Dreams Riviera Cancun - Brides post here (new thread)

[sarcrook]

Are you May 9th 2011 or 2012?  We aren't going to be until late January/early February 2012...

 

Is she booking flight and resort?  Did you get a good deal??
 

Originally Posted by Lindsay in love 

I'm using destinationweddings.com as well. My Wedding Planner is Joan Twohie...she's been great and they are very competitve when it comes to finding travel packages.  I have people coming from all over Canada and she's been great at finding good prices for all of them.  I like the extra features of the site as well and the easy payment plan.  When is your wedding date? I'm May 9th. 

[sarcrook]

I agree that is crazy!  What package are you getting?  I think in the packages with the dinner options include three hours of bar..for extra it's $15/person/hour..which does seem crazy..yes.  We will be having around 50 as well and are exchanging the cocktail hour for extra dinners...the cocktail hour seems to be too much.  I've heard some brides they don't even make it to theirs because of pictures..and why pay for it when there are I think three bars right in that area where your guests could get a drink.  It also gives people time to take their pictures of you or themselves..or maybe run to their rooms..etc. 

 

How many hours have past brides done for their reception??  We were thinking four then head over to Desires...??

 

Maybe some past brides can give us some insight??  I'm guessing we will have waiters assigned to our parties asking what drinks guests want..I'm sure it will be fine!! 
 

Originally Posted by jkhowell 

Does anyone know how the open bar works? I went over some numbers today and its seems crazy for 50 guests and to spend $4,000 on an open bar for 5 hrs when all the guests are paying for the all inclusive anyway?? Cant we just walk into the bar in the hotel and get a drink anyway? (my FI's question)

[sarcrook]

I couldn't agree more..
 

Originally Posted by Missy1 

There not charging for the alcohol, there charging for the staff having to be there for the additional hours that is not included in your package. I'm having 50 guests as well and I'm thinking of doing away with my cocktail hour because I'm not crazy about having to pay an additional $30 per person (x's 30=$900) when they can just go to the lobby bar, the club at the resort Desires or the pool bar that stays open till 6 for an hour and get drinks until the reception starts.

[Mkandola]

It is expensive to have open bar at your reception/cocktail hour. I had 51 guests and the resort charged me just under $8000 for the entire thing. I justified this by saying that I would have spent waaaaaay more than that if I had the wedding at home! The problem with walking to the bar is that all of the ones that are near the pool deck/beach close at 6. Walking to the lobby is quite a trek. You would have to change the location of your reception to somewhere closer to the lobby ... but I am not sure where you could do it, I am sure that your wedding coordinator could suggest something. 

 

Our reception ended at 9, and our party moved to desires and had a great time! 

 

Hope it works out! 

Originally Posted by jkhowell 

Does anyone know how the open bar works? I went over some numbers today and its seems crazy for 50 guests and to spend $4,000 on an open bar for 5 hrs when all the guests are paying for the all inclusive anyway?? Cant we just walk into the bar in the hotel and get a drink anyway? (my FI's question)

[sarcrook]

$8000???  Are you serious???  I guess I don't understand what the extra cost is...how long was your reception?  The packages include 3 hours..??

 

Is this normal for all brides???  YIKES!! 

 

I guess I don't understand why you're paying $2700 for a Package if in the end the total is 3x that!  That seems crazy!  Please fill me in - apparently I am missing something! 
 

Originally Posted by Mkandola 

It is expensive to have open bar at your reception/cocktail hour. I had 51 guests and the resort charged me just under $8000 for the entire thing. I justified this by saying that I would have spent waaaaaay more than that if I had the wedding at home! The problem with walking to the bar is that all of the ones that are near the pool deck/beach close at 6. Walking to the lobby is quite a trek. You would have to change the location of your reception to somewhere closer to the lobby ... but I am not sure where you could do it, I am sure that your wedding coordinator could suggest something. 

 

Our reception ended at 9, and our party moved to desires and had a great time! 

 

Hope it works out! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkhowell 

Does anyone know how the open bar works? I went over some numbers today and its seems crazy for 50 guests and to spend $4,000 on an open bar for 5 hrs when all the guests are paying for the all inclusive anyway?? Cant we just walk into the bar in the hotel and get a drink anyway? (my FI's question)

 

[rach2011]

I hope your wedding went perfectly!!!

[jbmarch2012]

Hi everyone, I tried reading the whole thread and realized it might take days! I'm looking to plan a DW and comparing Dreams resorts packages to others, I feel like the have the best deal... I was wondering if anyone can give me an idea weather-wise in March? I was looking to get March 10, 2012 --- waiting to get a response as far as booking. Does anybody know also if that is considered a low or high season?

 

Thanks! This forum definitely got me excited to start planning!

[Chelsey & Travis]

At our wedding, the only "extras" we paid for were to have a legal ceremony and for an arrangement.  We chose to forgo drinks, plated meals, extra cake, etc.  We figured that it was all inclusive so why pay extra!  It worked out perfectly.  Everyone grabbed drinks at the beach bar after the ceremony (they have champagne, so why pay extra for that too!).  They also set aside a nice area for us in the World Cafe and we had our own waiters.  The only thing we paid extra for this was tipping.  And for the cake, it served all 40 of our guests, and if they wanted more, they helped themselves to the buffet.  It worked out perfectly and I'm so glad that we didn't throw more money down the tube for it!!

[Chelsey & Travis]

JKHOWELL:

 

The lobby bar is a great place for people to gather for drinks.  If I were you, I'd skip the cocktail hour and tell everyone to gather in the lobby.  As long as you have everything well planned and organized, and everyone knows what is going on, I think you would be fine doing it this way!  And you'd save a good amount of money.

[amlambert]

I used Kim Grammer at kim@i-travelagent.com.  She was wonderful!  She negotiates the whole contract and concessions.  My guests booked their hotel through her, and did their flights on their own.  She did a wonderful job, was very timely with responses and would call the resort directly if I was having trouble getting in touch with the coordinator.