82turtles

Love the hair inspiration! I wish I had that much hair that I could pull that off! lol

Accessories all look great, and what a great eBay find!!

Love love love those!!!! Great color combination, have been thinking of the same

Primavera -- just sent you a PM. Thanks!

That's such a cute idea! Looks like you all had a lot of fun with it!

Sorry to hear of your loss.. That must be hard to have such a sad time right before you celebrate your own marriage. I can't even imagine.

 

As for the weather, I hope this is somewhat comforting -- there was a bride in another forum thread who was just down there for a site visit. She said before she went, the forecast had said rain everyday of her week trip. But she only encountered small morning showers and just one day of full rain. She said that in talking with locals and staff down there, that a full day of rain is pretty rare, even in hurricane season. It's more likely to have a shower or downpour here and there, and then the sun comes out, and you still have plenty of pool or beach time.

 

I know you might feel guilty if your guests have a rainy trip, but I think everyone understands that YOU cannot control the weather. What happens happens. Plus they are there to celebrate and spend time with you and FI -- that's the main purpose of the trip. The fact that it's a warm beachy location is just a major bonus. If nothing else, it might just mean more time hanging out together at a bar inside!!  

 

Wishing you all the best!

I think it's a great idea to wear it again at the AHR. How many people get a chance to wear their dress and celebrate twice?!  A few weeks ago I was at a friend's AHR and they all wore their outfits again, and it really made it feel more like a wedding reception and not just another party.

Yes, thank you Tammy for setting up the webinar. It was very informative and I learned a lot!

Agreed, I was disappointed by the no swapping or no discount statements. It makes sense from their perspective, but it would be nice for us!! I have emailed Daniela asking for the a la carte price lists, but if anyone has them and would be willing to send me a copy, could you please PM me?

thanks!

Beautiful pictures! Loved the slideshow

AlexsBride -- would you mind sending me their info as well? Thanks! The flowers look very nice!

Wow, your pictures came out AMAZING!!! And congrats! Looked like you had a wonderful time!

I'll be on the webinar, too!

 

snl2011 - I have that same question about swapping. The package has some things I don't really care about, and it would be nice to get a swap or credit towards something else. Hopefully they agree!

Just sent you an email about photographer package info.. thanks for offering to send those along!
 

Originally Posted by FutureMrsHolt 

Thanks Sara for the awesome information!!!

 

My future in laws leave tomorrow for their visit so once they get back I will post what they have to say along with pictures.

 

Also, great news I FINALLY booked Gonzalo Nunez for my photographer. For any of you ladies that don't have one and are looking for one he's awesome to work with as far as communication. I literally get emails back within 10 minutes. I have his packages I will forward to anyone who wants them. I also have Ivan Luckie's, Sasha Gluck and Octavio Montes prices too!!!! You can email me at [email protected] if you want any of them. I will be more than happy to share!!  

Oh geez.. ignore my post above!! Just looked at a few posts above and you answered that question.

 

As for photographer, you can do a search and get lots of ideas of great ones in the Cancun area.

 

Good luck and happy planning!!

Congrats and welcome! I see your post was a couple months ago -- have you made your decision?? If so, what'd you choose?!

I'm in the same boat.. picking the resort is the hardest part!!!

Welcome and congrats! Sorry this post is long and kind of scatterbrained.. It's been a long day at work! 

 

I'm planning on just about the same thing as you -- November 2011, about 30-35 ppl. I haven't booked a resort yet, but have been doing research and narrowing down my choices for now... 

 

For me at least, the price for the guests to travel is a biggest determining factor! I looked at online travel sites just to get an idea of what prices might run for the two countries I was considering. Looking at travel rates for this year from where I live there is about a $350 difference per person between the 2 countries, so that may just decide the location for me...That's a lot of extra money to my sister's family of 5!! Wherever you choose, there are all kinds of resorts at all different price points. Once you have an idea on that, it can help narrow things down. I would also suggest reading reviews!!! I almost chose one resort, but the trip advisor reviews were sooo consistently bad that I ruled it out. Figured I wasn't going to have my family and friends travel somewhere for my wedding  and risk them having a bad experience like I kept reading about!

 

I haven't done so yet, but if you plan on using a travel agent, they could also help with your decision and give you an idea of what the hotels can do for you and your group. I know this forum is ran by a travel agency (click the banner on top for their info), or I'm sure there are local ones where you live, too.

 

Also, I checked out the wedding packages online for each of the resort brands I am considering, and have been trying to compare those apples-to-apples as much as possible. That's been the difficult part because the wedding packages are so different, and I've found most sites don't list out the cost of the 'extras'. You'll need to decide what your budget is and prioritize out what is most important to you and your FI for your special day!

 

As for adults only vs kids, you just have to pick what you're going for. Most of my group will be adults, but there will be at least 5 kids, including my soon-to-be-stepdaughter, so we ruled out the adults-only resorts immediately. The whole point for us was to spend this time together and not have people split up across properties. But it's all your decision! I will say that's one of the best things about a destination wedding -- you can make it whatever you want it to be and it will be great.

 

If you plan on a legal ceremony, you may also want to check out the requirements for each of the countries you are thinking about. Just something to consider.

 

As for the resort photographer question -- you'll see most people on this forum suggest hiring your own rather than relying on the resort's. I would agree, unless you are able to see samples of photography from the exact person who is would shoot your wedding, and are satisfied with their work. That's the best part about photography -- the work speaks for itself. The pictures are what you'll have to remember it by, so it's hard to compromise on that aspect! If you are looking at hiring a local photog from down there, be sure to check if the resort allows outside photographers (or if there is a fee associated with that).

 

As for the food question, again it really depends on the resort, what you pick, and what's included in the wedding package. Almost all have options for a semi-private or private reception.

 

Good luck!! It seems deciding the resort is the biggest challenge! Which is why I'm still stuck

~Sarah

Congrats! I agree with the other posts -- pretty much anywhere in the Caribbean is going to be perfect that time of year. I once went to Jamaica in mid-January, and the weather was just right!

Lookin' spiffy!

What a great idea! Thank you so much!!

Wow, amazing pictures!!! And what a great story. It's amazing how love finds you

Oh, and CONGRATS!!!

Gerat review, thank you for sharing!!! That's helpful to know that you don't really need to have a DJ since they have the iPod sound system

Thanks for the review!

I'd be interested in this information, too. Plus, could anyone explain the differenes between Now Sapphire and Now Jade??

 

Originally Posted by magirl 

Hello ladies i"m really considering the Sapphire as well. I haven't singed anything yet but I think that it's just hesitation. Can I ask if either of you has the wedding book for Sapphire? I think seeing all the options would make me more comfortable with finalizing.

Sara,

Thanks for sharing your experiences down there! It's really reassuring to hear about the resort, since I'm not able to do a site visit. Although..I would love an excuse for a vacation right now!!