Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe

[aquatracie]

Here is the posting of my TTD!!  It was so much fun and very worth Trashing the dress!

 

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/83690/my-trash-the-dress-fun-barcelo-bavaro-palace-deluxe-tropical-pictures-malena

[cocoHolly]

Originally Posted by Fitzgerh 

 

OCT 2012 Bride,

 

Thank you for all of the photos! I have read through most of your posts.I have a few questions from the seasoned brides of BPD.

 

How was the experience from the kids of your wedding party (pool looks awesome based off of photos!)

Was the food really that bland?

 

Although it is totally rude to ask about final wedding costs, what was the average total? We are planning an August 2014 wedding, inviting about 50 people, maybe 40 will show and are looking at a wedding day budget around 15k. Is this reasonable based off of your experiences?

The kids in our group, age 6,8,10 had a blast! There is a kids pool, the beach is awesome, and there is also a pirate ship water park with slides and a wave pool, it is a lot funner then it looks, a bunch of my adult guests did it as well...it is $20 for the day, but you get a $10 off coupon in your checkin pack. It also includes the mini put.

 

The buffets were prettly bland. They had "barci" sections which are kid sections in the buffet and the food trays are lower to the ground so kids can reach them and they have things like pizza and chicken fingers in them so I find it's pretty good for them. There is also a soft serve ice cream machine that kids and adults loved!!

 

We also had 2 teenagers 16 and 17 who paid adult prices to go because they had to, but the front desk refused to give them adult bracelts so they were not served alchol. Luckily a couple of us were able to slip off our adult bracelets to give to them and then we jsut went ot the front desk and said they fell off in the ocean...no problem!

 

My wedding day with photo and video came to $4500. I had the strawberry package, and had 45 guests so ended up paying 50x20 for the guests above the 25 limit. If you have a 15,000 budget then you will get tons of stuff!!

[cocoHolly]

Originally Posted by Parrish 

 

Hey Girls,

 

I was wondering how everyone is or is planning on communicating with there guests about welcome dinner location and times, group excursion times and cost, wedding times and where to be when....and anything that they may need to know about. I feel I wont know a lot of the details until we arrive so I am not sure how to make sure everyone knows where and when to be places. 

 

Did most of you plan or are planning excursions before you leave or once you get there? Are you going to plan them through the resort or with outside vendors? 

 

How about dinner reservations? Did you or are you planning on just booking for yourself and letting everyone do there own thing or are you sharing with your guest where you are eating so they can join in. I would love to do dinner with our group if they wish to join us. Anyone have had problems with guests coming later in the week having trouble making reservations? Anyone making reservations for there guests? 

 

Just a little worried about the organization and the logistics of having 40 guests at such a big resort and keeping everyone in the loop! Any advice would be great! 

[cocoHolly]

Originally Posted by natalieblev 

 

Thanks coco Holly and Aqua Tracie for your awesome reviews!! You both look so happy and amazing!! Makes me excited!!

I have a couple of questions for either of you if you have any time to answer.

 

How did the flower process work? Did you get to pick from many choices or was it very limited? About how much do the bouquets cost if you dont mind me asking.

There was a binder the W/C had with a bunch of options we could pick from. They do have a lot of choice, and you can get them painted many colours!

 

If there a good bar close to/or with an outdoor area that I could do my welcome meetup? I have atleast seven kids coming and two teenagers so it has to be on the palace side and also something where it isnt too crazy but still fun.

The Lobby bar "Carrey Bar" is a great place for meeting up as it is right in the main building which is close to the pools and beach and kids are welcome, and the Rum bar which is right beside it makes the best coffees and hot drinks!

 

If either of you had children at your reception did you do anything special to keep them occupied? Like a kids table or crayons or anything?

Their parents brough their gmaeboys and ipods for them to play with..I barely noticed them there to be honest! I also put bubbles on all the chairs at the ceremony so guests could blow them, and then many rboguht theirs to the reception and blowed them during our first dance which was really cool!

 

If you did welcome bags what was the one item your guests used the most?

I didn't do welcome bags, but if I had I would have included Imodium or Pepto Bismol as almost all my guests got diarreah.

 

Was there anything you or your guests didnt bring that you wished you would have?

I forgot my own camera! It worked out cause it means I was in a lot of pictures rather then always takign them, but it would have been nice to be able to capture certain things!

 

Would the hibachi restaurant be a good place to fit about 45 guests for my "rehearsal" dinner. I want us all to be seated close to each other and i thought maybe since it has a "show" it would be something fun.

I don't think you will be able to get the japanese restuarent for that many people. The tables seat 12 each, and I think they most they will give you is 2 back to back, so 24 people, you can ask for 4 tables, so 48 seats but I doubt that will happen for you to be honest! The seafood and steak house could probably fit you all in an area together! And both of those were good too!

 

Cocoholly- you got married at the garden gazebo which is my location also. I am thinking i want to seat my guests in front of the gazebo on each side of the walkway rather than inside...is it open to do so?

The gazebo can hold up to like 60 people comfortably and around the gazebo the ground slants and there are trees and bushes. it may be hard to line charis down the isle. Here is a picture that kinda shows how the groud goes, and in the bottom right corner you can see a bit of a tree, just to give you an idea how they are kinda everywhere! Not to mention there are peacocks all around this area, and although beautiful and great entertainment for your guests while they wait, they poo everywhere, so althoyugh the isle will be clear for you, your guests may step in it!

 

Thanks again! And congratulations!

i answered you above in red!

[trivera5521]

CocoHolly: My apologies if you already answered this but what did you do for centerpieces? Do you have a picture? If you got them through the resort what did they cost? Thanks!

[samantha2]

Just wondering if anyone has a list of possible reception locations?  When talking with our destination wedding coordinator she told us she has had brides have their receptions on the balcony of the presidential suites at various resorts.  Of course I fell in love with this idea and am wondering if BBP has this as an option?  Thanks!

[natalieblev]

Thanks so much CocoHolly for your reply!! I was thinking the lobby bar from info from a past post, but glad you were able to give me more info!! Im trying to do things as free as possible since it is all inclusive I see no reason to pay for food and drinks! (Although i did get the cocktail hour so we can take pictures and keep our  guests occupied). 

 

trivera after reading so many posts from this forum and many others i have decided to take my own! Everything they offer seems nice, but also way more expensive than bringing your own. One thing I am doing though is adding flowers to my centerpieces through them....so basically I bring all the "stuff" and then ill pay for the flowers from them. (im not doing big bouquets but smaller bottles with flowers in them so cheaper than doing both). between my parents and my Fi and I we have eight bags free so it shouldnt be a big problem to bring em in.

 

I was just wondering for any future or past brides...did any of you use Pastor Rick York? I have him scheduled and am excited but only worry about if i need to do anything like make sure the hotel has the microphone system reserved? or anything else i may be missing? 

 

Thanks in advance! 

[natalieblev]

Originally Posted by Curls2013 

 

Alright ladies that have been there..........I'm leaving in 14 days!

 

• What are your options for the actual ceremony? We are having a symbolic wedding, but how did the sand ceremony work? Did they provide the stuff? (I already bought stuff.) Also we've written our own vows......will they let us read them? 
• I'm having the Caribbean Trio play at our ceremony. Does anyone else have experience with this? 
• For the reception. do they provide cake cutting utensils? Champagne glasses for the toast?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies! I love this blog.

 

Curls2013

Curls good luck on your big day!! I obviously havent been there yet and cant answer your questions in that way but just wanted to say hope you have a great time!!m 

 

I do know that you can purchase the sand stuff from them, i was quoted 25 US dollars.

If you are having the WC do your service then Im sure they will let you, with a judge I have no idea.

Sunny had the trio play at hers and she said it was just fine. Im having them play my cocktail hour instead, so i didnt ask too many questions about it.

I would love to know the answer to the cake cutting and toast after you get back! Something on my list too!

 

happy New Year! 

[natalieblev]

I know this is not exactly the forum for it, but since we are all going to the same resort thought i would ask....does anyone have any different ideas on things to include in welcome bags? I just purchased my bags and am coming up with a list of things to include. I have the basic stuff, but thought you ladies might have more Punta Cana or specific to the resort type ideas since many of you have been there already! Any ideas are appreciated! 

[aquatracie]

Originally Posted by Curls2013 

 

Alright ladies that have been there..........I'm leaving in 14 days!

 

• What are your options for the actual ceremony? We are having a symbolic wedding, but how did the sand ceremony work? Did they provide the stuff? (I already bought stuff.) Also we've written our own vows......will they let us read them? 
• Yes they will let you read your own vows, We didn't do that because Kyle was too nervous to memorize anything.  The vows they did for us were very simple and cute~ Not religious.  Also we brought our own Sand Ceremony.  Lianny said the Sand Ceremony words and then we poured.  The big disappointment when we got our Sand Ceremony back the next day in my suitcase... the sand was mixed together like they had spilled it and the cork was gone and they had put saran wrap with an elastic on top... when we got home our sand ceremony was completely mixed together... blue and white sand... the pictures look great though... I am going to buy a new sand ceremony and pour our mixed sand and new sand together.... so make sure everything is packed correctly
• I'm having the Caribbean Trio play at our ceremony. Does anyone else have experience with this? 
• We had the trio and it was alot of fun and worth it.  It really sets the tropical mood for everyone and they walk down the aisle behind you!  Everyone enjoyed it as well!
• For the reception. do they provide cake cutting utensils? Champagne glasses for the toast?
• The glasses for the toast and the cake utensils are provided!  Lianny even helped us...  the little plates and everything are there waiting with the cake!

 

 

 

Curls2013