lisaann214

Quote: Originally Posted by joemama718 Hi LisaAnn, We probably won't do our visit before the wedding Nov 12th weekend, until September. I'm assuming that will give Inise enough time for us to put together details. To be honest, I haven't been doing very much planning, but like you, music is very important to us. A number of our friends can DJ the event, but like our photographer friends, we would prefer for them to be able to enjoy the event and hire both a DJ and steel drum band. Was the rockhouse not able to help with that? I'll let you know if i find anything out. Cheers. A Inise is able to book the band and DJ for you, and you don't have to pay a deposit which is great news! But you don't have any selection as to the vendor. They do not have demo tapes, references, etc. I'm not even sure if it is the same people that do all of the Rockhouse weddings or if it varies depending on availability. Inise said that the Steel Drum band can learn music if you want a specific song played. And you can provide a DJ with the play list. I'm sure it will end up being fine, but I am just nervous about it. I went to a wedding with a bad DJ, and it made for really awkward moments! Other than that, the planning has been super easy! Lisa

This message is for anyone who has attended a wedding at the Rockhouse hotel... I am looking for feedback about the steel drum band and DJ. I am really concerned about booking them. Music is so important to my fiance and I. But it doesn't sound like we have a choice as to which band or DJ is used. Also, neither of them have demos! I am looking to have traditional wedding music played by the steel drum band. And then I want a DJ that doesn't just play songs like the electric slide and the chicken dance. The last thing I want to do is fly someone over from the states. So I'm hoping there is someone out there who can reassure me:-) Thanks! Lisa

The weather at the Rockhouse was good when we were there (April 23-2. It rained one night around sunset and another day in the morning. But it was just for a little bit and other than that it was sunny. We spent a couple of days in Montego Bay, and it rained a for two days basically straight. I'm not sure if Negril had the same problem or if Montego Bay has different weather. I'm telling myself that Negril just has better weather because I want to get married outside!!! Lisa

Did you ever find out any information about Sound Illusion? Or do you have any other DJ companies you recommend? I'm having my wedding at the Rockhouse and they provide pricing for one. But since the DJ can really make a party great, I want to ensure I'm getting a good one. Thanks! Lisa

Here's the pricing for their associates. I received it a couple of days ago. Their photos look great too. SUN GOLD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSOCIATE PRICING Associate’s portfolios may be viewed by going to Sun Gold Photography Associates and clicking on portfolios. Each set of initials represents an individual Photographers work. Pricing below reflects the individual photographers fees associated with the initials on the portfolio. Associate Photographer (A.G.) Intimate Package Monday – Thursday only Up to 3 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 850.00 Associate Photographer (A.G) Silver Package Up to 5 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 1700.00 Associate Photographer (A.G) Gold Package Up to 10 hours photography location time Day can be split to accommodate a Rehearsal Dinner or Trash the Dress Session Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images 1 DVD Photo Show (approx 100 images set to music) Total 2000.00 Associate Photographer’s (R.S. or K.R.) Intimate Package Monday-Thursday only Up to 3 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 1200.00 Associate Photographer’s (R.S or K.R.) Silver Package Up to 5 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 1950.00 Associate Photographer’s (R.S. or K.R.) Gold Package Up to 10 hours photography location time Day can be split to accommodate a Rehearsal Dinner or Trash the Dress Session Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images 1 DVD Photo Show (approx 100 images set to music) Total 2200.00 Associate Photographer’s (M.E. or S.S. or A.S.) Intimate Package Monday – Thursday only Up to 3 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 1500.00 Associate Photographer’s (M.E. or S.S. or A.S.) Silver Package Up to 5 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 2400.00 Associate Photographer’s (M.E. or S.S. or A.S.) Gold Package Up to 8 hours photography location time Day can be split to accommodate a Rehearsal Dinner or Trash the Dress Session Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images 1 DVD Photo Show (approx 100 images set to music) Total 2900.00 Associate Photographer (B.N.) Intimate Package Monday – Thursday only Up to 3 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 2100.00 Associate Photographer (B.N.) Silver Package Up to 5 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 2900.00 Associate Photographer (B.N.) Gold Package Up to 8 hours photography location time Copyright free CD/DVD containing high- resolution files of all usable images Total 3500.00

Hi Everyone, I just paid my deposit. Yea! It's been a hard decision so far (FI is Australian and my family is on the east coast of the US so deciding on a spot was tough). But we picked Jamaica, and I am so excited about it! Username: Lisaann214 Name: Lisa and Daniel Location: Rockhouse Hotel Date: May 1, 2010 In Jamaica: ?

I just got back from a week in Jamaica. I spend two nights at the Rockhouse, and I was so impressed. I absolutely loved it, and when we moved to the next resort (Half Moon), I missed the Rockhouse. As long as everything goes well with the contract, we're going to have our wedding there!!! I'm so excited! The staff was super friendly, and the service was great. The resort is even prettier than on the website. You just climb down the ladders and you're on a reef. They have snorkeling equipment at the pool, and it is totally worth it. The water was warm and clear. Even my mom who hates swimming loved it. They had water noodles and rafts at the pool area (these were left overs from other guests) which made the snorkeling even more relaxing. You can even explore old pirate caves depending on how adventurous you are. Near the resort are some smaller jerk restaurants, beer gardens, and souvinier shops. We felt safe walking around. The only dangerous part is that there aren't sidewalks. It was really easy to get to other parts of Negril. Kenny Tours has a couple of buses on site waiting to take guests around. The fares are set, and they will come pick you up which is great. I think they also do day trips. ACCOMMODATIONS (A): We stayed in a villa and premium villa. The villas are round huts with a wall that divides the bathroom from the sleeping area. They have 120 degree views of the ocean. They are pretty basic. No TV or hair dryers, but they had everything you needed including shampoo, conditioner, soap, and aloe. The bathrooms are the interesting part. There are no doors separating the "bathroom" area. Both had an outdoor shower which is fun and an indoor sink. The villa had an indoor toilet. Therefore, I would not recommend that you put guests together that do not know each other. The premium villa had an outdoor toilet so there is privacy there...except people walking by might be able to hear you! I think the standard rooms have a normal shower and a door to the bathroom. There seem to be a couple of other differences between the two villas: size and level of privacy. I think both were private enough though. My mom thinks that she is going to just do a villa to save money. Either are great though. The main difference between the studios/ standard room and the villas is that the former are all one building that looks like motel. I do not think there are views. The inside was very similar to the villas. FOOD ( The breakfast and lunches were really good. But we were really disappointed with our dinner that we had in the main restaurant. It was really bland. This is the primary concern we really have about having our wedding there. They just purchased the restaurant next door so there are two options, but only the main restaurant can do weddings. DRINK (D) The drinks, especially at the pool, are really small which makes drinking super expensive. This is an issue because they do not do per person drink pricing. Therefore, you have to pay for every drink without a discount. They will bring in special alcohol for you, but they add their mark up to it. Therefore, serving a nice bottle of scotch could cost you $500! Not so happy about this as I think our alcohol budget for 80 people is going to end up being $5K! RECEPTION CHOICES (A) There are three areas where you can have a party. The pool, main restaurant, and terrace by the Pushcart restaurant. All of them are great and have wonderful views of the sunset. I think we are going to have our reception at the restaurant because I want to have it in a separate place from the ceremony, but the pool area is great too. They have white table cloths, 8 foot rectangle tables, and chairs so you don't have to worry about renting anything. FLEXIBILITY (A) This is my favorite part about having a wedding here. They seem so accommodating. The wedding coordinator will do what you want. It makes me feel like my wedding will be unique and special. This was something that I didn't like when I was looking to have a wedding at an AI. WEDDING CONTRACT (TBD) We just received our wedding contract. Everything seemed standard except that there is a clause stating that the menu prices could increase by 15-20% because 2010 prices are not set. I'm trying to see what can be done about this. It seems like a completely crazy increase given inflation. Here's the link to some pictures I took. Picasa Web Albums - lisalobalzo - JamaicaScouti... Let me know if you have other questions. Lisa

Quote: Originally Posted by joemama718 Hi, I am a rockhouse bride weekend of Nov 12 - 15 2009. We visited the rockhouse for my 30th birthday and decided that it would be the perfect vibe for a carefree, tropical, but modern wedding. I'm just now in the process of finalizing my contract, but it looks like someone has already cut and pasted the info from there. Would love to get in touch with any other rockhouse brides to hear more about their planning issues - especially since other than having selected the location - i haven't done much else Also, happy to help answer any questions i can along the way. Cheers, Angela Angela, That is is funny that you went there for your 30th birthday. That's my excuse for my visit next week! Do you have any recommendations for locations for the rehersal dinner or guest activities outside of the hotel? I am going to check those out on my visit too. Thanks! Lisa

Shannon, I'm having a larger wedding so I am not too familiar with this restriction. But my initial email from Inise, the wedding coordinator, said that they are willing to have smaller weddings as long as they are less than 10 rooms/ 20 people. Hope this helps! Lisa

Hi Ladies, After months of searching around for that perfect destination, I think I've finally found it...Rockhouse resort in Negril! While there is some information on the forum about the hotel, it seems to be scattered. So I thought I would start a new thread. I'm going to visit the resort the end of April so I'll post pictures and a review as soon as I get back. But in the meantime, I have a couple of questions for those of you already booked. Do you have to pay extra for chairs at the ceremony? If so, how much? Do they charge you extra for the table set up at the restaurant or is that included in the price of the reception? Any pricing information (beyond the dinner prices) is much appreciated as I just kicked off budgeting with the FI (he had no idea how much weddings cost so that did not go over well!) Thanks! Lisa

Hi All, I'm also looking into having a wedding there in May 2010. Inise, the wedding coordinator, works every day except Sat and Tues. She typically takes lunch around 2:30 eastern time. Don't hold me to this, but I believe all dates in 2009 might be taken. And the first time they will do a wedding in 2010 is April (as someone mentioned no high season weddings). The last weekend in April and first weekend in May are already taken, but I'm not sure about any other dates. I'm going to visit the property the end of April so I'll post pictures and write a review when I get back. Lisa

Hi Angela, Welcome! I am considering getting married at Rockhouse. I'm flying down there in a couple of weeks to check it out. I have such a good feeling about it. Also, I'm going to start a Rockhouse brides thread so we can start trading stories and advice. Lisa

[/php] Quote: Originally Posted by leobunny Hi Latoya! Beautiful wedding!! After looking at your pics I decided hands down, I want my wedding there!! Forget Mexico :-) What were the stipulations for the deposit (i.e is it a % of your total room bill etc)? Is it made in payments or one lump sum? Thanks! Here is an email I received from their wedding coordinator last week. Hope this helps. Lisa Thank you for your interest in the Rockhouse. Rockhouse requires where all 34 rooms are booked in order to do a wedding on property. If this requirement cannot be met a minimum of 27 rooms must be booked by wedding guests. CLIENT will be required to fill or pay for a total of 27 rooms where all 34 rooms are not filled or less than 27 rooms are filled. We have policy so we can accommodate smaller, more intimate weddings at the hotel. As long as the wedding group remains small in relation to the size of the hotel there would be no problems. And so we are now making the hotel available for hosting weddings for up to 10 rooms or 20 people. For larger groups than this we will retain the policy of requiring that the whole hotel (34 rooms) be booked. We also continue to have a policy of no more than one wedding in any week to ensure that our team has the time needed to focus on this very special day. The deposit amount which is required to secure a wedding date is US$4000. Rockhouse requires a three night’s minimum stay. We accept children twelve years and older as we are located on the cliff it dangerous for younger children. Our food and beverage minimum to close our restaurant for an event is $8000 not including tax and service charge. However you also have the option of dining at the pool side the night of the wedding. There isn’t a food and beverage minimum for this area however there is a 50 person’s minimum to close the pool area for a function. The US$4000 deposit will go towards your 50% food deposit as soon as we have finalized menu prices for 2009. All rooms will be held for a minimum of three nights a deposit of 3 nights is required to confirm all reservations. Please advise if you have any alternate dates. Refunds will be made with notice:- 1. 30 days or more prior to the wedding date 50 percent of deposit cancellation penalty. 2. 30 days or less, no refund 3. All bookings to be guaranteed by deposit at least 4 months prior to date of the wedding. Simple Tropical Elegance The Rockhouse "Simple Tropical Elegance" package is the starting package for all weddings at the Rockhouse and includes; License and Legal Fees, Minister Charges, Choice of Location on the Rockhouse Grounds, Bottle of Champagne, Wedding Cake (for up to 6 people),Witness (if required), Decorated Wedding Location including Walkway Petals, Bridal Bouquet ($50 value) and Boutonniere. The cost of this package is US$750.00 plus a 8.25% Government tax.

Hi All, I've been engaged for 6 weeks and can't seem to make any forward progress because I am having trouble finding a resort that I like, in my price range, and has dates available. I'm considering the Azul Sensatori because they are the only property in my guest's budget that has availability. I haven't spoken with anyone there yet, but from reading the posts I'm not sure if it is the right spot for me. I'm looking to have about 80 people, but I want to have a private reception, rehersal, and brunch. Do they have areas for all of that? Having good music is the most important thing to me, and it sounds like the DJ isn't that great. Therefore, I there is a chance that I will want to bring one (and probably a photographer too). Will they give me a hard time about that. I also want to have something that feels customized, but it sounds like they aren't very flexible at all. Lastly, did you get the sense that they nickeled and dimed you for everything. It seems like there are so many extra charges that it could get a bit annoying. If anyone has any words of encouragement or experience with any of my concerns, please let me know. Thanks! Lisa

Thank you all for your advice on a destination. We still haven't picked a spot, but I feel like we are making progress on the date and location choice, but it will most likely be Maya Riviera Mexico. As soon as I figure it all out, I'll let you know!