CourtandMatt

The reception on the beach at IRHS is 60 person minimum based on the last email I got from the WC.

With regard to getting ahold of the WC, my TA was awesome about getting us answers right away especially since she is the one that got us set up at IRHS (we got our TA before IRHS).   Just keep calling and calling!   

Originally Posted by nattiejamrock 

hello fellow brides

 

does anyone know the minimum for having beach ceremony and reception/dinner? many thanks! 

Originally Posted by nattiejamrock 

hi girls - i'm having the most ridiculous time getting in touch with nicole to just lock down my date!!! can anyone offer any advice because i'm starting to freak out and get annoyed LOL. i'm emailing and calling everyday... have 2 travel agents calling every day as well. we sent all the necessary paperwork but i'm so afraid with each day that passes my date is going to be take again (my first date wasn't available). 

 

thanks for the help!!

Natalie 

Originally Posted by ktdawson 

 

I have a question because I am booking Rashel for my wedding. How did they say you had to pay your deposit because she told me to moneygram or western union it to her. I have heard great things about her so I definitely believe she is legit I just want to make sure that is how she takes her payments for the deposit normally. Thanks

I did Moneygram.  

Originally Posted by ktdawson 

 

Okay so I have over a year to plan this wedding and from reading all of the posts it just all seems so overwhelming. Decorations, music, to do a private reception or not to do a private reception. I don't know where to start. We confirmed the wedding date already and have started looking over the different prices but with reading so much I am now not sure what to ask or which way to turn. I don't know why I thought this was going to be so easy. So some helpful hints where do you start what were your first questions for the wedding coordinator? I have a vision in my mind but all these choices and the different prices for one thing then others I just feel so confused. I have no clue where to start can someone give me some helpful hints.

 

I posted my destination wedding timeline on my planning forum: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/77917/courtney-matthews-iberostar-rose-hall-suites-may-4-2013-planning-thread/10#post_1807333.   It could help you in figuring out where to start!  

Hope it helps!

Court

Originally Posted by ShayF 

 

Sorry ladies for that above funky looking post. Lol

Anywho....congrats to all!!

Can anyone share the new price list? I've emailed Nicole twice since Nov with no response :-( I know she's extremely busy but I'm soooo anxious!!! :-D

I don't think she has released it yet.  

Originally Posted by RNtoBe 

 

Hey everyone, I am also looking for excursion for our group in Los Cabos. Any suggestions would be great since we've never been there before.

I LOVE Cabo!   I wrote a post on my blog (CourtneyMara.com) about Los Cabos:  http://courtneymara.com/2012/01/09/memorial-day-weekend-in-cabo-san-lucas-mexico/.   Check it out!  It has our itinerary.  We LOVED the pirate ship snorkeling cruise.  It would only be good though if you don't have the most formal of guests since it is an open bar and super cheesy that it is hilarious and fun!  

You look BEAUTIFUL!!  Great choice!!

Originally Posted by BamaBride 

So thrilled I can finally add to this post! Here is love #2 in my life:) 

 

 

 

Originally Posted by JA2012 

 

Did you book one of these yet?

I am going to do some research and contact them. Thanks for the info :-)

I am booked with Rashel Edwards' assistant

LOVE THE LONG VEIL!!  I totally vote for the long veil.  I think the bird cage is beautiful, but I don't think it goes as well with your dress as the long veil.  Plus the long veil just looks so wedding-ish and romantic (and even beachish)!  LOVE IT! 

Originally Posted by EmilyT 

hey everyone... so i finally went for my try on appointment ( still needs to be fitted ) and it was the first time i saw my dress in all ivory and i loved it i tried it on in champagne ivory and made the switch to all ivory without ever seeing it so i was terrified. anyway i cannot decide between a birdcage veil and a long veil.... i decided the short veil is not for me so its one of these.... after the ceremony i am just going to put a flower/sparkly clip thing in my hair.. all opinions are welcome also there were other brides there who were having destiantion weddings and ALL of them had on simpler dresses than mine... had me thinking maybe my dress is a little more much for my beach wedding =*( i LOVE the dress but maybe i made a mistake ? i dont want to look like a fool !! so here are the pics . . . also after the ceremony the back of the dress will be bustled up i just didnt get a pic of it... please let me know if you think i went a lil overboard for a wedding on the beach... and which headpiece looks best.. thank you

Originally Posted by LKocelko 

 

How are all you ladies handling the whole bridal shower situation? We are only inviting siblings and parents, and then having an AHR/nice dinner at a restaurant a few months after we get back. I know etiquette states you are only supposed to invite people to a shower who are invited to the wedding, in which case it's silly to have one. But since we're doing something after we're back and inviting all extended family, friends, etc., would it be appropriate to have one? My MOH wants to throw one, but I don't want to offend anyone. The rules get more confusing with a DW!

I told my ladies that I don't need a shower or bachelorette party since I am already getting the most amazing thing: a destination wedding.  Plus, with regard to the shower, the bigger issue is my FI and I are not "things people."  We don't like a lot of stuff in our apartment so we rarely ever shop for it (and we rarely cook so we def. didn't want more pots and pans).  Thus, instead of registering for stuff, we registered for a honeymoon, which is not really shower thing since people will be giving the same thing for the wedding.  My MOH still wants to do a bachelorette party. I asked that it just be something simple - like dinner or something with very few people (I am not huge about all the attention).  

If I were you, I would make the shower small (like what you have planned) since you are doing a AHR.  OR you could call some of the invitees and ask if they would want to be invited so that you don't offend people by not inviting them. 

Originally Posted by kfarkas26 

 

I have a stupid question... I was under the impression that if we booked our wedding in 2012 and our wedding was in 2013 we were still to pay the 2012 prices because that was the prices set when we signed our contract. Is this correct or no?! I am scared that prices are going to go through the roof now lol!

 

Thanks ladies!

When we booked in January 2012 for our May 2013 wedding, they made it clear that the documents they gave us were for 2012 and that they project 2013 prices to go up by 10%.  Not sure if that is what is going to happen, but we planned for that.  

With regard to purple:  I LOVE it!   Its classy and beautiful.  Purple would have been my choice if every wedding we have been invited to wasn't also doing purple including my FI's best friend's wedding and my former best friend's wedding.  I just decided I just couldn't do it because I wanted to be totally unique.  So, instead, we are doing a neutral color theme.  You can see examples on my pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/courtneymara/  

HAPPY PLANNING!

Six months until our May 4, 2013, wedding!!!  Yayy to the date getting closer!!

Originally Posted by jmarshall 

 

Hi everyone!

 

I just joined Best Destination Weddings and have been researching and reading reviews on Iberostar Rose Hall Suites all night (I work graveyards). 

 

My fiance and I recently got engaged, and we are shooting for a destination wedding in 2013.  After doing research online on locations and resorts everyday since then, I think I have come to decide to that I have got my heart set on Jamaica and Iberostar Rose Hall Suites.

 

I have a couple of questions for all of you 2013 IRHS brides:

If your destination of choice has always been Jamaica, what other resorts were in the running prior to deciding on Iberostar Rose Hall Suites?  And ultimately, what about those resorts made you pick Iberostar Rose Hall Suites?

 

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to all your insight! 

 

 

Jenna

(This is where I meant to originally post, so I apologize if you have to read this more than once.)

Hi, Jenna!

Welcome and congrats!!

Here is my reasoning for Jamaica:

1) We wanted a location that people could get nonstop flights from the U.S. and that was not too far (in other words, like 4-5 hours from DC).  That got us to the Caribbean.  

2)  We want to get legally married at our destination wedding so we needed a place that was not too hard to get married.  That took out Mexico. 

3)  We wanted to get married in English and have the paperwork in English.  This took us to the Bahamas and Jamaica. 

4)  We wanted an all inclusive.  I couldn't find any I liked in the Bahamas.

Here is my reasoning for IRHS:

1) Close to main airport.  IRHS is only 15 minutes.

2)  Good food.  IRHS supposably has great food. 

3)  Affordable.  

4)  Great reviews.  

5) One wedding

6) Highly recommended by our TA.

7)  IRHS seems to have the most active forums for Jamaica.  I think that means happy brides and excited engaged folks.

8)  The beach.

I originally booked our wedding at Grand Palladium in Jamaica.  After reading reviews and talking to my TA, she HIGHLY discouraged me from getting married there.  The wedding reviews were really up and down and the same with traveler reviews.  It is also like an hour from the airport and has a man made beach.  

Good luck choosing!!  And happy planning!!

Hey Court, How many people can the Catamaran hold?

BEAUTIFUL!!  Thanks so much for sharing!  Your wedding looked like such a blast!   Could you possibly share the prices for Tai Flora's flowers?  I loved yours and wanted to get a rough estimate of how much they will end up costing us.  

Originally Posted by Kal520 

 

So...tell me if I'm crazy and delusional from wedding planning but I don't think we can going to do welcome/OOT bags. Originally I thought obviously we have to do them it's what you are supposed to do! But the more I think about it and my fiance and I talk about it, it's just a bunch of crap no one is going to use or want and all the toiletry type stuff people bring with them anyways. No offense to anyone (well...everyone!) who is doing them I think they're cute especially the bags themselves, but maybe not for us. It will be waaay less stuff to drag down there, save money, time, effort, etc. Instead, I think maybe we will buy everyone a bottle of champagne or some sort of bigger useable gift to show our appreciation for them coming to Mexico for our wedding. What does everyone think about this? Good idea? Bad? Any other ideas of bigger gifts we can do per room?

 

GREAT IDEA!  My fiance and I are very simple and believe more in experiences than stuff (you should see how simple our apartment is).  So, instead, we have decided to give all of our guests the gift of an excursion: we rented a private catamaran.  We are going to give welcome letters that advise that our gift is the excursion.   The only addition I have been thinking about is also buying disposable underwater cameras and give one to each group because then ppl can use it on the catamaran, bring it home, get it developed, and have the experience to share with their family and friends.  

So, long story short, I like the idea of one bigger gift. 

Originally Posted by dzaccaria 

 

 i would HIGHLY recommend the Alfred Angelo 2219! I fell in love with this dress the second I started looking around online for wedding dresses but unfortunately I could not find it in any stores near me! Here are pictures of it both with the bottom and without! PERFECT for destination!!

 

 

 

I LOVE this dress!  I am an Alfred Angelo gal!  

Btw, that liquor list is for IRHS!  

Click here for a map of the resorts

Catamaran:  I booked a Friday morning "rehearsal snorkel" through Island Routes Tours (my TA helped facilitate the booking).  For a private catamaran, appetizers, open bar, DJ, snorkeling, and three hours on board with end point of Margaritaville it will cost us $2925 + $10pp for transportation.  

Alcohol:  I got the below list from the WC a few months ago

NATIONAL OPEN BAR

SODA LIQUORS 

Coke & Diet Coke, fanta, sprite Various liquors from the house 

House Amaretto 

BEER Wiskey Cream from the house 

Red Stripe Rum Cream from the house 

Red Stripe Light 

APPETIZERS TEQUILA 

Red, White and Dry Martini Rosita 

Campari Portoneva 

Oporto 

Dry Sack 

WISKEY COCKTAILS 

House Wiskey (Teacher's) Tropical Cocktails 

Cocktails without alcohol 

RUM Various Cocktails 

Appleton White 

Appleton Gold 

Coruba Dark 

VODKA 

House Vodka (Kirov) 

GIN 

House Gin (Hallmark) 

BRANDY 

House Brandy (Napoleon) 

SPARKING WINE 

Torres de la Vid 

PRICE PER PERSON PER HOUR $7.00 

**Brands subject to change according to availabilty**

INTERNATIONAL OPEN BAR

SODA BRANDY 

Coke & Diet Coke, fanta, sprite Presidente 

Veterano 

Fundador 

BEER 

Red Stripe TEQUILA 

Red Stripe Light Cuervo Gold 

Heineken Sauza 

APPETIZERS LIQUORS 

Red, White and Dry Martini Sambuca Vaccari 

Campari Amaretto 

Oporto Rum Cream 

La Ina Pernod 

Dry Sack Kahlúa 

Baileys 

RUM Various liquors from the house 

Appleton Especial 

Malibu COCKTAILS 

Capitan Morgan Gold Tropical Cocktails: 

Appleton Reserved Planters Punch, Mai-tai, Zombi, Daiquiri, Mojito 

Pina Colada, Blue Hawai, Margaritas 

Appleton VX Internantional Cocktails: 

Cosmopolitan, Manhatan, Kir Royal, Bloody Mary 

VODKA Dry Martini, Apple Martini, 

Smirnoff Cocktails without alcohol: 

Vodka Stolichnaya Conga, Pina Colada, Strawbery Diquiri 

Vodka Absolut 

GIN SPARKING WINE 

 Ginebra  Gordons Freixenet Carta Nevada 

Ginebra  Beefeater Corte Real Brut 

Ginebra Bombay Sappir Azul 

Ginebra  Tanqueray 

WISKEY & BOURBON 

Johnie Walker E.R. 

Ballantines 

Bourbon Jim Bean 

Canadian Club 

Jack Daniels 

PRICE PER PERSON PER HOUR $10.00 

**Brands subject to change according to availabilty** 

Originally Posted by didir1010 

 

I'm new to the forums and just saw this thread... I haven't read through all 90+ pages yet, but wanted to say that I am a May 2013 bride too!!  I have been seriously planning since February of this year, but just found this website.

 

We are getting married onboard the Carnival Paradise, while it is in port in Grand Cayman.  The cruise leaves Tampa on Monday May 13th, then we are getting married in port on Wednesday, May 15th.  I'm super excited to have found this website and these froums.  Not sure if anyone else out there is a cruise bride, but I have already found some really great information (like where to get the mini-passport invitations).

 

WELCOME!  I sure you will find some very useful information on this site!! 

GREAT PHOTOS!  Super cute!  You two look great together!  

Originally Posted by bride81 

We just got our engagement photos back and they turned out awesome!  I am starting to put together passport invites, and around Christmas I will use the engagement pix to remind people to rsvp!  I think that was Miss Bubbles suggestion  I will share some of my favorites

 

 

 

Thank you all!  I am very excited about the invites and getting things moving. And, Arch713, yay to another Minnesotan!!  

I am so excited!  We finally got our invitations in so now we can mail them and find out who is coming!!  Yay!   I posted pictures on my planning thread (see link below)!   I finally feel like I am catching up to you all!  

Our invitations are in!   I am so excited to mail them once Hurricane Sandy has passed.  We got them from http://emdotzee.com/.   We based ours off of the one found here: http://emdotzee.com/blog/2012/01/palm-trees-coral-antique-boarding-pass-invitations/.   In the end, we paid $808 for 100 invitations that included our address on both envelopes.  I am so happy with them!