Mikeycelle

Hi Claire! I just spent two days on the Catholic missalette! I have the order of procession( in Filipino tradition) Order of the Mass, hymns, and thank you's in the missalette. I'll inbox you a copy of ours. You could use mine as a template.

This photo was posted a few posts back. I think they're fireworks that don't produce a lot of heat and smoke and safe to use indoors.

Hi Lauren! Yes, Vanessa Roldan said they allow cold fireworks in La Laguna. I've seen pictures by Del Sol Photography and they came out great! DJ Doremixx is flexible with songs and I had to have the lighted dance floor with cold fireworks! I just sent them a playlist. I haven't booked with the Spa yet. I did receive their price list. They are pricey! I just want bridal hair and makeup for the day. Hair and Makeup for our mothers. My bridesmaids are doing their own hair. I want beach waves for their hair. They may want to book for makeup if they don't want to do their own makeup. The girls are very good with doing their own hair and makeup so I'll leave them that option. I know what you mean about needing that massage! I want to book an exfoliation and massage treatment for us too! Oh, i inboxed you. Going through ceremony music and order of the Mass right now. I have to send Musicancun our music list to play during Mass. I also have print out programs which is a big project on its own! Good thing about Winter Storm Nemo, keeping me indoors all weekend!

Hi jengullage! I've been to Grand Palladium last year to check out the resort, restaurants and wedding information. Portofino is wonderful! Loved the food and service! It's definely perfect for an intimate wedding reception. There's enough room for speeches since there you will have the terrace all to yourself. It's is very private since it is separate from the main restaurant. They have table lanterns for decoration. If you want flowers for the table just ask your wedding coordinator for pics and prices. They run from $40 & up. There is room for an Ipod dock and speakers but not a DJ. There is room for dancing and for your cake if you set up your tables in a U shape. Happy Planning!

Hi Katherine! The rehearsal dinner is free. You just need to make a reservation with your wedding coordinator. You can only have 40 people max in Portofino (Private outdoor). I'm doing my rehearsal dinner at the buffet Kabah the night before. On the day of the wedding, the cocktail reception starts at 7 PM. Any time before they don't serve hot appetizers- only drinks ( $5 pp). So it all depends on what time your ceremony will be. The purpose of cocktail hour is to give the bride and groom time for photo taking while guests could relax and enjoy drinks and appetizers until dinner is served or use the time to go back to their rooms to freshen up or change attire or shoes. Remember under 40 ppl is also free for wedding reception at Portofino, La Laguna or Gran Azul.

Hi Claire0701! I've contacted our parish's secretary a month ago and left messages. She has all our sacramental documents. She is stressing me out! She still hasn't typed up our Nihil Obstat. I have to scan and upload a copy to Vanessa and bring the original. Good idea on making extra copies! What hymns or songs are you playing during your ceremony? I'm still deciding on which songs. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks!

Hi MyTye2B! In response to the sparklers, it's is 522 MX pesos for 10 pcs- $41 USD ( minimum order) and 53 MX pesos or $4.17 USD for individual pcs. I'm getting about 70 pieces- $287 USD. It is pricey but what I wouldn't do for that extra pizzaz! I forgot to add Dj Doremixx also has cold fireworks ( 2 cartridges) to be set off during the first dance included in the package. All these extra details I wouldn't be able to do here in New York. It would've been $1k here! I believe according to Vanessa it was an extra $5 a person for that extra hour in La Laguna. DJ Doremixx's price is good for 4-5 hours. Still debating on the chair covers and sashes. Would anyone miss them? lol

Hi MyTye2Be! Here's a picture of a postcard carousel. I ordered from Amazon.com for $30. I also printed postcards from Vistaprint.com of our engagement pictures in Xcaret. They'll serve as our seating cards. Each slot is in alphabetical order. This will be on top of the bar of Las Rocas by the saltwater pool. There will be a mariachi band playing for 45 minutes ($650). Great for entertainment and photo ops. I can imagine a bridesmaid taking the sombrero off the musician! Since our cocktail hour( $5 pp) is before 7, only drinks will be served to cool guests down and loosen those dancing hips for the entrance! I went with Ivan of DJ Doremixx $750 for 4-5 hrs and extra $750 for lighted dance floor. He comes with props for the guests, fog machine and bubble machine. We booked last year so they honored the prices for last year. We wanted an awesome dance party with lots of house music. I hear he's one of the best in Cancun. Ask Ivan for a schedule of the event and a list of songs you can choose from. I just spent the afternoon YouTubing songs to play at our reception! I have to email him our list. I've got a good mix of Sinatra, Dean Martin, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, JLo, Pitbull, Chris Brown, Beyonce, and whatever else current the DJ wants to play. I compiled all the couples' wedding songs to be played at the reception dinner. Here's a rundown of the reception timeline: We've got 5 hours of reception. Five courses ($60 USD pp) After the entrance and first dance, the first course(soup) is being served. Dancing. Second course(Salad) then speeches and toasts from the Best Man and Matron of Honor during dinner. Third course( mango ices to cleanse the palate). Dancing. Fourth Course(Main course). Mother/son dance. My father had passed away from cancer so I won't have that special dance but I don't want to take that moment away from Mike's mom .Fifth course ( Dessert) Cutting the cake- I brought our own knife and server set to use. Money Dance- a Filipino tradition. Bouquet and garter toss. A game on who gets to take the centerpieces and table frames back to their room. Dancing till midnight. That's a lot of dancing! I gotta pack white wedge flipflops. I wonder if we'll ever get to eat at all. Maybe we can have some food packed up and delivered to our room for a midnight snack? Ok, I've become an insomniac thinking about all this! As always, I enjoyed reading your posts and thoughts!

Hi Ladies! I love reading your wonderful ideas and your posts! Vanessa Roldan is getting the sparklers for me in Mexico. I just have to give her the payment when I get there. She really is phenomenal! We've got small Out of Town Bag burlap bags ( To Have and to hold) - minitube of sunscreen ( For better, for worse) - deck of cards (for richer, for poorer) - mini ziplock of bandaids and packets of ointment( In sickness and in health) - Our itinerary - a few brochures to excursions we may be doing in case they want to join us. Since I'm getting married in the church, there is no additional $20 per person. Bought lace tank tops for my 'maids and me from Etsy.com to wear during our makeup and hair time. I plan on having my hair and makeup done at Zentropia Spa. They use MAC products. I'd love a dramatic look and updo. I hope they can pull it off! Rehearsal dinner will be at the Vanessa will set up my postcard carousel (postcards of our engagement shoot at Xcaret- Vistaprint is awesome!) at Las Rocas bar along with a framed memorial poem with pictures of my dad and our grandparents who've passed on. The kids get a coloring pack wrapped with their names and table number. The Nuptial Mass is from 4-5 PM While we take pictures and do our video shoot, our guests have an hour to freshen up in their room, to change outfits or shoes or dip their feet in the pool- 5-6 PM We have cocktail hour at Las Rocas Bar with Mariachi band from 6-7- no appetizers just drinks ($5 USD pp) Golf carts will take guests who have difficulty walking. Reception at La Laguna 7 PM-12 AM ($60 USD per adult, 5 course dinner surf and turf) Vanessa will set up the sparklers to be lit as the party walks in. Bridesmaids with their bouquet and the groomsmen will be holding the sparklers. Guests will be welcoming us with sparklers. Oh gosh! I just got a chill thinking about it! Speaking of weight issues, I have 3 months to drop 15 lbs! How am I doing it? Bikram Yoga! I've lost 6 lbs in 1.5 weeks. The 105 degree heat and 50% humidity loosens the muscles allowing to go deep into the poses without hurting your body. Sweat? I've never sweated so much in my life! I drink so much water now and juice. I eat in moderation. Eat a chocolate now and then. Still, I burn off 800 calories in a 90 minute session! Since I'm always hydrated,my skin is glowing and my hair grew out fast! All the toxins get eliminated through skin. I am not a gym person at all. I have back issues and knee issues but lately I haven't felt any pain this cold snowy, rainy winter. Do I love it? I HATE IT! It's torture! But when I see the numbers on weighing scale dropping, I feel happy and encouraged! Happy Planning!

Hi Crestena! I love your ideas regarding the cute signs on the golf cart! I'm getting married April 19, 2013 at 4 PM. I got my bridesmaids personalized wire hangers for their dresses. I got them red lace dresses from Asos.com. I thought it would be a cute photo op to hang up their dresses on the window with my gown. I have a big party coming too! 75 guests and counting! Most of them will be staying at the Colonial or Kantenah. I have to have their Out Of Town Bags delivered to their rooms so I need to get their itinieraries and room numbers. Most of us are from NY others are from the Philippines, Cali, Missouri, Oregon and Hawaii. We've stretched our budget big time for this wedding! Yet it is still less than half the cost of what it would be in Long Island. We got a string quartet with Soprano for the Church ceremony- Musicancun Mariachi Band for cocktail hour DJ Doremixx with light up dance floor for 5 hours ( 7-12) Sparklers for grand entrance Benchwerk Photography ( friends from NY) Cinematic Riviera Maya- Agustin Lira and 2 assistants to capture the day Wedding flowers and tall centerpieces by Vanessa Jaimes- I wanted the best orchids and roses, I'm such an ultra romantic! 3 tier cake by Dolcet Cakes( I hear her specialty Pink champagne cake with strawberries are to die for!) Cenote shoot by Del Sol Photography ( our wedding gift to each other) Sitdown dinner- 5 courses for 75 guests including our 3 videographer,2 photographers and 1 DJ. I just need to pick out songs for the ceremony and reception and print out our wedding programs. And send the parish priest our Nihil Obstat! Which s a requirement for the Church. It's a letter from our parish granting permission to get married at another parish Church. Gonna do the civil ceremony next month where I legally take his name! Still so much to do! I hope everything goes accordingly!

Hi kmmathes! I'm getting married after you! I'm getting married on April 19, 2013 at the Catholic church Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves.I have been to Grand Palladium last year in April and it really is the perfect time of year! It's not too hot and it's before the rainy season. You'll be getting married after Spring Break so the place won't be like a college campus. I have a large wedding party so I'm having my rehearsal dinner at Kabah ( buffet in Colonial) Portofino is wonderful!! You should do dinner there with your guests. My guests will be coming in in different days of the week so I won't have a Welcome Reception. The Welcome Reception at Las Rocas Bar will be awesome. Everyone has to wear white at the White Party which happens every Monday (weather permitting). Private Cocktail Reception: Las Rocas could get windy. It is by the Salt Water Pool and surrounded by loungers and bali beds (perfect for photo-ops!)What will you do about music in the area? I'm having my cocktail hour at Las Rocas from 6-7 ( drinks only since they only serve appetizers after 7 PM) with a Mariachi Band. Vanessa is setting up our escort seating cards at the bar. Gran Azul is an open air buffet restaurant with a palapas roof which has a jungle view and near crocodile pen. I've seen it decorated for a wedding when I visited and it was just sooo pretty! They had the ceiling decoration and candles on the ramp floor leading up to the restaurant. It's very private. One thing to think about is bugs! You can have a toiletry basket in the bathroom with OFF spray, mints, mouthwash, hairspray, Rolaids, Tylenol, etc. La Laguna is a buffet restaurant like Gran Azul but overlooks the Riviera/White Sands pool. It's soo pretty in the evening when the pool lights up. Perfect for phot-ops! For some reason I felt that this buffet is a little bigger than Gran Azul. Perhaps because it overlooks the pool. I'm having my sitdown dinner reception here. We're expecting 75 guests!

Hi Shayla! It's sooo exciting that you'll be in Mexico soon! It'll be beautiful and so memorable because you have your nearest and dearest celebrating along with you. Have a safe and wonderful trip. I look forward to your posts!

Great ideas! How are you bringing them to your destination?

Great job with the bags! Your guests will surely enjoy them! Question: How are you getting them down to Mexico? Are you paying extra luggage fees?

Thank you Marymack!

More pics from Xcaret. They're going to be displayed on a postcard carousel which will be on the bar at Las Rocas for cocktail hour. They will be our seating cards for our guests. I've printed them out in Zazzle.com and the collasible carousel display I got from Amazon.com. I hope Vanessa could keep up with my to do list!