Cat723

I just filled out the form and sent the money and received my license in 2 weeks. 3 months later I got my license from the resort.

Janielle gets much better as you get closer to the wedding. Her and her partner work non stop, her job is crazy. But she will have everything under control for you when you get there! No worries mon!!

If you have a private reception with over 30 people at the Grand, you do not need to pay guest passes.  It is included. My guest were able to come over the night before for a bonfire and we did not need guest passes for that or the reception.  We were very worried that we would have to pay for them.

Each resort has a set day where they have a lunch time beach bar-b-q.  It is nothing fancy, they put out a nice spread and some tables to eat at.  I don't remember the days, I think the Grand was on Saturday but ours was rained out.  I did go to the one at Suites, the food was good.

Originally Posted by kfarkas26 

 

Cat was this the case with the bonfire that you had before the wedding!? ALSO  was a DJ included in the bonfire?!

If you are paying for a  private reception, you don't need to buy guest passes for any of your events.  We did our welcome dinner at the hibachi at Beaches 2 nights before, i booked that myself one week before and had it there so everyone could attend without a problem.  we did not have to pay for guest passes at the bonfire the night before or the day of the wedding.  that was my biggest concern because half of my guests were at the suites. but with the 2012 rules, guest passes are included in private reception price.  the DJ on bonfire night was $250 an hour, we did 2 hours and he was well worth it.

if you are having a private reception, you do not need passes.  they can just walk across the beach

Originally Posted by erin2100 

 

Question for IRHB brides - has anyone had their make-up done at the salon at the resort or does anyone plan of getting it done there? Just wondering how it turned out, the wedding party (which consists of me and the maid of honor) don't really wear much make-up and to pay for someone external to travel and come on the resort, the price adds up quickly.... THanks!

we used the salon for our make up and hair and they did a beautiful job.  i have a bit of acne scaring on my face and they make my face look perfect without looking caked on at all.  i attached a link to my pics if you want to see.

 http://curtinwedding714.shutterfly.com

Originally Posted by kpalomo 

 

Hi Leah,

 

Yes, I will have my guests hang out at the beach for cocktail hour from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM while I am getting my pictures taken. After the cocktail hour, we will head over to the reception and have it from 7PM to 11PM.

 

I am about to book the videographer and photographer :-) I am going with Ronald from Sungold and Roxroy for the videographer. Gosh!!! Prices are so expensive but what can I do I had family members get married in Mexico and DR and they paid half of what I am paying. For five hours, I am paying 2,620 dollars for both. Is that how much you ladies are paying? I am just shocked compared to the prices in DR and Mexico. Let me know if this is normal for Jamiaca.

 

Thanks Ladies!!! :-)

we paid around $3000 all together for pics and video.  i used stacey clarke.  you should definitely do a trash the dress session, the pics come out beautiful

Originally Posted by THEFUTUREMRSG 

 

Ladies;

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.  I am looking at Iberostar also, can some one post pictures of the Port Maria when it is decorated for a wedding.  I am trying to envision how the space would look for a wedding.

 http://curtinwedding714.shutterfly.com

here is a link to my pictures

Originally Posted by mrsmannings2b 

 

Great advice! I will make sure to check that out. So, kfarkas26, have you visited the Grand before? I see your wedding is not until next year. 

Originally Posted by kfarkas26 

 

AhhH! sorry for the confusion I do mean the Blue Moon Music Bar--- it is awesome!

Originally Posted by mrsmannings2b 

 

Great advice! I will make sure to check that out. So, kfarkas26, have you visited the Grand before? I see your wedding is not until next year. 

that is true the blue moon bar is very nice and always empty, and suites and grand people can meet there in the middle.

Originally Posted by mrsmannings2b 

 

Hello ladies, 

Has anyone not had a private reception and do you have pictures? I may not have enough people to attend to have a private reception, so we may just do dinner at one of the restaurants does anyone have an idea of what the area they reserve looks like? Can we decorate  (candles and flowers type stuff?) Also, has anyone considered having cocktail hour in the lobby bar? Do you think they would allow some trays of appetizers? Hmm...?

 

Any information would help, thanks. 

I saw someone having a semiprivate reception in the steak house restaurant.  they had a long table of about 20 and decorated the tables with their flower pieces.  it looked nice. you can definitely do an informal cocktail hour in the lobby bar but i am not sure about appetizers.

I got my license in less than a month by paying the $85 to the Jamaican gov't.  It was worth it!!

Originally Posted by heather1214 

 

 

 

I was there the same weekend we will be there next year, and I didn't notice any bugs.  I brought bug spray (among a million other things I packed) just in case, but I didn't even take it out.  I'll probably bring it to be safe because if it happens to be more rainy that month it may draw some bugs, but as far as providing it for guests (in your OOT bag) I wouldn't bother. 

My wedding was in July and it rained the afternoon of my wedding. The mosquitoes were out of control.  I got around 30 bites in Jamaica.  As we were taking pictures at sunset the mosquitos were biting me like crazy.  The first thing I asked for at my reception was bug spray!!! 

when you meet with your WC they will take you around the resort and show you all of your options.  it rained the day of my wedding and they were ready and had our back up ceremony in the lobby.  luckily it cleared up 2 hrs before the ceremony.  it doesn't seem to rain much in Jamaica so i wouldn't worry.  My WC said in the last 2 yrs only 2 weddings had to be moved due to rain.

I used Stacey, she is great!!

There is a great new Facebook page for future Iberostar Brides being run by 2 of the photographers on the island. It gives lots of info and pictures of set ups. Check it out:

It's called: "Iberostar Resorts Brides & Weddings", like them on FB

...

There is a great new Facebook page for future Iberostar Brides being run by 2 of the photographers on the island.  It gives lots of info and pictures of set ups.  Check it out:

It's called:  "Iberostar Resorts Brides & Weddings", like them on FB

we had our reception in the open air restaurant and it was hot as hell, but beautiful!!

Hey Katelyn,

I have no idea who our DJ was, he came with the grand.  I will send you the script in an email.

yeah it is safe, i just wouldn't let the baby crawl around in the sand.  the beach and suites are very kid friendly.

Just wanted to tell everyone be careful, you may not want to walk around on the sand barefoot.  My sister, sister-in-law and I all got these little bites on our feet that we thought were mosquito bites.  They did not seem to go away and were extremely itchy.  My sister had the worse case and went to the doctor first.  Both of her feet broke out in this terrible itchy rash.  She went to the doctor and was misdiagnosed and it got worse.  when she went to the ER, she found out it was Hookworm.  My sister in law and I also have it but caught it a little quicker.  it looks like a connect the dot pattern on your feet in a hook shape.  it's very nasty and very itchy.  we are all on antibiotics for it now.  so i came home from Jamaica with a new husband and a worm lol.  so you may want to wear water shoes on the beach.  it is a very common thing we found out on beaches in the caribbean.

those of you planning your wedding a year from now, the wedding coordinator really won't do much with you until about 3 months before your wedding.  then you will get a long questionaire to fill out about all of your details.  i didn't send mine in till about a month before my wedding.  then the wedding coordinator will go back and forth with you based on what you wrote on the sheet.  when you get to the resort, she will have all the details and a wedding timeline printed out for you.  she will make all of your spa appts also.  you can change details once you get there also.  nothing to worry about, they do this everyday and have it down to a science!!  same with the florist, i didn't pick my flowers till about 2 weeks before my wedding.  i was so stressed because i wasn't hearing from the resort for months but it all works out in the end.  don't stress about it and just enjoy.  my advice is to start doing any favors or OOT bags in advance.  i did all of mine one month before the wedding and it was stressful and cost a lot of money.  it is better to pick one project/purchase a month to worry about and you won't feel the cost effects so much.

Happy planning, it will be here before you know it!!

my pics

http://curtinwedding714.shutterfly.com