Brenners

Maritza, maybe if you have enough people come then you can take over the resort and make it into a party zone! How many people are you thinking?

I need motivation as well. I have a gym membership but have not used it in ages. I have been getting better about my eating habits. Now I just need to increase my activity from non-existent to somewhat mobile....

It is a lot. I will feel much better once we choose the location.

I love that idea for using the terrace as a bridal brunch. It is perfect for that!

I love Marry Me by Train but Jason Mraz has so many great songs as well. Since it isn't a traditional wedding, it is difficult to find the right song. We are also trying to find the right location in Mexico so I think we need to finalize that before we decide on the song.

I know! They are gorgeous! And there is so much space in just the rooms themselves. So lovely.

I will need to look at Honeymoon registries and determine if that is the way to go for us. Where and how do you do that???

My sister is now going to throw a bridal shower for me so it appears out of my hands. Lol. So now to decide where to register and for what items. I guess it is a small concession for those unable to attend so I need to focus and pick my battles carefully.

Wanted to share this with everyone. A girlfriend of mine found this and send to me. http://www.auctionmasters.com/index.shtml They are auctioning off dresses at low prices so check it out to see if there is anything you like!

Thank you everyone! I am looking forward to choosing a site.

Hi Babygirl! Ceiba has an AI and a European plan option. They are a little more than a half hour from the airport, however, if you arrange transportation to and from the airport with vans, then the ride goes pretty quickly when you have many people together. Ceiba doesn't have any arranged kid activities but Dreams and Barcelo do have kids areas. Puerto Morelos doesn't have a reputation for a huge nightlife but I haven't done much research to determine if there are places to go for dancing and fun at night. Barcelo does have a dance club and most things you want - just a longer distance from the airport. The other nice option about Barcelo is that they have lodging for all price ranges. Lillion at Barcelo was very sweet and helpful - we had to reschedule for a later time and I think she stayed beyond her regular hours to show us around and answer our questions. Good luck with making your decision - I understand how difficult it is as we still haven't decided ourselves!

nsousa that would be great to see your pics! I will post mine this weekend from the places we viewed (Barcelo being one!) to share as well.

Diana was the best! Very sweet and helpful. Was it just me or were the penthouse suites HEAVEN???!!! I have had friends look at it online and they are falling in love with it as well!

I have a silly problem but would like advice and guidance with it. My FI and I are in our 30's, gainfully employed and have been for several years, and we have most items that people would need when just starting their lives together. My FI and I do not want any gifts but all the feedback that I am receiving is that people will want to give gifts regardless - especially those unable to attend the wedding and who will instead attend the AHR. I feel greedy for asking people to pay to come to Mexico for our wedding as well as get us a gift but there doesn't appear to be a way out of this. I have suggested to people to give to charities in our name but they want to buy us something to keep and cherish as part of our wedding gifts for years to come. Do I just give in and register and let people buy gifts if they choose to do so? Like I said, it is a silly problem and certainly we can find things for which we could register, but it just feels strange to me. Your help is greatly appreciated!

Hi Maritza! Which Dreams did you stay? We are considering Dreams Riviera Cancun and it seemed fairly quiet but we were staying at the loudest hotel on the planet so anything would seem quiet in comparison! We went last week - Thursday we saw Barcelo Maya and Friday we saw Dreams Riviera Cancun and then Ceiba del Mar. It is really difficult to decide. But I am really leaning toward Ceiba. It is really going to come down to pricing I think. I cannot wait to finally make a decision as I want to move past this part and continue with the rest!

Hi GKGC! I am sorry that you did not have a good experience with Me by Melia. Privacy and intimacy (which I am guessing you would want with your FI being in the public eye) is not something you would get there. Ceiba really would fit that bill well. Diana at Ceiba was great - very knowledgeable and helpful. I would highly recommend looking at their resort and discussing your needs with them as they seemed very accommodating. And having only one wedding per day makes you feel very special as you should on your wedding day!

Ok, so we went to Dreams Riviera Cancun and the site is quite lovely. The rooms are nice but about only 40% face the ocean. They have a few pools as well as a couple of whirlpools. They have beach locations as well as a gazebo location by the pool area for wedding ceremonies. They have restaurants, beach and pool areas for reception locations and they also allow you to use the whirlpool areas for the cocktail hour. When we arrived, there were people ready to pounce us for timeshares which was irritating but they backed off when we told them we were there to meet a WC. They have 2-3 weddings per day. We also got the opportunity to view Ceiba del Mar Beach and Spa Resort that afternoon. It was by far our favorite. 88 rooms in total and all face the ocean. Two swimming pools - one with a swim up bar. Option for AI or European plan. Grounds are beautifully kept. The hotel has the most authentic Mexican feel to it. Rooms all are very modern but are decorated with Mexican touches. Most of their materials are from the area that they have used to build the resort. They recycle and have built the resort to blend in with the natural environment. They have options for wedding ceremonies on the beach, at the end of the pier and they only do one wedding per day so you have the run of the resort. You can have the cocktail hour at the end of the pier, beach and on the roof top of one of the buildings. The reception can be in a restaurant, on the beach or on the patio - all of which are very private. The best part are the 7 penthouse suites on the top of each building. Two full baths, two sitting/living areas, large bedroom and a HUGE balcony overlooking the ocean and property with a whirlpool tub. Downsides are that at least one of the buildings lost an elevator in the 2005 hurricane and the designer/property owner has no intention to replace it. There are not a lot of activities on site, however, it is a 10 minute walk on the beach to Puerto Morelos which is a lovely little town with great restaurants and a reef right off the shore where you can do some great snorkeling. I hope this helps. I am torn between all three.

My FI and i just looked at CDM today and we were in love with it! I love that they only have one wedding per day so that you have run of the place for your special day! We need to review the information and ask additional questions as well as go through pros and cons of each place that is in the running but I would definitely stay there for a vacation in the future!

Thanks Merrylee! We have viewed Avalon Reef and Privilege Auluxes on Isla Mujeres and Dreams Rivieria Cancun, Barcelo Maya Beach and Resorts and Ceiba del Mar Beach and Spa. We are torn between the last three and need to do lots of research before we decide. Have you done a site visit at Moon Palace?

We are in Cancun as we speak. We had planned this trip for several months to get away from the brutal MN winter. Our second day here, my boyfriend was very intent on going to a nice restaurant for a romantic dinner which I thought was odd - we usually do those our last night on vacation. We chose to go to Casitas at the Ritz Carlton where we had our own private gazebo on the beach for our dinner. After dinner, our server readied the loveseat style beach chair for us and while snuggling there, my fiance got down on one knee and proposed with the ring in hand. I was so happy I cried - and said yes! I am so lucky! And already we are viewing properties and meeting with wedding coordinators - no time like the present!

Also, congrats on your wedding! We saw a wedding on the Palace beach there today and it was quite lovely. What options did you choose for your ceremony and reception? There are so many there from which to choose!

Hi Babygirl! We will only be visiting Dreams Riviera Cancun tomorrow which is near Puerto Morelos. Today we viewed Barcelo Maya Beach Resort which is quite beautiful. We saw a wedding on the beach - secluded area of the Palace Resort there. The gazebo is also a lovely option for a wedding. We also saw a couple other options for beach weddings there as well - they have 5 hotels and they all go along the coast line. The pool areas at each hotel is HUGE and there are separate pools for kids as well as water activities at each location. The rooms are very nice but only a few at the Palace have ocean views and you have to have a Premium stay to get one of those. There are many options for receptions as well - on the beach as well as restaurant options. There is also an option for a reception at one of their meeting rooms but they look like a ballroom/meeting room at any hotel where there are no windows and it is very sterile feeling. There is a shuttle bus that transports guests between the hotels. If a guest is staying at one of the less expensive hotels, they still can come to the wedding and reception at any hotel, however, if they want to simply hang out at one of the more expensive hotels, then they need to pay a day pass ($95 but you get a 25% discount for having your wedding there). The Palace is the most expensive, the Colonial and Tropical are next and finally it is the Beach and Caribe. If you stay at the Palace then you can access all amenities and restaurants across the resort. Tropical and Colonial can access restaurants and amenities at their own location as well as Caribe and Beach. Caribe and Beach are the least expensive and can only access restaurants and amenities in those areas. There is a dance club on site as well as tennis courts, mini golf, and a soccer field. Guests can also rent a golf cart for $70 per day. They have 5-6 weddings per day and have 5 wedding coordinators there. We will review our options and put together emails with additional questions we may have so I hope you find this helpful with what I have thus far. Still researching!

Thank you so much! We are doing a site visit tomorrow so I need to brush up on areas I may have questions regarding.

We are staying at the Me Cancun as we speak. Here are my thoughts as promised: 1. Rooms: Unless you upgrade to a junior suite, the vast majority of rooms do not have a balcony. My guests would prefer a balcony if they are flying all the way to Mexico and staying on the ocean, but the upgrade to the junior suite is very spendy. Something to think about for your guests. Rooms themselves are nice and big enough. Bathroom shower is a rain shower and it is great but the shower floor is not slanted properly toward the drain so the water does not drain properly and you have an inch of water after each shower. Bathroom also has a hair dryer. Lots of shelf space on the counter, a shelf above the counter and also below the counter in the bathroom. Each room has a safe, flat screen tv and the mini bar. We are unable to get messages off our phone as the instructions are in Spanish and the front desk has not returned our call to request that they assist us with this. Beds are firm but much more comfortable than some in Mexico. 2. Ceremony location: Beach only. They do have a lovely "arch" with tulle and flowers where the bride and groom get married, however, keep in mind that the sun goes behind all the high-rise hotels around 3:30 - 4:00 in February so if that is the time of year you are considering, then your wedding would be in a shadow. Also, beach-goers will be right there watching the ceremony which doesn't make it very private. We saw a wedding here so I was able to view that. 3. Reception: Outdoor reception is by the pool so again, not private. The Beach House restaurant and swim up bar are nearby so the noise from those drinking in the pool is very loud and right near the reception site. 4. Noise: This is a VERY noisy hotel. The doors and walls are paper thin and you can hear people showering in the room next door and when you walk down the hallway. Also, some floors have open areas to the floor above/below so that noise filters down to the rooms near the elevators. Also, people getting on and off the elevators can be heard in rooms near them. The Rose Bar (on the ground floor) can get very noisy - we are on the 3rd floor and we can still hear the music which doesn't stop until 1:30 am. 5. Food: The food is very bland. The crispy grouper at the Beach House is awful - it could be chicken, a pork chop, who knows inside of the 1/2 inch thick breading. Breakfast buffet at Salt/Silk is ok but you really can't go wrong with fresh fruit and juice. 6. Location: Very close to Senor Frogs, Margaritaville, Bubba Gump - all are within walking distance. It is very close to La Isla mall - has Coach, Benetton, Nike, etc....and again easily within walking distance. 7. Staff: Very friendly and the concierge desk is very helpful for planning trips, excursions and where to find places. Beware of staff wanting to show you the resort as they are obviously interested in selling you a timeshare. What we have noticed, and I am not sure if this is due to the change in ownership and the switch to all-inclusive, is that no one staff will give you the same answer to a question. You are told at check-in that Salt/Silk are the only restaurants requiring a reservation for dinner. Yet you go to the Beach House for dinner and are told you cannot eat there without a reservation. Also, they do not provide you with any information on the hours for each meal at the restaurants. Sometimes Salt/Silk are open and other times they are not. Very confusing. 8. Beach: Large beach, chairs are difficult to come by and no shade whatsoever until the sun is hidden behind the hotels. Bali beds are for VIP guests only and some can be reserved for $100 per day. Cigarette butts litter the beach even though they claim to be a nonsmoking resort. Also, there is smoking throughout the hotel as well - rooms, lobby. The only place I haven't encountered smoking are the indoor restaurants. 9. All-inclusive: Not really. They say that the water, drinks and "dry snacks" are included in the mini-bar, however, only the very small bottles of water, small bottles of beer (never have I seen a beer bottle so small!), coke and sprite are part of the all-inclusive package. Normal sized water, beer and ALL the dry snacks are extra. Room service is $5 per person per use. You have to sign a check at all restaurants for every meal where they include a section to tip. Just some things to consider when thinking about your wedding venue options. I hope this helps!

In Cancun this week and hoping to see this resort. Has anyone visited and if so, what recommendations do you have regarding this resort? Just a few days left to research and am so disappointed with options on Isla Mujeres. Loved the vibe but did not like the hotels. Privilege Auluxes is next to a cemetary so some rooms have a view of that and you have to cross a road to get to the "private" beach. Avalon Reef is private but the beach is small, has no all-inclusive option and the rooms in the tower are small, lack ac and have no balconies. The villas are lovely but more expensive. Getting frustrated with trying to find what we want and need. HELP!!!