murmel

Welcome back MRS! You look beautiful So glad to hear things went well, and can't wait to see more photos.

So excited for you Paula! Good luck with the packing (I am sure there is lots to pack LOL), safe travels and lots of sunshine. Have an amazing time, and remember to take some time to just enjoy yourself. Have a beautiful wedding, and can't wait to see pictures when you get back! The set-up fee is really random. The per person cost, is based on how much stuff they may have to set up (ie. table decor, seating charts, favours, etc.). I think we paid $120 US and have 63 guests. They set up lanterns, centrepieces, seating charts, name cards, menu cards, and stuff for the kids table. But I have also heard some brides get charged $50-250 US. So what you need to know, is it is a "cash" price, you must pay cash for the set-up. It essentially goes straight to the staff who are doing the extra work, so a lot of the time it just depends on who your WC is. The amp system rental had lots of speakers, and a mic for $250. It worked out really well for us, but keep in mind we just had an iPod to play music on. They had a staff member fade the music on/off for us when our MC or guests came up to use the mic. Not sure if it is a DJ type system....as your WC for the full details as to what is included.

That's horrible! I would call Expedia and see if they can help. If not, I would plan on finding a resort close by to spend the night at. I would definitely have a plan in place before you get there! Wish I could offer more advice, but I agree with Tammy, unless you are a registered guest, you may not even be able to get onto the property. Good luck!

Welcome mrendic! Good luck with all your planning, and don't worry about the uneven number for the wedding party. I ended up with 3 girls, while my husband had 5! And at the end of the day it really didn't matter that it was uneven. We all had a great time!

Great job Tori! How did you make your monograms? I love them, and a girlfriend is getting married and I am one of the BM's- so I am trying to help her out on this. Thanks.

Wolferts and ElDorado2012- I say keep your DJ! Most times your DJ will quickly notice what type of music your guests are enjoying and change things up to make sure your guests are having fun. An iPod can't do that! And although I don't know which DJ's you have hired, a lot of them bring fun props to the party to help keep the party going Don't worry about "how" things look- enjoy yourself. Don't fool yourselves- a destination wedding of over 20 people is a great size! Plus you'll actually get to spend time with your guests- not jump from one table to another, say hi to your guests and then run off to the next table. You'll actually remember who was there, and what you did with them over the week. Plus you can make time to have lunch or dinner with everyone during the stay (not all at the same time). Enjoy it for what it is, a beautiful wedding, in a beautiful location!

First of all, your WC doesn't need final numbers until 4 weeks prior (and I had 3 guests join us in the last 10 days and they accommodated it no problems). So don't stress about that....not sure why they are telling you that they need the numbers that soon! Silly! If they ask, tell them an approximate 20 guests, 50 guests, etc. (BUT guess your numbers under, not over what you expect) and that you'll send your final numbers 4 weeks prior! The reason they are trying to get your numbers is to complete your spread sheet and know how much they have to charge you (for chair covers, private receptions, flowers, etc.), you can always pay the money for extra guests later, trying to get a refund might be tricky! If I remember correctly you had to pay the wedding fee in full 21 days prior to the wedding. As for your guests not being honest, or committing one way or the other. That a deep breath, and realize you can't control this. I was so worried about who was or wasn't coming, and then I realized that all destination brides must go through this same stress. It is frustrating, but it's also a lot to ask of people, and I had to remind myself of that quite often. Concentrate on those guests that you know are coming and making their trip a wonderful experience. If you have some people drop out or join last minute, know that the WC will work to accommodate this and that you will enjoy your wedding no matter what happens! As for those guests that didn't reply about meal choices, etc. We actually had added a clause on our menu cards, "Please RSVP your dinner choice by December 31. If you do not reply you will receive choice A". That way if I had not heard from people they got meal A. For your guests that don't reply on time, I would just make a dinner choice for them, and be done with it. Good luck! And know that we're all going through the same things (or have gone through the same things).

Best wishes! Travel safe and wishing you good weather and a beautiful wedding! Can't wait to hear about it when you get back.

While we were there it was really windy every day. So the Gazebo 55 was quite noisy with the wind and strong waves. Tucanes Bar/pool is set back from the beach a bit and protected by large trees- so it's quite protected and private there. The Beach Bar is up from the beach, so you still get some wind, but it's quite a large structure with Jojo's right beside it, so usually at least one side is protected from the wind. I think my favorite ceremony locations were Gazebo 55, Presidential gazebo north, or the white gazebo across from the Health Bar. Favorite reception site would have to be Tucanes Bar/pool area. The Health Bar could be set up nicely too. We had a great time! And the entertainment staff is loads of fun. The water balloon fights are a blast and I loved 'Name that tune" by the pool! You can also sign out bikes to drive around the property, volleyballs, horseshoes, bocce ball, ping pong paddles, etc. So much fun!

Okay, so finally downloaded the photos with descriptions. I have put them onto my profile, since there was lots. Hopefully this link works, if not click on my profile and go to the bottom where my photos are. http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/gallery/album/view/id/104294/user_id/27758#page=0&sort=display_order If you have any questions feel free to ask. Hope these help someone! Good luck with all your planning