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Hello Ladies! I'm planning for my April 2015 wedding and in the process of narrowing down my top resorts in the DR (Punta Cana) and wanted to see if anyone has any particular recommendations or feedback they can provide regarding the "best" resorts and family-friendly as well, since we will have children attending our wedding too. I've been looking at a TON of resorts and really seem to like the Paradisus Palma Real & Punta Cana, Majestic Colonial & Elegance, Dreams Palm Breach, Sanctuary Cap Cana and NOW Larimar. Has anyone recently gotten married at any of these resorts or looking into them as well? I'd also be open to suggestions for any other resorts not mentioned too, since I'm still pretty early in the process of narrowing down my "top picks" and recommendations, feedback, etc. is always a huge plus. I'd also really like to be married on the beach and have our reception elsewhere (inside on "solid ground') as we don't want guests to have to worry about walking around in the sand at dinner. I ideally would love to have the reception in an area with an inside and outside, so guests can be in the AC and out in the fresh air as they choose. I have found a few places that seem to offer this, yet it's always so hard to tell from the pictures and the responses sometimes are a bit vague from the WC's. It's also a little bit difficult since we do have quite a large guest list (about 275) and know for sure that we will have at least 50 people attending (our closest friends and family) and possibly 100-150, but I really think we may only end up with 80-100 in total, although you never know for sure! So we're somewhat limited in choosing locations that only allow for a smaller number of people. I may ask guests to RSVP sooner rather than later, so I know for sure. Another concern of mine is privacy. I know getting married on the beach isn't generally all too private, yet if anyone is aware of resorts that offer more privacy for a beach ceremony, I'd greatly appreciate it! Also, I'll be reserving a private area for the reception to ensure we won't have any "unwanted" guests crashing the wedding. I'm open to suggestions and recommendations for the reception area as well, so feel free to send them on over! It'd also be a huge plus to find a place that has great food too... not just average. However, I know this varies from person to person. I,saw a few posts where people mentioned getting sick. I'm not sure if it was from the food or what, but that definitely scares me quite a bit, since it would really put a damper on my wedding day. Has anyone experienced getting sick themselves or any guests not feeling well? Some of the reviews were a few years old so I'm hoping things have improved at those resorts since then, yet you never really know. Any feedback, suggestions, recommendations, pictures, etc. would be a HUGE help and GREATLY appreciated as this process of narrowing down the resorts is pretty overwhelming for sure!! THANKS SO MUCH!!
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I cannot believe we are less than 3 months away from our destination wedding at Now Jade Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico! The planning has gone by so quickly!! I am finally beginning to feel like I have a lot accomplished, until I look at this site then I feel behind again! Ha-ha! HOW WE MET Christopher and I met in the fall of 2006, when I started as a sophomore in high school. I was 15 and Christopher was 17, a junior in high school. We met one night cosmic bowling with mutual friends at the Bowling Lanes. A mutual friend, Slade, gave us each other’s numbers and we have been inseparable ever since. We officially starting dating on December 3rd, 2006, so this December will mark 8 years together as a couple! OUR ENGAGEMENT When it happened: Saturday, June 15, 2013 I woke up to a note and a bouquet of flowers sitting on the island in their kitchen. The note read "Kacie, Good Morning Sweetheart! As you can see I did get that switch to the day light shift. Please do not make any plans for this afternoon! All I can tell you is to sit back, relax, and wait for further instructions. Love Always, Christopher" Then I received a phone call from Christopher around 2 P.M. and he told her to go downstairs and look in the laundry room cabinet. Another note was placed there with a rose. The note read "Kacie, Hope you had a relaxing morning. This note is to inform you that you should pack an overnight bag with clothes and toiletries for the Pittsburgh area. Once again, after you have that finished sit back, relax, and wait for further instructions. Love Always, Christopher" I thought that, that was the last note and he was going to meet me at home and take me out to Pittsburgh for the night but that wasn't the case. Christopher then called again shortly after 5 P.M. to tell me to go out to the shed and look down to my left. Here I found yet another note! The note read "Kacie, This is the final note for the day. By now you should be all packed up, relaxed, and ready for the Burgh. Now comes the test! Come find me. Do not cheat and use your phone! You should know this; meet me where we first met, leave now! Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! Time is of the essence! Love Always, Christopher" I then drove to the Bowling Lanes where Christopher got down on one knee and proposed. I said 'Yes!' and now we are planning a destination wedding! THE RING The diamond is actually the center diamond to my grandmother’s ring. Chris had me pick out the setting to set the diamond in since it had such a special meaning. This is what I picked; it was designed especially for us! The picture has the wedding band on as well! I love it! NOW JADE RESORT The hardest part of the planning process was picking my resort. My sister got married at Dreams Palm Beach in Punta Cana in 2011, and it was gorgeous! That is when I knew that I was going to have a destination wedding, as well. However, that also means the pressure was on for mine to be just as nice! So, I did a lot of research on the price, location, wedding services, and I came upon Now Jade and fell in love! As you all know, there are so many conflicting reviews about every resort! It is so challenging to go with one without visiting, when my sister picked hers she was never there before and I found that to be crazy but then I did the same! My fiancé and I did, however, visit Now Jade in November 2013, after we already had around 60 people booked! We loved the resort and were very happy about our choice, luckily! The food was amazing, the beach was gorgeous, the pools were awesome, the bars were great, and the rooms were really nice! My biggest concern was food because at Dreams in Punta Cana a lot of her guests got sick, including me, and I didn't want that to happen at my wedding. Although, I am sure someone will have some complaints, they always do! In addition to the great food, I loved the garden area for our reception, and the beach for the ceremony! TRAVEL AGENT We choose the local travel agent that works with Apple Vacations, who also did my sister’s wedding. The rates we got for direct flight, round trip airport transfers to the hotel, and hotel were $1449 per person for 7 nights! I also had an option of 5 days, 4 nights for $1049 per person, which I thought were both very affordable rates for the package! Children under 12 were about $200 less on each package. We have filled all the spots that we had held for guests which bring us to about 80 guests! ASKING OUR WEDDING PARTY We simply sent these cards in the mail to our bridal party and most of them called to respond or sent us a text accepting! We had one groomsmen so far that informed us after he accepted that he could no longer make it and I believe that deserves great respect because a lot of people would just avoid you and not tell you until it was too late, but I respect him for giving us a great amount of time to ask another person. TO THE GROOMSMEN: Pack up your bags, Let’s head to the beach. Have a drink and some sunscreen, Well within reach. The crystal blue waters, The warm Mexican sun. A wedding in paradise, A week full of fun. In just eleven short months, I’ll be marrying my bride. Nothing would make me happier, Than to have you by my side. -Chris TO THE BRIDESMAIDS: Pack up your bags, Let’s head to the beach. Have a drink and some sunscreen, Well within reach. The crystal blue waters, The warm Mexican sun. A wedding in paradise, A week full of fun. In just eleven short months, I'll be a "destination" bride. Nothing would make me happier, Than to have you by my side. Love, Kacie TO THE FLOWER GIRLS: Your uncle and I, Would love to have you by our side. Under the Caribbean sky, you would lead the way for me, the bride! Will you be our flower girl? Love, Kacie and Uncle Christopher TO THE RING BEARERS: At my wedding, under the Mexican sun. I have a BIG & IMPORTANT, job that needs done. And I think you're JUST the big guy to do it! Will you be my ring bearer? Love, Uncle Christopher and Kacie ENGAGEMENT PICTURES We hired Jessica Fike; she serves West Virginia, Maryland, and Southwestern Pennsylvania. http://www.jessicafikephotography.com/ Here are some of our favorites! SAVE THE DATES We ordered our save the dates from Magnetstreet.com, here’s the link to the one’s we got. They are magnets and they are great quality! http://www.magnetstreet.com/devoted-save-the-date-magnets MY ACCESSORIES I ordered this clip for my hair on Etsy! I love it! It matches the lace detail on my dress perfect! I got these barefoot sandals for the ceremony and then I am going to change into flip flops for the reception in the garden. My earrings are borrowed from my sister; she had ordered them for her wedding and did not wear them. The garter also came from Etsy, again with the lace detail. I also ordered a hanger for my dress on Etsy. This is the inspiration for my hair! MY BRIDESMAID DRESSES I chose four different dresses by Mori Lee for my 9 bridesmaids. I left them pick the one that they wanted out of all four, it came out fairly even. I picked the Turquoise color but it is darker than normal turquoise and more elegant looking, in my opinion! FLOWER GIRL DRESSES We ordered these from Etsy. We have 3 flower girls, two are 5 and one is going to be 8 months old. We thought this would be adorable for all of them. These are bags that the flower girls will carry petals in, also from Etsy. GROOM AND GROOMSMEN ATTIRE We ordered the their outfits from Island Importers. I went with the natural colored pants and ivory linen shirts, and the Groom will be wearing a jacket over his shirt so that he stands out from the group. http://www.islandimporter.com/Grooms_Outfits/ WEDDING INVITATION Below is a link to the design we used, I received so many samples from many different websites before deciding to use this one! I am very happy with my choice, it is a beautiful invitation and I got it at a pretty decent price with coupon codes. I would highly recommend ordering samples of invitations because they always send coupons for future orders, and if you are inviting a lot of people, it’s a great discount! http://www.magnetstreet.com/details/market/517/productId/50949?colors=i%3AAAAYh0kUABFkJCoAAAAYpAAPZAAAYSkcAAAYhAAAAAAAAAcC%3A Here’s what ours looks like! OOT BAGS We got bags at Silk Letter and tumbler Cups at Silk Letter and they are both great quality! I didn’t really have a ‘logo’ like some brides do; I just went with a palm tree and our names. The bags are good quality for the beach and we went with the natural color just in case if it would get wet the water wouldn’t make the color fade. The cups are a lighter plastic then normal tumbler cups, but they seem pretty durable and the lids snap on instead of screw on, so they are really easy to use because I always have trouble with the screw on lids working correctly. https://www.silkletter.com/bags/tote-bags/imprinted-colored-cotton-tote-bag.html I got 55 bags for $187.55 and 55 cups for $303.95. We ordered different cups and bags for our wedding party. https://www.silkletter.com/drinkware/travel-cups-mugs-1/plastic-travel-mugs-tumblers/custom-logo-16-oz-economy-double-wall-tumbler.html Also, in the bags we are putting a note in the cups, shown below, with our favorite drinks. I thought it was an inexpensive personal touch! A lip balm, with 15 SPF is also in each of the cups. I got the lip balm from The Knot. http://weddingshop.theknot.com/personalized-lip-balm-tube-favors.aspx Luggage tags were placed on the handles of the bags, as well. For couples, I just did one bag with two cups and an extra luggage tag inside, because I figured most men won’t use a bag. I ordered the luggage tags from: http://www.specialistid.com/Rigid_Plastic_Luggage_Tag_Holder_p/1840-620x.htm I got the clear ones, they came with the address side of the tag and I ordered Avery labels to put our ‘logo’ on the opposite side, as shown here. The Avery labels I used were: Avery Name Badge Inserts, 2.25 x 3.5 Inches, Box of 400 (05390). I will attach the format I used to print these. I went with black and white to stay neutral and not too flashy. I got the labels on Amazon for $14.99 and I got 85 luggage tag holders for $59.56. So I spent $0.88 per luggage tag, which was great! For new travelers I provided a brochure from Vistaprint, they turned out nice, and they also come folded, if you are wondering! If you want the info in a word document I have it, just ask! I ordered 100 and they were $42.40, with a coupon. We are giving these the guests at our couple’s bridal shower two weeks before departure, to save us the hassle of transporting all that stuff to the resort. BRIDESMAID GIFTS The bridesmaids will each be getting a personalized beach bag, their earrings for the wedding, a personalized tumbler, their updo for the wedding paid for, and a credit towards their vacation. I made the box decorations with my cricut. GROOMSMEN GIFTS The groomsmen will be getting their attire for the wedding, an OOT bag, a personalized cup, a bottle of tequila, and the underage groomsmen and ushers are getting a multi-tool pocket knife. FLOWER GIRL GIFTS The flower girls are getting personalized beach towels, a pearl bracelet, their flower girl dress, and personalized cups. Here's a link to the personalized towels: http://gifts.personalcreations.com/flowers/Kids-Name-MicroFiber-Beach-Towel-30076444?viewpos=3&trackingpgroup=psektwl RING BEARER GIFTS The Ring Bearers are getting personalized camouflage backpacks, their wedding attire, and a personalized cup. (Photo Above) PARENTS GIFTS I got the women (my mom, his mom, and his grandma) a necklace, personalized cup, and personalized bag. Our dads are getting handkerchiefs from etsy and personalized cups that match the Groomsmen. SPECIAL GIFTS We only have 2 Aunts and 2 Uncles coming so we wanted to give them something special so I made these cups with the help of my cricut! FLOWERS This is my inspiration for the flowers at the wedding! CEREMONY LOCATION The Beach! I am using this photo as inspiration to how I want the chairs to look for the ceremony. CEREMONY DÉCOR I ordered this starfish garland from Etsy for the ceremony. Also, I have a sand ceremony kit I ordered online, they have the same one at Michael’s for much more. CEREMONY PROGRAMS I am getting ceremony programs that are fans, and they came assembled from Magnet Street that matches our invitation. CHAIR SASH AND TABLE OVERLAYS Instead of worrying about if the colors were going to match or if they will have enough I went ahead and ordered sashes and table overlays to take with us. The color we are using for the girls dresses is unique but I found it on Wedding Linens Direct. http://weddinglinensdirect.com/8xorsaol.html http://weddinglinensdirect.com/ortaovja1.html These will cost much less then renting the chair sashes for $4 each and $15 for the table covers! TABLE NUMBERS Since Chris and I have been together for a little more than 7 years and we are having 7 tables at our reception I decide to put a picture of us from that year in our relationship coordinating with the table. I ordered these Tolsby picture frames on eBay for the table numbers, and used my cricut to put numbers on the bases. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30151035/ RECEPTION DÉCOR We got dinner napkins to add some color without paying $4 a napkin, we are still going to use the plain white napkins provided as well. Our guest book was made on Shutterfly using our engagement pictures. I am not completely sure on what we are using for a seating chart or escort cards yet. I will probably do a starfish with a ribbon and a tag that says their name and table number. Also, this adorable cake topper! SIGNATURE DRINKS We are having a Signature drink for the reception and the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour signature drink will be the Something Blue and the receptions will be a Blue Hawaiian. PHOTOGRAPHY We are hiring Del Sol Photography for our wedding and reception and the resort is letting us use our photography credit for a Trash the Dress! Del Sol is AMAZING, I can’t wait to work with them! Here’s a link to Del Sol’s site! http://delsolphotography.com/category/weddings/ VIDEOGRAPHY We hired Cancun Wedding Video’s Mike Cantarell, he has a great reputation among brides on here as well! http://cancunweddingvideo.com/index01.php (more planning to come!)
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Hello! I'm so happy I found this website! There is so much good information and it has helped me feel a little bit less stressed so far. I am getting married at the Now Jade on Nov. 8, 2014. I feel like that is so soon! It seems like many people start planning years in advance, whereas I have just booked the wedding date and have no idea about anything else. I would welcome tips and suggestions on things I need to start planning now. Are there things I have to do now and can't wait until a couple months before?? We are trying to keep the budget really low so that might have an influence on things. My FI and I thought we would do a destination wedding to keep things simple (and we have guests travelling from sooo many places!) but right now everything is pretty overwhelming. Happy planning everyone! Anisa
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Hi! My name is Kristina and I got engaged June 19th 2013 (my Birthday ) I am from Toronto, Canada and after a few months of roughly looking into planning a wedding in our beautiful city we have decided a destination wedding is where it is at! No drama or unwanted guest added by either of our parents! We will be departing Toronto on January 13th 2015 to sunny Cuba where we will be getting married at Melia Las Dunas we also will be staying there a week after for our 'honeymoon' I guess but later on we will be going to Europe. Our colours may not be anyone's first choice but they are purple, lime green and hot pink. We have a small wedding party made up of my best friend and FI's sister and he will only have a best friend on his side. I ask my bridal party to be my bridesmaids by making a little box of goodies. I took a white kraft box and scrunched up baby blue and white tissue paper and placed 27 dresses and bridesmaids in it along with a mini bottle of champagne and a ring pop. I tired the box up with white and cream tulle and attached little pearls and crystals on it and added plastic baby blue butterflies and a larger wooden ring I painted. I also made t-shirted for them with the role I was asking them to be and tied it with the same tulle and a baby blue and white butterfly. I made a card that said: Laugh with me Cry with me Stand with me Plan with me Will you be my Bridesmaid? I tend to take my ring off a lot (cooking cleaning showering or sleeping) so I made a ring holder for beside my bed My FI and I were planning on inviting everyone who would have be on our list in Toronto to our destination wedding. We spent a few months looking for pricing and dealing with some great and not so great travel agents. The bottom line was we knew once we got our price and put down our deposit our guest had 90 days to put down theirs to lock in their price and reserve their room. We wanted to let our guest know before Christmas because we didn't want anyone to feel short of money or blindsided by our choice in picking a destination wedding. So we sent out postcards letting everyone know what we were doing and to get the ball started. At this point we didn't know where we would be going or the cost of it. This is just a screen shot of the postcard we sent out (we did catch the error of the year before it was printed)
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Let The Planning Games Begin
girlinthecity97 posted a blog entry in girlinthecity97's Wedding Planning Adventures
While we had been talking of getting married for a while, things became "official" on Saturday, November 30th. While in my mismatched pj's with my hair tied up in a scarf and no one around, my fiance shocked me by (FINALLY) popping the question and presenting a ring that had been a post-it note doodle (instead of one of the 2 settings I'd picked as "options"). He's pretty conservative and always wants to "see-it" especially when it comes to big purchases. So the fact that he went with my doodle was HUGE! I'm glad he did . Planning Frenzy: Finally feeling "super official" I set out on a planning rampage. Since my fiance is so easy-going and a "pleaser", I felt it only fair to consider a destination wedding since this was something he felt strongly about. Against his feedback, I made a beeline for Barnes & Noble to buy The Knot's Destination Wedding guide and a planner - which I now realize, I really didn't/don't need. Armed with my fancy new planning guide and planner, I sat down and followed the advice of a good happily-married friend: "Pick 3-5 MUST-Haves and forget the rest." My top 3 were "no-brainers" (and thankfully aligned with my fiance's): Location - get pricing for "home" (here in the states) vs. a Destination. For the Destination, I used my own travel experience to help us choose a location that would give us (and our guests) the biggest "bang for buck" while being fairly easy & affordable to get to. All roads led to MEXICO! Food - a resort that had not just decent but GREAT food. We love a great meal and have a family full of "foodies" so this was an absolute MUST! My fiance pointed out that everyone still raves about the food from my sister's weddding 10 years ago & we should strive for the same! FUN - a resort that had activities for guests to do should they not want to book excursions etc... When hashing out the "MUSTs we differ on such as videography, she suggested that I remember to be flexible as well as realistic - which I recently had to apply after getting a pretty pricey videography quote (more on that later). After spending COUNTLESS exhausting hours combing Google and Tripadvisor for reviews of various resorts, I created a spreadsheet (yes a spreadsheet ) to compare the "Top 5" I felt matched the above "Musts." I found myself getting utterly confused and feeling greatly overwhelmed before creating the spreadsheet. Also, an "A-type" by nature, I was afraid I had somehow overlooked a property to consider. So I naturally bugged my fiance with non-stop "hey, what do you think about this place?" questions. Tired of having his sports watching interrupted, he suggested we consider consulting a Travel Agent/Advisor. I tend to be of the "I got THIS" mindset and figured I could calm my fears/concerns with a post on sites like this. I'm proud to admit I was wrong! If you are in the early stages of planning and are unsure where to start, I cannot recommend enlisting the help of a Travel Agent/Advisor (TA) enough! Leave it to the Pros: After checking with DW friends and reading various reviews, I selected 3 pros to conduct a phone interview with. The Knot's DW guide suggested interviewing TAs to assess knowledge, expertise, and fit (among other things). Instead of calling, I emailed each professional as an initial assessment. The TA we selected was the most responsive and addressed every question/point of interest/concern I listed in my inquiry. Upon speaking with her, she confirmed our 1st impression and lived up to the reviews we'd seen on-line. She also provided unsolicited candid feedback re the best time of year for our budget etc... I shared my spreadsheet with her and she did not hesitate to provided candid insight on the properties listed, as well as provide others that we should consider based on what we are looking for. Finding the right TA will really take what I felt was the biggest "weight" off of you - especially if you can't do a scouting trip! The TA will also take care of your guests travel arrangements, help negotiate best rates etc... Some also can advise you on the location contract - helping to avoid room minimum penalties etc... To Scout or Not To Scout: We are opting to scout because a) I'm "A-type" (remember?) and b)the front-runner resort offers a deeply discounted weekend where you can taste the food, see the location etc... Initially, DF (dear fiance) was adamant about NOT doing a scouting trip. After pointing out his practice of not making big purchases/investments without doing thorough research and "seeing-it", he relented. I further pointed out that due to the size, our wedding is a "big ticket" item so why should this be treated differently?! Thanks to our TA, we have 3 locations of interest that we'll be visiting at the end of the month. In the meantime, I've set my sights on my remaining "Musts": Photographer & videographer, which I hope to narrow down to 2-3 before our trip so we can meet them. After getting a quote ( )from my "dream" videographer here in the states, I had to revisit the "Musts" and rank them in order of true priority & practicality. While a video is something I really want, it is something that will realistically be watched once in a blue after the wedding. With that said, I've moved this to a very strong "Nice to Have." I think this post has gone on long enough so I will end here....until next time.... xoxo - me p.s. please excuse my niece's toes. she wanted to help take a pic of my ring.- 11 comments
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Hello! Although I am not a blogger, I just had to make a post on this site to share and thank the people who were invaluable to me during my wedding planning by helping others. Planning a wedding is daunting, especially when it is in another country and you've never been there! After we got engaged, we decided to do something different and plan a destination wedding. We were the first of our friends and family. We got engaged in June 2012 and sent out the "save the dates" for our December 2013 wedding. We wanted to give people plenty of time (1.5 yrs) to save up and make plans to join. I think the extra time paid off because we had 65 people join us to celebrate! It also gave me plenty of time to do little projects for the wedding and make it stress free! RESORT: We chose Secrets: Wild Orchid which is actually connected to Secrets: St James in Montego Bay based on a friend who had been there's recommendation. They each have their own pools but share the restaurants, the spa, and entertainment. There is a boardwalk on the beach that runs the length of the 2 hotels. Secrets Wild Orchid (SWO) is a little newer and more modern and is closer to all the restaurants. You cannot go wrong at either and we had guests stay at St James (SJ) because SWO was sold out. Everyone was saying this was the nicest place they had ever been! One of our guests had the swimout room in the preferred club which was pretty cool during the day because we could hang out in the lazy river and be close to the room! PREFFERED CLUB: We stayed in the preferred club which was gorgeous. The best thing about it was that there was your own bar in the lobby filled with different tapas at all hours of the day, one night we didn't even go out, we just ate there! there also is a bar filled with grey goose, ciroc, crown royal etc - all top shelf liquors that you can make however you like! sometimes the fruity drinks become too much! Im not sure if it was 100% worth the extra money only because ALL the resort is soo nice. Some other brides I spoke with even said they were bumped up to it for free! TIPPING: One things I must note is how nice all the staff is. They are all kind and try to know you by name. They really really appreciate any tips so I recommend bringing as many $1s as you can. change is hard to come by and trust me you just want to tip these sweet people. $1 American is = $100 Jamaican dollars so your tips are really making a difference in their lives. LENGTH OF TRIP: We came down on Fri and our wedding was on Tues. We stayed until the following Sunday and I think 9 days was just the perfect amount of time. I wouldn't have wanted to leave any sooner! Monday we hosted a welcome bonfire in lieu of a rehearsal. We chose Tuesday for our wedding which seemed to work out the best because it is definiately the most fun leading up the big day! Most guests left Wednesday after the wedding (fri-wed). DRINKS: Our guests favorite cocktails were: dirty banana (kinda like a chocolate banana smoothie with alcohol), grasshopper (tastes like a thin mint cookie), espresso martini from the piano bar, all different flavors of mojitos, jamaican smile, purple rain, bob marley (that's the tri colored drink in pictures), and icebergs (red stripe draft beer with a floater of margarita on top) YUM-O!! FOOD: All the food was very good! For breakfast there is a buffet at the world café which has everything. There is also the coco café which is a coffee bar that is open all the time and serves hot and cold drinks including blue mountain coffee and some that have alcohol in them. That is how I started off all most everyday! My favorite lunch spot was the restaurant at the st. james pool. they had a nacho bar daily, and pizza, and many great dishes was a daily soup. the restaurant oceana at the wild orchid pool had different wraps that you could customize. there is also a snack bar in between each resort on the boardwalk that has soft pretzels, and the best little "meat pies' and Saratoga chips. This is all serve yourself which is great for a quick bite. Lastly there is staff that walks the boardwalk for 2 hrs each day and serve fresh fruit, jerk chicken, and fresh coconuts! (you can take them to the bar and they will add some rum too For dinner if your want to go to the Japanese restaurant, make a reservation as soon as your arrive. there was a 2 day wait for a table while we were there. It is delicious and you must try! The French restaurant Boudaeux has filet and lobster but make sure your hubby brings pants or else your cant get in! I would skip Portofino - the Italian restaurant. You can get much better food at all the others. El patio is the Mexican restaurant and was delicious. One thing to plan around is that Saturday night is all you can eat lobster night! YUMMY The Jamaican restaurant Blue Mountain was also very very good. The crab cakes and pumpkin soup are tasty and my husband loved the goat?! Our entire group probably wiped out the room service staff because we were all obsessed! the fried cheese triangles were to DIE FOR! they ran out multiple nights lol. The club sandwich was fab and the fish sandwich. It was such a luxury! we would order after dancing all night at DESIRES the nightclub! WELCOME BAGS: CEREMONY: We initially were going to have the ceremony at the big gazebo where the cocktail hour and reception was held but at the last moment switched to being on the actual water. I truly think it is even more private because the beach front gazebo is on the walkway between the resorts and closer to the public while the beach location is in the corner of the resort next to the preferred club beach. This was the best decision by far! The wedding coordinator, Rocio picked me up from my room with a golf cart and drove me over so I didn't sweat! Many other guests at the resort watched the wedding and every time I went out afterwards, someone would come up to me and tell me how beautiful it was or that they liked my dress! haha it was very sweet. Instead of having bridemaids I asked all my girls to wear purple dresses to the wedding. I wanted to save them money since they were already traveling to come to my wedding and it looked beautiful in all the photos! COCKTAIL HOUR: During the cocktail hour, we upgraded from the Jamaican Trio to the Steel Drum Band which was $200. They were absolutely fabulous!! All the guests were impressed. The Secrets Ultimate Wedding package included a photographer so I utilized him to take photos of all the guests during the hour while we were with Misha Earle (our photographer) This worked out perfectly and we got to chose 50 5x7 photos and they placed them in an album. The resort photographer pics were surprisingly gorgeous!! I love the album. The wedding package also included a 30 min DVD of the ceremony, clips of the cocktail hr, cutting of the cake, and the first dance. This was priceless! I am soooo happy we got this package and all the extras. The DVD is my favorite! We had a viewing party back at home with family and friends and every thought it was great. They truly did amazing. You even get to pick the songs featured in the video. Both items are treasured memories. DECORATIONS: From home I lugged the table runners and chair sashes that I ordered from weddinglinensdirect.com. I brought candles and center piece rings, I made table numbers in little frames I purchased from the dollar store, and I sprinkled blue and purple crystals along the tables. The resort provided tea lights on the tables and cocktail tables as well. I also brought some purple and turquoise tulle that was wrapped around the gazebo. From the resort we purchased the Chinese lanterns ($390) that were strung across dinner. It gave such a beautiful ambiance and I felt was worth the splurge! We rented 12 tiki torches that $8 each which had double duty. We used them to line the aisle at the ceremony and then the staff moved them around the dance floor and reception tables after the ceremony! I ordered shell and starfish frosted glass drink coasters from favorwarehouse.com. Each seat got 2 so a couple would get 4! People were even asking me for extra. One thing about these was that they were very heavy so I had to spread them out among guests to bring to Jamaica! Thanks you everyone! lol Got them on labor day sale so there was free shipping - great deal on them in bulk too. My friend Danielle made us the programs which we had on each seat at the ceremony. It was pretty warm so everyone was using them to fan themselves! great idea... CAKE: We chose the vanilla cake which was delicious - moist and we got a lot of compliments. We had a 2 tier cake and wanted one chocolate and one vanilla but that was a $50 upcharge so we declined. I purchased the cake topper off of etsy and got the butterflies at joann fabrics. Adding this on was no extra cost and it looked gorgeous! We also had the welcome sign on the cake table: GUEST MAP: In place of a guest book I will never look at again, we ordered a vintage map of Jamaica on Amazon and brought gold sharpies for every one to sign! We now have it framed in the basement! GLOWSTICKS: I ordered glow sticks in purple and blue. I got 2 cases of necklaces and bracelets. I placed them in sand pails I got at the dollar store and filled them with crystals from the dollar store so they would hold them up. This was the best idea for sure! All the guest loved them and even the staff at the wedding was weaing them! I made a sign that said "you've made our future bright, now lets so the same for tonight! grab a glow stick and light up the dance floor" I made a couple of my friends pack them and bring them to Jamaica and they were not happy with me haha but after the wedding they said it was totally worth it!! PRIVATE CANDLELIGHT DINNER: This is a must! It is included in the honeymoon package if you stay as the resort for 7 nights. You can also purchase if not and use some of the resort coupons. It was ~$350 for the lowest package. On our last day there, we had a romantic day at the spa with the hydrotherapy circuit and a couples massage. The spa is very high class. Later, we went to the barracuda bar and waited for our private waiter to get us and take us to our table. It was set up on the ocean at sunset. It was absolutely breathtaking. He served us a 3 course meal of the best food we had the entire time we were there with a bottle of champagne. This was the perfect way to end our trip! All in all, the wedding concierge has done this many many times before. They will eventually respond - don't forget they are on island time. There is no need to stress because it will all be amazing, so relax and enjoy every moment. After all, you are in paradise. <3 I will post more and the trash the dress shoot when I get my professional pictures back!
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Planning a wedding is never easy, especially when your wedding is going to be held 1000’s of kilometers away. Between finding your perfect dress, organizing the seating chart, creating the perfect playlist and countless other tasks, anyone (an eventually everyone!!) can turn into a Bridezilla!! Thanks to a handful of new apps, wedding planning has gotten easier. Sharing, organizing and planning can now all be accessed at the tip of your fingers. Below you will find a few of our favourite wedding planning apps that will help you, your betrothed and your guests stay on track before, during and after the big day!! My Wedding DJ With brides and grooms looking at places to cut costs, My Wedding DJ offers clients the option of saving on the growing expense of a DJ. Renting a sound system and playing a continuous stream of music you handpicked throughout your ceremony, cocktail hour, reception or a combination of the 3, can really add a personal touch to your wedding. With hotels becoming more tech savvy, the majority now offer sound systems that are iPod compatible (just remember to check before hand!). Steamclock Software has launched this app for both the iPhone and iPod touch that helps brides and grooms plan out all of the music for their wedding. My Wedding DJ gives brides and grooms a stress free way to run music throughout their wedding and have their MC/onsite wedding coordinator simply slide “next” at each part of your wedding! Worried about awkward silences between songs? While skipping to the next song, the music fades gracefully for all pauses and stops. The best part of all, the app allows you to modify your music plan on the fly and even takes requests! The app is available to purchase through iTunes for only $1.99 – a great deal to ensure that your reception music is flawless; however we can’t guarantee the same for the moves on your dance floor! Appy Couple Appy Couple is a stylish way to create and publish your own mobile wedding app (and website!). The DIY platform allows you to completely customize your ENTIRE digital suite to share all your wedding details. It’s private, easy to use, and will ensure that your guests have everything they could possibly need all while staying socially connected to the bride and groom. To create an Appy Couple account, you simply start by setting up an account at appycouple.com, where you will pick from hundreds of designs. Don’t see what you are really looking for? The designers at Appy Couple will work with you to make something completely custom to your vision. Once complete, start adding your personal touches! Manage your pictures & stories, RSVP’s, meal preferences, registries, travel information/contacts and much more! Best part – no technical skills required!!! No monthly fee, no annual fee. All that is required is a one-time set-up fee of $28. You entire digital suite: your app, website & coordinating emails, all included! With unlimited guests and app downloads to apple and android devices, all your guests will soon have everything they need right at their finger tips! Wedding Party Wedding Party is a simple, fun way to capture and share all your wedding experiences! It is a great way to collect all those candid moments from your guests that your professional photographer missed. The app is completely free and can be quickly downloaded using Facebook or an email address. Even if you are having a destination wedding, this app is a great idea as it will allow guests to upload the photos upon their return home with just one click! Some features that we love about the app: guests can leave comments on each other’s photos, photos are organized based on the time they were captured creating a wedding timeline, Facebook albums are created with one click and all the photos are available to view for those guests who could not attend the wedding on the hosts website. The process is so simple (and fun!) and will allow you to relive all those moments you missed while awaiting your professional photos!
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Top 5 Online Resources for Planning a Destination Wedding
alexisinjamaica posted a article in Planning
The holidays are a big time for engagements, so in honor of many of you getting engaged over Christmas and New Year’s and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner we wanted to put together a quick guide on what to do next. Since you’re here, you have probably decided to have a destination wedding. Congratulations! Now that you’ve made that all-important first step, you may have a ton of questions, like “where do I start?” “How do I choose a resort?” “How can I plan a wedding in a place I’ve never been?” “How can I have a fabulous destination wedding for less than $10,000?” and more. You’ll quickly learn that the internet is going to be your best friend while planning, and to make things even easier, we’ve created a list of the top 5 online resources for planning your destination wedding. From advice to inspiration to budgets, we’ve got it all covered here! Just please don’t blame us if you don’t see your friends or family for a while because you’re having too much fun browsing these sites. 1. Best Destination Wedding Well the good news is you’re already here, so kudos to you for being well on your way to planning the destination wedding of your dreams! This site is an amazing resource for all destination brides, particularly those who won’t be visiting their venue prior to the Big Day. BDW takes the guesswork and fear out of planning a wedding from thousands of miles away by enabling brides to get firsthand experience and advice from other brides. You can share tips, tricks, templates, do’s, don’ts and everything in between. We dare you not to spend hours on here each week. 2. Pinterest/Etsy Confession time: some of us at BDW* started wedding inspiration boards on Pinterest several months before we were officially engaged. Sure, we were worried that our friends would think we were crazy and presumptuous, but that didn’t stop us. If you’re in the same boat, or even if you’re officially engaged, Pinterest is a mecca for wedding inspiration. If you’re willing to put in the time (and you will be, it’s addictive), you can create amazingly curated wedding inspiration boards and plan your wedding to the finest detail. We’re talking dress ideas, photography inspiration for your engagement and wedding photos, stationery ideas, food/menu suggestions, and décor ideas times a million. Plus, BDW has a piece of the Pinterest pie and is now pinning, so don’t forget to follow BDW on Pinterest. Let us now introduce you to Pinterest’s cousin, Etsy. If you see something on Pinterest, the odds are good there’s a vendor on Etsy who sells that particular item. If Pinterest is the inspiration, Etsy is the execution. Search for what you’re looking for or just get lost by starting in the weddings section and seeing where it takes you. 3. Wedding Chicks If you’re planning a destination wedding, chances are you’re going to be DIYing at least some aspects, whether it’s stationery, bouquets or décor. Wedding Chicks offers inspiration and ideas for all of the above plus the usual wedding blog fare like sections on vendors and real weddings. But what we’re really swooning over are the amazing free downloads and printables. Choose from several patterns to create a coordinated suite of paper items including monograms, save the dates, invitations, escort cards, menus and more. Did we mention it’s FREE?! 4. Martha Stewart Weddings You’re not a dummy. You’re probably already familiar with crafting and wedding queen Martha Stewart. Whether you’re getting married in your hometown or on a sandy tropical beach, Martha Stewart Weddings is a staple for brides, and with good reason. We love her ideas, free clip art and templates and just the general Martha-ness of it all, but what keeps us going back is her Destination Wedding section where you can view gorgeous pictures and information from other destination brides. You can even browse by geographical area, so if you’re still trying to choose a location, check out a few real weddings from different areas to help you make your choice! 5.The Budget Savvy Bride Did you know the average wedding now costs over $25,000? With many brides turning to destination weddings as a cost-cutting measure (not having to invite everyone you know is just icing on the cake!), this blog can help you bring down your overall budget even further. They offer several great tips on how to save money through DIY (did you know you can design and engineer your own uplighting? Yeah, neither did we!), tips from former brides who’ve planned weddings on a budget (you can even browse by wedding budget if you have a strict maximum) as well as coupons, deals and discounts that you can use on things you’ll need for your wedding. There you have it—our top 5 picks for online resources to plan your destination wedding. We’d love to hear your input too! Did we forget a site that’s been key in your planning? Let us know! Also, if you have a holiday engagement story, don’t forget to share it in the forums! *OK it was me. And no, none of my friends/Pinterest followers believed that my “party” board was just for parties. -
Destination Wedding Trend Report Destination Weddings are more popular than ever thanks to a growing number of couples opting to tie the knot abroad. Gone are the days of the old fashioned local wedding, and here to stay is the sophisticated destination wedding filled with many of the bells and whistles one might expect at home. With so many places to choose from and so many decisions to make involving the wedding holiday, it can become a very overwhelming experience for any prospective bride and groom. To help put things into perspective, LUXE Destination Weddings offers tips on the most popular destinations and wedding trends for saying your “I Do’s”. Tara Soloway, co-founder at LUXE Destination Weddings, says, Quote: “Our aim is to help make your destination wedding experience easier from start to finish. With our inhouse planners available to travel along with you to your wedding for “day-of” coordination (a unique service in the marketplace), we can help you step by step along the path to a perfect wedding day." Here are few destination wedding trends to consider: Location, location, location. Today, the most popular destinations wedding locations (in no particular order) are Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. Filled with spectacular beaches, gorgeous weather and a wide choice of resorts offering reasonable travel rates, when narrowing down your selection, consider one of these four spectacular destinations. As travel costs for guests are a huge determining factor in choosing a location, why not pick a fabulous location that offers good value. Give a little something back to your guests. “OOT” (Out-of-town) bags have become a destination wedding standard. It’s considered good etiquette to provide your guests (who have traveled from far and wide to celebrate with you) a welcome basket. Whether it is a beach bag filled with sunscreen and a monogrammed towel, or a beach bucket and shovel for your younger guests, here are a few ideas to keep your guests feeling both welcome, and in the know about what is happening: An itinerary outlining all wedding-related activities; maps or tourist info for the local area; a CD and self-addressed mailer for guests to send the pictures that they took to you when they return home; personalized flip flops; local goodies like rum or tequila (depending on the destination), and lots more. Immerse yourself in the local culture. All of Sunwing’s destinations are unique – so why not embrace the local culture! Incorporate some fabulous music, like a reggae band in Jamaica, or try some of the local cuisine – a Mexican feast for your wedding dinner! “Book some excursions with your group so that you can discover what your host country has to offer,” suggests Soloway. Remember that creating a bond with your wedding destination makes an unforgettable experience just that much richer. LUXE Destination Weddings Sunwing Weddings
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You are just a day away from getting on a plane to your destination wedding and you are standing in front of your suitcase thinking, “this is the last thing I want to do, pack!” Well don’t worry, leave it to us to help you get your packing juices flowing. Here is a 10-item list of all the things you will need for the prefect-wedding day: 1. The dress. Regardless if you are having a beach wedding or even an in church wedding you can’t forget your dress. If you tip the stewardess when you get on the plane she will happily hang it in first class for you. Just make sure you put it in a sturdy garment bag and grab it when you get off the plane. 2. The grooms wedding attire. Having your dress is just as important as having something for your groom to wear. Make sure you carry this on the plane with you as well. In a separate garment bag, of course. 3. Travel documents, if you have e-tickets or need passports, make sure you put those next to your suitcase the night before you fly. 4. Birth certificates or wedding license. Depending on where you get married the license office might require seeing your birth certificate, but check with your wedding planner first. If not your wedding license is a must bring item. 5. The rings. DO NOT put these in your suitcase. Anything can happen to a checked suitcase, don’t take that chance. 6. Phone numbers. Who knows your phone could go dead, you can’t rely on that digital phone book at a last minute moment like your wedding. 7. Sunscreen. Most couples like to go a few days early to scope out the place, have a rehearsal, or just relax before the big day. Well, the last thing you need is to stay in the sun a little too long ending up with an unwanted red glow on your special day. 8. Amex gift cards. It doesn’t hurt to always tip the people helping out with your wedding and nothing says thank you like an Amex Gift card that can be used anywhere in the world. 9. A guest book. This is the one day in your lifetime you will have all friends and family in one spot, to share your special day with you. Bringing a guest book to have everyone sign is a great memento to pull out every year on your anniversary and share the memories together with your new spouse. 10. Your vows. If you are planning to say your own vows, just remember there might not be a computer or an easy way to print out your last minute words of love. So print out your final draft before you fly. Just don’t let your fiancé sneak a peak.
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EEEKK!!! Your Engaged!!! You Choose Him & Mexico! Now, How Do You Decide On A Date? Picking a wedding date is very important for the obvious reasons, Avoiding major holidays which may result in “Two in one” presents from your new hubby! LOL! (Although he would most likely much prefer it for memory purposes!) Really though, all jokes aside…This is the day that you will celebrate every year, for the rest of your life…Choose wisely our blushing Fresa Bride! Here are a few tips we think should lead the way in your decision making: Mother Nature We know that the Weather is always up to mother nature, however she is much more willing to be on your side if you steer clear of some of her angrier times in Mexico. Hurricane Season: Hurricane season or the “Rainy Season” runs from late September through very Early November (The last big storms made landfall in 2009 and 2011 on the first weekend of November) Humidity VS Hairspray: Humidity Wins if you choose the late summer months in Mexico. If you like it warm, I mean VERY warm then August and September are for you. Windy days & Layered Nights: My favorite time of the year is the windy season which runs from December to February. These days are shorter, but filled with perfect temperatures for sunbathing all day, and adding a layer and snuggling up fireside at night. Side Note: The month of December is one of the only months of the year on the Caribbean side of Mexico to witness the most incredible Sunsets. This would provide the most perfect back-drop to your Welcome beach bonfire”, Sundowner Party or beach reception! Safe, Dry & Warm: March-May offers some of the driest and typically perfect Wedding Day Temps. By late April early May it is getting a bit warm but it is safe to say that if it rains it most likely wont last! Maybe It's All In The Numbers? An ever-growing trend is for couples to choose unique dates based solely on the numbers! As an example Jenny & Andrew chose a Sunday in October: 10-10-10 for their beachside I Do’s! They beat out many requests for this date as did many 11-11-11 couples this year! Ensuring we do not jeopardize client service in any way we are anticipating that 12-12-12 will be the most popular by far (especially considering the Mayans predict this may be your last chance to tie the knot! LOL!) So Fresa’s, If 12 is your number, better act fast! It is also very fun to use numbers that have meaning, like Andrea & Jon who chose to use Her birthday (6) His birthday (3) and their daughter’s birthday (9) for a stunning June 3, 2009 Beachfront ceremony! (Andrea still says she did it mainly so Jon has NO excuses but to remember their anniversary, He’s a good man Andrea, I have faith!) Whatever date you choose one thing is for sure, with the increasing number of couples choosing to have their wedding logos on everything from Coasters to water bottles to being projected into pools…Your date is a big choice! So, before you “Save your Date” remember a few of these tips and then start to visualize your date in print! Happy Planning Fresa's http://www.fresaweddings.com Phone Canada : 519-859-8619 Phone Mexico : 984-111-5148 Skype : kristee.smith1
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Created for you by Pierre Visual Studio - Destination Wedding and Trash the Dress Photography. The Riviera Maya is a gorgeous destination for tropical weddings and many couples wish to take advantage of the breathtaking natural surroundings and sunny weather to have their wedding ceremony outdoors. Outdoor weddings, whether on the beach, in the lush jungle, or a colorful garden, can be romantic and visually stunning but they do require a little extra thought and consideration. Here are some recommendations to assure a wonderful day is had by all, and a few tips to customizing your outdoor wedding ceremony. Beach wedding in Tulum. Outdoor ceremony at Xcaret Natural Park, Riviera Maya. Guests The weather is what brings most couples down to Mexico’s Caribbean coast, but remember, your guests may not be used to the heat. Make sure you offer cool beverages while they wait such as lemonades or minty cocktails to refresh and entertain. Why not create some personalized water bottle labels and hand out a cold water bottle to each guest as they arrive? Please note that temperatures can get quite high and may not be adequate for prolonged periods (particularly uncomfortable for the elderly or very young children). Personalized fans or adapting your program into a fan shape are great ways to help your guests keep cool and a nice little souvenir to take back home. Consider the time of your ceremony so that the guests are not facing directly into the sun. Not only will this keep them comfortable but it will assure that their pictures are not filled with glare. Bugs be gone! The tropics can bring a whole variety of stinging insects. Consider asking the location if they can spray the area of your ceremony ahead of time or use some pretty citronella candles to keep everyone comfortable and bite-free. Beach decoration at Riviera Maya wedding. You and Yours For a beachside ceremony, consider the ocean breeze. You want to make sure your hairstyle stays put with the Caribbean breezes. Gentlemen may want to use some product to keep the hair down. Sun protection! Remember to wear adequate sun block to protect your skin. Avoid self-tanning varieties as they may stain your clothes. Instead, why not choose something with a light shimmer to give you that extra glow. Perhaps have some sunscreen available for guests to use as well. The materials you choose for the dresses and suits should also take into consideration the heat and the wind. Be sure to choose materials that allow you to breath and that will not billow up in a light breeze. Placing tiny fishing weights along your veil can guarantee it will not be blowing up in the middle of the ceremony. The weights can be painted to match the color of your dress. For the ladies: heels make you long and sexy, however not so when they are stuck in the sand or grass. Consider the ground you will be walking on and choose footwear accordingly. If on the beach, why not create some customized sandals or flipflops for your wedding party! Footwear options for beach wedding in the Riviera Maya. Back-Up Plan Weather is unpredictable, even in paradise, so be sure to have a back-up plan should the rain clouds come to visit. Hope this helps in planning your dream destination wedding and making sure everyone has a marvelous time. Pierre Violle Destination Wedding Photographer http://www.rivieramaya-weddingphotography.com Blog: http://www.pierre-wedding.com/blog2
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A growing trend of destination weddings is offering lower costs, gorgeous settings, and such options as condos for the whole family instead of traditional hotel rooms. “Cost is a major factor why a couple will choose a destination instead of a wedding in their area,” says Richard Markel, President of AFWPI (Association for Wedding Professional International). The group that is attending a destination wedding will be smaller, and because “the bride and groom are not responsible to cover hotel nights, only those that really want to go will attend,” he explains. Another way to save is to choose a destination that is closer to home. The gorgeous white sand shores of the Mexican Caribbean are just a few hours away from the north-eastern US, and about an hour away from south Florida. Many airlines have direct flights to Cancun from multiple US cities, such as JetBlue, American Airlines, US Airways. During low season, it’s possible to snatch up roundtrip tickets for about $300. When it comes to choosing the venue, an upcoming trend in destination weddings are condo hotels, as they offer luxury apartments with kitchens and multiple bedrooms, ideal for families, for the price of one room at a regular hotel. “Where condo hotels really shine is the ability to have the family attend, and they can save with the kitchenettes,” says Richard. New York Daily News, in a recent article about condo hotels and savings for families, interviewed a family of a Manhattan architect, 40-year old Alexander Argento, who has stayed at Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen, a group of luxury condominiums in the heart of the town and right by the beach, with his wife and 6-year-old son. Alexander says: “for about $300 a night, we had two bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a full kitchen, so we prepared our own breakfasts and lunches on most days and saved money on meals,” he said. They also stocked up on drinks and snacks from a nearby Walmart, says Alexander in the article entitled, “Condo Hotels: a Great Way to Have Family Vacation Fun on the Cheap.” When your hotel is situated in town, and surrounded by multiple choices for shopping, eating and entertainment, this also helps cut down on taxi fare to and from a resort, and keeps the guests entertained, as well as free to come and go as they please. The developer of the properties, Jack Perlman, takes pride in the fact that a wedding party at his hotel can enjoy being “in the middle of it all.” He says: “Guests at my hotels are not confined by the limits of a resort, as it often happens with wedding groups that choose to stay at all-inclusive resorts, tucked away in the jungle.” After all, when guests take care of their own accommodations and airfare, the biggest expense for the couple is the wedding reception and dinner itself. Indigo Beach Club, located at El Taj Oceanfront, one of the Condo Hotels, offers multiple dinner and reception options for guests. Sit-down dinner rates start at $36 per person and include a 3-course gourmet meal: (www.condohotelsplayadelcarmen.com/weddings/wedding-package-ceremony.php). Rates at Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen start at $185 per one bedroom unit. Wedding groups receive a 20% discount. To learn more about weddings at Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen, please visit www.condohotelsplayadelcarmen.com/weddings/index.php or email [email protected]. ABOUT CONDO HOTELS PLAYA DEL CARMEN Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen consists of five distinct luxury condominiums with 100 units total: Villas Sacbe, Porto Playa, Maya Villa, El Taj Beachside and El Taj Oceanfront. The properties provide the services ofa 5-star hotel, such as 24-hour front desk, maid services, airport pick-up, parking garage, gym, babysitter, Spa, health café, beach club and two 5-star restaurants. Each condominium is surrounded by a private courtyard with landscaped gardens, a fountain and a swimming pool. Playa del Carmen beach is steps away, and the convenience of the best restaurants, nightlife and shopping is within easy walking distance. For more information, please visit www.condohotelsplayadelcarmen.com. For media inquiries and for high & low resolution images, please contact: Raminta Tsopelas 917-721-1977 [email protected]
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Below is a timeline to help your wedding planning go smoothly. You can adjust it to suit your needs. 12 Months or more Cut out pictures and articles that inspire you. Keep them organized in a binder. Martha Stewart has a great binder that has pockets to keep photos, cards of vendors, swatches, etc. Start looking at bridal magazines and look for local bridal faire to attend. This is a great way to meet wedding vendors and see their work first hand This is the hard part. Set a realistic budget. Start on your guest list. Invite those that you want to spend your wedding with. Destination weddings are smaller more intimate affairs so do not feel guilty about not inviting your coworkers that you barely know. Be prepared that some of the guests you invite at the wedding may not be able to come for financial or logistical reasons. If you plan on getting married out of the country, be sure to check the laws to make sure your marriage is recognized in the states. If it is a larger wedding, you may want to look into hiring a wedding coordinator who specializes in destination weddings. Start researching different locations for a destination wedding. Things to consider: travel time, seasons/weather (you do not want to have your wedding during hurricane season), cost of accommodations, etc. Choose a wedding date and start working on Save The Date Cards. If you are planning a wedding at a resort or place you have never been before, negotiate a site visit. Some resorts even offer a free site visit or at least a reduced rate. Determine your budget Considerations: airfare, hotel, document processing, meals, transportation, activities. Don't forget the all important wedding items such as attire, photographer, flowers, ceremony fee, etc. If you are having friends or family, you must consider if they can afford the expense of the trip. Location Make sure the wedding day is not during the local hurricane season or wet months? How many people do you want to be there...just you and your future spouse? Friends? Family? Are you also planning on honeymooning there or somewhere else? 8-10 months prior If you can make a wedding planning trip it will be really helpful to meet with local vendors like: florist, baker, photographer, etc. During the site visit would also be a great time to take your chosen photographer for a test run. Maybe take some engagement pics on the beach for your Save The Date Cards. Create wedding website with travel information and FAQs for your family and friends. Contact a travel agent specializing in Destination Wedding to help negotiate a lower room rate and block your rooms. Decide if you want a legal or symbolic ceremony. If you would like to get legally married outside the US, be sure to verify the local marriage residency requirements. Start looking for wedding invitations. Research the marriage requirements It may be as simple as going to the local courthouse to sign a marriage license, or it may be as complicated as having to be a resident. There are destination wedding coordinators who will handle the entire license processing for you. If you are planning on having a legal ceremony in Mexico, it does require a blood test. Wedding Theme You may want to decide early on what colors or theme you would like. Make sure the bouquet you dreamed of will work at your destination wedding. A lot of flowers can be shipped in if not grown locally but make sure in advance. Reservations Book your reservations early! Many resorts and hotels are booked months in advance, especially during peak travel seasons. If your group is larger, you may want to consider blocking rooms for your guests. 6-7 Months prior Start looking for your wedding dress. Some dresses can take 4-5 months to make. Start looking for the groom and groomsman attire. Order groom and groomsmen attire. Take into consideration that linen suits are seasonal and may only be available to purchase in the spring. Shop for wedding rings and jewelry for your big day. 3-4 Months prior Finalize your wedding invitations and mail them out. Start ordering items for Out Of Town Bags or wedding favors. Start working on your wedding ceremony. Consider writing your own vows to make the day more personalized. 1 Month prior Release any unnecessary rooms Finalize all wedding day itineraries Confirm travel arrangements with the hotel/resort 2-3 Weeks prior Make sure you confirm and re-confirm EVERYTHING with your vendors before the wedding 3-4 Days prior Arrive at your destination. If you plan on using a local stylist for your hair and make-up, do a test run with your veil or hairpiece. If you are having a legal ceremony, finalize all the local requirements to make it legitimate. Meet with the hotel events coordinator or your wedding coordinator to go over the final details. Have a welcome dinner in lieu of a rehearsal dinner to thank all your guests who have traveled so far to share this event with you. Relax, you're on vacation! Residency requirements Once you arrive at your destination, how many days do you have to wait in order to get married? The day of Be sure to eat a bit and keep hydrated. Enjoy your special day. You deserve every bit of happiness that comes with it!
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HOW TO GET MARRIED IN MEXICO White sandy beaches combined with turquoise water, friendly people, amazing sunsets and a vast array of ceremony locations make weddings in Mexico spectacular and above all, memorable. Playa del Carmen is a lovely destination to get married. It has charm, entertainment, and romantic beaches to which a couple can escape. Get married in Playa del Carmen and start a romance of a lifetime. General Overview Situated just south of the border of the United States, Mexico is easy to get to and has become a great destination wedding and honeymoon spot. Generally, the best time of year to go to Mexico is from October to May, but two periods to avoid are the week leading up to Easter and the Christmas and New Year's holidays, as they are extremely busy times in Mexico. The climate can range from hot and humid to warm and dry, and there is sure to be a spot in Mexico to suit your wedding needs. A visa is not required to enter and stay (up to 72 hours) in Mexico if you are a US citizen, but if you are planning a lengthy stay you will need to obtain a government tourist card for a fee of $20 (usually included in ticket prices if you fly to Mexico). Destination weddings in Mexico cater to all budgets and are diverse with beautiful resorts, stunning beaches and traditional Mexican fiestas. Undoubtedly the most popular destination for a Mexico wedding is Riviera Maya which draws couples to its shores. Legal Requirements to get married in Mexico You must present your tourist card when you apply for your marriage license, and you must be married in a civil ceremony at a Civil Register Office (or other location, but there will be an additional fee). If you want, you may have a religious or other ceremony later on, but the only legal wedding ceremony is the civil one. In some cases, you'll need Spanish translations of your birth certificates. Mexico also requires blood tests for HIV and RPR (syphilis) and chest x-rays to be completed in the country – in all, the process from applying for your marriage license to getting married will take about three business days. The cost for a wedding in Mexico is about $200 US dollars. Mexico Weddings Most Mexican weddings have two ceremonies: the civil and the religious. The site of your wedding is up to you as well; you can either have a small beach ceremony or a festive authentic Mexican fiesta for many guests. Mexico wedding packages are available for all price ranges and wedding styles. Mexico Reception There are many different forms of receptions you can have following your wedding. Whether you'd just like a quiet candlelight dinner on the beach with your new spouse or a large reception with all your friends and family, the hotels in Mexico can accommodate any sort of reception plan. If you choose to have a traditional Mexican reception, you should think of hiring mariachis (Mexican musicians) or have your reception at one of the wedding rooms that many hotels in Mexican cities provide for this purpose. Mexico Wedding Activities There are lots of things to see and do in Mexico. Off the shores of Mexico's many beaches (such as Playa del Carmen) you can go snorkeling, diving, boating and enjoy many other water activities. Yucatan offers historic monuments built by the Aztecs and other Mexican wonders. There are as many different sites and activities available as there are distinct areas of Mexico. Mexico Wedding Guests If you're planning on having guests at your Mexico destination wedding, please make sure that you send out “Save the Date” cards about four to six months before the wedding so that your guests can have plenty of time to make arrangements to get to your wedding spot. Plan a few events for your group, such as an archeology tour or other side trips. One of the best things about Riviera Maya is the fact that you can get everything you dream, and it goes from the simplest things, up to the most elaborated... We are certain that whatever your decisions, your wedding is going to be full of magic. From Le Rêve Hotel & Spa, we would like to wish you a happy wedding planning!