Brandi Kohler

For the groomsmen gift, FI is giving out Oakley sunglasses (since he is a firefighter, he is able to get some sort of a discount, making them only like $40). For the bridesmaid gifts, they are getting flip flops that match their dresses, wrap dress cover ups for bathing suits, their earrings, bracelets, and a jewelry roll travel carrier thing. We are also doing welcome bags, but are probably going to hand them out during our cocktail party. The resort wants to charge us to put the bags in their rooms and I've read a few reviews that bags got mixed up and not delivered until the next day and stuff. Also, since we have the arrival times of our guests, we may just hand them out when they are checking in.

If you have your welcome dinner at the buffet, it is free. To do it in a restaurant, I think it is $20 per person, plus 11% and 15% service fee. We opted for a welcome cocktail party in the lobby bar. Most of our guests are staying 4 nights and with 1 of those nights being at the wedding, I don't want to limit the amount of restaurants they can eat at. Besides, I believe if you have a dinner of some sorts, it needs to be a fixed menu, especially with 50-60 people.

We are going to have a small get together before we leave for the wedding to give out the bridal party wedding gifts. You are only allowed $300 worth of gifts in anyway...plus, it is one less thing to worry about. I don't want to have to worry about getting them there in our luggage, or give our bridal party one more thing to pack in their luggage.

We are looking at the lighting for the Bamboo room and are trying to figure it out. I know that there are the lights above the dance floor. But, our concern is if we are going to pay extra for the uplighting. It looks beautiful but it is $350! That is crazy for a few light bulbs! I have seen in a few pictures that they have small lights (like christmas lights) over the bamboo on the side walls. Anyone know if they are included or if that is something that I can bring? Any input on the lighting in there? Thanks!

That is a great question? I don't believe that stuff like that can be brought back!

Your review was great, thanks for posting. I was unable to see any of the pictures, but bet they are beautiful. Did they charge you for the setup of the bows and stuff? Also, what did they charge you for the DJ if you don't mind me asking?

I think the RT transportation is part of the package for the bride and groom, but they might have a special promo going on. All of our guests received RT transportation with our travel agent, Apple Vacations.

Any chance you could email me the menus as [email protected] Thank you so much!

I ordered change purses from them to use as "hangover" kits for our oot bags. Shipping was really slow, but product wasn't bad.

What do they consider full day photography? I have been talking with Federico who is in charge of Adventure Photography and he said for $1550, we can get full day which includes getting ready in the room and the spa, ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and all the stuff that goes with that, plus a photobooth? Also, 200 pictures.

We picked out our dresses for bridesmaids at Davids Bridal. They are strapless, satin and short...very pretty. We also picked out tuxes from Mens Wearhouse. They are all wearing Calvin Klein grey tuxes with vests that match their coordinating bridesmaid (champagne, light blue, cornflower blue, royal blue and navy blue). We are getting married in October. It isn't traditional beachy wedding wear, but FI really wanted a tux, so it all worked out!

It is a tough decision and we went back and forth. After a lot of talking with families, they all had something envisioned for us and if we picked 1 sides, the other sides got annoyed, so we pretty much said screw it to everyone and picked mexico! People are always going to have something to say. We let people know 1 year in advance. That is more than enough time. We went with apple vacations which I feel gave us the very best rate we could get. We opted not to spend $30,000 for 5 hours of our time and spend $3000 for a week with our closest friends and family. And for those that can't make it,, we are having a reception with a small vow ceremony when we get back. You are never going to make everyone happy, all that matters is that you and FI are. It has been great to plan and much more fun than planning a wedding home. We have about 40 people coming and everyone is very excited! Even my future MIL who was insisting she wasn't going, and she can't wait.

It looks great! Did you use up lighting in the room or is that the lighting that is already in the room!

Shannon, You are a beautiful bride! Thank you for the pictures. If you don't mind me asking, how much was the upgrade for the full day package? Did you get any extras with it (all of your pictures, etc)?

For the Divine Package, do we have to pay for the sound system for the ceremony?

This was what I always thought as well.... Well, my guest proved me soooo wrong! I've always said "If you don't know if your trawling to Mexico 3 months prior, your more than likely not going." Well, I was way wrong! I would say about 30 of our guest booked within the last 2 to 3 months before the wedding! It may just be my group that's so last minute, but be careful thinking that! Some people will book late! I hope this doesn't happen, but I guess you never know. Right now, the most important people have already RSVP'd and stuff, so that is all that matters. If they don't RSVP by our date which is June 19th I believe, I really don't know what to tell them.

We are flying out of Philadelphia Int. Airport. We managed to find flights for $382, but friends of our just found flights for $350. They say that the best time to shop for airfare is between 12:00 Tuesday (midnight) to Thursday. That rate is pretty good considering now the price is over $1000, and that includes every third night free (a now jade promo right now).

We are getting married on October 19, 2013. We started the room stuff around last October. Our agent has been great with helping us set it up. We have given guests a choice anywhere from 3 nights up to 7 nights, and have all of the room rates for those amount of nights and with the different room categories. Then, we booked our airfare with Apple Vacations and I noticed that on the applevacations.com website, the rate was much lower if you book both through them, so they actually gave everyone in our group the packaged rate, even if they don't book their airfare with them. But, if you look at prices now on the Now Jade website, they are much higher. If you go to my wedding website and click on the traveling info tab, you can see the form that my agent made up with the prices and stuff (that way you can see how it was all set up). The site is www.kohlerandsylvia.ourwedding.com. Also, like I said with making a booking, you guarantee the low prices, which make it nice for guests. Not to mention that there is a cut off for the booking to get that price, so you kind of have an idea pretty early on which makes it good for purchasing stuff. We told our guests that we needed an answer 4 months prior to our date b/c seriously, if you don't know if you are going to Mexico 4 months in advance, you probably aren't going.

No, that rate is per person for 8 nights ocean view. It all depends on when you book really, depending on it prices are high or low.

We are flying from Philly! What is your date? Anyway, we are using Apple Vacations and are so happy with them. We did a room block and were able to get rates down to about $722 and that was for 8 nights ocean view. For 4 nights tropical, I think it is $400. We didn't do anything with airfare in regards to blocking that because it is so tempermental and the deposit for airfare blocking was ridiculous. We blocked 20 rooms for a $1000 deposit that will go towards our stay. Then our guests only had to pay a $50 deposit with nothing due until 130 days before travel. Then, for every 21 guest, we get the average price comped to us, as well as a credit of 1-9 rooms $100 credit, 10-19 rooms $200 credit and so on. I think that blocking rooms is the way to go, but definitely let guests book their own air.

What is everyone picking for appetizers? I am trying to figure out what to pick but have no idea.

I think it is something like $10,000. Are you bringing in an outside photographer and makeup/hair person or using the resort?

I recently starting buying stuff for the bags. I really only buy when I am able to get a great deal on something (free shipping code) or stuff like that.

I found really cute tote bags from orientaltrading.com They are covered in hibiscus flowers and were 11.50 for 12 of them. I didn't want them personalized b/c they really become useless after the wedding. I just can't picture people using bags that say "so and so's wedding" Plus, shipping is free on orders over $49. We ordered beer koozies from there too that say to have and to hold and to keep your beer cold that were 50 of them for $20. I ordered chapstick from Avon for .69 each. I found travel aloe for .98 a bottle with free shipping. Also, I made those fold over elastic pony tail holders for dirt cheap in our wedding colors to put in their bags. Also, I found these great change purses that were 50 of them for $20. I am going to use them to put travel tylenol, pepto and motrin in them and label them as "my hangover kit". I also purchased name badge holders on lanyards. That way, they can be used as room key holders. I think they were 4.25 for a pack of 12 from orientaltrading.com