Summary:
Miami Coordinator: Marlyn Tobon
On-Site Wedding Coordinator: Was supposed to be Claudia but she has emergency surgery or something so I had Valeria Vera Garcia when I got there.
Wedding Date: Saturday, April 16, 2011

Room Block: Nizuc Side
Rehearsal Dinner: Friday April 15^th  7:00 p.m. at Venado Terrace

Ceremony: 5:00 p.m. – Immaculate Catholic Chapel

Civil Cervice

Cocktail Party 5:30ish – 6ish Tucan garden
Reception: 6:00pm-10:00pm Tucan Terrace
Bride & Groom + 56 guests

 

Moon Palace has free wifi and free calls to the US and Canada.  So if you put your phone on airplane mode you are connected.  This was really helpful since we got there earlier than most people.

 

The Moon Palace is a great place to have your wedding…especially if you have a large party.  The food wasn’t awesome at all the places but really good compared to most all-inclusive resorts.  Breakfast was everyone’s favorite meal.

 

We did the complimentary package so we could mix and match and because we knew we would have enough room nights.  I can’t remember exactly what everything cost that we added but I will try as I go along.

 

 

Tuesday 4/12 – arrival day.  Our room was ready so we put our stuff down and went to the pool.  One of my bridesmaids was already there.  We were in the Armadillo building.  Our room had a pool and ocean view.  At about 4 I had a trial run with my hair at the Nizuc salon.  I didn’t realize there was more than one salon until I got there and I am glad there was so I didn’t have to go all the way to the golf course.  Doris did my hair there and I had brought her pictures from when I had my hair done at home.  She did an excellent job.  The only hard part was her getting it high enough.  She really didn’t want to add an extra poof to it.  

 

My bridesmaid and her boyfriend came back up to the room and helped us put our welcome bags together.  We had cozies made and had sunscreen, tums, pepto, advil, aloe, lip balm, insect wipes, and a Sudoku book in them.  

 

That night we went to the Italian Restaurant on the Golf Course.  It was very nice and most of my guest favorite. 

After that we went to the swing bar on the sunrise side which is really fun.

 

Wednesday 4/13 – 

 

We met with Valerie.  She had all the information we went over with Claudia and it was all correct.  She took us to meet with the DVD people and then for the blood work.  Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  We gave the videographer a CD with the songs we wanted on the DVD the. Valeria also never asked about a photographer and why we didn’t need one (a guest was taking the pictures).  We went ahead and gave her the “thank you” gift first.  And I think it really helped for later on.  We spent the rest of the day at the pool. 

Both of our parents got there that day so we went to dinner with them at Arrecifes.  It was really good.  There was another wedding party there having a wedding dinner.  The food and atmosphere was good.  but you have to go to the salad bar…so just think about that if you have a dress on.

 

 

Thursday 4/14 – 

 

More pool and more guests arrived.  I wanted to do a welcome cocktail hour but I didn’t want to have to have a “function”.  So I just put on the itinerary for everyone to meet at Los Tacos.  Well it was a good idea but that places closes at 5.  So everyone ended up meeting on the roof of Caribeno (on the grand side) and we ordered a bunch of sushi.  Most people ended up eating at Caribeno but it was kind of a bust.  Oh well…I tried!

Los Tacos at night:

 

Friday 4/15 – 

Rehearsal Dinner

Asian menu

 

My sister and I went for a pedicure and massage.  I would skip the pedicure.  I got one at home before I left and the girl did an awesome job and put UV protecting polish on my toes so there was really no reason to get one.  but it was scheduled so I did.  The massage was really REALLY good.  I recommend doing one.  Especially if you have the points.  Everyone that had one really enjoyed it. 

Most everyone went to Los Tacos for real for lunch.  It was by far my favorite meal.  So good.  They just kept bringing out street tacos for everyone.

 

At 6:30 we had a rehearsal so that our photographer would know where to stand and not be in everyone’s way.  It went really smoothly.  Nothing our of the ordinary.

 

The dinner was at the Venado Terrace.  The centerpieces my MIL had wanted to used were lanterns.  It is REALLY REALLY windy so the MP staff knew they wouldn’t stand up.  So they replaced them.  and I didn’t get charged for it. 

We had an ipod hook up there just to play some music so it’s not just silence and a microphone for speeches.  We had the Asian menu.  I really like it.  Some people didn’t.  but you can’t please everyone.

 

When I did get back there was a coat rack type thing outside of my door.  I thought that was odd…well it’s because my dress was in the room laid out on my bed.  Luckily the groom was not with me.  We did stay in the same room the night before the wedding.  I didn’t want to mess with getting other rooms and things like that.  It just wasn’t that big of a deal to me.

 

Saturday 4/16 (wedding day!!!)-

 

Hair: noon

Pictures: 3:30

Ceremony: 5

Yucatan Menu

  

Extras:

Reception set up: $55

Table top decorations: $180

Rose petals: $35/ bag (enough for 20 guest) – I just bought the rose petals there.  after shipping they really aren’t that much more.  I didn’t want to mess with putting them in a dark closet and having to take them through customs.  I also just used the bridesmaids bouquets and bout inner from the resort.  They were more expensive than some of the outside vendors but still less than a wedding in the states.  To me the extra hassle was just not worth saving a few bucks.  Your wedding day is going to be fast paced no matter what so why add to it waiting for some guy to meet you in the lobby?

 

Complimentary bouquet (after the ceremony)

 

I didn’t get my nails done that day.  I had the gelac nails done before I left in OPI bubble bath so they still looked good.  It’s a really light color that looks close to natural.

 

I went to the Nizuc salon at noon to get my hair done by Doris again.  She did so good.  I really recommend her.  She really likes her job and you can tell.  After that I went back to the room and kind or relaxed.  The photographer took this time to take our rings and do those shots and the dress and the detail type pics.  I didn’t think to bring extra hangers for the dress pictures that looked nicer but there were some in the closet.  

 

At 2 my bridesmaids came and we did some “getting ready” shots and then the photographer went and took pictures of the guys.

 

At 3 my bridesmaids and I went and took some pictures and me and the groom did some first see pictures on the beach.  I cannot stress how windy it is.  It pretty much ripped my veil off.  It’s really quite annoying.  After that we took pictures with the family and all that jazz.  There are some really pretty trees and flowers around the chapel to take pictures around.  So you don’t have to go to the beach.

 

At 5 the ceremony started.  I didn’t want a horse drawn carriage.  I just could not wrap my head around me getting in a horse drawn carriage.  Luckily my room was close to the chapel so Valeria walked my Dad and I to the Monkey building.  You could have also taken a golf cart somewhere close.  We stood behind the building until it was time to go down.  It’s very close and the walk is not long at all.  

 

I gave my iPhone with a playlist to be played for the wedding.  They got all the songs right.  Nothing was messed up.  It’s just a little loud.

 

The acoustics in the chapel are terrible because it’s completely enclosed.  I had no idea what the guy was saying so I might have agreed to Mexican slavery for all I know.  The Groom and I look very confused in most peoples pictures because we are trying to figure out what the guy was saying.  We talked to him afterwards and he lived in Tulsa for 12 years and was very easy to understand.  So it was the acoustics.  The chapel is gorgeous though and I am very glad I didn’t do anything extra but the alter decorations.

 

 

Cocktail hour

 

We took one big group beach picture after that and then my guest went to the cocktail hour and we took some more pictures.  We had brought chair ties and there were extra.  The MP staff used them as decorations for the buffet warmers (were the food is kept).  We did the Superior menu for the cocktail hour.  There were extra vases and decorations on the cocktail table that we were also not charged for.  Just the staff trying to make it look nice I think.

Reception

 

We had 6 tables in all.  I bought 3 of these WonderVases ( HYPERLINK "http://www.amazon.com/WonderVase-Travel-Collapsible-Flower-Vase/dp/B000LPIXIA" http://www.amazon.com/WonderVase-Travel-Collapsible-Flower-Vase/dp/B000LPIXIA) with me.  We put the bridesmaids bouquets in those and they worked wonderfully.  

For the other three tables I brought hurricanes from Hobby Lobby to sink fake flowers in and put a candle on top of.

We just dropped off this stuff at the beginning of the day and they knew what to do with them. The videographer stayed throughout our first dance and the father/daughter and mother/son dances and the cake cutting.

They moved the flowers from the alter to the cake table.    We picked a design that they already had and just had them make it 2 tiers instead of 3.  We had white on bottom and lemon on top.  The menu was the Yucatan buffet.  It was pretty good.  I didn’t really get to eat that much though.

 

We used our own music and the technician there didn’t do much but make sure nothing came unplugged.  I didn’t do any extra lights or anything like that because you are basically on the beach and surrounded by palm trees and it’s beautiful.  We also skipped a bouquet toss and garter toss because those are my least favorite part of weddings.  When it was all done Valeria took us to our room by golf cart.  It was a great experience all around!

 

I will post some more pictures when I get them back from the photographer.

   

Random notes:

I would recommend the Venado and Tucan Terrace if you don’t want to spend a lot on decorations.  They are very close to the beach and have lights and tress already around them.

 

I just kind of went with the flow on everything.  That’s why I chose to have a destination wedding and I just wanted everything to be easy!