Melaina

We did the Italian restaurant and the food was amazing (especially the fried cheese -- NOM!). The lasagna was to die for, too. The restaurant was the perfect size for our guest count (41 I think?) and the decor (black and white) was the most neutral of all the restaurants, meaning my decor didn't clash (silly reason, I know!).

Originally Posted by Selina Newman 

Hi MJKH,

 

That you for your reply :-)

 

There are 16 of us in the group and we have narrowed it down to the Steakhouse, Italian or Mexican,  Just not sure which one had the nicer food?

 

We would love the Japanese but were concerned people are seated in 12, so decided not to go for that one.

 

xx

Disagree 100 per cent -- it absolutely belongs on this website. When it comes to women, safety and sexual predators, ignorance is not bliss. The more knowledge you have about protecting yourself, the better.

Originally Posted by jemmabuls 

This is a wedding website, a lot of people have already booked this hotel. Your review belongs on trip advisor but not on here! 

That's awesome Glad it helped!  Ahh, to think that just a year ago I was so excited for my own wedding. It goes fast, ladies... Enjoy every minute of it!!
 

Originally Posted by Prometida 

Melaina,

Thank you for your post, you even helped me !!!. You are right the stress is so high that it is better to calm down and focus in another things. At the end a wedding is for you to enjoy a special day with your loved ones .

Does anybody has any suggestions on photos and videos , the prices are so ELEVATED ! that we can't believe it!

 

 

One more thing: to find the URLs of your photos, maybe try TinEye. It's a reverse image search site... Best of luck! http://www.tineye.com/

Honestly, I would just bring the photos to Mexico when you go. Aside from the legal paperwork, I found that all the wedding planning was done when we got there, and, sadly, that all my pre-emails to the coordinators in the months leading up to the wedding were in vain.

When we finally sat down with the coordinator, we went over everything: flowers, cake, decor, etc. Even though I had sent her all sorts of information in the months leading up to the wedding -- what colour of flowers I wanted, what flavour of cake -- it was painfully obvious that they hadn't really paid much attention to my requests. Yes, it's frustrating, but I PROMISE you that they'll work it out once you get there. They're a small shop and they're really focusing on the weddings that are immediately in front of them...Like the ones happening today or tomorrow. I was so worried that they wouldn't be able to fulfill my flower/cake/decor/makeup requests, but they do a damned good job of working last minute. It's Mexico time, right? Haha.

As for hair and makeup, I couldn't even meet the woman until my wedding day. I showed her my inspiration pictures and she did a great job.

Again, I know this isn't exactly what you want to hear, but you're better off putting your efforts towards other wedding-related things (I know there are a lof of 'em!) and saving a whole lot of stress. It sucks, but you're wedding will be great!!

If you're still set on sending photos, I know they have a fax machine in the office...

The medical clinic wouldn't take anything but US cash for the bloodwork. The front desk (where you pay for the wedding services) would take almost anything, from cash to credit cards. 

Hi Lindsay,

Just popping in to say that we did the Transat package (Euphoria) back in March and it was great. We didn't have any surprise costs once we go there (we were prepared for the judge's fees, bloodtests, extra guest charges and DJ fees) and were quite pleased with the flowers, ceremony decor and food! The cake was a bit smaller than we thought, but we didn't even get close to eating the entire thing.

I wrote a pretty extensive review when we returned (maybe in April), if you read back a couple of pages. Also happy to send you the Facebook link to my wedding photos so you can take a peek for yourself -- just send me a PM and I'll flip it your way. Let me know if you have any other questions

M

We had champagne and light appies... at the wedding site. 
 

Originally Posted by smokey82 

Does anyone know if you can have an actual cocktail hour or is it just champagne after the ceremony?

Hey Mrs2012,

I'm only partially helpful as I didn't have my reception in the palapa... For decor, we sent an extra suitcase down with my MIL. She was flying first class and got extra baggage allowance. Check your travel itinerary, too. My husband and I were each allowed an extra 10 kg each -- we used every last bit of it. It can get quite expensive for extra baggage (my photographer got dinged with a $150 bill coming back, going there was no issue).

The on-site DJ sucked for us. He was actually just a daytime pool boy: showed up 45 minutes late, in his pool uniform (hello short-shorts!) and played every *important* song wrong (first dance, dinner music, etc). Please note that he had all the tunes on pre-burned CDs, clearly labeled. All he really had to do was push "play" on his laptop. Very disappointed. We had to pay around $300 for his services.

We were asked if we had children in our group who needed special meals during our first meeting (we didn't, but I imagine this means that it is a valid request).

Cheers,

M

Hey weird... I booked through my travel agent (who also happened to be my mother in law). Interesting!! Have fun on your trip!

Michellekeays: was your post directed at me? If so PM me and I'll give you the link to see our photos via Facebook!

Originally Posted by donnaalec11 

@melaina

 

Did you book your wedding through the hotel or your travel agent? as i have been told that if it is booked through the hotel then the minister fees are included and you only have to pay the 120usd for legalization.  If booked through your agent both minister an legalization has to be paid for making it a lot more expensive.  Does anyone know if this is correct?  I did ask Aracely's assistant but found it quite difficult to understand her.  19 days to go till we fly out there. 

 

Elissa is right. As long as you have your passport and haven't been married before, you're good to go. I stressed out about the birth certificate thing a few days before I left after reading about it on this website. Don't fret! I will say, though, to bring USD cash (they don't accept credit cards... Aracely told me they did, though) to pay the medical office for your blood tests. We brought pesos thinking that there was no way they'd take USD after the new law enactment thingy, and the peso exchange rate they gave us was ridiculous. (Front desk will not give you USDs either, only pesos or CDN.) The guy at the medical office actually asked for USD. 

Just as a note, out minister fee was $5,200 pesos (about $430 CDN) while another gals on here was $4,500. Not sure how Elissa got away with just $120... lucky! You might want to get it from Aracely in writing before you arrive...

Just PMd you!

Hi all,

No, I wasn't charged any fee (because my photographer was a guest staying at the resort). There was some confusion earlier on and Blanca thought that he wasn't staying at the GS -- at that time, she said that it would be a $100 USD charge for him to come onsite (same cost as anyone else coming onsite). Personally, I think the "new" $300 fee is RIDICULOUS. $100 max -- and ONLY if it's a photographer not staying at the resort. Had they introduced that before I got married there (taking into mind all the other price discrepancies that they've been called out on.... $500 "tax," different judge fees depending on the bride, etc), I might consider taking my business to another resort.

I'm sorry you ladies are going through this :(

We had our wedding and reception at the same time, and the sun starts to go down by 5:30 p.m. We found that we had enough time for photos, but the photographer we brought in was fast (he's a news photographer during the day). You could always do shots before the wedding, or the next day if you don't have enough time.

I wouldn't recommend that on-site photographer, but you've probably already seen my comments about that. The photos we got are basically useless. Also, there are a few different photographers who run out of the same shop -- so perhaps one of the other photographers were better? We had the female, but I know there is a male, too.

Have fun -- it's a beautiful place to have a wedding!
 

Originally Posted by Lesleyf 

Hi Everyone

Am so glad I found this forum. My daughter Danielle  is getting married at GS on 15th July and as she is busy finishing her law degree me and the bridesmaids (her sisters) are busy working out all the things we have to do before her big day. There are a total of 38 of us coming out for 2 weeks beg 6th July and are now all getting really excited.

We have just booked the Palapa for the reception and Aroceli has proposed we have the wedding at 4pm and the reception at 6pm.

Do you think these times are good - does it allow time for photo's - and also is there still plenty of sunshine at that time of day or does it tend to cloud over (sorry seems a silly question but its one my daughter as asked).

Also we were planning on using the onsite photographer but after reading some of your threads - am a little worried.  Does anyone have any good experiences with the onsite photographer????? or should we really look outside???

Be grateful for any advice/ info that anyone has.

 

Thanks

Lesley 

Ah, that's awesome! You totally should've come in... we had a few drift in, thinking that the restaurant was open for business

Congrats! Sounded like you had a great week.

I laughed so hard about the blood tests... it was a gong show for us, too, but we ended up paying them. They never got back to us on the results, so we're just assuming that everything was fine...

Welcome home and congrats!
 

Originally Posted by corbeil 

Hi Ladies! We got back a couple of days ago from our wedding and 2 week stay here. I am working on a review right now to share so I can try to answer some of your questions. If you have anything specific let me know.

 

We book the palapa for the wedding and it was wonderful. I am so glad that we splurged and got it!

We did the four hours (6 to 10 p.m.), but since our DJ was 45 minutes late, it was actually more like 7 - 11 p.m. We didn't go anywhere after, we were POOPED! I think some of our wedding party went to the disco there and they had fun (we went to the disco earlier in the week and shut it down... hahaha).

I hate to say it, but I chose the Italian JUST for the decor. It was beautiful and the food was amazing!! 
 

Originally Posted by denita 

Thanks for the info Melaina.  How long did was your reception for and did you go anywhere after like the disco?  I think that private is the way to go, just a bit more intimate right. I think I like the decor of the Italian restaurant the most out of the pictures I have seen, and you seem very happy with it so we will probably go with that one I assume.  The palapa is nice as well tho oh the decisions:)

Yes, we booked private and paid just over $11,000 pesos (about $1,000 I think)? Of all the extra costs, this was one that I was totally sure on. I'm with you and I didn't want randoms at the wedding... It would've totally changed the atmosphere. Since the restaurant is so small, I wonder if they'd even bother putting any other guests in there? I honestly would only recommend NOT doing private for one of the bigger restaurants. We had 40 people and it definitely didn't feel too large. The dance floor was even a little too tight at the end of the night

I walked by the Bayou restaurant which I was there and a non-private wedding was in progress. They didn't have a screen up, but the restaurant is quite large (the biggest, I think?). They had a nice little corner set up for them and it looked kinda private.
 

Originally Posted by denita 

@ Melaina:  Di you book the entire italian restaurant for your reception?  If so what was the extra cost?  Do you know if they put up a divider or something if you don't book the whole restaurant?  We are having around 30 people so just wondering if it would feel too large but am unsure of how I feel about random people at our reception .

Hey GS,

I wasn't charged a $300 fee (ouch!), but my photographer stayed at our resort. At first, Blanca thought that our photographer wasn't staying at the GS so she told me I had to pay the $100 visitor's pass to have him onsite -- fair enough, but $300 is RIDICULOUS. I'd fight that one for sure.

I think you could set up the Italian so it wouldn't seem empty... maybe half the restaurant for your tables and half for the dance floor? We had 40 people throughout the whole room, so half of that (and half the room) would look great, I bet. It IS a smaller space -- I was a bit surprised at how intimate it was. 

I've attached a crappy photo below to give you an idea of the size -- you're looking at about half of the restaurant.

Originally Posted by GSBride2011 

For Melaina or Christie G:

 

I was able to get Claudia Rodriguez to photograph my wedding next month, which is AWESOME because she does really beautiful work and now I'm even more excited! Araceli told me I had to pay $300 usd penalty fee for not using their resort photographer. Since neither of you mentioned this in your experience, did you have to pay it? It seems ridiculous.

Also, since you've both seen the Italian restaurant up close and the palapa, do you think 18 people would make the restaurant seem empty if I choose a private reception? The pictures on the website make it look huge still, but Araceli keeps telling me it's small enough for 18 people but I have the feeling she might be saying that so that I buy the more expensive package.

Any suggestions would be grand! Thanks girls!

 

Shawna

Supposedly it depends what region you're getting married in. Quintana Roo, thankfully, only requires the bloodwork.

Originally Posted by MJKH 

Thanks for your feedback ladies!  

 

I haven't seen anything from the recent brides about a chest xray...only bloodwork.  Some of the documents I've read said both would need to be done.  I'm guessing that's not the case anymore?

Hey MJKH,

In response to substitutions, we found that they were NOT flexible at all. (That was one of the reasons we still got the photos from the resort fotog: we asked to sub a video or live music services instead, and they refused to consider it... so we got the photos taken even though they were useless.) We didn't want the resort fotog to get in the way of our own (backgrounds, etc), which is why we requested them to shoot when our photographer would be off with us.

Hope that helps
 

Originally Posted by MJKH 

I wondered the same thing after reading the comments from the last two brides and the resort photogs.  What did your off-site photogs think about working alongside the resort photogs?  Did they get in each others' way?  Is there any point in having them there if you are bringing your own photog in?

 

I hope the GS management is reading the comments about the front desk staff...I have heard about the rudeness from friends who were there for two weeks in Feb...and have now read a number of comments indicating similar issues.

 

Recent brides...I'm wondering how flexible are they at the GS with their wedding packages.  If there is something included in your package that you don't want...will they upgrade something else for you?

Tax?? As far as I know, we were never charged any tax for the services... That's really strange. Also, just looking at my receipts here and our judge fee was $5,200 pesos while yours was $4,500. Also, don't forget the blood test fees: $180 USD for both of you.

I agree with ChristieG's comments on the service. Aside from the wedding coordinators, we found the staff very unhelpful and rude. (For example, when my mother in law checked in -- who is also a travel agent and booked all 40 of our guests -- they bluntly told her that they had no idea who she was and she didn't have a room. Gah!) 

Oh, and I forgot to tell you about the drunk snorkeler... haha. Supposedly she floated right by our ceremony and when we first kissed she was like "YEAHH!!!" There were also a few onlookers, but my sister in law's spouse tried to bounce most of them out before the ceremony

Originally Posted by donnaalec11 

 

@ Melaina  Congratulations and so glad you had a great time.

 

I am slightly concerned by your comments about the photographer though   I might look into getting a different one should anyone have any suggestions.  Could you also tell me which location is the best for getting married and is there any of them close to the palapa as i am having my reception there.  Can't wait to see your pictures.    

Hi Donnaalec11! We only checked out the private beach location and it was perfect. My dad scoped out the chapel in case of rain and he said it was STUNNING. My aunt posted some pics this morning: I'll paste them below to give you an idea of the space. Sorry they aren't great