Gingerbeef

Ooooo I just found this thread!! 

Hi Everyone, I'm getting married in Montego Bay, Jamaica on Nov. 13.  Using an amazing local photographer (www.cineart.ca).  She spends most of her winters around the Caribbean so I was able to book her at her normal prices and she waived any travel fees.  Shopped around Calgary for months, only to buy a dress in Redcliff, AB.  

My travel company WAS Transat Vacations as of 2 days ago, but they just royally screwed us over.  Half my wedding is departing from Calgary, the other half from Toronto on Sat-Sat which worked perfectly with our Wednesday wedding.  Well Transat just decided to change the Calgary package to Thurs-Thurs.  This is after we had our deposit paid, invites all sent out, people starting to book, etc.

We were told to book early because things were starting to book up then suddenly they change the dates and tell us that's what happens when you book so early. Our TA suggested 1) change the wedding date 2) fly everyone to Toronto (which would add $800 per person onto the TO package price for flight + overnight hotel) 3) Go with WestJet or AirCanada ($400 more per person and non-existent package, respectively). But we don't even have enough people travelling out of Calgary to qualify for their group rate (10 rooms min. where Transat was only 5)  URRRG

SO FRUSTRATING!! We are at a loss as of what to do, other than tell everyone to just figure out their own thing and they don't have to pay way more than we told them in the invites. But how horrible is that?!

Nice to meet you all, and thanks for listening to my rant!

Well as of 2 days ago, I am officially an angry Bridezilla thanks to Transat Vacations!!  We made our group reservation about a month ago, paid our deposit, and sent out our invites.  The package we booked was for Sat-Sat which worked perfectly with our Wednesday wedding.  We have 2 departure gates (Calgary & Toronto) Suddenly Transat decided to change the package out of Calgary to Thurs-Thurs which isn't going to work considering it is the day right after the wedding!!

We were told to book early because things were starting to book up.  Then they change the date by 2 whole days and tell us that's what happens when you book so early. @#$%&*!!! We've searched other companies but now the prices are WAY more than our group pricing we had with Transat at the minimums for group booking with these other companies are too high for my group that is flying out of Calgary. We could have people fly to Toronto to get in on the group booking through that gate, but that would add $800 per person on top of the package price.  This is a complete DISASTER!!! We are at the point where we are going to have to tell everyone that they just have to go book their own thing and probably expect to pay way more than we told them on the invite. 

Has this happened to anyone else? I'm just so angry, I needed to vent!!!  Transat..... BOOOOOO ON YOU!!!!!  }

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkuzma 

 

 

Beautiful dress! And what a deal We'll wait to see pics of you looking better than the model in that dress!

 

Thanks tkzuma!!  I will definitely post pics of me in it later on!

 

 

 

Originally Posted by VanessaBB 

 

 

I purchased a sample gown too that is way too big and I'm getting lots of things changed on it so I know how you feel! Are u getting it altered from same place u bought it?

Hi VanessaBB, 

The boutique I bought it at didn't have their own seamstress onsite but they highly recommended one to me.  I found it really hard to put all my faith into someone to make these kind of changes but here's hoping!  It's amazing what they can do to a dress. She made it sounds like all my changes were going to be really easy so that made me feel a lot better!

I just purchased a Pronovias Parabola off the rack for my beach wedding (got it for $900 CDN).  A lot of alterations to be done, though!  It needs to be made several sizes smaller, shortened, and have the zipper back replaced with a corset, if possible.  Hopefully the alterations won't cost as much as the dress did!  Yikes!!

I hope the beach bonfire isn't too dark and it would be awesome if they could string up lights of some sort. Or if there are any other creative ways to make it brighter. Actually tiki torches would be cool to put around the perimeter.  I think I might look into that idea!  It just seems like it would be so empty feeling with just a bonfire.  

Originally Posted by Alier1 

 

I am just a few days earlier than you!  I am currently holding Nov 16, 2013!!

And I'm just a couple days earlier than you! November 13, 2013 here!

TrishKurtis, glad to hear you got your date!! It's definitely not too early to request. I wanted a certain date in November 2013 and when I sent in my initial request about a month ago, it was already taken!! Luckily the next day was open. I was shocked that other people out there were booking over 1.5 years in advance but I guess we're all just really excited

It took me 8 days to get a response after I requested my date.  After about 5 or 6 days, I started getting a little worried.  I heard that people were having better luck with speedy responses when the Travel Agent is in charge of the correspondence so I asked my TA to contact the hotel and request the date.  Of course that created total confusion, especially when my TA got a response from the Beach instead of the Suites. 

Anyway, that got sorted out and they sent me the contract for saving the date.  I signed and sent back immediately.  They were supposed to respond with a confirmation but I am still waiting and it's been 11 days and counting! 

Does anyone have any idea if you can have either a projection screen, microphone setup, or DJ playing music during the reception dinner if you do not rent out the whole restaurant? I wonder if that will bother the other non-wedding related diners.

I don't want to bug Nicole for something that is so far away, just thought someone here might have an easy answer!

Hello to all the fellow brides.  I am officially booked in for the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites on Nov. 13, 2013.  Too long of a wait in my opinion!

Hi Everyone!

This is my first post. I just emailed the IRHS requesting a date in November 2013.  Will be posting in here more once I get a confirmed date and can start working on the details.

I look forward to hearing about all the upcoming weddings!!