Upcoming wedding at Beaches Turks & Caicos!

Hi brides! My name is Brandy and this is the first time I'm on this site! I am so happy I found it! My fiance and I will be married at Beaches Turks & Caicos in July 2013!  

I have read a lot of the brides posts and I have some information concerning the photorgraphy at the resort. As many of you, I have heard awful things about their photography (mean photographer, didn't capture important photos, like the cake, etc). I did a lot of research and it really seems like run-of-the-mill photography. I spoke with my wedding doordinator (Roxi) and she said that I would not know who my photographer was until very close to the wedding date. Roxi also told me that the photographers do not have websites. So there was no way I was going to be able to see who our photographer would be OR see the work they've done in the past.

Not to fear totally brides! With it being a small world, my fiance has a friend whose daughter was married there in November. Luckily, I had the opportunity to meet with her. She gave me the scoop of restaurants to visit (and ones to skip), awesome tips/tricks about the resort and how to be prepared when packing for the trip (like bring bug spray!) I'm happy to share any and all details she gave me, just ask!. She also told me ALL about her wedding experience including her photography. She said her photographer was ok. She wasn't thrilled with it but her experience also wasn't terrible. I saw her photo album and honestly, the place is just gorgeous. It's hard to mess up photos with such a gorgeous place. My friend didn't love the photographers personality but he did capture most of the wedding and details she wanted.

I've seen a lot of brides say that the resort does not allow outside vendors including photography. That is true, BUT, and this is a big BUT, if you want outside photography, you will have to book whomever is coming to the resort for your wedding (exact number of photographers/videographers) a three-night room stay. Yes, that's right. You will have to book them rooms that they will not be staying in. That is in addition to paying for your outside vendor. Guest passes and other ways of getting around it do not work. The resort wants your money and that is the price you must pay. At first, I thought there was no way. And THEN I got the idea to just add them to a room that was already booked. We have a couple single people attending our wedding. So we added our photographer and videographer to their room. It's a lot cheaper to add people to a room than it is to book a separate room. It was very doable and we cut other things out that didn't mean as much to us in order to be able to have photo/video we know we will cherrish and love.

Now for who our photo/video people will be! Thanks to another Brandy on this site, we read her reviews about Tropical Imaging! Google them and be sure to watch their videos of weddings. Truly, hands down, they know how to do weddings. They have numerous options for various budgets and all kinds of packages. We are going with one photographer and one videographer for our Big Day and we couldn't be happier to have found this company. They actually live very close to the resort.

For brides who do not wish to book a room for an outside vendor, there is an option to do off-site photography through Tropical Imaging! On any day you choose, you and your fiance/husband can pick a day and they will take you to some of the most beautiful spots and you can have your own private photo session. They also do "Trash the Dress" if you'd like. From talking with the photographer at Tropical Imaging, he said that couples can choose to go with the photographer given to them at the resort for the actual wedding and then the day after the wedding, put the gorgeous gown back on, do up the hair and make-up and have their own private photo session off site. This is another option.

My fiance and I didn't want to be taken off the resort and have to do up the gown, make-up, hair thing again (mostly me) because it would take time away from our family and friends who have come all that way to be with us. So we bit the bullet and chose to have them at our actual wedding. It's an expense but I was NOT going to have my wedding day photos be only "so-so" because the resort photographer was crappy. Those photos are the only thing we will have from our special day. Plus, I'm a little on the anal side and I knew I'd be worried the day of my wedding if the photographers were capturing all that they needed to. For me, the money is worth the piece of mind.

I have a lot of other info too for anyone who has questions!

Please let me know if you have questions about anything else! I have really enjoyed reading all of the threads and have learned a lot from reading them. I will probably throw out questions in the near future!

~Brandy

Hi brides! My name is Brandy and this is the first time I'm on this site! I am so happy I found it! My fiance and I will be married at Beaches Turks & Caicos in July 2013!  

I have read a lot of the brides posts and I have some information concerning the photorgraphy at the resort. As many of you, I have heard awful things about their photography (mean photographer, didn't capture important photos, like the cake, etc). I did a lot of research and it really seems like run-of-the-mill photography. I spoke with my wedding doordinator (Roxi) and she said that I would not know who my photographer was until very close to the wedding date. Roxi also told me that the photographers do not have websites. So there was no way I was going to be able to see who our photographer would be OR see the work they've done in the past.

Not to fear totally brides! With it being a small world, my fiance has a friend whose daughter was married there in November. Luckily, I had the opportunity to meet with her. She gave me the scoop of restaurants to visit (and ones to skip), awesome tips/tricks about the resort and how to be prepared when packing for the trip (like bring bug spray!) I'm happy to share any and all details she gave me, just ask!. She also told me ALL about her wedding experience including her photography. She said her photographer was ok. She wasn't thrilled with it but her experience also wasn't terrible. I saw her photo album and honestly, the place is just gorgeous. It's hard to mess up photos with such a gorgeous place. My friend didn't love the photographers personality but he did capture most of the wedding and details she wanted.

I've seen a lot of brides say that the resort does not allow outside vendors including photography. That is true, BUT, and this is a big BUT, if you want outside photography, you will have to book whomever is coming to the resort for your wedding (exact number of photographers/videographers) a three-night room stay. Yes, that's right. You will have to book them rooms that they will not be staying in. That is in addition to paying for your outside vendor. Guest passes and other ways of getting around it do not work. The resort wants your money and that is the price you must pay. At first, I thought there was no way. And THEN I got the idea to just add them to a room that was already booked. We have a couple single people attending our wedding. So we added our photographer and videographer to their room. It's a lot cheaper to add people to a room than it is to book a separate room. It was very doable and we cut other things out that didn't mean as much to us in order to be able to have photo/video we know we will cherrish and love.

Now for who our photo/video people will be! Thanks to another Brandy on this site, we read her reviews about Tropical Imaging! Google them and be sure to watch their videos of weddings. Truly, hands down, they know how to do weddings. They have numerous options for various budgets and all kinds of packages. We are going with one photographer and one videographer for our Big Day and we couldn't be happier to have found this company. They actually live very close to the resort.

For brides who do not wish to book a room for an outside vendor, there is an option to do off-site photography through Tropical Imaging! On any day you choose, you and your fiance/husband can pick a day and they will take you to some of the most beautiful spots and you can have your own private photo session. They also do "Trash the Dress" if you'd like. From talking with the photographer at Tropical Imaging, he said that couples can choose to go with the photographer given to them at the resort for the actual wedding and then the day after the wedding, put the gorgeous gown back on, do up the hair and make-up and have their own private photo session off site. This is another option.

My fiance and I didn't want to be taken off the resort and have to do up the gown, make-up, hair thing again (mostly me) because it would take time away from our family and friends who have come all that way to be with us. So we bit the bullet and chose to have them at our actual wedding. It's an expense but I was NOT going to have my wedding day photos be only "so-so" because the resort photographer was crappy. Those photos are the only thing we will have from our special day. Plus, I'm a little on the anal side and I knew I'd be worried the day of my wedding if the photographers were capturing all that they needed to. For me, the money is worth the piece of mind.

I have a lot of other info too for anyone who has questions!

Please let me know if you have questions about anything else! I have really enjoyed reading all of the threads and have learned a lot from reading them. I will probably throw out questions in the near future!

~Brandy

Welcome to the forum, Brandy, and Congrats on your upcoming destination wedding in Turks & Caicos in 3 months!!!

Wishing you all the best with the rest of your plans, and that it all turns out just the way you want it to!!! Cheers

team MTM asst, Lynda

Welcome to the forum, Brandy, and Congrats on your upcoming destination wedding in Turks & Caicos in 3 months!!!

Wishing you all the best with the rest of your plans, and that it all turns out just the way you want it to!!! Cheers

team MTM asst, Lynda

Hello and Congrats!! We are getting married on May 21, 2014 and I still go back and forth about the photography thing. Luckily We have some time to decide Did they let you add an extra person to the rooms you already booked? and if someone is staying a week do they let you add that extra person for just the three night?

Hi!

Congratulations! How exciting!

We went round and round with the photography too. It's quite a decision and a real bummer that we must make such a tough call as a result of less-than-perfect photography at the resort.

Yes, we were allowed to add extra people to rooms that were already booked. We had a single guy friend who booked one room and we added two additional people (photographer and videographer). So the total came to three per room which really cut the cost for us (more people to a room the cheaper it becomes).

Good question about someone staying for a week versus three nights... Luckily, ours worked out for the three nights because our friend is staying for just that time. However, we've been adding people and making all sorts of changes to rooms so I'm somewhat familiar with this. What I THINK would happen is, if you added a person(s) to a room for three nights and the other person(s) is staying a week, then the cost would be cheaper for those three nights (for everyone) and after the guest(s) departed (from the 3 nights), the person(s) staying the rest of the week would pay the remaining balance for their stay. Does that make sense? I do believe it is possible for people to check out of rooms when others are continuing their stay. I'm almost positive. To be sure, contact your person who booked your rooms. They would have that answer for sure. My girl is Antoinette Brown (goes by Tonian) and she is great. Here is her contact info if you want to give her a call: 1-800-327-1991 ext: 4664. Her email address is: [email protected]

I decided that I'm paying for the photography myself. It's an investment and super important to me to have no less than amazing pictures. I am using my tax refund and I'm saving money from each paycheck to have enough when the time comes. I've also forfeitted mani's/pedis, in a way of saving money, which hasn't been easy but that's how important my wedding photos are to me. You're right..you have some time to save which is great. I had to jump on the ball rather quickly (we planned in eight months!).

But let me say..the photo book that my girlfriend has really isn't bad. The place itself is beautiful and any photographer captures that beauty. If you decide that having outside photography just isn't in the budget, I would make a list of the exact pictures you want (good for any photographer to have) and give it to him/her. I believe you will have a meeting with them upon arrival at the resort (before your wedding). At least then you would be familiar with them and let them know what is important to you on that day. My friends photos were very nice. She didn't love them but they sufficed if you know what I mean.

I'm happy to answer any other questions you have!

~Brandy

Thanks that's a big help! What are you doing for hair and make up?

And what's the time and location of your ceremony? Right now we are at 4:00 on the beach but we are considering paying the extra for the sunset wedding. Just because we were originally picturing sunset and we are thinking there might not be as many people on the beach at 530. We have stayed at sandals twice before and as soon as the sun starts setting most people go in to get ready for dinner and we usually end up with the beach/pool mostly to ourselves around that time.

Hi!

I am having my hair done by the resort's spa. I've heard mixed reviews. What I'm going to do is get my hair done exactly the way I want it by the girl that does my hair here at home. I'm even going to have her put the head piece in my hair that I'll have for my actual wedding day. I'm going to take all kinds of pictures of it and give it to the person who's going to do my hair at the spa in Turks. That way, they have something to go by. I have a trial hair AND make-up appointment. So if I don't like it then I will have one of my cousins do it for me. The trial appointments are very important and I think showing them a picture of what I want will really help.

We considered the sunset ceremony also. However, it was like $500 extra dollars and we really didn't want to spend that. We are actually being married at 3:00pm (the 4:00 wasn't available) on the beach. We're thinking it may be sunny for our guests at that time so we ordered parasols for them to hold. The ceremony is like under 20 minutes so we didn't want to pay that amount of money just to have it an hour or two later for a very quick ceremony. Plus, we liked the idea of everyone having parasols at the ceremony. Completes the beach theme if you know what I mean.

I agree with you about people kinda leaving the beach around that time. My girlfriend who was married there in November said that there were people around while they were getting married. She said it didn't bother her too much and that they were respecful for the most part in that they gave them their privacy. Our wedding coordinator, Roxi, said that our wedding team at the resort puts a sign "Wedding in Progress" so that guests of the resort will shy away. My friend said she didn't have that.

Upon arriving at the resort you'll get to meet with your wedding team and pick out your location for your ceremony (and reception). At that time, I'm going to talk with them about the privacy of the ceremony. I think it will be fine. My friend had speakers at her ceremony and she said she could hear the music just fine. So there's nothing loud that gets in the way of your "moment."

Bring on the next question! I love answering them!!

What are your colors?

~Brandy

Oh, I forgot to mention...the flowers there are VERY expensive. Reason for that is because they have to have all of their flowers shipped. No flowers on site. My bouquet is $400 and I tried in every way to get it cheaper. My bridesmaids bouquets were $180 a piece! I was having a really hard time spending that amount of money for flowers that the girls are only going to carry for 15 minutes!

My friend who was just married at Turks had her girls carry white fans. It was the neatest thing and totally beachy and islandy (if that's even a word). So I canceled the girls' bouquets and went with the fans! The fans are $5 a piece!!! You can order them yourself or on the Beaches site (we ordered them through Beaches). So $10 for both girls as opposed to $360! And it totally completes the beach theme and perfect for an island wedding!

Just an idea I wanted to throw at you.