Mel2010

Hey AmyG, I actually stayed at the Occidental Grand Papagayo this past January 2010 (in Guanacaste). I would definitely check out trip advisor because most of the comments that were on there were all TRUE. It's a beautiful resort, the grounds are well kept and the pool is awesome! The staff are great too and this one waitress will remember everybody's name -- it's insane! However, there are a lot of stairs, so if you have family members coming that have trouble taking stairs, this may be a problem. The rooms were nice, nothing special. We stayed in the regular suites. The Oceanview suites are a lot nicer with your own private patio. All bathrooms have this black paint in the shower and NO SHOWER CURTAIN!!! So I would definitely bring a temp one since they do have a cloth line hanging in the shower -- weird I know! The beach was really nice, the tide comes in really high in the evening and then goes back down so low that you get to see hundreds of little crabs at night. It's pretty cool to see. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was these weird 'worm-like' strings in the water that catch around the ankles....that was sooo gross. Not sure what they are, but there are TONS of them. I just love Costa Rica though, and you can't beat that HEAT!! Oh and the bartenders are awesome! They will even bring you your drinks to the pool!! I would go back in a heartbeat. We are actually considering getting married in Costa Rica. Also, Guanacaste only gets rain 1-2 months out of the year, so they get almost 10-11 months with no rain. We went in late January and everything was dry and dead around the area, but the resort always looked beautiful and green. We rented a car and drove to Taramindo to go surfing. The town is really cute with tons of stores and surf shops to rent your boards and get lessens. It's really hard to surf out on the beach though because the waves are insane! It's definitely a good workout. It took us about 1.5hr drove though! But still worth it. One thing I recommend doing in Costa Rica is the zip lining. You have to do this once in your life -- and Costa Rica is the place to do it. Just one tip, wear old clothes when you go because the grease from the lines will spray all over your face and clothes. We didn't get to see the volcano though because it was too cloudy - which is always the case in Monteverde. I also did a sailboat excursion which I would also recommend. It was so fun snorkeling in the cove and we even got to see a whale! I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. If you want to see pics of the resort, I got tons of them and my friend's co-worker got married at this resort, so I could ask her for any info if you want. Just PM me. Hope this helps with your decision. Cheers!

Hey Island Bride! I don't think you are out of your mind! All this planning can get so overwhelming. I just checked out the wedding package for Dreams, and it looks pretty sweet. I'm considering a Punta Cana DW myself. ME looks to have way nicer rooms, so if that's important to you then stick with your reservations. But if you want more for your $$$, then I'd say Dreams would be a better bet. In the end you'll make whichever decision is best for you and your FI. Good luck, and let us know what decision you made.

Hi ladies, I would like to know what are the best all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica for a wedding and why you chose your location. I'm debating on staying in Ocho Rios or Negril. So need your help, advice, comments, thoughts...anything will help!!

Wow, thanks ladies. You are all so inspiring!! I guess with determination, you can achieve anything...even planning a wedding in 6 months or less..lol.

And how much of an advance do I need to give folks for a DW?? Also, I'm debating on a DW in Jamaica in March 2011 however I would end up loosing a lot of guests due to pregnancies or friends having newborns around that time. I don't think some of my friends will want to travel to our wedding during that time frame. So I'm also considering a backyard wedding (we have over 1 acre of land, so we could have a wedding right here at home) sometime next Spring 2011. Am I stressing too much on who can come vs. who can't come? Should I just focus on us...and not care about who can make it or not?? Aagggghhhh decisions, decisions...I can't make up my mind!!!

Congrats on your engagement!! You joined this site just in time. You'll find a lot of helpful info on here if you are planning a wedding in Jamaica. Congrats again...and happy planning!!

I'm sure you will find that dress soon. And don't stress about loosing weight, no matter what you will look absolutely gorgeous in that dress. Happy Anniversary too!!

Hello, to the forum. You'll find tons of info on here. Happy Planning!!

Hi Jennifer, to the forum. Check out the wedding/resort reviews -- that will help a ton on planning your wedding at your chosen resort. Congrats & good luck.

Hi there, Welcome to the forum. And congrats on your engagement. It sounds like it was so romantic!! I watched the Bachelor so I know exactly what spot you're talking about. It's awesome to see a guy on here too!! Thumbs up!! I think emailing a ton of TAs is the way to go. This way you can negotiate prices 'til you get the best price. Think of it just like you would if you were to buy a car. Every price is negotiable and they all want your business. From what I've read, you are best to narrow your choices down to your top 3 then start negotiating from there. Good luck..and let us know how it goes.

Hey Shannon, to the forum. You'll find tons of info on here. My friend just got married at this resort last January 2010. From what she says it was absolutely gorgeous, food was great and scenery was unbeatable. I've also heard through other girls that this is THE PLACE to get married in Jamaica. So looks like you've made the right choice. Happy Planning!!

Hello, to the forum. You'll find tons of info on here. Happy Planning!!

Hello, to the forum. You'll find tons of info on here. Happy Planning!!

Hi there, I am also not engaged yet and just browsing. We both know we want to get married in Jamaica, so might as well start looking now to get a feel for prices since our budget is also under $10K. If I come across any great tips I will definitely share them with you.

Hi Angela, to this forum. That is so awesome that you are getting married and VEGAS!! Looking forward to hearing all the details about your wedding. How exciting!!

Hey, congrats on your engagement and to the forum. It really is addictive!!

Hi Eva, I'm a newbie on here too. Happy planning -- I'm hoping to get married in Jamaica as well.

Hi everyone, My name is Melissa. I'm not sure when our wedding date is yet as I am still waiting for the proposal..lol. However we do know that we definitely want to do a DW in Jamaica. I'll have tons of questions. I'd like to get married this Jan-Feb 2011 but not sure I can attain a budget of under $10K or less and well...I can't really plan a wedding without the proposal right? So feeling a little frustrated...but I know it's coming soon.