girlinthecity97

@rtscent - thanks very much!!!

@@rtscent - yes, I didn't like most of the approved photogs and the one that I thought wasn't bad, my fiance didn't like so we agreed to cough up the $800 for that. Right now we aren't paying it for any other vendors. I'm flying my hair stylist down and she'll be staying as a guest so I got around that $800 but am paying for her room and flight so I'm still paying. Are you mainly using outside vendors? As for our honeymoon - I'm the hold up. We haven't done anything on this. Pre-engagement, I was planning to rent a villa for me and 6- 8 friends to stay in for a week or so to celebrate a milestone birthday in May 2015. Now that we are getting married in 2015, the Fiance has suggested we just do a 2-3 week trip anywhere I want to go that will serve as honeymoon & birthday. I'm not sure If I want to do that. Call me greedy but I'd like to do both a Honeymoon and have my staffed villa party LOL. Though given how much our wedding budget has grown, I know doing both is unrealistic. Your honeymoon plans sound fab! I heard from another bride I met at the Karisma dress rehearsal that the casitas are amazing and the maroma suites are equally fantastic!

@@rtscent - thanks very much for those tips! I'm going to try them and keep you posted! Some are starting to book but they are now driving me nuts with questions about the payment plans. I'm learning they haven't even tried but are flipping out about how the plan works. LOL We have booked Sascha Gluk (cancun photos). He was the only photog we agreed on and he was very helpful in terms of suggesting the best time to get married to ensure great daylight and sunset photos and the right amount of time truly needed to capture the day. It's nuts I have a photographer but no dress, or invitations yet LOL but this is something that was really important to me. I really want a video as well but the fiance doesn't want to spend another vendor fee for this so I'm considering a Lomas company for that. What about you? Hope everyone had a great weekend.

@@rtscent - that is WONDERFUL!!! How did you get them to book so fast!? I have 6 days left before practically the entire deposit hits us. Only 4 people have reserved rooms so far! As for dresses, I too LOVE Pronovias! I have only been tearing out pictures of dresses and putting them in my planner to take with me when I go dress hunting. I don't plan to start doing that until June because I hope to have my 1st 30 lbs down by then. I'm at 15 now and hoping to make it 20 by the end of this month. I am also debating on what type of reception dress I want. I'm justifying this since I'm not doing a Trash the Dress shoot. I want something really beautiful but comfortable and fun.

@@jkkc - I plan to bring everything in a carry-on or suitcase. I plan to take a page out of some bride's book and use a suitcase from goodwill that I can just leave at the resort, since I most likely won't need to bring those things back home. The resort we are working with does not accept packages (so sending isn't an option) but I still wouldn't take a chance on shipping it if they did. . I've heard horror stories of packages either not showing up or having been seriously picked through.

Nice job! The little people icons are too cute! Did it take you long to make!? Are you putting the contents in a box or will the label be attached to a bag?

@@MandM2014 - I did not meet with any of the "Lomas approved" photogs because I knew in advance I wasn't going to use any of them (either didn't like the work, the price, or some combo thereof). I wanted to check for a videographer & DJ at the BDR but got sidetracked debating decor and tastings so everyone was gone by the time I was able to work on that. I too thought it odd that some are only approved at certain Karisma resorts and not all. I met with Sascha Gluk (CancunPhotos) and Blue Lens Caribe. Both were very nice. We went with Sascha because my fiance and I both loved his work and he provided a lot of really helpful info to consider when picking your wedding location and time (e.g., the best time to have your ceremony based on the time of year you get married; the best time to capture the light at just the right angle as it moves between buildings at Azul Beach, the best locations for great beach & sunset shots post ceremony etc...).

@@MandM2014 - no thanks needed! I look forward to hearing about your trip. I did not measure anything while I was there because we were torn about which resort we would go with, and the onsite coordinators assured us they could provide whatever measurements I would need, should I later decide I need them. If I had to do it again, I think I would POSSIBLY measure the ceremony gazebos only because I am thinking about bringing my own fabric to drape. I would have definitely measured this if I knew for certain which ceremony site/resort I was going with. Since we were considering the sky decks at Generations (which hasn't been built yet) and Azul Sensatori, I didn't because I felt they most likely wouldn't be the same size.

@@kmk2016 - Thanks! yeah, initially I felt as if I should have listened to my fiance and skipped the whole planner (I purchased the Knot's Ultimate Planner) but have since made good use of it. I added a binder 3 whole punch so I could quickly put paperwork in there as I go along. While it isn't a perfect "fit" for destination wedding planning, I tweaked it to make it work. I purchased that one because I got "caught up" and was too lazy to make my own. Initially, I thought keeping everything online would work but quickly found it was helpful to have "real" paper and help me better visualize all the moving parts. Once I put things in the binder, I realized there was a lot of stuff I could get rid of and other stuff I needed to get and add. @@AllieH - thanks for that tip re only doing a cutting cake! It looks like we may have more people than we initially anticipated and are thinking of doing a beach BBQ reception rather than a sit down dinner. Thanks as always!

@@MandM2014 - The one thing I regret is not being more organized. I didn't take my planning binder down with me that contains a zip pouch for putting brochures, business cards etc in. We met a guy who makes wonderful cigars while we were there and he gave my fiance his card. We wanted to use him for either our welcome reception or wedding reception but can't find the card. The other reason I wish I had my binder was because I made a spreadsheet to write notes down about things that were important to me about each resort (reception locations, backup ceremony sites, notes re the onsite wedding coordinator etc...). This also would have come in handy during the actual Dress Rehearsal event because you meet people from Lomas, the onsite resort staff, get pricing on the decor options etc. Also, if you haven't already done so, make a list or small notebook for noting anything you think will be useful for guests. We noted things re getting through customs, things the pesky trip/timeshare people will say to try to get you to stop (they told us they needed to check our visa to ensure it was stamped!), etc... and visit places like Cancun, Playa, the WalMart etc...to note any shops you really liked and think guests will enjoy visiting. Initially my fiance thought I was being "extra" with the mini journal and frequently stopping to jot things down but it was helpful because we'd forgotten a lot of what we observed/chatted about while there. This also helped remind me of things I wanted to note when I did our website. Have fun!

@@kmk2016 - Taste, texture and moisture perspective we liked the "Strawberry Cake" (yellow cake with cut up strawberries and a custard/cream (made me think of a strawberry shortcake sans whip cream icing), followed by the "red velvet" (which I initially thought was a "strawberry cake" because it was pink and very porous, kinda like the texture of a banana nut or apple spice muffin). The red velvet didn't taste like a true red velvet but it was again, one of 2nd best in terms of moisture and taste. The chocolate was really dry and in cupcake form almost had more of a fudge brownie like consistency. The vanilla was just "ok". They had several other flavors to sample but only the "strawberry" and red velvet stood out. My fiance did NOT like the cake pops. I admit, they tasted like they weren't completely baked all the way and were a little on the gummy/grit of uncooked cake batter texture the more you bit into them. In terms of how it looked, the Chef did fondant on the sample wedding cake & cake pops. He did buttercream (which was good) on the cupcakes. From what I have seen of the cakes posted, I agree with your spot on description. The pics I have seen were all icing (guessing they went with buttercream) which doesn't seem to hold up well in a warm/humid environment. I'm not a huge fan of fondant but will definitely be going that route because it will hold up better - especially if we have an outdoor reception. While my sweets loving picky fiance really liked the buttercream icing over the fondant, he agreed we should go that route and feels we risk the cake looking like my 9 year old niece & friends made it if we don't. @@MandM2014 - CONGRATS & enjoy! My fiance & I both wish we could go again!

Thanks Tammy! I still cannot believe (and do not truly understand how) I thought TA's steer clients to certain resort chains.

@@kmk2016 - LOL I hear you re your fiance. Mine is the same way. My fiance was in love with Sensatori's teen club room because they had video games like xbox and play station but also a pool table. The planner Paola was awesome and mad the mistake of telling him that adult guests could use the teen club if there were no teens staying at the resort. Since our wedding is in February, he was super excited about him and his friends being able to take advantage of this. I honestly think you cannot go wrong. I look forward to hearing what you ultimately decide. Some dishes we (but he especially) loved were the Chiliquiles (sp?) breakfast dish (nachos with chicken, cheese, a creamy tomato sauce topped with an semi-over easy egg), Lobster Ravioli (at the Italian restaurant), and the Lemon Pie (had a cheesecake texture but lemony taste). He hates cheesecake but oddly LOVED the lemon pie.

Hi @@kmk2016 - no thanks needed! I'm happy to help and be able to share info! You will be just fine. While a good number were couples, there were also a good number of other planning pairs. We met a lot of mother of the bride/bride pairs as well as bride/moh or bestfriend pairs. These pairs mainly had fiances who wanted nothing to do with the trip. I was prepared to take my mom or a good friend with me until I mentioned the food tasting part. My fiance is BEYOND particular about food and didn't want to risk not being able to make an informed food choice on our menu so he got over himself and came along. In the end he was glad he did. In terms of size, the event is pretty large. There were easily 20-30 other couples/planning pairs in attendance. We stayed at Azul Beach & here were only 2 other couples. There were more who got on the shuttle at Azul Sensatori (about 5-6 couples) and countless others when we got to El Dorado Royale. I think this is because fewer couples were factoring in kids. Those of us staying at the Azuls did so because we have kids who'll be attending our weddings. CONGRATS & Happy Planning!

@@MrandMrsBonitto2016 - we have our resort which is Generations Riviera Maya so my niece can be in the wedding but our guests can stay at El Dorado Royale next door, which is all adult. The other nice thing about Generations is that adult guests staying there have full access to El Dorado. For save the dates, I did emails and have ordered retro styled postcards to send to those relatives & family friends who don't use email or social media. I'm now working on invites. What about you? Have you decided on a resort?

Thanks ChristienEarnest - very true words!

When last I wrote, I was heading to Mexico for a marathon weekend of site visits & feeling super confident that I had this Destination Wedding planning thing all figured out. That was all true until I attended our front-runner resort's wedding planning weekend. Prior to attending this event , I felt strongly about not using a Travel Agent with "ties" (aka certifications) to a specific resort brand/company. I wanted to work with a highly impartial Agent/Agency to help us narrow down & ultimately choose the best resort(s) for our wedding weekend. I am not ashamed to admit that my approach was a bit narrow (if not naive) and resulted in lot of unnecessary work & wasted time as we moved forward with our planning. I believe in being very candid, so I will share that I felt like a real idiot for not having gone with a "preferred" Travel Agent in the first place - especially once I later realized most Agents hold certifications/preferred status with several resort brands and not just one or two. I really flip flopped about sharing this "hard knock" - ultimately opting to share this lesson with the hopes of helping others avoid my costly & time consuming mistake. I say "costly" because not only were countless hours wasted but our first TA charged a fee for her services. We paid the fee without hesitation despite reading in my Knot's Destination Wedding Guide that you should not pay such fees. We did so because, again, I really wanted to work with someone I felt was totally impartial to help us choose the best resort for our vision/needs & save me from further confusing myself. My fiance went along because according to him, I am steering this ship. In chatting with other couples at the planning event in Mexico, we quickly realized the benefit of using an Agent who is "well connected (aka resort brand "certified" or "preferred") as opposed to one who is not. Thanks to their "connected" TA's, these couples enjoyed great perks like complimentary upgrades to amazing suites and were able to split their stay between respective top choice properties in that brand, over the course of the weekend. We, on the other hand, spent our entire stay at one property because our now former TA was unaware we could split up our stay (as long as the properties were under that brand/company). We also did not receive the same amazing room upgrade, which would have aided us in our resort selection. We further learned of certain wedding perks (e.g. free event, better discounted group rates, additional food/beverage credits etc...) these couples were receiving courtesy of their connected TAs. Couple after couple asked us which perk we were considering only to be met with our blank stares followed by an "oh, we didn't know about that" . By the end of the event, we realized just how clueless we were & that we had a lot to think about & discuss with our TA. Since we were otherwise really happy with now former TA, we shared what we learned with her and asked if she could match the perks we learned about. Unfortunately, she was unable to do so, which forced us to have to "break up" with her. I hated having to do so & felt awful about it but my fiance (the all-business numbers guy) pointed out that we have to make the best choice for our budget & guests, and put personal feelings aside when it comes to making financial decisions regarding the wedding. While he is right, it did not make the decision any easier. So you may be asking, what exactly did I learn other than "everything is better with preferred status!"? Here are the key points I learned & should have considered when initially picking a Travel Agent to help with our planning: 1) Do Your Homework - while it is important to interview your TA to assess fit and expertise (as mentioned in my previous post), it is just as important to do your homework on the various deals/perks available at resorts you think you may be interested in. While I checked out the deals & perks listed on respective resort websites, I neglected to do so from a travel agent/company perspective. Had I taken the time to look for perks offered through various travel agencies specializing in destination weddings, I would have realized that they aren't necessarily partial to one resort brand over another, and more quickly seen the benefit of working with a preferred agency from the beginning. This also would have eliminated the need to break up with our otherwise wonderful TA. Another homework point is to ask about next steps once you have locked in (e.g. signed contracts for your date and room block). Some TA's hand you off to a domestic wedding planning team that serves as an initial point of planning contact. These teams often experience high turnover and are greatly delayed in responding to your questions. Other TAs will hand you off to a wedding planning team in your wedding location (in my case Mexico) but remain in the loop as you work with that team to bring your vision to life. By staying in the loop, the TA can help move things along and ensure your concerns are being adequately & timely addressed. This also enables the TA to better advocate on your behalf should something you requested not be provided once onsite. 2) Get referrals - early on, I opted not to work with one travel agency because I had read more negative than positive reviews of that company's agents. After speaking with several happy brides at the event, I learned of some great Agents with that same company and was subsequently referred to one that several brides raved about. After speaking with the Agent, we realized the raves were truly merited & ultimately chose to go with that Agent because their company offered all of the perks we were looking for. This has decreased some of our wedding expenses & provided us with an even better discounted group rate than we were previously quoted. 3) It Never Hurts To Ask - in the event you find yourself in a similar situation, do not "hit the gas" and jump ship on your TA unless you are unhappy with his/her service in general. A good TA works really hard and aims to provide top notch service, so it is only fair to give him/her the opportunity to either match the offer you found or secure comparable discounts/perks. While this did not work out in my situation, it worked in a friend's situation. Her agent was unable to match the deal she found elsewhere, but was able to obtain discounts that were financially comparable to the deal she found. I hope you find this helpful and avoid my mistakes! I also hope this does not offend anyone in the destination wedding travel industry. As previously mentioned, my goal is to help fellow destination brides make informed decisions and hopefully avoid pitfalls experienced by myself (and maybe others) along the way. Happy Planning! xo, girlinthecity97

Awww it will go by fast. I initially thought I had time & now feel the pressure! I wish I'd been like you and done research on sites like this far in advance. A friend of mine was like you and her planning was a breeze because she had all her ideas locked down and locked in rates 1.5 years out, which was a big saving.

Hi All: My fiance sent this list of wedding Groupon deals and I thought I would share. Happy planning ladies! Visit Wedding Shop Wedding Dresses Wedding Dresses Classic and unique wedding dresses in 18 styles with standard and plus-size options; made of luxurious satin, chiffon,... $1098 $249.99 View Deal Blue Nile Fine Jewelry and Gifts Online retailer offers engagement rings, wedding jewelry, bridesmaid and groomsman gifts, and diamond education $200 $100 View Deal Eddie Domani Men's 2-Piece Tuxedo Eddie Domani 2-Piece Tuxedo This classic black tuxedo with shiny lapels is given a modern twist in the form of its... $398 $119.99 View Deal 1-Carat Certified Diamond Solitaire Ring in 14K Gold 1-Carat Diamond Solitaire Ring A single 1-carat round diamond sparkles from atop a thin, unadorned band for a timeless... $5425 $1299.99 View Deal Manhattan Ballroom Dance Ballroom-Dance Classes Competitive dancers, including international champions, lead classes in Latin and American social-dance styles $190 $59 View Deal MissNowMrs.com Married Name-Changing Service Time-saving service featured in New York Times walks newlyweds through necessary forms... $29.95 $14.95 View Deal Personalized Monogram Locket Necklace Personalized Monogram Locket Round or oval locket danging from a silver chain comes etched with your initials and... $89 $29.99 View Deal Brazil Bronze Glow Bar Brazil Bronze Glow Bar Custom, full-body spray tans use a 95% organic formula $60 $29 View Deal House of Cupcakes Cupcake Wars Winner Desserts Baked goods store offers 38 delectable flavors, such as the Cupcakes Wars... $75 $37.50 View Deal Canvas On Demand Groupon's Best: Canvas on Demand Ideal for wedding memories, textured artist canvas is gallery wrapped with personal... $126.95 $29.99 View Deal 0.50 or 1.00 CTTW Stud Earrings in 14K Gold by Aurora Diamond Collection Stud Earrings in 14K Gold Add a timeless piece to your jewelry collection with these sparkling diamond solitaire stud earrings in elegant 14K white... $1299.99 $399.99 View Deal BookATailor Bespoke Suit and Shirts Skilled tailors take clients' measurements and customize each suit and shirt with fabrics made in Italy and England $198 $99 View Deal Vistaprint Invitations from Vistaprint Choose from thousands of templates or design your own for an engagement, birth... $108 $54 View Deal Metamorphosis Day Spa Spa Services Choice of metamorphosis signature massage, organic or microdermabrasion facial, or body wrap $150 $85 View Deal Arthur Murray Manhattan Fifth Avenue Dance Centers Dance-Lesson Packages Seasoned dance instructors impart styles such as the cha-cha, foxtrot, or mambo during private lessons and group classes $320 $69 View Deal Picaboo Custom Hardcover Photo Books Professionally constructed hardcover books filled with personal photos on... $34.99 $12 View Deal

Hi All - My fiance sent me the following deals he saw on Groupon and I thought I'd pass on the info. Happy Planning! Visit Wedding Shop Wedding Dresses Wedding Dresses Classic and unique wedding dresses in 18 styles with standard and plus-size options; made of luxurious satin, chiffon,... $1098 $249.99 View Deal Blue Nile Fine Jewelry and Gifts Online retailer offers engagement rings, wedding jewelry, bridesmaid and groomsman gifts, and diamond education $200 $100 View Deal Eddie Domani Men's 2-Piece Tuxedo Eddie Domani 2-Piece Tuxedo This classic black tuxedo with shiny lapels is given a modern twist in the form of its... $398 $119.99 View Deal 1-Carat Certified Diamond Solitaire Ring in 14K Gold 1-Carat Diamond Solitaire Ring A single 1-carat round diamond sparkles from atop a thin, unadorned band for a timeless... $5425 $1299.99 View Deal Manhattan Ballroom Dance Ballroom-Dance Classes Competitive dancers, including international champions, lead classes in Latin and American social-dance styles $190 $59 View Deal MissNowMrs.com Married Name-Changing Service Time-saving service featured in New York Times walks newlyweds through necessary forms... $29.95 $14.95 View Deal Personalized Monogram Locket Necklace Personalized Monogram Locket Round or oval locket danging from a silver chain comes etched with your initials and... $89 $29.99 View Deal Brazil Bronze Glow Bar Brazil Bronze Glow Bar Custom, full-body spray tans use a 95% organic formula $60 $29 View Deal House of Cupcakes Cupcake Wars Winner Desserts Baked goods store offers 38 delectable flavors, such as the Cupcakes Wars... $75 $37.50 View Deal Canvas On Demand Groupon's Best: Canvas on Demand Ideal for wedding memories, textured artist canvas is gallery wrapped with personal... $126.95 $29.99 View Deal 0.50 or 1.00 CTTW Stud Earrings in 14K Gold by Aurora Diamond Collection Stud Earrings in 14K Gold Add a timeless piece to your jewelry collection with these sparkling diamond solitaire stud earrings in elegant 14K white... $1299.99 $399.99 View Deal BookATailor Bespoke Suit and Shirts Skilled tailors take clients' measurements and customize each suit and shirt with fabrics made in Italy and England $198 $99 View Deal Vistaprint Invitations from Vistaprint Choose from thousands of templates or design your own for an engagement, birth... $108 $54 View Deal Metamorphosis Day Spa Spa Services Choice of metamorphosis signature massage, organic or microdermabrasion facial, or body wrap $150 $85 View Deal Arthur Murray Manhattan Fifth Avenue Dance Centers Dance-Lesson Packages Seasoned dance instructors impart styles such as the cha-cha, foxtrot, or mambo during private lessons and group classes $320 $69 View Deal Picaboo Custom Hardcover Photo Books Professionally constructed hardcover books filled with personal photos on... $34.99 $12 View Deal

@@MrandMrsBonitto2016 - LOL trust me, you will! The more time you spend on this site, the more you will find to post a comment to. Besides, If I was in your shoes, I'd take my time & post my heart out. Unfortunately, I caved because I'm impatient & am racing to knock out as much as I can as quickly as possible. One friend was like "relax, you have time" but I really don't. February 2015 will be here way before I know it. I can't believe April is here & flying.

@@MrandMrsBonitto2016 - it will come faster than you think. I threw in the towel around the 75 mark & paid the $30 only to hit 150 very shortly thereafter LOL. Live & learn!

@@jhare6714 - major CONGRATS!! That's so exciting your wedding day is fast approaching! I don't much about Sarani so I'm going to leave that feedback to the true experts on this site. As for a set up fee, I don't believe Karisma/Lomas will allow you to do the set up yourself, but they do charge a fee (much cheaper than using their stuff) of something like "up to $5/person" with a cap of $250 to set your things up for you. I'm sure pros like @@AllieH will chime in with more/better info.

@@linaco80 - glad the info helps and is what you were looking for. Vendor Fee: We LOVED the photog so we have to pay the $800 vendor fee for him because he is not a Lomas vendor. Pictures are something we both agree is a "MUST" so my fiance is ok with paying the vendor fee for this. However, he is NOT ok with paying another fee for video so we'll be going with a Lomas vendor. Some of the Lomas vendors (1 or 2 DJs, a photog and videographer I think) were at the Dress Rehearsal but I didn't make it over there because I was focused on getting decor info and tasting the cake since I'd read mixed reviews about the Karisma cakes. Family-Friendly Karisma: We too are restricted to family friendly resorts because my 9 year old niece will be in the wedding. So we picked the Azuls, opting to stay at Azul Beach based on the reviews & pics. While we LOVED the sky deck, we didn't like that the size & fact that it was dominated by families with really small children. We are getting married over a holiday weekend and know many if not all of our guests will be coming without their children (excluding my sister & brother-in-law who'll be bringing my niece) as a nice long weekend getaway. Also, we know many (including our moms will want unobstructed views of the ocean). Azul didn't have many rooms with such views because of the way it is set up. We wanted a resort that would give guests the option of not being surrounded by kids. We also learned it was actually the most expensive of the Karisma family-friendly resorts. Based on this, Azul Sensatori moved up on our list as did Generations. We were really torn but decided to go with Generations once we confirmed we could lock in at 2014 discounted rates. We also felt Generations was truly the best fit for what we wanted because it offers oceanfront rooms (a huge "must" for our mother's want/would be expecting true oceanfront) and allows guests to have an all-adult experience at El Dorado Royale. Adult guests at Generations can also go over to El Dorado so we felt this gave us the maximum bang not only for us but our guests. Vendor Meetings - once I received confirmation from Karisma to attend the Dress Rehearsal, I reached out to the photo & video teams that were my front runners to set up meetings. I explained that I may need some flexibility because I wasn't sure about the timeline and they were ok with that. We agreed that I would confirm the times once I arrived. I set up those appointments based on guestimates and info from another bride who attended the Dress Rehearsal and thankfully it worked out. I confirmed the appointment times with them via email once I got to the resort and saw the weekend itinerary. When notifying the front desk (who informs security of your guests so they can come on property), I didn't get into details regarding who they were etc. It's none of their business LOL. I just said I was expecting the following guests at the "x" and "y" times for a meeting in the lobby. I then hung out in the lobby to greet them & assure anyone who asked that we were only meeting in the lobby.

Everything is coming together so nicely! Sooo happy for you and can't wait to see your beautiful pics!