loripanori

Hi Leash, You could try Gaby : [email protected] or Lorena: [email protected]

Savanah your wedding was so beautiful! I've borrowed an idea (or ten) from you for our wedding coming up in April, so I truly appreciate all of your help and posts. Thank you for sharing!!

Hi Emily, I like this idea! Are the vases $10 for the 4, or $10 each? I'm assuming you are basically paying to use the vases and aren't actually buying them to keep, so I wasn't sure. For the two extra centerpieces you are buying, are they going to be made to match, so essentially bouquet #4 in a vase? Did they mention at all how this would work, like would they collect the bouquets after some of the pictures are done and re-set them up at the tables for you, or do you basically arrive at the reception and have all the girls put their bouquets in the vases?

Hi Savs, Quick question - do you remember, are the teal personalized napkins that are folded into the white cloth napkins, beverage/cocktail size or larger full-sized dinner napkins? We have personalized cocktail napkins that we were going to use for the cocktail hour, but now that we're going to do an informal cocktail hour, I'd like to incorporate them into the table setting. Just not sure if they'll be the right size. Thanks!

Gah, the inconsistencies in pricing is driving me nuts! I was quoted $85 USD + tax for each bridesmaids bouquet, to match BQT 13 from the catalog. I emailed Lorena back and asked her about other brides being quoted $60 and she insisted that $85 was the current price, and had been since June 2012, and would be going up again June 2013. She said anyone who received a lower price must have been quoted before June 2012. Then she said if I really wanted to only spend $60 per bridesmaids bouquet they could do that, but the bouquets would be very small and more like a child's bouquet. So I guess we're going with the $85 version. I just hate how it feels like you have no other options than to pay whatever price they decide on that day!

Has anyone else been quoted prices for centerpieces and bridesmaids bouquets? I think Savs said she paid $60 for both the centerpieces and the bridesmaids bouquets, but Lorena just quoted me $80 for the same centerpiece (MAYA 22) and $85 for a slightly different bouquet (BQT 13 - I think Savs had BQT 16, both are lilies and roses). This trip and wedding is costing a ton at this point, so I get frustrated when it feels like they're overcharging and trying to squeeze every last dollar out of us. Some of the charges for flowers, and to rent lights and some of the extra add-ons that they can just reuse on the next wedding, seem so high! And don't get me started on the cost to rent the sound system. I feel like we could buy a freaking sound system for less than we are paying to rent it for the ceremony and reception. Ok, end of rant

Congratulations!!! Can't wait to hear all about it. I love when new reviews are posted, I get so many great ideas from you ladies!

I think we're going to have some unused credit in the "food" section, because we're planning on having an informal cocktail hour at the beach bar rather than a catered cocktail hour. But we don't have enough extra people to use up all of the credit with dinner. So now I'm looking at some of the upgrades in the food section. Does anyone have a copy of the platinum menu that they could post? And did anyone opt for a cake upgrade? Just wondering about the cakes they charge for, vs the cakes that are included...

Whoops, I had an error message when posting my first message, so I reposted and now it's there twice... apologies!

Does anyone know what the charge is to purchase additional pictures if you can't narrow it down to the number that's included? Can you purchase extra pictures in chunks of 50, or is it just an extra charge per picture? Also, with the top package, do you get two centerpieces included? It says one for the dinner table, and one for the ceremonial table, but can you use the "ceremonial centerpiece" as a dinner centerpiece on one of the other tables later? Thanks!

Hi Savs (or anyone else who might know!), Do you know offhand what the charge is for extra pictures? Do they charge per picture, or per 50 pictures? Thanks! Lori

Hi everyone - I had posted earlier asking about flowergirl baskets... I ended up emailing Gaby about it, and actually heard back, so I wanted to post in case it would help anyone. She said that they will provide a basket with the petals that you can use and give back, or you can bring your own if you'd prefer. For a flowergirl basket with rose petals, the charge is $25.

Sorry, I also meant to ask - they say the round tables fit a maximum of 10 people, but is this actually do-able and comfortable? Or should we try to keep it at 8 people or less per table?

I'm curious to hear how some of you arranged the seating for the dinner/reception... Based on the slideshows, it looks like the bride and groom sometimes have a table to themselves, did any of you do that? With a small group it seems strange to separate our wedding party from their significant others to have them sit with us (like at a "traditional" head table), but there wouldn't be enough room to have us, the wedding party AND their significant others at one table. I'm not sure we want to sit by ourselves either, but I'm having trouble coming up with something that works. Did anyone not have official seating arrangements?

For the photography packages, I'm wondering if the pictures included in the ultimate package get added to the pictures included with the photography packages? So if we book the $999 full day coverage package (which includes 100 photos), and the ultimate package (which includes 50 photos), will we actually get to choose 150 photos to go home with?

I thought I posted this earlier, but it seems to have not shown up... apologies if it suddenly appears twice. Kelly, I'm wondering if you could fill us in a bit more on using the Mexican trio for the ceremony. Did they play as your guests arrived, and during the procession and when you walked down the aisle? When else did they play during the ceremony? Did they stay into the cocktail hour and pictures at all? I loved Savs pictures with the trio on the beach, but I also like the idea of having them play for the actual ceremony, so I'm just curious to hear more details about how it all worked in your case. Thanks!

Hi Kelly, You had the mexican trio play for your ceremony? When exactly did they play - as the guests were arriving and being seated, and then for the procession and when you walked in etc? Did they play for a bit afterwards for the champagne toast and cocktail or would that be too much time? I was saying earlier that I would like to get some pictures after the ceremony on the beach with the mexican trio like Savs did, but I also like the idea of them playing for the ceremony... just curious about how the timing all worked out. Thanks!

Actually, now that I think of it, I guess I'll need to bring flower girl baskets of some sort as well? I didn't even think of that for some reason. Does anyone know if the resort supplies anything you can use as a basket when you purchase the flower girl petals? The number of things I'm bringing with me are starting to add up, lol... If there's nothing provided, I'd love to hear what you brides with flower girls brought, made, or used!

It seems like I have a million questions these past few days... Has anyone asked the wedding coordinators about using the freeze-dried rose petals that came up earlier? We are having four little flower girls (our four nieces), and the cost from the resort is listed as $22 per bag of rose petals - is one "bag" enough for one flower girl, does anyone know? I feel like I read at one point that they recommended 4 bags, but now I can't find that.... Anyway, I'm just thinking we might be better off going with the freeze-dried petals (for cost and volume), if they're allowed.

Thanks for your reply Savs, that really helps a lot! Can someone explain to me how the credit works when you buy the love or ultimate package (silver or gold) but then don't use the cocktail hour? I've heard a few people say they used that credit towards the fee for extra guests at the dinner, but what if you don't have extra guests? Can the credit be applied to other upgrades/purchases (sound system, lighting, etc) that you add on to the wedding package, or straight-up refunded from the wedding package cost? And is the amount of the credit equivalent to $26 per person (which is what they say they charge for extra geusts) x 20 guests, so $520? Although that value is actually $32.76 per person after the tax and service fees, so I'm not sure if that is worked in somehow...

Savs, your pictures are fantastic. I especially love the pictures with the mariachi band on the beach. Did you basically have all of your guests gather at the Barracuda bar after the ceremony for an "unofficial" cocktail hour (i.e. unpaid for, lol) and have the mariachi band play there for a while, and then come down to the beach for a few photos? Or were they playing on the beach? Just wondering, because I think we'd like to incorporate the mariachi band into some of the beach pictures like you did, it looks fantastic. We're also planning on having our first dance right when we arrive at the reception, I like that idea a lot. Still not sure what to do about the rest of the reception/dance, as we're very much not dance people, and we'll be a fairly small group. Anyway, still a few months to figure that out, haha. Did you opt for a longer reception or just the 3 hours? And how much time did you have between the ceremony start and reception start? Thanks for all of your help.

Is anyone opting for a smaller reception without the DJ, or maybe without a dance even? We're having a relatively small wedding with 25 adults (including us) and 6 small children, and I'm not just not sure there are enough party/dance types in the mix to have a full fledged traditional reception and dance. Especially with the children (5 of the children will be 3 and younger!), and the couples who will be busy looking after these children. My fiance and I aren't even the dancing type, we rarely dance at other weddings or clubs etc.... So I'm just not sure it's worth it to rent a DJ for 3 hours. I would definitely want to have music playing - despite not being dancers, we're both very into music - and I know we can bring our own music and rent the sound system, but if we're paying for the sound system I almost feel like we may as well pay for the DJ.... But if there's no real "dance", then it kind of seems like everyone will just be standing around, having drinks and listening to music for 3 hours. In which case, why don't we just go hang out at one of the bars at the resort and do the same thing for free? LOL I'm having such a hard time deciding what to do about all of this! I don't want to just have a 30 minute ceremony and pictures and have it all be over, but at the same time I don't know that I want to do the full ordeal with the cocktail, reception and dance and all the extra fees and charges that comes with all of that. Decisions decisions.

For those who opted out of the cocktail hour - what happens to the champagne (sparkling wine) toast that is included in the package? I had assumed that would be after the ceremony / at the start of the cocktail hour, but maybe it is later during the reception? Just wondering if you still did this without having a cocktail hour, and if so, when. Thanks!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Laurbee03 They first told me that I have to select just one entree and everyone eats the same thing unless someone has a food allgery but I told them I didnt want everyone eating just one entree. Gina finally said I could have my guests pick between 2 different entrees as long as I gave her the final count 30 days prior to my arrival. That ended up being perfect and the selections we choose, the seabass and the provolone stuff chicken were fantastic! Oh this is good to know! I just assumed everyone would have the choice between the two entrees. Hopefully we will be able to work this out with the wedding planner like you did, so that our guests have a choice. We have one strict vegetarian coming as well, so hopefully that is not a problem. Does anyone know if there is any flexibility in the soup/appetizer/salad that comes with the meals? My fiance and I don't eat seafood or fish, and there's a whole lot of that on the menus. If we pick the number we like based on the entree, I think all three appetizer items had seafood in them! Also, I hear a lot of people talking about the buffet and/or carribean buffet. Do you need a minimum number of people for this option?

Quote: Originally Posted by Nicole2013 Hi Loripanori, Congrats on the upcoming wedding. I had a quick question for you. Are you doing the civil ceremony or symbolic? I am asking because for civil on Dreams website says to arrive 4 full business days prior not including weekends but it seems most are arriving 3 days prior. When I emailed Eva she said both were fine but I am trying to gage what most people are doing so I don't lose a day. Thanks Nicole Hi Nicole, We are doing a civil ceremony. We booked through a travel agent, and she did most of the talking with the wedding planner about the arrival dates, etc., but basically we were told that the ideal date to arrive at the resort is Sunday, because then your wedding can be on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. If you get there Sunday and have the wedding on Thursday (which is what we're doing) you are there 3 full business days with the wedding on the 4th business day (our wedding is late in the day at 4pm, but I don't think this matters). We were told several times that this would be OK (I was quite worried about it as well!), so hopefully this is correct. Lori