Dreams Riviera Cancun - Brides post here (new thread)

Help! My mother in law just went on a site visit to DRC this past week that she booked behind my back (another long story!). And she is claiming that it was "freezing" there and that it is far too cold that time of year to have an outdoor wedding. I am getting married January 15th, 2011, and she is telling my FI for us to change the wedding because our guests will be miserable. I have already sent out STD's and some of our guests have booked air. I have been to Mexico in February several times and never thought it was cold, but a little windy at night. I was planning on handing out Pashminias anyways.

Does anyone think that mid January it will be too cold to get married on the beach and have an evening reception on the pool deck? Did anyone have any complaints when they got married on the pool deck that it was too cold or too windy? Or has anyone gone to Riviera Maya in January?? I have been trying to google the temperatures and it is coming up 83 high, 63 low and that doesn't seem too cold. I need advice!

Oh that is just ridiculous! I find I can still get an email once a week / every two weeks. I usually send an email (I have began to compile questions though and send a couple at once). Then if there is no response in one week, I send another email as a 'friendly' reminder. Once I did go above Ana to the Sales Manager I believe, and got 2 emails from her within 24 hours after that but now back to weekly. It is ridiculously frustrating, I have been planning this thing for 5 months!! Only 7+ months to go.

On a separate note, have any of the ladies been able to get a room upgrade. We are fine but my grandparents got the garden view room, we splurged just a little got the basic ocean view room. I was hoping to have them upgraded to ocean view or ocean front would be even better – has anyone had much luck with this?

Laura and Carina,
I know you both had your own photographers (and also used the resort photographers as supplemental...) but would you have trusted the resort photographers for the entire wedding (i understand it would be an additional cost outside of the package because you'd probably need to add a few hours). Just looking for advice.

Laura and Carina,
I'm sure you are getting tired of all the questions! I have a few questions:

1. Did you have a sand ceremony? If so, did you bring your own vase or rent one from the resort?
2. Did you meet with your officiant prior to the wedding?
3. Did you use the resort's ceremony script or did you have your own?
4. Did you create menu cards?

I'm sure I have a lot more questions, but those are the most recent one's that I have been thinking of.

Thanks!

Help! My mother in law just went on a site visit to DRC this past week that she booked behind my back (another long story!). And she is claiming that it was "freezing" there and that it is far too cold that time of year to have an outdoor wedding. I am getting married January 15th, 2011, and she is telling my FI for us to change the wedding because our guests will be miserable. I have already sent out STD's and some of our guests have booked air. I have been to Mexico in February several times and never thought it was cold, but a little windy at night. I was planning on handing out Pashminias anyways.

Does anyone think that mid January it will be too cold to get married on the beach and have an evening reception on the pool deck? Did anyone have any complaints when they got married on the pool deck that it was too cold or too windy? Or has anyone gone to Riviera Maya in January?? I have been trying to google the temperatures and it is coming up 83 high, 63 low and that doesn't seem too cold. I need advice!

I feel bad for asking ??s to Laura-- but if you dont mind haha SORRY

Or anyone for that matter who got a DJ... we are going to get the DJ- can I still put a playlist together for him to play? We do want to pick our own music.

Also- we are thinking of having the rehearsal dinner in Desires Terrace?? Is that inside or out? We are wanting to do a slideshow- where is the best place to do that and have any of you done that?

Finally My flowers are going to be a mix of dahlias, callas, tulips, etc... she has quoted me $60 for my bmaids and $150 for mine... If I am getting the Utlimate PKG- how does that work- if my bouquet is supposed to me included?

I would definitely trust the resort photographers for the entire wedding. They were really so nice and they know the resort so well, they would probably come up with some great spots for taking pictures. Plus, they are at the resort everyday so if you wanted to meet with them in person before your wedding, you could do that too. I think they are great. I guess you would just have to figure out how much more they would charge for the extra time. I know that when you buy prints from them it is $15 per picture. Although with the Ultimate Package you get 50 pictures. Definitely worth thinking about!




I don't mind answering questions at all!
1. I didn't have a sand ceremony so I can't help with this one
2. My officiant was my cousin so I didn't use the one from the resort.
3. I wrote my own ceremony - well, I put it together from a bunch of ceremony samples that I found online. I can post it if you would like...
4. I had the buffet and they labeled everything on the buffet (with really nice cards) so everyone was able to see what they were eating. If you are getting the buffet, you definitely don't need menu cards.



When I was there in February, it was a little chilly at night, probably in the 60's and windy. During the day, it was in the high 70's-80's. I did not think that it was freezing at all! My ceremony was on the beach and my reception was on the pool deck and the day I got married it was extra windy. Everyone had such a good time! It would have been nice if it weren't so windy, but nobody complained about it. I was there for 7 nights and then right next door at the Excellence for 5 nights and the temps were about the same the whole time. The Mexican people we spoke with, however, said that the temps were unseasonably cool and that it is usually warmer than what we experienced. I would have no problem going back in February. Actually a group of our guests are already trying to plan a trip back for next February. I think you will be fine! And if you are giving out pashminas, then your guests will definitely be fine!



Are you getting DJ Doremixx (Ivan)? If so, he will ask you for a playlist of songs. He will want to meet with you before the wedding and you can give it to him then. He told us that he could get any song that we wanted him to play. We didn't really have a playlist for him and told him just to play what he thought would be fun and he did a fantastic job! He is very accommodating and I am sure he would work with you.

We had our cocktail hour on the Desires Terrace. It is outside and set up like a lounge with couches and tables. If you were having a dinner with tables, there is also a terrace in front of the entrance to Desires, which is also their back-up spot in case of rain for the ceremony. They could easily set up tables for a dinner there. I am not sure about the slideshow - I didn't do that and didn't see any being done. However, if you were doing that the night of the rehearsal dinner, there would be space for that on the Desires Terrace where all the lounge furniture is, I think.

As far as the flowers, I picked my bouquet from what was included. Unfortunately, I think that if you want something different, you will have to pay for it. Although, maybe you could negotiate a little with Ana and get extra bouts or a bridesmaid bouquet or something like that since you are not using the bouquet that is included.

Help! My mother in law just went on a site visit to DRC this past week that she booked behind my back (another long story!). And she is claiming that it was "freezing" there and that it is far too cold that time of year to have an outdoor wedding. I am getting married January 15th, 2011, and she is telling my FI for us to change the wedding because our guests will be miserable. I have already sent out STD's and some of our guests have booked air. I have been to Mexico in February several times and never thought it was cold, but a little windy at night. I was planning on handing out Pashminias anyways.

Does anyone think that mid January it will be too cold to get married on the beach and have an evening reception on the pool deck? Did anyone have any complaints when they got married on the pool deck that it was too cold or too windy? Or has anyone gone to Riviera Maya in January?? I have been trying to google the temperatures and it is coming up 83 high, 63 low and that doesn't seem too cold. I need advice!

THANK YOU SO MUCH Laura. Did you have a rehearsal dinner?? If so- where did you do it?

Also- I read above that you would post your wedding ceremony. My brother is doing ours and he is having a hard time finding what he wants to do, so if you would please post that- that would be VERY helpful. THANKS

We had our rehearsal dinner at El Patio. It was great! Here's a link to pictures the resort photographer took for us...
Laura & Don

And here is our ceremony...
Attachment 4755

Laura! Thanks for posting!!!!! Your review has been so helpful. Great photos at El Patio (I can't open the ceremony pdf). I love your gift bags. Where did you get them?

Did you schedule the welcome dinner directly with the restaurant? How soon did that have to be done?