sherryl_joy

Wow, those are awesome pictures...they turned out really great....glad to hear of a positive experience and with pictures to back it up!

Wow, thanks everyone...all the advice have been really great and have really given me a lot of things to think about. The reason the FI and I wanted a destination wedding was because we figured it would be way cheaper and less stress on everyone...we were even willing to pay for both sets of parents and we would cover the cost for everything...no one else had to lift a finger or worry about cost, they just have to show up and have fun...who doesn't want that, right? We have actually thought about having a very small and intimate Catholic ceremony at home first but are worried that it will just get away from us and would start getting bigger and bigger when trying to figure out who to invite...also, does that mean that the ceremony we would have in Jamaica is just a Renewal of Vows? I would most likely be getting married there without my parents since it will give them the excuse they need not to attend, seeing as how they have already witnesses us getting married at home...every bride wants their wedding day to be perfect and somehow, not having your parents there or not having your dad to give you away just makes it feel like there would be something missing...

So, my parents (mainly my dad) has expressed his unwillingness to travel to Jamaica for our wedding. He would prefer, as would my mom, that we have our wedding in our local church. My mom is willing to travel as long as we have a Catholic ceremony but my dad is bit harder to convince. He just started a new job and does not want to ask for a week off, even though our wedding is a year and a half away!! He's the type who just works and works and does not take any time off work, even vacations, unless he's sick or injured. He's not much for traveling, unless you count long drives to Buffalo or Niagara Falls...LOL Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work around this, how to help convince him or how to satisfy the parents' requirement for a Catholic wedding? We are planning on the ROR but now it looks like we have to look for a Catholic Church to have the ceremony and wondering if it's possible to have the reception only at the ROR? Can we still get the free wedding package or do we need it at all? I read on the ROR website that they do not do Catholic weddings in Jamaica. Am so stressed out and destination weddings are supposed to be stress-free!! Aaaarrggghhhhh!!! LOL Sherryl

Does that mean you have to book specific rooms (i.e. standard vs junior suites) in order to get the complimentary trip? My TA told me it was every 17th person free, minimum 10 rooms booked at ROR, out of Toronto and the free stuff from Sunquest. Has anyone also been told it's best to hold off and wait until Nov-Dec 2009 for any group package deals for 2010? When was the earliest anyone booked their trip? I'm too excited and impatient to wait, I feel like I have to DO something!! LOL

I saw pictures of the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Ocho Rios and I thought it was really great since it overlooks the sea...even if you don`t do a beach wedding, I thought it was still pretty neat to have a catholic wedding by the water. How come Riu`s website claims they don`t do Catholic weddings in Jamaica...is it because they don't coordinate weddings off-site? I'm thinking doing the catholic wedding at the Our Lady of Fatima Church and then a reception at the Riu...I only hope Chandlyn can still help with the planning...

Thanks Krissy! I actually thought about that too but we're torn about whether we want our actual wedding to take place in our hometown or in Jamaica. I checked out the Ritz Carlton...it looks really nice but it doesn't look to be an all-inclusive. You're right, though, it looks pretty expensive.

I've also chosen Over the Rainbow by Iz for my bridesmaids to walk down on but have not yet decided on what song I will walk down in. Since the ceremony is only about 20-30 minutes, and minimum time you can rent the steel drum band is about an hour, can you add the leftover time for the reception? How does it work? Sorry if it sounds like a dumb question. LOL

Wow, that is a neat idea...I like the part about being able to marry in a chapel and still be overlooking the beach...unfortunately (or fortunately, depends on how you look at it..LOL) it looks as though we are pretty set on Jamaica and especially the Riu Ocho Rios...I wish the Riu had that option, though. Thanks for the advice!

I guess we would get married on a wednesday, then...i guess a two day difference isn't so bad. Thanks for the clarification!

Aaarrghhhh..I'm so torn...thanks for all the info about having a catholic wedding in Jamaica. I'll be sure to keep it in mind. I'm Catholic but my FI is not...my dream has been to have a beach wedding but my parents dream of me having a nice, catholic wedding in church...and I'm the first in my family to get married and the second-oldest (I'm a younger twin..LOL). Not sure what to do, although it seems much simpler and more stress-free to have a beach wedding. What do you suggest? I wish I can just have my beach wedding with a priest performing the ceremony but I know that's not possible...oh well, a girl can dream, right?

That's awesome, thanks so much for the info...

So, is this two full days meaning two business days or just two regular days (including weekend)? Just curious because I would really like to be married on November 8, 2010, which is a Monday and it seems most of our guests would prefer a Saturday/Sunday departure.

Can I request the price list, too, please? Thanks so much...that's really awesome! [email protected]

Same here Tauristar! We thought we would take it easy since our wedding won't be for awhile yet but it's looking more and more like there are some things we really need to get started on. And ours isn't even until November 2010...LOL

Wow! Thanks everyone, for all the lovely greetings...I'm so very glad I found this forum!! It's a godsend!

That was an incredible story, I swear I was tearing up...it was really romantic! That was great! Kudos to Tony for a well-planned and thoughtful proposal!! That just proves how well he really knows you...

Oh wow, I have a similar problem only it's with me and I don't want to invite certain family members. I've talked to my mom about it and she said to just invite them as a courtesy and they may not even go anyway since we're not exactly on the best of terms. But they're family so we have to extend them the courtesy. Maybe your aunt may decide not to come since she knows how your mother might feel about her being there and if she is looking for your best interests, may not want to take the chance it will spoil your wedding. Good luck!

Hi, we're planning for Nov 2010, and it's looking like it will be the Riu Ocho Rios for us! It's funny because all my family and friends are always saying that it's still too far away to plan anything but am I glad to have found this forum. I never knew there would be so much to plan already so early on.

Thanks. You know this forum got me hooked. When I first came upon it, I thought it was so great because I didn't know where to start. Now I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with all the info that I'm still not sure where to start my planning...LOL At least it looks like we're decided on where we will be having it....hahaha

Hi everyone, My name is Sherryl and I a getting married in November 2010, not sure of the exact date yet, at the Riu Ocho Rios. This forum is amazing, I look forward to communicating with everyone and reading about each other's journey to the wedding of their dreams. Regards, Sherryl