Dreams Cancun 2014 Brides

[megssweet1]

Hi all!!! I saw there is a thread for Dreams 2013 brides, and I figured the 2014 brides could use our own thread! My name is Megan, I'm getting married at Dreams April 12th. We are not planning a site visit. At first, I was just planning to use everything that comes with the ultimate package. Now, after finding this thread, I feel like I need to do a ton of research! Lol! Does anyone know anything about the resort photographers? I want to use Dean Sanderson for TTD, but am not sure about the extra expense for the ceremony. What do you all think? Also, I'm likely going to use a vendor for the cake. But again not sure. I think I could get a nice cake for $200, but there is a resort fee? I think I'll bring a few decor items for the tables. And OOT bags. But I've seen several brides buy stuff for bags/favors in Cancun. What are you girls planning? I love this site and the idea of us all supporting each other and sharing ideas! If you are getting married in 2014 at Dreams Cancun or if you had your wedding there and can provide insight, please post here!!!

[Ashleyloriann]

Thanks for making this thread Megan! Makes things A LOT easier. I'm getting married February 2014 and am also not planning on doing a site visit. I am a photographer and do not like the resort photographers work, they have multiple people working for the company so some may be better than others. I chose to use Juan Navarro, his work is absolutely amazing and he has great reviews. Any outside vendor you bring on there is a $150 fee. From what I've read, we can use decorations that past brides have left for future brides. Price wise, Dreams is ridiculous. DJ is expensive and so is the dance floor. I am already spending way more than I originally planned. You can choose to swap out items on the wedding package for other things. For example, I am not having a cocktail hour because there is a bar right next to the gazebo. Instead of having the cocktail hour I get comped for 10 extra people to eat. I am also not using their florist, I am using Maya Floral. In turn for not using that I get a sound set up for the ceremony and I get the gazebo decorated. 

 

I'm curious to how good the stylists are because my package comes with getting my hair & makeup done. We are having our reception on the garden because some of our guests are in wheel chairs. I'm thinking I'm going to pay the extra to have lights underneath the tables. I have only read reviews on Claudia and Cynthia and my wedding coordinator is Ruby, so I hope she does good work. Wedding favors I'm thinking koozies? They are light and people can always use them haha I will probably end up doing another favor as well. Things start to add up quickly, so I suggest asking yourself "Do I REALLY need it?" 

 

If any past brides have advice, please please share. I absolutely love this site!!

[megssweet1]

Hi, Ashleyloriann! Yay! I'm glad you posted! I'd love to get this thread to be similar to the 2013 one. I'm so new to this site, so still figuring it out. How did you find out your trades so soon? Have you had much contact with Ruby? I think my coordinator is Cecelia, but I've only communicated with her to make our deposit so far. I've heard a few brides mention dj/dance floor are expensive, but I have no clue what's reasonable. I feel like our package is so cheap, that I haven't been scrutinizing the cost for other stuff. But I guess I really need to because I want dean Sanderson as my photog and between the wedding and TTD it's a lot! I have two friends who do photography on the side semi professionally. Neither of them are invited to the wedding at this point. Idk, maybe I should use one of the for the wedding? I From the reviews I've read, the brides have all been happy with their hair. I'm a bit skeptical, so we'll see. I think I'll do my own makeup. I'm in the process of trying to decide what items in my package I don't want to use, but I am not sure ill have enough value to trade for anything I want I am debating colored napkins, sashes, lights under the tables, lighted dance floor, and dj. But is a dj really worth it over a technician? I mean the technician would still do indroductions, cake announcements, etc? Yeah, I agree about asking if I really need something. My priorities are location, which Dreams totally rocks! My dress, the food. I'm taking a huge chance on food, I'm not confident I'll be impressed! (I come from a culinary background) but to have such an amazing location, it'll be worth it!

[Sarah P]

Hi! My fiancé and I are getting married at Dreams Cancun on January 20, 2014! I visited Dreams in April and loved it most out of the 4 or so places we visited and countless hours of research. We're swapping the cocktails for the 10 extra people for the reception and I'm bringing a photographer friend so they are giving me an upgraded cake I think instead of that. It's really so beautiful I'm not really going to worry about many decorations and going to focus on the guest bag and other stuff to thanks our guests for traveling all that way to share in our day. Can't wait!!!

[Ashleyloriann]

Originally Posted by megssweet1 

 

Hi, Ashleyloriann! Yay! I'm glad you posted! I'd love to get this thread to be similar to the 2013 one. I'm so new to this site, so still figuring it out.

 

How did you find out your trades so soon? Have you had much contact with Ruby? I think my coordinator is Cecelia, but I've only communicated with her to make our deposit so far. I've heard a few brides mention dj/dance floor are expensive, but I have no clue what's reasonable. I feel like our package is so cheap, that I haven't been scrutinizing the cost for other stuff. But I guess I really need to because I want dean Sanderson as my photog and between the wedding and TTD it's a lot! I have two friends who do photography on the side semi professionally. Neither of them are invited to the wedding at this point. Idk, maybe I should use one of the for the wedding?

 

I

From the reviews I've read, the brides have all been happy with their hair. I'm a bit skeptical, so we'll see. I think I'll do my own makeup.

 

I'm in the process of trying to decide what items in my package I don't want to use, but I am not sure ill have enough value to trade for anything I want I am debating colored napkins, sashes, lights under the tables, lighted dance floor, and dj. But is a dj really worth it over a technician? I mean the technician would still do indroductions, cake announcements, etc?

 

Yeah, I agree about asking if I really need something. My priorities are location, which Dreams totally rocks! My dress, the food. I'm taking a huge chance on food, I'm not confident I'll be impressed! (I come from a culinary background) but to have such an amazing location, it'll be worth it!

As soon as I got engaged I contacted Dreams to make sure I got the date I wanted! Once you go over 20 people, they charge you PER PERSON for cake. I think its $5 a person. STUPID because no one cares about the cake really haha so we got a small cake and if people want a dessert they can go order something at the resort. I don't think I'm bringing sashes because the white chairs themselves look gorgeous against the ocean, I love the contrast. DJ is good because they will take care of all the announcements for you, I don't think the technician would. How many people are you planning on having? We originally wanted 30 but now it's up to 50. Once you have 40 people you can have the buffet which we want, fajitas, flautas etc. We're from Texas  

[sabers20]

Thanks Meagan for making this thread!!! Still haven't officially set a date but we are hoping for October 2013/2014!!! :-) after reading ALL the threads it seems like Dreams is very flexible in swapping things out of the package for other things!! YAY for 2014 & hopefully we can all help each other out as much as possible!! Am more than likely using Cancun Studios for photography as I know them personally & they are awesome :-) good luck to all of us!!! Sabrina

[briandluna]

Hi!!! I am also a Dreams Bride. My wedding is for May/2014. Im so glad you created this thread because up until i started reading the posts i really hadn't researched too much. There are some great suggestions here that i will apply as well. I feel really overwhelmed with planning a whole wedding by myself so this is great to have some feedback from other brides who are to planning to or have wed in the same location!! thanks so much!!

 

Brianna

[megssweet1]

Hi Sarah P, sabers20, and briandluna! So glad you girlies found this thread! I love this site, but sometimes it can seem overwhelming! Lets all post here with and info we learn! Briandluna, in a way this site made me more overwhelmed about planning because I just thought the resort would handle everything and I'd just show up! But fortunately, destination weddings offer so much flexibility! My gf suggested to me the other day that one of the main reasons for a DW in the first place is less stress and planning! At this point, I think I'm seriously considering a vendor for the cake. I really want a cake with fondant. That smooth, immaculate look is practically a requirement for a wedding cake(in my eyes) and I haven't seen any prior brides have a cake like that. Also I'm going to hire a TTD photog, but still debating on the wedding. Other than that, I'm gonna use dreams resources. They do 400+ weddings a year, so I'm going to trust they know what they are doing. I got the ultimate package and my cost would likely not even cover a decent venue by half in Phoenix/Scottsdale. Let alone all the stuff the package includes. But I am glad that some brides are really researching stuff because if I can save money it might make sense to do so! I've seen dreams reviews where brides had a high degree in everything and I like the fact that you can trade, so if anything is important to you, you can work it out! Sabers20, congrats! Oct 2013? Lol, you are gonna be a busy girl! Honestly, I'd do it that soon too if we could! Lol keep us posted with your date! I've seen Cancun studios on here, I think I'll check them out! It's so hard to choose! Sarah P, you are the first so far for 2014!! Please keep us posted as your date gets closer! So exciting!

[megssweet1]

Ashleyloriann, That's my fear about the technician! I guess we'll have to go with a dj! I didn't realize how much per person for cake! But I'm prob gonna get a cake from a vendor just because I want a beautiful cake! I saw prices of about 4 per person. So I'm thinking 200ish plus vendor fee? Idk I can't help compare to a non destination wedding 200 is a steal! I'd pay 800-1k most likely here! We are hoping to be under forty but invited like 140, so we'll see....

[megssweet1]

Hey ladies, here's a post from another forum I've been checking out. The first link is to dreams fb and the second seems to be a dreams concierge. The resort photog seems to be adventure photography. The post is from another Cancun photog. Hopes this helps!

Hi Megan. Good job doing your photographer homework :-). If you become a fan of the Dreams Cancun Facebook page you can find some samples on there.  Here is a direct link to the album I found of their weddings:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.120618341933.128566.72540371933&type=3.  I'm only assuming that is the resort photographer who shared those images. But, keep in mind, most resorts (if not all :-), contract a company of multiple photographers to shoot their weddings.  Normally, these are the same guys who offer family or couples photos on the beach to anyone at the resort.  So, the part to understand when reviewing their work is that they have multiple photographers.  As far as I know, they will not be able to tell you which photographer will be at your wedding or show you any specific samples of his/her work.  I could be wrong, so it's worth looking into. One more place you might want to try to get more information is this Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/econcierge.drecu.  I'm not entirely sure the purpose of this page but she seems to have alot of information about the resort :-).  I do not know the company that they have contracted as photographers, but maybe this lady will know.  Then she should be able to point you to their company website. Good luck!!! Dreams Cancun has some of the coolest things to photograph!!  So, I'm sure whichever route you decide to go, you will get some great photos.  Here are a few of our latest: Congratulations and best of luck with all your planning!! Lori