violetvixen

not to be a nag... but I'm dying for a new DT review to read, or some photos to look at! I know we have some newly married ladies on this board, so how 'bout it?

Quote: Originally Posted by sungoddess_08 I was looking all over for one like this!! I love the back! Where did you find it? I got it at edressme.com. They have lots of white/ ivory dresses, including several Nicole Millers. fyi though, they don't take returns, only exchanges. But it's worth checking out. Thank you ladies, for your compliments

god, I really wish I had better pictures, but here you go... my Nicole Miller gown. As you can see I'm standing on a chair; the dress is really long on me and I'll need to get the hem taken up. Also, the dress is super wrinkled, needs to be steamed! but you get the the idea.

Here's mine! The diamond was in the ring that my dad proposed to my mom with. We had a new setting made for it.

Quote: Originally Posted by gimliori We finally finished our review! If we didn't do the review soon after coming home, we both knew that it would never have been completed. The forum helped us so much that we wanted to let others know how it went for us. Any questions, feel free to ask! We had a fabulous time at Dreams Tulum! Review: http://bestdestinationwedding.com/fo...9/#post1101492 Pictures: Dreams Tulum Wedding pictures by gimliori - Photobucket gimliori, thanks so much for posting your review. your wedding photos are so lovely! Could you answer a question about about the itinerary of your wedding day? Our ceremony will also be at 3pm and I'm wondering what time the cocktail hour and reception started for you, so I know what to expect. thanks

thanks so much for the review, maggie! so glad to hear that you had a wonderful wedding experience.

Quote: Originally Posted by violetvixen I love dress #2, it is so beautiful on you and really flatters your figure. Dress #1 is a big NO. Maybe it's just the photos, but the fabric looks sort of... cheapy. Buy dress #2 and no more second guessing! oops, I just read through to the end of the thread and see that you went with a different dress. It looks perfect! Congrats on finding your gown!

I love dress #2, it is so beautiful on you and really flatters your figure. Dress #1 is a big NO. Maybe it's just the photos, but the fabric looks sort of... cheapy. Buy dress #2 and no more second guessing!

Quote: Originally Posted by jmb0902 Has anyone heard that you can't have your reception at the adult/relax pool on Saturday nights b/c of a show they do that takes place there?? I just want to make sure I'm not getting the run around =) I was on tripadvisor.com recently (I read the reviews for DT there from time to time) and someone had posted that they were irritated that the evening events are scheduled around, or sometimes cancelled due to, weddings at the resort. Actually several of the reviews pointed out that DT really prioritizes their wedding business over that of the standard vacationers. It sounded to me that entertainment is scheduled around the location of wedding receptions. Which, I suppose, is good news for us here on this board!

Quote: Originally Posted by BellaBeachBabe What time were you hoping to start the reception? I believe most receptions start around 6-6:30pm (regardless of the time of ceremony) and end 4 hours later. Therefore receptions must end at 10-10:30pm.(for outdoor receptions) Aurora agreed to extend my reception until 11pm Don't forget the cocktail hour, that could be from 5:30-6:30pm....if you have the ceremony at 4pm, you'l have plenty of time for pics before the reception. I personally think an hour earlier is better than an hour later.... > My ceremony is at 3pm. I REALLY hope they allow our reception start earlier than 6-6:30pm. Three hours between ceremony and reception is way too long, even with a cocktail hour. What are others' experiences with the timing?

@vlynnw, thanks for posting that article. It will be convenient to have an airport in Tulum, however, I'm not sure how I feel about this ( quote from article): "The Costa Maya, a 60-mile stretch of untouched paradise, along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, is now being developed into Mexico’s next big tourist destination." At least the goal is to keep the new development sustainable and eco-friendly.

Does anyone know what the deal is with rectangular tables vs. round for the reception? I love the rectangular table in some of the photos at the adult/relax pool and am wondering if we can request that, or if it's only for very small groups. We're expecting 25-30 guests. I think it's such a nice variation on the traditional 8-10 person round table.

Quote: Originally Posted by AmyandRich http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy4/Amy Hi everyone!! The attached link is to photobucket where I put a few photos of 2 weddings at Dreams Tulum that I had the privelage of looking in on. The photos show: 1. The format of the flowers on the canopy (3 clusters) which is an option for the Ultimate package 2. Flowers used to create an aisle which is the other option for an ultimate package. I wa told that if you want both, there is an additional $150 charge. 3. A reception table set up at the Dolphin pool 4. A close up of the white table cloth that is included in package. 5. The "sound system" --- it's a large speaker on a pole. I was quoted $160 for reception (including classical music played while the guests are being seated) and $220 for the reception - you supply music Other items I found out: 1. They have a huge book of fabrics to use for bows, table cloths ect. I asked for a sheer overlay, in a custom color (color I want is not in the book) and was quoted $20 per table. 2. Bouquet... All of the photos of the resort bouquets are just "models". You choose the general shape of the one you like and then they create it in your colors. 3. Locations for receptions/cocktail hour... we toured them all and you pretty much can't go wrong with any!! In case it matters to you...if you choose a location by one of the pools, be prepared for people to still be wimming in it during your reception. @AmyandRich- the link doesn't appear to be working. I would love to see these photos, could you try again? thanks

My first communication with Vanessa was three weeks ago when I inqured about photography services for our wedding. She immediately told me that she had our wedding date available. I was impressed with her quick responses to my questions, and her willingness to be flexible with the packages offered. I was also thrilled that her prices were within our budget. We corresponded several times about the details, I signed and faxed her the contract two weeks ago, and made my 50% deposit via Pay Pal last week. I did not hear anything after making the deposit, nor did I ever receive a copy of the contract with Vanessa’s signature, which she stated she would fax to me. Today I got an email from Vanessa stating that she was very sorry, but turns out that she had already booked another wedding on the same day as ours. This is after 3 WEEKS of corresponding with me. I’m not going to speculate about whether this was an honest mistake, or whether Vanessa simply received a better offer from a client who wanted a longer shoot/ more expensive photography package. I will say that at the very least, this reflects a lack of organization and professionalism. Our wedding is still 8 months away, so I’m hopeful that I can find a photographer who will be a good fit for us. I’m just really disappointed, and feel that my time was wasted. This forum has been a great resource for me, and I wanted this information to be available for other brides. Thanks for reading.

Quote: Originally Posted by krista.baird Yeah! I thought that was pretty ridiculous when I heard the price. However, what I don't understand is the wedding guide for 2010 that Aurora sent me, it says $150 for ceremony for 30 minutes, not $165 as she quoted me. But it definitely does say $240 for the reception for 3 hours. That's $390 just for a speaker system for the ceremony and reception!! Maybe a few of us brides should buy a speaker system and share it, since there are a few of us getting married around the same time, you on June 19, I think there are a few in the last week of June, and I'm July 10, and then jayreneewed on July 15. We could split the cost of buying a system, and then just pass it from bride to bride hmm... nice idea krista, but who would get to keep it afterward? seriously though, I am considering buying and bringing our own iPod docking station. I guess we would still need to rent the resort's sound system for the ceremony so we could have the microphone, but at least then we wouldn't have to also rent it for the reception. I'll use that $240 toward the docking station which will be of use to us for years to come!

it does sounds like the cost for renting speakers has gone up from $150 to $165. As in, $165 for the ceremony, then another $165 for the reception. Heck, for that price I can just buy one of the Bose iPod docking stations and bring it with me! They have a portable one for $300, and they have a big sound that I think would really carry outside.

Hi Ladies- I'm curious what the wedding day itinerary looks like. Our ceremony is at 3:00pm. Should I assume that the cocktail hour starts at 4:00, and the reception at 5:00? I'm wondering if a 4-hour photography package (2:00 to 6:00pm) will be sufficient to capture at least a bit of the reception dinner. Thanks

thanks amyandrich, for answering my question. on another note, I'm having a minor freakout about photography. We've asked a dear friend/ impressive amateur photographer to shoot our wedding, and offered to pay her travel expenses as compensation for her services. She initially agreed, but now may be unable to attend due to some unexpected medical issues. I emailed for quotes from some of the professionals that others on this board have used, and I just don't think we have the budget for it. However, I'm afraid to rely on the resort photographer (which is included in our wedding package) as I've heard extremely mixed reviews. Do any already-marrieds have images from the resort photographer that they can share? Or any feedback about using this service? Thanks in advance!

@ddk5576- I am a little confused. Is Dreams asking you to sign a contract this far ahead of time? We put down our deposit for June 19, 2010 several months ago, and have recevied a confirmation # from the wedding coordinator, but have not heard anything about a contract. Have other brides signed their contracts for 2010 weddings?? Should I be concerned?

p.s. where are the bridesmaids' dresses from?? they are gorgeous.

oh Yean! my heart is aflutter after looking at your pics. what a beautiful wedding! Our wedding is at Dreams Tulum next June and I can only hope our event is half as amazing as yours looks

stick with natural fabrics, like silk or cotton. avoid polyester.

not to be too gender-biased here, but I think most guys ultimately are going to love the dress that YOU feel beautiful wearing. If FI points out dresses in magazines that he likes, which are totally different than your taste, I would trust your gut and go with what you like. Most women have a clue about what flatters them, more than their partners who pick their favorite from some random pictures. that said, it is a nice thing when the groom has an opinion about something.

I love #1, that neckline is so flattering on you!

barefoot. but I plan to get some raspberry-colored strappy heels for the reception (our wedding colors are ocean blue and raspberry).