xoamdxo75

I was quoted $500 when I started planning with them over a year ago. That was for any type of outside vendor (makeup/hair, dj, photographer, etc.). I can't remember if there was any fee or a small fee if the outside vendor stayed as a guest at the resort.

 

I thought it was pretty outrageous too but after doing a lot of research, most resorts do this that I looked into. That is why we just decided to do everything at the resort. It was cheap and easier.

I am using the resort photographer. It just wasn't in our budget to fly someone to Puerto Vallarta or pay the outside vendor fee for a local photographer. With that being said, I've seen the resort photographers work (which is great) and have heard nothing but good things about them. Hope that helps.
 

Originally Posted by JenRob 

I am thinking of bring my own photographer down with me. But if that doesn't work out, does anyone have any good recommendations for photographers down there?

 

This is a great idea. Do you know if there is any additional charge by the resort to do this?
 

Originally Posted by mllek1986 

And for those ladies wondering how the purple cocktail making went, we decided on a drink that is called Arabian Nights (says my bartender bridesmaid who helped me make it), it is blue curacao, raspberry sour puss, and vodka... it turned a gorgeous dark purple! Then I will have the bartender serve it with a twist of lime on the rim to incorporate my lime green colour. Here's a pic of my inspiration:

It is fairly sweet so I think people will only be able to handle a few... or I could just tell the bartender to amp up the vodka....

 

Thanks! This is super helpful. I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and pay for some furniture. The cocktail hour and reception are at the same place. I think because of the popularity of my wedding date, there wasn't any other option but to have it in the same location. I definitely don't want them sitting at the reception tables just yet so it looks like I will have to pay for tables and maybe some lounge furniture. Thanks for your help!

 

Originally Posted by mllek1986 

We are also getting the ultimate package and none of the cocktail hour stuff is included so I am paying for lounge furniture and some cocktail tables, I am not getting the chairs around the tables because I want people to be mingling and not sitting- they will be sitting during supper The tables are $50 each and each set of lounge furniture (2 sofas that seat 3, 1 chair and a table) are $165. I have around 50 guests so am getting two sets of lounge furniture for the older people to sit in and 5 cocktail tables. 

Are you having your cocktail hour and reception at the same place? We're having our reception at Seaside Beach and cocktail hour at Las Palmas so they are charging us an additional $150 to move all the furniture from the cocktail hour back to the reception. I think if you have it in the same spot then they just assume your guests will sit at the tables or mingle. We didn't like the idea of having the tables messed up before the ceremony started and we wanted a change of location too.
Hope that helps.
 

 

 

I really enjoyed the fiesta. It was probably one of my favorite nights at the resort. The food is good. It is buffet style. So they had fresh salsa, guacomole, meat being cooked right in front of you, a carving station, dessert table (with churros, fruit, etc.). It was nice, a good selection. I would say that I wasn't wowed by the entertainment. They tried to get audience interaction but it seemed like people were coming to eat, staying for awhile and then leaving. For the hour or so we were there, they had a man walking around making balloons (that was actually really entertaining what he came up with), dancers, and a comedian. I would say it is worth checking out but I would probably go with doing dinner at Oceana (more intimate feel) and then maybe heading over to the Mexican Fiesta afterwards. Hope that helps!

Originally Posted by b gardner 

When you previously visited the resort, How was the fiesta? was the food good? were their lots of activities worth being there for?

Im contemplating doing dinner at oceana restaurant (just thier basic menu- eleane has said they will set up the tables for us) or im debating doing the mexican fiesta but i dont want to do the mexican fiesta for dinner if its cheesy and boring) after dinner we are doing a bonfire which im REALLY excited about.

 

I really like this setup. Do you know how much she quoted you? Because I got pricing about tables and lounge furniture prices. I'm going with the ultimate package but I really don't want to pay for the furniture. I'm wondering if any tables/chairs are included with the package or if everything is extra?!
 

Originally Posted by mllek1986 

This is what Fatima sent me as a set up example for Las Palmas Cocktail hour. Looks like it has the tables for the reception set up in the background. Hope it helps!

 

 

Is there anyone who is having a cocktail hour or had one? I'm looking for some insight on what the setup is like. We are getting married at Oceana and having our recption at Las Palmas. I really don't want to pay for the cocktail tables/furniture but I'm not sure how the cocktail hour would work without that stuff. Any help is appreciated!

We went to the Mexican Fiesta when we visited the resort. There were 2 weddings that night. One bride had her reception at Las Palmas and the other bride that was there just had her group all meet up at the Mexican Fiesta. They have vendors, tons of food and performances.

My wedding is the same night as the Mexican Fiesta as well. I don't plan on incorporating it at all since we will be having a cocktail hour and dinner. By the time we are done, it would be 10:30 and the Fiesta would be over with. Hope that helps!

Yay! That is so exciting!

Thanks so much for sharing this! Can't wait until I get to enough posts to open it!

Such great tips on here!

Too freaking cute. I may have to steal that idea.

Thanks so much for posting that schedule. Very helpful!

Such a great idea. Will definitely have to check if it is in our budget.

My wedding colors are fuschia, orange, and aqua.

I'm interested but would like to see pics first. Thanks.

This is awesome! I will definitely have to use this for future reference. Thanks for posting this!
 

Originally Posted by jlarruda 

I found this amazing website a couple of weeks ago.. enjoy ladies http://vistaprint-goddess.weebly.com/sample-email.html

 

What a great proposal!!!

Have you tried these addresses: [email protected] or [email protected]?

 

When I made my reservations I used the first address and then they confirmed my booking my responding with that address and ccing the second address I listed. This was back in April. They did take a few days to respond.

Originally Posted by kerrib 

mllek1986- love the dress. $99?!!!That is a crazy good deal!

 

Any recent/future brides have the email address for the spa? The one that was posted in the past I got no response from and Fatima never responded back either. I leave in 3 weeks and need to book my hair appt!!

 

Thanks ladies!!! I just emailed her so hopefully I get the same response.

I think it is 15%, or at least that is what I was originally quoted but I guess we should both check with Fatima since prices keep changing for everything.

 

Originally Posted by SarahBen2011 

Hey fellow Dreams PV brides!  I'm going over my budget (yikes!) and just curious if Dreams charges taxes for the wedding services??  It's not in our contract, but I know how they like to add things once you're there.  Thanks!

 

Thank you both for the advice and tips- Maratoca Beach Garden looks BEAUTIFUL, and I'll make sure to check it (and Oscar's) out on my trip! :)

 

xoamdxo, you said that you've been down to visit... quick question about that. I emailed the wedding coordinator using the address from the Dreams PV website to see if I could schedule a site tour. She just emailed me back, but it was in spanish. I can read it for the most part (trying to channel those HS spanish classes) but I'm just wondering, how did you set up your visit? The option that you talked about sounds GREAT, I'm hoping it works out.

 

Thanks again to both of you for the advice!

I actually stayed at the resort for a few days. So I told them in advance through email when I would be there. The wedding office is very close to the lobby area. Weird that she emailed you in Spanish, all my correspondence with her has been in English. Anyways, I met with them informally and they let me try the cake, I also was able to check out wedding/reception locations and rooms in the preferred tower (we were staying in the old tower). If you can't get a good response from her through email...add dreams pvr on facebook...she is also on facebook too. Please let me know if you have ANY questions.

I'm getting married at Dreams PV and have actually visited the resort. If you don't want to do the whole beach thing, they have a gazebo that you can have your ceremony at that overlooks the beach and a reception that is on a terrace by one of their pools and is very close to the gazebo. I'm not really sure that is garden-ish at all but it definitely gets away from the strictly beach vibe.

 

Let me know if you have more questions.

So, Fatima contacted me yesterday to ask if everything was correct on my contract. She sent me a new copy, but I had already done one with Esman. Apparently, bonfires are now $600!!! Also, all of the prices I had sorted out and that were on my old contract were new and higher. I politely sent her an email back with a copy of the email Esman and I had discussing prices and a copy of the contract he sent me. I also addressed the bonfire. I think it is a great idea and was still for it when I was told $400, but I'm not paying $600 to burn some wood! Hopefully she gets back to me in a reasonable amount of time and makes these corrections.

She should be able to honor the prices Esman gave you. I actually just had that problem since prices for everything have went up from what I was originally quoted and she honored everything. Btw, I'm paying $300 for the bonfire and my wedding isn't until November. Hope that helps!

We are having about 35 people coming to our wedding. Instead of a welcome dinner, our resort offers a bonfire so we are doing that!