Any other brides for Rose Hall Resort?

Thanks for the message, the response I got from the WC was that it was $45pp for a reception dinner. I'm still in the planning process and not 100% if this is my final choice based on cost. I'm not sure if $45 includes alcohol, setup, etc.What kind of pricing were you given? Do you have the menus/ package lists for receptions? Thanks for your help!

Hi everybody,

 

I just got married on Nov 27th at teh Rose Hall resort and it was GORGEOUS!!! We chose the aqueduct, and it was so private...it was perfect. We got married at 4pm, and I was bummed too thinking that I was going to miss the sunset. But by the time we all got there and finished the ceremony, signed the papers....the sun was settign and I loved the pictures we got.

Charline was our coordinator and she was WONDERFUL!!!! We spent a LOTof time talking to her to narrow down what we wanted. We had a very small party of about 21 people (including me and my hubby), but it was great.

Tips: do the AI while you are there...breakfast alone is 23. Lunch is another $30...and NONE of this includes any alcohol at all. And dinner can get up to $45 easily. My parents are from Jamaica and they chose not to do the AI. But my brothers and their wives wished that they did. They had to pay the first day for about $100 for breakfast for their family of four and then after that they went off the resort which took away pool/beach time for their kids. Your choice, but I highly recommend the AI. They have two packages...one is premium or top-shelf liquor in a glass and the other is "regular" liquor in a cup. If you are going to have rum punch, planter's punch or any caribbean type drink at all.....go with the regular AI. And at the pool...they barely notice what color band you are wearing to give you a different drink.

Packages: We did the Rose Hall Dreams...and I loved it. In hindsight, I may have done the lowest one and just added on the options that I wanted...becasue I didn;t need a sunset cruise, but I loved the fact that we got married at teh aqueduct and the transporation was included with that. I worked with Charline to have a private reception (I know I was crazy to do that...but my dad wanted to see his only daughter have a reception). We negotiated down the price form $100 to $45 per person and $15 per child....go figure. I origianlly was going to just have our reception at one of the restaurants. Charline arranged for us to go off teh resort to have Thanksgiving Dinner also.

I used the hotel photographer and he was great. I have to find his card...but we highly recommend him. I will see how to post pictures.

Anyway, enough for now....I am just patiently waiting for our certified marriage license to come in the mail so I can do the whole name changing thing. I wish I knew how long that takes.....

Thanks for you message Troy'sbride, I finally got the menu package...thanks again Tanya, and I noticed the prices are 'a la carte' e.g. separate prices for location, food, set up, alcohol. Did the $45 pp you got from the WC include everything? Or was that just the food cost? I need to know if I have some bargaining power, I may have 40 guests+

Did you notice many other brides having their wedding the same day?

Post some photos if you can!

Good call on the AI choice but did you find you had less options at the 'A La Carte' restaurants with the 'Standard' package? Can you go to one of these each night or is it limited?

Name:Mika

Wedding Date: June 19,2010

Location: Rose Hall Resort & Spa

 

Hello Ladies, Having a reception at the resort is extremely expensive. My wedding is schedule early in the day and all my guest have the AI package, therefore I inquired on having appetizers and cocktails instead of a reception. I was quoted $1,250 for 200 pieces for 50 guest. This does not include servers($100 per server). And yes I was quoted $45 pp for a reception also, and that does not include the location. Currently I'm using a travel agent for my guest that include AI and payment plan which must be paid in full by the end of April. We decided to use the gazebo area overlooking the sea. Charline sent me great pictures. She also sent pictures of what flowers are included in the package. I look forward to learning additional information from you all. SO GLAD I FOUND THIS FORUM! Congrats to you all!

Mikababe - I was able to go to the resort in October and fell in love with the Gazebo by the ocean. It's beautiful! I love Charline, she is really helpful.

Oh and I'm not sure if anyone has said this yet. But if your doing a reception and your guests are all doing the AI you can use that as a barginning chip and have them take off the tax. I am hoping once I have more people booked I can start to drive some bargains. The other thing I did recently was change packages and upgrade the things I want. This saved me about 3k!

JennBlades - I went to each of the restaurants and really liked them all. I do believe the $45 includes alcohol...but double check me on that. I think I asked in one of a million emails.

Troysbride - can't wait to see pictures! It sounds like it was wonderful!

Name: Sokonie

Wedding Date: May 29, 2010

Wedding Location: Rose Hall Resort and Spa

 

Oh Tauristar we may just run into each other! My wedding is the day after yours and I'm also working with Charline. I also visited the resort and I did so in July. The resort is beautiful. I've chosen the One Love Package and will be getting married in the East Gazebo in their tropical garden.

 

I'm happy to be getting married at RHR but I am SHOCKED at how expensive things are getting. I'm expecting about 70ppl and after choosing what I want I was quoted about $20,000 for ceremony and reception! This cost does not include rehearsal dinner, my dress, invites, programs, gift bags, travel...everything else that you have to pay for when having a wedding. By the time it's all said and done we could be looking at a $28,000+ bill. Which we do not have and was one of the reasons we decided to do a destination wedding. $900 for a DJ for 3 hours?! $2000 for venue (ballroom) rental and set-up when I'm staying at the resort? Come on!

 

Anyway, much negotiation has to be made but ultimately, I may move my reception off site.

 

BTW: I think the $45 includes drinks but there is a $500 bar set-up fee for up to 75 people. If you want the premium bar it's $650 for up to 75 people.

Name: Sokonie

Wedding Date: May 29, 2010

Wedding Location: Rose Hall Resort and Spa

 

Oh Tauristar we may just run into each other! My wedding is the day after yours and I'm also working with Charline. I also visited the resort and I did so in July. The resort is beautiful. I've chosen the One Love Package and will be getting married in the East Gazebo in their tropical garden.

 

I'm happy to be getting married at RHR but I am SHOCKED at how expensive things are getting. I'm expecting about 70ppl and after choosing what I want I was quoted about $20,000 for ceremony and reception! This cost does not include rehearsal dinner, my dress, invites, programs, gift bags, travel...everything else that you have to pay for when having a wedding. By the time it's all said and done we could be looking at a $28,000+ bill. Which we do not have and was one of the reasons we decided to do a destination wedding. $900 for a DJ for 3 hours?! $2000 for venue (ballroom) rental and set-up when I'm staying at the resort? Come on!

 

Anyway, much negotiation has to be made but ultimately, I may move my reception off site.

 

BTW: I think the $45 includes drinks but there is a $500 bar set-up fee for up to 75 people. If you want the premium bar it's $650 for up to 75 people.

We are bound to run into each other! I hate to admit it, but with my 125ppl coming I'm looking at that same cost.

What I did with the reception was this:
instead of choosing a menu that was pre organized. I am doing stations and two passed appitizers with a consumption bar. The bar is a savings for me, as most of my older guests won't drink too much. (i'm secretly hoping that they will drink all day at the pool and slow down by wedding time!). I've also opted for regular bar. This came out to about $85 per person with the bar.
As for negotiating, I did confirm with Charline that if most of the party is doing the AI package that they will take 25% off the total. This negates the high tax rates in Jamaica. I am hoping that I will be able to negotiate a little tougher as more people book rooms. I think the places to negotiate are in the package and set up fees, as food and beverage have had cost associated. Has anyone known that to be the case?

As for DJ, I have a guest that will act as MC and I'm going to make some killer play lists and play that through the rented equipment. I had heard that with a DJ you had to bring a playlist and songs with you, so for $900 I think I'm better off saving that money.

Right now with numbers for 125, for the wedding, upgraded time slot (i'm doing 6:30pm, cake, reception, bar and food I'm at aprox $17k without flowers. I have emailed Grand Garden for quotes.

Good Luck, I'm sure we will run into each other that weekend. I'll let you know how I do with negotiating things!

Yes, I went through the sticker shock too. And yes because of this, I'm going off site for my reception. You can only negotiate so much and FI didn't feel comfortable with doing too much of that because he believes their prices are already set and you can't change things without them treating you a certain way (like a cheapo or something).

What really pissed me off was when they quoted the menu price for guests staying at the resort as the same for guests staying off site. I was like "so you mean to say that if they're paying you money to stay at your resort... it doesn't mean anything?? I might as well tell guests to stay somewhere else then." Vent over since it doesn't matter anymore, lol. I'm happier with my new choice in reception venue.

Pandabride--I'm so jealous of you! After you put the thought out there to have an outside reception, I quickly contacted the Day O (where you're going) to enquire about my wedding date. Unfortunately they were booked on that day. womp womp. For $5000 I could have pulled my whole reception off: decorations, food, service, transportation, entertainment (and not just a DJ, she told me about a live band and a limbo fire dancer!). So I'm back to negotiating with RHR...unless you know of somewhere else that might be good for a reception.

 

Tauristar--Yes, I'm sure we'll run into each other. How exciting. I feel a little relieved knowing that I know someone else who's going through the same thing I'm going through at the same time. I've never been to a destination wedding and none of my family member or other guests have been either. So they don't understand how stressful planning can be. They think you just choose a package and the resort will handle the rest. They also have NO idea how pricey it can get. Anywho, thanks so much for sharing some of your ideas on how to reduce cost. I think I'll consider doing stations too and definately see about taking off the tax. As for a DJ, I'm thinking of hiring an outside vendor, Devon Reid. He seems to be really good and will ensure we have a party, which is one of my main priority. The food can be ok, the drinks can be weak, but God let us dance, sweat, and have FUN! Overall he'll be $300 less than the on site DJ and when you add in the $150 vendor fee it's only $150 less. But hey every little bit counts and like I said this guy seems like he can get the party started. He reports that he's big on communication and finding out what the bride and groom wants as far as playlist and the general mood of the party. Haven't booked him yet, still seeing if I can get someone cheaper...we'll see.

 

Good luck to you 2 as you plan, please do keep in touch. I'll do the same.