Beaches Negril Brides - Post here!!

[Ash&Grant2009]

Thanks for letting me know!! My wedding is going to be on Monday, December 14th. I was thinking about the Mill, but my absolute ideal would be a dinner on the beach! So we may be able to have our dinner on the beach for free!? That would be amazing!!!

[Ash&Grant2009]

Sorry I forgot to ask something! I love your wedding cake in your picture! Is that the free cake that they offer, with your added topper and flowers? I really want flowers on my cake but dont want to spend a ton-- were yours an upgrade and how much is it to do that? I was thinking about just bringing my own fake flowers( I'm making my own bouquet, too). And sorry, but one more Q! lol. if i were having the ceremony on the beach, is there any sort of arch or anything that they have there for free? I think I've heard people say that the arches are all extra?

[2bebridejamaica]

Yes Ash that is the free cake! I think for the flowers I paid maybe 20 bucks.. and that included the flowers for my BM's hair too. I wanted to make sure that I had the fondant icing for it but that was about it.

 

As for the arch.. they have a standard one that is up all the time in the beach location, unless a wedding is using something different for that day. It is a white scroll-y one. (makes me think of something you see in a garden at home where flowers grow over/around/in it. It does have simple chiffon on it covering and 2 small palms flanking it on each side. Up close you can tell it's been used ALOT.. but in pictures you can't even tell. Minus the fact of our hurricane... when we planned for the beach we purchased what was on the Gazebo on our day to give you an idea. I think if they were used on the arch ... the top arrangement would have been too big.. but I never got to see the actual outcome only on the gazebo so I guess it depends on how big you want things in the upgrades. The orig Chuppah I was in LUV with .. I was quoted from the Miami WC $900 to recreate it.. NUTS!! When we got to Jamaica they quoted ONLY 600 but with the flowers and such we would have needed to purchase anyway... I still couldn't see spending that much. One girl 2 days before my wedding .. opted to just go with the beach and floral arrangements that looked like one of the Preston Bailey Centerpieces and then had chiffon draped to the small palms to give an alter effect. It was very pretty.. but who knows how much it was. She did not go with the PB Package either.. it was an afterthought when she got to Jamaica.

[kriscouch5]

Hey Everyone!

 

My name is Kristen & I am getting married at Beaches Negril on January 9, 2010. I need lots of help! We are having close to 20 or 30 people join us & qualify for the FamilyMoon package (the 30 minute cocktail reception & 2 hour private rehersal dinner are included).

 

I am going to have the 30 minute cocktail reception, but I REALLY want to have a party where Patrick & I can have our first dance & my dad & I too. I want to keep it cheap! Any suggestions?

 

Amanda, I think you mentioned you had a Beach Party...can you tell me more about this please?

 

Also, we are eligable for the 2 hour rehersal dinner too. Has anyone done this? I would love your comments & dos & donts!

[Ash&Grant2009]

Hi Kristen! Your wedding is only about a month after mine! I will have to tell you how everything goes when the time finally comes! That is awesome that u qualify for the Familymoon package! Those little extras sound awesome and I'm sure it will be nice for your family members.Im only having about 11 guests and they are not staying at any Sandals or Beaches resorts.

That reminds me of a Question I have for you all! Since my guests are not staying at the resort, they will need day passes to get in, which are like $85pp. I really feel like we should pay for their passes since they traveled all that way just for us, but that will be almost $1000 dollars! We are on a very tight budget and if we pay the 1000$ then we will not be able to afford any photography and I really want to do a TTD shoot($800). Any suggestions or opinions would be great! Thanks!

[2bebridejamaica]

Danielle... Yessss any drink you want they will get for you!! I had them 2 fist for my BM and I so we wouldn't run out. But they do offer a "Booze" Tea and Mimosa's in the salon.

 

As for the hair thing.... I think we chatted about this in email... but for everyone else too... The girl I got was very helpful and worked well with what I was looking for... but was obviously in another place Friday afternoon for my trial run. It was pouring like mad because of the hurricane arriving and all I wanted to do is cry... and did she never really said 2 words to me... My BM was trying so hard to supe me up but it didn't help... my girl was busy chatting away with one of the girls in the salon ... none of which you could understand.. annoying and she was takiing a million years to do anything. But my orig hair idea came out amazing!!! I wish I had pictures of that to show you. My day of hair is NOTHING like what I had planned .. but with the wind and possible of sprinkles through out the day ... it all had to go up and back with a ton of hairspray. In total for my trial session which included - mani, pedi, parafin treatment, hair and make up trial = 6 hrs WFC!!!! But day of hair ... I was in and out in 2 hrs.

 

Now I am a hairdresser ... I do weddings and formal events all the time. These girls know exactly what they are doing that is for sure...So no worries there.. but they are on island time!! My BM was done with everything on the day of the trial (same options as me) in 3 1/2 hrs. This is all I thought it would have taken also.

 

I'd say if you are looking to book a trial.. make sure you do in the morning to get it out of the way. I booked 1 and was there till almost 7. We were late for our group dinner by an hr.

[2bebridejamaica]

Kristen

 

No worries about your reception type things. I did my cake cutting, toasts, dancing with my NEW hubby, his dad, and my son all in our 30 minute cocktail. I will tell you, it's more like an hr at least as mine was over an hr. No one is going to kick you out from you finishing up with what you want to accomplish. The photog will be there with you the whole time to finish working on these things too.

 

The Beach Party for us was on a Thurs night and I think Monday nights too. But I am not sure as we checked out on Monday to go to our HM resort. The Party starts at about 6ish with a HUGE HUGE buffet right on the beach. The tables were decorated, Tiki Lights, and deocrations everywhere. Music from a Dj and live bands too. Once dinner was done, they started with the show. This had acrobats, stick jumping dancers, fire eaters, and such. Then after about 9:30.. most of the little ones had headed to bed and they started with games and dance contests. This lasted till about 11ish. It was an awesome night to be out on the beach soaking in the music and entertainment.

 

MAKE SURE you COVER yourself in bug spray ... espec your legs. Sand Fleas will get you during this time. Night is the only time anyone in our party even said anything about it. We had no problems during the day .. but night is when we got it the most.

 

I can't say anything about the rehersal dinner thing. We didn't do any real rehersal as they really don't think its needed. This to them is totally carefree and when I asked about it they said we didn't need to do it. I don't think I remember anyone having rehersals at all.. I kept watch for any wedding on the property as I wanted to see all the locations done up. Like I said in the above post... we just had a big group dinner Friday night with everyone.

 

K I bounced around a bit on that one ... but I think I covered your ??'s for now.. Keep them coming!!

[2bebridejamaica]

Ash where are they staying If you don't mind me asking??

 

See, that is the reason I didn't really give our guests much of a choice as I would have felt obligated like you do right now to pay for the day passes. When we chose Beaches we knew that some of our guests wouldn't be able to afford Negril... but Sandy Bay they could. It is right down the street and they have shuttle service to and from both locations. Also we had Jays sister and her boyfriend stay at Sandals Negril because they were making it a first vacation for them too and they wanted romance. So with that all said and done ... no need to worry about day passes. And this all came from our TA as she was the one to tell us about it. Beaches Negril is the most expensive of the 3 Beaches on the island and having friends and family mixed worked out nice.. we had great family time together and alone time too.

 

Now personally I would not pay for the day passes for anyone to come on the day of the wedding knowing now that you can have people at different Sandals/Beaches resorts for the need of different price points.

 

Maybe this will help and maybe not so much ...

[kriscouch5]

Thanks Amanda! You are AWESOME! So was the Beach Party for you and your party only or was it for everyone at the resort?

 

About the reception, did you take your music to dance to or do they just play whatever?

 

I was thinking we probably wouldn't actually reherse, I just think it is a private dinner similar to what you had at The Mill. I do know it is buffet style & she emailed me a yummy menu!

 

Thanks again!

KC

[kriscouch5]

Yes! please do tell me about your experiences & also I would love hear some of your plans as time comes closer!