Any Gran Bahia Principe Runaway Bay Brides out there?

[Rebeccauk]

Hi ames9782,

 

We get married on 27th October 2011, 2 days after you! I know what you mean I'm getting excited and stressed all at the same time .

We fly out on the 23rd from manchester, uk. Where are you coming from?

 

Originally Posted by ames9782 

thanks for all the feedback, lots to consider and look into..... just confirmed my date this week for October 25 2011!! we're having it at 1pm, so i'm pretty excited, but pretty stressed too! i've read so many of you saying not to stress don't worry it all gets worked out when you get there, but oh i'm still stressing.  i feel like i have sooooo many questions to ask, but i can't get it together to think of what they actually are... i am also lookiong into merrick cousley for our photographer and his work looks so amazing and i was totally shocked at his prices!! they are so reasonable! anyways keep the info coming ladies and maybe i'll figure out the answers to the questions i can't think of by reading this!!!!

[ames9782]

hey there!!  well that's exciting you are the first person on here that's getting married the same time as me (that i've noticed anyways!)  i'm flying out of toronto on Oct. 22.  and yes i'm starting to get moer and more excited because things are starting to come together. from outfits to booking our trip and everything, but yes still very stressed, more so about the things that we're doing here.  we are having a "brunch" instead of a buck and doe (neither of us are really buck and doe people) and then the reception when we get home.  that's what's stressing me out the most!  we got our group quote the other day for our trip and with all taxes included it is only $1213pp i was pretty excited about that too!!  we'll have to keep in contact on here, and meet up when we are down there!  hope everyones planning is going good!!

 

question - has anyone got a concrete answer on what birth certificate we have to use? do we need a long form or not?  i can't seem to get anywhere on getting an answer to this question.

Originally Posted by Rebeccauk 

Hi ames9782,

 

We get married on 27th October 2011, 2 days after you! I know what you mean I'm getting excited and stressed all at the same time .

We fly out on the 23rd from manchester, uk. Where are you coming from?

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ames9782 

thanks for all the feedback, lots to consider and look into..... just confirmed my date this week for October 25 2011!! we're having it at 1pm, so i'm pretty excited, but pretty stressed too! i've read so many of you saying not to stress don't worry it all gets worked out when you get there, but oh i'm still stressing.  i feel like i have sooooo many questions to ask, but i can't get it together to think of what they actually are... i am also lookiong into merrick cousley for our photographer and his work looks so amazing and i was totally shocked at his prices!! they are so reasonable! anyways keep the info coming ladies and maybe i'll figure out the answers to the questions i can't think of by reading this!!!!

 

[Rebeccauk]

We get there on the 23rd for 15 nights and we paid £1400pp about ($2256pp) which includes free upgrade to gold club.   Thomson/first choice (Travel agent) don't make it easy!  In the UK most TAs don't offer a group rate on long haul holidays.............we had to just book, send out the save the dates with our website on them which had all the details on price etc and hope for the best. People had to inquire about the exact price when they booked!!  Its been a nightmare if I'm honest. 23 have booked so far so its worked out ok.

 

I get a little confused sometimes on here so i looked up "buck and doe" on wiki lol,  at first i thought it was like Stag and Hen in the UK but after looking its not something we do here? I like the idea of getting everyone together the night before the wedding tho so thanks I'll have a look into that. We are also having a party for about 130 when we get home and that's all sorted apart from a few decorations.

 

Anyway keep in touch & happy planning, we will definitely have to meet up xx

[acw271011]

Wow - all the info here is great.  I'm like 2drswed. relatively new to the site but have been lurking.  we've finally decided on GBPJ for nov 16, 2011. I sent Beverly an email last tuesday (feb 1st) and still haven't had a reply. an opinion on whether I should re-email? I'm getting a little worried.  who has had to make a deposit and who hasn't??? I've seen mixed notes here.  we're just waiting on our travel rates from Weddings by Oceans here in Toronto. our group will only be about 10 or 12 - second time around for both of us but I'm perfectly happy with a small group. I'm still real early planning stages but my big question is photography.  the resort uses Digipix and I'm not sure I like what I see on their website. I saw soontobemrsdow say something about photography and taking their own.  HELP????? cost, charges, fees, from where??  why did they give you a credit for bringing your own photographer - I heard something about paying a vendor's fee if you don't use the resort photographer???  any info would be super appreciated. we aren't looking to spend a ton of money because we've done this before, but I still want something nice. we're looking at the blissful love pkg, I think $1350.  I've looked at the taiflora website and they have some nice stuff. does anyone know what style gets included with the resort pkg? I really want to "walk down the aisle" in flip flops so that's my plan.  I love the gazebo  but has anyone done the beach instead and how did it go????

 

thanks for whatever gets passed along!!

[tris]

Welcome

Don't worry about Beverly... emails usually take a while, she's a super busy woman. She will get back to you. If it's been more than 2 weeks and she hasn't I'd resend it with the subject line: "PLEASE RESPOND" (that's worked for me, haha).

 

We're using Sungold Associates for our wedding. Photography was super important to me and I wouldn't be happy with 10 shots from the resort photog. We're paying $2500 for our photo package which includes 8 hrs on the wedding day with 2 photographers, plus a 2 hours trash the dress the next day. Out of it we get all of the digital images edited on a DVD (YAY!). It's expensive, but to me it's worth it. I haven't heard anything about vendor fees as of yet but when I mentioned to Beverly that we were hiring an outside photog she was completely fine with it.

 

If you PM me your email I can send you the flower info from tai flora. I know some brides have gone to other florists but I'm fine with Tai. We get a free boquet & bout so all the flowers for our wedding (including corsages for the moms & grandmas, & bouts for the dads & gramps) is $200. We're bringing our own centerpieces down with us.

 

I've seen some pics with the wedding on the beach and it's done right beside the gazebo. I originally wanted the beach, but when I saw the gazebo I changed my mind

Originally Posted by acw271011 

Wow - all the info here is great.  I'm like 2drswed. relatively new to the site but have been lurking.  we've finally decided on GBPJ for nov 16, 2011. I sent Beverly an email last tuesday (feb 1st) and still haven't had a reply. an opinion on whether I should re-email? I'm getting a little worried.  who has had to make a deposit and who hasn't??? I've seen mixed notes here.  we're just waiting on our travel rates from Weddings by Oceans here in Toronto. our group will only be about 10 or 12 - second time around for both of us but I'm perfectly happy with a small group. I'm still real early planning stages but my big question is photography.  the resort uses Digipix and I'm not sure I like what I see on their website. I saw soontobemrsdow say something about photography and taking their own.  HELP????? cost, charges, fees, from where??  why did they give you a credit for bringing your own photographer - I heard something about paying a vendor's fee if you don't use the resort photographer???  any info would be super appreciated. we aren't looking to spend a ton of money because we've done this before, but I still want something nice. we're looking at the blissful love pkg, I think $1350.  I've looked at the taiflora website and they have some nice stuff. does anyone know what style gets included with the resort pkg? I really want to "walk down the aisle" in flip flops so that's my plan.  I love the gazebo  but has anyone done the beach instead and how did it go????

 

thanks for whatever gets passed along!!

[tris]

Buck & Doe is a very Ontario, CND thing. In Manitoba we have "socials", which are the same thing pretty much. It's a big party that's thrown in honor of the couple before the wedding. There's a cash bar, silent auction, usually some games, a DJ & dancing. It's a fundraiser for the wedding of sorts in addition to a big get together. I know most people who don't live in one of these two provinces that I've spoken to about it think it's extremely tacky but it's totally the norm here. Most people have one and it's almost expected in many groups of friends. We had ours before my good friend left for Australia and had an amazing time.

 

I know some people also call a joined bachelor/stag party a buck & doe.

 

 

Originally Posted by Rebeccauk 

We get there on the 23rd for 15 nights and we paid £1400pp about ($2256pp) which includes free upgrade to gold club.   Thomson/first choice (Travel agent) don't make it easy!  In the UK most TAs don't offer a group rate on long haul holidays.............we had to just book, send out the save the dates with our website on them which had all the details on price etc and hope for the best. People had to inquire about the exact price when they booked!!  Its been a nightmare if I'm honest. 23 have booked so far so its worked out ok.

 

I get a little confused sometimes on here so i looked up "buck and doe" on wiki lol,  at first i thought it was like Stag and Hen in the UK but after looking its not something we do here? I like the idea of getting everyone together the night before the wedding tho so thanks I'll have a look into that. We are also having a party for about 130 when we get home and that's all sorted apart from a few decorations.

 

Anyway keep in touch & happy planning, we will definitely have to meet up xx

[lmarie]

I lived In Manitoba for a while, and that was what they were called "socials"! I'm in Newfoundland now, its just called your Stagette, or Bachelorette party for the woman, or bachelor party or Stag party for the man.
 

Originally Posted by tris 

Buck & Doe is a very Ontario, CND thing. In Manitoba we have "socials", which are the same thing pretty much. It's a big party that's thrown in honor of the couple before the wedding. There's a cash bar, silent auction, usually some games, a DJ & dancing. It's a fundraiser for the wedding of sorts in addition to a big get together. I know most people who don't live in one of these two provinces that I've spoken to about it think it's extremely tacky but it's totally the norm here. Most people have one and it's almost expected in many groups of friends. We had ours before my good friend left for Australia and had an amazing time.

 

I know some people also call a joined bachelor/stag party a buck & doe.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebeccauk 

We get there on the 23rd for 15 nights and we paid £1400pp about ($2256pp) which includes free upgrade to gold club.   Thomson/first choice (Travel agent) don't make it easy!  In the UK most TAs don't offer a group rate on long haul holidays.............we had to just book, send out the save the dates with our website on them which had all the details on price etc and hope for the best. People had to inquire about the exact price when they booked!!  Its been a nightmare if I'm honest. 23 have booked so far so its worked out ok.

 

I get a little confused sometimes on here so i looked up "buck and doe" on wiki lol,  at first i thought it was like Stag and Hen in the UK but after looking its not something we do here? I like the idea of getting everyone together the night before the wedding tho so thanks I'll have a look into that. We are also having a party for about 130 when we get home and that's all sorted apart from a few decorations.

 

Anyway keep in touch & happy planning, we will definitely have to meet up xx

 

[lmarie]

Sometimes I hear back from Beverly a few times a day answering my questions and responding to every email that I send her. Sometimes it takes much longer. I wrote her an email over a month ago, and still havent heard back this time. I have to remember to re write that one.

 

I was not too impressed with the pictures from the digimax website either. There was someone who posted her pics from that photographer.( the ten free ones that she had that came wit her wedding package) . I cant remember which thread it was on, I saw them a few months ago, and they did look nice. We are hiring our own photographer from Jamacia, hes coming to the resort for the day.

 

 

Originally Posted by acw271011 

Wow - all the info here is great.  I'm like 2drswed. relatively new to the site but have been lurking.  we've finally decided on GBPJ for nov 16, 2011. I sent Beverly an email last tuesday (feb 1st) and still haven't had a reply. an opinion on whether I should re-email? I'm getting a little worried.  who has had to make a deposit and who hasn't??? I've seen mixed notes here.  we're just waiting on our travel rates from Weddings by Oceans here in Toronto. our group will only be about 10 or 12 - second time around for both of us but I'm perfectly happy with a small group. I'm still real early planning stages but my big question is photography.  the resort uses Digipix and I'm not sure I like what I see on their website. I saw soontobemrsdow say something about photography and taking their own.  HELP????? cost, charges, fees, from where??  why did they give you a credit for bringing your own photographer - I heard something about paying a vendor's fee if you don't use the resort photographer???  any info would be super appreciated. we aren't looking to spend a ton of money because we've done this before, but I still want something nice. we're looking at the blissful love pkg, I think $1350.  I've looked at the taiflora website and they have some nice stuff. does anyone know what style gets included with the resort pkg? I really want to "walk down the aisle" in flip flops so that's my plan.  I love the gazebo  but has anyone done the beach instead and how did it go????

 

thanks for whatever gets passed along!!

[acw271011]

Yay. I heard back from the "assistant wedding planner", such as it was and which I gather is not Beverly. very short and absolutely nothing extra in the email. bit of a disappointment. the time I wanted (sunset) isn't available on our date, but no offering of another time on the same date, or that it may be available on the following day. no suggestions whatever! she did say we can have an outside photographer - I'm thinking maybe of trying to find one in Jamaica. has anyone done that and if so, any recommends??

 

tris - where did you see pics on the beach?  email is jamaicawedding112011@gmail.com  I had to create and account just for all the wedding inquiries. everyone does everything now by email and it was messing up all my regular email.  I did get onto the tai flora site and they have some really pretty flowers - $200 for the extras isn't bad.

 

does anyone have a suggestion on when is a good time to try and get Beverly on the phone?

 

again - thanks for whatever info anyone can provide!!

[a084596]

You can get married earlier ifyou want.  I'm getting married at 11:00 a.m.

I didn't realize there were 2 dinner sittings.  what are the times?

Thanks
 

Originally Posted by TMwedding2011 

 We are getting married April 12 @ noon. I would personally like to get married earlier to get some nice pics before it gets really really hot and not be rushed through everything. I plan on taking a dip and then getting changed back into my gown and i am bringing a cocktail dress in case i find it too warm after all the pics are done. I just plan on sitting around and having drinks and relaxing afternoon and hopefully they will let us have the first sitting at the restaurant.