From what I have heard, the Beaches sites do have adult only areas, particuraly the larger ones.  If your TA is a sandals specialist, they should be able to really tell you which ones are and aren't.  There have been quite a few brides that I've talked to that went to Beaches and they all loved it!

Glad I posted it!  You won't regret it, I promise.  She's incredible!

Here is a link to an offer that my photographer is offering for purchase today only to be used by 11/11.  You absolutely have to look at this!  If you are in or near the Columbus, OH area there are no travel charges.  Outside of that area, there are. 

http://deals.weddingchannel.com/deal/columbus/jojo-photography-film?MsdVisit=1 

Here is a special that my photographer is offering for purchase today only!  It's a great deal and could be used for just about any kind of photo shoot!  Worth taking a look at.  She is incredible!

http://deals.weddingchannel.com/deal/columbus/jojo-photography-film?MsdVisit=1 

Sandals has some really good prices.  Montego Bay has the stay at one play at three for a seclection for your guests.  Sandals Grande Ocho Rios offers the cheapest choice for Butler service.  We stayed for 9 nights for 3250!  Not too bad.  Plus I felt that they were the most all inclusive (sandals in general) and the wedding was free if you stayed in Concierge or higher. 

So as another bride said, you can only bring fake flowers through customs.  The offerings that Sandals/Beaches have are VERY expensive.  Yes you can bring your own decorations.  We brought some for the chairs and aisle way.  We had a couple guests set them up just prior to the ceremony otherwise we would have been charged $250.  FYI, do not bring any decorations for the gazebo.  They will not, nor will they let you put anything on the gazebos due to a contract signed with Martha Stewart.  Silly, but true.  I used wedideas for my bouquet and went to michaels and made our decorations from the same flowers for a fourth of the cost wedideas was going to charge me. 

I did not personally, but heard others who did and they said it was the best money they spent.  We brought our own cd's that we made (and made copies and put in our OOT bags).  I wish I would have splurged on the steel drum band, but it just wasn't in the budget. I have also heard that the dj's have a very limited list of songs and talked to one bride who said it was her biggest waste of money.  Hope this helps some.

These people are very pushy and really only care about upselling you!  Stick to your guns when you talk to them.  Talk to past brides about what they had, liked and disliked.  We stuck with the 30 minute cocktail reception and then had dinner at one of the restaurants.  We were told with our large group of 20 people that this couldn't be done.  This all depends on how full the resort is and the number of butler rooms you have in my opinion, so don't listen to what they try to tell you in Miami.  The beautiful Beginnings wedding was perfect.  On a note about the photographer, they will still try to push you to buy something from them over the phone and again when you get to the resort.  I signed a waiver and told them I didn't even want them at the wedding so they would not interfere with my paid photographer.  They did it, but had quite an attitude about it.  Make sure your photographer is staying a minimum of 3 nights or they will not let them photograph. 

Lea was talking about the TA and I also highly suggest you look into getting one that is a sandals specialist.  They do not cost anything extra and will help organize you.  I also found mine on Facebook Sandals Weddingmoon page and she was fabulous.  I couldn't have made it through without Jody.  Check out the Facebook page.  Lots of pics and past brides/ta's there to help you!

If I were you I'd book the maximum, pay the deposit $400 and you can also change.  I also think that it would help you to go through a Sandals Specialist, not sandals directly.  I can give you the name to the lady I used.  She is incredible, and she costs absolutely nothing extra, as Sandals pays her.  She ends up fielding a lot of the questions and saves them hassle, so they take care of her cost.  Much better than when I called Sandals direct.  She also doesn't push you to buy anything just gives you the facts.  If you want her info just pm me!

Sandals/Beaches will not let you ship anything to them for the wedding.  They do not want to be responsible for it.  You have to bring everything yourself.  We managed to make everything fit, and everything we brought made it through customs ok.  I have heard a couple girls on the sandals facebook site state that they had to provide reciepts for everything they brought through or pay a tax on them.  We brought reciepts for everything but never got looked at. 

My hubby wore khaki pants from Express and a white shirt from Calvin Klein.  Tie was from Kohls.  He also had shoes on for the ceremony but we took them off for sand pics.  Hope this helps.

I sent the pm to whoever it said to send it to.  Maybe she is just slow to adding things.

Weird, I sent it twice.  Anyways, if you could add JoJo photography and film for me and Sandals Grande Ocho Rios that would be great.  It wont let me add them.  Hopefully if will let me review them once there on the list.

Never mind.  I sent you a message!

I've to leave reviews several times and can't.  I sent an email several days ago about it and yet to hear anything in return.  Just tried again under where you asked and it won't let me add an item (mine isn't on the list) and it won't let me.  I was married at SGOR.

I'm not sure if you're still following this link, but I recommend that you look at the requirements to get married in both.  Mexico has more requirements and now requires blood testing there prior to marriage.  Also, Jamaica is no more dangerous than Mexico.  In both places you have to use common sense.  We were married at Sandals Grande Ocho Rios and we loved it.  After researching for close to a year and a half we chose Sandals due to the reviews of weddings and honestly, they just get it.  Everything was beautiful and it is amazing that here in the states we put so much time and energy into planning something, and there it just seemed to happen.  Let us know what you pick!

I'm sure you'll love the steel drum band!  I think that is a much better idea than spending hundreds on flowers you can't bring home with you.  I had wedideas make my bouquet, the boutenneirs and corsages for moms.  I gave my sister the whiteorchid bouquet I got with the ceremony.  We didn't think she was coming until a week and a half before the ceremony due to money issues, so no time to get her a matching bouquet. 

I think its a great dress.  I agree that a belt or something would be perfect on it too.  It looks very light also. 

We loved Sandals Grande Ocho rios, but we were not married on the beach.  The beach there is quite small and not much privacy.  I've heard that Sandals Negril and Sandals Whitehouse both have beautiful beach weddings.  I have to say, Sandals/Beaches really has the wedding thing down.  We felt like we were the only ones getting married that day.  It was amazing. 

Thanks everyone.  And not a problem.  FYI, she is filling up fast due to a photography company she worked for going out of business, so she is getting a lot more personal business now!  Your other option is you could hire a photographer from the island (not the resort) and have them do pictures around the island after the wedding.  Of course they won't be able to get pics of the actual ceremony so you will still have to pay the resort for those. 

Not sure what she normally charges.  We have known her for a long time.  Most photographers seem to charge mainly airfare, stay and sometimes a small additional fee.  The packages at sandals are rediculous though and you get so few pictures.  Some of the resorts photos (Turks and Caicos) were really good, and others were not so great.  I couldn't see spending a couple grand for pictures I could have family take.  Here's her website, and there is a place you can contact her by email.  http://www.jojophotoandfilm.com/   Just let her know that Kim sent you to her, and that goes for any other girl on here too.  I told her I was going to recommend her and her husband (he is the videographer) so it will help to know where you got her info. 

You will love them!  Mine were so gorgeous.  Of course I forgot to take a close up picture of them or I'd post it.  The rest of our professional photos will be here within a week.  The real touch flowers really are amazing.  In fact, I had a bee that stayed on the one orchid for the entire ceremoy and mos of the pictures.  He had to have been one confused little bee. 

Originally Posted by LaurenMarie 

That is the vendor I am going to use for my real-touch flowers.  The lady has been great to work with so far and is very responsive.  She is going to re-create the bouquet in the Flutter of Romance package for about $100 - $115.  The cost at the resort would have been over $250 (I am going w/ the BB package and the bouquet in Flutter of Romance would have been an upgrade).
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by futuremrswalls 

Have any of you considered fake flowers?  There is a wonderful company www.wedideas.com that does some amazing flowers for much less than what the resort charges.  You can also bring them back home with you, unlike the real bouquet.  They look real and everyone that saw them couldn't believe they were fake.  Many Sandals brides have used them.

 

Our photographer is willing to do more destination weddings.  If you're interested, let me know. 

Great review.  The only thing I disagree with is the food.  The food at the cocktail reception was inedible.  I've heard the dinner itself is very good but we just ate at one of the restaurants (there were 19 of us) as my guests refused to let me spend 75 dollars a person for a private reception.