NinaO

Yes get the extra Hour!!! Very worth it. We didn't end ours until 12!!!! It goes by fast with ceremony 4;30 pics for hour during cocktail hour also worth it. Your guest will be thirsty after watching your wedding on beach. We did ceremony and cocktail hour on beach then reception indoors. I think guest also loved to go inside and cool off so goo change at last minute. Plus I didn't want sand in my food. I would definitely start before 6. We got married July 5 and some of the last pics you can see color isn't as good as others. plus i recommend taking photos of y'all walking down beach after all guest shots. It also took time for me to get our guest to listen and come take pic. Everything ran behind from start even with outside guest checking in. also by the time you eat and do cake it takes time for guest to drink a little and loosen up. So 9 the party was just getting started. They begged us to keep it going and every hour Paty would come ask me if I wanted 1 more hour. Which is cheaper than the first 3 by the way.I even had guest pitch in to keep the party going. Which is awesome.

We all had T-shits I made, sunglasses and hats. The small details that made it our day, table runner, kookie, napkins, signs, sunglasses, letter O ' These are guest sunglasses and cuban cigars my husband got over there for wedding. The men loved that. The chair decor I made each had different shell or starfish You can see a sign that was also quoted on our invite. And she has on sunglasses too!

THE FUN STUFF! So my FI kept telling me I was planning to many projects with a toddler it was many late nights. I could only work during nap time and after bed time. but the day of the wedding everything is a surprise as far as set up. We only gave all the things I made to Paty and I drew pics of how I wanted it. So When I walked down the aisle and entered the ball room I was so glad for every little thing I made/packed. My FI said wow I am so glad you made all that stuff it made it amazing. So I have some for sale I Will post and Some of the things I made or used. Loved the sunglasses and so did guest. They all got used and made for fun pics. I bought the sign on etsy and made some raffia with a shell to put on the chairs on aisle. order cake topper but also order shells made from gum paste from another lady on etsy and together it looked exactly like i in visioned. I also made the oot bags and so glad. all our guest used them and when they said do you have tums I said check your bag. I also brought rolls of table runner and So worth it. I didn't want everything to be white and I did not want the colored bows on the table so gave it a nice beachy touch inside. I loved the sand dollars shells and treasure chest for guest to Sign idea. Also we used our ipad to be a slide show. oh and the maracas with cute tags turned out great on all white also. I will try to post pics to make it easier understand. But point is yes make stuff. I started 5 months before made a list and ordered. I look back at my board on pinterest and have no regrets about something i wanted but didnt do. It help make it yall wedding and not just a hotel one. I wanted a very personal wedding so it up to what you want.

I told Paty what I wanted so not sure which chicken. It was grilled with a mango salsa type sauce. I was worried it would be dry but it was very tender and juicy. I was impressed since chicken normaly gets dry if preparer ahead time on grill. I also told her to add vegetable and the mashed potatoes where sooo good. I think they had cheese and garlic.

Chicken was good! Very good! They blew me away with presentation and I agree the food was even better than buffet so don't worry. Thanks and no problem ladies. I got so much help on here and every picture of ours has something in it that I got from this site from other brides. Even though I didn't post much before I have discovered how much I used from here. I could have never accomplished all the "destination" things I did, so I would like to help answer any question you may have.

Our day. July 5, 2013 the weather was perfect. It was a dream having our daughter be the flower girl. This is the sand ceremony, ring box, and surprise from him...... The key to his heart, his mind, and his soul.

Maracas. So I have said this before but I see it came up and sine I just reentry did it I thought I would clarify. There is a mall called Kukulcan Mall that is very close to the hotel. You cross street to catch the bu for .90cents that goes toward airport. tell bus driver kukulcan mall he will tell you when to get off. There is a Mexican store that is the best place in town to buy any of the Mexican souvenirs or tshirts etc. They have tons of maracas and small, med., large. to choose. I bought 40 for 1$ each. it sure beats packing them!

Yes get video! Or I would ask a guest to make sure to record it for you. I heard they are bad. Also one thing I wish I did somehow??? Is ask guest to not take pics. Just enjoy ceremony. Because in all the pics from our guest their is someone taking a pic in the pic. Lol so I'm hoping when we get photographers pics they don't have same. Guitarist: nope. He played different song based on timing like before while guest entered and during. He did it on point and it was so unique I absolutely loved it. I was not sure what instrument to pick but my idea kept saying hello guitar. I couldn't picture others on the beach. So very pleased. If I knew how I would upload our hilarious video recorded by 12 year old. Lol Flowers: I would like to say I am so glad I didn't pack those! They will be better than the picture. The vases with water and orchid with candle on top is my pick and they where way bigger than I imagined and look in picture. The corsages & bouirtineers nice.

Music: we chose to spend $ on this and super glad we did. The single Mexican guitarist was perfect. That's why I wanted hear the video to listen to his beautiful music again during ceremony and it is awesome. So glad we didn't do mp3. We also had mariachis during cocktail hour that did good and looks great for our pics. So nice in there cream suits on beach. Nice Mexican touch. Dj doremixx did good for reception. I would not have waisted the 1,200$$$$ on the fireworks. It is literally like 5 that go off. We all went outside to a big balcony to see and by time people realized what was going on they are over. Kind off embarrassing causes all stood starring up waiting for more.

FYI: I had read all the post on this site prior to my wedding July 5. I just wanted to warn those of you. I decided not to purchase video because I went with an outside photographer & paid vendor fee. I had read on here that they video anyways and you can buy DVD for way cheaper. So as with all the other great tips I thought great! Well the day of I paid no mind due to all the other things going on and seemed as if cameras where every where. Come to find out Paty told videographer no need to come since I had hired Juan. Thank god for my hubby. He gave one of the kids our video camera. She recorded whole thing. Buy video. You miss the first half of wedding. Which was our baby walking down aisle. I had to hide behind building and could here all the awhs

Don't remind me ...we ended up having 17 outside guest. Days before we left the list kept growing. We paid for people we knew and one couple invited there friends so they gave us $200 for them. At first before final payment I kept complaining about extr $ and I had make more favors. But the reception was a blast with those extra guest. Wedding got to 54 and it made it more fun. The hotel sells out in summer so it is very likely pep Le will decide to go after you boom group & they will have no choice but to stay else where.

Good one ! So I read all this stuff & thought I was so prepared. Then big day came I couldn't find salon next door. Yes Paty told me the few days before but I spent whole day chilling in pool with family not stressing over nothing on my mind. I literally had tell myself the night before I'm getting married tomorrow. So any who. I wanted do mani/pedi , hair, makeup. Well come to find out they say to do nails day before. Then day of hair makeup. So I got nervous. I was late then I couldn't be sure how wanted my hair. I had shell bobypins & wanted beachy look. So I then was rushed back at 3:30 the photographer was waiting in my suite to do pics. I felt frantic then. Thank god for Paty. She told me what to do. So I think I would book it an hour earlier. Mine 1:00 for ceremony at 4:30. I didn't have time take pics I wanted & felt lost. Get Janed. She did great makeup compared to other lady.

We flew We flew united and another bride and I took up a luggage bin above with our dresses only. No problem! Well he hated carrying it. So on way back I packed it. We had 1 half year old, and lots luggage.

I just have to tell... I was so impressed with my photographer from start to finish. He sent emails, PayPal. And we did TTD in a cenote. He had lots good equipment extra staff and I loved having the extra guy "scuba diver" there to help and know if I had problem"drowning" he was in water with me. He said he could give me air or help me up. I wore a huge dress so I was pleased. We won't get our pics for few more weeks but I can't wait. Also the price is fair. Juanphotos.com. Awesome job! Good English too!!!