Masha

We decided to go with Grand Pineapple Negril for our guests, Sandals is way to expensive for a single person and children are not allowed on the property. GP is part of the Sandals and not too far. We end up paying for guest passess to Sandals though. It makes sense to have a group at Sandals when it's 10 guests and over, you get the perks but rooms are still expensive.

It's definitely cheaper. We decided to go with seat down. I planned 20-30 guests, it turned out to be only 12, so renting the whole catamaran just for 12 people didn't make much sense anymore. However our sitting reception for 12 is arm and leg with Sandals, the total is $2900 - this includes guest passes, since none of our guests stay at Sandals or Beaches.

Yes, we have TA, she booked our hotel and we already paid for it, but we also have separate wedding coordinator from Sandals. My wedding coordinator in Miami is Chloe and she insists that i have to pay for all wedding related stuff up front as well - make up and hair in their spa, flowers, table set ups, dj, reception etc etc. I'm using them for everything, they do not allow outside vendors, thanks God they contracted professional photographers and now I don't have to worry about photography at least. I don't know if I like one thing or another without seeing it. I'm going with Beautiful Beginnings package and customizing it to fit my theme colors and we decided on sit up reception and cocktail and I have to make decision 60 days before arriving and pay for it. It really bothers me.

Hello everyone, my question is to brides who already booked and close to their wedding or who had wedding at Sandals resorts. I had to create separate thread, for some reason Sandals/Beaches thread doesn't get bumped when you post in there. I am getting married at Sandals Negril in July 2013. Their policy is to pay for everything 60 days prior to travel. How true is it? Did they have any compromise with you? They want us to pay every single thing up front: reception, photographers, dj, etc etc however I read one of the brides said they allowed to purchase everything on the site, when they arrived. Did someone experience that? What did you do? I find it a bit confusing and scary to pay over $11 000 for something we have only seen in pictures. I want to be able to see and choose before paying, but Miami office insists on choosing everything now and pay up front. Thanks in advance for responses.

Hello ladies, my wedding is getting close - July 5, 2013 and I'm a bit confused about Beaches Negril policies, did anyone of you had to pay for everything including reception and guest passes 60 days before arrival? I understand paying for the rooms but reception and guest passes? What if some guests won't make it and cancel at the last moment? What if I decide I want different set up, or dj instead of the band. My TA told me I had to pay in full for everything 60 days prior. I'll be calling Chloe to confirm, but I still want to know what you guys had to do.

@Jamaica2013 the depth is my concern as well, I hope someone who had done it before will come in this thread. 2 feet is quite a bit if you think of people wearing their nice attire. Unless I have to make sure everyone knows to wear something they don't mind getting wet, and if they do provide dingy maybe it's not a concern at all. So much to think about. You already had your planning session with Chloe? Mine is scheduled for October, how weird, considering we are just 1 month apart, I'm dying to ask so many questions. @Mufin1785 I agree, this would be so great! When is your wedding?

I'm actually a July bride, it's 5th of July to be exact. I need to make a poll and see if my guests would be willing to get wet a little bit. I personally don't mind at all and I already bought the dress for reception which is short, but majority of my guests probably won't be staying at the Beaches, I hear a lot of whining how expensive it is, so I told my travel agent to look for something cheap, but this means they won't be able to change. My wedding is set at 4 pm and I plan to start reception 6-7ish. When is your wedding and what time?

I like the idea of mom/bridesmaid as well. After long discussions, my fiance is ok now with having his groomsmen sit with the guests he only wants one best man, so it might work out.

This review sold me on catamaran http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_destination-weddings_wedding-in-jamaica-beaches-negril-catamaran-reception but I have to keep my guests happy as well and if they have to go chest deep in the water we'll have to think of something else. Decisions, decisions....

Cruise sounds like a fabulous idea but I'll have some elderly guests and some guests who would not want to get in the water. This is the biggest concern for me. I wonder if they have a pier or something like that to help guest to board who don't want to get wet. I am confused. Did you try contacting vendors yet? I see pictures on this vendor's website http://www.negrilcruises.com/events.html and they have all the attire on and it's not wet lol

I am! Already booked the rooms and the wedding. July 5th 2013, 4 pm. My first session with my wedding coordinator is set for October. I've sent save the dates and receiving the news that most guests can't afford staying at Beaches, so my travel agent would have to look for some cheaper hotels for guests which means no perks for us When is your wedding?

For me it's only a formality, I won't even see them before the wedding, I'll just have them stand next to me and for help and other things I'll ask my mom. I had an argument with my fiance about not having the groomsmen and he doesn't want to give them up, so I'll take my sanity over stress and arguments.

Hello ladies, I'm getting married at Beaches Negril in July 2013. Wedding is set for 4 p.m. I received the wedding packet from Beaches and I see the catamaran cruise for only $1950 it holds 1-110 people, includes open bar, catering and entertainment. It does sound enticing. I was wondering would it be good idea to do this instead of traditional sitting, anyone done that/ heard how was it?

For some reason it is very important for him, the whole destination thing is for me and he wouldn't mind to get hitched in Vegas, or just go to court to get married. Jamaica and all formal celebration is solely for me and it does cost us an arm and a leg, so I don't feel like I have to pressure him more into doing things my way. I can't have it all, so i'll just go along with what he suggested. The whole concept of a bridesmaid is new to me anyways, in Europe it's not enforced, at most of the weddings I went they only had one bridesmaid and it was more like a witness.

Thank you ladies for suggestions and responses, we had a discussion with my fiance and he doesn't want to give up his groomsmen at all but he suggested that his female cousin and one of his groomsmen's wife can be my bridesmaids, they are not my friends, they live in another city and I only seen them twice but I guess it's better than nothing and he said he can rely on them. My mom will be walking me down since my father passed away and i don't have any brothers, uncles or other father figures, so mom can't be bridesmaid. If my aunt comes I'll ask her as well. It does indeed sucks and stressful.

Thank you for replies. Sorry I wasn't clear enough, my fiance and I live in states and my family and friends live in Europe. Their main concern is to pay for the tickets which is almost $2000 per person and the hotel. Paying for the bridesmaids dresses wouldn't help much, most of them live paycheck to paycheck. I asked if they could make it and they said they won't be able to save that much. Our budget already reached 10 000 and it keeps adding up, we both paying for everything ourselves so we really can't afford to pay for them too. My fiance doesn't want to give up on groomsmen, I had an idea that we both don't have a party, but he says he can't do that, his friends are going to be pissed off. Maybe the groomsmen on my side would be a good idea.

All friends who could be my BM can not attend my DW due to financial hardship. Paying for them is out of our budget, they live on the other side of the pond in Europe. I do have couple female acquaintances I'm inviting but i don't feel close enough to ask them to be my bridesmaids, it would be almost desperate. I'm not very open type of person and don't start new friendships easy. My fiance has at least 3 friends who he wants to ask to be his groomsmen. Most of my relatives live in Europe as well and form my side there won't be many people: my mother, my son and maybe my aunt. How should I handle this situation?

Thanks for advice, we decided to go with Beaches Negril instead, their policy is much better for off property guests. We might have a lots off property guests who can't afford all inclusive so they can just pay 100 for a day pass. Riu requires 80% of the guests attending the wedding to stay at the hotel as well.

Hello ladies, I'm very excited, CSA it is, I have read all the threads here on CSA and still have so many questions, I hope i can find the answers! Any CSA brides?

Hello ladies, I'm starting to plan my wedding for July 2013, CSA is our hotel of choice. My concern is none of my guests will be staying at CSA, some are coming with children, most of them are single and some simply can't afford CSA. The $100 per person pass on the property is too much as well, we are looking at about 20 people. What are other venues around CSA that could accommodate us? Any ideas, advice, how much the outside reception would cost? Thank you