May12

Hi Jackie!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

We had maracas which we purchased while we were down there. Venture off the resort (via cab) and you'll be able to get great authentic maracas for only a dollar or 2 a piece, depending on the size. The less you can bring down the better, because trust me, you'll be bringing down way more than you think! Great shopping areas for OOT bag items and favors are at Mercado 28 downtown or at Plaza Caracol and the flea market area in the hotel zone. Walk around, price things out and negotiate! Also, pay in Pesos...it's less expensive that way. (you'll be able to take Pesos out at an ATM machine inn the airport, the resort, or any bank machine.)

Hola Brides to Be!

I figured I'd check in while having lunch poolside at EPM! We're here for our 1 year anniversary and this place is still just amazing! Had to chime in about the cake.....BIGGER IS BETTER! Trust me, there are no rules here. We had 31 people and 3 tiers, all different flavors. People had seconds, and we brought the rest back to our room which we nibbled on for days after the wedding. Delish! Something to remember....the timing is different in Mexico. In the States, we prolong dinner throughout the entire reception time. Here, you sit down and eat all courses, including the cake, and THEN you go dance. We weren't completely sold on this so started to shake it up at our reception and left the cake sitting out a bit.Once we did the cake cutting, it had melted a bit...my fault. Still delicious but kind of droopy! Follow their lead and you wont have that problem...or not, it will still be good and you'll have a blast!

There is a wedding today we may go spy on, and has been 1 every day this week! 100% capacity here so heads up to have your guests book EARLY!  An English couple just did a legal ceremony yesterday that Nayeli officiated. We ran into them afterwards at the Martini Bar and they were just glowing...said it went super smooth and really have just been beaming everytime we run into them.

I'll post more as we see more!

Hasta la vista!

Sheryl

Katye, you're right around the corner!!!! Getting excited??

Originally Posted by kshannon 

Hi there!!! Congrats to you too! We went with a really simple cake for 30 ppl.. and we went with the one thats included in the gold package. We have 40 ppl coming, so it may not feed everyone, but I figured that with desert, not everyone would be eating it anyway... so we downsized As for the kind of cake, we went simple- vanilla cake with strawberry filling and buttercream icing. Hopw this helps you make a decision!!!! OMG I CANT WAIT!!!!

LYNN!!!!

You are almost there! Just checking in on you...

SO excited!!

Originally Posted by danak71 

YES! We leave for Mexico on April 27 (3 weeks!!!) My bridal shower is tomorrow and bachelorette party is next weekend...such an exciting time!

 

Anyway, I have emailed the spa and made appointments but I have also Skyped them and talked to them directly. Email is great but I'm old fashioned and like personal interaction. :-)

LYNN!!!!

You are almost there! Just checking in on you...

SO excited!!

Originally Posted by danak71 

YES! We leave for Mexico on April 27 (3 weeks!!!) My bridal shower is tomorrow and bachelorette party is next weekend...such an exciting time!

 

Anyway, I have emailed the spa and made appointments but I have also Skyped them and talked to them directly. Email is great but I'm old fashioned and like personal interaction. :-)

SO excited for you Monica!! Make sure to post lots of pics!

I agree....Laura is amazing and we still work with her for our vacations since the wedding!

Originally Posted by Momoarc83 

Hey everyone! We leave Tuesday for our wedding on 4-20! We are SO excited.  Llenny (wedding planner at EPM) has been wonderful to work with.  We have everything finalized as of last week.  If any of you are in need of a good travel agent, we used Laura Sangster with The Journey Group.  She has been PHENOMENAL! She has gone above and beyond my expectations.  She has worked with the resort numerous times and had all of the "ins and outs" figured out in a timely manner.  

 

I will be sure to post pics and comments as soon as we get back from our Italian honeymoon, May 7.  I am SO excited I cannot contain myself!

 

-Monica

SO excited for you Monica!! Make sure to post lots of pics!

I agree....Laura is amazing and we still work with her for our vacations since the wedding!

Originally Posted by Momoarc83 

Hey everyone! We leave Tuesday for our wedding on 4-20! We are SO excited.  Llenny (wedding planner at EPM) has been wonderful to work with.  We have everything finalized as of last week.  If any of you are in need of a good travel agent, we used Laura Sangster with The Journey Group.  She has been PHENOMENAL! She has gone above and beyond my expectations.  She has worked with the resort numerous times and had all of the "ins and outs" figured out in a timely manner.  

 

I will be sure to post pics and comments as soon as we get back from our Italian honeymoon, May 7.  I am SO excited I cannot contain myself!

 

-Monica

The Mariachi band was awesome! Nayeli probably has pics or info about the Caribbean trio...I think it is calypso-like. It all depends on what you want to highlight...the Caribbean or Mexico. My vote is Mexico! Ole!

Originally Posted by Amanda Gardner 

Caribbean trio or mariachi band??? Anyone know which is better for cocktail hr?

Something to know....when guests check in, they will receive a little book included with all the bar and restaurant info along with a map of the resort. You can tell them where to meet up with you for different events and all the info is included in the booklet. We used Juan Carlos for an excursion, rehearsal night, spa time with the wedding party, the ENTIRE day of the wedding and a TTD in Isla Mujeres.  Most of it is in our slide show on YouTube if you want to check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFzYYWe7a6k We wanted him (and his team) to just capture the "essence" of the weekend. If you want more formal photos, he does that as well.

The blood testing must be done because that's how they do a legal marriage in Mexico. It is recognized as legal in the states so no other documentation is necessary.

Originally Posted by April2013JM 

Hi all! :-)

 

Does anyone have a copy of the resorts map?  I know there is one online, but I was trying to find a printable one to include in the welcome bags.  I have found some reallllllly cute stuff on etsy for the welcome bags...so if anyone is looking for ideas, try etsy.com.

 

I just heard back from Nayeli and she referred me to Juan Carlos Lancelotti (his email - [email protected])...have any of you heard of him and/or reached out to him...seen his work? 

 

Also, does anyone have a copy of the catalog that has all the cake, flower etc options?  Nayeli had sent me one back in July but now I can't find it. :-(

 

I know that in the legal requirements that a blood test needs to be done, which I don't mind - but I don't understand why we would need to get a bloodtest if the state we live in and are from doesn't require it. Just curious....

 

I'm excited for all of you brides that are getting married here very shortly and cannot wait to read about your wedding! 

 

85 more days for us! :-)

Originally Posted by Amanda Gardner 

 

Does the resort have a towel service? Or do we need to take towels?

Towels are EVERYWHERE!!! We even took some with us for our excursion to Tulum w/16 people. (and brought them back, of course) You do not need to sign for them just grab what you'll need.

Same thing with drinks and rafts. I've heard a lot of brides wanting to bring koozies and rafts with them as OOT bag gifts...not necessary. Floats are all around the pools and just grab one if you want one. It's an all inclusive resort with a swim up bar and pool/beach waiters everywhere, as well as a bar everywhere you turn. If your drink gets warm, get a new one! They'll probably be asking you before you even finish your first one!

I'm pretty sure they'll wipe your nose if you ask them to....the service is amazing!

Hi!

Bugs were not an issue at all at the reception, but I did get a couple of bites at night eating at the Lobster house. It really wasn't bad at all. They spray regularly, but bring some bug spray just in case.

There are rooms inside the CECO Terrace, but very basic, like you would see in any hotel. If you have your reception inside or at a restaurant, you will be limited on timing, and DJ options in order to be considerate to the other guests.

We were married on May 19th too! Is your wedding this year or next? We'll be there this year to celebrate our 1 year anniversary!

Originally Posted by Diane Eng 

Hi All...need some help.  We are thinking of having our wedding reception at the Ceco Terrace outside as pictures look beautiful!  My main concern is how bad the mosquitos might get....for any brides who had their reception outdoors, can you advise if this was an issue?  My wedding is on May 19th, so not sure how bad the bugs are in May. 

 

Has anyone had their reception indoors at the EPM?

Hi Amy!

Do you have the price list and flower options catalog? Do you know your colors and budget? If so, I'd just pick what you want and send her an email asking for a quote. Also, in the same email ask every question you have (and get quotes) in bullet point form. Once you email it out to Nayeli, follow up in a day or 2 with a phone call to her. Lynn uses skype which is less expensive, but either way, you should probably call her asap. The email will serve as the "in writing" part.

Nayeli did our ceremony and the wording was beautiful. The judge just stands next to her so there's no translation needed. You will get your marriage certificate in Spanish and it is legal in the states. We live in NJ and did not need to register it here, and we used the Spanish version to put me "in the system" as my husband's wife with the Military-He's retired from the Air Force. Therefore, we did not have it translated to English. It's super easy, and you will only need your passport and tourist card(that you get at the airport going through immigrations). You'll need to be there at least 3 days before the wedding to get your blood work done (Dr will take your blood at the hotel and requires $200 in USD cash) Your witnesses (4 of them)will need to be there by then as well in order to sign the paperwork that Nayeli will send to the court. At the ceremony you and all of your witnesses will sign the official document. If you do not have 4 witnesses, the WC staff will be your witnesses.

If you choose symbolic, you wont need to do anything other than say I do. With both, you do not need to write vows unless you want to...just let her know.

It is so important for brides to know that this time of year starts to get crazy busy for them, and the communication will be fewer and far between so start asking questions and quotes EARLY so you can have plans nailed down as you go. If you don't have specifics you want, then they will choose for you. It will still be beautiful, but may not be exactly what you want, so the best tips I can give is BE SPECIFIC and get a quote for everything. Even if you talked to someone and it was a verbal quote, write an email stating the verbal quote.

Amy, if I can help with any forms of specifics for you, IM me and I'll give you my email and send forms I have.

Good luck!

Sheryl

Originally Posted by Amy Buxton 

My wedding at excellence is now less than 4 weeks and I am starting to panic about the severe lack of communication from Nayeli, our coordinator.  I have literally recieved no additional information other than what is on the website.  Have not picked flowers, not had a final cost quote, or even discussed prices.  We also still aren't sure whether to have a symbolic or legal ceremony and have asked for the wording of each and have had no response.  I am feeling very let down.  We didn't meet with Nayeli when we visited but Daniella who has since been fired,  I feel like she promised us a bunch of stuff during our tour but now have nothing in writing!  

 

Is anyone else experiencing issues with this?  

Originally Posted by Diane Eng 

 

Hi All...I'm having a Symbolic ceremony on the beach, the minister's name is Roxana.  Has anyone been married by her?  And if so...was it difficult to understand her?

 

Also, the private rehearsal dinner included in our wedding package gives us the option of having the dinner at Agave or Toscana?  Does anyone have any strong recommendations for either or?

Agave is partially outdoors but beautiful and great Mexican food. Toscana is Italian (food is good-not the BEST I've ever had and wasn't our favorite restaurant in the resort), it's also where they have the buffet breakfast every morning. I'd go with Agave for a change of scenery, but if you really want AC, go with Toscana.

As for the ceremonies, ours was legal, but Nayeli was the one that actually did the talking-the Judge was standing next to her. They may have one of the WC's doing the translating if she does not speak English...something to definitely ask your WC!

Good Luck!

Sheryl

Hi Alexis!

They do have a sound system and a mic for the ceremony. Ours was in the Gazebo, but I'm sure they have it for the beach ceremonies as well, and it was easy for everyone to hear.

The X-Lounge for cocktail hour is beautiful and they add high top tables for you. You won't need additional chairs as there are plenty of beds and couches around. I'm sure you can decorate if you want to but it really isn't necessary, and it will be windy being on the beach. They can bring your flowers from the ceremony to the reception though. (and then to your room after the wedding!)

We did not use a dance floor and when we asked about it, they said it wasn't really necessary. Do ask for curtains so it can define the space for you. (I posted some pics up here that shows that) We had also asked about rose petals on the dance floor area, but apparently they are slippery and some mishaps have occurred....not advisable! Dancing on the concrete floor was perfect, and people even had their shoes off. My 2 cents, save your $ for something else...like some spa time!!

Happy planning!!

Sheryl

Originally Posted by alexis17 

Hi girls!  I have a couple questions I was hoping a past bride could answer - or anyone else that may have the info

 

We are doing the ceremony on the beach and will likely have a good amount of people - maybe around 60.  Is it hard to hear the officiant and the bride and groom?  Did anyone use microphone/speakers?  I hate when you go to a ceremony and you can't hear what anyone is saying, so I wanted to check on this.  I asked Nayeli almost 2 and a half weeks ago, but you know how it goes.

 

Also, does anything need to be rented (tables, chairs, linens) for cocktail hour at the X lounge?  Did any past brides decorate there?  It looks pretty as is, but wanted to check so it's not a surprise.

 

Any past brides who had their reception at the CECO terrace, did you rent a dance floor or just go with the concrete floor that's there?  Is a dance floor necessary?

 

Appreciate input so much!

 

Alexis

Hi Amanda!

Customs can be a bit tricky, depending what you're bringing. They did ask us for receipts, but we didn't have any and it didn't matter. They really just want to make sure you are not reselling anything down there. What we did was take everything out of their boxes and containers, and set it up how we would be putting the items into their OOT bags. It made it clear that we were not reselling. We had raffia fans with flowers and ribbon already made up-they didn't care about them, the bottle openers, mints, 5 hour energy, sun "packs", and hangover "packs", we had packed into some of the totes-the didn't really care. We had 8 nice totes for the bridal party and some family members-they poked around a bit more at those. We had 5 Swiss Army backpacks for the groomsmen-we had a bit of a problem with them because they were obviously more expensive. That's where they asked for receipts. Most of the items we split up in different bags so it didn't look like things were in bulk. We were super nice and accommodating, smiling a lot and telling them they were all gifts for our wedding. The other totes for the rest of the guests, and other OOT bag and favor items we purchased while we were down there. Made it way easier.

Just be prepared...if you have a lot of bags, which you probably will, they will go through them all....We had 9 bags total and it took about 15-20 minutes.

For the record, this was the ONLY time we were ever stopped at customs with 6 times to Mexico...they didn't even let us hit the "lottery" button to pass through. They saw our bags and ushered us over to a table. Your guests will probably not have any issues getting through.

Originally Posted by Amanda Gardner 

Did anyone have any trouble at the airport going through customs? With your OOT Bags and Items?

Hey MsHarryWinston!

First, welcome to the forum.....it was such a great info tool for me while planning the tail end of our wedding, and these Ladies are amazing!

There is no bonfire at Excellence, but there is at The Beloved, their sister property right next door. I wanted a bonfire BAD as an after party for the wedding but in hindsight, hardly anyone would have been there. We ended the reception at 11:30 and most people were beat and went to bed, the other few went with us to the Disco. You can also extend your reception and keep the party going!

The other "bonfire" idea was to have it for the welcome cocktails, but we ended up doing it for free at the X-Lounge, which was really perfect!

As for how many guests come....We were engaged a little over 2 years before the wedding, threw a Mexican themed engagement party that summer and told everyone to start saving. Well......if everyone who said they were coming really did, we'd have had 80 people there. In actuality, we had 31...a great crowd with our closest friends and some family. What we realized, is a lot can happen over the course of 2 years-lost jobs, babies, pregnancies, break ups, and other life or financial changing events that happen...not to mention that MANY people procrastinate and will not be saving money from 2 years out. The group that comes will have a blast, and you can't worry about everyone else.

Excellence PM is AMAZING, and everyone that went said the bar was raised for types of vacations they should take, and it was the best wedding they'd been to. The resort is ALL about pleasing you and your guests, and the wedding coordinators will do almost anything you ask and are there to make your wedding perfect! We worked with Nayeli primarily during the planning (and I LOVE her!!), but Lleny was also there for the meeting when we got there that week and also throughout the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, who is also fantastic!

Where you have your wedding should reflect you and your husband to be, and if it's the right place, it will just click! Those who travel to be there with you, will do it for you wherever you happen to have it, and price won't be a make or break situation.

What we did was tell our guests on the invitations and our website that all accommodations should be booked at Excellence and had them contact our travel agent for arrangements. Laura Sangster was (and still is) our travel agent and she's fantastic. The former wedding coordinator at EPM referred her to us, so she is very familiar with the resort. We ended up getting a block of rooms for 3 days (you need to make sure you'll have at least 10 rooms booked). Of course, guests could extend that time at the same rate. 8 people did chose to stay there longer, but others stayed in another hotel (Marriott Casa Magna-which is not all inclusive) in the Cancun hotel zone, prior to coming to EPM. This way they could save a bit of money, but still extend their trip. (but most people spent just as much if not more than EPM when all was tallied up) We had all of our guests checked in at EPM by Thursday for our Welcome cocktails and the other activities we planned from Thursday to Sunday.  Hence, no day pass charges for any of the guests!

You will pay for your room up front before you leave,and all of the wedding "stuff" will be itemized for you and you pay at check out. If you go with the in house photographer, DJ, and florist, it will all be on that bill. Additional photos or things you may want to do with the photographer that you decide on last minute you pay to him directly....and he will negotiate!

Remember, things will add up FAST so make sure to get a price quote on EVERYTHING and do your own math. We were pleasantly surprised when our bill was a bit less than we planned, and with the exchange rate, we saved about $1000!!

If you choose EPM, you'll love it! We already have our reservations and flights booked for our 1 year anniversary there in May...can't wait!

Good luck and happy planning!!

Sheryl

Originally Posted by MsHarryWinston 

Just found out from Lleny that they don't allow private bonfires on the beach!?!?
This was going to be my "THING"! My "thanks for coming out, night after the wedding" thing.
It all seemed so perfect until I found this out...
I really wanted a private bonfire.

From the other side of the veranda. behind us is where the tables were set up

Our sweetheart table

We had 31 people, 5 tables and a sweetheart table-6 people per table and they were comfortable....I wouldn't seat over 8 per table, they're not that big.

Still plenty of room for more tables. To the left of this pic is where they usually set up the bar. Again, ours was insides because of the rain earlier, and it would have taken too much time to move it last minute. I liked having it inside, so it all worked. Let your WC know your preferences. You'll talk about the set up beforehand, but will do a seating chart within the month before your wedding. 

...

Hi again!

I've had some requests for CECO Terrace pics and the bar there I hope these help... these are clearly NOT the edited pics, and some from our guests, but it should give you an idea of the space...

In the background is the veranda that is used as the dance floor

at the bar inside. In the back left of the pic is where the DJ was set up. The MC was outside with a mic. Something important to note. It was POURING the day of our wedding so everything was set up inside, and our cocktail hour was going to be under the veranda. (The ceremony was almost NOT at the gazebo but in the covered area of the resort!) Well, it stopped raining a couple of hours before the wedding, they squeegied the sidewalk and hustled to get the gazebo set up. At the last minute, they moved our cocktail hour BACK to the X-Lounge and while we were there moved our reception back outside!! Talk about working their butts off!! It was a surprise for us...I still thought it would have to be inside-they have to make that decision by 3pm. SO with all of the movement, the DJ still had to stay put inside because they were already set up. It worked out well with them and the bar inside. 

behind them are the doors (open) that lead to the veranda/dance floor 

FULL bar...

To the right of the pic and around the corner are the bathrooms....bar was conveniently located on the way!

Where they do the cake cutting. Behind us is our sweetheart table, and the lights above are the entrance to the resort. the CECO Terrace sits below. You can't see it from the entrance unless you look over the side...and know it's there. 

Guests walking in...

Wedding party announcements/entrance...

With the DJ, they provide lighting, and there should have been these cool pillar lights right at the beginning of the Terrace area, after the path in, but because of the wind/rain situation, they couldn't be set up for us. Ask about them if you have DJ Mannia.

to the right of the veranda were tables set up to hold the sign in book, postcards, maracas, sparklers and pics of some past loved ones who were there in spirit! Notice to the back of the table (and to the right in the pic above) there is more space for tables if you have a larger crowd

The pics of our family who had passed had to lay down because the wind was blowing them over...NOT EXACTLY, what my vision was...

You can see the table in the back.

The DJ will bring props of all kinds if you want them. I said ok to the balloons and everyone had fun with them. BTW, my Man of Honor won the "Moves like Jagger" dance we had going on...

Sparklers were a must! Still surprised no one caught on fire!

We did a traditional dance the do at weddings where the groom holds the bride's veil and everyone dances through you...there were chairs to stand on, but we ended up sitting down and turning it into a conga line...

leaving the reception at the last song...

The CECO Terrace during the day looking down from the main entrance

the path in...

Hi there!

If you have a lot of spa appointments that you are booking for them, you need to pay the spa directly in advance-about a week before. If you give them visa GC's and they decide  to have a spa treatment, they can charge it to their room and pay for it at check out, with any other purchases they made. They are also able to pay at the spa if they wish. As long as they see a visa logo, it should go through. You might want to check with the provider of the card though because sometimes they charge a fee to use it out of the country, or it can't convert to pesos from USD. The spa does provide gift certificates, and I'm pretty sure you can have a "resort credit" for them. You may need to talk with Lleny to see if she can work w/the front desk to deduct a certain amount from their "bill" and add it on to yours. (They pay the in house photographer, DJ and florist this way)

If you call the spa, ask for Miguel. He was awesome in helping set everything up for our group and on the day of the wedding, was even running to the bar for us to get cocktails! LOVE him! The spa mgr is Nayeli---different Nayeli than the WC and she was wonderful as well! Sometimes calling them is just easier.

We did a spa day with the wedding party the day before the wedding where everyone did the marine hydrotherapy circuit and then the guys got mani/pedis, and we had a choice for the girls to get either mani/pedis or hair or make-up on the wedding day. It ended up that everyone got their hair done and most got mani/pedis. Including Frank getting his hair cut and my Mom and one of our other guests getting their hair done...It was a full house!

Also, I highly recommend doing a trial hair and make up a few days before if you can. The make-up on my trial, although it looked good, was just way too much and didn't look like me, and my hair was way over sprayed for it being down. We changed it up and it worked out perfectly the day of.

Here are some pics of our spa day...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kshannon 

Hi everyone!!! I cant believe how fast time is flying!! For the brides who have provided pictures, THANK YOU!!!!! And thanks for all the info! So helpful!

 

I do have a question: I am planning to give my bridesmaids Visa gift cards to use however they see fit in Mexico. They will have the option to use at the spa or for excursions, or whatever. Does anyone know if the spa, or anywhere on property, takes payment by form of Visa gift cards? I have emailed the spa back and forth but I dont think they understand what I mean by Visa gift card! Visa gift cards work exactly the same as a Visa credit card, though, right? I am hoping it wont be a problem... Please help if you can clarify!! Thanks

Hi Monica!

We don't have a Cigar smoking crowd, so never asked about the roller, BUT there is a full on Cigar Bar that some of your guests may love!

The Menu cards we had were made by our stationer who did our save the dates, invitations and everything else"paper" wise for the wedding. We LOVED working with her! Absolutely everything was customizable....from wording to colors to design...just chatted/emailed with her about it and she sent proofs. (She is based in St. Louis and we are in NJ, so it was all done via email, mail and phone calls...Still worth it! She is also WAY less expensive than most places I looked at. She is doing our friends wedding right now and their invites came out awesome...totally different from ours and very much their style. She has a knack of understanding the client and making it work in their style! Her info is as follows, if you want to check her out/give her a call: Ginger O'Hara. Serendipitybeyonddesign.com  Email: [email protected]  ph: 314-514-5774

The Ceremony is a half hour, especially if it is a legal ceremony. We had our blood taken the Tuesday before the wedding on Sat. at the resort in the room behind the reception desk in the lobby-super easy. ($200 USD cash to the Dr when he draws the blood) Also, your 4 witnesses need to be there by Wednesday afternoon at the latest for a Sat wedding. Nayeli will get their info and has to get everything together to send to the judge by then. IMPORTANT!! make sure the people you choose as your witnesses are aware that they need to sign AT the ceremony, as well as you and your hubby. You will need music (your guitarist would play if you go that route) You may also want to coordinate the color they wear-there will be pics. We were unaware of this "signing at the ceremony" until the rehearsal the night before! Luckily, the people who were our witnesses were my Man of Honor and a Groomsman, and their fiance's. The girls had our colors in their dresses so it all worked! 

Here are pics of the ladies signing....we also had to sign as well as the 2 guys but I'll skip those pics...

No kidding.....you stick your thumb in ink and leave your print 4 times on each copy! (you also sign 4 copies)

Something else to know about the musicians is that you pay for an hour but they are part of a Union, so to speak, where they get a 15 minute break every hour....so you really only have them for 45 minutes. And the soloist we were quoted was $550 IF we did it in addition to the mariachis...you do get one or the other as part of the gold package.  

So, not sure if they'll deduct the cost of the pics for you, but you may be able to negotiate it into something else. The on-site photographer will deduct it from his price if anyone is going with VIP. 

An extra hour of the reception for us was: $160 for the DJ and $16 per person....for each hour over, and they MUST know 1 hour and 15 minutes before the end of the reception unless you set it up ahead of time. We wanted to play it by ear, just in case, but didn't get the heads up early enough. As long as you have someone on that during the reception, you can decide then.

Flowers....now there's something that can add up FAST! For us, 4 of our boutonnieres were free and we paid for the Groom's upgraded one to an orange cala lily which was $15. The bridesmaid's bouquets that are free are the "gold" ones. Everything above that amount will be an up-charge.... We originally were quoted $45 per bridesmaid bouquet for orange calla lily's(1.5 years before the wedding) The vendor changed and they became $230!!!! No joke! We negotiated, I compromised, changed the flowers and we ended up paying $50 per bouquet. My bouquet was an additional $60 because of what I chose. NOTE: flowers that are grown in Mexico are WAY less expensive. If you're thinking of a colored calla lily, it's imported and VERY expensive. White Calla Lilies (the large ones) are all over the place and less expensive.  

Private dinners can add up, especially with a large group. We decided to do a "meet up" at Cafe Kafe after the rehearsal. What they did was reserve tables for us at the Mexican Fiesta on Friday night for free. We told guests (and our wedding party) to either meet us at Cafe Kafe at our reserved tables for the group, or eat where they wanted so they could partake in all the resort has to offer, and then meet us there afterward. It worked our great! a little over half the group was with us for dinner, but the rest came a bit later. The other issue with the private dinner (other than cost) is you have a pre-set menu that they order from, not the full menu. they cannot guarantee all will be seated if you don't set it up ahead of time...it's just too many people. 

We didn't do lanterns, but they do have the curtains and flags down the path for free with the gold package if you want them. We opted for tiki torches down the path as well.

Hope this helps answer some questions!

Originally Posted by Momoarc83 

Hi Ladies!

I have a couple of more questions:

 

Did any of you use paper lanterns at your reception?  I am thinking of buying some to bring to hang at the reception at the CECO Terrace.  Is there a charge for the resort to hang these?

 

Did any of you use the cigar roller?  We went to a wedding at the El Dorado Resort in Mexico and they had one, it was a hit!

 

Does the resort make the menu cards for you?  Does this cost $?

 

Did any of you use a guitar soloist for you ceremony?  If so, how much did it cost? I'm assuming the ceremony lasted roughly 15-20 min...?

And if so, didyou use him for cocktail hour?  Or, did you use a romantic trio?  I have the Gold Package, but I'm really wanting a guitar soloist... Just curious how much this will cost..

 

Since I am bringing my friend to take pictures/video, will the resort deduct the cost of the photographer/cost of photos from the Gold Package?

 

We are expecting about 70 people at our wedding... I'm thinking we need to add an extra hour onto our reception.  Does anyone know how much this will cost,?

 

We are planning on having a rehearsal dinner for 40 guests.  I think it is crazy how they want to charg $22per/person.  We do not have to have a private dinner. Does anyone know if they make any exceptions for this? 

 

For those who have done a civil/legal ceremony. When do they take your blood?  I know we have to be in the country at least 3 days prior to our wedding date.  Just curious, if they do this on site or if we leave the resort to do this.

 

In the Gold Package, 4 boutenniers/corsages are included.  This may be a dumb question but does this mean you get 4 of each?

 

Sorry for all of the questions, any help is greatly appreciated!!!!!!

 

-Monica

Originally Posted by Amanda Gardner 

 

May12

You said you had welcome cocktails at xlounge was it private and did you have to pay extra for it?

The X-Lounge was not private but there was no extra cost. What we realized in our prior trip to EPM, was that NO ONE is really there at night. They have quiet music and 1 waiter bringing drinks for you from the Sol Bar which is right up the path. When asking Nayeli (and our other wedding coordinators before her) about having welcome cocktails there, it was not a problem, and we could bring the docking station from the room...worked out great! There were a few people who came by, but it wasn't a big deal that they were there, and left soon after. We also liked the idea of doing cocktails vs. forcing everyone to do dinner somewhere, especially when we had gust who arrived later that night. It was also a good starting/meeting point where we had the place to ourselves, and then went up to the Martini bar later...with those who were still in party mode! 

Congrats Ashley!!!!! 

So happy for you, and it sounds like it all worked out beautifully! Post some pics when you can!

You make a REALLY good point about the reception....In the states we're used to dancing throughout the entire dinner and reception, but in Mexico, they want to get the dinner part over with and THEN do the dancing. My Maid of Honor caught onto this pretty quick while we were listening to mellower "dinner" music, and we changed it up. They even want to do the cake cutting asap. Just make sure to talked to the DJ (if you have one), your wedding coordinator and the Captain at the Reception, to tell them how you want it to flow. We had a 4 hour reception, dinner included, from 7-11. 

Thanks for the complements Ladies! I know a lot of you have probably seen our slide show on YouTube, but if you haven't, here's the link... 

As for the photographer, we used the in-house photographer, Juan Carlos Lancelotti. It is VIP Photographers or Blue Lens- same thing. We had them following us around for 3 days including our excursion to Tulum and Playa Del Carmen, Welcome cocktails, the spa day for the wedding party, rehearsal dinner, the wedding day from getting ready to the very last moment we were there, and a TTD shoot we did in Isla Mujeres 2 days after the wedding. We negotiated a price with him that was WELL worth it, and less than some other photographers were charging just for the wedding day. We really wanted the moments and our group's personality captured...we've got some characters! Trying to do anything formal with our group is/was exhausting, so we did miss out on some pics that would have been nice to have, but we did get exactly what we asked for. Who you have taking your photos will depend on how long they are there with you. We had the luxury of having them there for everything because, well, they were there! No appointments or fees needed to get them on the property.If I had a do over, I'd write a list of all MUST HAVE photos and tell him to not stray from it, even if at the time I'm telling him something else!

I am trying to find pics that explain the resort area a bit in case you've never been there....I've got a ton so just ask if you're looking for something.

As for the bars. Algeria is the late night "disco"type bar that is located behind the theater. We went there a couple of times and when we went after the reception at 11:30ish it was PACKED! They were playing 80's music and everyone was having a blast! This is a pic of my Man of Honor playing bartender to some guest...we got there early one night and no one was there so he stepped in!

The Martini Bar- located in the lobby and is open ALL day and night until 1am. 

During the day(and sometimes at night) Fidencio, the bartender is there serving some of the best cocktails! DO NOT miss his Mojitos...the best I've ever had!

The Martini bar at night. A lot of folks meet up and hang out here in the evening and can get really packed...The AC feels great and there are a ton of couches and chairs to lounge around on. It's in the middle of many of the restaurants

The bar to the right is Cafe Kafe-this was a set up for the Mexican Fiesta when we were there for Independence Day. To the back of the pic in the inside area is the Theater, and there is a bar to the right in the Theater. If you walk by the bar and behind the theater, there's a path that will bring you to Alegria. It opens at 10, has great coffee and stays open 'till 1am. 

Cafe Kafe at night- some of our group hanging around at the tables surrounding the bar. To the right of this pic is La Habana, the cigar bar-if anyone is into that. 

On the other side of the bridge is Revive, the juice bar. (yes, just juice) It's right outside the Spa.

This is Blue-the swim-up bar. The lobster house is right above it.

These Cabana are so cool! These are near the spa bridge on the lazy river pool...they will bring you drinks here too!

waiters are everywhere...grab some chairs in the water and some rafts and you're golden! Those are some of the Excellence Club swim up rooms that face the main pool...not so "remote"....try to stick to bldg 9 or the secluded area of bldg 8 if you have a swim up suite in an Excellence Club room. The Swim Ups around the lazy river pool are more secluded.

The building behind the Mariachi Band is Sol. This is next to the pool and just above the X-Lounge. It's the meeting point for a lot of activities they do during the day, and a great place to grab a drink if your headed for a walk around the beach area.

The path down to the X-Lounge which is on the left side of the pic.

On the X-Lounge during cocktail hour

At the entrance to the X-Lounge...stilettos do not work well here... 

X-Lounge at night during our Welcome Cocktails. 

A waiter will come around and take drink orders or you can go up to Sol to get your own drinks. We told them to bring glasses and keep the bottles of champagne coming....made it less of a wait for the champagne drinkers.

We made a playlist for the iPod and brought the Bose radio/alarm clock from the room...work our great! Was loud enough with a large crowd all talking at once, but not overpowering.

We did not get a pic of the Excellence Club lounge or Bar, but honestly, we weren't there much. Building 9 is near the Gazebo, but the rest of the Excellence Club rooms are on the other side of the resort, closer to the spa. Just didn't make sense to go there especially when we wanted to spend most of the time with our guests.

The best "Bar" ever, is when you finally have "alone time" and get room service and drinks delivered to your rooftop!!

Hi Ladies!

Finally got the uploading to work...here are some pics of the flowers we had, Monica.

Also, those of you having the ceremony at the Gazebo, I wanted to show you the "aisle", and some other shots that show the area...

This is the starting point. The building on the left is bldg 9 where you'll probably be staying if you're in an Excellence Club room, and the building on the right is Tuscana-the Italian restaurant (also the breakfast buffet) and the underside of the deck you see is the Spice Terrace. 

This is the "aisle" on the way to the Gazebo. Where you see the last bridesmaid is a sidewalk to the left of the photo...That is where you will be waiting at the starting point area. This is a bit of a hike! The building you are seeing behind the girls is the CECO Terrace.  

Once you get to the Gazebo from down the path, you then go AROUND the Gazebo before you walk down the real aisle where everyone stands and you see your Hubby to be. Everyone will see you walking down the path except the groomsmen and your Fiance...make sure he doesn't turn around and look! BTW, it's about a 3 and 1/2 minute walk give or take...was for us and I'm 5'8" with no shoes...Make sure you time your music accordingly.   

Once you're at the Gazebo, this is the view your guest will have. I only have a few pics where my veil is not in my face! Wind was crazy so keep that in mind, just in case!

Behind us is Nayeli on the right, officiating, and the Judge on the left. For a legal ceremony the Judge must be there to observe, and there is signing by you AND your 4 witnesses, along with thumbprints.(If you want to see those pics, let me know) You'll also have photographers on all sides and a videographer (if you chose to have a video, or have the gold package) behind the alter next to Nayeli. And yes....my veil was tucked into the back of my dress and had to tuck my hair behind my ear...damn wind!

After the ceremony they had our celebratory tequila waiting for us with a waiter and a cart!  

A shot of one of the tables...wind was a major factor. Candles were supposed to be floating at the top of the vases with the flower floating in them and river rocks at the bottom. Orange and burgundy rose petals were to be on the table- none of that could work so rose petals ended up in the vases and the water level had to be WAY low. Would have had double sided tape for the runners had I known they'd be blowing around. Again, after EVERY scenario possible I could have and did think through, I NEVER thought of wind...Have a back up plan Ladies! All in all, we had a blast and in the end it didn't matter, but what I can do is pass it forward!  

We purchased ALL of our pictures so I have some not so perfect shots, but pics where I can show you different views of the areas. Let me know if anyone is looking for something specific.

Happy planning everyone!  

-Sheryl

Hi Kristen!

Congrats! The in-house DJ- DJ Mannia was fantastic....perfect for the CECO Terrace. They have an MC and lighting and will do anything you ask. We were worried because most of their example playlist was just about everything we did not want to hear! Once we talked with them, they put us a bit more at ease. We like mainly Indie / Alternative music and were worried about their library. Well....after discussing with them, we converted my entire iTunes to MP3, put it on an external hard drive and gave it to them at a meeting earlier in the week to firm up details. (they returned the hard drive to us the next day) We had the best music-for us! Our group loved it and it worked out perfectly! So much so, that we wanted to extend the reception for another hour, but we didn't get the heads up that it was over until they were prompting us for the last song.  

If anyone is thinking of extending the reception, you need to let them know an hour and 15 minutes ahead of time...make sure you tell them ahead of time- at the "firm up details meeting" and before the reception to the DJ AND the Captain, to have them ask you at that point in the evening.

-Sheryl

Originally Posted by Kristen5469 

Hello Kim,

I am getting married at Excellence April 5th. I am starting to get a little stressed! What are you doing for music? DJ?

 

Thanks,

Kristen