yeemein

If the person doing your hair & makeup is already a guest of your wedding and staying at the resort then you don't have to pay the day pass.

Originally Posted by christy12 

1 more question!

 

If you bring in someone to do your hair/makeup, do you have to pay for a day pass for them as well? I'm assuming yes, but would love to hear no!

 

Thanks!

Hi Christy12,

Paper fans are an excellent idea, especially for the dinner afterwards, if you're having dinner in a la carte resto. For some reason the restaurants are soooo hot! At least it was for our wedding.

Originally Posted by christy12 

Hey,

 

A question for any past GBP brides. Would it be a good diea to provide each guest with a paper fan for during the ceremony (on the beach), or is it not necessary due the wind?

 

Thanks!

Tlseege, yes exactly, my rings were a little loose especially when in contact with water and also I didn't want to get sand into the stones.

Originally Posted by TSilva 

 

Yeemein,

 

 That's not bad at all!!!! How many photos did you receive?? The DVD case adds a nice touch as well!

 

It was $1100USD for full day video + editing and we had included 15 photos in our package and we ended up purchasing an additional 32 photos (so incredibly hard to chose, FYI). My sister was is a semi-pro photographer so she was my secondary photographer on our wedding day. We would have purchased more photos if it wasn't for my sister. The photographer Jorge was excellent in capturing moments and did a good job with the group photos. During our viewing session, we had about 300+ pictures to filter through, it was not easy at all. At $15USD a photo, it adds up very quickly. I believe in total we paid $1500USD for wedding DVD and 47 photos. We tried to strike a deal with them but they are hard to persuay and when you see their work it's also hard to belittle their work also.

We originally had a smaller budget for pics and video but once we got to the resort and talked with the rep from Arrecife we quickly realized that if we're going to spend big dollars, it might as well be on the video, because it'll last a lifetime.

The only problem we had with the DVD was that the studio burned the video on a PAL disc which isn't compatible with North American DVD players. Luckily I have a DVD player from China that plays PAL discs. However I had a friend that is more technically inclined to help me transfer the original video onto a disc that can be read in NA DVD players and be burned again for my family and friends. I would inquire about this when you meet with the rep from Arrecife, I believe her name is Rocio.

Also on the video if you want you're name displayed in a particular way for ex: my full name is Susan and my husband's is Jean-Francois so on the DVD title they put "Susan & Jean" - I wanted them to change it to "Susan & Jeff" or "Sue & JF" or "Susan & Jean-Francois" but it's a bit harder for them to change that once they have completed the DVD. It's a minor thing, but something to note.

Originally Posted by Beth Colley 

 

Hi Guys! I'm new on here and I just have a question. I'm getting married May 2, 2013 at the Gran Bahia Principe Coba and was wondering if it is safe to take my engagement ring with us or not? 

Hi Beth, we have almost the same wedding date but 1 year apart. As for your engagement ring, I had no problems at all. I was very careful to not wear my rings at the pool or the beach. When I didn't wear my rings I would always place it in my jewellery box and in the safe that is in every room. The safe is complimentary for Brides/Grooms starting the day of the wedding and after until you depart. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Hi claruickie, that's strange...maybe it's not available in your region. sorry.

Originally Posted by claruickie 

 

Susan your photos are beautiful but I cant watch your video as You Tube is saying the video is not available

 

As with everything in life people have different opinions on Arrecife photos so please can I pick your brain . . . . .  we get married 20 June and have booked through a UK Tour Operator our holiday and wedding package altogether - we get 10 photos with the package but clearly will want more.  

I want to be organised and would prefer to have an idea of how much photos are going to be etc, the prices on this forum are from 2010 so there will have been an increase of some size I am sure.  

Do you get the option of colour and  black & white photos?

Did you buy the CD with all the photos  - if you did are they free from watermark so you can print at home also can the photos on CD be enlarged etc with no problem due to pixel size.

How soon do we get to see the photos after the wedding ?

How long are the photographers with you, or are there different options available?

Is there more than 1 photographer taking photos on the day?

How much was the videographer and how long were they with you? 

 

It would make sense that Arrecife had on their website a pricelist with a breakdown of all the services they offer!

 

Many thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by TSilva 

 

NICE!!!!! What was the cost for the full day + editing??  

 

 

TSilva sorry for the delay...we purchased photos as well so i believe the full day of video + editing came to around $1100USD. Seems like a lot but it's totally worth it. They really do a great job in capturing your day and our videographer, Tony, even stayed a bit longer so (as I requested) to capture a special performance by a close friend. They present the video + photos (if you choose to purchase any) in a beautiful DVD case specially designed for the couple.

Originally Posted by Katryne 

 

Hello Ladies!

 

Fellow Quebecer here, should be getting married on august 6th 2013 at the gran bahia principe riviera maya.  Haven't actually booked it yet as we are waiting for quotes from travel agents.

 

Going to go through the last pages now!

 

Katryne

Good Luck with planning! If you need recommendation of a good Travel Agent, I can recommend the agency we used. They are in located in Rosemere.

Hello Future GBP Brides...here is a glimpse of our highlight video by Arrecife Studio.

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

It was our best decision to opt for the full day video. You won't regret it!

Hello Future GBP Brides...here is a glimpse of our highlight video by Arrecife Studio.

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

It was our best decision to opt for the full day video. You won't regret it!

Aw I hear your frustration Coba Bride 2012, but after your meeting with Maria, all your worries will be gone. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Coba Bride 2012 

We are leaving a week from today and Maria has not emailed me back since April 18. I know she is reading my emails. It is very frustrating.

Shellee & TSilva, I see both your weddings are in October, so plenty of time for planning. When I met Maria in early May she told me Apr-May are the busiest months for weddings, literally one a day, if not two. So if Maria doesn't respond this month it's because of that. But she is really awesome and will get to your emails as soon as she can - but a gentle reminder is never a bad idea. =) Good luck!!!

Sharon99, we also cannot stop looking at our photos and I've been making collages using a iPhone app. =) I cannot wait to get my other pictures!! We definitely have the post wedding blues. Lol! I'm trying to convince my other couple friends to get engaged and I'll help them plan their perfect destination wedding.

Originally Posted by Sharon99 

Is it me or can you not stop looking at your photos?!? And this isnt even the pro pics yet!

I really am at a loss now what to do with myself since the last year and a half all I did was wedding stuff...I am actually a little sad that it is all over with

UGH that is so frustrating! Air Transat did something similar to us but luckily everything worked out to be better in the end. I hope your tour operator doesn't make anymore schedule/date changes.

Originally Posted by Sunshine2680 

Well! I just had a nice wrench thrown into my wedding! Our tour operator decided there was no flights on the dates we picked so now EVERYTHING is changed!! ahhhhhhh No longer a Nov 30 bride...now a Dec 5 bride!

Sigh...i'm just glad we were able to move everything and everyone was still cool with it. I'll lose some money in some of the things i've purchased/printed with our wedding date on it - but oh well...at least its not the official invites!!

Good luck aquamaniac! I'm so excited for you. Enjoy every moment, soak in all the love & support that will surround you both that day! Congrats!

Originally Posted by aquamaniac 

Hey ladies, we leave tomorrow morning so I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the help, support and amazing advice! I have no idea what I would have done without you!

I'll post pictures once we return, and hopefully I will run into some of the other brides this week!

Not a problem! We flew Air Transat and both me and husband were able to bring our dress/suit onboard. I was hoping the flight attendants would take my dress and place it in their closet but they didn't. I just carefully folded the dress bag and played it in the overhead compartment, same with my husband's suit.

The clear garbage bag is a good idea. Can never be too cautious.

Originally Posted by Lauren Newsham 

I’m flying with Sunwing too. I’m just afraid that water or something will get on my dress and it’ll go through the material.

 

Thanks, yeemein - I tried calling a couple of places near my house and apparently they have fairly decent ones for about $10-$15. I will check them out. But then a friend just suggested that I use clear garbage bags and cover the dress just in case. 

 

Did they allow you guys to take your hubby’s outfit on board too?

Oh good, glad to hear the resort DJ worked out! Maybe the pool parties we saw were just low key parties. We just had such a great experience with DJ Bijan that I want to pass the experience along. Half of our group are not dancing type people and he managed to play all the right music to keep everyone on the dance floor - including my mother which I have NEVER seen dance! AMAZING! For 3 hours we paid $450CAD and $90USD for the day pass.

Originally Posted by stylishmeNC 

I think it really depends on your group... I used the resort DJ and can say that he played a great mix of music that got everyone in our group dancing - young to old, country fans to techo fans. We made multiple requests through the night and he played all of them - he even found and downloaded a song he didn't have for us. We did have a couple of special songs that we had on our ipods just for ease of use (our first dance, father/daughter, mother/son, etc) and we just gave him the ipod and he played those straight from there. Like I said, we all had a great time and no complaints for the resort DJ

Lauren, I had the same problem, my dress bag was super thin and actually ripped. Luckily my seamstress had plenty of dress bags from brides that left them behind after their dress was cleaned. I would check with alteration places to see if they have any. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Lauren Newsham 

All past Canadian Brides…

 

Any advice for transporting your dress? The bag I got from David's is very thin and paper like. I'm worried about traveling like this. I haven't been able to find a better quality bag that fits the length of a gown. If anyone knows where I can get a better bag, please let me know! Thanks.

 

1 week tomorrow!! 

Thanks mdcoug! Bon voyage! I hear Turks&Caicos is gorgeous so I cannot wait to see your pictures. Congratulations in advance

Originally Posted by mdcoug 

5 Days until we leave for Turks and Caicos. YIPPIE 

Maria1301, we hired DJ Bijan and he was amazing! Highly recommended!!! We walked passed a few pool parties after our wedding and all used resort DJ and hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I found their music really boring and didn't see many people dancing at all. If you use the resort DJ, definitely recommended to give him some CD's or an iPod. Good Luck!

Originally Posted by Maria1301 

My fiance and I are planning to bring music with us to give to the resort DJ for our reception.  Did anyone else do this?  Did you use CDs or hand him an iPod?

Was he good about mixing your music with the other music he played and did he play music that kept all your guests dancing?

Thank you!

Hi Coba Bride, this is an exciting time for you. I burned a CD using iTunes and they had no problems with it. I also brought my iPod as a backup but it wasn't used. For the CD I wrote on the cover which songs should be used when and there was no issues.

As per the immigration form a person cannot bring more than $10,000usd. I'm assuming this includes gifts and etc... I brought wedding favors and such and had no problems with immigration or declaration.

During your meeting with Maria she will go over the seating arrangement. I also planned to have my reception at Portofino but it was closed and our reception was moved to El Pescador but still keeping with the Portofino menu. We have 4 tables including the head table:

TableOne - 6

Table Two&Three -8

Table Four - 7

I brought my own table number cards + table name cards as they don't supply these.

Maria is slow in response because she literally has a wedding everyday in May to attend but no worries you will have more attention once you arrive.

We took our photos around the Akumal beach location, where we had our ceremony. For TTD photos we went to Paradise Beach by the Tulum Ruins, absolutely breathtaking.

Good luck with the remaining days and congratulations in advance!

Originally Posted by Coba Bride 2012 

Hi Girls, I only have 16 days until we leave and I am finishing up some of the last minute details. I was wondering about the music for the ceremony. Do they have a iPod hookup or is it a CD player? I read somewhere that it couldnt be Mp3 type or something.
I also read that the customs in Mexico can be a little strict and that you are only allowed $300 per person to declare on non-personal items not including ( wedding bands, wedding dress etc). Like the OOT bag supplies and wedding supplies they might think we are reselling the stuff in Mexico. Has anyone experienced being searched at the red light? I have my receipts for everything and have My mom taking one of my duffle bags. I will be giving my Wedding party gifts before as it will be easier.
Also does anyone know if there is a seating arrangement for the Portofino restaurant for 33 people with no head table. I have tried emailing Maria since April 27 and received no responses.
Does anyone know any fascinating spots for photos on the resort or close to the resort.
Thank you for everything! So excited

Our wedding day was gorgeous and also very HOT. We also wished for a few clouds, lol! It was the best day of our lives and after it was over we wished we could do it all over again because we had so much fun!

Congrats to all the May 2012 brides!!!

Originally Posted by Sharon99 

yay! Date twins! I cant believe its really over. After over a year of planning I really am shocked how fast everything went. The day was beautiful, hot but beautiful! We were in Mexico for 10 days and not one ounce of rain the entire time. We couldnt have had better weather. Honestly at one point we were hoping for at least a cloud lol!

Just as past brides have said the day flies by & boy did it.

That day we woke up, went to breakfast & then BAM I became SO nervous! I have no idea why...I wasnt scared or anything. I think it was everyone saying to me that morning "are you nervous" "todays the day" My hands were shaking all day! I did find out that his hands were also shaking when he was trying to shave that afternoon lol! I guess its just from all the emotions and excitement but I wouldnt have changed a thing!

 

How was your day? I am sure it was just as amazing!

 

 

kellygrrrl - you look gorgeous!! Congratulations!

 

 

kellygrrrl, congratulations on your happy wedding day!!! isn't it a great feeling once the BIG day has passed? But also sad because we also had so much fun that we wanted to do it all over again! =)

no, not real, completely fake. my hairdresser was thoughtful enough to bring them or else I would have had no flowers in my hair. it was hella hot on our wedding day also, probably the hottest day of the 2 weeks we were there.

congratulations again too! post some pics!

Originally Posted by kellygrrrl 

I love your pics!! you look stunning. : ) was that a real phaleonopsis orchid in your hair? I went with the dedrobium orchid due to the heat.

 

we did a tour to Tulum through Yuca Treks (LOVE. THEM!!), and I believe you about the beach. the one we saw had those 45 degree angle palm trees and is easily in the top 10 most beautiful things I've ever seen.

 

congratulations!! and thanks for sharing. : )

 

oh I forgot a one important thing in my review. If anyone is thinking about taking their TTD photos in a different area outside the resort, check on the rules & policy first. I really wanted to do our TTD photo session at the Tulum Beach at the Tulum Ruins, however federal law states that no wedding pictures are to be taken inside the historical site. We did not know this and was very disappointed when we arrived. We took a taxi to the Tulum Ruins because there was a few of us (my parents and few friends wanted to check out the ruins) and I was in my dress so it was obvious what I was going to do. The taxi driver didn't advise anything, although he knew! We were not happy with him at all. We ended up taking the TTD photos at a local public beach just outside the Tulum ruins, called Paradise Beach. Everything worked out in the end. =)

Nikki17 I was the same as you. I live in a different province from my girlfriends and my now-husband was too busy with work to assist me in the major planning. A week before I was just tired of planning and just waited until I got to the resort to work out the finer details. And everything worked out for us so I'm sure it'll be the same for you and your almost-husband! Good luck and enjoy the stress-free vacation!