swabbett

Hello Again Everyone, My fiance and I are getting excited (and nervous) about pulling everything together for our May 25th wedding. Unfortunately I don't have much to add to the recent questions being posed but I do have a few more questions for prospective or past couples. 1) As mentioned our wedding date is May 25th so if anyone is getting married around that time let me know, maybe we can coordinate lights and/or decorations to some degree. 2) We have a good amount of stuff to bring with us such as gift bags, centerpieces, decorations...etc. The resort reply about shipping things out there ahead of time was not very helpful. Does anyone have any practical experience with shipping stuff to the resort they can provide? How long it takes? And the resort said something about a fee to pick up the packages from the customer office.. did they mean customs? or some form of fee to have the resort hold things on our behalf? 3) Does anyone know if the resort has lights to provide for the reception at all? We're interested in some paper globe type lights for the reception, but would rather not ship/bring them. Thanks in advance for any help!

Hello Everyone, After 2-3 emails pinging Paula for some answers on locking in our key venues and times she finally got back to us. Not only did she answer our key questions but she addressed our long laundry list of questions.. some of which I already found information on from this thread after sending the initial email. People have already been so helpful to me I figured I would just post her response in full in case it helps other brides and grooms. I hope this is not against the terms of this site, but I also created a temporary dropbox link to the documents she referenced in the email. I thought that would be the easiest way to give people access to the documents. I'll leave this link functioning for about a week, and then will take it down. Just click the link below and it will prompt you for the download. The download is a single .zip file you will have to extract. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11414361/OCT%20attachments.zip One note is it appears people are having issues getting in touch with Anna in advance of their weddings. As you can see from this email Paula is a very good resource, and you may have better luck getting in touch with her instead of Anna. FYI, below Paula's responses are highlighted. One final note is we have a person joining us to do hair and makeup.. I was pleasantly surprised to hear they will substitute the hair and make-up included in the package for a couples massage! Finally I have two more questions, I was hoping past brides or grooms could help me with. 1) It appears that you have to choose a set menu for everyone at the reception, has anyone had any luck setting it up so their guests at least have a choice option for the main course? We were hoping to have a meat or fish option for everyone. 2) In the information I have seen to date there is a lot of mention that the sound system is compatible with ipods. Is it the apple proprietary connection or can any headphone jack connection work? In general maybe a bit more information on what they supply for sound equipment connections would be great. Ideally I'd like to just hook up my laptop for music. Hello Paula, Our wedding is May 25, 2013 with the "Paradise Package" and will have 50 -70 guests. It is very important that our location reservations, listed below, are locked in. We want to avoid potential conflicts with other weddings. 1) Rehearsal Dinner Location: Can we reserve the Sensai for a rehearsal dinner on 5/24/2013 for 50-70 people? If not can you please send us options for reserving an a la carte dinner with a group that size? Please take note that a la carte restaurants system is “first come firsts served†is part of the all inclusive package In the wedding package is not included a rehearsal wedding dinner, we can offer to you the Buffet restaurant (Casa del Mar) the first 6pm or the last seating 9pm we can set up tables foe 10 people each, please let me know if this work for you and what time would you like. 2) Ceremony Location Reservation: Please confirm that we have wedding area 1 on the Coral side reserved for our wedding ceremony at 4pm. I confirm Beach in front of building 1 at 4pm for Civil ceremony 3) Cocktail Hour Location and Band: Can you please confirm a cocktail hour (after the ceremony, before dinner reception) in the garden with the Mariachi Quartet. The cocktail hour is not included in the Paradise Package the cost will be $10usd per hour per person, for the Mariachi Quartet the cost is $450usd for 45min. 4)Reception Location Reservation: Can you please confirm that we have the outdoor terrace reserved for our Paradise Package reception on May 25th? I confirm Lobby Terrace for your reception dinner included in the Paradise Package, please find attached the menu you have to choose one for every one, you can pick and choose for the 5 different menus and create your own, we can make a acceptations for the people has food allergies. We can set up one head table & round tables for the other guest We look forward to hearing back from you about these important questions. (Our longer list of detailed questions is also listed below). Thanks so much for your help and we look forward to working with you! Thanks for understand and I apologies for the delay. -Scott and Rachel Welcome Cocktail Gathering Thursday May 23rd at 7:30pm - a welcome cocktail gathering for our guests · Is there a lounge area near a bar or a semi-private gathering space available for this type of thing at no additional cost? Maybe something like the Hotel Terrace Loungue · Is it possible to have audio and visual set-up (microphone for speeches, picture slideshows, etc.)? We have 2 lounge areas one at the Lobby Terrace coral side and the other one at Turquesa side, we set up the cocktail are in this, you have two options for cocktail hour. 1.- Paid for the open bar $10usd per hour per person 2.- You only paid the canapés and we can bring the beverages from the Lobby Bar o How much would this cost? The depended what option you choose is the cost, if you wish music & microphone the cost will be $250usd, if you wish a screen and projector will be $250usd. Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner Friday May 24th 5pm - rehearsal (a walk through of the ceremony and those involved) when the day will be close you can check with the wedding coordinator at what time will be. 6pm - rehearsal dinner for all of our guests Please let me know if the Buffet restaurant works for you. o We would like audio and visual capabilities for the rehearsal dinner (microphone for speeches, projector for picture slideshow or video, etc.) - how much will this cost? if you wish music & microphone the cost will be $250usd, if you wish a screen and projector will be $250usd, if you wish the videographer the cost will be $550usd he stayed around 2 hours, please find attached the packages for video & Photo. Wedding Ceremony Saturday May 25th at 4pm · In the Paradise Package what is included the “Basic setup†for the ceremony? Chairs, altar, canopy, aisle runner, sound system for music? GAZEBO WITH WHITE TULE, CHAIRS WITH WHITE COVERS, SOME BOWS CAN BE INCLUDED TURQUESA BLUE, RED, YELLOW, NAVY BLUE, AND FUCSIA IS NOT INCLUDED AT AISLE RUNNER · Who is the officiant? o May we have their contact information so that we can talk to them about our ceremony plans? Please find attached the Script for the Legal Wedding in English o Is the legal ceremony in English or Spanish? The Legal Wedding will be performance in English or Spanish · What is the agenda or format of ceremony? I attached the Script o We want to have some of our own readings and music - will we be able to do so? Yes, you can bring your own music and it could be either on CD or IPOD, we need 4 songs · One for the wedding party · One for the bride walking down the aisle · One for signing · One for end of the ceremony for walking out Wedding appetizer and cocktail hour Saturday May 25th 5pm · We are particularly interested in an appetizer and cocktail hour set up in the hotel gardens · Can you please send us a list of appetizer options and prices? I attached the list with the prices · We would like to have a Mariachi quartet during the cocktail hour. What is the process for booking the Mariachi Band? We can make all the arrangements for the Mariachi Quartet the cost is $450usd for 45min. o o In a quartet what instruments are played? One guitar, one violist the other 2 instruments I let you as soon as I have the information o Ideally we would want the Mariachi quartet to process with the bride and groom from the beach to the cocktail hour, probably around 5:15pm. They can do that Wedding Dinner Reception Saturday May 25th 6:15pm · For the Paradise Package, where exactly is the “outdoor private dinner reception� · We would like the Champagne toast included in the Paradise Package right before dinner is served. We can do that most all the time we do this toast at the end for the ceremony on the beach, but you let me know what would you like Can you please send us menu options for the reception dinner? please find attached the menu you have to choose one for every one, you can pick and choose for the 5 different menus and create your own, we can make a acceptations for the people has food allergies. · Is there a menu card included in the package? Is not included but you can bring your own menus printer if you wish we can set up on the tables. Cake Saturday May 25th 8pm · In the Paradise Package, how many people can be fed from the cake that is included?Is included for 40 people you will be paid extra $47usd per adult and $22usd per child under 12 years old. · Can you please send us options for the cake flavor and decorations? Please find attached a examples in the wedding check list The flavors available are CHOCOLATE, VANILLA, PINEAPPLE, STRAWBERRY AND COCONUT, because your cake is 3 tiers you can choose one flavor each · Is the cake made onsite at the resort or off site? We make in side · Wedding Dancing, Audio and Video · We will not be hiring a DJ. We will be playing dance music from a computer or MP3 player. What inputs are compatible with your sound system? We have the cable for Ipod, we don’t have the cable for the Iphone 5 or the mini Ipad · What type of lighting is provided for dancing? Is a regular lights is not for events. o Would we be able to bring in our own lighting? i.e. white string lights you can send me a photo for this lights then I can check if is possible some vary for the staff set up. · How far in advance do we need to book the videographer? You can let me know any time, I attached the video packages. Flowers · What are the options for flowers for the bride bouquet, boutonniere and ceremony arrangement? Yes we can match all · Can we see the options or get in touch with the florist? , I attached the options, the florist don’t speak English if you have some ideas please let me know & I send to her. · Is the florist onsite at the resort or offsite? We read that this is the florist the resort works with:http://www.casanarciso.com/ is that true? We work with Amazing Flowers General Questions o Is the 2013 price list available? Yes, is in the last pages for the wedding packages from 2013 o the package includes the brides hair and makeup, can that be changed into a different spa service? Yes for a 25 min, couple massage. o What is the process for shipping items to the resort? o What does the per person charge on the price for the paradise package ($45 per person adult, $22 per person child, 2012 pricing) include? (does it include more seats at wedding, dinner at reception, wedding toast, additional size on cake, more flowers...etc.?) This price include more seats at wedding, dinner at reception, wedding toast, additional size on cake and cost will be $47 per person adult, $22 per person child, 2013 pricing o The paradise package comes with “Justice of the peace, Marriage License, Legal Fees, Blood test (legal documents issued in Spanish)†Is there anything else we need to make the marriage legal? You need filled out the registration form if you have all ready send this to us we only let me know, other extra fee for the Legal Wedding will be the transportation for the Justice of the Peace and the Apostille is $70usd each in cash, you will paid this with us at the wedding office the date for the meeting with us when you arrive to the Resort we need to your 4 witnesses you and your fiance with your passports and tourist card for made the paper word, this date you will have to your blood test.

@Josie Fiorda and @emily a, Thanks so much for the information very helpful and good to know the general organization of the wedding coordinators there. I just sent a follow-up email to Paula and hoping I can get my venues and times locked in soon.

@Josie Fiorda, thanks for the input / tip! @ggallo, I'm actually getting married on May 25th, so unfortunately I don't think we'll cross paths=( Thanks for the heads up on reserving early though, I've already started the hard press to at least reserve our key locations and times. Hopefully we can get that locked down for piece of mind. Also since you're only a few weeks before us I'd psyched to get your impressions on how things went if you have any time. Also I have one more generic question if anyone can help me. I got an email from Anna a few weeks ago that said the following: Thank you for your email. I am sorry if you have not hear from Angelica, she is not longer work for the company. I am CC this email to Paula, she will assist you on the wedding details. [email protected] See package 2013. Best regards, Ana Bautista My questions are does anyone know the actual roles of Ana and Paula and who is best suited for certain questions or information? It appears Ana is the person most people are cycling questions to but in this email Ana appears to be sending me to Paula for assistance. Is Paula a helper for Ana or something? Also has anyone had any luck speaking to Ana or Paula directly over the phone? If so is there a specific time of day or day of the week that I might have a better chance of reaching them directly? Thanks in advance for any input, I know getting answers a few months before the wedding is tough, but I also want to make sure I'm not barking up the wrong tree.

Hello Everyone! Technically I'm the groom, but I figured you all would let me join in the conversation=) What a great thread! I really need to read a bunch more but so far I'm already getting a lot of great information.... So thanks to all of the posters! My fiance and I are getting Married at the OCT May 25th 2013, ~50-70 people. We are having similar issues with getting Paula to respond to our email inquiries, so same story on that front. My biggest concern is trying to reserve a wedding and reception location. With potentially two wedding on the same day, I'd hate to lose our chance to pick the one we want. At what point did other brides/grooms pick your wedding and reception locations? Was it ahead of time or at the arrival meeting with the coordinator?

Hello Everyone! Technically I'm the groom, but I figured you all would let me join in the conversation=) What a great thread! I really need to read a bunch more but so far I'm already getting a lot of great information.... So thanks to all of the posters! My fiance and I are getting Married at the OCT May 25th 2013, ~50-70 people. We are having similar issues with getting Paula to respond to our email inquiries, so same story on that front. My biggest concern is trying to reserve a wedding and reception location. With potentially two wedding on the same day, I'd hate to lose our chance to pick the one we want. At what point did other brides/grooms pick your wedding and reception locations? Was it ahead of time or at the arrival meeting with the coordinator?