Any Gran Bahia Principe Runaway Bay Brides out there?

[jennypenny23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshleyL I just read through all of the posts and am so excited. Thanks for all the info ladies! I'm another Alberta bride (Red Deer) and we are just getting pricing from the TA but I'm pretty sure we will book at the GBP. Some of my family stayed there and had an awesome time and beautiful photos. I'm most nervous about a photographer - most of the things I've read said that the resort photog isn't great. Anyone from the Calgary area take their own photog? Any recommendations? Thanks in advance for any tips.

Ashley!! im in the same boat with the photog.... :S Not too sure what we are going to do yet... hmmm

[kerrij]

There are lots of local photogs in the area you can hire. I searched lots of them and i think the most expensive was about $2500 for the full day, which wasn't a ton more than what i paid to bring my photographer from home. I wish I still had all the info...but just google jamaica photographers. they'll drive from anywhere to come do your wedding. But if you can find someone from home that you can fly down for the week and pay for their accom, that's always a good deal to! There are lots of wedding photogs who will go if you pay.

 

Just found a couple....SunGold Photography...they have some newer photogs for a reduce rate...they had a bunch of photographers and you can check out each persons portfolio, etc. Misha Earle Photography i looooved but she was pricey...10 hours for $2900, but loved her work.

 

Good luck!

[mekanabr]

Hi ladies! I've been MIA on here for a while, sorry! I'm moving to Michigan this wknd so it's been a little hectic!

 

Anyway, What made you ladies choose the sunshine package? I have to submit my info to Beverly to reserve my date and I'm trying to figure out what to get. Also, did you all book your stay directly through the resort or did you use a travel agent? I think Beverly said that we should book our stay first then make arrangements for the wedding, but I want to go with a travel agent since it's cheaper...any thoughts?

 

Thanks!!!!!!

[StephAli]

Hi Mekanabr,

 

I decided on the sunshine package b/c its not much different then the blissful and is cheaper. I went through a travel agent to book everything and what we did was increase the price by $35per person so that it helps cover the additional plates...after all the flights are paid for the travel agent will refund me the "extra" money and I will bring that with me to the resort and give that money to Beverly....or put it on my credit card....I also confirmed that the date I wanted was available first, b/c I knew we wanted the specific date. Once she said that it was available I told the travel agent(s) what resort I wanted and then waited for them to get back to me...then I went with the best price!

Hope this helps!

Good Luck with the move!!!!

[jennypenny23]

StephAli- What is your ceremony date?? I have Feb 1st @ 3 pm booked with Beverly

 

Mekanabr- We also decided on the sunshine package... we are just going to pay the $35 per extra person.. We should know by the end of May how many guests we will have in total and then I guess I'll have to contact beverly to let her know more details. The Sunshine package will be good enough for us... the package above it doesnt really seem to offer that much more (we dont care about the breakfast in bed, lol)...

 

The thing that I am wondering about now (and maybe kerrij, you can clarify) is the thing about the "Gold Club" bracelets... I have a friend who went to this resort last year and she was saying that there are WAY more benefits if you upgrade to "gold"... I heard that you are then guaranteed the ala carte reservations, get the room safe for free, and room service?? I don't know if there is anything else or even if it is worth upgrading... We are planning on asking TA about this...

 

Also- we really hope we get to stay in a really nice room!! Did any other GBP Jamaica brides have room upgrades? And how did you go about securing or 'requesting' them

[akua420]

I just booked Feb 22nd this morning at 2PM! Can't WAIT!!!

[katelynn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennypenny23 Katelynn, what package are you going with?? I think we are going to go with the Sunshine package which is the most basic one for $1100 .... Have you e-mailed Beverly yet? She sent me the info about the packages & additional costs... Her email is: weddingplannerbpjam@bahia-principe.com She has been good about getting back to me fairly quickly... I think the ceremony decoration is pretty basic.. but judging from the photos posted by kerrij, the gazebo looks beautiful enough on its own! Also, if im not mistaken, (I think kerrij said this somewhere in the thread) chair covers are free. I know that the resort uses Tai Flora and they have a website if you wanted to check out additional decorations you can get from them. Where in Ontario are you? Yay! Another fellow GBP bride!!

Sorry I have been MIA for while, I am going to school full-time and trying to plan this wedding! ah.

I am in Peterborough right now going to school but I am originally from Guelph.

I think we are going with the Sunshine also as there isnt much difference that we saw. We also talked to our wedding planner and she said that our group (40ish) they could 1/2 a restaurant of our choice so it would be more private and so we didnt have to pay the extra cash to have to all to ourselves.

We are getting married at 4pm but now I am thinking it might be a little late? When are you all getting married...I was thinking of 3-330ish. We plan to have to dinner at like 6-630ish.

As for decorations there is a site
Polyester-chair cover sashes

that I was going to get aqua chair sashes from.

As for centre pieces...any one have any ideas lol

[katelynn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennypenny23 StephAli- What is your ceremony date?? I have Feb 1st @ 3 pm booked with Beverly Mekanabr- We also decided on the sunshine package... we are just going to pay the $35 per extra person.. We should know by the end of May how many guests we will have in total and then I guess I'll have to contact beverly to let her know more details. The Sunshine package will be good enough for us... the package above it doesnt really seem to offer that much more (we dont care about the breakfast in bed, lol)... The thing that I am wondering about now (and maybe kerrij, you can clarify) is the thing about the "Gold Club" bracelets... I have a friend who went to this resort last year and she was saying that there are WAY more benefits if you upgrade to "gold"... I heard that you are then guaranteed the ala carte reservations, get the room safe for free, and room service?? I don't know if there is anything else or even if it is worth upgrading... We are planning on asking TA about this... Also- we really hope we get to stay in a really nice room!! Did any other GBP Jamaica brides have room upgrades? And how did you go about securing or 'requesting' them

I talked to my wedding planner this morning and she said that there is a difference between golden and regular and that we should suggest all our guests to go with golden

You get:

higher level floors and ocean view
guaranteed 4 a la carte dinners
slippers, robes, lotions in room
24 hour room servive
library or something for only golden members
own area of the resort where only golden members can go
concierge service

maybe more....cant think off the top of my head

I think for us it was like $120 more for this...seems worth it! We are suggesting everyone to go with this one for our wedding!

[katelynn]

I talked to my wedding planner this morning and she said that there is a difference between golden and regular and that we should suggest all our guests to go with golden

 

You get:

 

higher level floors and ocean view

guaranteed 4 a la carte dinners

slippers, robes, lotions in room

24 hour room servive

library or something for only golden members

own area of the resort where only golden members can go

concierge service

 

maybe more....cant think off the top of my head

 

 

 

sorry upgrades...

 

 

I also asked about that and she said they usually do it when you get there for free based on availability, I wanted to secure it now so she said she was going to talk to Beverly...I will let you all know when I hear something back!

[StephAli]

Hey Jenny,

 

I am getting married on Nov 24 at 1pm!!! only 6months and 3 days!! woohoo!!...not that I'm counting or anything!!