Lala's Ceiba del Mar Wedding Week

[lalanyc]

Hi Tiffany,

 

Re: the corking fee, I think we simply negotiated an extension of 4 hr blocks and then 2 hr blocks... I believe the extensions were slightly less per person than the original corking fee.  Also, for very late night, I think we negotiated a lower number of servers since there would be fewer people.

 

Yes, the late night taco bar was affordable - I think we paid based on consumption which was good since not all of our guests ate.  We had almost 160 people.

 

After the dance floor broke, some people moved to the area by the fountain but eventually everyone moved to lower area next to that - which is on the same level as the tables.  There was plenty of room to spare.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Originally Posted by tappleton 

Thanks so much Lala, 

this is awesome and so helpful! My wedding is there in April so I"m starting to plan all the details.  I can't believe your party went till 4am! So, we are also planning on paying the corking fee and bringing our own liquor. The corking fee was for 4 hours if I remember, so how did you work that? Did you pay two corking fees for 8 hours or just pay a little more per extra hour?  A late night taco bar is such a good idea. Was it affordable? How many people were at your wedding?  One last dance floor question, so after the rented dance floor broke, did you use that upper level area a step above the tables with the fountain for the dance floor or was there enough room to have it on the same terrace as the tables? Thanks again so much!

 

-tiffany

 

[lalanyc]

No problem - good luck and congrats!!
 

Originally Posted by AnaS 

Thanks so much for posting these pictures. I love how it turned out! I hope I will be able to do the same for my wedding I will be getting married at the same church next year in June.

 

[lalanyc]

 

We went to the store directly - you will have better luck finding English speaking staff that way.  If you dont happen to find anyone that knows English, I would try asking Diana or Paola for help negotiating.  We actually worked with Ceiba's head bartender first to determine how many bottles of the different types of liquors we would need before going to the store.  

 

The bus rental cost depends on the size and the number of hours you want it for - we paid a little over $400 for a 45-seat bus for 4 hrs (x 2).  Assuming you want the same # of hrs, you'd be looking at around $800-850.  Of course, there are cheaper services but I really appreciated that the company we used was so professional.  Feel free to ask for a quote!  Here is our rep's contact info:

 

  Alejandra (Alex) Orozco

YOUR CANCUN DMC

Director of Sales

Email: alex.orozco@yourcancundmc.com

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by 780chick 

Did you order the liquor online or did you go to the store directly? It seems their webpage is all in Spanish.

How much was it for the bus rental for the wedding day? We are looking to charter a bus to/from a catamaran cruise for a our guests (70-80 people)

 

 

 

[chrisdior]

@ lalanyc wow beautiful!!!! i love the string lights, did you bring the lights down with you? also in your oot bags you mentioned a guest picture book do you have pictures of what it looked like?

 

Congratulations and great job!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lalanyc 

I am so thankful for all the information I obtained from BDW that I am excited to finally provide my own review and recommendations. I hope it's helpful to future brides. Also, I understand there are separate review forums for vendors/hotels, so I will repeat certain reviews in those sections.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

CdM A+++++!!!!!!!

 

OVERALL REVIEW

 

Of all places we scouted in the Riviera Maya, we knew immediately that Ceiba was “the one.† Words can’t describe how well the hotel treated us and our guests!!  They well exceeded our expectations at practically every turn.  In particular, Diana was A-MAZING!!!  She is an incredibly smart, organized and great person overall, and it was a pleasure to work with her throughout the year.  Once we arrived, we coordinated w/ Javier and Miguel who were also exceedingly nice and professional.  It was wonderful working with ALL the staff and it was b/c of them that our event was so special.

 

To be clear, getting to this point was A LOT of work (unless, of course, you pay someone else to do it for you)!!  As others may have mentioned, you need to be prepared to invest time in contractual details in order to get the best pricing and options with management.  In addition, this is not your typical all-inclusive hotel.  Unlike many hotels which provide packages and/or pre-selected vendors, everything at CdM is a la carte.  The coordinators will provide a list of preferred vendors for flowers, décor, music, etc. but you have the option of looking for other vendors (which is not necessarily the best route, btw!).   Thank goodness for BDW!!!  Perhaps things may have played out differently had we hired a third-party coordinator, but despite the work, it was so worth it in the end.  We love CdM and plan to go back for many years!

 

BEFORE THE WEDDING

 

Room Rates: We negotiated directly with the hotel on room rates and locked in 2 rates (AI and European) for all room types since we were confident we would take at least 50 rooms.  We had to place a hefty deposit to secure the rates.  Of course, AI was by far the best deal, HOWEVER, some guests simply didn’t want to have to pay the extra $$ - either b/c they traveled alone or b/c they preferred to explore nearby restaurants.  Whatever the case, we wanted to give them that option which is partly why we chose Ceiba.  Many switched plans at the last minute.  Others who stayed for many days chose a combo of AI and European which was especially nice if they planned full day excursions.   If you would like more specifics, PM me.

 

Off Site Options:  Another big reason we chose Ceiba was the proximity of private homes and condos.  We had many families w/ kids that simply couldn’t afford to stay at Ceiba.  In particular, we had families stay at Villa Karina, Casa South Breeze and Costa Blanca Condos. These accommodations were perfect!!!  Clean, nice, close to Ceiba and (relatively) cheap!  See the attached form for information on all the houses/condos we investigated, including a map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY - BONFIRE

 

Bonfire on the beach in front of the pool bar – AWESOME. Even though we threw this together at the last minute, Ceiba executed perfectly.  Weather was chilly w/ the ocean breeze but people had their shawls/sweaters so it was tolerable. 

 

Music:  We contracted a band on short notice and it was a great addition (unfortunately I don’t have their name but they were so fun).  I would highly recommend having music though you will definitely need speakers since the waves will drown out acoustic sound.

 

Food/Drink:  We paid $400 for a bonfire w/ marshmallows, asked the staff to put out beer and wine (no waiter service – self serve only).  The set up worked well since this was meant to be an informal event.  People loved toasting marshmallows!

 

Décor:  The staff arranged tiki torches and beach lounge chairs around the bonfire area and that is all that was necessary.  Any additional décor would have been hard to notice since it was so dark.

 

OOT Bags: http://www.discountmugs.com/nc/tote-bags/1663/the-regatta-tote-bag.htm

I left welcome bags at the front desk every morning based on guests' arrival dates. Wow, people LOOOVED their bags!!  I particularly liked these b/c they had a zipper and an inside pocket.  Aside from Mexican candy and chips, we included hair elastic bands, simple toys for the kids and GUEST PICTURE BOOK which people went crazy over.  If you have the time and energy, I’d highly recommend the effort.

 

 

THURSDAY – WELCOME DRINKS

 

We hosted welcome drinks around the smaller pool.  I originally wanted to host the event on the pier but was happy we stuck to the pool - the pier can be unpredictably windy at night and with so many people of all ages, this location was ideal, esp b/c the beach chairs provided seating options.

 

Music: We contracted an acoustic guitarist for 2 hrs for about $150.  He was quite good (unfortunately, I don’t have contact/name) however, acoustic music was not the best option as the music was too soft for my taste.  Wish I had paid extra for a sound system or contracted more musicians to add more energy to the event.

 

Food/Drink:  We specifically started the event around 8 PM so people would have time for dinner, however, we ordered tacos at the last minute (specifically, the “trompo de pastorâ€) for guests who arrived on late flights.  HOLY&*%$!  Everyone ate the tacos, including guests who had just finished 3 course dinners!!!  Waiters also walked around w/ a signature drink and there was an open bar.

 

Décor:  Lounge chairs were placed along far edges of the pavement and high tables were also placed closer to the pool.  I gave Diana tea candle light covers and paper star lanterns for added decor.  The staff did an awesome job putting them up.  They knew exactly what to do and it was great not to have to worry about it.

 

• Tea light covers:  http://www.etsy.com/listing/53567343/sale-paper-luminaries-venetian-vacation; I thought these were a small but cute touch; they were placed at the standing tables around the pool.
• Paper star lanterns: http://www.paperlanternstore.com/socostco.html; I bought about 2-3 dozen of these to be hung off the palm treas.  Staff arranged them for free and they looked great.  Wouldn’t worry about the color mix since colors are hard to see from so high up!

 

 

FRIDAY – REHEARSAL DINNER

 

We hosted our rehearsal dinner in Arrecifes restaurant.  I wanted this event to be more informal and by the ocean, so all tables were arranged on the outside perimeter of the restaurant for the breeze.

 

Music:  We had mariachi for the first 2 hours of the event (see WEDDING DAY for more details – they were great) and then we switched to karaoke.  Before the switch, we had a slide show on a huge projector screen inside the restaurant.  DJ Mannia set up the audio/video and they did a good job.  People went CRAAZY for karaoke, btw!!  Again, we threw this in at the last minute and I later learned guests actually PAID to extend the karaoke hours after my FI and I went to bed (around midnight)!!!!!

 

Food/Drink: The staff set up bbq stations along the outer perimeter of the outside terrace.  Food included chicken, ribs steak, corn, salad, salsa, etc. and it was delicious!!  We also ordered an ice cream stand which guests enjoyed.  We had two bars – one inside the restaurant and one outside at the opposite end of the restaurant.  To save $$ toward the end of the night, we asked the staff to make pitchers of mixed drinks and guests gulped down every drop.

 

Décor:  Didn’t do much w/ regard to décor and in retrospect, I’m not sure that any added small details would have made a big difference (we were trying to keep it casual).  We had about two dozen candles in mason jars from the edge of the thatched roof.  I do wish we had arranged more seating inside the restaurant for karaoke singers looking to take a break (inside was relatively open/empty).

 

SATURDAY – WEDDING DAY

 

PRE-WEDDING

 

Hair/Makeup:  Lorena Hijuelos, Makeup Art [Grade: B-/C+], http://www.makeupart.com.mx/

I’m a bit torn on this one. Lorena was on time and professional but I simply did not love my makeup and I HATED my hair.  Everyone told me it looked good, but bridezillas know what they want!   Lorena did my makeup and she had her own hair people (whose names I didn’t get).  We had done a trial during an earlier site visit which I did not like.  So… I did additional trials back at home to get clear photos of what I wanted.  It still didn’t come out that way on the wedding day!!!  In retrospect, I wish I had 1) done additional trials w/ Lorena until we had achieved the exact look I wanted, 2) tried another Mexico vendor or 3) done my makeup and hair myself!!  To be fair, it did not look horrible but I had an image in my head and I simply did not feel as good as I wanted to.  Perhaps I’m extra picky, but what can I do? :/

 

Mani/Pedi:  Ceiba [Grade: C].  Blehhh…. Bad idea.  Ceiba’s spa may have great masseuses but their nail people are not good.  My “mani/pedi†was really just a change of polish, and even then, it was not well done.  Nobody saw my feet but I wish I had enlisted a talented family member the night before to get this done.  I honestly forgot and had to get it done in my room the morning of the wedding! 

 

Transportation (Airport and Wedding Day):  Your Cancun DMC [Grade: A++], Alejandra (Alex) Orozco, Dir. of Sales; alex.orozco@yourcancundmc.com. 

FANTASTIC!  Great customer service and attention to detail.  This service was not the cheapest but after hearing horror stories re: shady companies, I am so happy we went w/ Your Cancun.  Our guests were completely satisfied with the quality of the service, as drivers were timely, courteous and professional.   Also, dealing with Alex was great – she gave us regular updates on our guests’ arrival/departure times and was always in such a happy mood.   In addition, we rented buses and a van from Your Cancun for the day of the wedding (as we had to transport guests to the church).  They were on time, the buses were in good shape, and they included free water bottles for our guests.   Here are the rates they charged for airport transportation:

• One-way: $55.00 US (1 - 3 people) per vehicle
• One-way: $60.00 US (4 - 8 people) per vehicle
• Round trip: $100.00 US (1 - 3 people) per vehicle
• Round trip: $110.00 US (4 - 8 people) per vehicle

 

WEDDING

 

Ceremony:  Catholic mass at Iglesia de San Jose in downtown Puerto Morelos.  Father Mario Gonzalez, mgonzalez@arcol.org.

Wow, we were SO LUCKY to find Padre Mario. He is one of the nicest people we had the honor of interacting with for the wedding.  He speaks English fluently and was able to conduct our mass in English and Spanish in less than 60 minutes!  Remarkable as far Catholic masses go   Iglesia de San Jose is a small church w/ an open garden next to the pews.  We first married legally in the US to avoid the added burden of translating docs, getting blood tests, etc. that comes w/ getting legally hitched in Mexico.

 

 

  

[lalanyc]

Chrisdior -

 

Yes, we brought the lights ourselves (actually, with the help of several relatives) - mainly because our vendor didnt carry these types of lights - only bigger lanterns which I didn't want.  Unfortunately, I dont have a sample of the booklet but it was basically a series of square face shots with names, locations and relation below each box.  My husband did all the work on that project

 

 

Originally Posted by chrisdior 

@ lalanyc wow beautiful!!!! i love the string lights, did you bring the lights down with you? also in your oot bags you mentioned a guest picture book do you have pictures of what it looked like?

 

Congratulations and great job!!!

 

 

[gonzalezbride]

How soon in advance did you book at the church in Puerto Morelos?