JenniBassler

Nicole, I put my music is the EXACT order I wanted it to be played and the songs that were key songs I labeled FIRST DANCE, GARTER TOSS, ect... so they'd know to announce something. The IPOD setup worked out perfectly. I did 2 speakers as well and definitely recommend that. I wouldn't have done anything differently. I was really nervous about this because I wanted the reception to be a party, but it was!!! Everyone was on the dance floor! My wedding was originally at 6 on the sky wedding deck, but there was another event scheduled on one of the sky terraces scheduled at 6. They suggested I move my location. I kinda threw a fit about this because I insisted they guarantee the sky wedding deck before I would sign my contract - so they suggested moving the ceremony to 5:30. It was fine by me. We had enough light for pictures, but it got a little rushed at the end. That wouldnt have happened if it wouldnt have taken SO LONG to bustle my dress - we had issues with that!! I had my stepdad get ordained online so that he could perform our ceremony so we wrote that together. It definitely was doing within 30 minutes! I didnt want some long ceremony - to me, everyone wants to get to the party! Yes, I carried my wedding dress on the plane. They have a closet right when you walk into the plane, that wasn't a problem at all. He carried his suit too! It was linen so it was going to wrinkle like crazy in the suitcase. I did welcome bags with - full size IBpro bottles, aloe lotion, antacids, koozies, sunglasses and welcome letter. My "wedding favor" was glow necklaces and bracelets. They were really fun to have on the beach and dance floor. I ordered 150 necklaces and 100 bracelets for my 60 guests so everyone had a few. I got them on ebay with free shipping for like 60 and it was well worth it! I didn't bring a vase or anything for them, but I gave them to my WC before the big day and he had them set up in vases for me! It was perfect! I did not do a themed package, I just did complimentary. I didn't use Ocean Photo either, I brought a photographer from home. We went down on Tues and he arrive Thurs. That way he got some photos Thursday (welcome dinner), Friday (wedding), and Saturday (at the pool/ocean). I can't wait to see the pictures either!!! I really meant to bring a little bit of sand home (like airplane liquor bottle size) to put in a clear glass christmas ornament as a momento, I AM SOOOO ANGRY that I forgot to get some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought about emailing my WC to see if he would ship me some, lol. CRAZY, I know. I just thought I would tell you guys to remember to get something if you want Also, I got the 80 minute deep tissue and it was HEAVEN! I wish I could wake up like that everyday. My mom and grandmother both got facials and loved them too. My mom also got some sort of scrub and said that was her favorite thing she did. Everything anyone got done at the spa I heard great things about.

No one mentioned anything about that to me! Our reception started at about 7:30 and honestly I don't know if the cake was setting out there or not yet. I really don't remember seeing it. After we ate and our MOH & Best Man did their toasts then Mario told me it was time to cut the cake, so we did that and they started serving it. It worked out just fine!! I would say just do it! Even if it's not setting out the whole time - everyone still saw it. Granted it wasn't THAT hot for our wedding, when is your date?

Crap! One more thing. The credits were really hard to use. That is just that. We bottle a tequila pack (100) so tax/fee was 11 - same for a 10 pack of cigars, and I used the spa - 100 for my hair (LOVED) and an 80 minute deep tissue massage (185) - the dinner on the beach isnt lobster its surf and turf and thats what i had at the steakhouse so we decided it was prob the same thing just private on the beach and just didnt want to mess with it and the excursions on only certain days. So I suggest looking into these THE DAY YOU GET THERE so you can have as many chances as possible if you want to use that for any of their excursions.

Oh.... excursions.. We didn't do anything with our credits but we did do one. It was called XPLOR and it was AWESOME! It's in Playa so you take a tour bus (nice bus) like 1-1.5 depending how many people you pick up. It picked us up at 7AM and we got back to BP at like 6PM. Its an ALL DAY THING. Theres like 15 Zip Lines, you can swim in natural sink holes and grottoes, caves, you paddle these rafts through caves, drive these vehicles through the jungle, they go through water... google XPLOR cancun. It was so much fun. They have all inclusive food and stuff there and it was good! We are really glad we got out and did something fun. They take lots of pictures for you while you are there too - $35 for one persons pictures and $75 for 2 and you get them all on a USB. We only bought mine since we did most things together he is in like all of them. It was awesome - highly recommend!!!

Thank you!! Okay - Here's what we did as far as events went... We arrived Tuesday morning and it was just an easy play in the sun day. Every day drank and we just took it easy that night. Had dinner at the steakhouse which is just a few tables outside. It was good, and don't take this to mean it wasn't but of all the meals I had all week it was my least favorite. Tuesday lunch was the only lunch I ate at the buffet bc I was starving from traveling. I just ate random stuff and it was good, but nothing exceptional. At every meal at the buffet theres like a made to order station - waffles or omelets at breakfast and at lunch fajitas or something - he waited for those on Tuesday and said they were great. I was too hungry to wait. Every single day I ate lunch by the pool and it was SOOOO GOOD. Quesadillas, chicken tacos, cheviche, GUACAMOLE. I ate guace and pico with every meal (even breakfast) and now I havent had it in like 72 hours and I am having withdraws, burgers by the pool are also great, but the french fries, not so much! The pool water gets a little warm and by about 2-3 in the afternoon the sun is on the other side of the hotel so we would move to the beach, or I recommend the roof top pools, they are small and there aren't a lot of chairs but it wasn't crowded at all up there and the drink service was faster too! Wednesday - Dinner girls had a private cocktail hour at 7 and dinner at 8 on the Sky Terrace. When I met with Mario on Tuesday he said for this he had planned one long table with white clothes and turquoise napkins. I didn't know they ever did anything but white so I was happy to have some color. They also add little hurricane lanterns with candles and then my BMs had some bachelorette decor to add too. He also had recommended mojitos as a passes cocktail which I dont much care for, but to have trays of cocktails I thought would be nice so I went with it. Turns out they were different flavors and were a huge hit!!! Worldwide Hors Doeurves and Italian Menu - Both AMAZING! The Worldwide had this Mushroom au von vent things... it was like a puff pastry with some mouse inside, I don't like mushrooms - but since it wasn't a mushroom really OMG - I want one right now. It was awesome. Then we went to sports bar at 10 when that was done to drink for a little while before we went out in town. Thursday - Private cocktail hour at 7 and dinner at 8 also on Sky Terrace as a Welcome Dinner. For this Mario had planned white long cloths on the big round tables and orange cloths on top. Worked for me because I had brought maracas to decorate with so it looked really mexican (he suggested the passed cocktail be margaritas) and they had those candle lantern things for this too! (non of that did i pay for - they just did it) for this I had International Hors Doeurves and BBQ menu. I loved the potato skins on the BBQ and all the guys loved the wings appetizer! Every one kept saying how good the food was both nights! Friday - This day for lunch I missed poolside and ordered my trustee quesadillas room service and my little sister ordered sliders. I took one bite of her sliders and told her it was my day and she had to have quesadillas because those were soooo good I wanted them. HAHAHA. I wasn't bridezilla, I was joking but she didn't care and let me have them. What a sweet baby sis! Friday we had our ceremony on the Sky Wedding Deck at 5:30 - I did hair at 1 and I felt like it was a perfect slow paced day. We did not do any first look photos though. The cocktail hour after was on the Infinity Terrace (passed cocktail different flavored martinis) and the Reception was on the Beach. People went ON and ON and ON about how good the Hors Doeurves were at the cocktail hour on Friday which was Superior. I literally didn't get to taste ONE. We had some trouble getting my dress to bustle so that took a bit, then we did pictures and then they had already removed them from they warmers but by far those must have been the best because I kept hearing how amazing different things were. Something about these shrimp and pineapple skewers and beef medallions. We had the International Buffet at dinner and it was excellent also. The snapper was great and so was the roast beef. I HATE chicken cordon bleu so I wish I would have swapped that out for something. We did tres leches cake with butter cream icing and did not pay for a bigger cake even though we had 60 people. We have MORE THAN ENOUGH CAKE! Plus, there is other desserts! I wouldn't bother upgrading cake. The cake is way prettier in person then in the photos too!! Much more elaborate. It never rained one time. It was beautiful always. The only time the wind was an issue was Thursday night's dinner. It was really annoyed that night - but I think it picks up later. The ceremony at 5:30 was fine. I did not wear a veil though - for that very reason. I anticipated it blowing out of smearing lipstick all over my face so I just wore flower in the hair. Yes, my dress was big. I was really worried about being hot too and I wasnt at all. By night it is mid 70s and the breeze kept me comfortable. My mom kept trying to talk me into a reception dress and I was like NO I know I will not want to take off my dress even if I am in misery. I want to wear it to the grocery store, I AM WEARING IT AS LONG AS I CAN!!!! We had a VERY full dance floor and I never thought about being hot once. We moved to the sports bar after and ordered late night pizzas and continued the party and I kept it on all night. Until about 5 AM. No issue! We stayed in room 610. It was right in the center with a perfect view! We had a little issue checking in - they tried to put us on the first floor and not upgrade us to the concierge level and I am not very good at confrontation so my MOH, who speaks fluent Spanish had to lay down the law and got it taken care of. They were saying there was nothing they could do because the hotel was full. So checking it was a bit of a mess but it all got straighten out. The bride and groom had the same wristbands as everyone else. Our group had different wristbands from others, I heard someone say it has to do with who you book through? Oh yeah, restaurants - steakhouse we covered, husband and I never ate at Wok but my family did and said they ordered a bunch of appetizers and all were excellent and that they really enjoyed dinner (even sushi, said they had about 12 different rolls) and my mom was really skeptical of asian in MX, but was very pleasantly surprised, I LOVED breakfast buffet everyday, everything there was really good. I ate a huge breakfast in there every morning, then just snacked at the pool until dinner, the Italian restaurant (where men must were pants) we delicious also, I had a fettuccine with pesto and asked if they would add shrimp for me - sooo good and husband got salmon with a goat cheese and honey sauce which is WAY outside the box for him - he loved it! Most the other guys with us got the filet there which was far superior to the steaks from the steak restaurant outside! Our last 2 nights there we went outside the resort for dinner. We decided we werent wasting all inclusive money since our stay was free. We went to a place called La Habachuelas (means The Stringbean) which was a beautiful restaurant and we both had lobster (I also had some shrimp and grouper), husband's was cooked flambé table side - it was really fun and great! And our last night we went to Harry's (pretty expensive) but THE BEST MEAL I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!! Since we had lobster the night before we both got surf and turf (it's a prime steak house) so we had filets and king crab legs! If you splurge on a nice dinner out GO THERE! I had to close my eyes eating the garlic mashed potatoes. It's right on the lagoon so request a table outside. I took my ipad with me and would goodle these places and make reservations online using open table via the hotel's wifi. I can't tell you how great this meal was!!! I don't have any photographers pictures yet, but if any of you have instagram there are some on there my name is jennibjohnson or you can search #johnsonweddingfiesta The only thing I wish I would have done differently is done the champagne toast AT DINNER and not AT THE CEREMONY. They have you wait to walk back down the aisle after the kiss while they pass out champagne and it was really awkward to just stand there waiting when the natural thing is to run down the aisle. Maybe I will feel different because I am sure its great pictures, but our MOHs and Best Men did their toasts at dinner at the reception so I feel like we should have just saved the champagne for that. Sorry this was LONG!!!! But fun to relive!! I'm glad I can finally answer questions, I know what it was like to have SO MANY!!!

Hi!!!! I'm BAAAACKKK!!! It was the most fun, perfect week ever! I can't wait for all of you to go so we can talk about how wonderful it is there. I honestly teared up having to leave! Mario (my WC) had some suggestions for cocktails to pass around at all my private functions so I don't think having a private event would be any issue at all. The bamboo structures with lanterns were $155/each. The speakers for 3 hours (2 speakers/ipod setup with NO technician) was $312.17, but they actually ended up sending a tech anyways to just help control the stuff. I will do a review asap and post a link to pictures AS SOON as I have them back. I can't wait to see them!!!! If you have any questions - ask away. Let me just say that your day will be PERFECT! It is so wonderful there and all they want is for you to be happy. Also, I got my hair done at the spa and it was perfect. I LOVED it. My sister and one of my friends got their's done too and they were both really really good. Neither one of them had a picture of what they wanted, but I did. The salon has a book of pictures to go through so that is helpful.

We are leaving a week from Tuesday and I am getting so excited, but feel pretty disorganized too! I am going to get some boxes this week to pack my Welcome Bag goodies, some welcome dinner decor, wedding favors, and such in. Since I won't be bringing this stuff home I can just trash the boxes. Once those are packed and I know I have it all together I think I will start to feel a little more organized. Our wedding is Friday, April 26th. I am doing centerpieces, under table lights, bamboo structures with lanterns, and a dance floor from Zuniga (reception is on the beach), I'm not doing any extra ceremony decor really (sky terrace), and I am just using Ipod and Jambox for cocktail hour (Infinity Terrace). We have about 60 guests and our ceremony is at 5:30, cocktail hour 6:30 and reception 7:30... I know they say outside events are to end at 10, but any past Palace Brides have experience with how strict they were on this? I am hoping they at least let us to until 10:30, 11 would be great! I rented Ipod dock and 2 speakers from JSAV for the reception and paid for 3 hours just in case we can go an extra hour. I am using the complimentary bouquet and boutonniere for me and the groom, but I got bridesmaids & groomsmen's from Marvin @ Maya Floral. He was quick to respond every time and the prices were pretty reasonable. I will give a full review in a few short weeks!! I just got my onsite coordinator last week (Mario) but haven't really had contact. I can't believe the time is already here! Is everyone carrying their dress on the plane? How are you handling that?

We are leaving a week from Tuesday and I am getting so excited, but feel pretty disorganized too! I am going to get some boxes this week to pack my Welcome Bag goodies, some welcome dinner decor, wedding favors, and such in. Since I won't be bringing this stuff home I can just trash the boxes. Once those are packed and I know I have it all together I think I will start to feel a little more organized. Our wedding is Friday, April 26th. I am doing centerpieces, under table lights, bamboo structures with lanterns, and a dance floor from Zuniga (reception is on the beach), I'm not doing any extra ceremony decor really (sky terrace), and I am just using Ipod and Jambox for cocktail hour (Infinity Terrace). We have about 60 guests and our ceremony is at 5:30, cocktail hour 6:30 and reception 7:30... I know they say outside events are to end at 10, but any past Palace Brides have experience with how strict they were on this? I am hoping they at least let us to until 10:30, 11 would be great! I rented Ipod dock and 2 speakers from JSAV for the reception and paid for 3 hours just in case we can go an extra hour. I am using the complimentary bouquet and boutonniere for me and the groom, but I got bridesmaids & groomsmen's from Marvin @ Maya Floral. He was quick to respond every time and the prices were pretty reasonable. I will give a full review in a few short weeks!! I just got my onsite coordinator last week (Mario) but haven't really had contact. I can't believe the time is already here! Is everyone carrying their dress on the plane? How are you handling that?

THANK YOU!! That make's me feel better. Maybe they will just do something like that for me too. I was thinking about getting something maracas from amols.com for some color and its cheap for something since now I felt like it was going to be a blank white empty space, and I needed to. That wouldn't be too big of a pain. I definitely won't be putting much time, money, or energy into it. That's for sure! I love those lanterns! I'll keep my fingers crossed they hook me up

Anyone that is doing a welcome dinner or any past brides that have (Shan perhaps...) what is your plan for centerpieces/decor for that? Are you doing anything? Marisol emailed and asked me yesterday if I was bringing any decor with me and said "surely you with have decor for your first event..." made me feel like maybe I needed to but definitely something I don't want to spend money on! Any suggestions?? Thanks ladies!! I leave 1 month from yesterday!! Getting close!

I havent really heard on that one way or the other, but I have heard if you are renting some things from Zuniga that they will sometimes set some of your decor up for you free of charge (since you are already paying them a set up fee). If you are renting anything from them, might be a possibility.... Past brides, when do you pay for your Zuniga rentals, JSAV stuff, etc? I know Marisol will add it to my "purchase order" but when do I make any payment on that? I haven't heard anything from Marisol all week!

Thanks for all the support, ladies!! I told Marisol I would be willing to move the ceremony to 5:30, just because I don't want to risk the noise being a problem during the ceremony. I think that when we print a little itinerary for the week for the welcome bags, that hopefully people won't even remember the invitations said 6 PM!! I also told her I would be willing to move the reception to beach, but I would not be paying any additional per person fee, because the Infinity Terrace has a 40 person max for the dinner and we have over 60 people. The Sky Terrace is booked, Palenque Terrace is booked, and we are not coming all the way to Mexico to have it the in ballroom (I really want to be outside). So all that is left that can accommodate our large group is the beach. So she said as an act of good faith they would wave the fees. Hooray!! So we will be Sky Wedding Deck for ceremony at 5:30, cocktails on Infinity Terrace at 6 and reception on the beach at 7. I am so pleased. I looked and it's a full moon that night. I think a reception on the beach will be beautiful, I just didn't consider it before because of all the extra costs. It all worked itself out. AND we our having our welcome cocktails and dinner on the Sky Terrace on Thursday night. So we have covered everything. Now I have contacted Zuniga for all our rentals and we are finally moving right a long!! Yay! NeeNee, I just said that I was not going to sign my contract and send my deposit until they could confirm that location for me, because it is why were choosing Beach Palace. It only took like 2 emails and it was done. That was when it was the Miami office though, do I don't know if the have gotten stricter on it now that everything is out of Mexico. Good Luck!!

Well... not to be a Debbie Downer, but the news has gotten worse. I heard back from Marisol yesterday and she said yes that they do have me booked for the Sky Deck for my ceremony her concern is just that there might be some noise from the Sky Terrace (that is just a level or 2 below) which they have booked an event at the same time as my ceremony (6 PM) she offered me to change my time to 5 or 5:30 to solve that problem. I am somewhat considering changing it to 5:30... If I had ceremony 5:30-6 then cocktails 6-7 then reception 7-10 then I'd be done by around 10 to solve the "outside festivities end at 10" rule just in case that is enforced. I don't necessarily mind doing that. My invitations do say 6 PM, but I will make an itinerary for the week for the welcome bags and I feel like people won't even remember what the original invitation said, what do you guys think? My only thing is, they tell you 6 PM because of sunset... so it'll mess that up. Now, the worse news. There are 2 other weddings that day. I'm sure one is the event on the Sky Terrace and the other has the Palenque Terrace for the reception so she says I can't have that either.... the issue here is all that is left is the Infinity Terrace, which is a 40 person max for dinner (we have over 60 people), the beach which she reminded me is an additional $12 per person to have reception there, or ballroom. Her suggestion was the Infinity Terrace or the beach or both (cocktails and reception) OR CHANGE MY DATE until the next day and I could have anything I wanted. I responded and said 1) changing my date is not an option and 2) I really want the Palenque Terrance, but I would be willing to change my reception to the beach but I WILL NOT pay a per person fee because that is the only place they have that will accommodate my large group. For a cocktail hour the Infinity Terrance is a 60 person max so I could have that there and then move to beach for the reception, and that's fine with me IF THEY WAVE THE FEE because now I will also have to rent a dance floor. I feel like it's really falling apart over here. I signed my contract and sent my deposit with them on April 4, 2012. I don't understand how everything is so picked over for me!

I have them if you want to PM me your email address, Stacie I will forward them to you. I am so mad/disappointed!! I got an email from Marisol yesterday saying that there is an event on my wedding say on the Sky Terrace (where the pool is) at 6 PM and that is right below the Sky Wedding Deck, so she suggested having my wedding on the Beach. I confirmed that location for my ceremony at 6PM TEN MONTHS ago... I insisted on booking it before I would send my deposit. AND I confirmed it again with her Marisol when she called me on January 26th. I replied to her email by forwarding my email from last April that verified I had booked it and told her we re-confirmed it on the phone last month and asked if there was anything that could be done. Anyone have a suggestion or similar experience here??? After we spoke on the phone on January 26th and verified the time and location she immediately sent me an email verifying the details and it had my location as the beach, so when I responded and corrected that and requested the terrace for my reception her response was "I suggest you have your ceremony on the beach and reception in the ballroom" I really really want to have my ceremony on the sky deck, because of the privacy that is why we chose Beach Palace really... and I don't really want to have my reception in a ballroom, we are in Mexico - I want to be outside! I replied to her last night and can't wait to get a response. I'm really bummed. Hopefully they will get this fixed!

Nicole, I forwarded you both emails Marisol has sent me so you'll have all the info. GOOD QUESTION, NURSEBROOKE!!! I'd love to hear feedback about this too! I agree, Nicole - I think you pay a guest pass for someone to come in for makeup. Still kind of a rip off since they aren't eating and drinking all day. Oh well! I am torn about having someone do my makeup or I have a sorta friend that does makeup here that said shed be happy to work with me on how to do it, what to buy, etc. to do it myself. So I feel a little torn!! On the 3 hour per day limit... My wedding is at 6, so I am thinking cocktails 6:30-7:30 and reception to 7:30-10:30, but outside things are supposed to stop at 10. I've read that they aren't really strict on that either, but hard to know until you're there I guess. So I could just need to add a half hour, haha! I will let you know what I hear back on adding an hour. That will be a worst case scenario. Hoping maybe we can sneak by...