alundy

The one in DR I can't remember whether we were dancing or not (it was quite a few years ago!). The one in Negril had a dance party on the beach, with a DJ and a bar setup right beside the dancing area.

I love this thread!! Especially the tips about veils - I would have been that person who just buys the bridal shop one without thinking of how simple and cheap of an item it actually is. Personally, I am looking to do a very frugal DW. For those in the same boat as me, depending on your taste here are some of my ideas: - Consider whether it's really that important to have a private reception. I've been to two DWs now where the reception dinner was in a semi-private area of one of the a la cartes, and one was not private (they just set us up in the a la carte). I thought it was great - you are still sharing your reception with your guests, and if other random people from the resort stop and say congrats, then great! It's not for everyone but I think that's the way I will go to save $$ on the whole private dinner thing. The reception dance/party was on the beach and was not private either - and it was lots of fun! - I am all about picking the key important items that really matter to me and not focusing too much on the rest. I really don't care about centerpieces, flowers (I'm sure whatever comes with the free or cheapy package will be just lovely), or upgraded cakes. Those are not things I will think back on when I remember my wedding day. - I think I will request RSVP via email (and probably setup a separate email account for wedding stuff), instead of sending out response cards with envelopes and postage. If you invite 100 people, that's quite a bit you've saved by skipping the return postage. This online store had some super cheap, pretty wedge sandals (and a ton of other stuff too): Wedding Cake Toppers - Monogram Cake Toppers - Cake Toppers - Wedding Shoes - Bridal Shoes Just be warned, their return policy is pretty strict so make sure you read it if you're concerned about the sizing.

OK thanks, that makes me feel a lot better. I certainly do want to work with a TA, not an online discount website, when it comes to my wedding. So I'm happy to hear that price matching is a possibility.

Hi everyone! I am trying to narrow down which island I want to have my DW at. A big part of that decision is cost for our guests... I haven't contacted a TA yet as this is just preliminary reserach. In any case, I was considering Aruba and when I look at the room rates on the Divi and Tamarijn resort websites, they are quite high ($365 per night). However when I look at those same resorts on Orbitz.com, same timeframe, they are quoting $1500 per person including airfare! Obviously this is a massive difference and would completely change whether I consider going here. What price would a TA be more likely to get - is the resort's quoted room rate what they will be working with? It just seems like a ridiculous difference. Thanks in advance for your help!

I stayed at the RIU Palace in Negril (down the beach from the RIU Negril) this past April. We were not there for a wedding, but there were some weddings going on and these are my thoughts on seeing the weddings and on the resort in general: - RIU seemed like fantastic value for the money - it was quite affordable and I imagine it would be cheaper than Beaches. - The a la carte and buffet restaurants were awesome - The resort had daily activities going on, like cricket one day, ping pong tournament, etc etc something everyday for those who need more action. Plus their nightly shows really were entertaining. - The weddings we saw were all on the beach, under an archway or just with rows of flowers on either side of the "aisle". The dinner afterwards was in a semi-private section of their steakhouse a la carte restaurant, which is right beside the beach (great view). The reception dance/party was on the beach, with a DJ from the hotel. It was not private, anyone seemed to be able to pop in if they wanted, but to be honest I thought that was more fun - if it were me I say the more the merrier! Especially b/c you tend to make casual friends with random people at the resorts so why not have them share the party. That's just me - not everyone wants that type of thing of course. When we left the resort I definitely felt that it was a place I would love to get married at.

I went there for a wedding several years ago and thought the resort was great! There was lots of food selection, beautiful beach, and yes it is huge! I don't remember what the rooms were like but I wouldn't really have cared one way or another - I didn't plan on spending much time in the room!

Congrats! I went to a wedding there several years ago, and it was beautiful. The food was awesome at that resort.

Hi, my name is Ashley and as of yet I don't have my wedding date or location picked. I know it will be detination, and I'm joining the forum to start gethering ideas and info to narrow down the selection. I think my main choices are between Cozumel, Barbados, Bahamas. But we'll see!