mexbride83

Tracy - Have you decided on where you are going to have your wedding? I am nervous about these food reviews. Hopefully it was a new chef or something and things will get straightened out! Also, I did not have any requirements in my contract about a minimum number of guests staying at the resort.

How much did hair and makeup cost together?

Quote: Originally Posted by lalanyc Hey Tracy, thanks for posting! Coincidentally, we also visited those hotels on our scouting trip (plus several others). Re: Ceiba, they do have a new coordinator named Lilia but it seems coordinator activities are being split between her and Diana. It's important to understand that Ceiba is definitely more hands off when it comes to wedding services. That's a good thing if you're willing to shop around for vendors and price compare. However, for brides that want a one-stop shop, this is definitely NOT the place for them. So far I have appreciated the ability to choose my own vendors but it is a lot of work (though I suppose it would have been the same effort if I were doing an at-home wedding)! If you are ok with being hands on, though, then you'll be ok. Also, there are several houses and condos very close to the hotel that could serve as cheaper options for guests on a budget. Would be happy to pass along details if you want. Good luck w/ your choices! I actually received an email from Lillia on May 13th informing me that she was leaving. It seems that they have a very high turnover rate with wedding coordinators, which does worry me. But Diana is wonderful to work with, so I mostly just go through her. And as you said, it's pretty much on you to plan the wedding at Ceiba, which is why we chose it. We didn't want a package wedding, so the wedding coordinator isn't as important, I suppose. Below is my email from Lillia. I love the "have a nice life" hahaha: Hello! This mail is just to let you know, that I won’t be working anymore at Ceiba del Mar. The new person who will be taking care of you and your wedding details is Paola Sánchez (same email address), she is working with me this days just to get familiarized with your files. My last day is on Saturday 15th May. It was a pleasure for me to work with you and be part of your dreams. Thanks for all, and thanks for let me work for you!! Have a really nice life!!! Lilia J. Giménez Anaya Coordinadora de Bodas y Grupos Wedding and Groups Coordinator Ceiba Del Mar Spa Resort Tel: + 52 998 872 8060 ext 282 Fax:+ 52 998 872 8061 The Ceiba del Mar Spa Resort - A Riviera Maya Luxury Hotel

Nicola - They look awesome! #1 was my favorite choice:)

Quote: Originally Posted by tweets.13 We are heading to Riviera Maya in a week to check out a few places, including Ceiba Del Mar. I'll post pictures when I return and will answer any questions! So exciting - I hope one of the resorts we are looking at is the one! that's great! I'd love to see your pics and hear your impressions. I'm already booked for my wedding there in May 2011, but haven't ever been and won't be going till the fall.

Quote: Originally Posted by Nicyx Were using Aqua... just one colour at the mo... just for table decoration etc as im not having any bridesmaids :-( I did my invites n RSVP with a aqua (ish) ribbon it. where i can i will incorporate the colour :-) Lots of people are using 2 colours though :-) What colours were you thinking? x Nicola - which invites did you end up going with?? I remember that forever ago you had us all vote on our favorites, but I never heard which you chose?

Wow, I cannot believe how different the dresses are online compared to in person! It's a huge difference. Everything looks so amazing, and I can't believe you made those fans yourself! Very impressive:)

Quote: Originally Posted by gingerlover36 I have a question...1st has anyone picked thier colors yet? If so what are you doing? AND If you have...do you plan to make your ceremony decorations/colors be the same as reception? I was thinking of doing two different looks but not sure if its a good idea or not I have picked my colors, I'm doing a pale turquoise and a bright pink. Mostly I picked them just because I have an image in my head of how I want my BMs to look! They'll be wearing this dress: and carrying a bouquet similar to this: I am not sure yet about the ceremony, kind of leaning towards an all white look. But for my reception, the flowers will probably just be tropical flowers with an array of bright colors, then we'll mix in my colors, having them on the menu cards, place cards, some decorations, etc.

Quote: Originally Posted by Madbride2009 Well... the fact is I never signed a contract with Euforia. We were still hashing out the details when I decided to call off the wedding. We had given them one deposit. When I canceled Hector told me that he could only give me 400 dollars back of the 1500 I gave as a deposit. When I pointed out that he didn't have a signed contract yet, hadn't purchased a single bloom, and the rental items were things he had in-house already, his response to me was that he had already given Andrea her commission. Well, he didn't know that ever since my site visit Andrea and I had become friends. She let me know that she hadn't gotten a penny of my money and recommended that I file a grievance with Mexico's version of the BBB. I did. Really, all I wanted was an explanation of how he could justify keeping all of my money. That's it. If it was justified I would have chalked it up to lesson learned. I won't go into some of the things Andrea told me about how his company has treated other brides because that's unsubstantiated. But let me tell you, I got off easier than some. Hector also threatened me with his "family of lawyers" and to this day I haven't received a dime from him and he won't respond to any of my emails and he has not shown up to three of the court hearings claiming that he hasn't gotten notification of them. A bunch of bullcrap if you ask me. His attitude was extremely unprofessional. I realized that I would be out of pocket some money but to this extent seems like bad business to me. I'm now paying my parents back $7000 for a wedding I didn't get to have. They are furious with how Ceiba treated them. It got down to name calling in the end. But it's over now. We can all move on. All I've ever said on this site is for brides to read their contracts closely and ask questions (even unpleasant ones like "What if?") That way they can gain insight on who they're working with and what their policies are. And I've told my story honestly and openly. It's insult to injury during such a sad time in my life to have to deal with unsavory business people as well. I wish you much luck with everything. Wow, that is a really really horrible experience. I'm so sorry! I had a friend cancel her wedding and lose a ton of money in the process, and like you said, it just adds insult to injury in the end, because it was hard enough to end it, but even worse to deal with all the vendors. And that was in the US with local vendors where it is at least easier to deal with than people in another country, with laws that don't protect consumers quite as well! I do agree with you, it does come down to the contracts, and I did have a lawyer (my uncle) review our contract with Ceiba and he made lots of changes! People just have to be extra careful in any and all contracts, here or in Mexico.

Hi bigboponthebeach - I'm one of your date twins! Getting married at Ceiba del Mar on May 28th. Azul Beach was actually our first choice, but at the time they didn't allow weddings larger than 50 people (I heard that they recently changed that policy). I LOVED the rooftop at Azul Sensatori for the wedding ceremony, but having a good beach was important to us, so that ended up being the deal breaker. Michelle is another date twin, at Barcelo Palace. And another newbie, pinchem to roberts, at Turks and Caicos. I'm pretty sure there is one more that I'm forgetting? Being as that it's a holiday weekend, I'm sure we'll have many more date twins:) Shoe shoppers - I just found these shoes online while procrastinating, and thought they'd make great beach wedding shoes if anyone is interested! Nicola, I especially thought of you as they're teal:) Save on the Charles David Buttons Leather Thong Sandal at SmartBargains.com

Quote: Originally Posted by pinchem to roberts Add 1 more for 2011, im getting married 5/28/2011. Congrats to all of you. Yay, another date twin!! There are already 3 of us on here:) What resort in T&C? We looked at the new Veranda Resort for awhile, but finally decided it was just too expensive for our guests. We still want to go there just the two of us some day though:)

Quote: Originally Posted by margin123 I just got back from putting the deposit on my dress!!! So pumped! That's my first thing off the list...now if only I could secure a sweet resort package!! Congrats!! Do you have any pictures of it??

Lindobride - Love your save the dates!! The front picture especially, with the map of Mexico. Did you design these all yourself? Also, I think Bonnie made a great suggestion with having the shower in the afternoon, as people will drink a lot less. I know what you mean about not wanting to insist on something when others are paying. My MOH is throwing my shower and every time she mentions ideas I'm always quick to try to insist on having it at someone's house or just somewhere cheaper. But I think if you just explain it to your mom, and also offer to pitch in, she'd understand. Nicola - Are hen nights like our bachelorette parties? I've seen them talked about in a couple of British chick lit books (the BEST beach books:) If so, then trust me, you'd rather have that than a shower haha. The best part about the shower is all the gifts, but for the most part, at least for the ones I've been to, they're pretty dull!

Quote: Originally Posted by Lindobride14 Ok guys I have an etiquette question here. My mom, stepmom, and FMIL are throwing our bridal shower at a restaurant and splitting the cost 3 ways. Next Saturday, all four of us are going to go visit a few restaurants to pick out the venue. My mom asked me today if my FMIL is going to want to have an open bar at the shower and I said yes I'm sure she will because I've never been to a party (christening, communion, bridal shower) in their family that wasn't an open bar. I also said that we (FI and I) would really like it to be open bar as well since guests are buying us nice gifts, many will be paying thousands to come to Mexico for the wedding, and I don't want them to gave to buy their own drinks. First off, am I wrong here? I feel pushy since they're paying for it and I'm sort of setting the terms. I called my mom back and said I'm sorry for being pushy, I realize it's an added expense and we would be willlng to contribute or chip in (meaning FI and I) Secondly, what's typical for the bridal showers you all have been to? I think a lot of people just do bottles of wine and a spiked punch. We are thinking of asking the restaurant if we can do margaritas as a signature drink and offering wine as well. Personally, I think it has to be open bar. I have never been to a shower where it isn't, and I think that I would be very annoyed if I bought a nice gift and I made the time to come, then I found out I had to pay to drink. Let's be totally honest, no one REALLY looks forward to a Saturday afternoon spent watching someone open up gifts and play goofy games. I hate to say it but I just went to a shower two weeks ago and the drinks were the only thing to keep me awake haha. But, I don't think you need to have a full bar. Beer and wine would be fine. One shower I went to had just beer and wine and everyone was totally happy with that. But I think it would be very rude to have a cash bar, in my opinion. Also, I don't know if this is an option for you to cut down on costs, but another shower I went to recently was held in a rented space in a really nice condo building (DC has lots of those places for rent). The BMs all made a different dish to serve, and they also brought all of the alcohol. This helped to cut out the middle man prices.

Quote: Originally Posted by roxmysockz Although the last 5 months have flown by, it still feels like forever and a day until next April! Anyone else wishing the time away x I am and then I'm not, haha. I want it to hurry and get here because I know it's going to be one of the best weeks of my life, partying with friends and family in Mexico for a week and ending it with my dream wedding. Not to mention that by the time I'm there, I'll have FINISHED grad school, and more importantly, my thesis! But then I realize how much I still have left to do (both for the wedding and the thesis haha) and then I start wishing for more time. If only there were 36 hours in a day:) But I do have lots to look forward to in the next year, despite all of the stress that it'll be bring. One week from tomorrow, May 28th (yes, the one year pre-anniversary to our wedding), I leave for Malawi! I'll be spending 10 weeks there for a summer internship with WFP. I know that's going to be the experience of a lifetime Then, in the fall, we're going to do a long weekend trip to Mexico for a site visit. Not sure yet if it'll be me and the fiance going or me and my mom. Then, in January, my fiance moves to Hawaii But I get to spend spring break there in March! Then comes thesis defense, graduation, FINALLY the wedding, then a trip to Napa, and a move to Hawaii for me! I get exhausted just thinking about what the next year holds. But in a good way

Mine is zip up, and like Barbie, I went in wanting that because I also like the button detailing. My weight doesn't really fluctuate, so I'm not too concerned about fit.

Quote: Originally Posted by FutureMrsRobart Opinion question: I'm ordering these Koozies for our OOT bags to keep cans cold. The front is going to bear our wedding logo. The back was going to read, "To Have & To Hold, To Keep Your Beer Cold!". I thought it was cute. Do you think using 'Beer' instead of 'Drink' is offensive to our non-drinkers. I didn't but it was a comment that was just put to me so now I'm like ugghhh. What do you guys think? I don't know your non-drinkers, but for the non-drinkers attending my wedding, I know that none of them would be offended by that. If anything they may find it amusing to put a soda into the koozie that says beer on it! However, if they are the type who are very opposed to alcohol (like some of our non-drinking family members who aren't attending!), then it probably is good idea to go with "drink" instead of "beer"

Quote: Originally Posted by prettypigpig I agree with you totally, but my FI is 110% sure that he won't go there. His ex gf was born in Belgium, and somehow moved to DR with her mom, then one day she came home found her mom got robbed and stabbed. Apparently even DR is much better than Haiti (where even the Cubans find them, the haitians, poor and salvage), DR is still very poor. Of course, Canadians do got robbed and killed in Mexico every year (I have to say only those who take their retirement there...pretend to be rich and live in a very poor country). In relatively wealthy countries like US, UK and Canada, people got killed for sick/complicated reasons...it is very rare to get robbed and killed (usually robbed only). My sister is heading to Punta Cana this June, my feeling is ...DR is almost like Cuba, very poor, decent food with very nice beaches, but with Americans...heehee That is a really awful story. But true of just about anywhere in the Caribbean if you leave the resort areas. I have a friend who did the Peace Corps in Jamaica and returned after just 6 months (they are supposed to do 2 years). In his 6 months there, 4 of the 10 girls in his program were raped, he saw two people killed right in front of him, and he feared for his life 24/7. Yet ask any of the Jamaican brides on here about their wedding and they'll tell you what a perfect tropical paradise it was (and I've been and had the time of my life)! These countries need the tourism to survive, so they do everything they can to protect the tourists from the realities. It's so sad, but true of all of these places, Mexico included.

Quote: Originally Posted by prettypigpig I have to agree...The reef right off Cozumel is insane! Beach at Cozumel and Cayo Coco, Cuba are so far the nicest ones I've seen. Of course, I never been to Punta Cana, and because my FI's first gf's mother was murdered in Punta Cana, DR ...plus it is right next to Haiti, I guess I won't go there. Wow, that is horrible! But I have to play devil's advocate here and say... I don't agree with not going to places because of a murder, simply because you'd be hard-pressed to find a place where someone hasn't been murdered. A guy I knew was murdered in my college town while I was in college, but that doesn't stop me from going there. As for Haiti, that really has no impact on DR. There are murders going on all along the border of the US and Mexico, yet we still travel to both countries!

I'm with Ceiba del Mar and the perks they have given me are... -Free upgrade to Penthouse suite for bride and groom for 5 nights (we'll be there 7, so the first two nights are in a standard room, which is what we're paying for!) -Free upgrade for bride and groom parents to one category above what they book, for their entire stay -Free room for wedding planner -One free room for every 20 rooms booked -They are also giving welcome drinks to all our guests upon arrival and are putting complementary fruit baskets in all of their rooms. We are expecting 70-80 guests and we did negotiate room rates based on this, which did bring down their initial prices. However, regarding wedding packages, this resort does not have any. That's actually why we chose them, as it is all-inclusive, yet we can still personalize our wedding and book all the vendors on our own, according to what we want and like. So there is no trading cocktail hour for cake or anything like that, because you customize everything. But when it comes to budget, this option is definitely not the best for that!

SunnyD - I chose Mexico because I have been to Jamaica and Punta Cana, but have only been to Cancun once, and I was young. So I wanted to go somewhere "new"! But I have been all over the Caribbean (Bahamas, Caymans, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and obviously Jamaica and DR) and I have to say that the beaches in Punta Cana are above and beyond the MOST beautiful beaches that I have been to!! If I (and all of my BMs) hadn't already been there twice, and if it had good diving (my fiance's one request), then I absolutely would've chosen it for my wedding!!! Not to sway you away from Mexico, as that's what I chose, but from what I've seen about Mexico beaches online, they just don't compare to the ones in Punta Cana:) However, on the Mexico side... the activities there were another huge draw for us! We have been wanting to go to Chitchen Itza (we've been to 3 of the 7 wonders of the world together, and are aiming to get to all of them:), and we love that our guests have plenty of activity options other than beach and water activities. The chance to go to ruins and the cenotes was a very unique one. Also flights to Mexico are super cheap from the US!

Quote: Originally Posted by Lindobride14 Great silhouette! I agree with Bonnie, simple and extremely elegant. The sweetheart neckline will look great. As for the Louboutins, are you going traditional white/silver or something bright? Definitely post those when you get them! And thanks for the shoe comment -- LOVE Nordstom Rack and Loehmann's! Thanks! For the shoes, I'm either going with a bright color or silver, I haven't yet decided. But I do know that I don't want white ones because it's not easy to re-wear white shoes, and if we're spending a lot on them, I want to be able to wear them plenty! My favorite shoes so far are actually Kate Spade's, which I know my father would love me for choosing over Louboutin haha. Here are my current favorites... chrisette at kate spade and these are my favorites of the Louboutins... Christian Louboutin Ernesta Bow at Barneys New York But I'm not planning to buy anything till next spring, as I love fashion so I want to keep waiting to see what is "in" next year, haha.

Yay congratulations!! I'm so glad you were able to get it, it fits you so perfectly:)

Thank you all for the compliments:) I cannot wait to see my dress next year! Nicola - I am so so very sorry to hear your news! That is just so terrible, and especially to now have to wait 30 days to now whether its good or bad news. I can't imagine that wait. I will be crossing my fingers for you and hoping that the news comes out good. Will your fiance be looking for another job in the meantime, or just waiting it out? These economic times are terrible. My fiance was supposed to be getting out of the Army (neither of us wants to go through another 12-15 month deployment... he's already done two!), but the economy is so bad that we couldn't risk him leaving his income, insurance, etc and risk him not finding a job. It's terrible when you end up choosing to go to a war zone for another year just to keep the security of a paycheck!

LOVE those shoes Lindobride!!! Nordstrom Rack is the greatest. Since moving to AL for grad school, I've really missed it That and Lohmann's were always my shoe shopping places. My friend sent me pics of me in the dress! The sample was actually a size too small on me (it had actually been a cancellation), so my dress won't have all those crease marks in the front, it'll lay more flat. I'm also having it made with a sweetheart neckline instead. I can't wait to see it, it comes in in January!