Gran Porto Real Brides - Post here!!

[primavera]

I know that there is a thread for the Royal brides, but there has been a suggestion for a thread specifically for Gran Porto brides. There are a few in the Newbies thread, but the resort & planning info get mixed up in all the friendly congrats and welcome comments.

I am planning our wedding for April-May 2011 and we are 99% set on the Gran Porto Real. I would love to hear from other Gran Porto brides about your plans!

[kj1606]

thanks for starting a thread!!  i literally just booked our date yesterday for april 9, 2011.  after doing a ton of research on a TON of resorts i just kept coming back to this one... it seems affordable without being crappy, small enough to be intimate and keep our group together but large enough that booking rooms shouldn't be an issue, and i'd heard that the wedding coordinators are great to deal with.

 

plus the north beach location is beautiful!!

 

[primavera]

Hi kj1606, that is how I feel too, I have been researching and researching to make sure I make the right choice. It is really important for me to find an affordable resort since many of our guests will be traveling from Europe, and at the same time I still want a nice hotel.

I see you're in Texas as well

[BecaJ]

As I was saying in the newbie post, I've booked at the GPR for March 2011. Im trying to think of information I can give that would be useful for those thinking to book.

 

Erm, I've noticed that most hotels require you to be there 3 working days before the wedding date, but GPR requires you (& your witnesses I think) to be there four working days before. So we're arriving on the 22nd March and I've just had an email through confirming the wedding date I chose, 26th March.

 

Now that Im starting to get emails, Im getting asked for the details of witnesses & number of guests etc. It's starting to get a bit messy because although people have said they're coming only a few people have booked so far so everythings a bit up in the air at the moment which is getting annoying. Thats the only problem I've come across so far. With it being a DW you can't just go on peoples word.x

[primavera]

Congrats on booking your date!!

I am waiting for my TA to get back to me and then we'll be ready to make a decision here pretty soon I think.

 

It is great that you are getting emails, even though it is hard to answer the questions this early, but from what I've read on the Royal thread it is pretty rare to hear from the resort this long before your wedding. I'm from Europe too so most of my guests are traveling far and I know they will wait until the last minute to make their final decision because of the cost etc.  Do you know how much the plane tickets from the UK are, if you don't mind me asking?

 

We are getting married here in the US first (legal ceremony only) and will do the symbolic ceremony so I don't know how many days in advance we have to be there yet.

[BecaJ]

 

Originally Posted by primavera 

Congrats on booking your date!!

I am waiting for my TA to get back to me and then we'll be ready to make a decision here pretty soon I think.

 

It is great that you are getting emails, even though it is hard to answer the questions this early, but from what I've read on the Royal thread it is pretty rare to hear from the resort this long before your wedding. I'm from Europe too so most of my guests are traveling far and I know they will wait until the last minute to make their final decision because of the cost etc.  Do you know how much the plane tickets from the UK are, if you don't mind me asking?

 

We are getting married here in the US first (legal ceremony only) and will do the symbolic ceremony so I don't know how many days in advance we have to be there yet.

 

well we're paying £1,400 per person for 2 weeks, and some guests are going for one week and paying £1000. Thats for flights and the hotel. That was through Thomson, we found them to be the cheapest. That was flying out from Birmingham. Because we have guests coming from all corners we thought we'd meet in the middle and fly from Brum.

 

I think for the symbolic you only have to be there for 1 day, but don't quote me because Im not entirely sure, I just think I remember reading it.x

 

[primavera]

That's a great price! I think right now my guests from Sweden would have to pay $1,750 for a week which is about 1,150 pounds more or less. Flights are normally cheaper from the UK than Sweden, some people go to London to buy their tickets when traveling far. I'm hoping that prices will go down a little since I know some of my guests want to stay 2 weeks.

 

Have you decided where you will hold your ceremony and reception yet? Sorry if I'm asking questions that you already answered in the Newbie thread...I have a bad memory

[BecaJ]

 

Originally Posted by primavera 

That's a great price! I think right now my guests from Sweden would have to pay $1,750 for a week which is about 1,150 pounds more or less. Flights are normally cheaper from the UK than Sweden, some people go to London to buy their tickets when traveling far. I'm hoping that prices will go down a little since I know some of my guests want to stay 2 weeks.

 

Have you decided where you will hold your ceremony and reception yet? Sorry if I'm asking questions that you already answered in the Newbie thread...I have a bad memory

£1150 isn't that bad if you were just paying for yourself, but it's when people have families and they're paying for their kids etc thats when it works out expensive.

 

Well we've booked for the gazebo. It looks so nice on the photos and I thought we'll all be in the shade so won't be as uncomfortable because our ceremony is booked for 3pm so it will be hot. I wanted it later in the day but the TA told me that If I have it after 4pm theres an extra $400 charge!!! So not worth it. I have no idea about the reception. The package I chose included a meal for 15 guests, but I have no idea which restaurant it's in or anything. It looks like Im going to have more than 15 guests now so it'll be an extra $10 per head for any extra guests which isn't bad at all really. I suppose I'll find out more from the wedding coordinator a bit later on. How about you, have you booked anything?x

 

[primavera]

No, not even the date or the resort yet :S I am waiting to hear back from my TA, she should be back from Mexico today. I love the gazebo though, so I want that for the ceremony and you're right, it is not worth paying an extra $400 to have the ceremony at 4.00pm. I would like a private reception and not sure what the options are yet.

[BecaJ]

In my wedding package that I booked it said "semi-private" reception, so presumably that'll be a section in one of the main restaurants but roped off. They couldn't close down a whole restaurant just for a wedding party I wouldn't have thought? Maybe the only fully private reception is the one on the beach? I've seen a few photos of that though and it looks so nice. I'd rather that myself actually. I'll have to ask the WC when s/he contacts me.x