sunnymylene

Thank you all for you input ! it turns out that our date falls close to holidays and won't be able to be there 4 full business before the wedding date... (although we will have been in the resort for 5 days) By default, we'll have to do a symbolic ceremony. It seems ridiculous to me that the resort is only able to perform symbolic ceremonies during the first week of january. That's Mexico... Jamaica only requires one day prior to the wedding date... DR no required waiting period...

I never thought of the stat holidays...it turns out that during my wedding week, it seems that only symbolic ceremonies will be performed ? I can't move my week anymore. So that leaves me with having a symbolic one. Or arriving in 4 days before my resort week starts. Or getting the legal ceremony done here prior to our wedding. Our relationship anniversary is on the 17 of May... that would be a fantastic day. What do you girls think ? should I be bothered by this, being a symbolic ceremony ???

did you have to be in mexico or at the resort for a number of business days prior ?

It's been a long process of 4 months. Mostly because our first destination turned out to be too expensive, in Negril.

Ye ! We finally settled on Now Sapphire and it's a great feeling ! We've just put our travel deposit, and just waiting to process my date deposit which is available...

Ladies, we have settled on a resort and it feels amazing ! It's in Mexico, and we are stocked about it. Long story short, we are getting married over the New Years Holidays $$$, and are not flexible with that, and want our nephews to come (kids). Negril was our first choice and we were not willing to go anywhere else in Jamaica. All those factors in...limited choices at very expensive prices. So Mexico came in mind for its access to central america and our interest to travel there afterwards. Now the choice on the Gulf is next to unlimited for kids friendly resorts. I asked about 8 quotes for Jamaica, and 16 for Mexico. For the New Years week, Jamaica was quoted well above 2600$. Except for the Grand Pineapple at 1800$ for the second week of Jan. So after 1 month of shopping for Mexico, we are going at Now Sapphire on the Riviera Cancun, price under 2060$ for our guests, great sandy beach, no tacky tropical looks, but still warm and charming, modern decor, snorkeling and diving, kids friendly, away from the commercial busy centers, but still close enough to go check it out, ruins to visits, etc... Now is in the same family as Secrets and Dreams. We are dealing with a travel agent who is a family friend, she takes this at heart. If I would have known a few things I would have started shopping much earlier. 4 months earlier. Our travel agent was able to request 4 quotes a day max. They took about a week to get back to us. And if they were too expensive, we would request another 4 different and wait another week. We started to shop 11 month before our intended date of travels, right around when, flight schedules come out. So my advice is Short list 4, 8, 12, 16. So on day one you can request your first 4 choices, on day two your second lot of 4, and day 3 your third lot of 4 and so on. So, it took more time to get quotes for Jamaica as I didn't know this process. Where as for Mexico i did this plan. And it was much quicker. Shop shop shop and be prepared for plan B and C ! And plan B for you plan C ! Once we settled on a resort. Bang everything happens in no time because that quote is only guaranteed for a certain time. 3-4 weeks. So we settled on tuesday this week. I called the resort to find if the date was available. It is. Put a deposit with the resort on that quickly to secure that date and time. In two days, one slot time wasn't available anymore. And put our travel deposit with our agent. And tell you guests to put their deposits with the allocated time. I gave my STD at Christmas, to give plenty of time, and our close circle have known this destination wedding plan for almost 2 years prior to the date !!! If someone dares saying I didn't have enough notice...well too bad. I hope that helps anyone. Of course, the ladies that are remotely considering a destination wedding...probably don't know this website yet...

Thanks QB for this info. It is coming a bit late though. I've had my head in resort choosing since mid-january, and I'm getting over it soon. Actually, we have stopped our choice last night on Now Sapphire in Riviera Cancun. Just in the process to find out availability for our date, and from there, we should make our deposit in the next 48-72h. I'm really excited about finally finding a place we like, at a price we like. Mexico is a great option since we wanted to do some central america anyway for our honeymoon. 2058$ all taxes in from Quebec City over the New Year. So JayKay, I think I got the price I'm comfortable to bring up to my guests. I was concerned about a couple people, and that's why I wanted closer to 1800$ but it's our day after all, and not gonna go to a lesser beach, tinier resort or whatever... Thanks for your input ladies.

Hi all, My name is Mylene, we want to get married around the 3rd of January 2013, travelling over the New Year. We are pretty locked in these dates due to overseas guests, mainly my Fiance's parents and sister. We are also looking for kids' friendly resorts. We were actively looking for Negril, Jamaica since February and getting quotes back. Prices are above 2500$. And don't feel comfortable to submit these prices to our family and friends. So since mid-march, we are now looking into the Mayan Riviera area, and now getting quotes back. It's now hovering around 2100 to 2300$...which is still above the 2000$ mark. And more quotes are to come in. I'm hoping to make a decision by the end next week. If anyone has experience with these travel dates and prices in the Mayan Riviera/Playa Del Carmen/Tulum, please let me know. Is below 2000$ for my guests unrealistic ? Thanks all PS already thinking of going to Negril, Jamaica for our 1-year anniversary though

I should change my forum's title to Vancouver Newbie planning for January 2013 in Riviera Maya/Playa Del Carmen... After some thinking we are now getting quotes for Riviera Maya & Playa Del Carmen due to high prices in Jamaica. Mexico is an awesome plan B because it will allow us to travel to Central America without additional (long) flight, and there seems to have tons to do in Riviera Maya/Playa Del Carmen ! Jamaica will be kept for our 1-year anniversary all by ourselves !!!

SoonCB, yeah, we are pretty set on that time of the year due to our parents and siblings coming from overseas and their holidays...

Getting married over the New Year 2013 So we want to be travelling to the resort on the 29 of december 2012...right over the new year. The quotes I have received for Negril are expensive. If it was just the two of us... we wouldn't be too concerned. (And could have got married anywhere to our previous awesome travelling destinations, just the two of us!) But even for our parents and siblings... We are talking 2100$ for Breezes. And 2900$ for Beaches. How many of you got quoted at and above 2000$ and paid less ? Thanks Here are the quotes I have... Jan 5th/2013 > The best price that I have for the Beaches Negril is with Air Canada Vacations. > The rates from Vancouver is $3006.40 per person > The rates from Toronto is $2786.40 per person > The rates from Montreal is $2828.55 per person > The rates from Quebec city is $2948.55 per person > All of the above rates include all taxes....Bottom line > Please note that while these dates are listed as the 5th of Jan these dates are still subject to change. > > > Jan 5th/2013 > The best price that I have for the Grand Pineapple Negril Is with Westjet Vacations. > The rates from Vancouver is $2130.76 per person > The rates from Toronto is $1866.17 per person > The rates from Montreal is $1886.66 per person > The rates from Quebec city is $1922.70 per person > All of the above rates include all taxes....Bottom line > Please note that while these dates are listed as the 5th of Jan these dates are still subject to change > > Jan 7th/2013 > The best price that I have for the Breezes Negril is with Sunquest Vacations. > The rates from Vancouver is $2526.71 per person > The rates from Toronto is $22151.16 per person > Jan 8th/2013 > The rates from Montreal is $2136.00 per person > Flights from Quebec City are not offered. > All of the above rates include all taxes....Bottom line > Please note that while these dates are listed as the 7 and 8th of Jan these dates are still subject to change.

Thanks for your replies ladies ! 10 years in this relationship ! hihi ! So we want to be travelling to the resort on the 29 of december...right over the new year. The quotes I have received for Negril are expensive. If it was just the two of us... we wouldn't be too concerned. (And could have got married anywhere to our previous awesome travelling destination, just the two of us!) But even for our parents and siblings... We are talking 2100$ for Breezes. And 2900$ for Beaches. How many of you got quoted at and above 2000$ and paid less ? Thanks

Thank you JayKay so much for posting this. Our destination is similar (Jamaica) and our dates as well. So your timeline is most definitely helping, and so far I'm on track. No more procrastination allowed. (I was procrastinating on the Save the Date, been wanting to send them before Christmas like November...but they were given at Christmas, mailed out in February, and emailed to the rest before the end of February). Our family friend travel agent is now working on getting quotes. Should hear back in a week. Now the word is out, and it's happening ! I'm hoping to pull it off with a similar budget to yours. Congrats to you both

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, and have been engaged for 3 years now ! Anyone has any input on kids-friendly all-inclusive resorts, with a good beach, please send it my way ! Thanks