The new Paradisus Playa del Carmen (La Perla and La Esmeralda)

KK2013 · May 9, 2013

Originally Posted by jennmariegarcia

Hi ladies I have a question regarding the DJ. I was contacted by JSAV and there pricing for 3 hrs starts at $1350 and do not include Labor, Transportation, 15% Service and 11% Tax Fees & his pricing states "Packages for Playa del Carmen have additional costs"
However The customized wedding extras form which I received from the Romance Department when I 1st booked my wedding states : Standard Package starts at $1000 and includes 3 hours of DJ, DJ equipment, 2 speakers, wireless microphone & 8 LED lights. I don't understand the discrepancy in pricing? Can there be another DJ company for Paradisus? This is a big difference in pricing and I don't understand why the company that the Romance Dept recommends states that they charge extra for Play Del Carmen weddings? Also does anyone have the email address or contact info for the Spa at the resort, I wanted to get pricing and see if they would offer a discount if I bought several spa treatments (I wanted to give spa treatments as a gift to our parents and siblings). And Im not sure when I would need to book my hair and makeup appointments for the wedding day and trail run. Thanks, any info you guys have will greatly help!

I know how you feel I was pretty surprised that the preferred vendor would charge an additional fee for PDC weddings. This is definitely the company they use, and I am unsure why the discrepancy between documents.The spa contact is Mariela, the spa manager. mariela.wiley@melia.com. You can book your appointments with her via email.

ladybugg · May 10, 2013

Hey ladies!!! I'm on a 35 day countdown now before we leave for PDC!!! In regards to both posts above me - try contacting your wedding coordinator as the new package pricing was not available before they should honour the pricing stated in their book - but who am I to say!!! I just know I am about to email the DJ company and my wedding coordinator together to make sure that I will be getting the listed prices from the wedding package book they sent me!! i will not be happy for any more! Is anyone else having a really difficult time getting responses from Perla from Alquimia events??? I'm getting super frustrated not only at the outrageous costs for everything - but mostly the lack of effort on her part to get back to me in a timely manner - I know we're on island time but 10+ days for an email response regarding pricing and options is a little much! Anyone else know another contact at Alquimia? I know Jessica is my planner from the resort but I hate constantly bugging her to chase down Perla to get a response - I thought destination weddings were supposed to be LESS of a headache!! Hope the rest of you ladies are getting excited for your big days! Will anyone be down there from June 15-22??

jennmariegarcia · May 10, 2013

Hi Ladybugg

I have another email contact email for Alquima, Adriana adriana@alquimiaevents.com she has emailed me as well as Perla with pricing which I might add were different from eachothers quotes!

Let me know how it goes with the DJ pricing for you, I emailed Jessica asking her why the discrepenacy in pricing and she said she would check with her manager. I hope they will honor there orignal pricing, I am not going to let it go easy!

Congrats on your countdown, very exciting!! We are getting close to our date too, I will be getting to the resort on July 1st bummer so close to your date but not close enough.

nathanjenna · May 13, 2013

I just had my wedding at Paradisus Playa del Carmen. I hope I am just a rare situation, but I definitely want to give caution to anyone planning their wedding here. We had the most amazing time when we visited for our love at first sight visit, and didn't imagine anything going wrong when we arrived for our wedding. There isn't a very streamlined process for planning everything which was a bit of an annoyance, but I figured with what I was expecting for the wedding, I could put up with that. THEN we got there for our 9 day stay...We had everything from service disappointments to reception menu errors, to decor errors, to special request errors, not to mention our cake was still frozen, and everything in-between. These are things that when it's done it's done... it's too late to change, because the event is already happening. It was a bit of a let-down, but I tried really hard not to let it ruin my big day. If you have already planned your wedding here and want me to give you more details on what to whatch out for, let me know. Some of our let-downs were just basic expectations and we went over them the day before. I'm not sure how they got them wrong! We had a pretty simple wedding without a lot of bells and whistles, so it's not like there should have been a ton to mess up. Somehow they did! The good part was our reception ambiance was what I planned for and was expecting, and the Bar, DJ, dance floor and lighting were all good. I flew out my own photographer thankfully so I didn't have room for error there.

aury1214 · May 14, 2013

Originally Posted by nathanjenna

I just had my wedding at Paradisus Playa del Carmen. I hope I am just a rare situation, but I definitely want to give caution to anyone planning their wedding here. We had the most amazing time when we visited for our love at first sight visit, and didn't imagine anything going wrong when we arrived for our wedding. There isn't a very streamlined process for planning everything which was a bit of an annoyance, but I figured with what I was expecting for the wedding, I could put up with that. THEN we got there for our 9 day stay...We had everything from service disappointments to reception menu errors, to decor errors, to special request errors, not to mention our cake was still frozen, and everything in-between. These are things that when it's done it's done... it's too late to change, because the event is already happening. It was a bit of a let-down, but I tried really hard not to let it ruin my big day. If you have already planned your wedding here and want me to give you more details on what to whatch out for, let me know. Some of our let-downs were just basic expectations and we went over them the day before. I'm not sure how they got them wrong! We had a pretty simple wedding without a lot of bells and whistles, so it's not like there should have been a ton to mess up. Somehow they did! The good part was our reception ambiance was what I planned for and was expecting, and the Bar, DJ, dance floor and lighting were all good. I flew out my own photographer thankfully so I didn't have room for error there.

Hi Nathanjenna,

I am so worried after reading about your experience with Paradisus. I am having my wedding there june of 2014 but am planning my site visit this June. What should I look out?

thanks

Ana Lopez · May 15, 2013

I just had my wedding at Paradisus Playa del Carmen. I hope I am just a rare situation, but I definitely want to give caution to anyone planning their wedding here.Â We had the most amazing time when we visited for our love at first sight visit, and didn't imagine anything going wrong when we arrived for our wedding. There isn't a very streamlined process for planning everything which was a bit of an annoyance, but I figured with what I was expecting for the wedding, I could put up with that. THEN we got there for our 9 day stay...We had everything from service disappointments to reception menu errors, to decor errors, to special request errors, not to mention our cake was still frozen, and everything in-between. These are things that when it's done it's done... it's too late to change, because the event is already happening. It was a bit of a let-down, but I tried really hard not to let it ruin my big day.Â If you have already planned your wedding here and want me to give you more details on what to whatch out for, let me know. Some of our let-downs were just basic expectations and we went over them the day before. I'm not sure how they got them wrong!Â We had a pretty simple wedding without a lot of bells and whistles, so it's not like there should have been a ton to mess up. Somehow they did! The good part was our reception ambiance was what I planned for and was expecting, and the Bar, DJ, dance floor and lighting were all good. I flew out my own photographer thankfully so I didn't have room for error there.Â

Omgggg!!!! I wish I would of seen this earlier!!!!! I'm actually on my way to Paradisus for my wedding as we speak....today. I'm really disappointed after reading your message. I'm pretty sure you spent a lot of effort, time and money. At least you gave us a heads up and some of us will just have to bridezillas now once we get there.

nathanjenna · May 16, 2013

I've been getting a lot of private messages, so I'll put my biggest piece of advice on this post. Make sure EVERY detail is on the final planner and proposal, even if they make it sound like it is part of the package and even if they verbally tell you they will do something a certain way. There were things they made it seem like they didn't need to put on there, and those seem to be some of the things they messed up on. They didn't write 'no sand ceremony' on there (I specified this the day before, and in hind site I should have had them print off a new planner and proposal). Just make sure EVERYTHING is on both the planner and the proposal down to the smallest detail and hopefully that keeps them from making some of the same mistakes. Other mistakes they made were: incorrect food items (adding items I didn't ask for and not having items that I did ask for that were on the planner), the cake was frozen which was a big one, and I felt a little scammed by what they introduced us to during the love at first site visit and never explained what the difference would be when we came back for our wedding. (royal service vs. non-royal service.) The bridal suite was good (bring an ipod or CD to play music) bluelense, the dj, the bar service, all seemed to be good. You may want to appoint someone in your wedding party to be in charge of the flow of the reception, because I found myself having to be the one to tell the DJ we should be introduced or do the garter toss or cut the cake, etc... which is a little stressful when you are trying to enjoy your event. Hope this helps!

imnotarunner · May 20, 2013

Hello everyone, did any one book DJSAV? I was given two different prices. The wedding packet says dj serivices are only a couple hundred dollars but the quote I got from Paradisus and DJSAV were well over 1200 for the same exact thing. What price did you lock in your DJ? I haven't seen a contract either. I paid my deposit. Im not too happy about having my wedding here.

imnotarunner · May 22, 2013

where is everyone having their pictures taken? any good back drops? I would say beach but tthere's not much of a beach to take group pics

Also where are you having your cocktail hour? Near the Gabi bridge? Indoors or Outdoors?
Thanks I really need help my wedding is in July. So much to do!! with almost no help from anyone not even my bridesmaids or the Paradisus people.

Matt Adcock · May 22, 2013

Hola amigas y amigos! Just wanted to share a few photos from a recent Paradisus La Perla wedding with Marissa and John. Hope it provides some inspiration! There are some great architectural points around the resort for interesting photos, walkways and the bridges are fab!