Marie

This seems like a little older of a thread, but I thought Id post anyways for anyone interestested. Im not sure if 2009 rates have gone up....but....we booked our group (26 of us) departing from Toronto May 3, 2010--and our rate is $1904 double occupancy-standard room......junior suites were something like $2045...I was hoping it aould have been $1800...but oh well....

Hi Gang, Sorry if this seems like a silly question, but I've been reading reviews and posts now for months-yet I'm still confused...lol I've read lots about both a beach reception....and then receptions at The SeaGrape....it's a bar right? For some reason-I was thinking it's like an open air bar? And maybe included in the beach party......Or is it the disco bar? Something seperate altogether? Can someone help me finally understand. I'm trying to decide what to do after dinner....party on a beach with a bonnfire maybe? Or go to the Seagrape ......that is if it's an actual close in bar/dosco...lol...any other suggestions? I think we're just doing the simple dinner at Mammee Bay Steak Restaurant.

I forgot to mention--once we initially booked our wedding online on riu website---we were told we had 120 days to confirm with our booking reference from the tour operator or resort itself.....so that gave us 120 days to get the group booking going......we need 10 people to start it.

I booked our wedding itself directly thru RIU on the website. It was easy. I picked the date and the time, requested the location for the ceremony-picked out the wedding package and sent it off! Laster.//maybe 5 days later, my travel agent received a confirmation # via email, saying everything was booked--but the booking needed to THEN be confirmed with our booking reference with the resort......at this point- we hadnt booked the resort--I sent out our std's, and we started the group booking right away--we have 25 people booked now with deposits for May 2010---went back online and entered in our confirmation # that RIU weddings gave us--plus our booking reference we got from sunquest--and voila! Wedding confirmed! It was a bit of a waiting game for sure....and I felt better once I had done it all!

Hi Sherryl, We are getting married May 2010 at RIU Ocho Rios--I put out invites in Feb and asked guests to rsvp by a certain date, jjust so we could get the group started-and confirmed the wedding we booked seperately with the resort....(in order to confirm the weddin you needed the booking reference) Now that the group booking is started, anyone can add on between now and then- f theres space of course. We have 25 guests, plus ourselves--we wanted to give the guests a least a years notice so they could be prepared. We're getting a bit of grief from some people.....asking why so early, and wondeirng if the prices will go down if they waited to book. It's our wedding--we're also excited, and we want some sort of plan in motion. Having said all this--Im a bit confused about the prices. ANyone else book thru sunquest a year or so in advance? We were quoted a rate of 1904...group rate from toronto....HOWEVER, now the 2010 brochure is printed for Sunquest...and it turns out that the individual printed price is cheaper then our group rate! I chated to our travel agent over this--apparently she'll have to "fight" with sunquest about this? I think she thinks Im being picky over the sake of 60 or 70 bucks...but why the hell not?? Anyone know if theres a chance our group rate will drop? Ive heard of this happening......I dont understand how our group rate is higher then the rate printed int he brochure--Im having difficulty explaining this to our guests..lol

Another ROR Bride...... May 6th, 2010 Getting married at the beach gazebo location at 4pm! (that much I know..lol) Booked with Sunquest, flying out of Toronto-25 people confirmed in the group so far!

Hi all, We booked our May 2010 wedding the end of March. I've been dealing with a travel agent who is also a friend...there's pros and cons with that I think, lol..but mainly pros! Either way--most of everything I know I found out on my own....I research the crap out of everything....Imthe one who called her up tot ell her 2010 packages were out for RIU ocho Rios...and then she helped me with it all and booked.....its nice to go to someone you trust to ask thema million questions, and not feel bad......lol.....either way--we booked the wedding date online witht he resort, then booked the package (the AI ) thru Sunquest....and we received a price too.....now mind you.....our group rate quote is now 60 bucks more the the printed price in the brochure that just came out for 2010....sooo Im looking into that...Im not sure if tehres restrictions, of if tehres a chance the rate will drop---the part Im confused about...but either way--all our group booking has started, and we have 25 guests booked......

Congrats...Ill be coming down a week later..May 3rd...lol....exciting!

I dont think theres a right or wrong answer here....We're getting married May 2010...and Ive been wanting to book since January! lol..mainly becasue I was so excited and wnated to get some plans put in place. First thing I did tho was extensive research on resorts. After a month or so of getting prices n stuff, I finally settled on RIU Ocho Rios-I fell in love withit, and knew I wanted to get married there! Once I decided on that resort, we got a quote for May 2010---knew it was just a quote...to get an idea of pricing....it was difficult b/c Sunquest didnt have their prices out yet.....and for some reason, I felt a bit weary booking hotel and air seperately..... Next I got out my invitations, we put them out end of feb....the invitation also served as a brochure to the resort-they were AWESOME!......AT THIS POINT, ROR had put out their 2010 wedding packaged and pricing.....so dates were avaiable to book.....we wanted the first week of May--so we booked immediately, as I heard a lot of the spring dates sell out fast! Once we had the wedding booked with ROR-we had I think 120 days to confirm it--with out booking reference...and of course, we were all booking as a group--so we set a date for guests to rsvp by--this way, by booking early, those who wanted to go were sure to get there! It worked out fine, and we now have 25 confirmed guests......with more to book Im sure.....then we went back and confirmed the wedding with the booking reference. HAVING SAID ALL THIS.......I took a lot of grief from people, saying we booked too early--but in our defense.......sunquest flies from toronto...so with the ai package plus flight from NL we're looking at a lot of money--and we wanted to give our guests ample opportunity to pay for the trip, its OUR wedding, we wanted a plan...we wanted a date, and now--I can take a deep breath, and know that our plan is in place. Id much rather do it this way then book it seperately,.......from what Im seeing....pricing everything this year (in consideration for next year) even now at a month away.....the resort isn "on sale", airfare did not drop.....and even on sunquest website......the price is around the same........... I know this was a long post to a simple question, but I thought Id share our booking experience.....thats all---we booked over a year in advance, yes....but we made sure we go what we wanted.....and we're not going to be paying a ridiculous price!

I was wondering this too...I done a bit of research, and it seems as tho any type of payment is fine. They have atm machines on site (so I have heard)..you can pay cash, visa.......from reading what others have said, the majority pay with travellers checks..RIU does accept them. I thinkt hey would be the safe bet! Im always nervous when time comes to pay with credit card--cause sometimes resorts and hotels n stuff take large pre-auths from your card.....so just when you think you have room on there, and you're depending on a few thousand dollars on credit card.....ITS GONE! Its happened to us before.......(with resorts puttin a hold on funds as a security deposit n stuff)

Hey Peeps, Im just catching up here-our wedding isn't until next May-but Im a planner, and I want to start things soon......we were simply going to have dinner at a restaurant, and head to the disco or something, but now that Im seeing this stuff...I want something private as well. Thanks for the scoop---Im totally looking into a private reception like this--poolside looks great!

Just confirmed our wedding date today! User Name: Marie Location: RIU - Ocho Rios Wedding: May 6 2010 Its so far away-but Im so excited.

Hey Everyone, Just came across his site. Looks great for tips and info!! Nice to chat to peole who are planning the same type of wedding. We are going to RIU Och Rios, Jamaica...May 2010.....Wedding is May 6-Tursday! We're excited already!! Can't believe how soon it had to be booked...looking forward to the rest of the planning now!