Paradisus Riviera Brides - POST HERE!

Happy Belated Wedding Day, Michelle! Hope you're having fun and safe travels on the trip back!

I think I'm next... we leave two weeks from today!

Hi girls! I just got back late last night from my site visit. Yes -- I decided to go anyway despite all of this swine flu hype -- and I am SO glad that I did.

I have to tell you that I have been SO nervous about getting married in Mexico. I had never been to the Paradisus Riviera before (FI and I had gone to the one in the DR years ago and LOVED it). But having gone down was the very best thing I could’ve done for myself. I went with my mom because FI is a workaholic and its very tough to tear him away from his desk, and also because I thought -- who better to share something like planning my wedding with, if not my fiancé?

We arrived just before 4 on Monday evening and checked in. I didn’t book us in Royal Service for this trip (for the wedding FI and I got everyone RS rooms) so we were told by the guy at the front desk that we had to make dinner reservations by 4 or we would have to eat in the buffet that evening. You have to make reservations in person, so we went over to the reservations desk and it was 3:55 and girl said she was closed. I told her the time and she was nasty and just kept repeating that she was closed. I was definitely tiffed because this was totally NOT the first interaction I wanted to have with someone at the place -- I thought everyone would be super accommodating. The next day we went back early to make reservations (they allow you to make them for you entire stay or certain days, whatever) and she was very apologetic and everything .... so that made me feel better. Lesson here is, make your reservations early and in advance - they seem to fill up quickly. Side note : the buffet was great - they had a few cook stations going so you didn’t feel like you were eating food that was sitting out all day, and the wait staff was the friendliest that we encountered. They pulled out our chairs, put our napkins on our laps, etc. Excellent.

That same night we went for a walk on the beach and I got to see a wedding. I don’t think it was anyone from the board, but it was pretty. It had a similar set up to those that many of you here have used. The couple was married on the sand with white covered chairs at 5pm. took lots of pictures and then had a reception on the terrace that most brides that I've seen use. It was beautiful -- she had great weather and everyone looked so happy.

The next day I met with Perla and THANK GOD I did, because she made me feel SO much better. She’s super nice. During my meeting with her actually she got a call from a bride that was supposed to be married this Saturday (tomorrow), it was going to be a 90 person wedding, and they cancelled because of swine flu. Obviously that SUCKS and I hope it doesn’t affect anyone here to that extent, but I guess a lot of her family was canceling and stuff. Perla was visibly upset, but she tried so hard to keep a good face about everything and was so, SO helpful and accommodating with us. I asked if she wanted us to come back later, but she said no, we'd go on. So my biggest concern was that I didn’t want to get married on the beach or in the gazebo over the pool. Both of which are beautiful - I especially love the look of the gazebo, but I wanted more privacy. Turns out they just built this beautiful palapa that’s set back by the RS rooms. Its a free standing structure - the floor and columns are marble, but like inside the hotel lobby, and it has that really charming palapa roof. Its really set apart from everything else - there are rooms behind the gardens around it, but Perla said we could block off access during the ceremony. I have some pictures, but I have no idea how to post them on here. Once I chose the ceremony location I was psyched and had no problem with my vision of the rest of it all ... we chose linens, chairs, centerpieces, flowers, etc. It was GREAT!!! I can completely rest assured that my wedding will be just the way I would want it to be.

The next day we got to see Freckles' wedding which was beautiful - she looked gorgeous and it really looked like they all had fun. I didn’t introduce myself or anything because I just saw her from afar, but it all looked beautiful.

So, overall, the food was excellent, the service was excellent for the most part (I noticed that a lot of the people working at the resort didn’t speak English at all, so get your few key words down in Spanish before you go), the accommodations were gorgeous (like I said we stayed in a regular garden suite, but Perla brought us over to the RS suites and they were to die for - Jacuzzi on the balcony and everything), the pools and beach were all beautiful and clean (there’s a lot of seaweed, but they rake a few times a day). We used the spa for massages and the gym and both were great - massages were excellent!!!!! Be excited girls, because we chose a really great place!

Just as an aside, the swine flu thing is really over reported and exaggerated on the news. There have been no cases at all in the area that the Paradisus is located, and of course if you are coming through Cancun airport, just be careful. My mom and I wore scarves and masks on our faces during travel just to be safe, but even coming into New York, there was no hustle and bustle about it. Only 1 officer at the JFK airport had a mask on. In Mexico all of the airline workers did as a precautionary measure. And also remember that they've called it "swine flu" which is scary and disgusting, but at the end of the day, its a cold - you'll cough and sneeze and maybe have a fever. Its everywhere now, so don’t be super afraid of Mexico, because while I was in Mexico, a case turned up at the middle school near my house on Long Island. So just wash your hands a lot, watch your self in crowded public places - don’t get too too close to anyone, and take good care of your body. Don't let all of the media bring you down - they really REALLY over report and use scare tactics. I'm sure everyone will be just fine

Sorry this was so long!! I hope it gave someone some type of good info - you guys have given so much to me!!

Stay well,

Dana

Great review Dana!

The new palapa space sounds to die for!!!! Now I want to go back and see it.

Dana the review was fantastic! It sounds like you had a really good time and you've reassured me that we chose the right resort.

Thanks for the heads up on the dinner reservations too. Good to know that you can set them up for your whole stay at one time. I always lose track of time when I'm on vacation.

On the palpa could it be used as a rain back up? It sounds so beautiful but I've always dreamed of getting married on the beach. However, I would prefer something somewhat outside if possible even in the chance of rain.

You'll have to post some pictures when you get some time.

Hi girls!!

Were back!!! We got back this afternoon and I have to quickly say that my wedding was PERFECT!!!! It was hands down everything I have ever dreamed of and please dont worry!! You are all in great hands, Perla and Danilea are fantastic and put all my worries aside the first day I met them. It rained in the morning and we had to make a decsion to move the reception into the ballroom, which actually worked out sooooo good!! The resort is beautiful and we didnt worry about the flu once while we were down there. We had no problems in the airport regarding quarentine, they give you a questionnaire to fill out take your temperature with this digital thermometer and send you on your way. We have watched the news today and did not realize all this hype about the flu and it seems like it is really scaring everyone. Please do not worry, you are all in good hands, and like I said our wedding was so perfect. I will write a full review soon and add some pictures, jut wanted to put a quick note on here about how great everything was and the flu is not a problem at the resorts.

Congrats, Freckles!!!!! I'm so happy for you . Great review Dana. I think there are threads about using photobucket to post photos (I haven't done it myself yet!).

Congrats Freckles! So glad everything went well.

To upload pics you have to first put them in photobucket and then copy and paste the IMG code into a thread.

Congratulations Freckles!! So glad to hear that everything went well. Can't wait to see some pics!