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Maybride2013

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  1. Thanks for all the kind words ladies...I am almost starting to feel bad about my review . But it was my experience and I want no bride to be as stressed as I was. It is a destination wedding and as a former planner things always do go wrong but I hope giving some insight into my mistakes and the wedding dept's mistakes you can all avoid my issues. For those starting to plan...we had 27 guests so we had our dinner al a carte( no cost ) lasts 2 hours then went for a cocktails only reception at la Laguna for 3 hours, I believe you can do up to 4. I paid 7 US dollars per person for that. There are new packages available that weren't when I was planning so some of it may have changed. We used my iPod for the ceremony music and it went great...it was loud enough I could hear it from way back where I started my walk. Looking forward to seeing other pics...oh and take recommendations from the ladies on here for your photographer. I took one from my wedding planner...he was awful...just saw my gallery and I am so unhappy. I had to tell him what pics to take...thank goodness for the incredible scenery...every pic still looks beautiful...not one close up of me and my husband or our kids. I told my husband I want to do a do over in 10 years...lol...maybe we'll get it right then . But I am happy we're married and happy we took the kids away...they'll remember it fondly for years to come!!!!
  2. Hi brides..thanks for the compliments...looking at the photos you'd never know the stress prior..lol... My planner was Grace..and I dealt with her for almost a year but every time we'd email I would have to remind her of times,locations etc...doing the word doc is a great idea because when I saw my file it looked empty and I knew she did not keep any of our correspondence from the year. I had to re-tell her everything just days before. So even though I had covered EVERYTHING throughout the year she did not have all those details anymore. And the meeting we had was so rushed I of course couldn't remember everything. I would make sure you bring everything that you have for the wedding with you at that first meeting. She did not tell us to do that, as well I had huge boxes to lug and could not find a shuttle to take us there. She told me at the meeting she would come and pick up the decor as well as my dress and husbands suit for pressing. We asked what time she worked till and she said 7. We did not think anything of it in terms of her not being there. She said 7. We called from 4-7 and could not reach anyone. Tried frontdesk but they can't help. I was not to worried about the decor..it could be picked up day of wedding..it was my dress. She had stated in the meeting it takes 48 at least to get it pressed and back. So we could not get ahold of her and she did not locate me to get our dress and suit. This was Saturday...wedding was Tuesday. Sunday we tried again but they are closed. By Sunday night I was stressed because there was no way to get my dress done and back. We did have our transat girl help us. We made arrangements with guest services for them to pick up my dress from my moms room the following morning. They told us adamantly that they could not enter my room and pick it up. I say this because we were going to xel-ha that Monday and would not be there. So arrangements were made with my mom. But let me say..no one wants to help and no one wants to be responsible..it was our transat girl that got into it with them on our behalf. Thanks to her . I decided that night that I did not want to send my dress out...everyone kept saying it would not be back in time...I couldn't have no dress for the wedding.so I told my mom when they came to take the dress that I did not trust it to be sent out. It was late when I made this decision so I could tell no one at guest services so I left the message with my mom..so off we go to xel ha early the next day..got back around 7 and my dress was gone from my room. I call my mom...they never even got in touch with her..call the wedding dept...closed...front desk...no idea...no note or message for me. Of course I'm thinking it has to be they've sent it out. Frustrated that no one can tell me of course. Thankfully my new sister in law is Spanish and we head to guest services...the girl there says it sounds familiar but they would never enter my room and take it..they are not allowed...she calls Rosia at home...she gets on the phone with me says they would never take it...not allowed and neither would guest services...so now I am panicking. 5 mins later she calls back and says guest services took it and it will be back in the morning. One hand does not know what the other is doing there. Dress arrived next day...husbands suit never did get pressed ...take everything and go over everything at your meeting. I thought I was prepared...and I was but there is a language barrier and they don't anticipate anything. Myself as a planner if I did not have a girls dress by end of the day that we met I would have sought her out..they don't there. I believe they work very hard..too hard and things can get screwed up. They need more staff in the wedding dept. I chose flowers through the hotel..I showed a pic...she mentioned using carnations to get the look...I said NO to carnations and I heard her on the phone telling the florist no carnations ( sorry I hate this flower!) well my bouquet was full of them. The boutinierres were somewhat wrong...nothing scissors couldn't fix. They also delivered the flowers at 10am...the boutinierres were brown and losing petals by the wedding. I did say to her they can't sit in my room all day and she said its air conditioned it will be fine...it wasn't but I couldn't 't stress anymore about those things. One weird thing our minister stood behind me during the ceremony and I couldn't hear her at all. Not sure why they did that. But here's an example of miscommunication. I asked for the ministers table to be off to the side not under the pergola...doesn't look nice in pics..and I wonder if they took it one step further and thought that to mean the minister as well. It never would have occurred to me they would move the minister as well. So until I see the video not sure what my vows were...lol I think the girls are more than capable of doing great weddings there but us as brides...assume nothing and don't be afraid to point stuff out that seems questionable...I'm pretty forthcoming and I still had problems. They are absolutely gone in the afternoon so reach them in the morning. The decor I brought myself...lugged those curtains down with me...they did not have those in packages for my wedding. I did leave them down there for the wedding dept to keep for any beach brides going down soon. The flower balls they provided as I did not want the hanging bouquets they usually use. I was trying to avoid any greenery showing. Grace can get them for you if you want them. I had my hair done at the spa....awful...as you can see the girl was all but gone. I specifically told my hairdresser not to use a curling iron.have to use hot rollers or curl with a straightener for my hair to hold curl...had to curl my hair back in the room before the wedding. They also made my daughter cry...trying to get knots out..it was awful...hit her in the head really hard with the brush at one point...I felt so bad she 's only 13 but looks older. I got mad at them finally...I wish I had done my own hair...if you 're getting an updo use them for sure I know you will all have a great experience mine probably could've been avoided had I realized how not "on the ball" they are. I should have been more proactive...but we had our 4 kids with us and couldn't just drop everything and hunt down planners and deliver stuff. The locations for weddings are ALL beautiful there....can't go wrong with any of them...the weather is amazing...hotel is a little big but food and drinks are in abundance....beds and pillows are like rocks...lol...beach and pools are incredible...oh pool is deep, no shallow end.. Hope I covered my experience and I know from reading on here no one else has had any issues so maybe I took it to hard...I guess I just thought there'd be slightly better treatment when you spend that much money.. Be organized ladies and be clear in your expectations...and expect that it won't be on time if you are using shuttles to get anywhere..if it wasn't for the guys at the front( with the safari hats) we would not have had the transportation we did. They were awesome on our wedding day Can't wait to see other brides pics!
  3. although we had some onlookers (you actually enter through private beach cabanas) people stayed at a distance.
  4. . These are all photos by our friends and family. It will be a month before I receive my professional ones
  5. Hola brides...we are back from our wedding at the palladium! I'm not sure what to say, although the ceremony was beautiful I was very disappointed in the wedding department. I could never reach the girls at the wedding dept...my dress temporarily disappeared from my room to go get pressed unbeknownst to me( long story) my flowers were wrong, the reception was from 8 -11. They weren't ready when we got there. Started at 8:30 but they booted us out at 11 anyway. They never took me to my locations to view..we married right on the beach..dinner at El Dorado(air conditioning is awful in there and I roasted, reception at la Laguna. Alot of travelling between locations. They did not have a shuttle for me and my husband and photographer to get to the dinner from our photos so we were late. If you've been there you know how far apart all these places are. I ended up in tears the night before the wedding because I was so frustrated with the lack of communication. All our rooms were spread far apart..we had 21 guests all family. We stayed in the colonial. We had issues with our rooms as we took our kids and they needed to be right beside us. I barely spoke to or saw my planner. I am a former event and wedding planner so I was very prepared. After all was said and done we are married and I guess will look back and laugh about it all one day. I'll try to add some photos so you can see my location. My advice once there stay on top of the planners and deal with them early in the day as they are gone by mid afternoon to do other weddings everyday. I saw lots of beautiful and happy brides so I'm sure my day was a flook. [/img][/img][/img][/img]
  6. MyTye2b...thanks for the info on El Dorado..I was a little worried as no one had posted anything. Well we are off to the airport in 30 mins, just letting the kids snooze as long as I can. I will be sure to post my experience there for all you new brides . And pics once I get them! So excited..good luck to all the other upcoming brides. This site has been a fabulous source of information and grateful to have found it. Adios Amigas !!!!!
  7. MyTye2b...thanks for the info on El Dorado..I was a little worried as no one had posted anything. Well we are off to the airport in 30 mins, just letting the kids snooze as long as I can. I will be sure to post my experience there for all you new brides . And pics once I get them! So excited..good luck to all the other upcoming brides. This site has been a fabulous source of information and grateful to have found it. Adios Amigas !!!!!
  8. Hi ladies...so nice to see photos of a recent wedding...they look beautiful. I am 9 days away from departure and 13 from wedding day...getting all the last minute things together. A couple of questions...Sue2013 you mentioned bug spray. We are having our reception at LaLaguna after we eat dinner. Will we need it there as well? Reception is from 8-11 pm. And has anyone eaten at El Dorado steakhouse. We are opting for our wedding dinner to be there since my guest count is under 40 and we have a lot of kids coming..including our 4 and we need to keep the meal simple to ensure they will eat. Just wondering if anyone had a good experience there. Thanks in advance ladies. Congrats to those brides who's weddings are fast approaching
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