Moon Dance Cliffs July 2010 wedding review

[july2010]

I was married at Moon Dance Cliffs July 17, 2010. I don't even know where to begin, everything was absolutely perfect! We're from NY and didn't want the typical big NY wedding. We did not visit hotels prior to the wedding, we just chose it based on online reviews and websites, We stayed in the Crystal Dawn Villa and arrived 2 days before the wedding. Kerry was our wedding coordinator. My contact with Kerry was only through email and I planned it all that way.

 

The villa and property are beautiful, very clean. I'm very picky about cleanliness in a hotel and it felt very clean to me. We had the entire hotel to our party only. It just worked out that way and I'm glad it did. The staff was so attentive and the service was top-notch. The food was excellent and was the bar service. Dining service was on the slow side and was not as smooth as everything else, but I can't even complain about it.

 

We had a rehearsal dinner Fri. night. It ended up raining heavily and we had to be moved to the 5 bedroom villa for the dinner. Everyone moved so quickly to get us over to the villa and move all of the tables and everything. We had a fired dancer come that night and it was very entertaining for everyone.

 

The day we arrived, Kerry was there and went over the entire day and all the details. She had everything correct from our emails. The day of the wedding went so smoothly. I had my hair and makeup done at the salon and so did some others. I had a hair trial the day before and it came out exactly as I wanted. My makeup also came out great, but one thing to mention, the makeup in the salon was drugstore brands. I prefer brands like MAC. I did have some of my own makeup and so did a friend so we used some of our own. I recommend bringing some of your favorite things with you. Even though the makeup was limited, I was still very happy with the results.

 

Stacey Clarke was our wedding photographer. She arrived on time and was great to work with. We're very happy with our pictures. The wedding day, the weather was perfect. Our ceremony was at 5:30 pm at the gazebo. We did the "aisle decorated by Moon Dance" and it was very pretty. I asked for simple bows on the gazebo and had sashes on the chairs (white folding chairs). I brought a lot of stuff in suitcases with me, favors, welcome bags, palm leaf fans for the chairs. I brought the chair sashes only because I wanted the color to be exactly the shade I wanted. My colors were hot pink and orange. I had Floral Fantasies. I picked the bouquets out online and they were just what I wanted, pink and orange roses and orchids. I also ordered hot sauce and pepper jelly from the florist and had it delivered to the hotel for my welcome bags. Everyone loved that they were in the bag.

 

We had the standard vows and Baptist minister. We're not Baptist, but just went with it and were pleased. We had cocktail hour across from the gazebo on the lawn. Almost the entire cocktail hour we were taking pictures which was fine with us. We had the Front Page reggae band for the first 2 hours of the reception and Sound Illusion dj for the last 2 hours. They were both incredible!! Everyone was raving about the band and the dj mixed the songs so smoothly. I gave a list of songs to Kerry in an email that I definitely would like to hear. I was worried they wouldn't play the kind of songs I wanted. I was probably very wrong, but it made me feel better. He played almost everything I requested and added other songs that went well.

 

We had the rectangular tables with the folding chairs. I had setup starfish as seating cards and the hotel supplied the sand box tray for them to be placed in. Our centerpieces were gorgeous! We had tall glass vases with sand and shells at the bottom and branches with orchids and tealights. Our cake was delicious and beautiful. We brought a cake topper with us. Not sure what bakery, I guess just the standard one they use. I asked for 2 tiers since there were only 32 people.

 

I can't say enough about this place! It was so special and everyone had a great time and said it was the best wedding ever! There were 2 minor things that didn't go how I had planned and they were so minor in the grand scheme of things. The first, Kerry forgot to put the palm leaf hand fans on the chairs for the ceremony. My mom noticed and said something so they had to be handed out. The other thing...somehow, the band played our first dance song from the middle. That really bummed me out for a bit, but then I quickly got over it. We picked a song a lot of people didn't know so no one actually noticed, I just wish I had more time to dance to it. These 2 things were really very minor. We did give Kerry cds for the band and dj of our songs for us, mother/son, father/daughter. I made 3 different discs and marked each one so there wouldn't be a mistake with the songs played. If what happened to us concerns you, just let Kerry know and I'm sure it won't happen to you. I never told them this even happened.

 

If anyone has any questions or wants to see pictures, just let me know and I'll be happy to help you! If anyone is not sure whether to book with Moon Dance, just do it! You won't be disappointed!

 

 

 

[lisa203]

Your review just made my day! Congratulations! I’m so happy everything worked out for you the way it did. I’m getting married at Moon Dance Cliffs in June and can’t wait. I’d absolutely love it if you would share some pictures.

SUBMIT

[tgallo]

Congrats! I am glad it all went well (other than the minor hiccups!)  =)

[Mallory57]

Thanks for the great review!! I am getting married @ MDC next August and am so happy everything went so well for you! I would LOVE to see pictures of all the details, especially things specific to MDC like the aisle, gazebo, reception set up etc.  My e-mail is Mallory57@aol.com  Thanks so much and Congrats!!

[OceanWonderland]

I love reading reviews!! Congratulations on becoming a Mrs.

[awilk99]

Thank you so much for your review! I too am from Ny, reside in Chicago right now..we did not want all the hoopla as well. its crazy but most of what you descibed is what we picked as well. I too am doing starfish and shells, and i am also doing beachglass with the centerpieces as well. so glad to hear everything was you wanted, except for a few minor things. i still have 6 months to go and i can not wait. any pics you wanna send my way i wouold really appreciate it!! thanks again and CONGRATS!!!!

awilk99@yahoo.com

[Jacki7896]

Getting married at MDC in Dec 2011, and just love hearing reviews from the new brides!  Would love if you could send pictures of the decorations, etc.  jhermes@fulbright.com

 

Thank you so much for the review and the advice!  Thank goodness for this forum.  Everyone keeps talking about how good the Front Page band is, I am thinking that i may go ahead and lean that way even though I never thought we would have anything more than an Ipod.  but several people just said they make the party! 

[mzthan6]

 

 

Originally Posted by july2010 

 

I was married at Moon Dance Cliffs July 17, 2010. I don't even know where to begin, everything was absolutely perfect! We're from NY and didn't want the typical big NY wedding. We did not visit hotels prior to the wedding, we just chose it based on online reviews and websites, We stayed in the Crystal Dawn Villa and arrived 2 days before the wedding. Kerry was our wedding coordinator. My contact with Kerry was only through email and I planned it all that way.

 

The villa and property are beautiful, very clean. I'm very picky about cleanliness in a hotel and it felt very clean to me. We had the entire hotel to our party only. It just worked out that way and I'm glad it did. The staff was so attentive and the service was top-notch. The food was excellent and was the bar service. Dining service was on the slow side and was not as smooth as everything else, but I can't even complain about it.

 

We had a rehearsal dinner Fri. night. It ended up raining heavily and we had to be moved to the 5 bedroom villa for the dinner. Everyone moved so quickly to get us over to the villa and move all of the tables and everything. We had a fired dancer come that night and it was very entertaining for everyone.

 

The day we arrived, Kerry was there and went over the entire day and all the details. She had everything correct from our emails. The day of the wedding went so smoothly. I had my hair and makeup done at the salon and so did some others. I had a hair trial the day before and it came out exactly as I wanted. My makeup also came out great, but one thing to mention, the makeup in the salon was drugstore brands. I prefer brands like MAC. I did have some of my own makeup and so did a friend so we used some of our own. I recommend bringing some of your favorite things with you. Even though the makeup was limited, I was still very happy with the results.

 

Stacey Clarke was our wedding photographer. She arrived on time and was great to work with. We're very happy with our pictures. The wedding day, the weather was perfect. Our ceremony was at 5:30 pm at the gazebo. We did the "aisle decorated by Moon Dance" and it was very pretty. I asked for simple bows on the gazebo and had sashes on the chairs (white folding chairs). I brought a lot of stuff in suitcases with me, favors, welcome bags, palm leaf fans for the chairs. I brought the chair sashes only because I wanted the color to be exactly the shade I wanted. My colors were hot pink and orange. I had Floral Fantasies. I picked the bouquets out online and they were just what I wanted, pink and orange roses and orchids. I also ordered hot sauce and pepper jelly from the florist and had it delivered to the hotel for my welcome bags. Everyone loved that they were in the bag.

 

We had the standard vows and Baptist minister. We're not Baptist, but just went with it and were pleased. We had cocktail hour across from the gazebo on the lawn. Almost the entire cocktail hour we were taking pictures which was fine with us. We had the Front Page reggae band for the first 2 hours of the reception and Sound Illusion dj for the last 2 hours. They were both incredible!! Everyone was raving about the band and the dj mixed the songs so smoothly. I gave a list of songs to Kerry in an email that I definitely would like to hear. I was worried they wouldn't play the kind of songs I wanted. I was probably very wrong, but it made me feel better. He played almost everything I requested and added other songs that went well.

 

We had the rectangular tables with the folding chairs. I had setup starfish as seating cards and the hotel supplied the sand box tray for them to be placed in. Our centerpieces were gorgeous! We had tall glass vases with sand and shells at the bottom and branches with orchids and tealights. Our cake was delicious and beautiful. We brought a cake topper with us. Not sure what bakery, I guess just the standard one they use. I asked for 2 tiers since there were only 32 people.

 

I can't say enough about this place! It was so special and everyone had a great time and said it was the best wedding ever! There were 2 minor things that didn't go how I had planned and they were so minor in the grand scheme of things. The first, Kerry forgot to put the palm leaf hand fans on the chairs for the ceremony. My mom noticed and said something so they had to be handed out. The other thing...somehow, the band played our first dance song from the middle. That really bummed me out for a bit, but then I quickly got over it. We picked a song a lot of people didn't know so no one actually noticed, I just wish I had more time to dance to it. These 2 things were really very minor. We did give Kerry cds for the band and dj of our songs for us, mother/son, father/daughter. I made 3 different discs and marked each one so there wouldn't be a mistake with the songs played. If what happened to us concerns you, just let Kerry know and I'm sure it won't happen to you. I never told them this even happened.

 

If anyone has any questions or wants to see pictures, just let me know and I'll be happy to help you! If anyone is not sure whether to book with Moon Dance, just do it! You won't be disappointed!

 

 

 

Hi... congratulations!! MDC is on top of my list.  Thank you for the review.  Just a question, did you have to pay the mandatory $500 fee for the tent. I asked Kim about this and i haven't received any response.  It's kind of ridiculous to pay for something that you wont use.

 

[july2010]

I'll send you some pics within the next few days!

[july2010]

I didn't have to pay a tent fee. I never heard of that.