ROYAL PLAYA DEL CARMEN BRIDES: were kids allowed for the day? ...and other questions

I have a few questions Mr. and Mrs. JenTwo!

 

1. While you were there, the other weddings that you saw happen, did any of them use the Chuppa setup? I am just wondering, based on your "layout" in the brochure, where the setup for the beach/chuppa wedding ceremony is located?

 

2. Do you know if the updated dance floor is only for larger groups? There will be 13 of us in total...but we LOVE the updated dance floor! Any insight as to whether it is used as a standard now, or if that rickety looking old white floor would be used?

 

3. Your menu selection sounds wonderful! I recently acquired the menu choices, and was wondering if your "package" of food, had a specific name? (Hopefully that doesn't sound weird)!

 

4. Were there things, that you hadn't thought of, that you wished you would have, now that its all over? Were there things that were done without having to ask, that pleased you?

 

5. Were your guests able to hear the ceremony over the wind, the ocean, etc? Was a mic provided? Did you have a CD or live music for your walk down the aisle? Who was in charge of that? Is there anything you can recommend to make this go well?!

 

6. That's all! Thanks!

Hi!

 

1. I did see one wedding on the beach but to be honest, I didn't pay close attention to whether or not they used the Chuppa. I can say that the ceremony on the beach is typcially to the right of the gazebo but left of Pelicanos. It's a very public spot and I've heard mixed reviews of random people on the beach / guests having enough respect to steer clear of the wedding.

 

2. I don't know if the updated dance floor is for all weddings. You'll have to ask the coordinator.

 

3. I did a site visit to the hotel with my mom 11 months before the event and had a private tasting in Asiana. Here I tried everything on my menu (and most for the cocktail reception). It was not a pre-selected menu that the Royal offers, I chose each item.

 

4. I wish I had more time for pictures before the event. It felt a little rushed. I don't remember any photos with my mom or sister beforehand while I got ready. As for things being done that I didn't ask for? There's not too much - I'm extremely organized and provided lots of detailed instructions (both in email and paper when I got there). I had the reception tables laid out in print, a lot of the guests at each table, etc. My fiance provided further instruction for the sand ceremony the day of the event.

 

5. The guests were able to hear just fine. The wind wasn't too bad but I'm sooooo glad I wore my hair up and I'm guessing many of the guests did too!

A microphone was provided for the judge and that same mic was used for the readings. The hotel has a stereo system set up with speakers for the ceremony music and a DJ. This would have been nice to know because I had asked a friend to hit play/stop for the ceremony music. You just need to provide the DJ the instructions of timing, etc. We provided a CD to them.

 

That's all for now. I tried to dump my 'key learnings' in the original post but continue to reply if more questions arise! I know there are a million details I didn't comment on or just forgot to include.

Thanks Jento and Geminie for sharing your wedding reviews with us and also congrats on being newly married!!

 

Both of you mentioned the day of the wedding seems rushed.. and wishing you had more time for photos. What time do you suggest that the bride and groom begin getting ready the day of the wedding? Geminie - it almost sounds like hair and makeup took you more than 2-3 hours! That's crazy! My wedding is scheduled for 4pm.. my fiance and I were planning on having photos taken before and after the ceremony.

Mr. Jentwo fessed up to hacking into my account last night - too funny!

 

Ok, I had my hair done at 10am, make-up right after, probably at 11am. I then had lunch and Claudia arrived at 1pm. If I could do over, I may have had Claudia come at noon and would have had her meet with the groom first because once I had my dress on, it wasn't so comfortable lounging around.

 

I would have preferred my 'getting ready' to lead right to the ceremony. By starting my side of the family photos at 1pm, I was finished with pics at 2:30pm and then had to wait until 4pm for the ceremony.

 

It will be pretty much dark by 5:30pm in early November - we had about an hour to take photos on the beach. We never did make our way inside to the hotel area for couple photos, just the beach.

No problem.. ok so the royal is shaped like a W but looking at it from the beach you need to flip the upside down.. more like an M..

Looking at it from the beach...

the left part of the upside down W is much wider than the right, the have beach weddings in 2 places, the first being right in front of the left side... where everyones enters and exists the beach from the Royal, and the second is right in front of the Wedding Gazebo on the right, where there is also an entrance/exist to the resort...

Here's a pic http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2092/...a41079.jpg?v=0

Mind you the beach does not look like that.. the chairs are everywhere, and the staff waits until the last minute to clean up stray chairs form around the wedding set-up because they don't want to disturb the guests and because it's a public beach.

If you get married on the beach you can expect to see a lot of people around you.. unless you have a late ceremony.. around 4:30-5:30 the beach starts to empty as the sun sets.. but then you're losing light. The sun sets very early there around 5:30-6:00pm.. but I'm not sure what time it sets in May..

you can try contacting Caribbean Blue Weddings, and ask them what the cost would be involved in having a wedding on a private beach.. how far away it would be etc... then you could still come back to the Royal and have your reception there... if you really want a nice private beach wedding..

Playa del Carmen Caribbean Blue Weddings Home Page

Hope this helps

lol ohh boy! my hair and make up took (no word of a lie!) 3 hours and 15 minutes. I went to the salon at 12 and was out at 3:15 ... and the wedding was scheduled to start at 3pm! I had no time for pics of me with my wedding party.. none of me and my mother in law, none of me around the resort.. I couldn't relax while putting on my dress since i had to whip it on and run down to the gazebo, i didn't pee (no time) ... I love my photographer's work.. and I really wanted to have a portrait session just me and him... something more artistic me in lingerie putting on my dress etc...but I had no time for that.. and on top of it all.. my make-up and hair didn't come out the way I wanted it to... i wish I would have done my own make up or had one of my girls do it.

I just didn't feel like I looked my best... she used and orangy color on my eyelids that did nothing for me

I wish I had gotten ready at 10am... then I would have had time to sit in some comfy clothes with my hair and make up all done, and have some drinks with my girls and mother, and mother in law... we could have taken some photos... then I would get into my dress normally, not like I was late for a race but ohh well... there's always vow renewal ceremonies lol

overall it was a great day... im trying to focus on the positives!

Wow Gem...it sounds like, though now blissfully married, it was a bit of a hairied experience (sorry - couldn't do without a hair pun in there).

 

Its great you're focusing on the positives...its all you can do! I'm sure your photographs are going to be amazing...

 

We're planning on using the Chuppa below (we just love the look of it) and...were wondering...

 

 

1) Did you see anyone else use this type of ceremony covering while you were there? Did it look like it offered any more privacy?

 

2) In your humble opinion...is it a waste of money? Should we just get married in the gazebo (the location does look pretty nice)!

 

There are only going to be 13 (including FI and myself) there...and...for the money for the Chuppa...I'm really starting to question if it will be worth it for 20 minutes!...the nice thing is we'll all fit under the chuppa...so there's that...

 

Anyways...same questions to you as I posted earlier...

 

Anything, besides the timing of the morning events, that you wished you had known or asked about?

 

Anything that the WC did automatically? Without you having to think of it...that really pleased you? pissed you off?! LOL

 

xo

 

Congrats on being a Mrs...I can't wait for my turn!

Hi Shay,

 

Having just been married in the gazebo I'm obviously biased but it was perfect. You and your future hubby face each other and have the ocean on your one side and guests on the other! With a smaller group like yours they will probably seat everyone inside the gazebo so it will still be an intimate event. I don't know what the charge is for the chuppa but the gazebo is free!

 

As for the wedding coordinator - I thought she was nice and did what she was told but didn't offer any above and beyond service. In that regard it felt a little like the 'wedding factory' that the Royal is sometimes referred to as...so I'm glad I wrote everything out and provided instruction to her several times. Overall this didn't bother me. She did her job!

 

Jentwo

Thank you Jen! I appreciate all of your feedback!

 

The Gazebo is something we are definitely going to keep in mind...but...I think once we are there, and we can see it for ourselves, it will be easier to decide!

 

I'm going to send Micaela an email tomorrow...with a few things to clarify.

 

I try not to email her too often, because as I'm sure you can relate, most of the details will be set up once we're there!

 

Any other information that might help myself, and the other ladies, is always appreciated!

 

Do either of you (Jen or Geminie) have planning/review threads with more pictures?! Just curious! Like so many others here...I LOVE me some pictures!

OOO YehhH -- if you guys have any pictures, I would LOVE to see too! Geminie, even though you didn't like your hair or make up...I saw your video on here already....you looked gorgeous on your wedding day! The video was sooo cool!