HELP Grand Palladium Brides!!!!

Has anyone used the hotel photographer? I'm trying to book another but am having difficulty given the tight timeline and the lack of budget (a wonderful photographer was originally included in our wedding package in Mexico).

So my real question is, does anyone actually know if the hotel photographer is as bad as i hear? Does anyone has shots from them that they can share??

Dana

Blue Lagoon is $300 and always has been since the resort opened

Poisedon is free, but you can not have entertainment there unless they agree to close it off to the rest of the GP guests. I think they did for one couple but only because the blue lagoon was already booked.

I saw photos from the very first wedding at the GP and was not impressed at all, but I read that someone had used them and stated they weren't bad. Even though the photographer is included in the package, we opted to not use them at all to decrease the chance of choas.

Dana

For the tropical package, you can choose any of the Ala carte restaurants. They will reserve an area for your wedding group for 2 hours. It will not be private unless you rent the blue lagoon or your group is so large that it takes up nearly the entire Ala carte restaurant. The tropical wedding package price includes the meal. I think that package was $30pp after 8 people. It was my understanding you can not have any form of entertainment unless you rent the Blue Lagoon so I wouldn't bank on being able to bring your ipod to the poisedon. You can still rent out the BL with the tropical package and save yourself $20pp over the Caribbean package which would help pay the $300 rental fee!

It seemed that anything can be changed once you get there. They did want to know our meal choices 1 month prior to arrival but I don't think she really ever looked at it; hence why the filet mignon we were promised was a ribeye! Make sure you contact Jascynthia when you get there to arrange a meeting time! BE PROACTIVE!

Once again, don't stress too much, Jascythia really did take care of everything once we were on site!

Traci - your pictures are so beautiful - you looked awesome and both so happy! My wedding is still 10+ months away but it makes me so excited!

So, I got married on April 13th (didn't like the date, but tried to co-ordinate it with some guests that might only have had the Easter Long Weekend to come ... as it turns out, none of them came anyway, and I was stuck with the 13th)! Closer to the Arrival date is probably better, so that you can "get it over with" sooner than later and have the rest of the week to enjoy and PIG out!

TashaB - I've attached the Blue Lagoon as it was set up for us.

As a reminder, we were only a group of 13.

Ceremony - on the Beach

Reception - Blue Lagoon (paid $300 extra, or worded as $100/hr, 3 hr minimum)

Music - we brought our iPod and battery operated / rechargeable Docking station w/ Speakers. Bring back-up batteries too ...

There were NO issues with us doing this, we had our first dance, our Father Daughter dance, etc.

Music also played throughout the dinner.

Meals - Appetizer, Snapper, Lobster, Shrimp

...... see next posting for Continuation

Flowers - asked for Orange & Green ... Jascynthia didn't think the original was pretty enough so sent them back, and got a free upgrade to Calla Lillies -Loved Them!

Cake - 2-Tier Vanilla (really didn't need that big, but always wanted a tiered cake for my wedding). Decorations on cake was a little interesting, pink flowers on top (aghem, remember orange & green theme ....) but I didn't care at all. It looked good and was not the focal point of the wedding reception with the beautiful views anyway!

Ceremony Decorations - went to Michaels, bought small 9" Hurricane Vases x 2, and a larger Hurricane Vase (maybe 12") for our decorations. Half filled the vases with sand from the beach, placed candle and shells inside the vase. Placed large vase in front of Bride & Groom, the 2 others were on each side of us. Also from Michaels little glass tealight candle holders with green candles in them (2/pk for $1.50 Canadian$), those were to surround the railing that overlooked the pool/beach ... probably didn't need them, kept blowing out as well, and even forgot them there!

Brought - Green Candles, shells (from Dollar Store)

Bombouniere's - Message in a Bottle (idea) we filled with beach sand and put a note inside to say thank you and they can either collect shells, or other memorable items .... or dump it and put oil in it later!!!

Place Cards / Programs - just bought some printable stuff and used our colour theme! The program didn't have much 'detailed' info, but the generic stuff - I had no idea who the officiant would be, etc. And I never did get that info in time, but it looked cute and really, I don't think a program is really that necessary anyway! The ceremony is so short.

Lounge - we went upstairs to the Lounge after, where we just took our Flowers (Jascynthia moves the flowers from the ceremony to the reception for you) and put them on the short tables and sat on the wicker chairs and hung out. Some danced with the live band - it was great!

Room Upgrades - we did ask for an Upgrade, and were told that our entire group got upgraded to ocean view - I'm not 100% sure about that being an upgrade, or if that was what we were originally given and they just said it was an upgrade. Our whole group had 1-bedroom suites though, so I'm not too sure how much more they would've even upgraded us (bride & groom) ... all of our guests units were right above the ocean and perfect!!!! Beautiful views from both balconies, see below!

This pic from the Lobby:

Gazebo at Sunset - random stranger told us to pose and take a pic, worked out great!

I hope this helped some people with their wedding planning, I know I was seriously stressed about a lot leading up to the wedding. Now when I look back, I think so much work and concern was really unnecessary! It all fell into place and was PERFECT! Even the little bit of rain doesn't upset me as much as I thought it would've!

As a Suggestion:

- book a private reception location.

By fluke, we were at the Buffet where another BDW bride's reception was taking place, and they don't have a dress code at the Buffet's. We were in jeans and shorts, baseball cap, etc. and we were placed beside the entire wedding party - weird! It was even more awkward when they were cutting their cake, because we really felt that we might've been in their shots. We tried to move or look the other way so that if we did end up in the background, their picture wouldn't be ruined.

As well, we were at the Mexican Restaurant and they had a reception there as well. The entire group was facing looking out the large windows at the front of the restaurant, with all of the tables for the restaurant around them... just my recommendation.

SnowAngel-- Thank you so much for your pics and review!!! And Congratulations-- everything was beautiful!!

This does help quite a bit.... I'm leaving for Jamaica in 4 days and starting to really feel lost since I'm not hearing back from the resort!

Hello Grand Palladium Brides,

My name is Allissen and I am getting married June 27th.

My wedding is at sunset and I was able to rent the Posiedon for a private reception and I have reserved the DJ with Jascynthia.

I saw a question about renting the Posiedon.

The menu does not look all that great and I heard that the food is not very good.

Thanks snowangels all of your information was very helpful.