Sandals Negril Weddings

[reednm]

Anyone still following this thread?  My fiance and I are very close (hopefully within a week) to booking our wedding at either Sandals Negril or Beaches Negril.  The reason we are debating between the two is because we will have some "singles" attending the wedding and possibly some younger children.  My TA told me that the children would be allowed over at Sandals only for the private functions, which is fine.  But I don't want anyone to feel out of place...

 

Anyways, the date we want is January 11, 2014.  We are going to be inviting quite a few people (maybe 200?) because my fiance has a huge family.  There are people we know won't go but feel we have to send an invitation to anyways.  Hoping to keep total guest count around 50.  Here is what I am thinking:

 

Private rehearsal dinner (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked)

Ceremony on the beach or gazebo overlooking beach @ 4 p.m. (beautiful beginnings package is just fine - keeping things simple)

1 hour cocktail reception (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked)

- Steel drum band for 1 hour?

2 hour private dinner reception (should be $45/person for the buffet if my TA is correct)

- iPod/speakers for music

Hit up the piano bar to party the night away!

 

*Out of town bags (personalized best of Bob Marley CD, personalized can coozies, etc.)

*Hair and makeup...might do on my own but I have read good reviews about their stylists and would like airbrush makeup if possible

 

Any tips?  Anything I should add?  Anything I shouldn't do?

[Marymack]

Anyone still following this thread?  My fiance and I are very close (hopefully within a week) to booking our wedding at either Sandals Negril or Beaches Negril.  The reason we are debating between the two is because we will have some "singles" attending the wedding and possibly some younger children.  My TA told me that the children would be allowed over at Sandals only for the private functions, which is fine.  But I don't want anyone to feel out of place... Anyways, the date we want is January 11, 2014.  We are going to be inviting quite a few people (maybe 200?) because my fiance has a huge family.  There are people we know won't go but feel we have to send an invitation to anyways.  Hoping to keep total guest count around 50.  Here is what I am thinking: Private rehearsal dinner (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked) Ceremony on the beach or gazebo overlooking beach @ 4 p.m. (beautiful beginnings package is just fine - keeping things simple) 1 hour cocktail reception (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked) - Steel drum band for 1 hour? 2 hour private dinner reception (should be $45/person for the buffet if my TA is correct) - iPod/speakers for music Hit up the piano bar to party the night away! *Out of town bags (personalized best of Bob Marley CD, personalized can coozies, etc.) *Hair and makeup...might do on my own but I have read good reviews about their stylists and would like airbrush makeup if possible Any tips?  Anything I should add?  Anything I shouldn't do?

Sounds like you have it all planned out very well!!! What are you doing for pictures?

[lebolton]

We just got back from our wedding at Sandals Negril. I'll be posting a review soon, but if y'all have any specific questions let me know!!

[Liann03]

We just got back from our wedding at Sandals Negril. I'll be posting a review soon, but if y'all have any specific questions let me know!!

I would like some info on the bar packages there, and also how was the service?

[redsoxgrl]

Originally Posted by lebolton 

 

We just got back from our wedding at Sandals Negril. I'll be posting a review soon, but if y'all have any specific questions let me know!!

 I cant wait to see your review!!!!

 

Me and my FI have booked our wedding at Sandals Negril in July 2014.  We booked the Millionaire Honeymoon Plantation Suites Ocean View with a butler for 7 nights!  We are very excited.  I hear these are on the "quieter" side of the resort.  I really wanted something beach walkout, but my FI really liked these rooms from the pics, so thats what we went with. (most of the beach walkout rooms were much cheaper!!!)  Has anyone here stayed in the room level we are staying in?  Since we were so scared about the Sandals photog, we have decided to hire an offsite photog and they are picking up us directly after ceremony for wedding photos and TTD off site!  I'm assuming that we would have to still buy a cheap package from sandals for the off chance that we like some of their ceremony photos...otherwise we will not have any photos of our actual ceremony!

 

I have my first meeting with Nina in August.  I dislike all our their flower options, so im wondering if anyone has requested custom flowers?  I just want a bouquet of bright orange and hot pink gerber daisies.

 

I forgot to mention that was are totally eloping, just the two of us.  Does Sandals provide a witness?  Can we write our own vows? I have a list of ongoing questions to ask Nina including the script for the ceremony - we aren't religious, if allowed - i would love to pick out my own ceremony script.  Also as for the spa...i plan on makeup/hair trials before the big day.  I know at the end of the week i tip my butler...but who else do you tip while you are there??

 

Is there any excursions we MUST do while in Negril?  We def want to do Rick's cafe.  I want to do a catamaran cruise. We want to do horseback riding thru the water.  Thanks in advance!

[lebolton]

Liann03, I'm not sure what you mean by bar packages? The service was great, the workers there are super friendly and make a point to personalize your vacation. They all spoke to us on a first name basis while there!

 

Redsxgirl, we stayed in the Concierge Level Beachfront Walk-Out Room, it's right in the middle of the resort. We didn't have anyone in our group stay in your level. My fiance didn't like the idea of a butler, so we skipped that luxury. But we did have a couple with us that LOVED their butler in the Lagoon Suites. You get a personal cell phone to call them at anytime.

 

I am a photographer so I was terrified about the Sandals photography. We booked a very small package with Sandals and I had one of my close friends use my professional camera to double shoot. And thank God we did that, because I was extremely disappointed with our Sandals photographer. They do not digitally retouch the images and more than half of them were out of focus. We ended up buying 20 images (because they were shots that our friend didn't get) but I came straight home and had to fix them myself in Photoshop. Although there's nothing I can do about the out of focus images. You don't HAVE to book their photographers, but we did just in case they were good. But with that said, being a professional I look at photos in detail, whereas some may think the pictures were fine.. but for their prices in my opinion the quality does not match the cost.

 

Nina was my WC and I begged the group department for a new WC, but I was told she was the Sandals Negril person. I have read alot of girls on here that loved her and had nice things to say, but not my experience. She always took way too long to answer e-mails, was out of office more than she was in, couldn't give me straight answers, and didn't give the onsite wedding group half of my requests. So once we got there I had to re-do alot. And multiple times that I asked questions, she'd merely send me website links instead of just answering. I hope you have a better experience!!

 

You can write your own vows. You can do whatever script you want. And you aren't supposed to tip anyone else, but I know some people do under the table, But they can get in alot of trouble for accepting tips.Hope this helps!!

[redsoxgrl]

Redsxgirl, we stayed in the Concierge Level Beachfront Walk-Out Room, it's right in the middle of the resort. We didn't have anyone in our group stay in your level. My fiance didn't like the idea of a butler, so we skipped that luxury. But we did have a couple with us that LOVED their butler in the Lagoon Suites. You get a personal cell phone to call them at anytime.

 

I am a photographer so I was terrified about the Sandals photography. We booked a very small package with Sandals and I had one of my close friends use my professional camera to double shoot. And thank God we did that, because I was extremely disappointed with our Sandals photographer. They do not digitally retouch the images and more than half of them were out of focus. We ended up buying 20 images (because they were shots that our friend didn't get) but I came straight home and had to fix them myself in Photoshop. Although there's nothing I can do about the out of focus images. You don't HAVE to book their photographers, but we did just in case they were good. But with that said, being a professional I look at photos in detail, whereas some may think the pictures were fine.. but for their prices in my opinion the quality does not match the cost.

 

Nina was my WC and I begged the group department for a new WC, but I was told she was the Sandals Negril person. I have read alot of girls on here that loved her and had nice things to say, but not my experience. She always took way too long to answer e-mails, was out of office more than she was in, couldn't give me straight answers, and didn't give the onsite wedding group half of my requests. So once we got there I had to re-do alot. And multiple times that I asked questions, she'd merely send me website links instead of just answering. I hope you have a better experience!!

 

You can write your own vows. You can do whatever script you want. And you aren't supposed to tip anyone else, but I know some people do under the table, But they can get in alot of trouble for accepting tips.Hope this helps!!

Thank you so much lebolton! It was very helpful! I have heard the same about the WC. Thank GOD we are eloping bc I don't think I could deal with planning a wedding over the phone. I'm trying to get my questions in line now. We are just using the $500 wedding credit to make a simple wedding since we plan to go off property with the photog the minute after we sign the marriage license lol! I guess I am hoping ill like 1 or 2 pics from sandals so I have SOMETHING from the actual ceremony! I am so thankful I found this site or I wouldn't have known how BAD sandals photogs are and I would have been so upset with crappy wedding pics! Thanks also for letting me know we can plan our own script/vows! We would have loved a room in the crystal lagoon swim ups but it was almost 2500 more than what we are paying now (and even what we paid is more than I was comfortable spending!) Can't wait to see your full review! Thank you again for your help!

[MsFaszion]

Originally Posted by reednm 

 

Anyone still following this thread?  My fiance and I are very close (hopefully within a week) to booking our wedding at either Sandals Negril or Beaches Negril.  The reason we are debating between the two is because we will have some "singles" attending the wedding and possibly some younger children.  My TA told me that the children would be allowed over at Sandals only for the private functions, which is fine.  But I don't want anyone to feel out of place...

 

Anyways, the date we want is January 11, 2014.  We are going to be inviting quite a few people (maybe 200?) because my fiance has a huge family.  There are people we know won't go but feel we have to send an invitation to anyways.  Hoping to keep total guest count around 50.  Here is what I am thinking:

 

Private rehearsal dinner (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked)

Ceremony on the beach or gazebo overlooking beach @ 4 p.m. (beautiful beginnings package is just fine - keeping things simple)

1 hour cocktail reception (should get this free due to # of rooms likely to be booked)

- Steel drum band for 1 hour?

2 hour private dinner reception (should be $45/person for the buffet if my TA is correct)

- iPod/speakers for music

Hit up the piano bar to party the night away!

 

*Out of town bags (personalized best of Bob Marley CD, personalized can coozies, etc.)

*Hair and makeup...might do on my own but I have read good reviews about their stylists and would like airbrush makeup if possible

 

Any tips?  Anything I should add?  Anything I shouldn't do?

Sounds good, and pics and video are nice additions as well.  Congrats.

[ChelseaCat802]

We will not be having our wedding here, but we will be honeymooning here after our wedding in Montego Bay! Does anyone have any recommendations on what we do while we're there at the resort? We've never been to a Sandals before! Thank you! XOXO

[AD2012]

Originally Posted by ChelseaCat802 

 

We will not be having our wedding here, but we will be honeymooning here after our wedding in Montego Bay! Does anyone have any recommendations on what we do while we're there at the resort? We've never been to a Sandals before! Thank you! XOXO

We took an anniversary trip to Sandals Negril in May and we absolutely loved it! We went on an excursion that took us on a crocodile tour, the Appleton Estate Tour and to the YS falls. We were set on going to Appleton so this tour seemed like the best fit for us. It was a long day but a lot of fun! We also went to Ricks Cafe and watched the divers. We jumped ourselves from the lower landing and it was so refreshing! We arrived around 230pm and it wasn't too busy, as it got closer to sunset, the place really filled up!  The food was OK, and the service was mediocre, the view and the sunset are really what made that Ricks memorable.  We also wanted to try a restaurant called sunset after dark in Negril, but ended up not having time, a local farmers market vendor in my hometown owns it and the food he sells at the market is fantastic, when we go back we'll definitely be checking out his restaurant.