JasmineClark

Hi!!! Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I have been busy, first with guests booking, and then with life! Well, I am going to email the wedding coordinator today to work out pricing so Jeff and I can make our final decision about how we are going to coordinate the entire day. I am going to go look at dresses next month. I am looking at a couple right now, and I think I am going with lace as well, but I am thinking strapless and form-fitting. I think I have decided on colours as well. We are going to do antique gold, blush pink, and seafoam... I want to go for a vintage-y romantic feel. The majority of our guests have paid their deposit for the trip and final payment is due on May 24th. It is a HUGE stress relief now that people have partially committed to the wedding so I have a better idea of numbers. So far, 31 people (including ourselves) have paid their deposit, and we have a few more couples who are waiting until closer to the date to see if they can make it. As for invitations... after we talked to the TA she said we needed people to book ASAP... so we seriously had no time at all for save-the-dates or invites. I still want to send out invites though, seeing as it is part of the wedding planning process so we are going to send some out very very very soon!!!! Do you have the WC's email? I'd like to email her right away to get more information so we can commit to some more concrete plans regarding the dinner and dance. Have you guys planned anything else since your last message? Jasmine

Hi Bethany!!! I'm glad that we were able to connect too! The El Marina is the restaurant that we are planning on having our dinner at too. We haven't figured out a schedule for ours yet, but we were thinking about skipping cocktail hour. We decided we will just let the guests do what they please for about an hour... if they all go to the lounge or whatever they please... and then have dinner at the El Marina (for the view). We were planning on doing the party on the beach. I like your schedule though!!! Are you guys planning on doing photos during the cocktail hour? Are you using your own photographer? I will email Deyanira about the costs of the dinner and the options available, as well as the cost of the beach party. Where are you guys traveling from? I live in BC Canada and we have our group flying using a group quote our TA got for us. We initially had about 150 people on our guest list, but once we saw the cost per person for the dinner/reception, we decided to pull back a bit on our invites. We ended up inviting about 80 people and we anticipate about 40 people to come. Have you bought your dress yet? I am still looking... planning on looking for one in about a month. I am still trying to decide on colours too... Have you decided on colours or a theme? So many little things that actually seem to influence quite a bit!!! Nice hearing from you

Wedding Locations The Beach - The warm, white sandy beaches light up the stars and the Caribbean. Wear gala attire for your special event of a lifetime. The Jetty - A romantic setting at the front end of the jetty, surrounded by turquoise Caribbean waters. Arrecife - How about saying “I do†aboard a catamaran, near the reef, while admiring the beautiful coastline? Banquet Menus Premium Menu #1 Cream of Scallops -- Perfumed with vermouth. Turkey Breast Portobello -- Stuffed with Portobello mushrooms and ricotta cheese, with a green apples sauce (served with spring rolls stuffed with vegetables) Exotic Bavaroise with 3 flavors Premium Menu #2 Spinach Salad -- With feta cheese and croutons with Mediterranean dressing. Caribbean Shrimp -- With a delicate citric sauce, served with wild rice and rain of vegetables. Tiramisu -- With coffee sauce. Elite Menu #1 Caesar Salad -- With Shrimp Skewer. Cream of Spinaches -- With Garlic Croutons. Chicken Dolce Vita -- Stuffed with Parma ham and Swiss cheese with a Rose Sauce, perfumed with basil. Accompanied by pear potato and vegetables. Cheese Cake -- With blueberry sauce. Elite Menu #2 Mediterranean Salad -- With shrimp, sweet red pepper, fine lettuces, tomato, and mushrooms with vinaigrette dressing. Minestrone Soup -- With fresh linguini. Fish Roll -- Stuffed with cream cheese, shrimp, and asparagus, with a red sweet pepper sauce and white wine with rice and vegetables. Chocolate Dome -- With hazelnut sauce. Elite Menu #3 Capresse Salad -- With olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Smoked Oyster Cream Soup -- Perfumed with Chablis. Beef Tournedos -- Showered with Marssala wine sauce, served with potatoes seasoned with rosemary and spinaches with cream. Wild Berry Tart Elite Menu #4 Rolls of Smoked Salmon -- Stuffed with cream cheese and avocado. Clarified Beef Broth -- Perfumed with cherry and beef tortellini. Pork Solomillo -- Stuffed with vegetables and goat cheese, served with an exotic herb sauce with a garnish of vegetables and potato. Tropical Fruit Parfait Elite Menu #5 Terrine of Shrimp -- With champagne dressing. Crawfish Bisque -- With choux. Beef Filet -- Showered with Danish blue cheese sauce, accompanied with potato stuffed with cream cheese and covered with wonton pasta. Cheese and Chocolate Symphony Wedding Packages El Cid Romance Wedding Package Beautiful bridal bouquet Groom's boutonnière Legal paperwork handling Justice of the Peace or Minister Wedding organization and personalization by our Wedding Coordinator Preferential room location in the category reserved Marriage certificate (in Spanish) Glass of house champagne for all guests for toasting (4 bottles max) Savory wedding cake for 10 guests Witnesses if required Fruit basket in room Bottle of house champagne in room Late check-out for the bride and groom (based on availability) Price for the Romance Wedding Package: $800 Make the Event of Your Life Happen for Free This package is complimentary when reserving five or more Platinum Rooms for a minimum of three nights. El Cid Premium Wedding Package Beautiful bridal bouquet Groom's boutonnière Bridesmaid corsage (2) Best man boutonnière (2) Legal paperwork handling Justice of the Peace or Minister Wedding organization and personalization by our Wedding Coordinator Preferential room location in the category reserved Marriage certificate (in Spanish) Glass of house champagne for all guests for toasting Flower centerpiece for dinner table Fruit basket in room Bottle of house champagne in room Rose petals Dinner reservations for the wedding reception A sumptuous 3-course dinner from the Premium Menu for 10 people 4 hours of international drinks during dinner (house brands) for 10 people. Savory wedding cake (size according to the number of guests) CD player available. Music not provided. Witnesses if required Late check-out for the bride and groom (based on availability) Price for the El Cid Premium Wedding Package: $1,300 Price for the banquet: $70.00 per guest Make the Event of Your Life Happen for Free Your wedding banquet is our gift to you when your guests stay for a minimum of three nights, in 10 or more Platinum Rooms. El Cid Elite Wedding Package Beautiful bridal bouquet Groom's boutonnière Bridesmaid corsage (2) Best man boutonnière (2) Legal paperwork handling Justice of the Peace or Minister Wedding organization and personalization by our Wedding Coordinator Preferential room location in the category reserved Marriage certificate (in Spanish) Glass of house champagne for all guests for toasting Floral centerpiece for dinner table Fruit basket in room Bottle of house champagne in room Rose petals Romantic candlelight dinner on the beach for the bride and the groom A sumptuous 4-course dinner from the Elite Menu for 10 people 4 hours of international drinks during dinner (house brands) for 10 people Room upgrade for the bride and the groom Savory wedding cake (size according to the number of guests) Tropical beach cabana massage for two Tropical manicure for the bride Tropical pedicure for the bride CD player with a variety of music Witnesses if required Late check-out for the bride and groom (based on availability) Price for the El Cid Elite Wedding Package: $1,750 Price for the banquet: $80 per guest Make the Event of Your Life Happen for Free Your wedding banquet is our gift to you when your guests stay for a minimum of three nights, in 10 or more Platinum Rooms. From the Marina El Cid Website: http://www.elcid.com/weddings/Cancun.cfm

Here are some photos of the ceremony and reception sites

Hi there, First off, congratulations on the fast-approaching wedding day!!! I did get an email back from the weddings department at the resort, and they sent me photos... but that's it. I will post those here when I get a chance. I do have plans of making this thread very informative... but it's proving difficult lately to find the time to sit down and do that. So far, all I have is a date!!! We are thinking we will have about 30-40 people there. Do you know the pricing on having the dinner in the restaurant as opposed to outdoors? We are thinking about doing dinner in the restaurant (apparently there's one with 180 degree views of the ocean???) and then having the party outside, if that's possible.... we're hoping that will help keep the costs low...er. Where are you having your ceremony/reception? I was hoping to get married at a resort with a gazebo... but I did sacrifice that by going to the El Cid. I have walked along the beach at the El Cid before (I stayed next door at the Now Jade) and I have worries about doing a beach ceremony and having people walk by... so I think I am going to go with the jetty, although I hear it is quite windy out there. I am under the impression that they do 1 wedding only per day... is that right??? Thanks!!! I am so excited that there are two of us on this site!!! And our weddings are a month apart! Can't wait for it!!! Are you having a more intimate gathering of people, or a larger group?

As I said, I will try to post information about the resort as I find it. I will not be posting attachments, etc. at this point because I do not have enough posts yet Here is some information about the resort (gathered from the Marina El Cid website): Located at Hotel Marina El Cid, our breathtaking wedding destination is nestled amid aromatic plants, turquoise waters, ancient Mayan culture, and world-renowned beaches. We provide a captivating setting for intimate gatherings and grand celebrations alike. Exchange vows on our private beach as the sun sets over the sparkling Caribbean. Host elegant candlelit dinners in our oceanfront restaurant. Treat the groomsmen to a round of golf or reward your bridal party with a morning at the luxurious El Cocay Spa. Hosting just one celebration at a time, we guarantee the exclusive attention of our planners and caterers. Discover true romance with a uniquely Mexican flair at this stylish Cancún wedding hotel. http://www.elcid.com/weddings/Cancun.cfm

Hello!!!! If you are reading this, you are probably either a Marina El Cid bride,or are considering the Marina El Cid as an option. I was debating between having our wedding at Now Jade (we have stayed there before) or the Marina El Cid (we walked by it while staying at the Now Jade last year) and we have officially decided on staying at the Marina El Cid. Our date is December 11th, 2012. I have been desperately trying to find some information on the resort and the wedding packages that they have, but have not been too successful. I have emailed the wedding coordinators at the resort for some information and am awaiting their reply back.. but from what I have heard on threads for other resorts, it sometimes takes a while to hear back from them. While trying to decide which resort to say "I Do" at, I tried finding info on the Marina El Cid here... but to no avail. There are a couple of threads and attempts at initiating a Marina El Cid thread, but none have come to fruition. Thus, here is my attempt at providing information on the Marina El Cid. I will try to track my planning, and hopefully some other Marina El Cid brides will come out of the woodwork and will do the same. Happy planning everyone! Congratulations on your engagement! Who else out there is getting married at the Hotel Marina El Cid? Any 2012 or 2013 brides?

Hi There! Do you know if these photos are still available?? I can't seem to be able to access them.

Does anyone know if there is a site to be married, other than on the beach? Does the resort have a gazebo for the actual wedding ceremony to take place? Or is the only option on the beach?

Hi everyone! I'm a newbie! Looking at getting married late november / early december 2012. I saw a post a while back where someone wrote that it cost $94 per person for dinner (after the 25 people included in wedding packages). This sounds ridiculously expensive to me.... especially since we might have closer to 60 people there. Does anyone know if this is truly how expensive it will be?! Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone! I'm still trying to decide which resort to get married at. Are there any non-beach ceremony locations at this resort, besides the chapel? Thanks!

This was very helpful! Thanks for the post!

Wow! Your work is AMAZING!!! thank you for the link. we'll be sure to contact you if you decide to get married in the mayan!

Hello! Congratulations on your engagement! I have been to both sides of Mexico in the last year. Last February, I travelled to the Mayan Riviera which was stunning. The beaches and water were picturesque. Last month, I travelled to Puerto Vallarta, which was also nice, but different. The mayan's beach and water is definitely nicer. The pacific side has rocky beaches and the water is dark, well like the pacific. There are definitely some areas that are "swimmable" but definitely not the same as the mayan. However, on another note, the puerto vallarta side seems to have more mexican culture and charm. The area seems to be more authentic mexico. I live on the west coast in Canada, and I was told by my travel agent that Puerto Vallarta is cheaper for people from the west to go to, while the mayan is cheaper for east-coasters. I would assume that this would go for you too, but you know what they say about people who assume... I hope that helps! Either way, both would be beautiful. I saw a wedding in PV that was so beautiful!!! Personally, I am choosing to stay to the Caribbean side! Good luck with your planning!!!

I didn't know that that link existed! Thanks! It is already showing to be helpful. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly!!!

Hello everyone! My fiance and I have been engaged since July, and have just started planning! We have always wanted to do a destination wedding and had originally planned on getting married in Punta Cana, DR. However, we decided that we want to try and keep this wedding as affordable as possible for our guests, so we have narrowed down our wedding location to the Cancun/Riviera Maya area in Mexico. Last year, we stayed at Now Jade, which was phenomenal. The rooms and resort were gorgeous and the food was amazing... the beach was beautiful... we had a fantastic time. We went to a travel agent about a month ago and requested a quote for Now Sapphire, the sister resort to Now Jade, seeing as we know the kind of quality we want. The TA told us that it might be a bit too pricey for our guests so she recommended the Gran Bahia Principe Coba/Tulum/Akumal. That resort sounds nice, but just doesn't seem to measure up to the Now Resorts. Now, my fiance and I are thinking we need to do more research into resorts and finding other ones we like, but everytime we start looking we get so overwhelmed! How do you choose a resort when there are hundreds? Any suggestions for resorts? How did you decide on a resort??? Thanks for taking the time!

What month were you married in? Was the resort busy at that time? I am just wondering what the chances of actually being upgraded are when we go in the beginning of December...

I love the idea of playing music during dinner. Were you able to do this?

Welcome! I am a newbie as well! Happy planning!