they know if a judge will be available.

fsuambs--I see we are in the same boat. Please be in touch and let me know if you hear anything and I will do the same.

I am trying to reserve a wedding date for feb 2011 and having a hard time getting a response from the resport--we want riu palace riviera maya...they keep saying it is too early to book a wedding since they don't have the schedule yet from the judges and ministers. It seems strange to me for many reasons, first of all, we are booking a date, not a specific time...don't they do wedding everyday (except sunday) we may have up to 80 guests, and it is only fair to give them advance notice of our wedding. The other things that is super fishy, is that the 2011 wedding packages are already posted on their website. we really don't want to have to find a new resort, since we love the choice we have made...any advice. I just want to know if any other brides have been able to book a wedding a year in advance and at what resorts? I really want to get something in writing!! thanks, Jenna

Hey all, We are having a heard time with the hotel. Has anyone who is trying to book at 2011 wedding had any luck??

Sent in my request for a 2011 date on Friday and hope to get offical confirmation this week. I can't wait to see the pics from the current brides.

Hey, I am in downtown chicago and am all for meeting up. We are waiting to hear back from the Riu Palace Riviera Maya! Feb 2011. Jenna

Yes. That was very helpful. I think I am going to do just that---just to ease my mind. As for the later wedding time, we may just do photos before the ceremony, but I can work on those details later. I for sure want to sun to shine!! Thanks for all your tips as they have been very helpfull.

My thinking is we are going to do a legal wedding in Mexico followed by a Jewish symbolic wedding done by a rabbi who also happens to be a family member. I hope it runs smoothly. I am not so interested to going to a courthouse in the states and just having a symbolic wedding in Mexico. To me it's getting legally married that I want people around for. Otherwise it feels like just a show. I just hope we can convince the wedding coordinator to let us stay like 20 mins more so we can do all the Jewish traditions in the same place as the legal wedding. Should be interesting!

Thanks for the suggestion of just saying feb 2011. But I still don't understand how it seems you can book a 2011 date on the website but the email we got from the sales exec said otherwise. How many weddings do the do a day? What is the latest time for the wedding? I don't want to have hours to kill before everyone can eat.

Ok. The waiting is just so hard. Especially since we want to start telling people. Ah a 645 seating would be much better but it's looking like we will have a large crew with us. Prob 50 people. Oh well. I guess that is a small price to pay.

Help!! Our travel agent contacted the riu to put in our date fir 2011. The sales exec wrote back that they are not booking 2011 until march. We want feb 2011 and want to give people a year notice. I wish there was a way for us to secure the date we want sooner rather than later. Has anyone else encountered this. The ta did not go through the website but emailed them directly. I am confused cause it looks like on the site the 2011 dates are up and running. I guess they need to wait and see when the judges are availble, but all we are requesting is a date. Shouldn't they be around everyday to preform a wedding?! Also I see the dinner seatings are not till 845. What does everyone do after the ceremoney?? Seems like a lot of time.

I'm a recently engaged Chicago bride and would love to touch base with other local brides. Planning a 2011 wedding in Riviera Maya.

So the ball is finally rolling. Our travel agent just put our request in for our wedding at riu rm! I am so excited to start working out all the details.

Hey everyone, Just a few more questions...if you have over $40 people, do they just start charging a per person price? if so, what is that cost? also, what is the deal with getting a private room for the dinner/reception? All I keep reading about it semi-private? Meeting with a travel agent on Wednesday then ready to BOOK IT!! Thanks, Jenna

Wow. That easy?! I am meeting a travel agent next week then I am going to book it!

hi everyone. I really want to have my wedding at this resort. We are aiming for February 2011. Just a few quick questions as I start my planning. Do you e mail the hotel to request a date I'd does a travel agent? Does the hotel confirm the date with you? Do you give them a few dates and they give you what's availble? What about time slot? How much is the deposit to reserve your date? We are using a friend as a photographer? Is that allowed since she is not really a vendor we hired? We want my aunt to do a short Jewish ceremony after the legal ceremoney. Do you think that would be an issue? Once again she is not an outside vendor. She just happens to be a rabbi. They will be staying at the hotel. Are guests at the cheeper riu hotels allowed into the rm? I am thinking some of our friends won't be able to afford to stay there but will want to chill there during the day. Any other tips on where to start?!

Thanks for the suggestion. We have yet to pick a resort, but once we do I will think about all of this. I think we are going to make the civil ceremony public and do the jewish part as more of an "add on" since it should be short. Lots to think about!

I was just wondering if anyone has had or been to a Jewish wedding at a resort in the riviera maya. My fiancé and I are planning on having a legal ceremony then a symbolic Jewish ceremony right after. His aunt is a rabbi and uncle is a cantor, so it's not like we are hiring an outside source to come in since she will be there anyways. So my questions are. How can we make the transition between the leagal and the Jewish ceremony seamless? And do you think any hotels will have an issue with us adding on our own service and bringing in our own clergy to officiate? I know religious ceremonies arnt reconized which is why we want the legal service followed by the religious service. But it gets complicated since we are bringing our own clergy. Do you all think we can make it work? Ps. We have not picked a place yet but I have a few in my top choices. Thanks, jenna