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Hello Beautiful Brides My fiance and I were so excited we had found a resort, Isla Mujeres Palace - it fit all our needs and our budget/guest's budget etc. But the more we looked at the venues the more we realized this was just not THE place for our ceremony and reception. We're super bummed to have to go back to the drawing board plus I feel awful for the TA we've been working with who did so much work for us - I can't say enough wonderful things about her. Any ideas out there? 3 must haves: No beach wedding adults only all inclusive (preferably Mexico, though where in Mexico is not important) Help!
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After spending eight blissful days at Azul Beach Hotel in Cancun-Riviera Maya this past spring, I am completely convinced that this beautiful all-inclusive resort is the perfect place for a family vacation. Here are five reasons why Azul Beach Hotel is perfect for families looking to get away. 1. Both adult and children have a lot of great options for entertainment. When it comes to the kids, rest assure they will have plenty to keep them busy at Azul Beach. The resort's Nickelodeon Kids Club will keep kids thoroughly entertained be it by the plethora of toys and books or indoor playground, or the fun activities and crafts offered by the kids club staff. Families can also partake in the Nickelodeon breakfast (tickets must be purchased in advance to attend) or perhaps even plan to get slimed Nickelodeon style! Besides the special kids pool and lounge chairs on the south end of the resort, Azul Beach also offers beach toys and games for families to enjoy, including all non-motorized water sports such as kayaks, hobie cat and stand up paddle boards. And after a long day at the beach, there's live entertainment for kids. Think of it as a rave for kids with Spongebob leading the party There are also tons of classes offered throughout the week such as salsa or merengue, yoga, cooking or even Spanish lessons. An activities program is updated weekly for all guests. But Azul Beach isn't just a great getaway for kids, adults have plenty to enjoy at night as well! Live music can be found at the popular Aquanox Bar, where you can indulge in your favorite cocktails and hear the ocean waves nearby. But if you're looking for more once the kids call it a night, check out the Agavero Lounge where you can get a real taste of Mexican tequila! 2. All the restaurants provide expansive menus that also cater to children. Azul Beach's gourmet all-inclusive offerings will have both adults and children looking forward to each meal. Each restaurant on site takes special care to note of any allergies or specific food requirements of its guests while still offering a plentiful menu or incredible options. There is a special kids menu at each eatery full of choices that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. High-chairs are also available throughout the resort for those dining with small children. 3. There are family comforts for everyone. What I really loved about Azul Beach is that they really try to accommodate the needs of all their guests, including small children. Families with small children can have their rooms equipped with a crib, bottle warmer, stroller, stuffed animals, changing table, bath toys, and other necessities for their child. The resort also offers small robes and slippers for kids so they too can feel like they're relaxing in paradise. It's little touches like these that really set this hotel apart in terms of customer service and guests satisfaction. 4. The resort promotes pure relaxation for the whole family. The resort's Vassa Spa doesn't just cater to adults, they also offer spa services for children ages 5 to 17. And if you're looking for more fun in the sun, take a dip in one of the resort's many pools or just sit in the beautiful Caribbean Sea. You can also take a relaxing snooze on one of the king-sized beach beds lined along the shore. If working out is your way of destressing, check out the hotel's Fitness Center, which is equipped with modern and comfortable gym equipment and air conditioning along with flat screen televisions. 5. The concierge can help you with off-site tours and excursions. If you're looking to explore the area outside the hotel grounds a bit more, the hotel concierge can help arrange tours or transportation for you and your family. They'll also give you suggestions on what's best for groups traveling with children of all ages (my personal favorites are: visiting Xel-Ha or Xcaret nature parks, beach-hopping and snorkeling, going on a Camel Safari at Maroma Beach, visiting the incredible Mayan ruins, or taking a stroll through Cancun or Playa del Carmen). Rest assure, if you're in need of tips and ideas on things your family might enjoy -- your personal concierge will provide you with plenty of ideas. For more information about Azul Beach Hotel, or to book your stay at this family-friendly resort, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun is known for its wide variety of restaurants and eateries, but another excellent perk for guests is the resort's 24-hour room service and fully furnished in-room minibar and liquor dispenser. If you're like me -- not a morning person -- room service is the perfect perk when you want to sleep late, roll out of bed and enjoy breakfast or lunch in your pajamas. My husband also happens to be a late-night snacker, so the ability to order from Moon Palace's expansive 24-hour menu was so convenient during our stay (the grilled steak, shrimp cocktail and chicken lettuce wraps were his personal favorites!). Their 24-room service menu is simply a great option for those who want to drink and dine in the comforts of your own room. And because it's an all-inclusive resort, no fees or costs are involved to order room service. Best of all the service is quick, timely and your food is always served fresh! Another special touch that Moon Palace resort goers will enjoy is the in-room liquor dispenser and minibar. The liquor options include full-sized bottles of tequila, rum, whiskey and vodka. And inside the refrigerator, you'll also find a combination of juices, sodas and water -- so whatever your preference, there's an option for you. The dispensers and beverages are replenished daily, so you are always "fully-stocked!" Rest assure, when it comes to staying at Moon Palace, dining and drinks are readily available 24/7 and you don't even have to step out of your bedroom door to enjoy! For more information on Moon Palace resorts and its services, or to book your stay, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE!
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Azul Beach Hotel in Puerto Morelos is not only know for their awesome beach beds located right on the shore, the resort also offers top notch spa services that can take your quest for relaxation to a whole new level. Azul Beach's Vassa Spa gives guests more than just your typical spa treatments, they provide a complete spa experience. Besides being able to lounge and unwind in one of the relaxing warm and cold plunge pools, spa goers can also opt for a Beachfront Sky Massage, or experience a couple’s treatment in one of the spa's double massage cabins. During my recent stay Azul Beach, my husband and I had the opportunity to indulge in an hour-long beachfront sky massage, which takes place under an open-air palapa hovering over the Caribbean Sea, so while you're getting the massage of your life, you can also relax to the soothing sounds of the ocean waves hitting the shore. The spa allows you to schedule appointments for treatments and I didn't have any trouble picking my preferred time slot -- they are quite flexible and accommodating. You can even schedule a moonlight massage if that's what you prefer! Prior to your massage, the spa staff will have you check in and fill out a form to find out what type of massage you prefer while also finding out whether you have any trouble spots or tight areas that need special attention. The experience is customized from beginning to end, with your relaxation and pleasure in mind throughout. I can't say enough about the kindness and professionalism of Vassa Spa's staff, they really go out of their way to ensure that when you walk through their door, you are well taken care of. Getting a massage from one of their trained massage therapists is truly a wonderful experience that one should indulge in during their stay. With hair and makeup options as well as their expansive menu of spa services, Vassa Spa is a great option for brides-to-be and their partners as well as wedding guests. But children can also indulge in different beautifying and calming rituals, such as the Princess for a Day experience. The pampering is open to everyone! Click here for more information about Vassa Spa's treatments, services and prices. And to book your stay at Azul Beach Hotel, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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Have you ever had a meal that was so good it literally made you want to cry tears of joy? Well that's pretty much how I felt while dining at Azul Beach Hotel's premier restaurant "Latino" this past April. Honestly, it was the first time I've heard my husband say, "I've never been this sad that my plate's empty" after he devoured his meal. And trust me, we have eaten plenty of delicious meals and we have the bellies to show for it Latino is one of five restaurants at the gourmet all-inclusive resort in Cancun-Riviera Maya, Mexico. And when I say they do everything well here, I seriously mean EVERYTHING. Nothing came out of that kitchen during the two times we dined there that I didn't absolutely love. The servers here will start you off with a deliciously fresh salad topped with mango dressing followed by a platter of "Latin Bites," which features a variety of appetizers made from different Latin American countries, such as Colombia, Valenzuela, Argentina and Mexico. Because Azul Beach is all-inclusive, we decided to splurge a bit and also try their tuna tartar and empanadas -- again, they did not disappoint because everything here is prepared to perfection. To satiate our thirst, our wonderful server suggested we try their special sangria lemonade and mango sangria. Let's just say, sangria has now become my new drink of choice The sangria here is absolutely exquisite. This portion of the meal alone will send your tastebuds into heaven, but it's just the precursor for the main course of your choosing. As big meat eaters, we opted for the highly-touted rib eye steak and tequila lime shrimp, both of which came with a side of grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes. This is where my meal basically brought tears to my eyes. It's honestly the best steak I've ever had in my life, cooked exactly the way I like and full of flavor. The shrimp was fresh and side dishes were just as incredible -- it was the perfect compliment to the steak, which I later learned is imported from Canada. As an all-inclusive resort, Azul Beach is focused on providing top notch quality food and flavors to its diners. So how do you top off a fantastic meal? With extraordinary desserts of course! Although we came into Latino during the last 45 minutes of the restaurant's hours, our server encouraged us to complete our meal with one of their speciality desserts. So with bellies already quite satiated, we topped off our wonderful meal with tres leches cake, churros and hot chocolate. Let's just say, I wish I could have put a dozen of those churros in my pocket to take home with me. It was a divine way to end a meal that my family and I still talk about till this day. YES, our meal at Azul Beach Hotel's Latino was THAT GOOD. The servers here are friendly and personable and if you want a combination of two dishes (say, surf and turf?), just ask and they shall provide. When you come to this resort, the staff is here to please and they want nothing more than for you to walk away with a dining experience that you will fondly remember for years. Latino is a great dinner spot for large groups but if you want a quiet evening with just your sweetheart, it's ideal for that too. The ambience is chic and serene and the food is impeccable. Latino bistro is a vibrant celebration of food, energy and music, culinary preparations from the Southern tip of the Americas up to the Northern part of Mexico. Refreshing and unpretentious, Latino is the perfect place for family celebration with enticing meals including an impressive kids menu. The restaurant serves a la carte dinner services from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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Hello ladies! I'm just wondering if any brides who have had their wedding at Azul Fives could provide a review for me. Not only on the wedding part, but the resort itself! I've been reading reviews on trip advisor, yes I know to take them with a grain of salt, but lately there has been a lot of negative reviews, so I can't help but be a little concerned! I want to finalize my decision , I love the look of the resort and everything it has to offer, but those are just pictures and info, I would love some trustworthy opinions! With the Canadian dollar being so low, prices have gone pretty high, so I would like to ensure my guests get a great vacation. Thanks in advance for the help, I look forward to reading about your experiences!
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Hello everyone! I am looking in getting married in November 2016. I am barely starting to plan it but there are so many places. What is a nice cheap resort in cabo that includes everything I need for my wedding? I'm planning on having about 50 guests. My budget is $10,000 do you think I can plan something nice with that amount? Has anyone gotten married in cabo. If so which resort and how much did you pay? My guests aren't planning on staying in the resort. They are staying in cheaper hotels. I am open to other ideas but I my dream wedding is on the beach. All I care about is the ceremony, music and food. Please help! Feel free to send me pictures emilychristine92@@gmail.com
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Hello! Just beginning to plan my destination wedding and don't even know where to start. Here is what I do know... I want to go somewhere warm and beachy but I don't want to get married on the beach. I am looking for an all-inclusive resort but don't want to break the bank. I'm traveling from Massachusetts and also have 2 children under 5 but will have my whole family for help. My mom is a teacher and I do need to work around a regular school schedule so thinking possibly February vacation for April vacation. I'm thinking possibly Mexico or the Dominican. We have a rather small group that will be attending. That's pretty much all I have and I'm open to any suggestions. I feel so confused in this world and want to set things in stone so we can start saving. Help! Becca
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10 Reasons Why You Should Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
I am spoiled for life. Why? Because I just spent eight blissful days at a beautiful boutique-style all-inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya, Mexico and frankly, I don't think I'll ever be the same again. The minute I left Azul Beach Hotel, I was already thinking about planning a trip back with the rest of my family. First you must know that as a lifelong traveler, I am not accustomed to the all-inclusive way. Having only been to two all-inclusive resorts in the past, most of my travels comprised being "more adventurous" and thrifty -- that is, find a nice affordable resort and then trying a plethora of different restaurants throughout my stay. This is how my parents vacationed with us as kids and as I grew old enough to travel on my own, it's eventually how I vacationed with my husband and my kids too. But now, I'm 39 and I'm here to say -- my weeklong stay at this all-inclusive resort spoiled me rotten and I'm thoroughly convinced this is the way everyone should vacation and here's why: The steady stream of food and drinks. Let's face it, part of the lure of going on vacation is eating and dining on delicious food as you please. Well being at an all-inclusive resort, you have the ability to eat and drink till your heart's content. Want to sip on a cocktail or two after dinner? Or perhaps an early morning coffee or smoothie is what you crave. Food and drinks are readily available 24/7 and at an all-inclusive you simply walk into a restaurant or dining area and place your order without having to look at prices -- because you can have anything on the menu without worrying about the costs. All-inclusive menus also encourage you to try new dishes because everything on the menu is included. Have you ever wanted to try something new at a restaurant but feared that you wouldn't like it then suffer diner's remorse, then wishing you had ordered a usual staple? When it comes to an all-inclusive you have the freedom to be more adventurous when it comes to your dining experience and that can be pretty exciting, especially when you're on vacation! If you've got kids, knowing that they can order anything they want on the menu can also be a relief -- especially if you've got picky eaters. You don't have to worry about carrying money around the resort (with exception of money for tips). I have this habit of carrying my purse everywhere "just in case" I need money. When you're at an all-inclusive there is really no need to carry around cash except for tips. So you have peace of mind when heading out to the pool for the day that you need not carry a wallet full of your debit/credit cards with you. Being able to vacation without making sure you've got enough money on you is truly relaxing. It's easy to dine separately or coordinate meals together, especially if you have a larger group. If you've traveled with a large group before, you know how difficult it can be to coordinate meals while also making sure to pick a restaurant that can satisfy everyone's tastes and budget. At an all-inclusive, eating alone or planning meals together is a much easier process. Everyone in the group can eat/snack whenever they please, but if you opt to eat together, it's so much easier to choose when you know costs aren't involved. You'll love the flexibility and convenience of room service. My family and I are extreme night owls, so we're usually asleep while others are enjoying breakfast and just waking up as breakfast is about to end. But when you're at an all-inclusive you often have the option of 24-hour room service and that's like gold when you want to eat breakfast but you're not much of a morning person. It also comes in handy if you're a late night snacker -- like my husband. When you're at a regular resort, room service normally comes with higher prices. But an all-inclusive, price doesn't even come into play. You can snack as you please. Spending your day in the ocean or lounging by the pool can often leave you craving a delicious drink or snack and beach/poolside service is pretty much a given at most all-inclusive resorts. So rest assure, if you're sitting poolside reading a book all afternoon, you won't need to get up anytime soon, because soon enough a server will come by asking if you want a drink or snack. Lots of all-inclusive resorts will also have snack bars, bakeries or dessert bars on site to help curb your appetite in between meals. Now how perfect is that? The service is second to none. I can't say enough about the level of service I have received at the all-inclusive resorts I've stayed at. Your resort fees not only go toward lodging and dining, but you're also paying for top level customer service in every aspect of your resort stay. The staff is there to please you completely from the moment you check into the resort till the time you leave. During our stay at Azul Beach Hotel, we were blown away by the engaging nature and kindness of all the resort workers -- especially during our meals. The servers were funny and engaging and always went out of their way to make sure we were happy with our meal from beginning to end. The top-notch service alone makes the all-inclusive experience stand on its own. You have access to free entertainment. All-inclusive resorts are usually packed full of entertainment options for guests. Whether it be nightclubs, bars or lounges or shows for both children and adults -- you'll have a wide variety of entertainment and activities to choose from. These resorts are focused on keeping you happy and entertained while on the property so you don't feel the need to leave for anything. If you're the type that always needs to be connected, free wifi is usually also included during your all-inclusive stay. You have access to non-motorized water sports. Many all-inclusive resorts give their guests full usage of sports and water equipment like snorkels, kayaks, and paddleboards. Family friendly resorts will also give children access to beach and pool toys, which helps a lot when you're trying to limit how much to pack in your suitcase. While there may additional charges for certain sport/water activities, you usually get considerable access to a variety of tools/equipment with your already paid-for resort fees. It can help you save on your Wedding Day. Several all-inclusive resorts will throw in bonuses when couples choose to have their wedding on-site -- especially if you have a large group. These perks can help you save a ton when it comes to planning your celebration. So make sure to ask the resort what their wedding packages or options include. Often times, all-inclusive resorts will work with preferred travel agencies who can also offer additional perks if their entire wedding party/guests book through that particular agency. (Wright Travel Agency -- the official agency of bestdestinationwedding.com, is a preferred agency with several of the destination wedding resorts throughout Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica as well as other prime destination locations. To contact the Wright Travel, click here.) You don't worry about staying on a budget. There's something completely liberating about going on vacation and not having to worry about how much you've spent and how much cash you have left in your wallet. When you stay at an all-inclusive resort, the money for your lodging and food/drink has been paid upfront and your time there can be spent in total relaxation mode. If you haven't tried an all-inclusive resort, you should try it at least a couple times. Even if you're one of those travelers like me who's grown accustomed to always being on the go -- the all-inclusive experience is worth trying at least once. You just may find yourself spoiled by it like me and waking up post-vacation, wondering why no one is there bringing you a cocktail or ready with your morning omelette To find out more information about booking an all-inclusive vacation for your honeymoon or destination wedding, contact Wright Travel Agency at: www.wrighttravelagency.com or you can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.- 1 comment
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Hi there I'm getting married in April 2016. in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I've chosen to have our wedding ceremony and reception at a private venue so we can add that personal touch. Plus since I have 50 guests travelling from around the world to stay with us, I thought getting everyone off resort would be a welcome change of scenery for everyone. We are all staying at the Royalton White Sands. BUT here's the issue - RWS are trying to charge us $450 for each outside vendor fee to bring our photographer and make up artists etc to our rooms. I really don't see how they can justify trying to charge us this when we are just paying guests. We are not using any of their wedding services so it's not as if it's a loss of earnings - they were never getting the business in the first place! I'm really annoyed as there's lots I could use the extra $1000 dollars on. Even with bringing 50 guests we are getting no discount so you'd think they might have some give here Have any other brides experienced this before? Any other brides got married off-resort? Comments very much welcome!! CK xx
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I've been fortunate enough to do a lot of traveling throughout my life and for the most part have been extremely lucky when it comes to accommodations during my travels. So after staying at so many great hotels and resorts through the years, I've come to realize that it's the little details and special touches that really stand out to me when I'm traveling. I recently spent five days at the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun and it was my first visit there as well as one of the few times I've stayed at an all-inclusive resort. Besides the overall grandeur of the resort, the luxurious accommodations and the beautifully landscaped grounds, the Moon Palace offered a lot of special little touches that really impressed me. One of the details that frankly, floored me, was that part of the room accommodations included CHI Bath Products and Hair Styling Tools. As a self-professed beauty and hair product addict, I have to admit I may have squealed a little when I discovered the CHI products in our room. Let's just say when I found the pro-style hair styling iron/straightener in the bathroom drawer, I may or may not have held it up like a sword and shouted, "YESSSSS!!!!" You see, one of my dilemmas every time I pack my suitcase for a trip out of town is having to decide whether or whether not I should bring my hair straightener -- especially when it comes to traveling to the tropics where my hair is either looking "beach water fresh" or "fresh outta the shower." So it's reassuring to know that if I'm ever staying at a Palace resort, then I need not worry about bringing a high quality hair straightener or blow dryer because my room will be equipped with one. The same goes for the always constant query, "should I rely on the quality of the resort shampoo/conditioner or bring my own products?" Well if you've booked a room at one of the Palace resorts, then rest assure, you don't have to worry about bringing big bottles of shampoo or conditioner because they've got you covered -- with good sized hair products might I add that are restocked daily! Things like this are especially important these days where airlines have become stringent on charging travelers for baggage and weight fees. “When most women travel, typically, they’ll find an average blow-dryer in their room — and certainly not a hair iron — so they will pack heavy hair tools and products.” said Gibran Chapur, Executive Vice President for Palace Resorts. “By partnering with CHI, a brand women know and love, Palace Resorts is further pampering them with the professional quality hair and beauty products they would find in a salon.” A resort perk since August 2012, all of Palace's oceanfront resorts provide guests with the original CHI Ceramic Hairstyling Iron and CHI Pro Hair-Dryer, as well as the CHI Infra Shampoo, Infra Treatment (conditioner), body lotion, and bubble bath. And if you're staying at a Palace resort and realize you've become attached to one of their products, you also have the option of purchasing any of their styling tools or bath products from the resort's salon. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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With Indian destination weddings celebrations typically occurring over the course of several days, food is a key detail couples must consider when planning their festivities. Although many resorts do not prepare Indian food on site, and will instead offer cuisine from an off-site caterer, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun proves to be the exception. As part of its expansive vendor and decor options for Indian weddings, Moon Palace is also equipped with chefs who are fully trained to prepare Indian food, including all the authentic spices and ingredients needed to provide a variety of dishes throughout all the wedding festivities. So couples can rest assure that their guests will enjoy a delicious buffet of freshly prepared Indian food made on site. I recently spent several days at Moon Palace for a Southeast Asian Wedding Conference and experienced some of the fine Indian cuisine the resort had to offer. Each of the four buffet spreads I had the pleasure of indulging in included freshly prepared appetizers, sides and a plethora of main dishes -- all of which were bursting with delicious flavors and spices. “Palace Resorts takes pride in our ability to make dreams a reality. Indian weddings are visually unlike anything the destination has seen before, and we believe our valued guests will be awed by our latest offering,” said Gibran Chapur, executive vice president of Palace Resorts told Travelpulse.com. “Expanding our offerings and capabilities is a testament to our ability to make sure every detail of your wedding exceeds every bride’s desires and individual needs.” For more information on booking your Indian destination wedding at Moon Palace Golf & Resort Spa, click here. - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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I am staying at Secrets Wild Orchid and having my wedding there on Feb 2nd and since it suddenly just became only the two of us I would like to arrange a special candlelight dinner on the beach after our ceremony. I've heard that the Seawinds Beach Club and Calypso Restaurant next door to the resort does this but I can't find a website with any details. Have any Jamaica brides on here had experience with this? I have also reached out to SWO about having a candlelight dinner at the resort on the beach or one of the gazebos but they still haven't replied to me with pricing or menus to chose from and I don't want to leave it to chance until we get there since we want to have the dinner on a specific day.
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Hello everyone!!! Just trying to see if there are any Paradisus Varadero brides or brides-to-be out there? We are getting married in May (2016) and trying to see some recent wedding reviews but not finding much luck My fiancé and I are kind of concerned because it seems like all the reviews coming from Cuba lately are really hit and miss - and more misses. Has something changed over there or are people being extra picky these days? Any info on the resort and especially on weddings there would be so very much appreciated! Fingers crossed!!
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Hello, I am new to this site and hoping to get some help making a decision on which resort to book for my wedding in November 2016. I have spent countless hours going over the different options and feel like I am going crazy! My goal is to keep the trip as cost effective for my guests as possible while having a beautiful beach wedding with some good food and dancing.. I am a low maintenance, easy going bride, all I want is to do is pick a couple flowers and show up with a dress and my man As result I have narrowed it down to the following: 1. Riu Yucatan (I LOVE the beach!) 2. Grand Bahia Principe Tulum 3. Riu Playacar If anyone has any experiences with any of these hotels I would love to hear it! I read a lot of reviews on Trip Advisor and it's hard to tell which are unbiased and which are fake.. Thank you! Joanna
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Hi All, I was wondering if anyone has gotten married at the Hilton Puerto Vallarta or have attended a wedding there? Puerto Vallarta wasn't originally in my scope of plans but I do have family members who travel with Hilton often and have some perks that can help us with our stay I don't see much on their website but wanted to get an idea if anyone knows! Thanks!
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Hello there! I am getting married at Azul Sensatori May 2016 and would like to know if anyone had any issues with having their reception in the ballroom? I would like to have it indoors so that my guests can have some AC! Does anyone have any pictures to share of their ballroom reception? Do you know if the decor in my attached picture is included in that?
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Hello Everyone! I'm newly engaged and am on the hunt for all-inclusive resorts in Mexico or Dominican Republic. It seems like the hundreds I've looked at didn't work one for reason or another. I'm pretty easy going, but truly need a resort to be budget friendly for my guests (I'm hoping to get married the weekend of April 7th-12th). My family and friends are all coming from New York so we are very spoiled with food - thus we'll need a resort with good food (doesn't have to be spectacular, but people have to be able to eat!). I am looking for a resort that is relatively modern or at least has a fresh/clean look. Another important factor is wheelchair accessibility for my grandmother - and distance from airport cannot exceed 45 minutes. We are expecting about 60 guests and these hotels and wedding ceremony availabilities are booking up so fast! Please let me know about any suggestions you all have, they will be so appreciated! Thank you tons, Regina
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My husband and I are planning a trip for Jan 2016 as an anniversary/My 30th Bday/Recovery celebration and I need some help. We got married at Playacar Palace in Jan 2014 and honeymooned at Cozumel Palace and loved it at both places, they were nice, small, great food and service, and had very fun places to visit/explore around them. For this trip I'm open to some other options and was wondering what you guys would suggest? The issue; I'm having ankle surgery in Sept, so I will be 4 months into the 6 month recovery which is where I have hit the wall as far as planning. I had the other ankle operated on last year and know 100% that there's no way I could handle walking a mega resort at that point....So I need some advice on nice smaller resorts to look into. The places I've looked at/considered Akumal Wellness Resort and all of the Palace resorts except Moon. Requirements (in order of importance): - Caribbean/Mexico (east side) - Small size - All inclusive - Nice beach - Good food/service - Pool (not manditory) - Near a town/touristy area for shopping/cultural stuffs The goal is basically to go relax on the the beach, drink, eat, and not do too much else I can't really do many excursions sadly (it honestly makes me so sad because other then a cenote/ek balam tour (which I highly highly recommend), we didn't get to do much on the Riviera side during our wedding because we were busy), but if you have ideas on anything like boat tours or stuff that didn't require much walking, that would be greatly appreciated too So! Any experience at the places I've looked at? Or suggestions or recommendations for other resorts? Thanks!
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- Cancun Riviera Maya
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Although I didn’t post any threads while planning my wedding, I did use BDW on several occasions and feel as though I owe it back to post this thread as a review of my wedding and some things I would or wouldn’t change. Just FYI- it’s a long thread! I hope this helps some of you in your planning! Dress: I loved my dress. It was purchased on clearance at David’s Bridal- a choice I made knowing that I would be “trashing” it after the wedding. Still… it’s really not that trashed, and I still really love it. So win-win! There were no closets to hang this in on the airplane so I ended up laying it across the luggage stored overhead and it was totally fine. Secrets steamed the dress and my grooms outfit so I assume any wrinkles from travel would have been removed regardless. Bridesmaids: I had 5 bridesmaids, 4 of which came to Jamaica (one had a baby!). I told them to find any coral dress they wanted and it worked out perfectly. I’d be lying if I said waiting to see if the colors matched didn’t give me any anxiety though. It worked out great in the end! I made them monogrammed beach bags and filled these with a flower for their hair, sunglasses, a necklace and earrings in a travel jewelry roll, and I made them a jewelry dish, passport and luggage tag holders, and barefoot sandals. I also paid for half of their hairstyles at the resort. My girls are awesome! small DIY items: I am an art teacher and I had a lot of time and materials available to me. I did not want to pay the ridiculous prices for décor from the resort, so most of our details were made by me. These fans were purchased from Michael’s and put on each seat for the reception. I also bought these paper straws and made the little tags for them (not all of these on one straw!)- we put them at the bar and had the bartender put one in each drink. Being the art teacher I wanted to have paint brushes there. I kept seeing cute ones saying something about brushing away sand, which inspired our escort cards. Our favor for the wedding was a magnet. The photo on the front is a print of a painting I made from one of our photos of a past Secrets trip. Flowers: I stalked Hobby Lobby until their RealTouch flowers were 50% and bought all of my florals from there. It cost me $90 for my entire bouquet and 5 bridesmaids bouquets. That was the cost of ONE bouquet from the resort! And you wouldn’t be able to bring it home with you. I had these in my carry on and they travelled really well. Now they are in my living room. I really just grabbed a bunch that I liked and put them together. Love them! We did get a real rose boutonnière for my husband because I didn’t like the way mine came out. Oh well. It was $40 just for that though! Yikes. We used the florals included in the wedding package to decorate around the reception area. I added little charms to the girls’ bouquets with their initials and wrapped mine with a broach that I wore for my sister’s wedding. Centerpieces: Since we only had 3 tables and a sweet heart table, I decided to use the bridesmaid bouquets as the flowers in the centerpieces. This worked out AWESOME. I wrapped gray ribbon around a clean spaghetti jar and added the sand dollar with coral ribbon. I used a gold paint pen to write the table numbers. I made four of these and numbered 1-3, I left the last one blank incase one broke, but none did so I drew a heart on it and used it at our sweet heart table instead. Once there, we filled them with a little bit of sand at the bottom to help hold the flowers upright. I bought handkerchiefs for the centerpiece to sit on since everything the resort provides is white. We used fake tea lights because real ones would blow out on the beach, and instead of using glass votives I made little coral paper mache cups that were way less heavy. I made turquoise tiles stamped with starfish for the jar to sit on… these said Montego Bay on the back, and were scoffed up pretty quickly by our guests as the end of the night. Lastly, some pink gems and additional starfish/sand dollars were added for decoration. I put all of the candles in the mason jars and then wrapped them in bubble wrap in my carry on. Again, no problems at all! Nothing broke. We also didn’t bring any of this home except one jar. Welcome Bags: We brought all of this with us and assembled once we got there. The following were included: Welcome sign/door knocker, bookmark, tissues, suntan lotion and aloe packets, sweedish fish, hand sanitizer bandaids, gym, instagram signs, a note with when to be at the wedding, a mix CD of island songs, and granola bars. I found the welcome/door hanger signs somewhere online and recreated similar ones in Word. We didn’t include any drinks and not much food because it was an all-inclusive resort, but everyone seemed to really like the bags and appreciated the thought. We gave the bags to people as we saw them instead of paying the $4 fee per room delivery fee that the resort charges. Secrets Resort: This resort is absolutely beautiful. We were there on vacation in 2012 and decided that if we got married it would be there. Fast forward two years later, we got engaged and booked our wedding without further discussions. We used a travel agent to handle our trip because it was a group of 27 people! I highly suggest someone to handle all of the details for you so you have less to worry about. We were also upgraded to the preferred side of Wild Orchid when we arrived.The view from our room was incredible. Aside from the beauty of the resort, they are not incredibly easy to work with. I understand the whole concept of email taking a while to respond, but I was made to feel like a crazy bride pulling out all of the stuff we brought with us (or maybe I just really was a crazy bride???). There was also a very strict schedule the day of the wedding. The ceremony started at 5 but guests had to be in their seats by 4:30. There was a fee for every little thing. The only thing we rented from the resort were tiki torches. They do provide lights that look like lamp posts (but don’t tell you about it) so you probably don’t need the 12 we got. They were really good about setting everything up- it looked just how I had imagined it- and never charged us a set up fee at all. We had both the ceremony and the reception at the barracuda beach which is by the volley ball courts. Our photographer was amazing and covered the vendor fee, but we had to pay for her to have a guest pass to come back the next day to do a one hour trash the dress session. It was just a feeling of being nickel and dimed for every little thing when you were bringing the resort a ton of money with a group of people and a wedding. They did give us an extra room the night before the wedding for the groom to stay in. We decided to stay together anyway, so I used the extra room the next day to get ready in with my girl since it didn’t have the luggage clutter and he got ready with the groomsmen in our room since they didn’t really care. It worked out nicely. Myself and four girls used the resort spa for our hair and I also had my make up done because it was included in my package. This was all fine until we got out on the beach and it was super windy. The extensions started to come out. Luckily my mom is a retired hair dresser and was able to remove them and pin up what was left before the ceremony started. The make up was nice and stayed all night- a few weird things were: they lined my lips on the outside of them… making them look huge, they added black to my already dark eyebrows and I felt like Frida Kahlo, and they lined my eyes with eyeshadow instead of pencil. The brows they fixed right away by seeing my reaction, the other things were fine, just different. I wiped off the extra lips and lined my own eyes when we got back to the room. Our Photographer: By far, we spent the most amount of money in this area and it was 100% worth every penny. Misha Earle was incredible. She was so flexible creating the photo package that we wanted and our photos are stunning. I can’t stop looking at them! She kept us laughing all day long and was everything you could want in your wedding photographer. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer in Jamaica. I did a lot of research before choosing her, and don’t regret it one bit. We did get photographs from the resort included in our package—and they are fine. But not comparable to Misha’s photos at all! (There was also a video included with our package… if not included, it would not have been worth the money. The quality is terrible and graphics are quite tacky.) Within 2.5 weeks of our wedding we could view the photos online and within a month we had our photos on a flash drive at our door. I can’t say enough great things about her! Cocktail Hour: We upgrade to the steel drum band for $200. From what I hear, they were awesome. We were off taking pictures with Misha so we only caught the very end of it. We did a first look before the ceremony (my favorite part of the day) so all of our bridal party could enjoy happy hour. DJ: We used the house DJ- I don’t actually know what his name is, but he was pretty good. We didn’t have a choice of who we wanted. He played all of the songs that we requested ahead of time and kept us dancing all night. I only wish we had met him ahead of time to go over the order of when things were happening. My brother in law sang and played our first dance song for us and he didn’t know he was about to play until he was announced. Minor details, but would have been nice to know ahead of time. He did bring a mic/stand and made sure he had the right guitar plug ins for us though, as requested through the weddings manager. The food was really good in the buffet. Some brides say that they don’t have time to eat at their wedding but we didn’t have any problems with that. J They gave us a personal waiter who made us plates from the buffet. We got chocolate for our cake flavor and that was really good. They wrap up the top of your cake and give it to room service so you can order it whenever you want for the rest of your trip. Our last night, we took the cake and a bottle of champagne to the beach and enjoyed what we could before we left! I made the wire cake topper, and we brought the ribbon (left over from my bouquet) with us which they added to the cake. We never got the cake topper back, but then again I never asked. The flowers pictures are the ones included from the hotel. ***********having trouble with the photo uploader... guess you'll have to visit Misha's website to see the cake! Welcome Party and Rehearsal: We didn’t do one, technically. I watched some other Secrets weddings on YouTube and basically just paired people up so they knew who to walk with. I walked with both of my parents and we had 4 girls, 6 guys so that was the only coordinating we really had to do. I tried to make reservations for the whole group ahead of time at hibachi. They wanted to charge us $30 a person to book this (at one of the resort restaurants, nothing private). So we didn’t book it. Once we were there we tried again with our hotel concierge and they made the reservation for 27 with no additional charge. Because it was hibachi the tables seated 10 each so it was a little divided, but it was nice to have everyone together this first night. I’m sure there are other things I’m forgetting, so feel free to ask away. You can see a feature of our photos from Misha at http://mishaearlephotography.com/#!/images/featured-weddings/courtney-matt-secrets-wild-orchid/ and if you click on slideshows the rest of them are there. I’ll post a few, just so you can get an idea of how seriously incredible she really is!
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I realize Cuba is not open to the states residents, I'm Canadian and looking to get married at the Casa del Marin Cayo Santa Maria. It doesn't open until winter .. I'm so nervous about booking a wedding at a hotel before its even open. Is anyone else thinking of getting married here? Could use some support!
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We haven looking at resorts for weeks! We started working with a travel agent and altough much easier, still quite the task to make a selection. We liked the Riu Palace Mexico, but they are being very inflexible about our arrival date. So, we are now looking at Dreams Tulum. We are concerned about the reviews from Trip Advisor about them pestering for additional purchases and the price for wine which is an additional cost. Has anyone have a recent experience? Do you have a comment from a guest or the wedding couple point of view? Anything will help! Thanks, Ana
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- Cancun Riviera Maya
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Has anyone had their wedding as Las Brisas Huatulco? I am having a hard time finding anyone who has. We booked here, it was recommended by our travel agent. I didn't even know about all the forums and stuff I could have went on to find other resorts and get reviews on them so we just booked this resort without any knowledge other than the travel agent saying it was pretty. I would love to connect with someone who has had a wedding here as I am lost on what to do about the planning. The wedding contact at the resort does not have the best English so I am not even sure how to start the planning process! Thanks
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Hello everyone, I am really looking for some support. The first time I was on this site I found amazing resources for helping me chose the Riu Palace in Cabo. Due to some crazy circumstances with the travel company our flights were cancelled and no long available making it almost near impossible to keep our same wedding date. The only way we can keep the date is if go with another travel company who doesnt offer the Riu and chose a different resort. They suggested Barcelo Grand Faro to me and the pictures look nice and the wedding packages look better then the Riu to me. I am hoping any brides with previous experience here can help a girl out. Can I see pictures, advise on where to have the reception, advise if your group is over the amount included in the package. At this point anything.... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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