amberm390

Jessica sooo good to hear from you!!! Can't wait to hear more and glad things went well for you:) Alisa, I'm interested to hear what ypes of issues you had at the resort? I literally emailed my on-site WC over a month ago and still haven't heard anything!!! I'm thinking of writing back to Yesenia and asking her what the deal is. Or maybe I just need to wait until closer to time...the wedding is 5 months away yet. I just want to start planning!

So ladies, how long should I expect to wait for a reply from WC Cristina? I emailed her for the first time almost 2 weeks ago and haven't heard anything yet. I know she probably has ALOT of other weddings right now, so I'm trying to be patient!!

While we're showing dresses, here is mine! It's Maggie Sottero's Kay in Ivory (because I'm so pale-skinned, white makes me look washed out). The back of it is kinda similar to yours sxct...

Jess- my MIL said the same thing!! They used to have a time-share there years ago when the entire resort was adults-only and she said there was a certain 'cove' that was topless. I'm not sure if its that way anymore though. The FI and I were there for a tour in December and didn't see any topless people. So let's hope...that's the last thing we need in the background of our wedding photos!! Haha

Oh my goodness Alisa...hope you are feeling better!! Better that it happened the week before I guess and not in Mexico, if you want to look at the positives! I'm not sure if anyone is interested in this or not, but just thought I'd share! I came across what sounds like a great tour in the Riviera Maya...its called Edventure Tours and the company gets RAVE reviews on trip advisor. The cost is $75/person and they pick you up right from the resort. They take you snorkeling in the underground river cenotes of Dos Ojos, then to a lagoon to snorkel in a natural aquarium...all with a personal guide. You can also add on (for an extra charge) swimming with sea turtles ($10 extra), a zipline/cliff jump park ($20 extra), and the Mayan Ruins of Tulum ($7 extra). You can pick and choose certain activities or all of them, but the base price is $75. I think it sounds like a great way to see so many things in the Riviera Maya all in the same day! Their website is kinda silly and basic, but they get outstanding reviews on trip advisor, so it makes me want to try it! I'm thinking of planning this as an 'outing' for our group one day. www.edventuretours.com.mx

Jess, my FI and I went to Xcaret this past December when we went for a site visit to different resorts. Xcaret was fun...it was a pretty full day in order to see/do everything. It also costs about $100/person, so I think it's a bit pricey. It's basically a zoo/aquarium/nature park. There is an underground river to go snorkeling in, which was cool...its pretty dark in there and you don't see any fish until the very end. We also took a scenic tower up high and there was a great view from up there! My FI swam with sharks (for extra $$)...you can also pay more to swim with dolphins. At night there is Mexican-theme show that is neat, but a bit too long if you ask me. So like I said, it is pretty much a whole day thing, but we enjoyed it! It's a good thing for kids to do too (not sure if you have kids coming), but there is alot of walking.

Sooo I just got assigned to Cristina Suarez as the on-site wedding coordinator!! I was excited to get this ball rolling, but nervous at the same time... Runcol, I remember you saying that you were having problems with her and bringing decorations. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience with her and what it was like?? I want the good, the bad, and the ugly...I just want to know what to expect!

Nicole, I know this is a stretch, but do you happen to know the style name or number?? I looked before at David's Bridal and didn't see anything like this. I'm guessing the color is guava maybe? I am on the hunt for bridesmaid dresses and just haven't found anything I love yet...

Nicole, I wanted to ask you where you got your bridemaid dresses? I absolutely LOVE the style and that is the exact color I'm looking for as well!!

Karen, very thorough review...thanks! Do you mind PMing me the link to your pictures?

Karen, can you PM the link w/ pictures to me as well?!

Hello ladies- Has anyone created a Palace resorts wedding webpage? The one that is included in the wedding package? Just wondering because I know you can create these on other sites as well. When I went to the "My Palace Wedding Website" I saw something about starting a 2 week trial run, but I was under the impression that this was free with our package?? I sent a comment to the link that it suggested for questions, but of course I haven't heard anything back!

I am also still undecided on all white paper lanterns, pink/orange, or a mix of the colors and white. I feel like all white gives more of an elegant look, but I also like the splash of color that you get from the colored ones...any thoughts?? I am so back and forth with it!

Alisa- thanks for the info! I just bought some paper lanterns from the Dollar Tree today...I only bought one at first bc I wanted to first see how 'cheaply' made they were before buying more. I was actually thoroughly surprised by them...they look the same as ones in other pictures I see online. I am also doing the fuschia/tangerine color combo! Can I ask where you found the little colored lanterns? That sounds really cute...will you use tealight candles or the battery operated ones that look like a flame?? I'm thinking battery-operated bc wind from the ocean and candles doesn't mix well...

Banksnelson- Beautiful pictures!! Where did you get the maraccas from?? I would like to do the same things on my tables... Juanitaeagle- We are eager for your review and pictures as well! Hope you had a great time and things went smoothly:) Also, does anyone know for the 'free' cocktail hour you get for booking so many room nights, do they provide tables and chairs for that?? I'm thinking the Pandero Tereace and just wondering if everybody just stands around or if they have those high tables or something? I would like to bring flip-flops for the girls to have at the cocktail hour, but do I need to bring my own basket to put them in or does the resort have things like that we can use? Do people decorate the little tables for the cocktail hour?? I feel sooo clueless and I haven't been assigned a wedding coordinator at the resort yet, so its just been my travel agent going back and forth w/ Yesenia in Miami...I just have soo many questions to ask and nobody to ask!!! How do people print up programs/itineraries before getting down there...I guess you have to have all your locations picked out beforehand in order to do that. But then I have heard of some people changing their locations once they got down there and actually see them in person. Then everything that you printed is wrong...I just don't know how to go about that...

Jess- my FI and I are using the resort photographer also. I think it just makes things alot easier! How have you seen the work that they do? I would like to see some examples... Banksnelson- Sorry to hear about the issues you had. It seems like they do not stay true to their word at all! It just sucks, because you never know if what they're telling you is true or not. I think I speak for others too, that we would like to hear about the other issues you had, whether it scares us or not:/ Haha its going to be reality! Does anyone know what toiletries the resort gives you in the room?? I know shampoo, conditioner, soap...but do they leave shower gel, body lotion, etc...? I'm trying to figure out what I should include in the OOT bags and I don't want to repeat things if the resort already puts them in the room...

Angelov- what a beautiful picture!! thanks so much for the cocktail info. I wish it would stay light longer that time of year, but I can't change that! Jessica- my FI and I went to Xcaret this past December. I would say its about 15-20 mins away from ASP...I definitely know it wasn't far. Xcaret is huge and really fun...you want a whole day to spend there bc there is so much to see and do. It's basically like a zoo/aquarium all wrapped into one, but with so much more also! We went snorkeling in an underground river which was fun...although, you really couldn't see much the majority of the time because its dark in there, but once you get to the end, there's more fish to see. It was just something fun to do. Xcaret had a beautiful view of the ocean, blue as can be, but I don't recall there being a beach. If there was a beach, we really didn't have time to sit on it anyway. It had a revolving tower that went up in the air and gave you an awesome view of the Riviera Maya. At 6pm (I think), there was a show in this huge theatre...it was kinda long (over 2 hrs if I remember correctly), but it gave you a taste of Mexican culture. There was singing, dancing, great costumes, playing w/ fire balls. It was really neat, but like I said, a little long. It costs around $100/person to get into Xcaret also.

What time did you have the cocktail party at? Was it dark outside yet?? I'm just wondering so I can pick the best time for it...

I have learned so much from this site, but I still have so much more to learn! So this welcome booklet you're talking about, what exactly does it include? Do you include the booklet in your OOT bag and give to people when they get down there?? Jess, thanks for the info on the cocktail hour...that is reassuring! sxcT, I have so many lists too...if I don't write it down I'll forget and I feel like there is so much to remember. Especially when people recommend things to you on here. So I thought I had my heart set on having the harpist play at the ceremony, but the more I think about it, I'm not sure. I think you pay around $500 for an hour. But I don't understand how he will actually play for an hour at the ceremony?? The ceremonies seem rather short from what I have seen and heard, and he can really only play in the beginning, end, and in between the talking maybe. So I'm just not sure if it's worth the $$...if he truly plays for an hour then maybe I would consider. Anyone know details?

sxcT- I know exactly what you mean about the OOT bags...I am chomping at the bit to buy stuff for them but I just don't know how much to buy! Every time I'm out shopping I find more things that I can't buy right now haha. So I see you said you are doing passport invitations...did you do save-the-dates also? I'm not really sure what the protocol is for a DW...my TA will give us save-the-dates for free, so I was thinking of just using them for our invitations since they will have TA's information on them. Just wondering what others have done... Also, some of my guests have booked through other sources besides the TA, so technically they are not part of our group contract. Based on the number of rooms we're booking, we should get the free cocktail hour that Palace offers. My concern is that my TA said that the free cocktail hour is technicially for people who booked through our group contract. So does that mean my guests who booked through Apple Vacations can't come to the cocktail hour??? I was freaking out, because if we have a cocktail party, I want everyone to be able to come. Any ideas from people who have already done it?!

One other question, I have read on here about girls buying the Chinese paper lanterns to be hung for the cocktail hour. I'm just wondering if Aventura will hang them for you or if you need to pay for this to be done? I'm considering the Pandero terrace for the cocktail hour, but since we are getting married in December, the sun sets around 5pm. I just don't want it to be pitch dark during our cocktail hour. I'm wondering if there are lights around that area or not... I thought planning a destination wedding would be much easier, but I'm not finding that to be true! There are so many unknowns!

Hi juanitaeagle! I'm getting married at Aventura on December 10, 2011, so your wedding is obviously before mine. So I am in no way speaking from experience, but rather from things I have learned from other BDW girls! As far as flowers, it seems like you pick these when you get down there and meet with the wedding coordinator. Then she can show you pictures in person. Also, I believe the flowers depend on availability and the season, so you never know what you may be able to get or not. For the restaurant, it seems that alot of people go with Mundaca (the steakhouse, but it's on the Cove side). I have heard it has an outside terrace that is perfect for smaller wedding parties and it offers more privacy. Several people have said Mundaca was their favorite restaurant on the Cove side...I'm not sure about the Spa side. For music, we are considering getting the harpist for the ceremony and Mexican trio band for the cocktail hour. They are a bit pricey, but I have heard it's worth it and people really enjoyed it. Although, one girl had a negative review on the harpist because she didn't play traditional wedding music like they had asked. I personally just don't feel like dealing with an Ipod and bringing my own music...many people have done this though! We too will just be having dinner in one of the restaurants. We'll probably have about the same number of wedding guests as you...around 20 or so. I just couldn't fathom paying for a private reception and DJ for that small number of people, especially when we are at an all-inclusive resort to begin with. I'm hoping to have a nice, long dinner and then entertain ourselves until the resort disco opens (I believe it's open from 10pm-2am). Does anyone know what time the specialty restaurants open at the resort? Is it 6pm?? I'm trying pick a ceremony time so that the events kind of flow together and are not spaced out. I already picked 2pm, but I'm hoping to change it to 3pm!

I remember another bride who had bought the inflatable beer pong table for the pool...I'm just not sure if it was a Palace resort bride or another resort. I have read so many threads on here that they all blend together after a while! Anyway, she had a pool beer pong tournament and it sounded like alot of fun!! I would just take the chance that they will let you use it, but thats just my opinion I know there's volleyball and activities in the pool, so I wouldn't know why not. So my question for everyone is how long did it take for your wedding coordinator at the resort to contact you? The only person I have been in touch with is Yesenia in the wedding office in Miami. I'm just wondering because the contract we signed says the onsite wedding coordinator will contact you 30 days prior to the wedding. There is NO WAY I am waiting until 30 days before to talk to her!! It sounded like some other girls had contact with theirs much before this, so I'm just trying to figure it out...

I was wondering too if the mugs would be worth it or not?? I feel like, unless people carry them everywhere with them at the resort, when they need the mug they won't have it. Some of my guests may only be there for 2 full days besides the wedding day, so I'm just trying to rationalize if 2 days of use are worth it (of course, they may use at home too). Some people have recommended Bubba Kegs, but these just seem a bit pricey to have to purchase 15-20+ of them. I was also wondering, for anyone who has already been married in Mexico...is it an issue getting all this stuff through customs?? I was planning on packing everything for the OOT bags in a suitcase and putting them together down there.

Just wondering if everyone has all their guests stay on the same side of the resort (either Cove or Spa)...or if some stay on one side and some on the other? I was initially going to let guests pick on their own. We may only have one child there, so obviously they have to stay on family side...but I thought others might want to stay on Spa side. I only started second-guessing it because the travel agent recommended all staying the same side since its a large resort...what have others done? Also, I have heard that you can use resort credit towards a wedding package, which we are interested in doing...BUT does this need to be stated in the wedding contract from the start? Or does it get taken care of later?? I haven't actually had contact with the wedding planner because we didn't sign our contract yet.