Lindsay in love

Yes we had the DJ for 4 hours, I think it was $1200, we didn't have a dancefloor (honestly didn't need it) and we had Paul as our DJ...I don't remember the company he worked for but it was the other option that wasn't DJ Mauricio Neri, I'd heard too many bad things about him in the beginning that I wasn't sure about using him so I opted for the other option....Paul did a great job with the songs and played songs that were current, upbeat and kept my guests dancing...I had a friend from home MC so he had the wireless mic all night and worked with the DJ for what he needed as well. The day before the wedding I met Paul in the office at 4pm and went over some of the songs I wanted played but I actually only asked for three songs specifically and otherwise just advised him on genres and whatnot...

Hi Sarcrook! Thank you! We had such an amazing time and everything went so smoothly, I was actually shocked! I guess everyone expects atleast one thing to go wrong, but nothing did! Our reception started at 6pm, actually probably closer to 6:30 really (we were married at 4pm) and all of our head table was in their seats before we were announced. At that point, once we came in and took our seats, our MC introduced us obviously first, and then our wedding party....so as you see in the slideshow, everyone stood up as they were introduced and the MC said a little bit about each person and their significance in our lives. It made for nice photos as everyone got their own little moment. I also didn't have to worry about songs for all the bridal party as they entered...this way people could actually hear what the MC was saying about our wedding party. We did extend our reception for one hour until 10 o'clock...I didn't feel 9 would be long enough so the one hour was perfect and after that we went to the disco but my hubby and I honestly only stayed there for one shooter with our guests and then retired to bed...we were really pooped after everything.

I actually just looked online for you (to make sure they were still there) and they are even cheaper now then before ($59.99 now!) and they have a few different colour options. Here is the link http://www.sears.ca/product/oasistm-mc-strapless-drape-front-chiffon-dress/648-000260133-4368 Good luck!

We got those at Sears...they were perfect in style but not the most comfortable. Truthfully, if i was to do it all over again, I would not wear shoes and i wouldn't have the girls wear shoes either. if you are getting married on the beach they are tough to walk in the sand with and the sand is not hot at all so you can get away with not wearing any...I was so preoccupied walking down the aisle in my shoes because i thought i was going to trip and fall face first LOL...my parents had to hold me up! LOL...i love the beaded toe jewlery...i would probably go with that if I could do it all over again.

Hi Ashley, Thank you! The girls were very comfortable in their breezy dresses and the colour matched the ocean perfectly...I got the dresses online through Sears. They were $79.99 which was great since everyone was paying to travel. The only tricky part was finding the matching ties for the bridesman and ringbearer but it all worked out easily! The star fish sandals were also from Sears. Good luck with your planning!

The photos were ready for us two or three days after the wedding, she was very good at having them to us quickly. She will keep in mind when you are leaving and will be sure to get you the photos asap. The slideshow took longer with all the edits and stuff, but she had that ready for us maybe a week or so after we got home. She emailed it to us...and then the photo album that is included as well arrived about 4 weeks after we got home, it's beautiful as well. We did not do a trash the dress session with her (we did the $999 photo package, everything but TTD) because we had a large reception when we got home where I wore my dress again...You can email and ask her if she takes underwater shots though...she'll get back to you...she is honestly the best....everyone in my wedding party RAVED about her!

You will not at all be disappointed using Anel from Adventure Photos, she is amazing! I also did my research prior to selecting a photographer and knew immediately when I saw her work that she was the one I wanted to have capture my special day. Truthfully, the entire experience at Dreams Riviera Cancun was flawless but Anel really made it extremely exciting and special. I had her for the complete coverage as well and she was worth more then every penny we paid. Here is our slideshow and her impressive work. http://090511spencer.dreamsriveriacancun.adventurephotos.com.mx/ Enjoy and Congrats!

Thank you! I'm flattered...it really is all that it looks, amazing! You should be SO excited. DRC did my flowers, the bridesmaids bouquets were silk and I asked Ana to match my bouquet to the bridesmaids and add some white lillies, I think they turned our perfect...I loved my flowers! They did charge me an extra $60 for that bouquet, not sure why but I was happy with them none the less? So maybe they were exotic flowers? The lanterns I got through the resort as well, they were $20 a piece and I had 11 of them so it worked out to $220...they did help provide lighting once it got dark out so I'm glad I used them. They did tend to fly off with the wind quite a bit though but the staff was very quick to chase them down and put them back up as best as they could. Seems like the EW or Deco Cancun string of lights is a bit more stable and really nice as well but I think they are quite a bit more expensive...? You should be so excited to work with Anel...without a doubt your pictures will turn out amazing...

LOL it's true...I escaped unscaved...but I will never forget those three wisemen Melissa...worst shot I've ever had in my LIFE! An eye for an eye eh? I do owe you a shot...your choice...hopefully back at DRC one day on an anniversary! LOL

Hello Ladies, As a follow up to Melissa's review, I am also back and can't tell you how sad I am that the dream is over....It was exactly that, a Dream. We were married Monday May 9th at 4pm on the North beach and everything was perfect from the setup to the weather and all things in between. We had 47 awesome guests who all agreed they had the time of their lives. Even more amazing was meeting Melissa and Winter on the forum and being able to meet them in person and share our amazing experiences. I got to see both their weddings as well and they were equally as beautiful. This place is a wedding factory and they pull it off so well. I was a nervous wreck in the days leading up to the wedding, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep and now I feel so silly having felt that way since it was so unecessary. I worked with Ana Garcia and like the other wedding coordinators, she was totally on the ball. I brought all my centerpieces, linens, programs, everything and they put them all together perfectly. I can't say enough about how amazing and professional the staff is, absolutely top notch service. Anel was our photographer and her energy and professionalism is the best I've ever seen. Anyone who has the pleasure of working with her is so fortunate. She is so detail oriented and truly loves what she does and it shows in her work. I give her my highest recommendation. We had our reception on the pool deck which was perfect...I kept it pretty simple since the scenery is amazing decor on it's own. The food was some of the best I've ever eaten both at the wedding and throughout the entire week, the guests were raving about it. We chose the BBQ Buffet. The buffet set up is so nice and they really strive for perfection in every aspect of the wedding. Some may think that having 4 weddings a day may be a bit much but to me it only added to the loving atmosphere at the resort...everyone is smiling, everyone is happy and everyone is celebrating so much love and you can really feel it throughout the resort. I loved watching so many beautiful weddings everyday. Every one is unique, special and beautiful in it's own way. One of the best wedding gifts we could have ever received was from our amazing Master of Ceremonies, before the first dance he read us an email of congratulations that was written for my husband and I from our first dance artist, John Legend. It was incredible that he took the time to write to us his best wishes for our wedding...it was such a truly touching moment. This is the song that plays during our slideshow and is a very significant song to us since my husband and I had broken up for 5 years and this song brought us back together. It was an amazing gift! So, if anyone has any questions, I'm happy to provide any information needed but really, none of you need to worry at all...don't stress about a thing...you picked the right place to get married and you will have the wedding of your dreams, I'm so excited for all of you! http://090511spencer.dreamsriveriacancun.adventurephotos.com.mx/ Enjoy!

Missy your pics are awesome, and hilarious! Seems like you guys had a wild time for sure! I imagine my group will be similar....I'm in good company with a bunch of crazy partyers. :-) Thanks for sharing your special day. You look stunning in your dress and your photos. Made me all the more excited to leave a week today! Congrats to you Mrs. Mattingly!

I'm at 4:00 and my hair and makeup start at 12:30 I think so maybe 1 or 2 would be good. Email the spa and let them know what time your ceremony is and they'll know how much time they'll need, Bring a photo of what you want done and they should be able to replicate it.

This totally sucks about Julian Molina not being allowed to DJ! I was so looking forward to that and now I'm afraid I'm not going to have good music...eeek. Two weeks out and no DJ...hopefully some luck comes our way May brides...SUCKS!!!

I am definitely concerned about this as well...I've been reading as well and it doesn't seem to be getting better...I'm just really hopeful that our parties will be the lucky ones that will be careful and not affected by whatever illness is going on there. Not sure of my 90 year old Granny will be able to handle any type of crazy Norovirus or food issue? Not much we can do about it now other then keep our guests off tripadvisor! Fingers crossed....I'm totally nervous about it though....

I got my LED tea lights at Michaels. They look a bit ghetto but if you're having your reception on the pool deck, it's the only thing you can do as real tea lights will definitely blow out.

TigerLily, Anel from Adventure Photos is very good, that's who I'm using. Otherwise Juan Navarro is also excellent and his prices, although more expensive then Adventure Photo, are more competitive then some of the other high end photographers. If I had a larger budget for photos, I'd be using Del Sol hands down...they are amazing! As for booking your DJ, just ask Ana to book in AVI for you and the tell Juan Molina and he will set the date aside for you. I had no problems getting this booked, so I imagine it should be easy for you to do... Good Luck!

So... I loved your BM dress so much that I ordered it in White as my reception dress....the style of it is soooo cute for a reception and I think it's going to be flattering for any figure...found some great shoes with a turquoise accent to match my BM's dresses as well.... Nice work and thank you for sharing, I would be searching endlessly for the perfect reception dress otherwise! Great choice!

Her work is great, she is shooting our wedding on May 9th and I requested her specifically...the last review and slideshow posted from a recent wedding there are photos taken by her and i loved them...I'm very excited to be working with you, she takes great quality photos.

I don't have an email confirming it yet but when I do i will send it to you. Ana confirmed it for me when I had the conference call with her...I have emailed her back detailing a list of things I'd like her to send me including an estimate for that credit. When I spoke to her I didn't have to ask her for it I just said that i was opting out of the cocktail hour and she said that she'd credit it towards the dinner. It's strange that there is inconsistent information between coordinators, doesn't make any sense. I will re-forward my email to her again (as I have to do about 6 times to get a response LOL) and as soon as I have it, i will send it to you.

My wedding is in 11 weeks as well May 9th 2011. After I put in my deposit I emailed a few times with questions and when I would get no response I would keep forwarding my original request until I did get a response. For all correspondence I always keep the same subject line and forwarded info so they can follow the trail of information and get refreshed with my wedding. I would just a be a bit more aggressive, they'll get back to you. I've also booked my hair/makeup with the spa and my photographer through Adventure Photo. Both of those took a few emails to book, they are slow at getting back for sure. I've sent in three inquiries to deco cancun for a quote and have received no response which is surprising?

I had a call with Ana this afternoon, she was very prompt in calling on time and even rescheduled with me for later in the day when I mentioned I had to finish up something at work. She called again on time at the rescheduled time. I was impressed. Firstly, she was very warm and kind...you can tell she's a nice lady. Although it was only over the phone, I got a good vibe from her. I went over my timeline with her (my wedding is on the beach at 4pm, dinner at 6pm on the pool deck) and then told her I wanted to opt out of having the cocktail party. No need for it really...my group will simply gather at the beach bar from 4:30 to 6 or change, or relax or watch our photos...who cares?! LOL...She told me that she would apply that credit ($26=15%=10% for 20 ppl = $657.80) to the extra dinners that we will be subject to paying for the extra 25 guests we are having, I LOVED this...I think it's fantastic that they will allow for those credits to be applied. Amazing news! I then asked her about the DJ and confirmed the free dance floor to which she said they'd take care of that. I asked if DJ Mauricio Neri was the only vendor approved to work with the hotel and she said yes for now. I guess they are reviewing other DJ's but as of yet, Visual Sound is the only approved vendor, meaning, the only one willing to sign the contract. Fair enough...after reading a bad review we know we need to be cautious working with him, so I will have a long list of songs ready to email in advance to him...I'll keep them on IPod as a back up in case he screws up...and maybe bring along an adapting cable just to be safe. LOL...We may sound crazy but for most of us, the DJ can make or break the party so as long as we're prepared, I'm thinking we can avoid disasters with the DJ. I also asked her about lighting on the pool deck. Ana said that she had some paper lanterns that I could use at no charge, she would set them up for me...she said she'd send pictures. There are two towers of lights for the pool deck, plus the DJ lights but she said the paper lanterns would add some light and some decor. I was happy about that. It would be nice to not have to bring in an outside vendor for lighting... Lastly the menu and the flowers she said she'd email to me so when I receive the details I will do my best to post the pictures of what she sends on here for you to see. She recommends the buffet for group over 40 and I think it's the safest bet as I do not want guests being served cold food because it's too large of a group for a plated dinner...so I will go with the buffet as per her suggestion. She is going to send me a full estimate on the total cost prior to our arrival which is great so I have an idea of what to expect when we get there and where we can afford to add extras once we arrive, if we decide to add anything? Overall, after speaking with her and reading so many reviews, I'm truly excited now and feeling like everything is starting to fall into place. I'm so excited to work with Anel from Adventure Photography and I know that regardless of the small details, the day will be perfect and the rest of the planning will be stress free now that the big questions are out of the way. Phew! I would recommend that everyone has this type of call with her prior to the wedding. But, do it 3 months or so before the big day...it'll help those last crazy weeks of planning seem a lot more calm and organized.

I have booked Anel from Adventure Photos and she is very sweet. There is a recent review and slideshow of photos she took a few pages back...she has a great eye and her pictures turn out better then some of the other ones I've seen from Adventures.

I am having a conference call with the resort, Ana specifically on Tuesday Feb 15th and will ask about the DJ situation. I'm not sure what's not working in the contract for them to be turning down so many vendors? Hopefully I will be able to get some clarification from her to make sense of all of this? Seems strange.

There are a few different vendors for maracas. Mishka's are personalized, unique and can be shipped to the resort directly. They are more costly then other maracas that aren't personalized. I've ordered 100 maracas from Amols in San Antonio as the price is much more appealing and I may choose to personalize them myself? They just say Mexico on them but are definitely cute. http://www.amols.com/catalog/product/MX700 You can get them in assorted colours or you can get them in set colours, blue, light blue, pink, orange etc...they are much much cheaper and if you order more then 12 (2 per package) they discount the price to $1.95 for the pair...Mishka's are about $3 to $4 each depending on how detailed you want them. By going with Amols, I saved myself over $200 which I could put towards parasols and fans from Luna Bazaar. Even with high shipping costs to Canada it works out to cost savings. Mishka's website is http://mishkadesignspv.blogspot.com/ This could be the right way to go if you don't want to worry about travelling with all the maracas in tow. Hope this helps ladies!

Wow, thank you for posting that...after seeing what AMAZING photos and memories you have through Adventure Photos I'm very confident in using them, and specifically asking for Anel! That's such great info! Can't wait for your review and you were truly a stunning bride and without question, it looked like you were ALL having the time of your lives! Thanks for sharing! Loved the colour too btw...those are the ones I'm using! Who did your chuppah decor?