OK --- It's taken awhile for me to post ... but here goes! :)

OK girls - first let me say that I discovered this site after hiring my wedding coordinator who IS with WIP and, yes, I have read the reviews. I'm so sorry for the stressful experience that Tammy experienced ... but I have to say - I have loved working with Beth. She came highly recommended by a co-worker and his wife. Seriously - she has been super-easy to work with ... we email a couple of times a day ... and she has had great ideas! It's like having a girlfriend in Cabo to handle all the details!

 

That being said - I'm a single mom finishing my last year of law school. My fiance and I got engaged in August and decided on March 8 due to school / kids / graduation / the bar / etc. considerations. We figured that the money we spent on the coordinator was justified since we wouldn't be doing a site visit! And, as my mom has said - there will be times over the next 6 months that I'd gladly pay twice Beth's fee to have her take care of all the details!

 

Our guests are arriving on Thursday and we'll be having dinner at Pancho's that night. (Yes, yes I know ... they're owned by WIP). Our friends had a blast at Pancho's and we thought the prices were really reasonable.

 

On Friday we're giving the guests have some free time during the day and we'll be meeting up in Cabo San Lucas at Baja Cantina for dinner and then going on a sunset cruise on Pez Gato. We figure that there will be a number of groups that will want to go fishing, ATVing, etc. Originally we were thinking about trying to use Sunriders ... but they have taken a REALLY, REALLY long time getting back to us ... and we still haven't gotten a quote! Every time the respond they ask another question ... so we're going with Pez Gato. Apparently the marina location of Baja Cantina is really close to the dock - so that will eliminate transportation time ...

 

We've got a bus for round-trip transportation for all of our guests for $330 each day (Thursday and Friday). Even checking independently with groups off this website - this was the best price we were quoted. (Transportation for 35 to 40 people). They are even giving us the option of having vans return back to the hotel since there will be some that will want to stay and go out in Cabo and some that will probably return earlier.

 

We're having the ceremony at the little chapel (Capilla Josefina) at El Encanto Inn. My best friend is a Methodist minister and he'll be performing the ceremony. When we kiss the mariachis are going to start playing and we'll be walking down historic San Jose del Cabo to La Panga for the dinner! Afterwards - Phil and I will be leaving by carriage and returning to El Encanto for the night.

 

Juan Carlos is doing our pictures --- who I've loved the times I've spoken with him --- but after reading the recent posts - I have asked him to send a formal contract. We've just paid the deposit. I agree with most the girls - I'm OK with it taking longer than a month - but I would like some kind agreed upon time period! All in all - I would much rather him take his time and do a fantastic job than rush to meet a deadline. However, I would definitely be upset if 2 other weddings that occurred after mine were posted before mine with no explanation!

 

I'm waiting on a quote by Deena at Sweet Dreams for our cake and cookies that we'll be using as favors.

 

Hmmm... now for my questions:

 

First - I have an 8 year old daughter and 10 year old son - both of who are so excited Phil and I are getting married. Any ideas on a way to include them in the ceremony ... they're both a bit big for the ring bearer and flower girl role, and we're not having attendants. Any thoughts?

 

Second - Have any of you spent time in San Jose del Cabo? We purposely chose this town because it's more our pace ... we like the historical / colonial aspect ... a little less-developed than Cabo San Lucas, hopefully a little less of the spring-break crowd! Anyways - I would love to hear any recommendations on restaurants / shops / etc.

 

Third - did you ship your welcome bags, etc. ahead of time, or just pack them and take them with you?

 

Fourth - we would like to do bottles of wine for favors ... and we'd like to buy the wine there (we'll just bring the gift bags) - any recommendations on a good way to do this?

 

Fifth - anyone know what the hotel tax is in Cabo? Is approx. 23% standard? (including the 3% tourism tax and 10% service charge?)? Is this crazy?

 

Hmmm... I'm sure I'll be thinking of more ...

 

Our website is Corey and Phil Wedding WebSite

 

I'll attach pics of our STD's whenever I can figure out how!

welcome to the forum! you definitely seem like the most organized newbie yet! lol

 

i only have a little comment about one of your questions ...

 

Fourth - we would like to do bottles of wine for favors ... and we'd like to buy the wine there (we'll just bring the gift bags) - any recommendations on a good way to do this?

 

are you thinking your guests will drink the wine while they're in Cabo? if so, great! otherwise, just remember the liquid restrictions now when flying. i'd probably just leave the wine in Mexico rather than pack it in a piece of luggage to check since you can't bring it on the plane. Dreams gave us a bottle of champagne that we just left behind for that reason. just didn't want you to go to all of that effort and your guests not be able to enjoy the wine!

Thanks for the compliment! I can't take the credit though -- seriously, Phil and I loved El Encanto early on from their website - we really like staying in small, independent hotels or bed and breakfasts when we travel. We're quiet that way! (read: getting OLD!) Casa Natalia and Cabo Surf are both beautiful - but I loved the colonial style El Encanto and the prices can't be beat!

 

When I hired Beth I knew that's where we wanted the ceremony - and she recommended La Panga. She put me in contact with a bride that got married at El Encanto and had the reception at La Panga last fall. She's given me TONS of advice and help! They actually gave wine as favors as well ... she said she just informed the guests of exactly that - open it and drink it while you're here, or plan to pack it to take it home. She said it wasn't really a problem ... and we are actually thinking of alternate favors for our parents (who don't drink); unfortunately we can't say any of our friends have that problem! LOL!

 

Thanks for the information though ... we'd talked about wine as favors before we decided on a destination wedding - and I would never have thought of the travel issue had someone else not brought it up! There is a place in Dallas where you can create your own blend --- that 's what we wanted to do at first - but shipping it to Mexico would have cost me a kidney ... so we're on to plan B!

you could do a sand ceremony to incorporate your children, if you do a search for sand ceremony a bunch of threads will come up

I was going to suggest that as well... I think its a really great way to incorporate kids into your wedding ceremony. I also saw an episode of one of those wedding shows on tv where they did a small ceremony after the traditional vows. The children were brought up and they did a modified ceremony of "I take you to be my family."

Thanks guys - I just looked up the sand ceremony and it sounds really perfect! So many things to learn --- It took me forever to figure out what TTD stood for, much less why anyone was "trashing" their dress! I appreciate the help!

I'm really glad you posted your experience so far with WIP. Like you I had been in contact with them before I found this forum and started freaking out when I saw the negative stuff posted about them here. I had already been working with Katie Thompson, so I decided to go with my gut. She had been amazingly quick to respond and had TONS of info to provide. They have a toll free phone # to call from the U.S. which makes it really easy to get in touch with her. Before I even booked her servies she spent almost 45 mins with me on the phone (in addition to many other emails) to try & get info from me regarding the kind of wedding I wanted.

 

I went for a site visit at the beginning of the month, 9/5 to be exact. The day after the hurricane hit Cabo. Katie had no electricity and a flood at home following the hurricane that she could have easily blown me off for, but she met with my mom and I anyway. She picked us up at our hotel at 9 am and spent the ENTIRE day showing us properties. She had appointments lined up for us all over and had a great rapport with all of the coordinators at the places we visited. She was able to get us in to see some Villas (as that was our original idea for our wedding) and was very up to date regarding the Pedregal villas and their restrictions, so she had other options for us. She provided us with a lot of ideas and suggestions not just for the wedding but for the entire weekend of the wedding. All of this, and to date I have only given her the $200 deposit!

 

I have a friend who was married at the Villa del Arco June 3rd & used Maye. I know many of the girls on here highly recommend her and I compared the price sheet for Maye's vendors with the one I received from WIP and the charges were almost identical for the flowers, hair & make-up, officient, etc. I have some time before my wedding and plan to post a full review once it's all said and done, but as I see it I have already got more than my money's worth from WIP!

I was really worried after reading the posts as well ... that's why I wanted to make sure that I put in a good word for Beth and WIP. Both Phil and I feel like the prices that we are paying are very reasonable (much cheaper than if we were having the wedding in Dallas) and I've been really happy with Beth. Like you I talked to her by phone and we instantly connected! I think that if you go into the process understanding that it IS a business and businesses operate to make a profit - then you must decide what price you're willing to pay to have someone you trust do the leg work for you! The first time I talked to Beth, she gave me honest opinions about different ceremony sites and different hotels. She didn't try to lure me into the most expensive and she has been really helpful with cost-cutting strategies along the way. Like I said - I really can't complain. I am sure that Maye is wonderful as well --- everyone has such great things to say about her. And, I'm sure that there are less expensive ways to go about this whole process ... but I'm really glad that I'm working with Beth!

 

Completely different question - I'm having problems getting my ticker to work in my edit signature box ... I noticed that there were problems with attaching images, etc. a few months ago ... are there still problems or am I just doing something wrong?

Second - Have any of you spent time in San Jose del Cabo? We purposely chose this town because it's more our pace ... we like the historical / colonial aspect ... a little less-developed than Cabo San Lucas, hopefully a little less of the spring-break crowd! Anyways - I would love to hear any recommendations on restaurants / shops / etc.

 

coopers has great italian food and live entertainment. and theres a cool bar/restaurant called tequilla. cant go wrong with either. ive eaten at coopers on every trip to cabo, always great. and great fresh mango margaritas