SKing24

Aww man i can't believe i can't download attachments...I can't wait to see all these

Love love love these!! Amazing job...and only $2.50 each???

Is anyone else using the resort photographer? And if so, are you planning on doing a trash the dress session?

 Sorry for the delayed response...here's all the things I got charged extra for the reception: Dinner for guests over the 25 included: about $67 per person Extra champagne for over 25: about $5 pp Extra wedding cake for over 25: about $6.25 pp Hor douvres for cocktail hour over 25: about $19 pp Extra centerpieces: divine cost $95 each DJ: $390 each extra hour  Even though my reception is 4 hours, there was nothing on my quote that charged extra for cocktails. There was a line item for it, but Pilar had it marked as $0.  I'm also getting just a single flower for each of my bridesmaids and extra photography. All the prices include tax and a service charge. Since the prices are a little crazy I think we're going to skip the champagne toast and the extra cake (bc theres dessert included in the divine package) and then just take the hor douvres (sorry if my spelling is wrong) that are included in the package and not pay extra for over the 25 people. Also, I have been debating over what to do about the centerpieces because they seem really expensive to me. So I may just take the 2 or 3 that are included and bring down tealight candles and flower petals for the other tables.  Hope this helps!  Since it's standard prices, I'm happy to actually send you the quote she gave me, if you want. Â

Primavera, I am either doing 5:00 or 5:30 for the ceremony time. Â Mich12580, I am so excited you're doing the same weekend! We'll have to start planning together!! What are your colors? Â Saraandjon, I'm going to have about 75 people too. I dont have my latest quote from Pilar with me at work but I'll check tonight and let you know what she's charging us. I know the 2 hours is included in the package, but she might be charging us for the 2 extra hours (we're doing a 4 hour reception). And then for the cocktail hour, we're just taking what's included and not paying any extra for food or drinks. I figured with drinks being free at the resort, it's silly to pay for the extra people at the cocktail hour. And half of us will be doing pictures during the cocktail hour anyway.

Hi everyone. I haven't posted in awhile. After I got my dress I took a few weeks off from all the wedding planning just to enjoy my summer. I'm excited to see new brides have joined the thread! I am a May 6, 2011 Now Jade bride. Is there anyone else who booked that weekend?

Wow Jenny thanks for sharing. We're bringing our own officiant too but Pilar said we couldnt exchange anything for that.

Hi, welcome! I'm a May 2011 bride at the Now Jade. Make sure you check out our thread.

Thanks!! It's Venus. I actually never even heard of that designer but loved it when I put it on...very light and beachy. And cheap!

Ok I'm trying again, so forgive me if this doesnt work. Also, if it does work, ignore my goofy faces!

Quote: Originally Posted by lisadias Congrats SKING24, let see some pics!!! Ok hope this works...i pasted some pics in a word document:

I think the real touch flowers are a great idea. I just dont know if i'll have any more room to bring things down there. I may just have my bridesmaids each hold a single flower. I think that will still look nice...?? I bought my wedding dress this weekend. So excited!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Amiep603 I just got my final qoute from Pilar yay!! So now I have most of the details worked out!! Ceremony on the beach, cocktails at Blue Beach Bar, Dinner on Festival Terrace. I chose the Divine package but I liked the Eternity food better so I upgraded the food. I also wanted the canopy for the ceremony you see in most of the pictures, but I think it was listed at $400 to $600 YIKES!! But I was able to get the canpoy with out the flowers and orange chair bows for much much less! As I said before I am bringing my own photographers so I was able it swap the hotel photographer for the Caribean Trio to play during the cocktail hour woohoo!! Now I just have to choose the flowers and the cake.....Feb 11 here I come!! How many guests are you expecting? And how much did she charge for the chair bows?

I am very over-anxious so I already ordered a lot for the OOT bags. We're doing travel sized sunscreen, spf 30 lip balm, beach-scented yankee candles, aluminum water bottles, travel packs of tylenol, a bottle of tums, and hand sanitizer. We might order beer koozies too. And then we'll put a welcome/thank you letter in there and a share your photos card.

I just purchased way too much! I have 2 oz bottles of hand sanitizers. I paid $1 ea but would be willing to negotiate to get them off my hands. I have about 42 to sell. Buyer must pay shipping.

I am doing OOT bags for the guests, and with 65-80 guests it's going to be so much stuff! I have no idea how we'll get it down. And I want to do a sand ceremony too so i guess i'll have to find a way to fit the vases. I would love to bring my own decorations but i wont have any room. I'm thinking maybe chair sashes for the ceremony since they cost $4-5 a chair if you purchase them through the hotel. Has anyone thought about doing the TTD session? I never heard of it before joining this forum but the more I think about it, the more I love the idea.

Hey let me know if anyone has luck negotiating or swapping. I pretty much got shot down by Pilar on everything I wanted to negotiate.

Quote: Originally Posted by mlawhead I am running in to the same problem. We are expecting 80 guests and she told me $53 per person for the dinner, $7 pp for the cake, $4 pp for the champagne toast, $15 pp for the hours devours hour and $15 per person per hour for the open bar! Thats over $100 per person! I am trying to get advice about negotiating these prices because I think its ridiculous to pay so much per person when these people are already staying at the resort... I just got our prices from Pilar this morning. I didnt realize every price had a service charge and tax on top of it. We're going to be thousands over what we budgeted!!

Do you have the wedding book? I liked PRNOW020. Orange is our main color so that's why i like that one best. I like NOW004 too. That one looks kind of tropical.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cherms I feel like I am so far behind all of you ladies. I finally confirmed May 23, 2010 for our wedding. I haven't started any negotiations with Pilar and I'm not sure how far in advance I should start the negotiating. Right now I'm struggling with getting info from my TA. She always seems to be out, which I guess makes since to a certain extent, but three weeks at a time and hearing "there's no rush" is not making me feel better. Sorry for the venting, but I just needed to get it off my chest. Any TA suggestions or suggestions for anything would be great! Much love! jen Jen, You're not behind. I havent really started talking to Pilar yet at all. Just one email about our deposit/wedding confirmation. I've been dealing mainly with my TA, and we haven't even signed our contract for the group rates yet. I'll PM you with her info. Ive been very happy with her so far.

Quote: Originally Posted by 21aholden Yay! This makes me feel so much better! I was hoping it would be around that. Did you use a TA or go directly through the resort? Fingers crossed when we get ours back its about the same. Thanks for the info! Yeah i was excited when i saw the prices too. I am using a TA but you can get the same prices on expedia, orbitz, or apple vacations now too. I don't think they include the airport transfers though. Also you get nights credited back to you and your fiance for having over a certain number of rooms too. So the more you book, the cheaper it gets for you! Quote: Originally Posted by mlawhead I am running in to the same problem. We are expecting 80 guests and she told me $53 per person for the dinner, $7 pp for the cake, $4 pp for the champagne toast, $15 pp for the hours devours hour and $15 per person per hour for the open bar! Thats over $100 per person! I am trying to get advice about negotiating these prices because I think its ridiculous to pay so much per person when these people are already staying at the resort... I am in the same boat. Thats why we were thinking of seeing if we could trade the cocktail hour for more people at the reception. Then the guests could drink for free at any bar they choose for an hour, and then hopefully you could get another 10+ people at the reception for free. I havent talked to Pilar yet though. It seems for more people, you should get more things for free for bringing the hotel business!

Quote: Originally Posted by 21aholden Can I ask what your group rate per night was? We are waiting to hear back from our TA but I'm so anxious! We visited the resort and LOVED it but everything is kind of riding on the group rate. Our wedding is in May and we just got quotes for three nights, because a lot of our guests will just be coming for the weekend. For three nights, including the transfer to and from the airport, it was $133 per person per night (so $266 night for a couple). Then any additional nights after that were like $125/night/person. I think it's cheaper because you already got your transfer. Oh and these are for the Ocean View Rooms, the Garden Views were a little cheaper. I think it's a great deal! Especially when you see rates of 400-600/night/couple at other resorts.

Are you girls using a travel agent or doing everything right through the hotel? I have been using a TA...which has been great...but I feel like you all have more information than me. I do have Pilar's email so I wonder if I should be contacting her directly. For the girls with 2011 weddings, have you already talked to Pilar about budgets and swapping certain things in the packages for others??

Quote: Originally Posted by Amiep603 Hi all, as I said before I am bringing along my own photographer and thanks to Tracysab I was able to trade the photographer included in the package for the Caribean Trio to play at the cocktail hour THANK YOU for the idea Tracy!!!!! I am also curious to know which location people have chosen to have their reception dinner......I chose to have the cocktails and dinner at the Blue Beach bar but not really being able to see the bar I am nervous I made the wrong choice......so let me know what you ladies think/choose please thanks!! Amie Feb 11, 2011 Bride I chose the Festival Terrace on my original form, but I'm in the same boat as you because without seeing it, I dont feel 100% comfortable. I think if there's no other weddings that day, they may let you switch once you get down there for your wedding.

I'm glad we're getting so many brides, so we can all plan together. Our $500 deposit was just charged last week, so I haven't even really started talking to Pilar yet. We're planning on anywhere from 60-75 guests attending too and there's no way we can spend that much per person! One idea i had was to ask to swap out the cocktail hour for more people at the reception because our guests can just go to a bar for free for the cocktail hour. And the wedding party and parents will be getting pictures anyway so i dont want to pay per hour for cocktails. Anyone else who has money saving or swapping ideas, please share!