Gran Bahia Principe Akumal/Tulum/Coba - POST HERE!

[TATrisha]

Welcome back Kristi!!  You looked so gorgeous on your wedding day!!!

[stylishmeNC]

Crystal,

Do you have a photo of the your wedding site so I could compare with and without flowers? (I thought you had posted photos on here but I can't seem to find them now...) Also, how much fabric did you end up bringing?

Thanks,

Jill
 

Originally Posted by crystalz 

stylishmeNC- The songs, I had 4 songs on a CD, and I got married at the hammock location... I told the WC in our meeting that the 1st song was for Richard & my mom, and all 4 couples (bridesmaids and groomsmen together) to walk down to. the 2nd song was for me and my dad to walk down to, the 3rd song was for the signing and 4th song was for the recessional. She wrote it all down. I had the full length songs on there and they fade it out as soon as everyone is finished walking and its time for the bride then they fade out that song once the bride is at the alter.

Now, as for my 3rd song... I had a LEGAL ceremony so the signing took a bit longer than a symbolic one. The symbolic ceremony i think you only sign a couple papers but with my ceremony my 4 witnesses signed 4 papers EACH then my hubby and I signed 5 each AND finger printed 2 of them. SOOO my song for it wasnt long enough lol the song ended and there was a good minute or so of no music while we finished up the signing and stuff.

 

Then right before we kissed as she was announcing us "husband and wife" they started my 4th song which was perfect and they played it through as we all walked back down and had our toast.

 

The flower arrangements hanging on the structure is NOT included in your package but the WC told me it was about $35 USD for each arrangement if i wanted... I did not want it, I just had my fabric

 

Hope that helped ya a bit.

 

 

[Sunshine2680]

Hi Andrea...Wow..$3200 for only 180 pics?
I mean no offence to you or anyone else here because I think Arrecife does a great job...but I think that's a complete rip-off. I remember seeing prices like these when I first booked my wedding..and now I'm 10000% glad that I'm bringing my own photographer.
Not sure where you're from or if it's even feasible to bring your own but I would look into it if I were you. Again..i think Arrecife takes fantastic pictures..but you should be getting a lot more than 180 pics..a DVD and a few prints for that price. I also think its ridiculous that you have to pay extra to have them at your reception.

I'm only paying $1800 more and I'm getting an engagement session at home...another session when we get to Mexico..the ENTIRE wedding day..AND TTD next day. Plus we get a DVD slideshow. My photog says he'll be shooting into the thousands on the wedding day.
Luckily - with the amount of guests we have booked already..his travel expenses are covered - so that's a big help.

Good luck deciding!

 

Originally Posted by andrea2006 

Hey Ladies...I am having some major anxiety here!

Pictures are VERY important to me, but I am not sure how many pictures I really need...I do not want to skimp on pictures, but I also don't want to lose sight and go overboard and get way more pictures than I need.  I decided I wanted arrecife to cover the reception just so I would be sure I would have nice pictures of our first dance father/daughter dance, bouquet toss, etc.  I also want to do a TTD on another day. 

 

My original plan was get the basic $540 package then add one reception coverage and a TTD.  My only worry was know I don't get professional pictures of the cake cutting and this only leaves me with 100 pictures between the 3 "sessions". 

 

When I asked arrecife about my options they suggested I get the akbla180 package ($3200) which would cover the morning, the very end of dinner for the cake cutting, the reception and a TTD on another day.  This gives me 180 pictures, a dvd slide show plus some printed photos and album that I can trade for more digital pictures.

 

Thoughts?     

 

[andrea2006]

Yeah bringing in my own photographer isn't really an option since I am leaving in a month.  When we decided on a destination wedding I had looked into the cost and it would be about $3200 just to fly the photographer and assistant in plus then the cost of there work.  Once I saw some of arrecifes work I decided I would rather not spend the extra money to fly someone in. I just feel like arrecife knows the area so well they will do a great job.  I know I would get more pictures per dollar if I flew someone in, but then it would be at least a few more $1000 dollars.   

 

My question was more of realistically how many edited pictures do I really need.  It seems most people get about 100 photos, so I just figure if I go with the basic package then add on reception coverage and a TTD I will end up buying a bunch of extra pictures and it will end up going to $3000 anyways...so maybe I would be better off with just getting a package.  

[TATrisha]

I'm sorry you feel that way   But even with a month out, I'm pretty positive you could find photographers to go to your wedding.  I checked, and there are still flights and still hotel rooms, so it's not a matter of it not being possible.

 

With that said, I think Arrecife does a nice job.  I just wish they weren't SO expensive and that they didn't WAY over photoshop their images.

 

100 Photos isn't much, but as long as you LOVE all 100 of them, you should be able to make an album out of your images.  I typically make my albums to only have the best of the best photos in them.  I do not include formals (Everyone lined up, insert this relative and then that relative, etc) in my books.  So with just the best of the best photos, I usually use around 100 of them. 

ACTUALLY!  Cheryl's wedding slideshow has EXACTLY 100 images in it!! http://blog.faberphotography.com/cherylaaron.

 

Maybe if you check that out you can see if 100 images is enough for you.  Although that doesn't include the trash the dress, or the formals.

[crystalz]

Trish, depending on the package you get the flowers on the table are NOT included. I got the sunshine package and there were absolutly no flowers included except my bouquet and hubbys bout.

 

Originally Posted by Tlseege 

Welcome back Kristi!!  You looked so gorgeous on your wedding day!!!

 

[crystalz]

Yup I do have a photo... or at least a friend does I'm sure! And i brought 15 meters.. or yards.. whichever was longer ha ha

 

Originally Posted by stylishmeNC 

Crystal,

Do you have a photo of the your wedding site so I could compare with and without flowers? (I thought you had posted photos on here but I can't seem to find them now...) Also, how much fabric did you end up bringing?

Thanks,

Jill
 

 

 

[TATrisha]

Crystalz, that looked so beautiful!!! 

 

So weird that you didn't get flowers though. 

[crystalz]

Thank you!!

 

I thought it was weird too but oh well, I wouldn't have noticed anyway lol

Originally Posted by Tlseege 

Crystalz, that looked so beautiful!!! 

 

So weird that you didn't get flowers though. 

 

[AD2012]

Has anyone used Arrecife for videography? We're flying in our own photographer but are interested in getting a video of the ceremony as well.  I recall reading that someone thought the video was really corny. If anyone has any examples, it would be greatly appreciated!!

 

 

I would also have to agree with the other girls, what Arrecife is charging for 180 photos is extreme! We're paying $2500 flat fee for our photographer which includes the wedding day and TTD.

 

If you feel that a 100 photo's will be enough, then go with them. I personally don't feel like a 100 photo's would be enough, I hope to have hundreds of special moments that are captured throughout the day. I think it will be hard to put a number on it.

 

Don't sell yourself short, look into it more.  You never know what you will find.

 

You have to do what you feel is right though!

 

 

Originally Posted by andrea2006 

Yeah bringing in my own photographer isn't really an option since I am leaving in a month.  When we decided on a destination wedding I had looked into the cost and it would be about $3200 just to fly the photographer and assistant in plus then the cost of there work.  Once I saw some of arrecifes work I decided I would rather not spend the extra money to fly someone in. I just feel like arrecife knows the area so well they will do a great job.  I know I would get more pictures per dollar if I flew someone in, but then it would be at least a few more $1000 dollars.   

 

My question was more of realistically how many edited pictures do I really need.  It seems most people get about 100 photos, so I just figure if I go with the basic package then add on reception coverage and a TTD I will end up buying a bunch of extra pictures and it will end up going to $3000 anyways...so maybe I would be better off with just getting a package.