Alana LM

Hey girls, I posted pics in the other Larimar thread and forgot to add them here. http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/71007/new-resort-opening-may-1-2011-now-larimar-punta-cana/1150 Good luck to all of you who are still planning. I know everyone says it but what seems like this huge deal today is going to be very small in hind-sight

Sorry girls - this is me on FB https://www.facebook.com/alana.mcclure

Various pics of the wedding, the resort, the master suite and some restaurants.

I second everything all the girls have said. I did find the food a bit blah but Mercure and Secrets are both great. Here's the short video,

Wow Kimberly, that's alot of guests. I'll be there tomorrow with our measly 57 (LOL). I did want to let you all know that you can do plated service for a few over 50 but it's an additional charge per person. Everything we're taking decor wise fit in one suitcase - way more than I originally planned. My centerpieces are luminaries and pearl strands (I think the pictures are on the other Larimar thread). I may have offered already but if anyone wants me to leave them there for them to use please let me know. We're leaving in the morning so PM me and I will get notification. If you want sneak peaks of pics I'll be posting some on Facebook I'm sure! (Alana McClure). I'll be sure to come back and leave more details after.

Alright girls!! I'm all packed and ready to leave in the morning. Will post pictures asap. If you want a sneak preview you can add me as a friend on Facebook (Alana McClure) - I'll for sure post some instagrams!!

Oh Amber, that sucks! Sorry about he mix up. My colors are turquoise and cream and Im not doing sashes. Sorry I can't help - though I do that table decor

@Abby Creativewedding.com I'm sure we'll run into each other at some point!! Are you using the fountian area too?

Hey girls, Thank you for all the compliments on our decor. It'll be simple and understated but elegant at the same time. It all came from creativeweddings.com. It's a nice place, with locations in Canada!! If anyone wants to use it (I have 59 place settings) please let me know and we can split the cost and I'll leave it there all packaged up for you! I would leave the pearl strands, the napkin rings, and the luminaries with extra table numbers. I love the new gazebo, thanks for showing us! Aby, how long are you staying? We arrive the day after your wedding. We chose to get the DJ because I wanted to do the traditional dances, etc and the sound system rental was nearly just as expensive! Anyone have a link to DJ Mannia? We are saddly missing an emcee and think we might have to 'rent' one, LOL!!

Amber, my thoughts exactly. I didn't want to do any of this planning, I didn't want the stress and now that's all it is. Feels like a big fiasco!! I was even trying to add on days and because they are so booked we can't. You know SunWing already dropped the ball on us and had to move me to this resort, neglected to tell me that half of our guests don't count towards the room allowance (and can't fly SunWing with us or be part of the 'group') and now if this goes poorly ... I don't know. Will it be the end of my world no, but now that I've gone and put all this effort into it I'll be quite disappointed. KWIM.

LOL, maybe I should have put all those details in a different thread (eh hem, not the one re the hotel - sorry girls)

Oh and it keeps getting better. Apparently our TA told us tonight they are over booked by 100 rooms!! Now I used to work in hotels and overbooking is a fact of life, it's necessary because SO many people don't show up BUT by 100!! That is crazy!! Not all wedding dinners are private - check what you have booked, and as Val said bring your emails printed!! We made a reservation at one of the buffet restaurants I don't care if it's private for the welcome dinner or rehearsal. I just want to greet everyone & give out their bags and have a nice bridal party dinner the night before so I don't have to worry if I don't socialize with them much during the wedding. Below are my OOT bags (I know a bit girly but nice). They have a teal rafia tie holding the little Alana & Peter tag (next image). Then in the pocket is the invitation and a folded bulletin with an itinerary inside. Table setting is white on white. the napkin rings with name cards, a paper luminary with battery candle (on sand for weight) in the center, draped with the 'pearl' runners. Table numbers on luminary bags in blue lettering. Each guest gets a 50ml bottle homemade maple syrup (hence the sticker) and the kids each get mini-gumball machines. All that fits into one box and weighs about 35lbs. So far the ceremony is at the fountain, (No boardwalk), with regular chairs no sashes. Cocktails to follow right there at the fountain , dinner at 7 at Castaways. We've upgraded to calla lillies for my bouquet (SO sad I can't take it home), divine package, platinum dinner, DJ from the hotel. We are bringing our photographer. Last image is our guest book - each family will have their photograph taken and while at the wedding sign the back of an image mat that fits in the box (we'll print images and match them up after we get them from the photogrpher)

Hey girls, I we are only 3 weeks away and the hotel is terribly over booked. They have 5 buildings and so far our nanny with our kids is NOT in the same building....not so fun. We are crossing our fingers that it all works out. I have written confirmation that we will get our private dinner; so I am hoping they honor it. Christina has been wonderful to work with (when she does get back to me, lol) our Travel Agent is quite dippy. At this point we have 57 guests, a non-private welcome dinner planned for the 14th, a rehearsal diner for the 15th and the wedding on the 16th. I'll be back tonight with a few pick of what I am bringing for my decor etc. I SO SO SO didn't want to bring any of it BUT it is over the top expensive to have them do it.

I don't know if I posted this earlier but we are going to Now Larimar Punta Cana and it's only about $1200 each after tax. Also a couple of resources: Decor; CreativeWedding.ca Suite: tailor4less.com (they say they are US but are actually in China and ship to Canada pretty quickly according to one of my clients). Happy Planning!!

Val!! Thank you so much for posting such a detailed review. I have my ceremony planned for the fountain AND it's in April! We have castaways reserved so hopefully they will honor that. YIKES - what if there is another wedding beside us! My FI would lose it. Also I just did another count today and we have 44 adults and 13 kids!! That puts us a few over the plated dinner and that is REALLY important to me. Do you think they will work with that or maybe do a buffet for the kids only? OMG now I'm really stressed hearing how busy it will be!!