bigboponthebeach

UPDATE:

The LED lights and 3V batteries have been sold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryteyedbride 

Hello my bridal twin!  Your pics are stunning, just like you were on 05/28!  Also, check your personal email...I sent you some pics! 

 

Hello my Love!!!!  I soooo owe you an email!  I left for travel status early this morning so I was trying to spend time with the family before I left, but I promise to email you back tomorrow for sure.  I LOVE the pictures that you sent of us!  Thank you for sharing them......They are classic good times!!!  My husband loved them and showed them to our neighbors who just married last year.  He bragged to the husband, "I betcha didn't have two brides at your reception." LOL!  I hope you and your husband are well! xoxo
 

Originally Posted by karlaandmark 

I'm back...everything was wonderful.  Thanks so much to everyone on here for all the great ideas, suggestions and support.  I'll work on a review, but in the meantime, some thoughts:

 

As many on here have said before, don't sweat the details.  I met with Claudia (on-site coordinator) the day before the wedding, and went over everything I wanted.  I ended up changing my bridemaid, groom & best man flowers, beach location, and the cake.  I think dealing with the Miami coordinators prior to arriving at AS created undue stress.  Just my opinion.  Claudia will do whatever she can to make sure you have the wedding of your dreams (her words).

 

Regarding the dress code - Mark wore pants to Le Chique, and nice shorts the rest of the places.  Even at Le Chique, we saw a guy wearing a t-shirt, jeans and flip flops.  Not my idea of appropriate attire for an elegant restaurant, but from what we saw, no issues with dress code anywhere.

 

Champagne flutes/cake knife/server - I saw some comments on this.  I decided to bring them.  We had a whole suitcase we checked that was just wedding stuff.  We had fans, bubbles, sand ceremony (with 3 extra vases for the kids, plus 5 colors of sand), OOT bags which contained a picture frame, bottle opener, spanish guide, customized lip balm, and customized plastic drinking cups.  We had some sand toys for the kids as well.  Instead of a guest book, we brought an 11x17 mat that everyone signed, so that was a carry-on.

 

We did the Spoon dinner for our wedding reception, and it was fantastic.  It was honestly the best meal of the week.  We had other great food (Le Chique and Tapaz for sure), but we were really pleasantly surprised by Spoon.

 

I had my hair & makeup done by Edgar, both the trial and the day of, and he was fantastic.  Although I have to say that the two hairstyles were different.  I did the trial the day we had reservations at Le Chique, which worked out well.  If you can stand it, save yourself some money and just book hair and makeup for the wedding day.

 

Patiently waiting for the proofs from our photographer (we used Matias Cano) but here are some a friend took:

 

Hi Karla! Welcome back and Congrats!  Glad to hear that everything went well!  I love your sand ceremony and the fact that the two of you incorporated your children into it.  :-)  I apologize for the delay with the parcel and I sent you an email at your personal email addy.  After you get settled, please send me and email and we will chat.  I apologize again for the inconvenience.  Congrats again!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MishMash 

Your pictures look great!!! Your hair and makeup came out awesome!!!  Thanks for the input!! Also, good to hear they dont overbook the salon, because having a few moments alone would be nice before everything starts   What photographers did you go with??

Thanks MishMash!  It was really nice to have some quiet time alone in the salon to collect my thoughts and finish my cards to my Mom and Dad. Our photgrapher was Elizabeth Medina.  She is listed on this site as a vendor and she is one of the kindest souls EVER!
 

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

Awesome!

 

I have airmiles, so could get it for $90 instead of $350!!! 

One question though, how did it pack?  hard to tell how big it is from the pic.  and were you worried with it on the beach/on the sand? 

My husband just wrapped it in a beach towel and kept the remote in the little baggie it came with while traveling to and from.  While on the beach, we had it on a little wood stub next to the cabana beds that acted as a coffee table and we had no issues with the sand.  It's a great purchase that you will use for years to come as long as you have Ipods. 
 

Originally Posted by allysmi 

You guys are awesome! It means so much that past brides still come on here to offer advice. I changed my menu to the petit gourmet and will be using bridesmaid bouquets as the centerpieces. That was an awesome idea. I now don't feel so bad about using the ipod. Thanks for saving me some money!!!! I still have 3 months to go, I hope I don't change everything again lol

 

Couple more questions -

What are you guys using for your processional throw? Rice, bubbles or rose petals?

Anybody doing authentic maracas as a favor? Where can you find them on the island for a reasonable price? My coordinator didn't recommend shipping them to the hotel.

Anyone doing a welcome kit? We have bags for each guest with the weekend's itinerary of events along with a custom coozie. I'm thinking of having them delivered to the guest's rooms or given out at check-in.

What are your thoughts on custom champagne flutes and the cake serving set? I keep going back and forth. I don't want to bother with having to transport it down there but I also don't want to regret not having it as a memento as there are so many things we won't get to bring back (i.e. cake, bouquet, etc.)

 

Thanks again!

Ally

 

We did a welcome kit and it had a welcome postcard in it that we both signed, a list of our activities and times, first aid kid, varous medications (tylenol, bendryl, pepto bismol, etc), chips, cookies, lanyard and keyholder, and ear plugs.  We gave them out personally to each of our guests either as they arrived or when they came to our Welcome Cocktail Party, which was on Thursday, the day most of our guests arrived. Our guests LOVED them and raved about them. Everyone mentioned how useful the snacks were when they were done swimming and needed something to hold them over until they dressed for the restaurants.

We took down our engraved flutes and cake serving set.  They look great in our pro photos, but frankly it is one of those details that I could have done with or without.  We transported both sets in their original packaging which was seated in styrofoam.  The day after our wedding, maintenance at AS broke one of our flutes. They apologized and reimbursed us and it was no biggie, it just made me a tad sad.  We reorded the exact same ones from the same company as soon as we returned.  Anyway, in just... neither set made a huge impact on our day.  
 

Originally Posted by allysmi 

I have no words to thank you for responding to my post. I have been concerned about my hair and makeup from the very beginning. Thank you so much for putting me at ease. Btw - you looked STUNNING!  Your pictures are gorgeous as well, you guys looked great. And the 80s hair? I'm just going to leave that alone lol Really, it looked wind blown (which it should as you were on the beach) so that is a good thing.....Congrats and thanks again!!!

Thank you, kindly! :-)  Sure........Don't worry, Edgar will take really good care of you if you can book him. My Mom thinks he did such a great job that she says I should send him a card with a photo of he and I together.  :-) 

UPDATE:

1) The flower girl basket has been sold.

2)  The gazebo sheers need to be sold together. 

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

 

When you said 80's I pictured Madonna in True Blue video...lol....no way, you looked fab, with the hair up or down!  Gorgeous pics...you can feel the love!!!!!

Thanks Mwise!!!  It honestly wasn't too far off. LOL :-)  Elizabeth Medina is phenomenal and the credit must go to her!  She did a wonderful job of capturing the emotions of candid moments. 
 

Originally Posted by Jessie 

BigBop -

 

Love your pictures!  Your hair and makeup look so gorgeous.....even the day after!

Thanks so much, Jessie!

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

I'm pretty sure that everyone has talked about this already on here...but can't seem to find it!

What sort of IPOD dock did you travel with?  I am pretty sure that it was the BOSE one (does it have one large speaker?) -the one I was looking at is

BOSE^® SoundDock^® II Digital Music System - Black

 

Same sentiments as Murmel here, Hubs was in charge of this purchase but I just checked our box and he purchased the exact Bose system you listed above.  I do know that he purchased it from Amazon.com because it was cheaper than other places he'd priced and they offered free overnight shipping with his purchase.  We used it in our room, for our Cocktail party, and while lounging on the beach during our Honeymoon and it has outstanding sound.  The remote fits in your pocket too because we recently used it for our 4th of July Block Party and were able to change songs and volume from quite a distance. 
 

Originally Posted by murmel 

 

 Quote:

Thanks Murmel!!!
 

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!

 

Your pics are just amazing, you looked awesome!!!

 

Thank you, I am leaning towards not....anyone that did use one and why?  would love to hear from you!

 

 

Thanks!

MishMash and Ally.... a few more things I forgot to tell you.  It took Edgar about 3 hours to complete both my hair and make up and I did feel rushed when I returned to my room to dress for our ceremony.  So please keep this in mind for timing purposes.  Because I was too lazy, hot, and excited to flat iron my hair, I had "BIG" hair the next morning for our TTD.  Lastly, although our wedding weekend was considered "booked" and one of the busiest of the year, there was not a soul in the salon except I, with the exception of gal that came in for a pedicure when I was almost finished. It was awesome to have the space alone to complete my cards and process my thoughts.  I appreciated the fact that they didn't "over book" or fill the place with clients.  BIG hair morning below (I felt like I was in the '80's with that hair during our TTD).  :-)

Finally threw it back into a bun because it was ANNOYING me! :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MishMash 

Did anyone use the AZ makeup and hairstylists provided with the packages??? If so, Reviews please!!! 

 

We are getting married July 14, 2012, and received all of our stuff from the WC.  Its finally sinking in now, I'm getting married!!  This is so exciting but a bit scary too!  It seems they are pushing the vendors they want you to chose otherwise there is an $800 outside vendor fee.  Any tips from AS brides would be appreciated!!!!

 

<3 Michele

Hi MishMash!  I used the salon at AS and was styled by Edgar.  He did a WONDERFUL job and I didn't have a trial.  We met the moment of my appointment on my wedding day and he was exceptional!
 

Originally Posted by allysmi 

Are there any African-American brides that used the salon for their hair and make-up? Were you pleased?

Hi Ally!  One here!  :-)  As you'll read above, I used AS's salon for hair and make-up and was BEYOND PLEASED!  I really kind of let the hair and make up thing fall under faith after figuring out that none of our guests could help me.  Another bride PM'ed me about sharing a hair / make up stylist, but she never wrote me back, so I just booked an appointment in the AS salon and I am thankful I went that route.  I packed all of my MAC make up, flat iron, and curling irons in the event that I hated the results of the salon and needed to make my own "repairs" or "touch ups".  I didn't feel like doing a trial because it was more important to me to be with our guests the day before (and we also had our Welcome Cocktail Party the day before our wedding.)  I booked my appointment through the WC's and had no clue who I was going to be assigned to.  When I arrived at 1pm, I was introduced to Edgar.  I showed him two pictures of how I wanted my hair (a low messy chignon / bun) and he did a BEAUTIFUL job.  I also brought all of my MAC make -up, but he had his own and I believe he actually had better colors than I had in my own personal stash.  :-)  All I said to him was, "I'd really like natural looking make up," and he nodded and went to work!  :-)  All I had to do was wash and blow dry my hair the morning of our wedding, arrive at the salon with a clean face, and Edgar took care of the rest.  We just recieved our wedding slideshow this past Friday and our photog blogged us.  I will post more pictures when we receive our CD.  I have posted some photos of my hair below so that you can see Edgar's work. I cannot tell you how many compliments I received regarding Edgar's work on my wedding hair and make - up.  Everyone who has seen our slideshow always asks who did it and is impressed.  Ask for him and please tell him I sent you!  He is a Sweetie Pie!!!!
 

Originally Posted by brit canuck 

Glad to hear that the Petit Gourmet was well received, was it filling enough for an evening meal (our wedding is at 5) and do you think fussy kids would like it?  Mind you saying that, they're fussy whatever they get given so it really doesn't matter!
 

If I can make a suggestion for those concerned about fussy kids???  Just order them chicken fingers and fries through your WC.  They will add it to your detail sheet and you don't have to pay for it during your private reception.  We had 3 children at our wedding, order them chicken fingers and fries, and that was $70 plus dollars we saved on adult priced plates.  We didn't know this until we asked because we knew although they were 12, 10, etc.... they were not eating stuffed this or drizzled in sauce that. Just my two cents....
 

 Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

Another one.....for those that had the DJ....did you also have someone as your MC?  I know the DJ said they will announce for you (first dance etc.)....so do you really need an MC???

 

We didn't have an MC and I don't think one is needed.  Our DJ announced us, our dance, our father daughter dance, speehes, cake cut, garter / bouquet toss, cigar roller table, etc......
 

I've tried about 30 times to edit this listing but it will not allow me too.  :-(  Basically, I've reduced my Real Touch Bouquet to $100 in hopes of it finding a good and useful home.  :-)

Also, as for the rest of the stuff.... we are ready to move on and move this stuff out of our front room sooooo make an offer on any of it and if it's reasonable, it's yours! PM please, as I don't access this site from or during work hours!

Thanks so much Jennybell!  Not much luck thus far.... :-(

So we brought back all of our wedding stuff, which has been sitting in our travel trunk since our return and we have no use for it.  We have decided to sell our remaining items, because everything is in great condition and some things weren’t even used.  Our main color was burnt orange and we used monochrome shades of orange as our accent colors.  Our theme consisted of burnt orange accented by monochrome shades of orange, sugar starfish, and raffia.

If you are interested in purchasing any items, please send me a PM with your zip code so that I can provide an estimate of USPS shipping cost.  We can accept payment via money order or PayPal.  Buyer is responsible for shipping fees as well as any PayPal fees.  Please feel free to PM me with any questions.  Happy wedding planning and shopping!

Here is a list of what we have remaining:

Lanterns:

1. Burnt Orange 20 inch [7 total available]      $2 / each
2. Burnt Orange 12 inch [4 total available]      $1 / each
3. Orange 16 inch [4 total available]                $1.50 / each
4. Orange 12 inch [4 total available]                $1 / each

Unused and still in original packaging:

5. Burnt Orange 12 inch [3 total available]      $2 / each
6. Yellow 12 inch [4 total available]                 $2 / each

***I’d prefer to sell at least or 50 more lights and bulbs per purchase so that we aren’t making numerous trips to the Post Office. J

Batteries (for LED throwies to illuminate lanterns):

1. 3 volt lithium batteries [93 total available]                           $0.27 each or $25 for all

Lights (for LED throwies to illuminate lanterns):

1. 10 mm white diffused LED light bulbs: [93 total available]            $0.30 each or $27 for all

Sand:

1. 1 pound bag of unopened “Natural†colored sand for Sand Ceremony.  $4  

Real Touch Flowers:

1. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Corsages [2 available] Unused                             $10/each
2. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Boutonniere [1 available] Unused                                  $ 8
3. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Groom’s Boutonniere (small starfish attached)   $10
4. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Bridal Bouquet                                                      $115.00          

***Below are pictures of our actual flowers.  The groom’s boutonniere is exactly the same as the one pictured below however it does not have the green floral accents attached.)

Organza Sheers:

1. Burnt Orange Organza Gazebo Sheer          $25
2. Orange Organza Gazebo Sheer                    $25
3. Burnt Orange Organza Chair Sash [35]       $0.75 / each or $25 for all 35            
4. Orange Organza Chair Sash [42]                 $0.75 / each or $30 for all 42

***Below is a picture of our actual ceremony sheers:

Flower Girl Basket:

1. White wicker basket with raffia around it and one sugar starfish on the front    $10

            ***Below are pictures of our actual ceremony flower girl basket.

Bubbles:

1. Small orange plastic bottles.  Unused and in original box [48 total]  $4 for all

Veil:

1. Richard Designs ivory 65†single tier 72†wide fingertip veil.  Unused, in original packaging, with tags still attached.  I paid $199.00 w/out tax for this veil from a Bridal Boutique called In the Olde Manner.  The day of our wedding, it was too windy to wear it, so I passed on the veil and just left it enclosed in its bag.  I can sell this veil for $150. 

Landyards:

1. 3 Lanyards w/ 3 Clear Badge Holders                     Free w/ any purchase over $15

Fishies swimming in the water in front of EDM while standing knee deep in the water.

Beach water in front of the Marina Maroma.

My Hubby snorkeling in front of EDM.

Smaller pool with swim up bar....

Jungle areas on both sides of the resort.....

Ask for the Coco Loco at the swim up bar... it was DELICIOUS!!!!

Jessie, I know you asked me about EDM.... here are some photos from our Honeymoon there.  We were there for 7 days and the beach there is 10x's better than AS.  We had the Infiniti Pool Suite but keep in mind that they also have Swim Up Suites on their first floor if you so desire.  The resort only has 72 rooms and it was HEAVEN.  We initally had a hard time deciding between Secrets Maroma and EDM and once we walked down to Secrets, we knew we made the right choice.  EDM is secluded, romantic, quiet, quaint, and sophisticated.  Secrets Maroma was about a mile walk away (took us about 30 - 45 mins to walk there via the beach on a leisurely stroll) and it was on a stretch of resorts that mirrored Cancun.  Once we heard the Black Eyed Peas pumping at Secrets, we knew we made the right choice with EDM.  Hope these photos help and please PM me if you have more questions.  Anything you book in the Maroma or Tulum area is going to be BEAUTIFUL!

Our room....

The living room area......

The view from our room.... that is the main resort pool below.  We were on the 2nd floor.

Our balcony with a beach bed and lounge chairs. A built in bar was behind us.

The outdoor shower.... the regular indoor shower was directly to the left but my Hubby forgot to take a photo of it.  :-)

The main pool with a swim up bar.  Both pools had swim up bars.

Me walking into the water our first hour there.... notice how clear and shallow it is. Great snorkel water and schools of fish were swimming around knee deep!  :-)

View of the resort from the water while snorkeling.  Notice the number of cabana beds available!

View of Marina Maroma to the left of EDM.

View of the resort in the evening while in the water swimming.

View of the beach from breakfast.

Originally Posted by 1106wedding 

 

Do they SERIOUSLY not do a wedding rehearsal? I mean, c'mon, I've put my anal personality aside for most things, but no walk through?!?

You may be able to work this out with them, it really wasn't a big deal for us because although I am "type A-ish" at times, I knew it would all work out.  If you aren't able to schedule a rehearsal, just do an informal one with your wedding party when your ceremony location is vacant.  I promise you, just as other past brides have, it will all work out just perfectly in the end regardless!!! 

Originally Posted by JaimeCF2BR 

 

Let me try again with the pics actually showing  

Beautiful pics, Jaime!!!!  Love your Hubby's tux!!!!

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

 

LOL.....I know right?  For people like me who have no clue how these things normally work (I just obviously never paid close attention)....it is difficult!!!  I have NO CLUE....do the girls walk down with the guys?  Are the guys supposed to seat people????  LOL...I have NO IDEA!!! 

Try not to stress, as I said above.... it will all work out perfectly!!!!

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

 

Thanks to Murmel, I found there are more than one option for the beach ceremony.  Can you decide that when you get down there?  Do they only do one wedding a day?

*if you decide down there, are the options that far from each other if you say "beach ceremony" on your in-room itineraries that your guests can't miss it?

They have two weddings per day at AS.  If you have a location that you prefer, inform your Miami WC now and they can reserve it for you.  Once they confirm your location, it will be inserted into your detail sheet and unless the weather is bad, your ceremony location will be guaranteed for your day.  I also suggest that if you have a reception location, you reserve it now as well through your Miami WC.

You can decide down there if you prefer, but if they have another event scheduled on your wedding day, you can only choose from the locations that remain.  The options are not very far from one another and your guests will all be told to meet somewhere approximately 30 mins prior to your ceremony and the WC will take them all to your ceremonuy location.  In the event that they are late, there are really only about four ceremony locations, all of which are fairly easy to locate and access.

Me again!  So we brought back all of our wedding stuff, which has been sitting in our travel trunk since our return and we have no use for it.  We have decided to sell our remaining items, because everything is in great condition and some things weren’t even used.  Before I offer up these items to the entire forum and place them on the “For Sale†thread, I figured I’d offer them up to my fellow AS Brides first.  I will post them on the main forum “For Sale†thread this coming Friday if not needed by any AS brides.  If you are interested in purchasing any items, please send me a PM with your zip code and I will provide the shipping cost.  Our main color was burnt orange and we used monochrome shades of orange as our accent colors.  Our theme consisted of burnt orange accented by monochrome shades of orange, sugar starfish, and raffia.  Here is a list of what we have remaining:

Lanterns:

1. Burnt Orange 20 inch [7 available]                                                                    $2 / each
2. Burnt Orange 12 inch [4 available]                                                                    $1/ each
3. Orange 16 inch [4 available]                                                                               $1.50 / each
4. Orange 12 inch [4 available]                                                                               $1 / each

Unused and still in original packaging:

5. Burnt Orange 12 inch [3 available]                                                                     $2 / each
6. Yellow 12 inch [4 available]                                                                                 $2 / each

***I’d prefer to sell at least or 6 more lanterns per purchase so that we aren’t making numerous trips to the Post Office. J

Sand:

1. 1 pound bag of unopened “Natural†colored sand for Sand Ceremony.         $4  

Real Touch Flowers:

1. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Corsages [2 available] Unused                                   $10/each
2. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Boutonniere [1 available] Unused                              $ 8
3. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Groom’s Boutonniere (small starfish attached)         $10
4. Burnt Orange Calla Lily Bridal Bouquet                                                             $120.00          

***Below are pictures of our actual flowers.  The groom’s boutonniere is exactly the same as the one pictured below however it does not have the green floral accents attached.

Organza Sheers:

1. Burnt Orange Organza Gazebo Sheer                                                                 $25
2. Orange Organza Gazebo Sheer                                                                            $25
3. Burnt Orange Organza Chair Sash [35 available]                                               $0.75 / each or $25 for all 35            
4. Orange Organza Chair Sash [42 available]                                                          $0.75 / each or $30 for all 42

***Below is a picture of our actual ceremony sheers:

Flower Girl Basket:

1. White wicker basket with raffia around it and one sugar starfish on the front   $10

           ***Below are pictures of our actual ceremony flower girl basket:

Aisle Starfish:

1. Sugar Starfish 8 to 9 7/8 inches each [6 available]                                                 $2 / each or $10 for all

          ***With raffia for hanging attached.  Raffia can be easily removed if desired.

Bubbles:

1. Small orange plastic bottles.  Unused and in original box [48 total]                    $4 for all

Batteries (for LED throwies):

1. 3 volt lithium batteries [93 available]                                                                      $0.27 each or $25 for all

      ***I’d prefer to sell at least or 50 more batteries per purchase to prevent making numerous trips to the Post Office. J

Lights (for LED throwies):

1. 10 mm white diffused LED light bulbs: [93 available]                                           $0.30 each or $27 for all

       ***I’d prefer to sell at least or 50 more LED light bulbs per purchase to prevent making numerous trips to the Post Office. J

Veil:

1. Richard Designs ivory 65†single tier 72†wide fingertip veil.  Unused, in original packaging, with tags still attached.  I paid $199.00 w/out tax for this veil from a Bridal Boutique called In the Olde Manner.  The day of our wedding, it was too windy to wear it, so I passed on the veil and just left it enclosed in its bag.  I can sell this veil for $150. 

Landyards:

1. 3 Lanyards w/ 3 Clear Badge Holders                                                                    Free w/ any purchase over $15

Originally Posted by MaggieandJay 

Bigboponthebeach

WELCOME!!! Your wedding looked so awesome! I am so happy it went well! Still have to read the review but I am sure it's very simular expereinces to us other past brides. CONGRATS again!!!!!

I did them on Shutterfly, Look under Announcements and they have a ton of templetes. I feel in love with these and everyone raved about them!

Thanks Maggie!  For the compliment, as well as for the details regarding your announcements!  ;-)
 

Originally Posted by 1106wedding 

bigboponthebeach - THANK YOU for such a thorough review. I loved how you walked me through your experience. Being a type-a planner (I do corporate events for a living), I am aware that my wedding won't be absolutely perfect in every sense. Part of the reason we booked so far away is so that I couldn't micromanage every detail and I'd have to let some things go. It's healthy for me this way, yet it is difficult. The planning process has been very enjoyable overall for me in general, I'm just happy being engaged! I want to enjoy every minute of this 13-month period because it only happens once. Now that I am less than 4 months away from my wedding date, I'm starting to talk details with my WC (Erika Torres) and I know this is when it might get a little tougher. I'm going to try my best to keep everything in perspective. 

 

Regarding your review, a couple comments/questions for you (if anyone else knows, chime in!):

*I too booked with a GI consultant who works for DW.com, she's been great. Did you know they were going to upgrade your room? I currently have an ocean view suite in the Azul section, but I'd love to get the honeymoon suite with the big balcony. SInce I'm getting married on the skydeck, I need to be in building 3, otherwise I would've looked into getting a room in the premium section. 

*do you know if none of my guests are booked in premium (they aren't any yet), do we not get to use that pool? Are they strict?

*YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD ELIZABETH! She wasn't available for my date. You can 100% be assured you have gorgeous pics!

*Speaking of vendors, did you have to pay for a day pass for them (I hope not, they're working!) - did you just buy them dinner? 

*Spekaing of dinner, what menu did you have? I'm leaning towards the pick and choose dinner (choice of 2 entrees, selected ahead of time). The timing of service concerned me. How many guests did you have? We're looking to be around 50-55.

*Tell me about the alcohol selection. When I had my tour with Claudia, she told me grey goose was available. I since told all my guests in a bragging-manner. I have since found out that they may not in fact have it..and you said they don't have patron? What DO they have? We may need to pay our lomas driver a tip to stop at the local liquor store first! I was thinking of putting little bottles of booze in guests welcome bag too . 

*I am VERY particular about our ceremony script and I want to pre-request an officiant. Hearing that you did and then it didn't happen makes me want to ask a friend to marry us instead. Does anyone know if they're okay with that?

*Grooms suite - did you pay for one night for him (it wasn't part of your package, right?)

*EDM - do  you have a picture of the room you booked? We're still in the market. We thought we had our picture perfect room booked (at La Reve, a bungalow) and then they became booked with a wedding. BOOOOO (well for us, not for the wedding party), so bummed...

*I can't wait to see your pictures and video!!!! I know they will be amazing. 

 

Congrats again on a great experience (overall) and thank you so much for your words of wisdom and advice!

Jessie

Jessie, I'm sorry for the late reply.  In the future, please feel free to PM because I've been really bad about getting on the pc when I get home from work late.  I guess I'm still in "Honeymoon mode,"..... no telephones, tv, or pc's.  ;-)  Although some of the other girls answered most of your questions, I will share what I'm aware of.  Please keep in mind though that regardless of my reply, your day as well as your visit at AS will be phenomenal!!!  Don't get hung up on the small stuff, most of it will not matter on your special day.  Honestly, the only reason I recall most of the things that I shared with you all is because I was conciously trying to remember things in preparation for sharing and a review.  It was very bittersweet for me though, because I didn't want to deter any of your future brides from being excited or losing focus on the bigger picture....so please forgive me if I have caused you any doubt or uneasiness.  :-)  My replies are in orange.....

I too booked with a GI consultant who works for DW.com, she's been great. Did you know they were going to upgrade your room? I currently have an ocean view suite in the Azul section, but I'd love to get the honeymoon suite with the big balcony. SInce I'm getting married on the skydeck, I need to be in building 3, otherwise I would've looked into getting a room in the premium section. 

We did not know that they were going to upgrade our room.  It was a complete surprise to/for both of us.  I too am with Murmel, where your room is located won't play any part and will have minimal affect on your ceremony location.  The resort is not that large where walking to your room to freshen' up will be an issue for you.  We married on the beach near the pier and I had to walk past two buildings and past Spoons and such to reach the walkway for our location.  It was no issue at all.  Additionally, they wanted us to go away privately for a few minutes before our ceremony so that they could introduce and announce us formally to our guests at the reception.  We had our "grand entrance" but prior to that there was ample time for us to go up to his room and freshen up, take some shots, and for him to bustle my dress.  Don't sweat whatever bldg they place you in, I have stayed at resorts that required golf carts to get from one in to the other and I honestly don't think Karisma has any resorts of that scale or size. 

*do you know if none of my guests are booked in premium (they aren't any yet), do we not get to use that pool? Are they strict?

I just typed a really long reply here and it was deleted.  :-(  Anywho, bottom line, I am with Maggie on this one.... they aren't strict and if you want access to this area, just ensure that you have a room number to provide them with.  As long as your guest are well behaved and considerate of other guests within their vacinity, the AS Staff want you and your guests to enjoy yourself, tip away, and hopefully return someday. 

*YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE HAD ELIZABETH! She wasn't available for my date. You can 100% be assured you have gorgeous pics!

Thank you.  We loved her and found her to be one of the kindest and sweetest professionals we have ever worked with or hired.  I am still singing her praises and have yet to see one photo.  :-)  I am convinced that her loving energy shows through in her work.

*Speaking of vendors, did you have to pay for a day pass for them (I hope not, they're working!) - did you just buy them dinner? 

No day passes for the vendors.  You do have to pay the vendor fee for them though.  We bought everyone but our DJ and their crew dinner, which was suggested by the AS WC's.

*Spekaing of dinner, what menu did you have? I'm leaning towards the pick and choose dinner (choice of 2 entrees, selected ahead of time). The timing of service concerned me. How many guests did you have? We're looking to be around 50-55.

We had the pick and choose dinner and we chose fish and chicken for our guests.  Some of our guests didn't reply so we chse for them and let them work it out with whomever they were seated near if they wanted to trade.  We had 43 guests. I don't know why they were so late / slow to serve them, but it was odd.  Nonetheless, everyone ate and in the end it was all fine.

*Tell me about the alcohol selection. When I had my tour with Claudia, she told me grey goose was available. I since told all my guests in a bragging-manner. I have since found out that they may not in fact have it..and you said they don't have patron? What DO they have? We may need to pay our lomas driver a tip to stop at the local liquor store first! I was thinking of putting little bottles of booze in guests welcome bag too . 

We too bragged about the liquor and I will say that was one of our let downs.  I didn't see Grey Goose and we asked directly for Patron and were told they did not serve it.  They kept offering us, "Hornitos."  We brought our own bottle of Patron, which we purchased at the airport after coming through customs and when we ran out, we caught a cab into Cancun and purchased more.  They have the following liquor:

RUM
Bacardi
Ron de Coco Kalani
Appleton
Appleton Special

VODKA
Absolut
Absolut Citron
Stolichnaya
Smirnoff
Skol Raspberry
Skol Apple
Skol Orange
Skol Vanilla

Wine of the House
and Sparkling

TEQUILA
Cuervo Especial
Centenario Reposado
Jimador
Jimador Reposado
Don Nacho

BEER
Tecate
Tecate Light
Sol
Dos Equis

GIN
Beefeaters

BRANDYS
Fundador
Don Pedro
Martel V.S.

WHISKEY
Jack Daniel
Jim Beam
Canadian Club
Black Velvet
Etiqueta Roja
Etiqueta Negra
J & B

CREAMS AND LIQUOR
Sambuca D´Amore
Curacao
Peach Liqueur
Amaretto Mr. Boston
Brogan´s Irish Cream
Vermuth Martini Rojo
Dry Martini
Sweet Martin
Orange Liqueur
Apple Liqueur
Watermelon Liqueur
Kahlua
Melon Liqueur Mr. Boston
Coffe Liqueur Kamel
Mint Liqueur
Liqueur 43
Cherry Liqueur Kamel

Includes blended drinks and wine of the house by glass

*I am VERY particular about our ceremony script and I want to pre-request an officiant. Hearing that you did and then it didn't happen makes me want to ask a friend to marry us instead. Does anyone know if they're okay with that?

They are fine with friend marrying you.  I am not sure of what your friend's qualifications have to be, but I am sure if you discuss this with your WC, you can obtain the details.  Another word of advice I will offer is if you want something, don't ask... just politely state that you would like that of you will be doing etc. and ask what needs to be done to make that happen or if they need anything from you to make that happen.  For example, I would tell your WC, "Our friend John Doe will be performing our marriage ceremony rather than the officiant that comes with our package.  Is there anything that you need from us other than his name and is there anything you need him to complete or sign in advance."  Always poliltey tell them what you want or intend to do rather than ask.  They will let you know if it is issue and you can go from there.  Kindess goes a long way when dealing with them, as they are very laid back and easy going.

*Grooms suite - did you pay for one night for him (it wasn't part of your package, right?)

We did not pay for one night for him, it was part of our package.  They asked us during our onsite meeting if we wanted this and since we did, they provided it.  They gave him a Honeymoon Suite right above mine/ours, which I found odd considering they said they were booked.  We didn't complain though, because he and his fellas enjoyed it.  :-)

*EDM - do  you have a picture of the room you booked? We're still in the market. We thought we had our picture perfect room booked (at La Reve, a bungalow) and then they became booked with a wedding. BOOOOO (well for us, not for the wedding party), so bummed...

Give me a few and I'll see what I can did up.

*I can't wait to see your pictures and video!!!! I know they will be amazing. 

Me either, I am BEYOND anxious and check both of their sites daily in hopes of a sneak peek! :-)

Congrats again on a great experience (overall) and thank you so much for your words of wisdom and advice!

Your very welcome....... Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions from me and that way I will know to hop on here more frequently.

Originally Posted by Mwise17 

Jesse...your questions are raising questions of my own.....

 

1. I recall someone saying on here they don't do a rehersal for the ceremony, they meet up with the groom to go over a few things before hand (which scares me a little, Chris won't be on the most up and up like I would be, you know?)

My wedding party aren freaking out a little...especially my german bridesmaid (they dont' have a wedding party in Germany).  Did any of you ladies just do one of your own?  Will they do one if you request it??  (does that mean you decide who stands/sits where....is there a side the bride is supposed to be on vs. the groom???)

 

2.  Premium alcohol:  Is it served at any/every bar?  You just have to request it?  (does this include the private functions?)  Is it of extra cost?

 

3.  Traveling with Alcohol....how does this work?  Do you just put it in your luggage???  (or did you buy it at the airport?)...I NEVER buy liqour at the airport, nor have traveled with it, so have no clue. 

 

4.  Sunset:  I looked up sunsets in October, and it says 6:15(ISH)  - We are having our cocktail reception on the beach, and the dinner/reception will follow at 7pm......do you there will still be some sort of light at around 7pm?  or does 6:15p sunset mean its gone at that time?   If its dark, do I need to worry about lighting on the beach?????  Does anyone know what the beach lighting options are?  (do they automatically do it for a private function?) - what do they have?

1.  I agree with you and this caused me a little concern initially, but it all worked out fine.  They told my Husband to wait by the Mojito Bar at 4:30 with all of our guests and they would take him and our guests down to the ceremony site.  Our  wedding was scheduled for 5:00pm and I thought we would need more "prep" time, but it all worked out fine and even though my walk down the aisle was my first time meeting the officiant and walking "the aisle,"  it all fell in place just fine and there really wasn't much that we needed to know.  If you really feel like you will need a rehearsal, just do a mock one without the WC's when you arrive and your ceremony site is vacant.  It's really no biggie, and if you feel there are details you need to tell the WC's, just call them from your room prior to your ceremony and ask them if you can come by there office and give them some qucik details.  Don't sweat or stress this, it was not be an issue unless there is something unique or peticular you would like to occur, in which case you can share that with your WC.

2.  I saw most of what I listed above, but keep in mind that it didn't bother us much.  We came prepared with what we love, Patron, and all was fine.  It was a few of guests who were not pleased and we did what we could to help them out and after that, we just enjoyed ourselves.  This really won't be an issue either, just ask for double shots or request that they make your drink really strong.

3.  I would not suggest that you travel with alcohol.  I don't know how this will fare with customs not to mention if it will even make it give the possiblity of the glass breaking or your liquid spilling.  There is a liquor store in the airport right near baggage claim.  They sell all of the top shelf and premium liquor and if this is a big issue for you and your FI, you can always purchase it there and take it to AS as we did.  When we ran out, we just went to Cancun and restocked.  Honestly, we were only interested in Patron for all of our shots becasue it is the only one tequila that doesn't give me a hangover.

4.  Sorry, I have no clue here.....

Originally Posted by Jessie 

Ok, now I'm getting irritated.  I was told that I DJ Doremixx is not allowed at the resort.  How many of you upcoming brides have booked them?  Has anyone else been told no for DJ Doremixx?

 

I refuse to pay $1500 for their (seemingly) crappy preferred DJ!!

This is odd.  Did you ask why or did they tell you a reason?  Do you have a TA?  If you booked Doremixx already, you might consider getting your TA involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maritza919 
 

I booked him before they we're banned too. I just sent my wc an email because I had heard new brides can not book him. Wanted to make sure eveything was still on. Still have to pay the outside vendor fee.

Just ensure that your WC includes his name on your detail sheet and all should be good.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by tundeneha 

 

Just to give you a sneak peek at what you will see...

 

Beautiful!!!!!  Congrats!!!  Love all of the colors, they really make your pictures pop!
 

Originally Posted by ginnigurl 

Hey girls!!!  Things are finally settling down and getting back to normal after our June 4th wedding at Azul Fives... for those of you that remember, we booked and Sensatori, but did not block rooms and it sold out... so we made the choice to switch.  Azul Fives is beautiful and the staff was wonderful.... it went by soooooooo fast!!!!  I would secretly have to stay I still wish we had been at Sensatori, but the wedding would not have been the same without the additonal friends and family, including the photographer!  (We did miss the beach views from our room, but had a 2nd floor penthouse that had good views.... also, the place was only at about 20% capacitiy, nearly deserted - but we did get lots of attention from the staff.....  just a few of the pros/cons)....  I just couldn't bear to leave this AZS Forum, because you have all been so wonderful (Extra kudos to Murmel, Maggie and Jamie!)

 

Getting caught up on posts, some gorgeous brides and pictures!!!  Congrats to all! 

 

I will work on a review and here are a few pictures from Portraits by Jody.

 

Congrats!!!

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by KerryL613 

Congrats on you wedding and thank you for posting a review!  I can't wait to read it!

Thank you!  I hope you find it informative and helpful.... :-)
 

Originally Posted by jazz04 

Review of Azul Sensatori Wedding 6.12.11

 

I just wanted to start by saying our wedding was fabulous and we had so many people say it was the best wedding they had ever been to! We had 64 guests, most staying at azul but about 15 ppl stayed at other resorts.

 

Paradise Catamaran Cruise: We did the sunset cruise for 42 people on Saturday night before the wedding for our rehearsal. This included snacks and open bar. If anyone is considering doing this I highly recommend it. It was very fun and the staff are awesome. They even had a cake for us which was not planned. Our dinner was at Spoons restaurant and we were supposed to have chicken and steak sit down dinner but were over an hour late and didn't arrive until about 9:30 so we had to eat buffet. I don't think anyone minded because everyone was hungry and the food was still good.

 

Wedding Day: The wedding staff onsite were great and really keep you at ease and handle everything. I was really worried about them messing up the music but everything went very smooth. We had a legal ceremony and the judge spoke in spanish and it was translated by our wedding coordinator. I was hesistant about this but ended up loving it and it really gave our ceremony that mexican touch. I would not do it over again. My mom is a florist and ended up letting them do everything which says a lot about the staff. The wedding was on the beach and reception was next to building 4 by the pool. They did a great job setting up and we chose the bbq deluxe meal and it was amazing. It included so much food and we had many people go up for seconds. Of course at the end of the night we all jumped in the pool and I think my favorite pictures will be from this. Post reception we all went to the mojito lounge. The staff at the reception were great and kept asking if everything was okay and bringing my husband and I drinks so we didn't have to go to the bar.

 

Restaurants: My favorite restaurant was the Caribbean one although Le Chique was a great experience. My husband didn't enjoy it as much as I did because most men love big meals. The Caribbean restaurant also has great gourmet burgers for lunch that were amazing so go there if you get a chance. Most people at the beach bbq for lunch and it was also good. I didn't get to eat at the Mexican restaurant for dinner but the lunch there was really good. The Italian place was also good but I think I enjoyed the other restaurants better. Spoons has an enormous buffet for breakfast where you can get anything you want. All of our guests loved the room service late night and I think everyone took advantage. Tapas was probably my least favorite and I had a stomach the day after. Just be careful not to drink the water but the water served in the restaurants is all filtered.

 

The only thing was that I had them deliver our welcome bags and they charged $4 per bag and 3 rooms did not get theirs. I think it was because they had changed rooms. We had absolutely no complaints from any of the guests. They also had nightly shows in the garden lounge some were better than others. We really enjoyed the michael jackson night.

 

Pools: We mostly hung out at the adult pool but all of the pools were so clean and big. The last day we went to the premium pool and had our own butler which was nice.

 

Rooms: We stayed in the swim up suite and were next door to a lot of our friends the first few nights and this was nice because we had our own area. Then we moved to the honeymoon suite wedding day and they were able to get me moved by noon so all of my bridesmaids could also get ready with me there. The guys had their own room to get ready in and they really enjoyed that. I think the guest that had the regular rooms also liked those and really all the rooms are essentially the same except different location.

 

The beach was okay but I don't think anyone even wanted to hang out there because the pools are so nice. They cleaned the beach right before our wedding which was nice because there tends to be a lot of seaweed.

 

Overall, we had an amazing wedding and would love to do it over. They really do try their best to make your dreams come true and I'm so happy we chose Sensatori!

Great review!  Just a suggestion.... if you copy, paste, and post it under the resort review tab, Brides to Be will get the most value from your review.  You'll also get to outline your pro's and con's and rate AS accoring to the forum's star system. :-)
 

 Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieandJay 

This is My Thank you for coming Announcement

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieandJay 

This is my regular annoucements I sent to people who didn't come

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these Maggie!  So clean, modern, and classy!  And I love your color choice.  :-)  Which program or website did you use to create these, if you don't mind me asking???
 

Originally Posted by bryteyedbride 

Our highlights video from Mike Cantarell of Cancun Wedding Video is up.  http://vimeo.com/25172426

Note the big bruise on my arm...that's from the blood test for the legal ceremony.  Sheesh!  If I had known it was going to be that rough I would have bought some tattoo make up to cover it!

Beautiful video!!!!!!  The love was visibly obvious in your video and your reception looked like everyone had a BLAST!  Very nice.  BTW, your emotional moment made me tear up because it reminded me of my moment that I had in the Spa that hit me out of nowhere.  :-)  Such a gorgeous bride you were!!!
 

 Quote:

Originally Posted by Meldrum05 

 

Great review, lots of valuable information for sure   You're wedding pictures are stunning, love your dress!  Congrats

Thank you!  I too loved that dress more than I orginally thought I would.  :-)

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colleen84 

Thanks so much for the detailed review! I can't wait to arrive at AS tomorrow and hope everything goes as planned...but like you, I understand it may not and have prepared myself to look on the brighter side...even if it's raining ( like it says in the forecast) I'll be the crazy bride running around in it!!

 

I can't wait to see your pictures! We almost went with Elizabeth Medina...she was wonderful to communicate with but unfortunately a little out of our budget...we are going with Caribe instead!

 

Also, how did it go through custums at the Cancun airport? Just curious what they do about the favors and stuff...hopefully I'll get the green light though!!! Thanks!

Sure, Colleen!  I'm glad that it helped give you some insight and regardless of what I said, YOU WILL HAVE A FABULOUS TIME!!!!!!! (Regardless of weather as well!) :-)

I too cannot wait to see our photos.... she said that it would take about 6 weeks from the date of our wedding, so I am sitting on pens and needles until we receive them.  :-)  I stalk her blog daily hoping they are posted.  :-)

As for customs, the woman who manned the button was somewhat rude and my now Husband was getting ready to try and talk her into sending us both over to the search area since we were traveling together and I was the only one out of the two of us that was flagged with the red light.  I gave him a very stern look and said, "Honey, just hand me my BAG, please.  Just MY bag."  After I said that two or almost three times, he looked at me and I saw the light bulb pop on in his head. LOL!  I know I probably shouldn't be saying this in the open public, but since we are not law breakers and would NEVER smuggle or transport ANYTHING illegal, there was no way that I wanted them to go through all of six bags which contained delicate, fragile, and neatly packed wedding decorations, favors, gifts, and OOT contents.  He handed me MY bag, I walked over to the table and placed it on the table, and a male and a female searched my one bag.  My Husband stood by and observed and after finding nothing of interest (which would have been the case for all six of the bags) they gave me the okay to leave the search area.  It was painless once we got through the rude button lady.  :-)  I hope you got the just of what I was hinting to you should you run into my situation. :-)  If not, PM me.

Best of luck to you tomorrow and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
 

Hi Ladies, I just wrote a REALLY long review of AS and posted it today!  I hope you all will be so kind as to join the AS forum thread and write a review on your experience when you return to pay it forward to other future brides!  :-)  The AS thread on here is a LIFESAVER! I also hope you all have the weddings of your dreams!!!!

P.S. When I pushed the button, it turned red.  But, "I" only had one bag for them to search since my now Husband's color was green and he carried "his" five bags through.  *wink wink*

Okay, ladies.... my review is up but I warn you, it is LONG!!!  It might be in your best interest to just print it out and read it at your leisure.  :-)  I never imagined having that much to say, but once I got rolling, I kept saying to myself, "Might as well tell them this, might as well tell them that....."  ;-)  I apologize for the length and hope it helps.  I also included a quasi - spolier alert essentially stating that I am a brutally honest person, so for those who'd prefer the "head in the clouds" approach, you might want to skim or avoid my review.  There is nothing overtly negative that would deter one from booking AS nor being excited about their wedding at AS, I just covered every base with details of the good and not so great.  I'd rather have a bride prepared and aware of possibilities than not.  Again, I hope it helps!  Here it is or click below my signature:

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/products/azul-sensatori-hotel-by-karisma-all-inclusive/reviews/4728

Originally Posted by Maritza919 

Gorgeous pictures! You looked stunning! Congratulations! Can't wait to read your review

Thank you!  It's up and ready for your reading pleasure! :-) 

Originally Posted by murmel 

Welcome back Mrs. bigboponthebeach! So glad you had a great time, and it is true. There are so many beautiful women on this site, and everyone is so happy and supportive of each other.

Can't wait to see more pictures, but I totally understand the situation (been having a very similar spring/early summer)

Love your dress! You look stunning.

Thanks Murmel!!!  It is Brides such as yourself that made our experince great!  Thank you again for all of your help and advice and I am sorry to hear about your loss as well.  :-(

Hopefully I can gather up more pictures this week.  Life kind of took over and they are in my email, on our shared site, on CD's and just EVERYWHERE!  :-)  I need to get organized now that we are home. 

And I too loved my dress!  Funny storey, I never saw myself in lace and tried on all these beachy/flowy type of dresses.  I reluctantly tried my dress on after not feeling the flowy type.  By BF urged and begged me too and as soon as the Consultant zipped it up, I felt like a queen!  The faces of my cousins and best friend when I came out the dressing room said it all!  :-) I felt like a million bucks in it and it is so true what they say, when you know... you just know.  Thanks again!  
 

Originally Posted by MandM 2011 

BigBogonthebeach - beyond being gorgeous, you are simply glowing and your Dad looks so young!

Thanks for your words of assurance and I am trying my hardest to get the DJ info - we have even negotiated an amazing Rate at both the Barcelo & the Iberostar, where we can have Doremixx and whatever photographer we want on the side, in case Lomas doesn't come through.  It would be a shame to move...so keep your fingers crossed!

 

Wishing everyone a happy hump day

M 

Thanks so much!  Everyone says that and he eats it up!  He is actually eligible for retirement, believe it or not.  He takes REALLY good care of himself, works out daily, and doesn't eat pork or fried foods.  He believes in having a salad daily and walks each night after dinner.  I hope to be like him when I grow up.  :-)  Some who saw our photos, thought he was my Husband!  LOL  Sorry, all he needs is a wig and we are twins.  :-) 

I wrote about my DJ thoughts in my review.  I really hate that something as trivial as a vendor takes on such a life, but Karisma has created that unecessary chaos.  :-/  I will keep my fingers crossed for you!  Who is your WC?  PM me if you want to talk more about this.......
 

Originally Posted by mbowling 

so beautiful!! Looks like you have such a great time! I LOVE you sand ceremony frame - where did you get it?
 

Thank you, my BF found it online after I showed her an inspiration photo.  We searched high and low in stores and online for it and could not find it anywhere.  She ended up finding it on a site similar to Ebay and we actually handpainted our nautilus shell box holders to match the frame.  It was tough making that want come true.  :-)
 

Hi Girls!!!! We're back!!!!  I'm sorry that it took me so long to check in, but after we returned from our Honeymoon...long story short we attended two funerals, a wake, a college graduation, and I had a birthday.  Needless to say, we came back home and got slapped in the face by reality FAST.

I am almost done with my review and I am amazed by how long it is!  It made me realize that I actually thought more about our AS experience than I initially thought. :-)  I have to brag a little and tell you all that not only did we have a wonderful time, but bryteeyedbride is the BEST bridal twin a gal could ever ask for!  I feel so blessed to have met her, connected with all of your wonderful ladies, and to have been fortunate to celebrate our unions with such a warm human being.  Our photographer told my Mom that never in her life had she witnessed two brides so geniunely kind and excited for one another on the same day.  :-)  She told my Mom, "Bride's don't usually want to share their day with anyone and I have NEVER seen anything as beautiful as their interactions!"  When we returned home, my Mom shared this with me and it reassured me that this forum works and that all my late nights on here weren't in vain. I hope this brings a smile to all of your faces and gives you a glimmer of how wonderful this experience can and should be for you.

Until I get my review done, below is a photo of my Dad walking me down the aisle and the other is of my new Husband, me, and my Dad.  I haven't had the time to look at our shared site yet, due to the events I listed above as well as returning to work..... but I will post them as time permits.  

It was a beautiful day and I know you've read it before time and time again, but it is worth saying again.... DO NOT STRESS and ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF THIS PROCESS because it is gone before you know it!  

Originally Posted by MandM 2011 

911 Calling all Karisma Brides!  DJ Situation...Has anyone used DJs other than Doremixx & Mania and were happy with them.  If so, please respond here as there are many of us who are SOL and need our sisters to come through...Thanks, the yet to be's

 

 

Honey, do not fret.... we hired Mannia and were not pleased.  So you're not missing out on much there.  He was also late....which mattered quite a tad.  I am not sure of your music tastes, but they did not understand our crowd and our music tastes.  I have written up a review of our DJ experience and hope to post it tomorrow.  We saw Mannia during two receptions and they were rocking the receptions!  If you can, go with them.....if Karisma has banned them, try your damndest to get your WC to tell you the names of the DJ's that they hire so that you can review them beforehand if possible.
 

Hi Ladies!

I've been away for awhile busy wrapping up work stuff as well as wedding planning.  Just wanted to let you know that our photog, Elizabeth Medina, just posted a new blog of an AS wedding she recently shot.  Thought you all might enjoy a little AS inspiration. :-)  It got me excited and ready to wed! :-)

http://www.elizabethmedinaphotography.com/blog/2011/05/mayan-riviera-destination-wedding-photography-ashley-and-john-azul-sensatori/

Also, Congrats to our two AS forum brides currently enjoying the AS experience!  Can't wait to hear all about it!  I know I owe my wedding day twin an email, but aside from that, I hope you are all well!  All the best!

Hi Girls! Whew, it took me about four hours to catch up tonight (this morning) because all of you have been so BUSY!  :-)  Glad to see you all progressing so well with your tasks! 

Quick question for you past brides - How much cash did you take with you to AS and was it ample?  If not, how much to you suggest grand total for set up fees, tipping, misc, etc???  Thank you and I hope everyone has been well!

I know this question has been asked a thousand times and I apologize for re-asking it, but I cannot find it in the previous posts.

Does anyone know the measurements needed for the ceremony gazebo sheers?????

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahalo79 

Thanks for posting the photos by Caribe!

Absolutely! Hope they helped!!!

Originally Posted by 1106wedding 

Thanks for the pictures!! The ambyr porter pics are gorgeous (and hot!!) and actually gave me inspiration for grooms/groomsmen wear...

Sure! I LOVED those photos as well and their casual photos were just as good if not better than their wedding photos! ;-) 

Originally Posted by Less is more 

It will all look beautiful and the colors will flow amazingly.  I hope the dress works out but if it is a little loose no worries.  I swear after being down there 3 days before the wedding i put on drinking weight and of course food weight. everything was delicious and i really don't think i had huge meals but the meals had more substance than what i was eating previously lol!! And lots of drinking so do sweat to much if it is loose a little.  

 

I was trying so hard to coordinate colors of the grooms with the dads, and the moms with the bridesmaids that i finally just gave up!! It all worked out.  My father-in-law bless his heart ended up wearing a white tux, pale yellow shirt with mismatching blue bow tie and cumerbun!!! WOW is all i can say!  I freaked out at first when he told me about his outfit.....someone in florida told him it was perfect ....NOT.....but in the end it doesn't matter.  We all had a great time.

I laughed out loud when you described your FIL's outfit! That is something I can see my 78 year old future FIL doing! LOL I love that you flowed with it and saw the beauty in moments shared rather than the details. :-) Nice reminder for us B2B's to keep in perspective. :-) 

Beautiful photos as well! You all make a beautiful family! Thanks for sharing and Congrats again!!!