LCB803

We're doing a Catholic ceremony at a Catholic chapel so that it will be "real" and also spiritual. We are bringing our own priest to avoid the translation issue (and because it was important to us to have our officiant know us). We are paying for his flight with frequent flier miles, and his hotel room should be free since our hotel (Hacienda Tres Rios) offers one free room for every 20 rooms booked

I felt the same way... but recently a friend of mine did the JP before her DW in Puerto Rico, and she swears that the symbolic wedding in PR felt every bit as exciting and special as if it was the "real" wedding! Hope this helps.

Check out Paradisus la Esmeralda, I think the rates are under $200 per person, per night, all inclusive. I've visited-- it's gorgeous. Offers both an adults-only and a family side; so many restaurant options, I lost count! One restaurant/bar in particular had a great global beach-chic vibe. I also love Tulum's boutique hotels! So cool. Too bad we can't have our cake and eat it too ;-) Good luck!

I haven't stayed anywhere in Tulum, but we visited the area on Monday for sight-seeing, and it's fantastic! We are planning our wedding in Playa, but I fell in love with the relaxed beach-bum vibe in strip of boutique hotels about 15-20 min. away from Dreams-Tulum. I almost wish we were getting married in Tulum instead! I don't know any pricing details, but one place we actually went inside of is called Las Ranitas. It's a small boutique hotel (as are most in that area), so there is the option to buy out the hotel, if you have enough guests. For something closer to Cancun, we visited about 8 places total: #1 recommendation is the Marriott Casa Magna/J.W. Marriott in Cancun (they are adjacent). May not fit your budget target, but it was hands-down the best location in Cancun that we saw. #2 is Villa del Palmar. This place was fantastic and soooo well priced. If you want high quality, but budget friendly and you don't mind a bit of a drive from the main drag in Cancun, this is your place. The only drawback for us was that it was a bit too out of the way for us (about 15 min. north of Cancun). #3 are the Real resorts in Cancun-- The Royal Cancun (adults-only) and the Gran Caribe Real (family-friendly). Reasonable rates (all-inclusive), and it's nice that there are the two options adjacent to each other, but the vibe of the place really wasn't for us. In Playa, check out these: #1 - Hacienda Tres Rios - We've stayed here; would highly recommend. Major pro is that there is tons to do at the resort (eco park, kayaking, snorkeling, bike tours, adults-only pool available, kids' club, etc.). The 2012 rates are around $179 per person, per night (all-inclusive) #2 - Omni Puerto Aventuras - Great budget-friendly option offering lots of activities for your guests (such as swimming with dolphins!). The 2012 rates are from $139. Option to buy out the hotel (25 rooms); can do either European Plan (EP) or All-Inclusive (AI). #3 - Hacienda Real by Encanto - This is a hotel only, not a resort; we've also stayed here. It's in down town Playa del Carmen and is very nice (though nothing fancy). Location is great and it's very reasonable at about $100 per room, per night, EP. So, up to 4 people could split the cost of one room. Good luck!

Hi! H3R is about 10 min. from downtown Playa, and I agree with another member who said that while there is tons of stuff to do during the day (the #1 reason why we are interested in H3R!), there isn't much on-resort night life. One idea I've heard, courtesy of my coworker who got married at a Palace resort in Playa last year, is to sponsor a "party bus" to take everyone up to Cancun for a night out. Having also been to Cancun, this sounds like a great idea, we might do the same thing! However, night life in downtown Playa isn't bad, so you could also implement the same idea closer to home, which would be cheaper than driving all the way to Cancun. Good luck!

I have the same question/concern... anyone with experience with this, your advice is appreciated! My impression is that the answer depends on how many you plan to have/can afford to have at your destination wedding, and how big an AHR you can afford??

I actually don't like the idea of using the resort's wedding coordinator. Sure, it's a free service, but in my experience, they just aren't very invested in helping YOU with YOUR wedding... They work for the resort, not you! You can hire an outside WC that won't necessarily cost you anything out of pocket since many of them work off of commission. One company I know of that works off of commission is Euforia Events. My WC is an independent small business owner-- Joss Morales of Cancun Unique Weddings (she works all over the Riviera Maya) and I can't say enough good things about her! She charges $800 for her services, but so far we are so happy with her that $800 seems a pittance to pay for such a valuable resource! It is more than worth it. She works for US, and has her own endless list of preferred vendors and contacts, so I am not forced into anything, there is no pressure to use only the resort's vendors, I feel like I have more control and choice with her on the ground as my eyes and ears, and I can ask her a million questions and she does her best to make sure I am happy. Being a bit of a control freak who is planning a wedding thousands of miles away, this is invaluable Whatever you choose, just make sure you are comfortable with the person and that you feel like you can trust them implicitly. It took some time for me to let go, but I have since learned just how much I can trust Joss (implicitly!) and I am now much less stressed Good luck!

I just saw a post from someone in the forum with a unique idea-- dove balloons! http://www.biodoves.com/

Hi there! We just came back from 4 nights at Hacienda Tres Rios, our accommodation venue of choice for our our Nov 2013 wedding. I would DEFINITELY recommend a site visit, and why spend more than you need to?? We did ours using a Groupon deal (actually, Living Social, but you get the idea) that I found-- 2 adults and 2 kids (my FI has two) for 5 days/4 nights, all-inclusive, with upgraded room and late check-out for about $999. So, checkout Groupon/Living Social/Bloomspot-type websites for the best deals, but I know places like CheapCarribean.com, Travelzoo.com, and my favorite search engine, Kayak.com can also offer good deals. If you already have a WC and/or TA that you plan to use, ask him/her-- who knows, maybe they can negotiate a deal with the resort. (I know Hacienda Tres Rios offered a special rate for site visits, but I didn't find out about that till after I booked the Living Social deal-- oh well!). Good luck! A site visit will do you a world of good, plus it's not hard to enjoy Mexico in the middle of winter

Clever! Thanks for the creative idea, nice to have another option besides bubbles and rose petals

Hi KK! We are looking at Paradisus La Esmeralda, too, for the same reason-- almost all of our 65 guests are couples or couples coming without their kids, but there are a couple exceptions (including us-- my FI has two boys-- and my sister). We also need accommodation that offers upgrade options for those with higher price points, like my boss and other execs at my company. Would you agree that the Paradisus could fit the bill? Have you visited? Also, is $191/per person, per night the published rate, or what they quoted you for the wedding block? Do they offer any perks, i.e., book 20 rooms and you get one free? Which of the on-resort venues have you picked for your ceremony/reception/other ancillary events? I know they have beach, poolside, and palapa venues, but not sure what else. Thanks!

Hi Valerie, We just came back from 4 nights at Hacienda Tres Rios with my fiancé's two children and have very good things to say. The rate they quoted us for our wedding accommodation is $179 per person, per night, but that is all-inclusive. What I liked the best about it was that it was definitely family-friendly, but didn't feel overrun with kids/families; there was also an adults-only pool, so your guests without kids can also feel comfortable. (Bottom line: I would stay there even if we didnt have kids.) If you plan to do your wedding ceremony and reception all at the same place that you intend to use as accommodation, then Hacienda Tres Rios will be a great choice because they have lots of available venue options--from a river-side terrace, to gardens, to dining rooms, to beaches and private lagoons--that are really great! We are having our ceremony and reception off-resort, but several events will be on-resort (welcome cocktail, rehearsal dinner, post-wedding brunch) and I'm very happy with the venue choices, and the supplemental price per person for each of these fully-catered private events is really helping us control costs (a supplemental charge of $20 per person means that for our 60 guests, it will only cost us $1,200 per event.) Finally, each room can accommodate several people if your guests want to share rooms to control costs; there are two queen beds and a sofa bed in each standard room. Otherwise, the Paradisus La Esmirelda is beautiful and has both adults and family sides, as does the Real resort chain. I would also recommend the Omni Puerto Aventuras as a very budget-friendly, family-friendly option! There is tons for guests to do in the little village there. Good luck! Lydia

Lovely! I love the mix of orchids and roses. Very unique, and complementary!

Hi JordanB! Do you have any pictures from your wedding? Were the prices reasonable? As compared to what? My wedding coordinator is suggesting a couple vendors up in Cancun, but the wedding is in Playa del Carmen, and I'd like to see if I can find vendors down there. Thanks!

I highly recommend Blue Venado! It was our runner-up location. The menus look amazing-- lots of choices, and their packages are very reasonable. Not to mention that the venue itself is perfect! You cant go wrong with this place. We ended up choosing Playa del Secreto (see here and here), but we have to bring in all our own vendors-- catering, tables, chairs, even a generator!! It is literally just a beach. Good luck!!

My Wedding Coordinator mentioned this to us last July when we were visiting... she said that Cancun Palace are letting people out of their contracts if they want to do so. Good luck! Let us know if you need advice on a backup location! My Fi and I have seen lots of locations in Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Great perspective, MelB! I would agree, everyone tells me that many people wait till the last minute, and someone has to go hounding them to book... I think despite anyone's best planning, this is inevitable. Their failure to plan shouldn't be your emergency! I think though that if they are going to come, they will come regardless of whether airfare goes up. Hotel, on the other hand, is something different. A coworker of mine was married last October and said he had to put several rooms on his credit card to meet the terms of the contract. He was sweating bullets up until the last minute! But everything worked out in the end. Good luck!

Sophia, Great post! Thanks for sharing! I had similar experiences with LeReve, Wickys, and Porto Playa... good to know they're consistent Good luck!

Hi Tara Steve, I'm also have a November 2013 wedding in the Riviera Maya. It will be a beach ceremony and reception (Playa del Secreto-- see photos here and here) for about 65 people. I think $5,000 is a little tight for having that number of guests, but I have also read some very impressive posts from brides who say they've done/are doing just that! Do a search from the BDW homepage for "how much is your wedding costing you" and see the results! In my experience, controlling costs has a lot to do with the price of your accommodation... at $xx per person, per night, for many nights, things add up! I do think that the cheapest route in general is the resort route. You have less variety and choice, but it really is cheaper to do everything on-resort (this is by design, of course!). If you pick an all inclusive one, it's a good deal for the guests and for you: your reception can be had at a fraction of the cost of what it would be off-resort because you only have to pay a "supplement" charge per guest (because your guests are already paying their own food and beverage through the cost of their stay.) If your reception is not the same location as your accommodation, you will have to pay for everything from catering, equipment rental, and venue fee, to sometimes even your own generator to power everything! A side note to off-resort beach weddings: If you decide to go this route, look at private beach clubs, such as the Blue Venado, which won't require you to supply the power. They have delicious menu options and can provide full catering services. Tables and chairs can be offered for free if you have a minimum of 80 guests. You wouldn't have to rent a dance floor, either, as they have something there than can do the job. Also check out Wiki's restaurant, which offers a great beach-front opportunity for ceremony and reception. The food is really good! As for decor, I agree, many hands make for light work But another suggestions is to rent large items. Consider hiring a wedding coordinator-- they can easily handle decor and rental recommendations and challenges, and will know the best/most affordable vendors for what you are looking for. Also, many Wedding Coordinators operate on commission from the VENDORS, so their services are free to you One of these that we have first-hand experience with is Euforia Events. (We are using Joss from Unique Cancun Weddings-- and love her!!-- but she charges a flat rate of $800.) Good luck, and be sure to keep us updated on how your planning is going

Hi shrandle! Congrats! There are so, so many options... glad you found this forum for help! My Fi and did a fact-finding trip this past July and it was really helpful! We found two wedding coordinators who helped us see 17 locations in 3.5 days in both Cancun and Playa del Carmen. I would highly recommend a visit if you can swing it. Look for travel deals on sites like Travelzoo.com, or even Groupon and Living Social. As for recommendations... I would recommend looking for a resort that has an adults side and a families side, so that both couples and families can essentially enjoy being in the same place. The Royal Cancun has an adults-only side as well as a family side. We visited it, but it was not for us (I can provide details if you are interested). Another resort with both was the Paradisus La Esmeralda in Playa del Carmen. It is a newer location, and gorgeous! So quiet, serene, comfortable, and luxurious, yet affordable. Unfortunately, if you plan to hold the reception or ceremony at the resort, and you plan to have children attend, then you are limited to options on the family side only. The adults-only side must stay adults-only, even for special events. If you plan to have the ceremony and reception off-resort (like we are), then it doesn't matter. Another option to consider is a small boutique hotel where you can rent out most or all of the rooms, so you can have as many kids as you want, and do what you please. Two good options are Le Reve (gorgeous!) and Omni Puerto Aventuras (so affordable! so much to do!), both in the Playa del Carmen area. (See my reviews of both here, at the bottom of the page.) Both offer either All-Inclusive (AI) and European Plan (EP, where guests pay on consumption),but not both, i.e., all guests must be on one plan or the other, you can split the group up. Ultimately, we ended up choosing Hacienda Tres Rios because it's really nice, yet still affordable (feels more expensive than it is-- about $185 per person, AI). I would highly recommend this location, but consider that we were only looking for a resort for our guests' accommodation; our ceremony and reception are at a different location, so I dont know much about what the options would be on-resort for your ceremony and reception. We also looked at the Fairmont Myakoba, which was AMAZING, but ultimately we decided was out of our price range. I wanted to look at Le Blanc, but we didnt spend the time on it for the same reason. We have photos and more details I can share on these locations if you are interested. Good luck! Be sure to update us on how it goes Lydia

Hi ornxoxo! We are having a Catholic ceremony next November that will be legal (not "symbolic"). To have a legal, religious ceremony, we are required to 1) be married by a priest, and 2) be married in a Catholic chapel. (You can also have a legal marriage in Mexico by filling out a lot of paperwork, submitting blood tests, and paying some administrative fees... I've heard going this route is a lot of work!). I do not believe that the priest will marry you in a truly "Catholic" ceremony unless you are both Catholic and unless the ceremony is in a Catholic chapel. It's my understanding that these are Church requirements (i.e., from the Vatican), not local ones. You can probably have a symbolic ceremony performed by a priest though, at the venue of your choosing. However, if you're going to go the symbolic route, having a priest seems unnecessary to me... We are actually bringing our own priest from our local parish. This is apparently will require a lot of coordination between the Mexican parish and our own, back home; but it's worth it to us because we feel very strongly about our officiant being someone we know. It is also helpful that we are bringing our own priest because our wedding date is a Sunday since my photographer was already booked for the Saturday, and local Mexican Catholic priests are not available to do weddings on Sundays, as they must attend to their own parish duties. So, something else to think about. Finally, if it is your intention to have a Catholic ceremony, Mexico is the right place! In researching where in the Caribbean we wanted to have our destination wedding, it quickly became clear that it would be very difficult to find a Catholic chapel elsewhere in the Caribbean. Mexico has definitely solved that problem! Available options abound. If you do plan to have a Catholic ceremony and your resort doesn't have a Catholic chapel available, contact me and I'll send you a list of good options that we found while looking for our own ceremony/reception venue. Good luck! Lydia

I recently ordered and received in the mail several swatches (I ordered practically every fabric line!). I am really impressed with the quality of the fabric and the range of colors available. The swatches they sent are very professionally presented, came quickly, and are definitely big enough to get a sense for what the whole suit will look like. So far, so good! I will be sure to update you all on the final product.

Wow-- great job! Thanks for the tutorial, it looks like something I can actually replicate! Now, I just have to hit 150 posts so I can download the files