beachesSB1412

Awesome tip on the receipts - Thanks! I just confirmed with my WC that we can either use freeze-dried/biodegradable flower petals or starfish for the "flower-girl" (and they will pick up the starfish after ceremony - AT NO EXTRA COST!!!) shocker!

I too am doing reusable shopping tote bags. I just ordered them from The Knot on sale w/ addl 20% off (FAN20 coupon code) w/ free personalization! I chose the ones that fold into themselves for space saving and convenience and I just had them personalized w/ "Jamaica" in my wedding color so they represent my wedding and can be used for years to come!

projectwedding.com and google hair comes the bride - they show you hair pins/combs/tiaras actually in hair which I thought helped.

The Knot website store is having a sale on bags right now and they have coupon code FAN20 to use and you get an additional 20% off. I ordered the black foldaway shopper tote and had "Jamaica" printed on them for my OOT bags. The printing was free and I had it done in MY wedding color. I figure these were $5.99, small and compact for traveling, and the personalization I chose is such that they can be re-used for years.

Definitely something in the middle - palm tree maybe? Otherwise, great start!!!!

Forgive me but what exactly is a carbon offset?

Thanks! That stinks about the rum. I thought you could take and bring liquor? Were the bottles you tried to bring home just too much liquor by volume? All of us in my group are looking forward to going to the Appleton Rum factory and you get a free bottle - it would stink to not be able to bring that home!

Did anyone have issues getting through customs w/ snacks for OOT bags or starfish for decorations? Thanks

Did anyone have a hard time bringing first aid kits or snacks through customs for their OOT bags? Also did anyone have a hard time getting starfish through customs for ceremony/reception decorations? Thanks!

I booked through a travel agent and we paid like $150 insurance per person so that if God forbid we have to cancel we can do so for any reason and only be out the insurance $. This seemed to be a wise idea since we booked a year in advance!

Hello ladies - I am going to be married at Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril, Jamaica on 1-4-12. They are going through a complete renovation that should be completed later this year - YEAH! I figured Beaches Negril has a bridal thread so why not start our own for Sandy Bay! I would love to hear about your experiences w/ the on site coordinators - Chloe from Montego Bay that is helping me in the planning stages has been awesome! I would also like to hear from ladies that just did the 30min reception - did you bring your own music, was it lame - do you wish you had splurged. Has anyone utilized the steel drummer - was he worth it? Do you choose the music he plays? Thanks ladies! Nicole

I am going to Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril - it is currently going through a COMPLETE renovation that will be later this year and you can mingle between it and neighboring Beaches Negril. SB is a little more intimate and Negril has water park and all - although during renovation they are adding more family friendly things to SB but it is still smaller, more intimate and will be NEW! The incentives are good for groups starting w/ 5 then 10rm bookings and their Beautiful Beginnings ceremony is "free" w/ 6 night stay!

Have you been to the facebook page for sandals - if not let me know and i will post you the actual name to search for. Also, if you PM me your email I can send you the MS book of bouquet options that my TA sent me. I have noticed around this site that apparently this is not widely distributed but I have it via email. Best of luck!

I am getting married at Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril so I wont be much help to your specific questions except I know that now is a big time for bridal fairs and dress sales. I am getting married next Jan and I have just bought my dress (on an awesome sale). My resort is all-inclusive and has wedding packages to choose from and one that is at no extra cost for staying 6 nites/7 days ecept they of course count on you making upgrade - lol. Best of luck!

Sweetiecat - I just purchased some "fans" from theknot.com store. They were just on sale and come in tons of different colors so you can coordinate. Now the WC will want to charge you $150-$200 to set these out on the chairs prior to the ceremony but I think if you just have a good friend hand them out as people sit or have that person be the first to arrive and get em laid out on the chairs quickly you would be fine and then if it is pretty warm they will have some colorful was to cool down. I am not sure where in the US you are from but I am from the midwest and a friend is married to a Jamaican and she said that there summers are no more hot/humid than the midwest (this will either put you at ease or disappoint you - I hope not the latter!). Best of luck - ps make sure you try to get a lighter destination type dress as I have heard that traditional dresses tend to be less tolerant during the warmer times. Also, someone on here suggested oil-blotting papers to have on hand to help w/ shine during warm months & photo taking. Hope this helps!

Hello ladies - I am going to be married at Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril, Jamaica on 1-4-12. They are going through a complete renovation that should be completed later this year - YEAH! I figured Beaches Negril has a bridal thread so why not start our own for Sandy Bay!

Erica - hey I am getting married Jan 4, 2012 at Beaches Sandy Bay at 4pm. I presume you know that the more rooms you book the more perks you get? Anyway, Chloe is my WC and she is in Montego Bay - she is super nice, helpful and not pushy. She is very quick to respond so if you have any immediate questions you can PM me and I can ask her - lol. Chloe did explain to me that you can choose your ceremony site & reception site upon arrival at the resort and they do not have to be the same spot although I think your choices are that of which you can choose for the ceremony (garden, gazebo, beach). I believe you can bring your own ipod music or cd (not real sure) or you can pay to have DJ, steel drum, etc. Everyone that books is able to attend ceremony/reception but if you want them to have a place to sit at the reception you have to pay $100/table for 8 people per table for BB wedding. The flower choices are crazy expensive so I have decided to take the orchids and spend the $250 on a steel drummer for 1hr to be at ceremony/reception. Also, if you stick w/ the white orchids your floral website has awesome hair flowers and you get two for $49 where as Beaches will charge you $35 for ONE and it will wilt and die. I checked with customs and you can bring, I think, 1 liter of liquor with you - so we are probably going to bring our own champagne for room while we get ready because Beaches will have some delivered but at a price. I can shoot you an email of the pics/brochures/info Chloe has sent me so far if you are interested. She has sent me pics of each ceremony site to choose from (I presume Beaches Sandy Bay options arent far off from Beaches Negril since they neighbor one another!). I truely think that the minute you and your guests check in, if you plan ahead and inform them, that you can each make reservations for same time/day and have your own all inclusive restaurant reception - I dont think they want you to but oh well. Enjoy planning!

Ask if you can get a different WC? I am working with Chloe and she is out of Montego Bay. She is super helpful and very quick to respond when I email. She has not been very pushy at all. She of course if giving me the same over priced quotes I have been reading about on here and she also indicates that they have strict guidelines thanks to Martha Stewart but you can get around or tweak some things. I go the same $600 quote for an arch on the beach - yeeshta! $35 for orchid hair flowers, $74 for orchid bridesmaid bouquet, $55 make-up application, and just so you know their mailer states the steel drum BAND is $600 but I am getting a steel drum PLAYER for 1hr for $250 - worth it to me. They do have a flower brochure - no prices of course but if anyone is interested you can PM me and I will email it to ya. My WC sent it to my TA (who is fabuous!). My WC also emailed me pics of the ceremony site options for Beaches in Negril. Best of luck ladies.

Erica RN - THANK YOU - I have just found the orchid hair flower I have been looking for at this website! Thanks - BTW ladies I am purchasing the $75 white orchid bouquet for my bridesmaid and just getting the magenta orchids for myself. I was going to upgrade but decided to have a steel drummer at the ceremony/reception instead for the price of a bouquet upgrade!

Congrats! I am getting married in Negril Jan 4, 2012 - just wondering what the weather was like for you since we are going at similar times. Thanks