LeanneMarie

Hi Carmela, The yoga studio where I learned and teach yoga in Playa del Carmen is full of awesome yoga teachers, and they are definitely willing to give private classes. If you want to PM me the details - type of yoga desires (if any preference), time, date, number of participants, then I can see if anyone would be available. Also, you would need to make sure that it was okay with the hotel to have an external instructor come to give the class, the space where it could be held, and if there are mats available. Another idea: One time I gave a partner yoga class to a wedding group and everyone participated - even those without much yoga experience! It was great fun!! Hope that helps Leanne

beautiful work...thanks so much for the referral!!! it's always good to find new vendors Leanne

Hi there I just finished a weekend of site inspections with a bride & groom who are getting married in May 2012. They've chosen HTR, which, I'm super excited about because I love the resort. Their eco friendly practices are awesome, and all the staff was amazing. I'm curious if any of you hosted your ceremony at the palapa over where the rivers meet the ocean? That is where we are thinking to set up and we would love some photos or ideas!!! Send links if you have some !!! Also, for your above question, it's pretty typical to tip about 10% to your vendors. Most of the time I definitely tip the hairdresser & make up artist and musicians if you have any, and then it varies for the photographer & videographer. Cheers, Leanne

I've had clients bring down lots of items with them - table runners, bows, overlays, mini gift boxes, their own vases for the flowers, etc.... There are many places that rent bows and runners, but if you are wanting a specific color, then it's probably a good idea to bring your own! As far as additional charges, it will depend on who's doing your decoration. Some will just do it for you, and others have a fee! Probably you can negotiate with them if you are already renting other equipment!! Hope that helps! Leanne

Hello!!! We just had an amazing and fun wedding. Royana and Jesse were such a great couple to work with and we had so much fun planning their wedding. We hosted the ceremony at Amarte on the Maroma Beach. An amazing stretch in the Riviera Maya, where you get a lot of privacy. After their cocktail hour they got dropped off on 5th avenue, came walking down the street led by a full mariachi band and arrived to Wicky's There we had drinks, dinner, and dancing through the night!!! Wanna Lounge created a beautiful seating area for the guests to enjoy. The brides father, probably took the most advantage of the set up during his 15 minute cat nap!! I don't have the professional pictures yet from the photographer, but once we get them we'll be sure to share!! And Paul from Playa Weddings is editing the video, so be on the lookout for it!!! Here's the slideshow from Ian Dharma, the photographer. http://www.weddingstorystudio.com/blog/?p=4163 SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!! ENJOY Leanne

It was an amazing wedding!! we had so much fun working together. It was the first time I had use the decorators who did the set up, and although it took right down to the last minute, it turned out so BEAUTIFUL!!!

Here is the slide show from the wedding. You can see some pictures of Royana, the bride, with her make up all finished. It looked great!!! Very natural and it lasted all day!!!!! http://www.weddingstorystudio.com/blog/?p=4163 ENJOY!!! Leanne

I'm pretty sure you can bring in whatever vendor you want to. They do offer their own, but last time I had a wedding there there were no issues with any of us coming in. Glad you got all the info Leanne

We, Leanne Marie & Maju, have recently created One Green Wedding, a service offered by Leanne Marie Weddings. “One Green Wedding,†is a service dedicated to creating minimal waste destination weddings in the Riviera Maya, through recycling, composting, and donating leftover food to community kitchens. We are starting operations in April 2011. Our plan is to have a trial run through April & May. Our hope is that everyone will jump on board to help us help the planet. We are offering a discounted price to any Apirl & May destination wedding couple who is interested in making their wedding a bit more eco friendly, and helping us get off the ground. You can check out the website at www.onegreenwedding.com for more information, or feel free to e-mail at [email protected] or call at 903 647 6424.

October is usually the rainiest month in Playa. November I think you'll have better chances at catching no rain. Typically when it does rain though, they are quick and strong showers, and then it clears up. Makes for awesome pictures actually!!! Try to pick a place that has a makeshift back up option!!! Happy planning!!! Leanne

I've used www.playaweddings.com in the past for video Paul is great.

Hi there, that is a tough question to answer because it will vary greatly based on number of people, location, menu, beverage, type of ceremony, decorations, and your style! I've worked with all kinds of budgets. There are some fixed costs that don't depend on the number of guests - like location rentals, officiants, DJ/musicians, some decorative items, etc... You can do things simple or extravagant and they both can be beautiful options Hope that helps!!! Leanne

Have you checked out La Reve? I haven't been to visit it yet, but it's definitely on my list when I get back to Playa. I don't know what all those locations are based on there acronym sorry, but I definitely think you can find something that fits you down in Playa. Also, you could check out Cieba del Mar? Another option would be to stay at an AI that is somewhere along the lines of your style, and then host your wedding at an outside location. When you have your site inspections you should be able to get a better handle on what's available and what fits your style. Also, have you considered a wedding planner? I'm not just asking because I am one, but you sound like you have some very specific ideas for what you want your destination wedding experience to be, and personal wedding planners are there to help you achieve those ideas!!! Happy planning!! Leanne

Hi there, I've never done a wedding at Dreams before, but I can offer a few ideas. Do you already have centerpieces picked out for the reception? I guess the resort has a florist they work with? To add a little extra you can always do Candles/votives. They add such a romantic feel. You can just pick some up at a craft store and take them down with you. I'm not sure what decoration is already provided by the resort and what is not, but here are some things you can consider: * colored or white table cloths with organza overlays or colorful runners * decorating with artevela candles - so beautiful * maracas are fun if it goes with the theme * rose petals strewn about * palm leaf decoration * naming your tables and adding a picture with it - something to describe you as a couple for invitations you might be a little pressed for time - perhaps you can just order some stock and print them. or you may find someone local who can get them to you quickly. here is a recycled paper site: http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/ they have lots of stock hope this helps!!!! contact the WC at the resort too, explain your situation, and hopefully they can get back to you in a timely manner!! Leanne

I have bride's do it either way. Some put the couples on one card and others do individual cards. Most commonly, it's one per person. If you are using a different type of place card, and it works out better for you to do 2 on one then, that works, but if you can do one per person then go for it. Some cute ideas: * for the holders you can use wine corks with slits in them * you can use little wooden boxes filled with sand to place them in * use maracas with their name attached * use sanddollars to the write their name on (but not real sand dollars! you can order manmade ones from the internet!) Also, an idea for the tables is to name them instead of putting up numbers. Lots of couple choose things and/or places that mean something to them and then give a little explanation on the back. Just a way for your guests to connect to you better!! have fun!

they have a separate document that speaks about the chapels and other ceremony locations they have available. The ones I have are in Spanish, but I can tell you that the chapel's rent for $17,760 pesos, which is about $1,600 USD and it's available at 7 p.m. in the Summer and 6 p.m. in the winter. the per person prices for Xcaret are pretty reasonable. however, they do have rental fees for each area, so you just have to calculate it all out and see if you're coming within budget. the great thing about Xcaret is that it's so beautiful, you don't really need much as far as decoration - unless you want to of course! how many people are you considering for your wedding?

I will do my best to take some pictures. Most of the time on wedding day, I'm a little hectic, but I bet Melissa will grab some, and I'll get them from her - if nothing else! She's only doing the make-up for me on this one. I'll keep you posted! Leanne