futureMrs.S 2011

I had my wedding June 24, 2011 and in my opinion the desires lounge was definitely not the place to have my cocktail hour. We noticed that the view from there was overlooking the outside of the resort- not pretty. We had ours at the jacuzzi area and they made it very private for us. It gave a really nice atmosphere and in my opinion was a great choice! PS...I had originally chose the desires lounge and once I saw it, fortunately, I was able to change it once I got there!!! Hope this helps!

Hi ASANYC- Thank you for your wonderful comments!!!! 1-You said you brought your own sand and ceremony things - are we supposed to bring the sand/bowl or did you choose to bring your own? I choose to bring my own. I would discuss it with your coordinator and see what is available. When I was asking about it, they had a really tiny vase and tiny sand bottles. I loved the ones I found at the local craft store, I wanted it to stand out in pictures so we brought ours down with us. 2-How far ahead of time did you give the music list to the DJ? Did you make a CD for him as well? Did you like the DJ? What was his name? I gave my final songs list to the DJ about 3 weeks before the wedding. I didn't make a CD for him. When we got my list (via email) he downloaded all my songs onto his mac and when we sat with him the day before the wedding, he quickly went through the songs making sure everything was correct and that he had the right version of the songs. He was correct with everything. Here's his info: Cesar Mauricio Neri Salazar Co. President & DJ VISUAL SOUND "Music for your eyes" tels. 998 7344 757 & 755 111 2921 email: [email protected] 3-How far ahead of time did you request for Anel? -I had told Ana I believe at least 3 months...maybe more...before the wedding. I had seen Anel's work on this thread and really wanted to make sure that I got her. I would tell your coordinator as soon as you are definite about it. You dont even have to choose your photo package when you ask for her. I told Anel which package I wanted one month before the wedding. 4-We're planning on going to Desires after the reception to continue the party. Does that get reserved by people as well or is that open to the public for after parties regardless of the weddings? -There are no reservations for Desires, its open to all the guests at the resort regardless of weddings. I have to say that while we were there, the Desires club was never even close to being packed on any night. Im not sure if thats the way it is all the time but it's not your typical night club thats for sure. You'll most likely have your own private after party in there after your wedding with only a few others in there from the resort. 5-For the cake, when did you tell them about the upgrade - while you were there or ahead of time? Did you give them a picture of this as well or just told them you wanted a second layer? I knew I wanted something more than the cake they were offering in the ultimate package so I copied a picture of one I wanted and sent it to Ana probably two months before the wedding date. I told her I would bring down my own ribbons for it and monograms for the top. If you don't ask or change anything about the cake, you will get a plain white one layer cake, which is perfectly fine if that's what you want. 6-How far ahead of time did you tell them you wanted the dance floor and sound tech? I asked for these things about 4 months left to the wedding only because I knew I definitely wanted these things. 7-And, yes, did you request for the dance floor to have the light effects or does it come with that? How much did that cost you (if you don't mind sharing that info) -The dance floor came like that, I didnt ask for the lighting effects. I just asked for the cold fireworks for the first dance and that wasn't an extra charge. I paid $300 per hour for the DJ, and the lighted dance floor. ** From your questions, it looks as if you are concerned about time frames and when to confirm things. My suggestion to you is this.... If you know what you want, email and confirm it with your coordinator. Dont stress too much about finalizing things too far in advance unless its your locations for the day (which if theres another wedding on your day could be taken if you wait too long). If you know for certain you want Anel or someone specific, email it and have it confirmed so its one less thing off your list. If you cant decide on menu options or centerpieces, wait till your coordinator asks you for it. I had a small binder and when I had something confirmed, I printed it out and stuck it in the binder. When I met with her down there, I had my binder with me just so it was easier to go over everything and finalize together. If something is confirmed and you change your mind last minute, I found them to be super accommodating if it was possible!!!! So have fun planning!!! Try not to stress, remember that they do weddings daily and they are professionals. Good luck!!! Wish I was planning all over again! Enjoy it!!

Hi Ashleytart- Thank you so much!! It was truly a "Dream"!!! Where did your bridesmaids dresses? - I decided to go with David's Bridal. I didn't want my girls to spend a crazy amount on their dresses since they were already aggreeing to spend there vacation, time and money to travel to Mexico. I also liked Davids Bridal for their convenience, large array of colors to choose from and sizes available. The girls all loved their dress and the color (watermelon) really popped out!! Did you have centerpieces? - Yes, however, I told Ana to take the centerpiece from our ceremony (which is included in the ultimate package) and use it for one of the tables. Then, for the flowers on our reception table, I asked her to move those (which are included in the ultimate package also) and put them on another table. For the last table, she said she'd throw in a centerpiece for me which was really nice. Did you get the light towers? -I didn't ask for these. I believe they automatically set that up. I would definitely ask your coordinator though. I was not charged any additional fees for that. I am debating on the lighted dance floor, was it worth the money? For me, it was worth it. I really liked the dance floor but for us, it was just a tad too tight. We were a total of 23 and we are all dancers so when we were all on there you noticed how there wasn't a lot of room left on the dance floor. If you are having more than 25 people and you all dance, I would really recommend talking to the DJ about their options. I believe they have two sizes?? I think we were using the small one? - Have fun planning!!!!!

Kad1010- Yes, while we were down there (late June), we did notice a smell that was around the World Cafe. It was an unpleasant, sulfer smell that only lingered around the world cafe. We just thought they were having an issue with their plumbing or something. We didn't smell it anywhere else. As soon as you entered, the smell was kinda strong. Unfortunately, the problem was still there by the time we left but hopefully they fixed the issue. You do have the option of eating outside of the world cafe. While we were there, everyone seemed to notice but it didn't stop them from eating inside there. The place was full of people all day, everyday. Im hoping they've fixed the issue by now!!

jkhowell- I was nervous at first about it...not sure how they were gonna look and if they would hold up. My bridesmaids LOVED, LOVED, LOVED them!!! They saved me soooooo much money and they really added a great, different look to the pictures rather than traditional flower bouquets!!! We had soooo much fun with them while doing pictures. They are a great prop!! I got one for myself too!!! lol I originally started looking at the fancy parasol websites and was a little discouraged but believe it or not, I came across them at Oriental Trading. (orientaltrading.com) They didn't have a huge selection but I lucked out because they had my colors AND they were ONLY $4.99 each. I figured I'd give it a shot and if I didn't like them or the material was cheap, I'd just go back to flowers. I bought 5 of them. When they were shipped to me, I was totally impressed!!!! I couldn't believe I spent so little on something so NICE!!!! They worked perfectly and were made really well...sturdy too!!!. I kept them closed and they came in a clear package so I left them just like they were and put them in between my clothes in my suitcase. It was a success!!!!! They only carried one size.

Kad1010- My reception was from 8-11 (sunset for me was 7:30). Ceremony- 6pm. cocktail hour- 7pm reception 8-11pm. Hmmm...I see your issue about how early it will end. I did notice another wedding the day I got down there and they must've had an earlier wedding also because after the reception they all went to the Desire's Lounge for the "after party". Nothing really to impressive but they kinda took over the place and had a ball. Maybe you could do something like that?? I've read somewhere on here that there was a couple who went back to their rooms, changed to go out to the clubs with their fam and friends. Not sure if you're into that or not. I'd check out some posts with November weddings and see what they did to get ideas. You will not be dissappointed with ANEL!!!!!! She's so great!! When I first saw the TTD sessions, I was definitely into it. Funny....after awhile I was like....ehhh. It wasn't that important to me anymore. I love looking at people's TTD sessions but I have to say I dont regret not doing it. Yea, for some reason the look of the wedding cake was important to me...for us the $80 was worth it. We had a total of 23 guests. Quote: Originally Posted by kad1010 Evelyn, How long was your reception? I am getting married in November, so I am going to have to do things earlier because the sun sets earlier. My ceremony is booked for 3 PM so that we can get pictures in the daylight afterwards. I've read that the ceremony is about 30 minutes and Ana said the sun sets around 5:30 in November. I dont want my reception to be only from 5-8 PM, that's so early! So I am still on the fence with what I am going to do. I also have Anel booked and I am super excited to have her. I booked the all day w/ the TTD session but now I'm not so sure I will feel like doing that lol. I am so happy to hear they let you upgrade your cake! I don't think we will have over 25-30 people, but I still want a wedding cake, not just a 1 layer, so thanks for adding that! Also, How many people did you have at your wedding? Thanks again for all your advice it is SO helpful!!

Im happy to help any possible way I can. The day from start to finish was long but my reception part went quickly. Before we knew it, there was an hour left. Everyone was having so much fun that the time was flying. Still, I think the length of everything was perfect..By the time we got back to our room, we were pooped!!!! lol. Thank you about the pictures!!! We had a blast!! So I got the ultimate package and just upgraded the cake which for us was an extra $80. They added a layer to it because I wanted it to look more like a wedding cake rather than one layer...just my preference. I brought down the ribbons and lettering for the cake and had them put it on for me (no extra cost). Other additions I had were.....sound technician for ceremony $180 (sooooo worth it!!) full day photography with Anel $999 (sooooooo worth it again!!!) I wanted a DJ so that was an extra $300 per hour. We also had to pay for 3 add'l guests because it was over the 20 person in the package. Oh, and an additional boutinere which cost me $20. I decided NOT to buy flowers for the girls to save money there I bought down parasols which they LOVED. (i think they were charging like $90 a bouquet for them) The parasols cost me like $5 each.....score!!! Also, the ceremonial flowers that were part of the package I had them bring to the reception and use for one of my centerpieces to save money there too. As for the chair sashes...I used weddinglinensdirect.com (They take up zero space in your luggage and beats paying $5 a sash throught the resort). hmmmm, i think that's it.. PS....I forgot to mention the SPA treatments we had with the ultimate package- WE LOVED IT!!!! We both had a couples swedish massage the day before to stay relaxed and OMG...the spa is so nice. I would definitely recommend a treatment there...or two...or three.....hahahahaa. My husband and I made another stop there before we left. lol Hope this helps!

Kad1010: Please don't worry about asking questions!!! It's the least I can do, this site got me through everything!!! I chose the Carribean buffet for the reception so I didnt need to make any menus. With the seating arrangements, I started a draft early and kept rearranging as people responded (which kinda got annoying) so my advice would be to have some ideas in your head but not to stress out about it. I finalized my guest list the week before and I wrote out my seating chart (on sand dollars that I found at the dollar store) a couple of days before we actually left! Ana placed them in sand on a table for the guests. I also brought down orange picture frames and I had gone down to a local beach where I live and took pictures of each table # written in the sand. That was fun and added a beachy touch.

Hi 7jax!! Welcome to the forum!!! This is such a helpful site!! Enjoy! I was married at DRC on June 24th, 2011 and we absolutely LOVED every moment!! Its nice to see a groom on here....my husband helped with our music selections only. Congrats to you and your B2B!! Have fun planning!

Kad1010, I wrote all the songs I chose out on paper with titles/ artists names and when to play them. I gave two copies to Ana. (one for her and the other for her to hand to the technician. I had asked my brother (best man) to put all the songs (all the FULL songs) on a cd for us to give to the tech but OOPS!!! my brother forgot the cd at home!!! I was just a little upset for about a minute and then he said that he had them all on his ipod so it was no biggie. I asked my brother to go down early before the ceremony just to make sure the sound technician knew what was what and it turns out that he was already prepared without even using the ipod. I would suggest to definitely bring a cd or ipod with your full songs on it preferably in order just as a backup, but for me, he was great!! He was perfectly on cue....I could hear the music being played as I watched the girls walk down the aisle and then he faded into the beginning of my song as my dad and I walked down. He always faded in and out of the songs so they weren't choppy at all. So to answer your question....he played the songs from the beginning and just went from there. There was never an awkward moment. My tip....I would give him a CD with the full songs. If you make it too complicated, there's room for errors. I'll share my songs if you're interested.... Guests/ Parents of the Bride/Groom: The Prayer- Celione Dion & Andrea Bocelli Groom & Best Man: Islands in the Stream- Dolly Pardon & Kenny Rogers Bridesmaids & Maid of honor: Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel K Bride & her father: Bridal March- Jonathan Cain Sand Ceremony: You and Me- Dave Matthews Band Signing Certificate: Lucky- Jason Mraz Bride & Groom EXIT: The Best is Yet to Come- Tony Bennett Say Hey, I Love You- Michael Franti Have fun planning!!!!!

MR1124, Will you be arriving a few days earlier before your wedding? Have something already decided with the coordinator but I suggest to take a look as soon as you get there and make sure it's what you really want!!! For us, the outside lounge was a no go!! (and for 90 people, i think it would definitely be tight) ohhhhh, Im so HAPPY to hear you're getting what you wanted originally!!!! Im sure everything will be great!!!! Happy planning!!!

Hi LindseyM, That is sooo funny that we actually met the day after my wedding. After we met, I said to my husband that I wish we were in your shoes and about to do it ALL over again!!!!! Lindsey, we had an amazing sea breeze that was on us ALL night at the reception!!! We had a blast and wouldnt have changed any on my locations!!! Cocktail hour is just a bit more humid because there is less wind in that area but once we hit the pool deck it was beautiful!!! It was so nice meeting you as well. Good luck with all your planning...remember to try to relax during your planning stages...things will get stressful at times but it's ALL soooooooooooo worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!! We really didn't have a planned honeymoon, we just stayed at the resort for 3 more days after the wedding and just relaxed!!!! We plan to have a honeymoon/1st anniversary trip next year. My husband has small children so we didn't wanna be away from them for too long. Good luck and Happy planning!!!!

Hi jkhowell!! Thank you so much! We didn't have a rehearsal beforehand although Im sure you could talk to your coordinator and they could arrange something. Everything just fell into place. When I sat with Ana once we were there, I let her know exactly how I wanted everything to go and gave her details about everything. The the day of my wedding Ana and her associate were on those walkie-talkies and communicating with each other about everything I mentioned to her...for example, how I wanted the bridal party to walk down the aisle and the readings that I wanted incorporated into the ceremony and even had copies of the specific vows we wanted...etc... I believe she also cues the sound technician as well. I have to say I dont know whether I was lucky or not but Ana and Jorge (her associate) were really on the ball!!! Yes, during the ceremony you both will sign the resorts' marriage certificate "fake papers". It was done after the sand ceremony for us. No one could even tell that it's not a legal ceremony...definitely looks legit!! lol Good luck with everything!!!!! I wish we were doing it all over again!!!!

Hi kad1010, Thank you so much! I loved the fushia and orange-they really pop out in pictures. The hotel provided the aisle runner and the conch shells on the floor. They also add the white linens on the huppa at no additional cost. I brought down the chair sashes, and the flowers on the huppa. I also brought my own sand ceremony vase and sand too. The ceremonial flowers on the table was part of the ultimate package.

Thank you Sharon!!! I am sorry to hear about your plans however you will have a wonderful time at this resort!! Its beautiful!!!

If I might state my opinion....I had my heart completely set on the Desires lounge for our cocktail hour and they suggested I move it to the jacuzzi area. It was, for me, the best decision I could've made. When I saw the Desires lounge in person, I was not impressed at all. I also noticed that the view is not so great as well. You could see outside the resort from the desires lounge and it isnt nice. This is just my opinion...thought I'd share. Also, in my experience....we had 23 people and asked one night to be seated at El Patio and they managed to put 12 of us at one table and 11 at another. Even though we were split up, we had a great time and we all got up and walked to each other's table. The staff really try to help everyone out. how many are in your group? Dont know how important the dinner rehearsal is to you but I wonder if you guys just showed up early (when they open- i believe at around 6pm) if they would be able to do something for you. Hope you get what you want!!!!

I bought my heels at zappos.com They came in white and silver so my mom bought the silver ones and I got the white ones. I took them to a local shoe store that dyes shoes and I brought my bridemaid's color swatch with me to make sure it was the same color. If you have a swatch of the color, it would definitely help! We actually had the legal ceremony a few weeks before we left. It doesn't matter when you do it, they don't ask or anything like that. There was a couple we went who got married before they left and didn't tell anyone what day they did it because they only wanted everyone to remember their special wedding date in Mexico. I kinda like that idea. Otherwise, people will ask- what is your wedding anniversary date and so on....We're using our wedding date in Mexico as our anniversary date. It can get a bit confusing...hahahaa

Hi Courtney , Im not really sure...people have been commenting so maybe it's something with your internet?? As far as legal vs. symbolic.....we chose symbolic. It started to become too much of a hassle with having to be down there for so many days prior before getting married and then with having to get blood work done down there and finally it takes a really long time to finally get your certificate and then I heard it needs to be translated because its done in spanish that we both agreed to have a very very small ceremony at home and have a symbolic wedding in Mexico with family and friends. For us, it was the best route!!!!

LindseyMichelle: Thank you!! Try to keep yourself relaxed. I, too, stressed but it was all for nothing. They really do know what they're doing and will try to do anything for you. The weather was the only thing that was concerning me. When we got down there, the forcast called for rain on my day but luckily it moved to the next day!! The weather was hot during the day but by the time 6pm rolled around it was definitely cooler. (still very warm though). They were expecting a storm the week we were there. It rained for about 10 minutes for the first two days we were there. Then the sun came out, dried everything up and it was like it never rained at all!!!! Luckily, on our day it rained for about 10 mins. in the morning while we were having breakfast and then that was it. At night, the cocktail hour was kinda hot but as soon as we went to the pool deck, there was a beautiful breeze the entire night!!! Just remember this....They kept telling us that the rain they were predicting is rare and when it normally rains, it isn't an all day thing. Good luck with everything!!!!

HERE'S OUR SLIDESHOW...... http://240611steiger.dreamsriveriacancun.adventurephotos.com.mx/

continued.... Some of my tips…..be prepared with what you want and they’ll make it happen. Have copies of lists of songs, or readings etc. to hand to your coordinators. I bought personalized napkins for the cocktail hour and reception but they were left on the bar tables and hardly used. They couldn’t leave them on the tables because it was too windy…I would have done without thoses. I bought chair sashes for the ceremony and they moved them to the reception chairs for no extra cost. I had high heels for the reception on the deck and there was no problems. I also bought high flip flop wedges for later on at night. We had the smaller lighted dance floor and it was a little tight for us. We were 23 and all love to dance so it was a tiny bit on the tight side. My oot (out of town) bags were a huge hit!!! Totally happy I did those. FYI….Ana never wrote anything down when I asked her for special requests and this had worried me a little…..she got every single thing that I asked for correct. I was super specific with how I wanted everything to look and she did it perfectly. I was super pleased. Things I brought down with me….. Ceremony: Sand ceremony and sand- bought from Michaels Craft store Coral for the rings - bought at the dollar store Sand dollars for the seating chart- bought at the dollar store Bubbles and fans- party city and Oriental Trading Reception: Maracas- bought from AMOLS.com Parasols for the girls- bought from Oriental Trading (loved them!!) Cake cutting utensils- was a gift from my mom Chair sashes- weddinglinensdirect.com If there’s any questions I could possibly answer, don’t hesitate to ask….This forum was a huge help for me and I would love to give back!!! Happy planning to you all….enjoy every moment and try not to stress too much…it really is a DREAM come true…. PS. Sorry the review was so long!! HAPPY PLANNING!!!!!

Continued......... RECEPTION: I only had the best man and maid of honor make a special entrance which the DJ did perfectly... however, when he announced our name….He pronounced it totally wrong!!!! We all laughed about it and I took it very lightly but you really should make sure, as a DJ, that you know how to pronounce the bride and groom’s last name!!!! I mean come on…that’s your job, no??? hahaha…We went with the resort’s DJ and overall he was very good. I had a list of songs for him that I had emailed him before we got there. When we had a meeting with him the day before, he had all my songs in a folder for us to listen to just to make sure it was exactly what we wanted. We also planned out all of the special dances we wanted and when we wanted them. I should have told him how to pronounce our name here!!!!!! lol RECEPTION FOOD/CAKE: We chose the carribean buffet and everyone loved it. We especially loved the bbq area with the beef kebobs and the ribs. Yum!!! It was all set up so nicely. We had our own private waiters who actually would carry your plates back to your seat for you. We upgraded our cake to make it a little more special than the plain one layer cake that’s given to you in the package. We chose the tres leches cake and it was yummy!!! We had an absolute wonderful, amazing time!!!!!! We are so happy we picked this resort. We would do it all again in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MORE.......

continued...... STAFF: I’ve been to many resorts all over and I have to say that the staff at Dreams was EXCEPTIONAL for us. ALL 23 of us agreed that they were wonderful. They were always there and HAPPY to do anything for you. “It’s a pleasure†is a phrase you will hear constantly during your stay. WEDDING DAY!!! OK, so that morning we went down to breakfast..hung out by the beach with the group until around 1:00. I headed back to the room and got ready for my spa appointment. SPA: I met up with my girls and mom at the spa and they started to do my hair. I believe the girl I had was Gabriella?? She was GREAT!!! She did exactly as I asked. I had no picture to bring down. I just explained to her what I wanted and poof!!! She did it!!! (They have a few books that you can take a look at if you need to.) She also did my make-up which I have to say I was definitely nervous about. I have very senitive skin and was totally afraid. I also have a birthmark on my cheek which I have special make-up for and brought with me just in case. She did an AWESOME job!! I was a little hesistant at first with it and waited for her to finish and OMG…..I LOVED it!!!! This girls in the spa know what they are doing, fear not ladies! (FYI….they used MAC products on me.) My mom and all my girls had their hair done and loved it. One of my girls had her make-up done as well and loved it too. I went back to my room to get ready. Our photographer, ANEL was there to take the “getting ready†pictures. Ana, came to deliver my flowers and they were perfect!! I had sent her a picture of the flowers I wanted and they were exact. PHOTOGRAPHER: Anel (the photographer) is AMAZZZZINGGG!!!!!!! She is a true professional and managed to capture emotions and the energy of the night. We booked her for the full day photos and she is worth every penny!!!!! We are sooooo happy we asked for her. At 6pm, Ana came to get us and walked us down to the beach. We got married at the north beach closer to the Oceana restaurant. It was definitely more private there and it was perfect. Ana started to tell the girls, one by one, to head down and then finally it was my turn!! Ana communicates with her workers via walkie-talkies to make sure everything is right. We got the sound system package for the ceremony and I am so glad we did because no one would have been able to hear us without the microphones they gave us. The sound technician was perfect, didn’t miss a beat. I had so many different songs to play…one for the girls, one for me, one for the sand ceremony, one for the signing of the certificate and two for the bride/groom exit. ALL perfect!!! We asked for Linda, the officiant who spoke English well and did a great job. We had two readings from our cousins which she incorporated into the ceremony. We also chose to read our own vows. I had made copies for Ana and she gave it to Linda beforehand so she was well aware. Everything was very smooth and I couldn’t believe how relaxed I was. Weather was PERFECT. The ceremony lasted for about 30 mins. After that, we took family/friend photos on the beach. The cocktail hour began at 7pm so everyone headed to the Jazucci area where Ana had set everything up and kept it private for us. My husband and I stayed on the beach to take some more photos with Anel. We asked her if we could make the end of the cocktail so it was about 10 minutes before the end when we showed up. The Caribbean trio was leaving as we walked up to it….ohh welll, everyone said they were good and even took requests. All I had at the cocktail hour was the shrimp satay and it was really good! Ana came to let everyone know that the reception area was now open and that we should all head over to the pool deck. MORE........

First of all, let me say that I don’t know what I would have done without this forum. Everyone on here was so helpful and I can not thank all of you enough!!!!! Ok, so here it goes!!!!! My long review….I know most of these things are repetitive from others but I remember how much I loved reading reviews so I just wanna give back! My husband and I got married at DRC on Friday June 24, 2011. Our stay was from Tuesday, Jun 21st through Monday, June 27th. We were a group of 23 and did the ultimate package. We flew out of Newark, NJ. We each had a carry-on (both filled with wedding décor) and each checked in one bag each (filled with clothes and toiletries.) I asked my parents to bring a carry on as well for me to avoid any extra luggage charges. We arrived at the airport, checked in our luggage and headed straight to the security line. They had to look through my bag because (Oops! I had small bottles of lotions for each of the OOT bags in there. It was fine because each of the lotions were less than 3oz bottles- so they pushed us through anyway. (TIP: To avoid any of this, pack your liquids in your check-in bags.) We were off to the gate when I noticed three other brides getting on the plane with their gowns which I have to say frightened me a little because of the past reviews on here of the mean attentants…hahaha… But as it turns out, without me saying a single word, one of the attendants asked me if I wanted to lay my gown out in the 1st class overhead compartment because they were empty!!!! I was so relived!! So we sat down and had a smooth flight down..... HOTEL TRANSFERS: Once we landed and picked up our luggage, we walked immediately outside to find Apple Vacations waiting for us. They loaded us up in the van and it was about a 25 minute direct ride to the resort. The final streets to the resort are definitely nothing to look at and are a bit odd as if being taken down a dead end street but HAVE NO FEAR, once you get to the resort---IT’S A DREAM!!! The resort is gated and there is a check-in there. The van pulled us up right to the front doors and that’s where our dream began!!!! CHECK-IN: Check-in was a breeze. As they are asking you for your itinerary and passports, we were greeted with champagne. The lobby is BEAUTIFUL! Our ocean front deluxe room was waiting for us when we arrived. We took a shot and tried to upgrade but only to be turned down…oh well!! Our room was amazing anyway!!!! The only thing I wish we had were dressers!! We had to either hang clothes or put it in a closet with only a couple of shelves. I thought it clearly wasn’t enough and had to keep some stuff in my suitcase. I did love the room set-up though!! So pretty!! RESORT/RESTAURANTS: The resort is beautiful. The grounds are kept clean constantly. There truly was someone always maintaining the grounds. All the bathrooms I found to be very clean!! We all loved all of the restaurants. We only didn’t get a chance to eat at the French restaurant but the others in my group said it was great too!! I loved the crab wontons and the fried calamari at the Oceana restaurant by the pool. I think we tried it all… the paella, the burgers, the pizza (which was ok…im used to NY pizza..hahaha). Everything was really delicious. The drinks are great…if you need them stronger, just ask them for a shot. They dont do reservations, but it wasn't needed for us anyway...most of the nights we were taken right in. The one night where we all (23 of us) wanted to eat together at el patio did take about 10 minutes before we all sat down and even then we had to be split up between tables....no biggie- el patio was great. I have to say they do try to accomodate you as best they can. MORE...........

omg Lindsey!!!!!! my husband and i were the couple you ran into!!!!!!! i just checked your youtube videos and told my husband!! thats us!!!! we were headed to the wedding department to tip Ana, our wedding coordinator!..hahahahaha anyway, all we said was absolutely true and we loved everything about our wedding. we wouldnt have changed a thing!!! I will write my review shortly....thanks to everyone on here for making my life easier!!! I promise to write my review.....we would totally do it again if we could!!!!! LOVED IT!!!!!!