RFinger

Great pictures... 

Here is one of the items we are placing in our OOT bags.

We just emailed our planning document to Anel today.

Originally Posted by AmyG 

 

I'm on day 3 and this place is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   My guests must have all thanked me at least once a day for choosing such a remarkable place to celebrate.....stay tuned....

Great to hear... I will be there in about 45 days.

Good Luck hope all goes well
 

Originally Posted by AmyG 

Just wanted you all to know that I am leaving for the airport in 7 hours....it has FINALLY arrived.  I'll let you all know how it goes!!!     Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

We chose the Divine Package which includes the wedding cake, cocktail hour, reception dinner for up to 25 people.  We have 28 people going so it will be around I believe $105 each person over 25 that we have to pay which isn't too bad for us... However if you are having a lot more than 50 people go then the prices could add up really fast.  

The nice part is that we will basically be paying nothing for our room as it will be one of the free rooms.  Our airfare ended up being $810 for the both of us.  
 

Originally Posted by ThomasK 

@ Tammy - thanks for the info, that's helping me better understand!

 

 

 

@ Modern - is that what that deck area is called then - "Tequila terrace"? I really like it and with how open it is I think especially if its a beautiful night that would make one rememorable evening for our guest as well as us!

 

That;s comforting Im at least in the ballpark round figure..I was seriously wondering if my TA was just blowing smoke about "negotiating" or if anyone could get the prices he could get.

 

 

If you dont mind me asking, what as the total amounted to for your entire wedding i.e. trip/stay/ceremony/reception.

 

How many guest do you have attending and what type of "package" did you choose. I have a bad feeling this may end up costing us quite a bit since we're having so many people commited to traveling with us.

 

 

This is what we were paying for the resort:

Single: $516 for 3 nights; $160 each additional night

Double: $403 pp for 3 nights; $123 pp each additional night

Triple: $393 pp for 3 nights; $119 pp each additional night

Children 3 - 12: $185 for  3 nights; $50 each additional night

Children 2 and under: $38 for the whole time.

WE did have one guy that booked that had our TA book the hotel and his flight.  

Originally Posted by ThomasK 

Thanks RF - we arent going until NEXT summer, so it is quite some time away, but our TA said he got us a "guesstimate" on the hotel and airfare. for everything per person its going to be just under 1500....is that around what you're paying (if you dont mind me asking)

 

We're flying out of Pittsburgh - we have my fiances uncle with his wife and daughter caomnig from vegas and also my fiances best friend out of arizona but other than that we're all from Pittsburgh
 

 

Hi Thomas,

It really depends on where you are flying out of.  I know that our travel agent didn't really book our flights people just booked their own.  She was able to get us a good rate on the rooms and was able to get 1 free room per 5 booked.  I went with a TA with Wright Travel Agency and she sends me updates when people book and has taken care of everything.
 

Originally Posted by ThomasK 

Thank you for all of this helpful information Amy and Tammy!

 

We actually heard from our TA right after I posted this yesterday and he got us a deal for airfare, tax includ. and hotel stay for 7 nights at $2959/couple which = $1479.50/person

 

Is that a good deal in terms of what all you other brides/groom(s) got negotiated for your trips?

 

We have not been in touch with the WC yet (other than me just emailed an inquiry and Anel responded) but will be in the coming weeks I'm sure.

 

Where have any/all of you had/plan to have your receptions at the resort? Jess (my fiance) and I both feel in love with the pictures we have seen of that outside deck area (I think it's a restaraunt) for a possible reception, though we fear something like that, for 30-40 people will severly increase our budget we want to spend on this wedding (actually "ceremony" as we will be officially married here in front of a JP just so all of our information is the same when my fiance gets her passport).

 

What all were you able to negotiate price-wise for your wedding/future wedding?

 

 

Thanks again everyone for the helpful tips!

 

Ryan- Where did you end up finding sashes so cheap?  I looked at Hobby Lobby and the tule stuff just comes in a roll, so I don't know how much I would need.  We too are looking for aqua.... but I am also looking for orange.

 

What are you guys doing for decos during the ceremony?  Getting flowers from the resort, or making something for the "pew bows"?

How about the reception?  Any decorations there?

 

Heather

 

Hi Heather,

We didn't really talk about other decorations yet.  We bought the divine package so I'm not sure what all comes with that.  Right now we just are looking at the bow ties around the chairs.  I found one of the websites somewhere on this thread I will see if I can't find it again and those came to be about 70 cents per each one, then I found the ones we bought on e-bay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120756237189&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

Originally Posted by HeatherViolet 

Ryan- Where did you end up finding sashes so cheap?  I looked at Hobby Lobby and the tule stuff just comes in a roll, so I don't know how much I would need.  We too are looking for aqua.... but I am also looking for orange.

 

What are you guys doing for decos during the ceremony?  Getting flowers from the resort, or making something for the "pew bows"?

How about the reception?  Any decorations there?

 

Heather

 

We haven't decided on a signature drink yet.  I gave my best man the task of trying the different ideas to se what he likes the best ha ha.

Things are going pretty well we have 12 rooms reserved and all are booked except for 1 which is supposed to be booked by one of the bridesmaids tomorrow.  Currently we have exactly 25 people going and that is how may are included in the packages so thats good that I will not have to incure any other costs.

I found some chair sashes for about 61 cents per so I just ordered 30 aqua and 30 purple ones one for the wedding and one for dinner which is a lot better deal than paying $5 per at the resort. 

No nervousness or anything with yours almost exactly 1 month away?

We are also in the process of completing our planning form.  We were almost thinking about doing the cocktail hour on a different night entirely kind of like a meet and greet type migle, but haven't decided yet.  The Reception is free drinks anyway and it's anall inclusive resort so thats why we were maybe thinking about doing the cocktail hour on a different night.

Are either of you doing a signature drink?

Thank you for all of the information we are at the tequila terrace as well so I'll let people know its prolly not best idea to wear heels 

I messed up on the drink name last night was doing too many things at once... Its actually called an Aqua Velva lol I believe the drink was used in a movie. 

The Aqua is the colors of the Groomsman shirts and the purple is the bridesmaids dresses.  I attached  color shot. 

Originally Posted by joda 

Thanks Sandy for all of your input! 

 

RFinger, your drink sounds good. I was thinking of doing a version of Purple Rain - so vodka, blue curaçao and cranberry juice. Or else we are having very small splashes of yellow in the wedding so I was thinking a lemon margarita. Basically I don't want anything too sweet.

Hi Sandy,

Thank you for the information.  It is nice having you on the board so that we get our answers a little sooner.

Thank you,

Ryan

Originally Posted by Sandy Planner 

Dear Rfinger: Your guests will get the signature drink and the open bar , the signature drink is optional ...and by the way Blue Valva sounds great...
 

 

After looking at the planning info it states this:

We offer during the cocktail hour OPEN BAR and everybody can order anything they want  for drinks , however sometimes the bride and groom would like have special drink(wedding signature drink) , Do you have  a signature  drink? , If you do what is it? What are the ingredients?

With the word However, it makes me wonder do they still get open bar and can order everything they want, or would then they just serve the wedding sigature drink?

I think because of our colors we might use the Blue Valva as our signature drink since's its an aqua blue color.  This drink is gin, vodka, blue coraco, mixed and then served over sprite and ice. 

Let me know what you come up with maybe I will copy ;-)  Our colors are like an aqua blue and purple..

Even though it is not our color I was thinking about doing the Olive Garden Strawberry Fresco but just having it called the Finger Fresco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Rp2xJ2KsA

Any one doing a signature drink?

I have a question, are there only two options for the reception? Beach Terrace or Tequila Terrace?  I have read a few comments saying that people thought the Beach terrace was a better option because it wasn’t as close to the restaurants and that the beach terrace was a better location to dance.. what is everyone’s opinion?

Thank you,

Ryan

They did send me a word document.  If you like you could send me your email address and I could send it to you.

Thank you,

Ryan
 

Originally Posted by joda 

It feels good to get some stuff done, doesn't it? But I have a question- what is this planning document people keep talking about? Is it just the "wedding book" you find online, or is it something they sent you specifically? Because my wedding is in 8 weeks, and they haven't sent me anything other than the booklet.
 

 

 

Hello all,

It has been a long time since I posted but was just able to catch up on all of the new threads.  My Fiancée and I was able to start on the planning document last night.  Were able to decide on 4 appetizers.  I am glad we received the info on the two locations for the reception, I wasn't aware that one of them was so close to the restaurants.

My Fiacee tells me that if they had a groomzilla show that I would be on it..

For the Love of the Game

Let me start off this story by the following disclaimer:  I am not a bride but a groom, and when Jami talks to other people and tells them how I am handling most of the details she says that if there was a groomzilla show that I would be on it. 

Jami and I were not high school sweethearts, we didn't even know each other or live in the same city.  After I graduated from college I was offered a full time position with John Deere but had to move 2 hours away to the Quad Cities.  I took the job and away I moved to.  John Deere had a softball league for their employees and a few non-employees.  One of the teams we played against had Jami on the team.  We didn't really start up a conversation but you could tell there was a little flirting going on.  Their team ended up beating my team and that was that.  A whole year goes by and it is time for softball season again and about our third game into the season our team is undefeated and we play Jami's team again.  Jami was playing second base and during the game the umpire made a bad call by calling one of our girls out at second base but Jami dropped the ball and our girl was actually safe at second but the umpire somehow didn't see the drop.  Jami's team ends up beating us again because of the bad call.  It was the only game we lost in the league that year.  I also played in another league and I knew that we needed a girl to sub on our team so I asked Jami after the game if she would be interested to sub on our team and she said yes and I gave her my number to call so that I would have her number.  I don’t remember exactly what happened to my phone but I somehow lost Jami's number.  Her coach worked at John Deere so I emailed him and said Hey Jami said she would sub for my other softball team but I lost her number.  He gave it to me and I texted Jami to see if she could still play.  Since she didn't hear from me for so long she made plans to go to Iowa City so she never subbed.  A week or two went by and we were sending texts back and forth.  I finally asked her if she wanted to hang out and she said yes.  We hang out and start to realize we have a lot in common. We both love sports, like the same TV shows, and like the same foods.  The one big difference is that I am a Cincinnati Reds and she is a St. Louis Cardinals fan.  Normally I wouldn't let this slide but thought I found something special ;-).

 I ended up quitting my job at John Deere and get a few offers and end up taking the job in Buffalo, NY.  Jami moves with me and we bought a house together.  We have been in Buffalo now for a year a half and will be getting married May 5,2012 at Now Sapphire.

With our TA our prices did include transfers to and from the airport. With the wedding package we bought we will receive private transportation. I wonder if other resorts have so much turn over as it seems like this one always has a new wedding planner.

So I got a hold of Tammy, and she suggested that we just start a new thread with the correct name, as some of the information is outdated/incorrect at this point (when the resort was Paradisus). So  I could just start a new thread, and then put a link to this one on the first page so anyone new can read this thread if they want further information.

 

Or we just stay on this thread.

 

Thoughts ladies?

It took less than a week but I don't know for sure when my TA put the request in and received a response as she had a couple days off during that time.