stessa82

Hi All - I'm booked at BRB for April 18th. I agree with much of whats been posted previously. BRB is a more affordable resort. It is also much smaller than the RIU's. That actually appealed to me as I wanted to be sure that I bumped into my guests in the days leading up to the ceremony. There are 3 pools, a lovely beach, 4 restaurants - Reggae Cafe for lunch, Main Terrace for B, L & D, Pastafari (Italian) for D and a Japanese hibatchi restaurant also for D. Breezes is also fairly simple by way of room accomodations unless you upgrade to one of the higher room categories. That really didn't influence my decision because we don't spend much time in the room anyways! The reason I decided on Breezes was because it was by far the best value for my guests and I wanted to be sure money and expenses weren't an issue for them. Keisha is the wedding coordinator and she is fantastic. She was out on maternity leave for several months and I had a rather tough time trying to work with their office when she was gone. She knows everything there is to know about planning a wedding. Because I'm expecting more than 100 guests, I'm hosting a private reception. Keisha helped to find vendors, prices, etc. I went down to JA a few weeks back to iron out all the details. I took the pictures below while I was there. Hopefully this will help you visualize the property a little more. Good luck! http://picasaweb.google.com/stesswal...nawayBayVisit#

Congratulations! That sounds fabulous! Best of luck with your planning ... you're off to a strong start!

CONGRATULATIONS!! Welcome to the forum! I'm getting married at Breezes Runaway Bay on April 18th! Good luck with your planning. If you have any questions feel free to pm me. I made a trip down to BRB a few weeks back to finalize some details before the big day. I had the opportunity to meet much of the staff and tour the property - I can certainly fill you in if you've never been. Enjoy the forum ... there is an amazing exchange of information, ideas and tips!

Quote: Originally Posted by OROBride1008 We are giving the Jamaican Handmade photo albums that are made out of banana leafs. We thought that would be a nice touch and the guests could use it to hold the pictures of their vacation. What is this? And where did you find it? I love the idea! Could you share your source or a picture? Thanks!

Thanks for sharing! I haven't started to pull my brochures together yet but this will certainly get me off to a good start!

Hi ladies! I am planning to bring most of my OOT bag goodies with me but I did ask a friend (my fiance is originally from JA) to find out what it would cost to buy nips of Appleton rum down there (I'm putting together 50 bags for 120 guests so my budget is limited) and he said I can get them at a local liquor store for $1 a piece. I didn't inquire about the coffee but there must be places you can purchase. The only down side to the coffee is that most Jamaicans don't drink a lot so you're best bet is tourist spots ... which of course means a higher price! Good luck!

I don't have a poem for you but was thinking it may be easier for you to find a poem you like in English and ask someone to re-write it in Patois rather than going straight for the Jamaican version. Just an idea! Good luck!

Quote: Originally Posted by divadivine25 Thanks Steph, do you have any pricing information or pictures of her work? You can pm me the information. I have a picture of the cake Alecie made for my friends wedding last year (square). I do not know how much it cost but I've also attached a picture of the cake I'm using for inspiration (round). She quoted me $650 and said the price was higher because I requested fondant rather than frosting. I actually ended up getting the best price from my resort. The pastry chef will be making the cake (the one I'd like isn't too complicated). Ah! I can't figure out how to add pics. If you PM me your email I can send both images. Sorry!

I emailed a while back too ... with no answer. I also have been in touch with Alecie Woodin. A friend of ours got married in Jamaica last summer and used her. She loved her cake. So far Alecie has been much more responsive. [email protected] My name is Stephanie if you'd like to tell her where you got her contact info. Good luck!

The way Keisha explained it to me is that the photographer will take as many photos, for as long as you want, but that if you do the 48 photos package you're paying for the prints of 48 photos. If you want to pay 100 more for the CD you'll get the 48 photos digitally as well (who wouldn't want that??) and that if you wanted additional photos - you'd "negotiate" with the photographer on the price. Definitely a strange way to do it. If someone in your group is a photographer and you trust that individual to capture the special moments on your big day - I would definitely do that. We saw several wedding while we were there - no large groups. Mostly just couples there by themselves although I did speak with a couple of newlyweds who had been married a few days prior. She said they had about 35 guests and although she was quite nervous about what the resort would look like or how the wedding would come out (she hadn't done a site visit) she was pleased with the way everything came out. They got married in the chapel and had dinner with their guests at the japanese restaurant. Are you using a local florist for your flowers or are the wedding coordinators pulling that together for you? I'm in the process of collecting quotes from several florists for both the ceremony and reception but haven't made a selection just yet. Let me know if you've had a good experience with one!

Quote: Originally Posted by J2K Thanks for the pictures... I think we're going to opt for the beach chapel for our wedding, since there will only be about 25 guests Did you get to speak with anyone about photography? On their wedding info sheet, they say there is a $1000 fee to bring in an outside photographer, but I'm wondering if that applies to a photographer who is a registered guest at the hotel? That's currently are biggest hang up, as we can't seem to get the resort to send us sample pictures of weddings either. I did speak with them regarding the photography options. The way they quote prices is so odd! I didn't get into whether or not a guest could e the photographer but if I were you, I wouldn't even ask. They're a guest and they carry a camera. In my mind, the rule applies to hiring an outside vendor - a Jamaican photographer. They started to be a little more reasonable when I got down there. They quoted me prices for the bottles of champagne ... bottom of the line champagne ... that seemed quite high to me. We have a number of guests coming that live in Jamaica so I said I would have a guest bring them on property (for 1/3 the price) and they were fine with that.

even easier ... Picasa Web Albums - Stephanie - Breezes Runaw...

Hello BRB Brides! I'm back from my visit!! And VERY happy to report that the trip was a success. Not only did I get to spend two days with the wedding coordinator (now back from maternity leave) but also met with the Food and Beverage Manager, Guest Relations Manager and Resort Manager. I also had the opportunity to meet the minister who will be performing our ceremony! We finally got prices for the cocktail hour and private reception (6 months later ...) and I was able to select the locations for each while touring the property with the wedding coordinator. As far as the resort is concerned, the property is relatively small but nicely maintained. They claim to have spent billions in renovations although I can't say I noticed all the differences. The rooms were clean, bathrooms had been updated and the furnishings were basic. There are 3 pools, 4 bars (including a swim up bar) and 4 options for dinner (although they are open on a rotational basis ... not all are open daily). There is a full time entertainment staff which coordinates daily beach volleyball and other various games. Additionally, they provide nightly entertainment from talent shows to toga parties. I took about 40 photos on the property but I'm not sure how to add them to the forum - still a newbie ; ) but I'd be happy to email them if anyone is interested. Thanks all!

Hello BRB Brides! I'm back!! And VERY happy to report that the trip was a success. Not only did I get to spend two days with the wedding coordinator (now back from maternity leave) but also met with the Food and Beverage Manager, Guest Relations Manager and Resort Manager. I also had the opportunity to meet the minister who will be performing our ceremony! We finally got prices for the cocktail hour and private reception (6 months later ...) and I was able to select the locations for each while touring the property with the wedding coordinator. As far as the resort is concerned, the property is relatively small but nicely maintained. They claim to have spent billions in renovations although I can't say I noticed all the differences. The rooms were clean, bathrooms had been updated and the furnishings were basic. There are 3 pools, 4 bars (including a swim up bar) and 4 options for dinner (although they are open on a rotational basis ... not all are open daily). There is a full time entertainment staff which coordinates daily beach volleyball and other various games. Additionally, they provide nightly entertainment from talent shows to toga parties. I took about 40 photos on the property but I'm not sure how to add them to the forum - still a newbie ; ) but I'd be happy to email them if anyone is interested. Thanks all!

You could do so many different things! I've been to a couple ... all ends of the spectrum. One gf had a weekend trip to the Atlantis in the Bahamas ... another did a winery tour locally. My girls and I are headed back to NYC - we all lived there right after college and 4 out of the 5 have moved to new cities. It'll be fun to be back in our old stomping grounds for a couple of nights! We found EXCELLENT rates ... less than $100 each for two nights in a fab neighborhood. I'm sure they'll come up with something wonderful for you ... just let them know you're not really into the strippers ; )

Hi Ladies! I'm going down to Breezes next Wednesday through Saturday to plan for my wedding (April 18th). If you want any specific information or pictures, etc. let me know ... I'd be happy to bring info back!

Quote: Originally Posted by jhakimi1 Are all 120 of your guest staying at the Breeze Runaway Bay? If not, how much are day passes? Approximately 70% of the guests are staying at Breezes. Since we're hoping to have a private reception the "day pass" access price is just built into the menu. For example, if an on property guest is going to cost us $100 than an off property guest would cost $120. Don't quote me on this but I believe day passes (without private receptions) cost between $75 - $100.

Quote: Originally Posted by beyondsmitten I am using the DJ that plays at Rockhouse and other locations, I can see if I can get a contact number for him. My fiancee has heard him play and is very confident that he has all the equipment and music that you would need, and you can provide him with a playlist. To some extent you do have to trust the property, and it is crazy, but I've found you can't control everything at a destination wedding. Jamaica does not share our internet culture, everyone is not online nor do they have access to a computer like we do. If you can't find an alternative you can "check out" or that comes with a referral then make a playlist from your ipod or burn a CD or two with songs and have the DJ play them for your parties. If you could find his name or number that would be fantastic! Thanks for the suggestion!

So here's the UPDATE! My mother and I are looking to travel to Jamaica next week. Our first attempt will be to sort things out with Breezes but if that is unsuccessful we've also arranged to visit a number of other resorts and venues while we're down there. Fortunately, my fiance and I realized we had an interesting connection with one of our guests. One of Greg's groomsmen's girlfriend is a family friend of the owners of SuperClubs (I know - kind of a long and twisted connection - but a connection nonetheless). I told her of my challenges and today my phone rang! First was a call from the hotel manager. Second was a call from the VP of Operations at SuperClubs. And lastly was a call from the Wedding Coordinator - today was her first day back from maternity leave! She's been out since September and we've been trying to work with the "stand-in" since then. Needless to say I'm feeling slightly better about the possibilities of this coming together although they haven't completely restored my confidence in them. To cover my bases I will also go see some other venues. Thanks for all the kind words and suggestions!

Quote: Originally Posted by TA Jennifer We are finding that some of the resorts are offering slightly lower rates or additional amenities if you book direct and forgo the use of a travel agent-however I am also being contacted by many brides after the fact to help "fix" things as quite often things go terribly wrong! It's nearly impossible to assist when we are not the agent of record. For any future brides out there-be very careful when a resort does this ! Take the info to your TA and have them price match- that way the pricing is the same but you get the professional assistance and clout of a TA! They go to bat and 9/10 times get a much quicker response than you would. The reason is- we have the potential to send many, many more clients to them over the years- add to that they don't want us going to our suppliers and complain about pretty much anything - the suppliers have and will cut contracts and the properties don't want to risk a relationship with a company that send thousands of clients over the course of a year! All of this of course does not help you right now- do you have any guests under 18 ? Would you like fo rme to check availability at Sandals Dunns River or Grand Ocho Rios? We could also look at Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Whitehouse or Sandals Royal caribbean. I know that you can do a bonfire on the beach at Sandals Whitehouse and they have a beautiful conference room that can easily accomodate your guests. If I could do it all over again - I would have done it with a travel agent!! It would have cut down on a lot of the chaos I'm experiencing now ... but also would have cut down on the amount of work for me! We still have guests changing the details of the reservations - either the dates or type of rooms and every change means another call down to Jamaica and another update to my massive spreadsheet ; ) Costs for the guests was my main priority but in trying to do it myself I absolutely sacrificed a lot of knowledge and expertise of a TA!

Quote: Originally Posted by jhakimi1 I am new to the boards but I am looking into having my "off-site" wedding because my future hubby has lots of family in Jamaica and most hotels charge a fee for guest not staying at the hotel. Our wedding is in June 2010 and we will have around 50-70 guests. Anyways I am also awaiting pricing from venues but I found a few that look good and can handle big amount of guest - The Ruins at the Falls (Ocho Rios), The Coyaba Gardens and Mahoe Falls, and The Shaw Park Beach. Look these places up online. Hope this helps. Thanks so much for these suggestions ... I will absolutely check them out!! Best of luck with YOUR planning!

I'm booked at Breezes Runaway Bay. I did quite a few searches on the forum to see if I could find any other brides. I came across a few but most had much smaller groups and planned to go to dinner in one of the restaurants on property. I did not use a travel agent. I contacted a few initially but found I could get the best rate for my guests if I did all the arrangements myself (you should see the spreadsheet I have with all the information - all 40+ reservations and their details!!) The GOOD news is that there is NO penalty to cancel with 60 days notice. I would have to find a new resort or at least a new reception site with availability on the same date (April 18th) because at least 70 of our guests have already booked their flight travel. But other than that I think I can get all of their money back. I would be out my initial wedding deposit but that seems minimal in the grand scheme of things. With 120 expected guests - I can't wait til I get down there to accomplish the planning. When I called today I told them to book me a room for next week as I now feel it is absolutely essential that I iron out the details face to face and she told me she'd "have to check availability" ... its almost comical! I figure if I don't laugh ... I'll cry!

I'm so sorry for your loss! Its wonderful that your family was able to arrange your dance at Thanksgiving. The pictures were beautiful! I've tried to think of little ways to feel more connected with my father on the wedding day - without sending everyone into tears ; ) I'm hoping to find a bagpiper (my father was Scottish and loved the bagpipes) willing to travel to Jamaica for the weekend. We're also thinking of laying a single white rose on a chair on each side (my FI's brother also passed away). I'm sure you'll think of your own ways to represent him and your special bond! Know that we're thinking of you!

So with just over 3 months til the wedding day (April 18th) ... I may be starting back at square one. I booked the date last summer and ever since have been requesting information from the wedding coordinators on property. I currently have 40+ rooms booked and am expecting 120 guests. At this point the only thing that is set in stone is the ceremony time (4pm). I would like to host a Beach BBQ Party on Friday evening and the ceremony, a cocktail hour and a private reception on Saturday. They have all but refused to give me price information for the menus so I have no clue what this will cost. The information they do provide is conflicting. It takes weeks to get a response and when I do it is either inaccurate or incomplete. I'm SO NERVOUS! We're expecting 120 guests and I can't get the resort to confirm the location for the ceremony or reception. I called the wedding coordinator, the manager of the resort and the sales person who manages my group contract (for the 40+ rooms) today to say that I'm at my breaking point. I need this information or I will have to look elsewhere and all responded that they'd "call me back." So I'm asking for your help!! I would like to consider other venues. I am open to other resorts - or even non resort locations. Did anyone have a great experience working with the wedding coordinators - actually at this point I'd even settle for a mediocre experience? Did anyone have a private reception for a large group? Any suggestions or advice would be MUCH appreciated! Thanks ladies!

Quote: Originally Posted by Christinamaria22 questions guys........... first are you giving one bag per guest or if the are a couple per couple?? When are you plannin on giving them the bags before the trip or once they get there? If it is once they get there how do you plan on getting them to the destination easily......... i am so worried about baggage... I am giving one per couple - or in the case where we have two single friends sharing a room, two per room. I plan to carry all the stuff down and make the bags upon arrival (I'm going down 4 days in advance). I will put some in my suitcase and split up the rest between my mother, fiance, bridesmaids, etc. for easier travel. Good luck! Let us know if you come up with any creative items to include!