Finally! Sandra's Cabo - Riu Santa Fe review

[swencil]

very helpful, thanks!

[alex]

Originally Posted by sodria

the dress cover ups that you can buy on the beach. Girls, you'll want to get one of these they are absolutely precious. You'll know what I'm talking about once you see them, we negotiated at 2 for $30. Starting price was $25.

Do you mean the strapless ones that come in about a million different colours?? If yes, then I totally second that suggestion!! I bought one in January & can't wait to get more when I go back!

[addisonreed1113]

hey Girl! thanks so much for the review! Do you mind sharing with me how much the transportation was and for how many people? We are being quoted something that I think is totally ridiculous and I want to compare it with something!
Thanks :-) and congrats :-)

[sunnydaes]

looks wonderful! congratulations!!
thanks for sharing the pics

[mrsmark08]

thanks for the great review!! glad to hear that pancho's worked out so well for you, that's where we are having our rehearsal dinner as well.

[Sandra E.]

Originally Posted by addisonreed1113

hey Girl! thanks so much for the review! Do you mind sharing with me how much the transportation was and for how many people? We are being quoted something that I think is totally ridiculous and I want to compare it with something!
Thanks :-) and congrats :-)

From our hotel to Pancho's it was 9.00 per person round trip for 27 people.

Originally Posted by xandrafaye

Do you mean the strapless ones that come in about a million different colours?? If yes, then I totally second that suggestion!! I bought one in January & can't wait to get more when I go back!

Those are exactly what I'm talking about!!!!!!!

[Sandra E.]

Originally Posted by mrsmark08

thanks for the great review!! glad to hear that pancho's worked out so well for you, that's where we are having our rehearsal dinner as well.

You'll be pleased.

[mnikhanj]

Thanks so much for sharing this. Very very helpful....congrats!

[cabobridey]

OK Sandra, you have ha some time to relax after the big day(s)! = )
Now I have some questions for you... hope you dont mind!

#1 - I see you had some private time in the disco. How long did you have, and how much did it cost you? We are going to get 2.5 hours after our dinner. They are charging us $500 and that incudes open bar and a dj.
Is this good?

#2 - Walk down the aisle. How long was it? How long did it take you to walk down?

#3 - How did the arch look? I ended up renting one... and i hope i wont regret that! (we paid $250 rental plus $150 set up and take down. Well the 150 incudes the set up of rental bows, and the arch) We rented arch and bows from Cabo Flowers. (which i know you got your flowers from)

#4 - Did they do a good job with your music for the ceremony? Ie playing it, changing songs etc...

#5 - We are having our dinner at the Steak house (thanks for recommending it) and was wondering if it felt fairly private, although not private? Weird question i know... but i am a bit of a control freak, and want to know what to expect. LOL

#5 - Did you have cocktail party before or after ceremony? We might want one before dinner... but the only the bars in the back section of the resort are open at 6pm, when we would need it. it is pretty far right? They said we could have private cocktails on the beach before dinner for i think... $15 per person open bar, for 1 hour. Is this worth it? We are having ceremony at 4... and dinner at 7... so thought cocktails at 6 would mean less waiting around for dinner. What do you think?

Sorry for all the questions! But the answers will be so helpful... i appreciate your advice! i may have more questions later. THANKS!

[Sandra E.]

Originally Posted by cabobridey

OK Sandra, you have ha some time to relax after the big day(s)! = )
Now I have some questions for you... hope you dont mind!

#1 - I see you had some private time in the disco. How long did you have, and how much did it cost you? We are going to get 2.5 hours after our dinner. They are charging us $500 and that incudes open bar and a dj.
Is this good?

Our wedding was at 6pm, we booked our wedding dinner for 730pm. We walked down to the disco around 945pm, but we didn't pay anything I spoke with the manager and they just opened it early for us since they usually open at 11pm. We didn't have a bar tender at the disco bar and honestly you don't need one. There's a bar right outside the disco that people went an got drinks from. Nobody else walked in and we had our own private party until about opening time and even then not a lot of people came in. I think $500 it's pretty expensive!

#2 - Walk down the aisle. How long was it? How long did it take you to walk down?

The aisle itself is pretty short, it takes a couple of minutes. One thing that I would recommend; both of my parents walked me down the aisle and it worked out fine, but it was a bit narrow. So if you're having more than one person walk you down I would recommend for them to make it wider. The walk from the pool to the beach is what is longer.

#3 - How did the arch look? I ended up renting one... and i hope i wont regret that! (we paid $250 rental plus $150 set up and take down. Well the 150 incudes the set up of rental bows, and the arch) We rented arch and bows from Cabo Flowers. (which i know you got your flowers from)

I made some modifications to the arch from the pictures that Erika showed me. I didn't want so many bows, I liked the arch and I liked the arrangement that were on each side. Were you able to see the arch in our pictures? Why can't you use the one the hotel is providing and use Cabo Flowers to decorate it to your liking?.... it already comes with your package. Unless it's completely different to what the hotel offers. Do you have a picture of what this will look like?

#4 - Did they do a good job with your music for the ceremony? Ie playing it, changing songs etc...


I didn't have regular music, I had a mariachi band for the whole ceremony. If you were going to have regular music, I would think you would need a pretty good sound system for everyone to hear. You have to remember there will be people on the beach and at the pool watching your wedding and screaming "congratulations"

#5 - We are having our dinner at the Steak house (thanks for recommending it) and was wondering if it felt fairly private, although not private? Weird question i know... but i am a bit of a control freak, and want to know what to expect. LOL

I think the best restaurant of the resort is the Steak House. Since the hotel only does so many dinners per seating, it doesn't feel like you're sharing the space with anyone else. The restaurant will not be completely full and you're in a terrace away from everyone else. It felt like we were having our own private party.

#5 - Did you have cocktail party before or after ceremony? We might want one before dinner... but the only the bars in the back section of the resort are open at 6pm, when we would need it. it is pretty far right? They said we could have private cocktails on the beach before dinner for i think... $15 per person open bar, for 1 hour. Is this worth it? We are having ceremony at 4... and dinner at 7... so thought cocktails at 6 would mean less waiting around for dinner. What do you think?

I went back and forth trying to decide if I should do this and a friend recommended I didn't especially at an AI resort. Thinking back, I'm glad I didn't do it. The beach is not really private and everyone at the pool will be looking at your wedding everywhere. I don't think it's really worth it because of the time we got married at. But again since you're getting married so much earlier it I can see it being done.

Sorry for all the questions! But the answers will be so helpful... i appreciate your advice! i may have more questions later. THANKS!

No problem at all, let me know if I can help you in any other way. Good luck with all of your planning!

Sandra