JenniferH114

@CaroV - I do have the entertainment price list if you want to give me your email address I can send them to you. The general wedding package information is available on the website and it is accurate. The only "perk" they offer is $850 off any wedding package if you book the Excellence Club for 7 nights or if you have 5 rooms of any category booked for at least 7 nights. We booked the Excellence Club. Hopefully these links work...

http://www.excellence-resorts.com/weddings-romance/weddings/packages-and-promotions?phpMyAdmin=vexSgyLRpncstaZE74-dT3d-yfe

http://www.excellence-resorts.com/media/EG_Fact%20Sheet%20Weddings_3730.pdf

Jessica Moreno is our wedding coordinator and she is awesome!! It is typical for responses to take a couple days, but now I am used to it and she has always answered every question and confirmed every request. We locked in most of our decisions in November/December, so we've been pretty set on the resort end of things. I still have questions that come up, though, and she has been really helpful. More recently I asked for our current invoice and everything matched up perfectly to a spreadsheet I have been keeping, so they are on top of things.

Flowers are included in the packages and you can pay additional for upgraded bouquets. The gold package includes a band for about an hour, which we are using during our cocktail hour. The DJ is $1300 for four hours. We are bringing all of our own decor, but they do include a couple of things but you would have to ask about specific ideas you have.

@CaroV - We were impressed with ERC during our site visit, but I haven't been to EPM so I can't comment much on it other than saying I've heard it's awesome and people have their preference for various reasons. I am rather picky and we have traveled quite a bit, so I have plenty to compare to. There is seagrass at the beach from what I've heard, but it's cleaned frequently and I'm not concerned one bit in terms of pictures. In doing research on the resort, I googled lots of professional wedding photographers' portfolios for weddings at different resorts, particularly ERC. I think it gives a much more realistic expectation of what to expect on your day. I've never noticed seagrass in any of their pictures, especially because of where the beach ceremony gazebo is located. Overall, I think the beach area is very nice and quite large. The wedding gazebo is at the end of the resort, which I really like. It's not right in the middle of the beach where all the traffic is. I haven't heard anything significant regarding the resort being dated. It's definitely not resort with super modern decor, though.  They also just did a number of improvements starting this past September and finished more recently. Everyone has their own preferences in terms of resorts. We liked the style of the ERC, but that's not to say that EPM isn't awesome either. I've heard and continue to hear wonderful things about both. I still actually read reviews of ERC from time to time just to keep myself in the loop.

We are doing the Gold package, which is the best option available, and it's $45 per additional guest over 20 people, but that covers everything included (ceremony, cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres and four hour reception with five course meal). We also added a DJ, hired a private fire and percussion show, and hired an outside photographer. Even with all of that, I think we are getting a lot for the price. ERC (and I'm sure EPM) really includes a lot in their packages in my opinion, and as compared to what I've heard from other brides (being charged for chairs and napkins?!?! crazy!).

There is no nightlight nearby. Playa del Carmen and Cancun are both car rides away (about 30 mins). That wasn't a concern for us, though. The dance club did turn into a sports bar, but it is still open until 1am.

Of course, everyone has different wants and needs so it's important to know what things are most important to you. We knew we wanted a higher end, adults only resort in a location that our guests could fly to non-stop from Chicago. Price was also important. Some of our guests are paying $2500 for three nights per couple, and that was the most we felt comfortable asking people to pay. (We have a number of other guests staying longer but that was their choice - six nights was in the $3200 range.)

@smileitseb - Just an FYI, most resorts do not serve beer in bottles. Those ponchos are so cute. I just wanted to mention it in case the intention was for people to use them at the resort.

@@CaroV - Check out the Excellence Riviera Cancun. I'm obviously partial because we are getting married there in about two months. We did a site visit at the end of November and we were so impressed, so we are confident we made a great decision. It's adults only and it's a higher end resort, so travel packages won't be as inexpensive as some other places, but you'll have to figure out what price range you are looking for. In terms of the wedding, I've read a lot of different posts on here and I feel like we are getting an AWESOME deal in terms of everything we are getting and added to our package. I cannot speak to how large of a party they will accept, but I do know that every person over 20 is an additional pp cost.

If you have more specific questions, let me know. Good luck!

We never had to put down a deposit. Our payment is due when we meet and confirm everything with our WC.

@vancouverpetunia - We are ordering from Maracas Mexico. They are located in Mexico, but you will still have to pay shipping because they are in Puerto Vallarta. If you are just getting the papel picado, shipping will likely be less expensive. It is $100(US) for them to ship our order.

http://www.maracasmexico.com/

@Jewilso23 - I think you have time still, but if you already know which resort you want it is probably better to lock it in. Our resort didn't require a deposit, just our travel confirmation. We locked everything in July 2014 and we are getting married in two months. We also booked our photographer in July, too. I am a planner, though, so most of the major decisions were made by the end of 2014.

Good luck and congratulations! It will go by so quickly!

To any ladies who have been to the ERC before... What size glasses do they use to serve drinks in? I'm not asking for any reason other than just being curious. We've stayed at resorts that used super tiny cups and we've stayed at ones that used full-sized glasses (plastic). Obviously, the larger glasses are preferred because it saves on trips to the bar. (I usually bring my own tumbler anyways.)

Hi Ladies! I know tumblers have been discussed on here 1000 times, but I think we are going to scrap that idea and go with something else now. The question is... what else could we put in our bags to take the place of the tumblers, which were going to be a "nicer" gift. We decided to go with something else only because we don't think a lot of our guests would make use of the tumblers, or at least not enough to make it worth the purchase. (Of course, you're never going to get everyone to use everything you put in there.)

We already have the following for our bags, plus custom paper fans for the ceremony and custom maracas for the reception:

@@Sabes44 - We ate plenty of fresh fruit and veggies (salad, etc.) when we were in Cozumel a few months ago and had no issues. Most major resorts serve only filtered water as their "tap" water. People probably don't think about it, but a lot of these resorts serve guacamole regularly and that contains avocado (a fresh fruit) and fresh veggies (tomato, onion). I'm sure people probably eat that without even thinking about it. Same goes for any sort of fresh pico de gallo. Of course, anything can end up not sitting well with someone's stomach, but, as a whole, I think these resorts realize this is a major concern for them and they would lose a lot of business if they were getting people sick all the time. I think they take certain measures to try to limit these issues. I have also heard in addition to the area getting more filtration systems, many of the resorts at least have their own water filtration systems.

@@Giocivs88 - We locked in our ceremony time and locations pretty much right away, which was last July. At the time, I wasn't sure how many (if multiple) weddings are per day and I wanted to make sure we got the locations we wanted. Looking back, it is really a non-issue, but it certainly didn't hurt. We also booked our photographer last July. Pretty much all of the other big decisions (menus, DJ, fire show, setting hair appts, etc.) were made before the holidays (November & December). We are bringing our own centerpieces and décor. I think the only thing I really have left to decide on through ERC are the flowers, but I'm honestly okay with choosing those when we get there. We also have to submit our questionnaire/info sheet to the DJ, but that's not a huge deal. We have a couple more things to order for OOT bags and favors, but we are waiting until the RSVP date (two more weeks), just in case. So, other than those last few items, we are ready to go!

A few people in our group expressed interest in doing an excursion while they are there (ourselves included). I'm just wondering if anyone has any specific tour recommendations for the Riviera Maya and Tulum areas. We'll be in Puerto Morelos, so I think Tulum is about as far as we'd be willing to go for this particular tour. I found a few that I'm eyeing online (Edventure Tours and Yuca Treks), but I thought I would also ask around.

We are mostly interested in seeing some ruins, cenotes and snorkeling. (We love snorkeling!) I also like exploring local towns, so that would be a bonus. Basically, if we are going to take up a whole day for an excursion, I would like it to be as inclusive as possible.

I've also heard good things about Isla Mujeres.

@@calgarybride2015 - Same here. We are getting in on Wednesday and married on Saturday. I could see why they do it, especially because I'm sure plenty of couples make some of their planning decisions at the resort during their meeting with the WC so they need time to prep everything.

@@nadiakat17 @@calgarybride2015 - The requirement for symbolic weddings is for planning purposes. Most resorts require 2+ full days to allow for a meeting and being able to get everything in order.

@@Julianne - There is a requirement to be in the country a certain amount of days before your legal marriage because you have to complete paperwork, get your blood tests, etc. I'm not sure how or if going off of a resort would change this requirement but it would not eliminate it completely. As previously mentioned, getting legally married in Mexico has the potential to be a pain and much more expensive. That being said, some still choose to go that route and have not had issues. We are doing symbolic, but I'm sure other brides on here could better speak to their experiences or plans with a legal wedding. Good luck!

@Wafflesmom - We did ours during a trip to New Orleans, which has special meaning to us. After doing some research, we hired a local independent photographer whose work we really liked. He charged us $400. He ended up being awesome!! We spent about three hours with him, which included walking and taking photos all over the French Quarter, an outfit change at our hotel and even a cocktail break.  He ended up sending us somewhere between 100-125 edited photos on a disc a few weeks following our shoot.

When we go on trips, I wear my engagement ring by and in the pool, snorkeling/excursions, etc. I've never had any issues, but, of course, it's insured just in case. I place all of my valuables in the safe when we are not in the room. I think the important factor for the safe is that it is one where you input a new lock code each time you re-open and close it. That way, only you know the code. I would imagine most places have these kinds of safes now. Another thing that we frequently do is keep the do not disturb sign on the door so that we do not get any housekeeping service (or you could get it once every few days instead of every day). This will at least limit the traffic flow in your room.

@Wrathwitch - Sorry this is so delayed, but thank you for the review!! It's always helpful to hear what others have experienced, both the positive and negative. Overall, it sounds like you had a beautiful wedding!! If you think of anything else to share, please do!

Thankfully, we'll basically have an extra room to use the day of because my sister is staying in a room by herself. I'm guessing that will be the get ready room for the girls.

@LisaAnthonyPoppy - Knock on wood and never say never, but I have traveled quite a bit and I have never had this happen to me nor have I heard of it happening to anyone else. Of course, I always keep an eye on my belongings at all times, even when going through security screenings. I have been randomly searched from time to time and have never even been asked to step away from my bags. Quite frankly, if someone were to ask me to step away from my bags for any reason (without at least leaving my fiancé to watch them) I would refuse. I often travel with valuables, so I don't mess around when it comes to watching my stuff.

One suggestion I have is to carry the rings in something more inconspicuous than a ring box. At least that way if someone does have to search your bags they're not sticking out like a sore thumb and no one would even know you're traveling with them.

@Smellsey - That is one of the packages that is offered through the resort, regardless of where you are coming from. You can actually view the different package details on the Excellence's website. When we were first looking at resorts we knew we wanted adults-only, but we also didn't want to feel like we were being "nickel and dimed" for every little thing. We feel in love with our resort and the wedding packages offered were awesome, so we went with it. Our WC has been awesome, too. 

@Smellsey - We have 25 guests + bride & groom right now and I'm pretty sure it will stay at that number.

Our initial package (we chose the best option) is $2400, but we got $850 off for the room category we booked. That package includes the symbolic ceremony, flowers, my hair & make-up, cocktail hour with passed hors d'oeuvres, the band during the cocktail hour, four hour reception with five course meal and open bar, cake, etc. It is actually a really great package. This package price includes 20 people and it's $45 per person over 20.

The private welcome party is $25 per person.

Our photographer is Juan Navarro and he is running about $2100 for six hours of coverage with an assistant and the resort charges a $500 outside vendor fee.

@@RandL2015 - Wait until Southwest's airfare for that time is released. They are often the least expensive and you get two bags free per person. All of our guests booked airfare and hotel packages together so their rates have been locked in. I find that prices are better that way than booking separately. Good luck!! It'll all work out.

I posted this on a similar thread but here is our rough estimate...

We are at about $8500 right now, not including our ten day trip. We have 27 guests as of right now (including bride and groom). Here's a summary of some of the bigger things our price includes, whether we added them or they were included in our package:

- Private welcome dinner (four courses and open bar for two hours)

- Ceremony (including officiant, flowers, sound system...)

- Cocktail hour with 8 different types of passed hors d'oeuvres and a caribbean trio/band

- 4 hour reception with five course meal (steak and lobster) and open bar

- DJ during reception (4 hours)

- Private fire and percussion show on the beach (before reception - 45 mins)

- Outside photog for six hours & outside vendor fee for photog

- Purchase of custom maracas, paper fans and papel picado from a company in Mexico

We did get $850 off of our wedding package because of the room category we booked. Realistically, we are probably closer to $10k because we didn't really keep track of a budget on OOT bags, various other decoration items we bought and are bringing, paper goods (e.g. menus, invites), etc. Also, this doesn't include my dresses, rings, jewelry, etc.. This is really just "day of"/resort stuff, if that makes sense.

If I had to estimate/guess how much everything is costing, including our trip/honeymoon, rings (wedding bands), dresses, gifts, other accessories, it's probably somewhere between $22k - $25k.

@dathotgal - Every resort is different, but one thing I'd recommend checking right away is how many people are included in whatever package you may get and then how much it is per additional person. From what I've been hearing, many resort wedding packages only include 20-25 people. I know our resort (not in Jamaica) includes 20 people and we have to pay $45 per person after that. Also, as someone else mentioned, be careful of resorts that charge for every little thing (e.g. chairs, linens, etc.). That will add up very quickly, especially with sixty guests.

@TaraMarie33 - We are at about $8500 right now, not including our ten day trip. We have 27 guests as of right now (including bride and groom). Here's a summary of some of the things our price includes, whether we added them or they were included in our package:

 - Private welcome dinner (four courses and open bar for two hours)

 - Ceremony

 - Cocktail hour with 8 different types of passed hors d'oeuvres

 - 4 hour reception with five course meal (steak and lobster) and open bar

 - DJ during reception

 - Private fire and percussion show on the beach (before reception)

 - Outside photog for six hours & outside vendor fee for photog

 - Purchase of custom maracas, paper fans and papel picado from a company in Mexico

I think those are the main items included in the $8500. We did get $850 off of our wedding package because of the room category we booked. Realistically, we are probably closer to $10k because we didn't really keep track of a budget on OOT bags, various other decoration items we bought and are bringing, paper goods (e.g. menus, invites), etc. Also, this doesn't include my dresses, rings, jewelry, etc.. This is really just "day of"/resort stuff, if that makes sense.

What is nice, though, is that we are not really getting charged for a bunch of individual items at the resort, such as napkins, chairs, etc. All of that is included, unless you want to upgrade, of course.

I could go into more detail but I don't want to bore you.

@rachelia160 - I'm sorry to hear that you're being put in this situation. It would definitely bother me if I were in your shoes. Of course, I don't know your family dynamic or the dynamic between you and your friend's/mom's friend's family, but my piece of advice would be to speak to the mother directly, and not go through your friend. I'm assuming that the mother was the one who gave the okay for her son to invite friends. If you want to be clear about your opinion in the matter, I think it's best to address the situation directly. You can even approach it lightheartedly and start off, "Well, this is kind of awkward..." It doesn't mean it has to be an overly serious discussion but she'd probably have the ultimate say in terms of communicating the plans with her son and his friends, so I think it's best to talk to her. As someone else mentioned, while your parents are paying for the wedding, it's still your wedding. Weddings are very personal events. You have to draw the line somewhere. I think it's only fair (to you).