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Everytime I see pictures posted by TI I get goose bumps as I know my turn will be here very soon!!! Bronze8584- your pictures are absolutely beautiful. The hotel has such beautiful architecture. At your reception, did Kissing Fish do your decor as well?

Janine and Krys, Thank you very much for your condolences. I know its rather premature to plan for a very small attendance; however we are required to make a deposit at the hotel for the block of people coming. Since family members are pulling out, we want to err on the side of caution and inform Monique of the change of events and see if we can work out something different. Krys, those pictures are breathtaking; thank you for sharing.

Hi Everyone, Stephen and I are still very excited about having our wedding in T&C; however I lost my grandmother on 6/6 and knew that the majority of our guests were coming because they knew she'd be excited to be at her oldest granddaughter's wedding and the wedding would give her a chance to see everyone before her illness caused further pain. Given her recent passing, some of the family has expressed they may not be able to attend, which we can understand; however that somewhat changes our wedding plans. Moving forward, Stephen and I are interested (Krys hopefully you can help) in a private place with a gorgeous backdrop of the ocean in which to exchange our nuptials. We were originally planned to have this on the beach at Sommerset, but with just the two us now we decided to opt for something more private (we're still staying at the Sommerset for our honeymoon). Thanks, Robyn

Our wedding is 12 months away and I can't wait to Ileana in person. I agree with everyone that she is very friendly and professional.

Belle: Janine and Krys are absolute life savers and have made navigating the island and vendors much much easier. Krys: I spoke with Ileana yesterday, thank you for the follow-up.

Hi Belle, I am getting married in T&C on June 23, 2011. Based upon the great advice and suggestions offered on this site, I have settled upon a hotel (Sommerset; waiting for new contract), make-up and hair stylist (Shenique; Sheque) catering (Bay Bistro/Kissing Fish), photography (Tropical Imaging; waiting to hear back from Ileana). I am also considering a cruise for family and friends as a precursor to the rehearsal bbq. Welcome to the board and feel free to ask questions. Robyn

Oh boy Krys!!!! I showed the links to FI and he wants to have the wedding at The Regent Palms. I must admit the architecture is quite stunning; oh goodness, decisions...decisions....decisions!

Hi Krys, Thanks for the info. You and Janine are definitely life savers for me. Which hotel is the pool deck apart of?

T&C ladies I need your help... One of the perks of our honeymoon was to walk onto the beach from our hotel room. None of the rooms at Sommerset offer this. I'm afraid that changing hotels will change the walking distance of the Bay Bistro and other great activities. Can someone make recommendations for a hotel that has rooms that open onto the beach, but within a reasonable distance to bay bistro (where welcome BBQ and cocktail reception may be). Thanks, AP

Wow, those pictures are absolutely beautiful. Krys do you have the contact information for the Bay Bistro? How far is it from The Somerset?

Hi Brides, I am new to the forum and have enjoyed learning so quickly of what I want the wedding to be. With that being said, my wedding party will be very small <19 guests including ourselves. The wedding and reception will be held at the Somerset, YAY!!! However I need some help... Due to the small numbers, I am concerned the reception will be too relaxed, what can I do post-wedding to ensure everyone mingles, dances a little, and has a blast. I know the island is relaxed, I just don't want the guests to wander away out of boredom. Thanks!!

JanineA- I just received the email containing the different food options that are offered. We are not sure which is better (I need to do more reading on BDW) as to if Somerset is a better reception option than a local restaurant. We are only expecting <20 guests, so I want to find something that everyone will enjoy with a beautiful view. The wedding will be on Thursday June 23, 2011 and none of my guests are staying at the Somerset. Our TA is pricing deals at nearby hotels for them. Once we recieve the information, I plan to launch our website to keep everyone on the same page. I have no clue what the Sunset cruise is; I only spoke with Monique for a few minutes today so that I could introduce myself and ask a few questions. Is this something that you're doing? The rehearsal dinner will be at a restaurant; luckily FI's parents will cover the associated costs. Yes, the wedding will be on the beach and the reception on the lawn. What music options are you choosing? I was thinking of a steel drum band. Due to the low numbers of people, I wanted to have something to keep the small crowd lively. I would like to have more pictures of the available options on the property to that we can make a more informed decision of where we'd like the reception. Isn't this exciting?

Yes JanineA- I'm following in your footsteps in working with Monique as well as the hair/make-up artists that you're working with. Honestly, this forum is such a jewel. I'm so excited, I could barely sleep!

Janine and Krys: I have just started reading your threads as FI and I are now considering TC as our wedding and honeymoon location. I have already contaced Tropical Imaging, Ileana, and I am so impressed by her work and charisma. We are also working with a TA who is going to price The Somerset (which I LOVE!!!) and nearby hotels for our guests. Thank you both for such great information.

Thanks TA Jennifer. FI and I are no longer considering Jamaica or Sandals for our nuptials and reception.

TA Jennifer- Thanks so much for your feedback. FI and I have decided to go for customer control and look to a different island and resort for our nuptials and reception. As enticing as Sandals seem (discounts and customized packages), I'm trusting my gut and avoiding Sandals at all costs. If your company works with resorts other than Sandals, I will be more than happy to work with you as you've provided such great support throughout my search. Thanks again.

Wow, the feedback here alone makes me very nervous about going with Sandals. I've posted on other threads here at BDW inquiring about Sandals and I am very put-off that I, as the bride, have very little control even though its supposed to "care-free." I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for and I am very hesitant to go with a company where I have to pay 3 nights for my own photog, can't bring or order my own flowers, difficulty with non-communicative WC's, weird time slots for my dream wedding. Its back to the drawing board ;(. I'm absolutely thrilled about this site; no where else could I get such honest information.

Ladies, thank you so much for all of your input. I'm going to have the wedding and our guests stay at the Sandal in Ocho Rios; I will speak with the WC to see if a private dinner can be had since we're having such a small wedding. Stephen and I will stay at Royal Plantation. Our other concern was the wedding photographer; we wanted to fly in the photographer that did our engagement photos, but we noticed the Sandals resorts doesn't allow this. How was your photography sessions? Were you pleased with the photographer?

Jennybell1- Please do, thanks! MD Lady- You are right on point. I just posted a message on the Jamaica board for brides that are having weddings at a Sandals resort. Sandals definitely takes the stress away with planning. Our only concern is how private the wedding will be. We would like for it to be intimate and on the beach; we just aren't sure if this can happen at a Sandals. hat 0112- Honestly, of the 20 people we'll invite only half may show up. This is something that FI and I have discussed openly and honestly. We'd like everyone invited to show up, but we are also sensitive to other's financial means. Great point!!! The original wedding would have been in Frederick, MD at an historic mansion. That would be a great location, thank you for the ideas. Ladies, you have truly lifted a load.

Hi Ladies, I thought my search of a wedding/honeymoon resort was over until I came across the Sandals website. My choices were narrowed down to The Royal Plantation, The Caves, and Half Moon. The Sandals website that was sent to me included the Martha Stewart wedding package, as we'd like to also get married at the resort, and I fell in love with it! Here's the deal ladies...(not to offend anyone) I was under the impression that Sandals resorts were somewhat cheesy, the beaches would be full of people, the atmosphere would be forced rather than relaxed, and there would be tons of people hanging on the beach during our wedding. However the website certainly does not seem that way and I totally stand corrected. Can Jamaica Sandals brides please share why you chose a Sandals resort for your wedding? Thank you so much for any help or advice that you can provide. Kindly, Robyn

Ladies, Thank you so much for the wonderful advice and hugs. No, we did not send out invitations yet as the wedding isn't until June 2011. At family gatherings, his family has been especially verbal about being excited for the big day and that they can't wait to see us walk down the aisle as husband and wife; herein lies my anxiety. His family "knew" of our original plans, even though we did not send formal invitations. We have discussed having two AHRs, one in his hometown of Pittsburgh and the other in my hometown of Washington, DC. However this will cost additional money; so we are unsure if we will entertain the idea of having two AHRs. JennyBell1- can you send me the wording you used for the AHR invite? Thanks again everyone.

All- I apologize if this has been posted before; I looked beforehand and didn't find anything. FI and I were originally planning a traditional wedding; however due to costs, we've decided to do something smaller. We decided on a destination wedding in Jamaica and are moving forward with the planning process. The problem is, how do we inform our family and friends who know we're engaged and who originally knew we wanted them at the wedding that we've decided to downsize from 120 to 25 people. I thought a letter to each would be sufficient, but I have no idea what to say or if this is even a good idea. If you've dealt with this or have some advice for me, I would greatly appreciate it. Kindly, Robyn

Quote: Originally Posted by CHAKLIT Nevery heard of it, but I just went to their website....and the pics are amazing....It's right on main street and I've never noticed it! Hi Chaklit, Thank you for your response. I'm just looking for beautiful places that are somewhat off the beaten path and this place seems to be the perfect fit. The venue offers a wedding coordinator; however I would like to speak with wedding planners for quotes. If you don't mind sharing, who are you using for your planner and travel agent? Cheers, Robyn

Hi everyone, I reviewed the Jamaica Inn on trip advisor and it received great reviews; this is one of the places I am considering for our wedding and honeymoon. Has anyone heard of this place or visited? The pictures are breathtaking and I just wanted to get honest feedback before I start emailing their staff for more info. Thanks everyone, Robyn

Wow! Thank you all so much. I'm going to start researching everyone's ideas today. Thanks again.