nv+gms

We also decided to go with the free wedding pkg even though our TA has a special agreement with the resort to provide another pkg that almost exactly met our needs for 2600. However, in the end when I teased out the things that I didn't want and things that I wanted - it worked out that the free wedding pkg with upgraged room and our add ons was the same value as the basic junior suite combined the pkg my TA offered. We decided the room upgrade was important to us. Best thing I would suggest is to look at each pkg critically - assign value to each item you want (costs from the lomas website); determine if some valueless hold value (i.e,. nice to have vs have to have). Then look at the lomas site to see what extra stuff you want that the pkg don't provide and add everything up to compare. Sky wedding - I thought about it too - but in the end I chose the beach because we've always wanted a true beachfront wedding. I have attached a document with all the private reception sites. sites.doc

My TA told me that the chair and table covers were covered with the private reception at the Plaza.

I am travelling to NY from Toronto for a trip with mine - I decided to pay for the hotel room for a couple nights = 200 pp/night. I also can't decide what else to get them. My BM dresses will be "a little black dress" that they could re-wear (purchasing in NY) so I didn't want to pay for that. I was thinking jewelry made by a designer I used locally for a personal touch - but would hate for them to end up with something they would not wear again. I was toying with spa time - e.g., massage or something else in Mexico but still haven't decided. I don't want to pay for hair or makeup at the resort b/c my BM are all very good with that already and one of my friends attending is also a hairdresser. Its a tough one - but I think I may end up thinking of each BM separately and giving them a personal gift based on my relationship with them (it would have no special value attached to it) - as Mastercard would say is "priceless".

I tried to respond to your discussion earlier - but it did not post for some reason?! I too entertained Luxe and in the end went with "The wedding holiday". I was willing to pay for extra service but now realize that it would have been futile!!! You are paying for a middle-man. I personally think that the limiting factor on response time is the people from Karisma and the resort. Everyone on this forum as well as people that use a "wedding planner" that says they get a "quicker response b/c of volume" (which my "free person" said as well) is still recieving responses at the same rate as brides dealing directly with the Miami Karisma connection/mexico. This is just my personal take. I would save the money for an excursion and more private events. A coordinator at Luxe is also going to direct you to the same website as all the rest of TA's or wedding travel consultants - its the lomas wedding travel website which gives you all the options for reception, location, food etc. and you just have to pick your selections. This website has a contract with Karisma and if you do anything outside of their vendors - $$$.

This is a great link! Thanks for sharing!!

I also have Carolina but my local wedding coordinator is communicating with her on my behalf. My coordinator has not even recieved a reply on my requests and it has been a week and a half already. A little disappointing as my request was regarding confirming locations. We were thinking about having a farewell cocktail party on the last night followed by the group dinner at Spoons (which accomodates a max of only 40 as I'm told). It appears that group seating options are 6 or 6:30 pm (way too early for a combo cocktail/dinner evening for us). Has anyone else asked about the group dinner and found different time options - we were hoping for 8pm. If the group dinner has to be that early - then we are probably going to have a welcome coctail on day 2 and book the spoon dinner at 6:30 as a farewell dinner - this combo is actually looking more appealing to me as I think about it - spreads a little here and there and lets people get back to their rooms to pack or stay out later to enjoy the night.

And I'm the 26th!

I seriously thought about using Luxe too but in the end chose "The wedding Holiday". What I've learned so far: all these people serve as the "middle man" between the resort and yourself. Initally they all say that they get "quicker responses" from the resort because they have a closer relationship then a single bride trying to organize for herself. But what I find is that they too have to wait 1-2 weeks before they get a response from the resort. That response time equals what I've seen from many of the brides planning their wedding with the resort anyway. Also - Azul Sensatori contracts Lomas travel http://weddings.lomas-travel.com/ for all the stuff you need for the wedding - all you have to do is pick what you want - everything is there - meals, reception, decor etc. Combine all this with this website and you have all you need to get you organized. I'm glad I did not pay for any additional services through an agency. In retrospect - I think I would have booked my wedding through itravel2000 weddings division. Since they do so much travel business they seem to be able to get quicker responses when it comes to travel bookings/modifications. Cheers, NV

Haha - obviously new to posting (and probably annoying) but this was to murmel! Â

I know! I saw you after I made my post! Did you book with the wedding holiday? They have "special" upgraded pkgs that include decor and also more than 12 chairs for guests (a pkg that I can change with no problems)...I'm not picky colours - my bridesmaids will be wearing black - but I am prefer simple elegance - a turquoise background is something we've both agreed would be what we prefer. How did you arrange your decor - I assume you are going w lomas???? Funny your guests will be travelling w us! I think we are at 30+ and counting leaving the same day - but I haven't checked with the agent - just going by the replies! Did you meet any others travelling to our resort the same time? We are a pretty crazy bunch - look forward to having a tequila or two on the beach!!!

Thx! At least it gives me a starting point!

I am a procrastinator - which makes me a "procrastinating bride": Planning to rd through the threads but feel like its info overload with so many threads - there must be some sort of recommendations b/n "can't wait for it to open" to "today" - any recommendation on where to start??? Toronto bride: travelling Jan 22/11 for a week with our wedding day on the 26th at the Azul Sensatori. Invites are out; responses due by Aug 31; around 30 or more confirmed at this pt. Booked through "The wedding holiday" in Mississauga. Bringing my own photographer from Toronto - willing to share with another Toronto area bride if interested and your wedding date isn't the same day! At some point I guess I will worry about the wedding pkg deets we upgraded to - unless there are some other views?!

Planning to rd through the threads but feel like its info overload with so many threads - there must be some sort of recommendations b/n "can't wait for it to open" to "today" - any recommendation on where to start??? Toronto bride: travelling Jan 22/11 for a week with our wedding day on the 26th at the Azul Sensatori. Invites are out; responses due by Aug 31; around 30 or more confirmed at this pt. Booked through "The wedding holiday" in Mississauga. Bringing my own photographer from Toronto - willing to share with another Toronto area bride if interested and your wedding date isn't the same day! At some point I guess I will worry about the wedding pkg deets we upgraded to - unless there are some other views?!