Mookiie21

I also agree with both points of view!

 

When I began my research I fell in LOVE with Rockhouse Hotel and Moon Dance and the small boutique resorts, as well as Negril in general! My FI and I had some arguements because he felt that if we wanted to invite people, we would need an AI so they would know the overall cost of the trip for planning purposes. My side was...I didn't want to feel like a #! As gbyrd mentioned. In the end, I think we found a good compromise.

 

In the end...we choose Secrets Wild Orchid/St. James in Montego Bay (we also decided to look only at Adults Only resorts as no kids were on the potential guest list). The resort wasn't even open at the time we booked the wedding!!!

 

We choose it for a few reasons:

1. They provide 2 queen beds in some rooms. Most Adults Only are "Couples Only" or atleast geared that way and only offer 1 king bed in ALL rooms. We have some single friends that would like to come and share a room...not a bed!

2. They will only do 3 weddings a day...max, and they are spread out about 3 hours apart. Most of the other AI resorts do up to 7 weddings a day! Thats like 1 and hour...Insane!!!!

3. Our guests will know the complete cost of the trip if they wish to attend or if they are trying to figure out if they can afford to! Money is tight for many people right now and I didn't want any surprises for people who decided to attend.

4. There are a TON of activites, ALL INCLUDED!!! There is something for everyone! I want the people who come to make it their own vaca too. There is nothing worse than spending money to go somewhere and not enjoy yourself. I don't want them to regret coming to my wedding or have a bad experience that my wedding will always be linked to!

 

If it were just my FI and I we would have definitely choose a small boutique resort, or something totally off the beaten track. However, there are a few people we really want to have with us on our wedding day, so we considered them as well when planning. It's a hard balance to find, your guests concerns (or your concerns for them) and your own desires.

 

In the end, it is your day...and it will be beautiful no matter what you choose! Decided what's important to you and your fiancee and go from there!

I so glad someone got this post going again! I would LOVE petals and also didnt even think about cost or if the resort would allow!

 

Thanks!

First off...Congratulations!

 

I have also booked my wedding at Secrets Montego Bay for November 2010.

 

As was mentioned there were some issues the first month with the opening, but the reviews are getting better and better. I actually just spoke with friends of a friend that went and couldnt say a bad thing. They said a wedding there is going to be gorgeous!

 

I booked, a little aprehensively, before all the "extra" were complete and months before the resort actually opened! I have yet to do much planning with Monica, the onsite wedding coordinator, because she is currently part of the team doing the professional photographs of the resort! Come June she said she should be a little less busy!

 

If you go on the Secrets Wild Orchid or St James facebook fan pages, there are pictures of two weddings that have already occurred at the resort and both brides raved!

 

Best of luck deciding and let me know if you have any specific questions! I did a TON of research before choosing Secrets...I'd be happy to help in any way I can!

Thanks for the info! This looks like a great idea to incorporate for guests.

Yes, pictures would be great! Thanks for the info and recommendation!

Wanted to get married on the beach...choose Jamaica for convenience from Philly (where we and most of our guests will be traveling from), price & marriage recognition in US without having to go through all those crazy tests (ie blood test & chest xrays required in Mexico!)

 

Plus...Secrets Wild Orchid is ONLY in Jamaica!!!!! ;O)

I'm a bit confused...

 

I just emailed Paula & Damien today at Sungold for pricing. They don't do all of Sungolds shoots?

 

Can someone please explain?!?!

 

Thanks!

Oh I'm obsesed with the FB pages! I check them both a few times a day. It's gotten even worse now that they post pics every day!!! I just don't post too much...Everyone else does it for me!!! LOL

 

I am SUPER excited about the water trampoline/glacier also! Rod is awesome! I wish I could go when he is there and meet the man behind all this magic!

 

What are you doing for your photography? Are you hiring your own or using theirs?! Still not sure what we are going to do. I want to fly a photog down, but my FI doesnt want to pay the extra. We will see!

Thanks again for sharing Karla!! They are exactly what I was looking for. Everyone I've shown them to LOVES them! Great job!

These are by far the best boarding pass invitations I've seen! I LOVE the pictures in the background. High five for the FI!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

 

I will be PMing you for the remaining template and some questions! Thanks again!

Great! Thanks for the advice!

I am struggling right now with this exact same thing...what to send out and when!!! My FI and I are getting married in Nov, 2010. We finally set the date and reserved it with the resort, so I want to get info out ASAP to those we want to invite to the DW so they can start figuring and planning.

 

My FI thinks its silly and a waste of our hard earned $$ to send both a STD now AND an invitation later on (I do see his point!). Especially, since by the time we would send the formal invitation (about 2-3 months before) we hope to have a good idea of who would and would not be coming with us to the DW!

 

As others have asked/mentioned...would you send the formal invite to those you know are not coming?!?! I understanding sending them to grandparents/elder guests who can't come, as I have already planned to, but to everyone else too?!?!

 

So I was all ready to just send the formal invitation REALLY early (about 7-8 months before the wedding) when a woman at work said that people may put it aside and end up forgetting about it! Hey, I agree...I could happen! Ughhh...now what do I do?!?!

 

I am creating a website to keep everyone informed as things develop, but I need to send something out to let people know of the date and the website address. What should I send?!?!

 

This post has been helpful, but does anyone have specific advise for me?!

 

THANKS! )

I booked my Nov 6th 2010 wedding at Secrets Wild Orchid a couple weeks ago! I can't wait. It looks like it will be absolutely beautiful. And Paula...what a sweet and helpful WC!!!! I hope they don't get someone else for Wild Orchid! I'm still waiting on the extras pricing and all that stuff, but check out their fan page on FB...there are quite a few of us Secrets brides out there!

 

Since yours is well before mine...I want the WHOLE scoop!!!! Can't wait.

 

Congrats on the move...I think you've made the right choice!!!

 

Secrets...here we come!

Definitely!

 

My BFF is getting married in May and we are thinking about making a last "single girls" getaway before her wedding! We're thinking of going to Secrets to check it out. So I may have some info in the next few months!!!

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!!!

Let me know when you get an answer...I'd be interested in that info too! Hadn't thought to ask myself yet!

And hang in there...I know they are working their tails off getting ready for the Grand Opening just a few weeks away!

jls511 - Both resorts now have Facebook Fan pages. They are following the final steps to the Grand Opening in March 2010 and post new pics every few days. It has been a great resource to me in making my final decision. Which I finally did...

I just booked my Nov 2010 wedding at the Wild Orchid resort!!

The two resorts are really just one LARGE resort. They share a lot of the restaurants, the spa and activities; you have everything avaliable to you from BOTH resorts no matter which one your room is at!

FutureOwens2011 & futurewifey - I was concerned too with booking at a resort that I couldn't read any actual reviews on yet! But after reading reviews on the other Secrets resorts (all glowing!) and talking to a few TA's, my nerves were eased! Check out the Facebook pages; it also helped to learn that I wasn't the ONLY bride booking at a resort that wasn't yet open! PM me if you have any other questions...I know it's a daunting task picking the PERFECT place for that special day!

Hi Jamaica Brides!

 

Just got confirmation of my wedding date and time over the weekend! Yay...we have a date!!!!

 

Melissa & Patrick

November 6, 2010

Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, Jamaica!!!

 

Are there any other brides to be planning their wedding at Secrets?!?!?

Hi everyone.

 

I'm a newbie to the posting, but I've been reading threads for a couple months now. Excited to have joined, now that I finally have set a place and date!

 

1. Melissa

2. Nov 6th, 2010

3. Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, Jamaica

 

Anyone else out there a Secrets, Jamaica bride to be?!?!?