bruceg05

I just e-mailed the WC and gave her a piece of my mind. I know this is Jamaica and all and there's island time but it's a little messed up that I am supposed to pay for their jacked up prices and get crappy service. I'm starting to think of an offsite wedding now because this is turning into BS. I may say that to the WC, because they'd lose some money on me if I changed my site.

So because Silvia already said I can't use another vendor for flowers after Tai Florals crappy service, any other suggestions about approaching her and getting her to let me use another florist vendor?

I'm getting really frustrated with this florist thing. I think I am going to pursue the idea of trying to get a new florist and getting Silvia to let me do it. It's unacceptable that I've sent 2 emails asking a simple question and can't get a simple answer. Either way, it seems like my money is not going there, I'll get artificial flowers if I need to.

Love! Cannot say any more than that! I loved the bridesmaid dresses and your dress and your photographer did an insanely fantastic job! What designer is your dress?

eholt- I completely agree. The thing is that the Iberostar property is an affordable resort to stay at. It's not like we are asking everyone to come to the Ritz. So big yip, stay there. Me and my friend decided to go to my friends wedding at Secrets and stayed at Sunset Beach this past May. I was just graduating college and the trip ended up being around 600 bucks cheaper pp. That to me is pretty understandable to me because we couldn't afford to shell out that kind of cash. BUT, we paid for the added expenses and had no problem doing it. I wish people were that understandable and open-minded. And we okayed it with the bride beforehand. It's just much more tactful. MrsDesz- I think your idea is good but I'm not sure I'd vocalize it that way? Just because then people may think that they can be one of those people and book their trip differently. I'd maybe say something like, if you aren't staying at the Iberostar, please confirm with me so we can make sure the allotted amount of guest passes aren't used? Maybe that would work?

I'm trying to go green with my wedding and not print off a crap ton of stuff. So I just referred everyone to my website because I know that everyone besides 2 people on the list have a computer. My website says: "Being that the wedding will take place on the Iberostar grounds, we also highly recommend that you stay at that hotel. If not, transportation to and from different hotels in the Montego Bay area may be pricey and a day visitors pass will have to be purchased." I think I am going to put in there that it can cost in excess of 100 dollars pp to do so, which is at that low end. I'm a blunt person that doesn't sugar coat things. So if anyone asks me about it, I've pretty much just said they have to stay there. I think I may also put in there they cannot be guaranteed the ability to come into the resort if they don't stay there. Because we also get a discount on rates for both me and the future hubby and our guests through our TA I also put: "We chose to use BLANK at BLANK. She is FANTASTIC and will make sure you have the trip of a lifetime. She arranges flights, transportation in Jamaica and accommodations. To find out more details regarding pricing and travel, feel free to contact her at (phone). PLEASE NOTE: By booking with her, you are eligible for discounted rates on your vacation." I feel that if people do their research after being told this, they will book at the Iberostar. Most of my guests would stay at a place because it's cheaper so this will kind of sway them away from that decision. If you look at it, there aren't that many more affordable places to stay through my travel agent (I'd say Sunset Beach, Decameron, I think Breezes? and maybe holiday inn?) So looking at those rates, it'd be pretty clear that you'd break even or pay more by staying off the Iberostar property.

In my contract it says that you have to have 90 percent of the guests staying at the Iberostar properties to have the wedding. So like vbbbtk says, I would either pick a resort people are staying at or inform people that by staying at a different resort they aren't guaranteed entrance into the resort for the wedding and will have to pay fees. This includes transfer to and from their hotel and day passes. Im sure that will deter people from staying if your heart is set on the Iberostar property. If money is an issue for some of the guests, by the time you have the transfer and day pass fees added in there, I'm sure it's pretty close to the same price if not more. In my personal experience, day passes for weddings at a different resort suck. I paid 130 bucks for one to Secrets and didn't think it was anything close to being worth it.

While it may not be the most formal idea or anything. Would you have any time to call/e-mail/text these unconfirmed guests to check in and see if they are coming? I would just say something along the lines of "Hey so and so, I hadn't received your RSVP and wanted to see if you were coming so I can make final arrangements for the wedding..."

This is very interesting. Anybody have any ideas for a right hand band? That's what I am doing for my wedding band. I would put my e-ring on my right hand during the ceremony and then do the old swapperoo, but that finger is a half size bigger so that isn't going to work. Should I just use my right hand during the ceremony? Any ideas would be helpful!

I feel like it's 30 bucks, I remember seeing a number like that. I looked at the info I had from my travel agent and the Iberostar WCs and if you had a wedding at the Grand, it says that its 50 bucks for a pass from the wedding on and 75 for a pass for the whole day, I didn't have that sheet for the Suites, however. It would make sense if it were a little cheaper at the Suites.

That sounds about right... My friend paid around 650 for her flight to and from Jamaica this past May from Milwaukee to MBJ.

There are a few places that you can go through to get transfers (I was looking at them for my trip to Jamaica in May for a friends DW at Secrets and we were going to stay at the Iberostar and needed roundtrip transfer from SWO to Iberostar). Juta Tours is one, Reggae Tours and Clive's are others I have heard of (see http://clivestransportservicejamaica.com/airporttransfers_1.htm for sample pricing). There are some other reviews on on tripadvisor of other places that do them. Our guests are being highly encouraged to go through our local travel agents who work through Apple Vacations so transfers are included with the price of the vacation. It's nice that people won't have to worry about added costs and such. I can't think of any costs besides day passes and transfers. I'm assuming when you said they were staying at the beaches you didn't mean the IRHB and meant the actual beaches chain. For my friends DW we stayed at Sunset Beach resort and went to Secrets Wild Orchid where the wedding was. We just had to pay for the day pass because we were able to walk to the resort. Be aware though, Secrets had a few types of day passes that only went to certain times. It ended up costing us 130 bucks to stay from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. We thought it was 100 bucks for unlimited time but were surprised when we got to the front desk. The reason they make the prices so high is because it is an all-inclusive and expect people to drink all the booze and eat all the food they have there. I know about the annoying in-laws feeling. They handed me a list of around 20 couples besides family they wanted to be invited to the AHR and then proceeded to put up a fuss about how I didn't want to invite the whole list. AND they aren't paying for a cent of the wedding. It's really quite annoying to hear their whining every second. Sorry, just had to vent Hope that helped you!

I'm looking into getting them through Tai Flora, I haven't gotten a response yet, so I may call this week. I really don't want anything complicated and expensive so my hope is that this option will turn out cheaper. If that doesn't work, I'm going to put together natural touch flowers, something not flowery at all, or just pay the money for something super small and simple. I think for groomsman though I will do natural touch, bouts in my experience get smooshed and stuff so I would rather buy something that lasts. There is this place called wedideas that puts them together for decently cheap, so I will probably look into them.

I'm trying to post but it's not letting me! This is a testish post. But, my contract said vendor fees were 75 bucks and that I couldn't use anyone but Tai Flora. So I'm not sure why there are so many differences. It's kinda irritating.

That's really weird. She's e-mailed me back 2 times within the past 24 hours. Hope I don't start to strike out and hope you guys start getting answers.

Also, I would e-mail her if you are really concerned. I put something like "could you get back to me ASAP" in my signature and she got back to me in less than 6 hours.

I think that would be completely fine. I was looking at getting an actual different florist. If you think about it, they have control of who has access to the resorts so they can control that. If you bring your own silk flowers, they can't really do much. I wanted to get bulk flowers and knew that Tai Flora would charge me up the wazoo. I love flowers and all, but I can't stomach paying 50-60 bucks in Jamaica or the states on a bouquet for something that's going to die.

I'm just posting an FYI to all the Iberostar brides about the florist. Silvia from the wedding department at the beach just e-mailed me. I asked if we could use another florist and she said no. This is her e-mail: "Unfortunately we work exclusively with Tai Flora. No florist vendors accepted. But I am sure that if you get in contact with Jodi Ann from Tai Flora, you will get more assistance and in your budget." This was just to get bulk flowers dropped off at the hotel too. I wanted to hand make my bouquets with my bridesmaid who is a horticulturist and does floral arrangements. Am I the only one who has gotten this answer? I would triple check with the coordinator if you've booked other florists, because I am not sure if they are allowing certain people to do it or not.

Just wondering if anyone could tell me the capacities of the various places to get married at the Beach resort. I am considering not having it on the beach and making it on the terrace. For the life of me, I cannot find that information in my e-mails. Any help would be fantastic!

Thank you everyone. I am so in love with it. I'm loving all the others too I wasn't able to pull off those styles. Now to find a training and diet routine...

I should also note that above I said a 1500 dollar budget and meant 2000.

http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm/Bridal/Additional/Style-8011 Definitely just ordered it today. Totally the best decision ever. I sat there and didn't want to take it off the whole time. It ends up working out because they gave me 10 percent off the dress. I guess becuase I was the last appt. and couldn't get ahold of my dad for his credit card (he paid for the deposit as part of his allotted amount for the wedding), they decided to let me have the "you buy the first day you get a discount" deal. Then, if my maids go there to get their dresses (which they are going to), they get 10 percent off and then I get an additional 10 percent. So, that only puts me at 2900 and my budget was 2000ish! SOOOOO EXCITED!

This is really the best advice I've ever heard... And then I didn't follow it. I had originally budgeted 1500 for the dress but in reality I could spend more if necessary. I found a Jim Hjelm today that I have had my eye on for quite some time (I'm talking years). The store had that exact dress out of their relatively small dress selection. I thought it was fate so I decided to try it on despite it's 3500 dollar price tag. MISTAKE. I have the ablitiy to spend the money on it, I'm just becoming overly budget conscious because I just don't want to blow a bunch of money on the wedding. With some reallocating of budget I can get it and stay within the overall wedding budget pretty well (give or take a couple hundred), but I'm getting cold feet on it and can't decide. Any other bridal advice? Is the cold feet a sign of it not being the one. I did tear up when I tried it on, but can't decide!

I also realize that above reply made little to know grammatical sense. Whoops.

Anybody know what the highest number of people you can make a reservation for at the restaurants are? I just found the dress of my dreams and broke the cardinal rule of not trying on dresses above your budget. SOOOOO I might ditch the private reception if I could to free up the extra cash for the dress.