Check-in/Arrival B+ (for having to explain we were the bride and groom)
Everyone had a pretty smooth check-in. Most of us picked our suites online so that was great. The best man had picked a room for him and his friend with two doubles online, but when they got to the room it was a king! They ended up with a decent room but on the poolside bottom floor.
They definitely weren’t expecting us so there was some confusion over which concierge would take us- the romance concierge or the oceanfront one. The romance concierges Veronique and Anna were fantastic and booked golf at Mayakoba (which was amazing) and quickly booked all of my luxury pkg appts which hadn’t been done as I never got a response prearrival from the onsite wedding coordinator.
Room A+
The room was amazing, we picked 539. Third floor Oceantfront and pool view in one, as it a corner window over the hottub. Awesome room other than the lack of a hammock. Not noisy past 1030pm. Our friends stayed oceanfront on the gazebo side and it was actually noisier because the palm trees there kept smacking their window with the wind.
Restaurants A+
All were good. Spice was hot and not airconditioned so breakfast was quick! Asiana was our favourite mmm springrolls and tempura icecream. El mediterraneo for lunch buffet was so good with grilled anything right infront of you. The coffee house was awesome to grab a coffee then put some baileys in it. All of our guests raved about the food all week.
Room service B
We didn’t really order it except breakfast on the wedding day and it came as part of our package the morning after. The waffles were tasty. The included breakfast was very rich and we didn’t really like it but the fruit kabobs and dips were awesome. Friends said dinner was hit or miss with temperature and the burger and clubhouse were good.
Pool A
Get up early to grab chairs! We had so much fun by the pool. The only downside is the swim up bar is not accessible from the big pool, you have to get out to get a drink. The resort was booked solid but it never felt crowded other than having to get chairs early. We had a group of 38 and you saw everyone all day no matter where their chairs were.
Beach A
Lots of places to swim with no rocks, but be careful on the end closest to the Porto. Its a bit rocky and it tripped when we were doing TTD photos. Loved the water spritzer guys! Probably would have been faster to walk to the bar to get a drink, but we ordered them anyway and it can take some time so order two haha. Lots of beach chairs so no problem getting these.
Spa A
The girls did an awesome job on our nails. Hair wasn’t exactly as natural looking as I wanted it. She used ALOT of hairspray! But I let her do her thing and it sure didn’t fall out haha. My MOH updo was awesome. They have lots and lots of pictures btw. Makeup isn’t really my thing so i thought she used too much but everyone else said it was nice. I will judge when i see the professional pictures haha. In room couple massage was incredible!
Wedding Review>
We had ALOT of trouble with the WC in the US. They never put our wedding in the master system and we ended up getting overbooked and our wedding put at the PORTO gazebo 7 months after we booked even though we had all of our guests staying at the royal. Too make a REALLY long story short. Denys our WC at the Royal did everything in her power to remedy this along with Zulma and we ended up with our original wedding time and place at the Royal Gazebo. So thank you, thank you, to them. All I can say is patience worked out in the end but wow it was hard to keep that way when our wedding time was changed the night before the wedding for the second time that week (due to another bride freaking out haha that our wedding was after hers).
Our wedding day time line:
1200 hair + makeup at Spazul
1340 back to the room to get ready and eat french-fries haha
1500 Pictures in the room
1600 Ceremony (we did symbolic)
1630-1700 Pictures at gazebo
1700-1820 we did pictures- our guests went to the lobby bar for cocktails
1830-1930 Cocktail party on beach
1930-1030 Reception in ballroom (should have been on the beach but there was a chance of rain and they would have made me sign a 2500.00 fee 3 hours before if it rained during the beach reception)
1030-0200 Party at the Blue Parrot Beach Club
Vendors
JDflowers on Etsy- we got all the bouts and bridesmaid bouquets here. They were gorgeous and nobody knew they were fake. Also they travelled well.
Jeff Babineau Photography- awesome to work with. From Truro, NS. Took so many pictures on three different days! I can’t wait to see them!
Discountmugs.com – we ordered awesome drawstiring beach/pool bags form here and got them screenprinted with our logo. They were well used and loved by everybody!
Everything else was DIY or part of the luxury package! Except our clothes of course haha.
Pretty much all I can say about the wedding day was that it was perfect . We really didn’t bring any extras to the luxury package other than I gave my ipod to Denys with a song to walk down the aisle to and a song to walk back to and she handled it perfectly. We also had place cards and a maraca on each table that said “shake me for a kissâ€. We had our own music on an ipod for the reception.
The reception seemed short and sweet as our real party was at the blue parrot after. We had beef and salmon as our menu choices (delicious!) and marked the place cards for salmon with a little jewel. Our salad was pretty plain wrapped lettuce with stuffed tomato. Our soup was the asparagus cream and it was sooo good. We had the paris chocolate shell for dessert and would not recommend it. It looked pretty, but the chocolate was hard as a rock and the cream wasn’t very flavourful. Our wedding cake was vanilla and it was awesome. I was so full I hardly could eat it! The service was amazing bringing tonnes of drinks to everyone. They even brought coreys’ favourite drink (mango tango!) by the tray load and served it to everyone as we walked into the reception. They decorated the ball room beautifully and even gave us the light up dancefloor! All I can say is for the brides that are afraid of rain, the backup plan is wonderful too, and I was very stressed about having to move it inside as all I ever wanted was a beach reception! Our cocktail still was on the beach thankfully as I risked the 500.00 fee if it rained for that and it didn’t! And the after party at the blue parrot on the beach made up the night perfect!
For those wondering about the resort photographer and videographer, I would suggest if you feel strongly about these things to really consider going with outside vendors or bringing one with you. We didn’t have the photos done by the resort, but the video by the resort is a bit short of professional. You can see dirt spots on the camera and the editing is choppy. Overall it does the trick, but if you are looking for top notch it isn’t that.
Another thing I want to add is that for those on the fence about doing al la carte or luxury package we really didn’t think we would want the extra things either but the romantic dinner on the beach, the in suite massage and everything else really made our vacation unforgettable as our wedding week. We decided to do the romantic dinner at the last minute instead of giving it away and it was so worth it.
Please feel free too ask everything and anyhitng I am sure I forgot stuff and this is way to long already!
Also, we have alot of pictures that I will be adding as well as professional ones later when I get them!
Jen and Corey
A note:
I would totally recommend this resort for a vacation! It is amazing.
The wedding was amazing too but you definitely have to have alot of patience to deal with the inadequate US coordinators and I would be hesitant recommend if it isnt fixed. Also, be prepared for everything not to go as planned and as long as you remeber the most important part is that you and your love are getting married, nothing really seems all that bad
If you like to sweat all the small stuff and are not flexible I wouldnt recommend this resort for a wedding.
