AllieH

Hi Amanda, we had the 12" x 108" runners, so 9' long. I think the tables are the 60" rounds. there will be plenty of room for a dance floor. they can fit twice as many tables under there as we had (for 35). you can see how much extra space we had between our tables. the dance floor can spill out onto the pool deck too. Quote: Originally Posted by amandances Hi everyone, We are having our reception at Tucanes. I understand the tables are round tables for 8 guests. We are planning on bringing down our own linen. What size tablecloths, runners, etc did you all use? Also they say there is a maximum size of 76 people for Tucanes. Does that include space for the dance floor? Thanks so much! Amanda

hello ladies! we are back from our quick trip to EDR, and it was just and amazing as we remembered from our wedding moon! They did goof up our reservation, but were able to upgrade us into the premium section (Building 3, right by the Health Bar). we loved the location, and our room. here are some photos of the white gazebo area as requested: the panoramic - ignore the "dip" - my hand isn't too steady..it's really a pretty line in that area. as for the wind- this area does stick out a little more into the ocean/on the beach than the casitas gazebos which are closer to the walkway, or the presidential or chapel gazebo which is a little more sheltered on one side. it's probably equally as windy as Gazebo 55 - which is to say, some days it's pretty windy, some days it isn't. Tips: Make sure you get reservations at least one night in Fuentes, the Culinary Theater. We really enjoyed our evenings there (we did it twice!). And of course D'Italia Casitas is still the best of their restaurants. We really enjoyed Kampai for breakfast & Lunch, and La Isla had a great lunch as well. We saw several of the shows this time - do NOT miss the Circus show - it was really awesome! we also enjoyed the dance show - I think it's superstar or something like that, and the Mexican show was fun to watch too. we passed on the fire show since we saw it before (but it was good!). Other/misc: We had sunny mornings but cloudy afternoons, with some rain as well. Not the best weather, but we were in paradise and certainly made the best of it. We didn't get to go out with Samba Catamaran to Isla Mujeres due to the weather - but the staff at EDR all had really good things to say about them. They were quick to refund our money after we had to scratch two attempts to go, and had great/fast communication prior to our trip, and I would definitely book with them again. We did the 90 minute "membership" sales pitch and our concierge set up the anniversary package as our amenity - 2 free 25 min massages (which we upgraded to 80 minutes!), candle light dinner on the beach and the rose petal decorations in our room. the 90 minutes was worth our time, even though we had no intentions to buy into the program. If you need a transport company to/from the airport - I can recommend cancuntransfers.com. we had a private ride, $82 for both of us, round trip. they were a bit hard to find in the chaos of sharks at the Cancun airport, but one of the airport security pointed us to him. they were on time for our pick up as well. no complaints, and not a shared ride! If there are any questions I can answer, please don't hesitate to ask!

thank you!! they were gorgeous on my wedding day - and no one even realized they were fake! Quote: Originally Posted by aprilandy Quote: Originally Posted by AllieH Here's my inspiration: and here's my actual bouquet I'm thinking I might try to color the callas just a bit - they are more yellow than orange. But not sure if I have the right ink or paint for it. I like this one. Elegant!

Jennifer - what a gorgeous wedding!! I love the banners above the gazebo, and in Tucanes. congratulations to you & your new husband. Quote: Originally Posted by jennifandr5 Hi Girls, I haven’t been very active on this site but it was a huge resource for information while planning my wedding and thought I should give back by writing a review. My wedding was this month, 11/7/13. We had 25 guests and had the ceremony at gazebo 55 and the reception at Tucanes. We brought ALL and I mean ALL of our decorations (except the gazebo sheers and bamboo ceremony runner) and ended up with 4 additional suitcases of wedding stuff and my dress and his suit. Keep in mind that one of these suitcases was actually one of those huge plastic golf club bags which came in handy because we were able to bring tons of fragile items since it has a hard case. We were so worried/stressed about customs so we made copies of all the receipts (which was suggested on this site!) and printed pieces of paper that said “DESTINATION WEDDING DÉCOR, PLEASE BE GENTLE THANKS” and we stuck these in each suitcase that we were checking. Mostly we did this so that if customs opened our bags and wondered why we had 20 bottles of advil or 40 maracas they wouldn’t think it was shady. It turns out they did go through our bags at some point because my brooch bouquet that was wrapped in bubble wrap was re-wrapped and taped with tape that said “customs” on it- but either way they let everything through and even let one of our overweight bags through with no charge. Otherwise it can be more than $50 per bag so be sure to budget for that if you are bringing a lot of stuff.

thank you Amanda!!! it's hard to believe it was a year ago. I am still looking at our photos and thinking it was just a few days ago. we can't wait to get back to EDR! (9 more days....) Quote: Originally Posted by amanda50388 Quote: Originally Posted by AllieH Happy Anniversary to you and your hubby and have a wonderful trip.

krobb - I sure can! I'll take a scarf with me to show you. Quote: Originally Posted by amanda50388 Quote: Originally Posted by krobb317 great thanks ladies! AllieH, would you mind taking a picture of the white gazebo area to capture how windy it is if possible? I feel it depends on the season and the month, it was not super windy just a nice ocean breeze( it felt really nice for us) when we got married there on 4/30/12. So I think you are getting married in a nice hot season that it should hopefully not be that windy, but it always depends on the day and weather,but don't let that stop you from what you really want. We had a wonderful day with perfect weather and nothing went wrong at all, we felt we were given the 5 star treatment. So do what makes you happy and what you dream of it.

Hi Rvalenka! We decided that Mexico was more accessible for our guests vs. Jamaica, and the cost for the resorts was generally a little less expensive - our money for the accommodations went farther in Mexico vs. Jamaica at the time. Plus airfare was a little more reasonable. I don't think you can go wrong with either location really. They both have beautiful resorts and beaches.

Yes, I had everything scheduled through our WC prior to our arrival to ensure I got the days/times that I wanted for both my trial and on the day of. I bumped my day of appointment back and hour, and I'm so glad I did that - we would have been extra, extra late!! Quote: Originally Posted by krobb317 Did you all schedule your hair and makeup trial and day of before you got there? I read a post somewhere saying it was better to do so when you get there…but it made me a little nervous!

Hi Vanilla - just carry it on in your dress bag as your carry on item. Ask nicely, and if there's room the flight attendants will help you find a good space for it. There usually isn't much room in the closets on the planes anymore, but there may be room where they hang the 1st class coats, or help you lay it into an overhead bin. Quote: Originally Posted by Vanilla871 Hi ladies! Getting married July 5, 2014 at Azul Beach! So excited! Heard that it's not a good idea to book hair and makeup in advance and to wait until you arrive for special discounts. Probably true right?? Brides have a good way to carry on their wedding dress? Thanks! Quote: Originally Posted by Vanilla871 Carry on for the plane I mean

Noelle - your wedding was AMAZING. and your TTD photos are incredible. congratulations!!!!

They should be able to be there on the day of the wedding, but just for the wedding - an hour before it starts, until the reception/dinner is over. For the other events/days, you'd have to clear that with your wedding coordinator. I don't think any of the Karisma resorts do wristbands (except for day pass guests), but they do ask for room numbers and last names at the restaurants & bars - at least they did at EDR. We had friends get the boot even though they were just SITTING at a table with some of our other guests. weren't drinking or eating..had no intention of doing either one. security escorted them out. Quote: Originally Posted by tracey lynn Thanks for the suggestion. Some of our guests have to stay at Azul Sensatori because Azul Beach is full. I thought they could shuttle back and forth and use their all inclusive at the sister resorts, but I guess I was misinformed?? Did anybody have guests that stayed at a different location, and how were they able to come to Azul Beach to hang out without having to pay the $95 day pass?? Do either resorts make you wear a wristband? If there is no wristband then I figure how would they know. If anyone knows how to get around this please let me know. Only 3 1/2 weeks left yay!

we are using Samba when we go down to RM later this month - can't wait!!! Quote: Originally Posted by asposeep Quote: Originally Posted by tracey lynn thanks all for your input. Another quick question: We are looking to book a snorkeling trip, and also a trip to either Chichen Itza or Tulum Ruins. Any suggestions on tour places to go through? The hotel provided us with Lomas Travel info, but wondering if anyone else had some suggestions of who they used? thanks We used Samba Catamarans...they did an amazing job and took us snorkeling in Isla Mujeres where the water was amazing. The boat was gorgeous and our guests had the best time--I would HIGHLY recommend them--their prices were the most reasonable I could find on top of it. PM me if you want more info...I have a video they sent me after the trip I'd be happy to share!

hi there! you should be ok in early June - the hurricanes usually don't kick in until later in the season (August typically...). it CAN happen in June, just not as likely. we had planned ours for early November, thinking we'd be out of the main hurricane season. and Mexico was fine, we just hadn't thought about a hurricane impacting the northeast US, where many of our guests were coming from. so it's always something! Quote: Originally Posted by lperraton Hi Brides of Azul Beach! Thank you to all of you for the advice it has been invaluable in choosing my location. Unfortunately the only time I can get my friends and family in one place is during the start of hurricane season!!!! We are looking at the start of June for our wedding and I am hoping maybe there are some previous brides that have gotten married at this time that could share their experiences???? Would love any feedback. Thank you so much!!

we had a male officiant. he followed our script just fine, and our guests could understand him. I don't think he was the warmest orator....but I barely remember anything he said anyway. Quote: Originally Posted by amanda50388 Quote: Originally Posted by krobb317 Thanks amanda50388! How well did the officiant speak English? Than seems to be a question I receive most often from family and friends about the ceremony. She spoke well, she followed our ceremony that we had printed out and added stuff in that made it amazing with what we already had. It was a beautiful ceremony and we were lucky to have her officiant as well as she did.

popping in to add my support - I can't really tell it in the photos either. the most important thing is how YOU feel in it. does it feel tight? can you move/dance? does it lay flat for you? if you are comfortable...then don't do anything else to the dress, keep up what you've been doing to lose the 15 and just go for it. Quote: Originally Posted by csho Quote: Originally Posted by Lucy79 So I went for my first dress fitting today. I was so happy when I put it on and saw the way it looked. I've lost 15 lbs and ordered the dress a size smaller than what I was wearing at that time and the same size as I had on when I purchased the dress. I was soo happy when I could step into it and pull it up, I couldn't do that before. I came out of the dressing room and was so excited and started taking some pictures and then the seamstress showed up. In a matter of minutes she deflated the high I was on. She proceeded to tell me that the dress is too small, the underlay is bunching too much at my hips/waist. She was adamant that I either let it out or come back in two weeks but that I need to lose another 10 lbs in order for the dress to fit properly. I was so devastated and upset that I left and made an appointment to come back in two weeks. And I came home to cry to my fiance. So I need to know what you think. And please be honest. I'm going to continue doing what I have been with my diet and exercise but I don't think it will be feasible for me to lose 10 lbs in two weeks. And I don't know if its really necessary. side note: don't mind the cap sleeves, I'm going to have them shortened to sleeves instead. Its hard to tell in the photos. The dress looks beautiful on you. I'd say do what you can in the next two weeks... but I don't think 10lbs is feasible in 2 weeks time... its really only healthy to lose 1-2lbs per week... and even if you do, will it be feasible to keep it off until the wedding? So do your best in the next two weeks and if it needs to be let out, its not that big of a deal, you want the dress to look perfect on you and I am sure that's what the seamstress wants too, I am sure she didn't mean to hurt your feelings, her job is make the dress fit the best possible and make you look the best possible. She is the professional, I'd trust her.

I don't think you'll be sorry about Tucanes vs. the White Gazebo. I'm going down in a few weeks, and would be happy to take fresh photos if there's anything y'all would like to see. Just let me know! Quote: Originally Posted by krobb317 Quote: Originally Posted by kelseyrenee I'm not exactly sure where the white gazebo is, across from the chapel, right? But anyways, I have seen cocktail parties and receptions that are on the beach/sand have very high winds (this was when I was there this March). I did see one reception that was at the gazebo across from the chapel on a very windy night and I would not have wanted that reception to be mine, that's for sure. I want the beach experience so that's why I'm doing it for the ceremony and cocktail party, but moving inward for the reception. You just never know what the day is going to be like, some nights are very windy and some are very calm. Even on windy nights I don't think there is an issue with blowing sand, but more like flapping table cloths and blowing hair styles! Guess I would rather guests be too hot and have to step away for the breeze than be blown away by the wind. Thanks for all of the advice I've been receiving here ladies It's next to the saltwater pool. Okay, I think I'll stick with Tucanes. Thanks so much for the help! Unfortunately the budget didn't allow for a trip down there to check it out, so this has been so helpful! Thanks Kelseyrenee and everyone else!

Hi Carli - EDR does have a really nice chapel. the photo below shows a quick shot of the chapel. it's an incredible resort too. We were married there last year, and are going back in a few weeks to celebrate our anniversary. Check out the links in my signature for more info on EDR. I'd be happy to answer any questions about the resort that I can! Quote: Originally Posted by Carlicardenas we are leaning more towards mexico- so much that we are visiting december/jan... did you already set for el Dorado Royale? i hear they have a very nice chapel.. it may be one of our options even though i also liked the moon palace and gran caribe royal. did you look into that too?

PS - I still think Tucanes is one of the best locations. It's a little more private with the bushes around it, the restrooms are nice and close, private bar & chefs making your dinners close by, plus the pool is beautiful. there's plenty of room for dancing and the DJ too! Quote: Originally Posted by jnitschke Quote: Originally Posted by kelseyrenee I've seen many posts that Toucanes is hot for a reception. Should I see if I can move my reception from Toucanes to another spot? I am expecting about 30-35 guests and am getting a DJ because I want to dance... but I don't want to sweat! Wedding date is April 24, 2014. I was at EDR is March this year and it would not have been too hot at that time but I'm afraid of the end of April. I originally picked Toucanes because it's not terribly far from my ceremony and cocktail party at Gazebo 55 and figured it would protect against wind or rain. Any input is appreciated! At the end of May it was a bit warm in Tucanes, but not uncomfortably so. I had a pretty light dress so that helped I'm sure. It was 87 degrees on the day of our wedding if that helps at all.

Our wedding was in November, and we had our dinner/reception at Tucanes. It was pretty warm, even with the fans - there just isn't a cross breeze through there based on the location. If you step out from under the palapa to the pool area, you can catch more of a breeze. I had a full a-line dress, and was dancing pretty much the entire time - so I was definitely hot & sweaty. I blame the dancing and the dress more than the location though. Noone else really complained. The other location that is similar will be the Health Bar. Our ceremony was at Gazebo 55 as well. Quote: Originally Posted by kelseyrenee I've seen many posts that Toucanes is hot for a reception. Should I see if I can move my reception from Toucanes to another spot? I am expecting about 30-35 guests and am getting a DJ because I want to dance... but I don't want to sweat! Wedding date is April 24, 2014. I was at EDR is March this year and it would not have been too hot at that time but I'm afraid of the end of April. I originally picked Toucanes because it's not terribly far from my ceremony and cocktail party at Gazebo 55 and figured it would protect against wind or rain. Any input is appreciated!