Carlota1981

felicidades a todas!!

Hi VivaMéxico! I contacted her last year and it tooked me a lot to reply. I remember I had written her like 2-3 times to the mail that appears at her website and never got an answer until I did it thourgh Facebook and she replied me inmediatly. Have you tried that?

hI! THIS THREAD IS ABOUT THE PALLADIUM IN RIVIERA MAYA BUT YES, IN MEXICO IS A MUST TO PAY A 300USD FOR BOOKING. WHEN YOU PAY THE WHOLE BALANCE ONCE THERE, THE PLANNERS WILL DISCOUNT YOU THAT 300 USD FROM THE WEDDING PACKAGE. THIS IS HOW WORKS IN THE MAYAN RIVIERA

Hi FutureMrsMcl, According to other brides are saying, planners will confirm your dare next May. Until now, you can pencil your date with your planner but it is not sure until you have payed the 300 usd for booking.

Hello brides!! Congrats for your upcoming wedding!! I wanna introduce myself: My name is Carlota Fariña, and I am a Spanish former bride (last August). There, you will find a lot of information from former and upcoming brides. We only permit the access to brides (and grooms, too of course!) that are going to make the wedding or vow renewal there. This is very important because we want to share only our things with other brides. There are more than 60 brides right now talking and asking possible doubts as you have now. You will find documents (price lists, menus, palladium phone contacts and emails, and a long etc). You could read reviews of former brides, you can see videos and photos and a lot of ideas of other things. Hope to see you there soon girls!

It depends on how wonderful you think they worked during your wedding. I had a fantastic planner and not only a simple employee at the resort. We gave her 250 usd. We also tipped to the waiters (40 usd each), the golf cart driver (20 usd), the women at the spa for our updo and make up but i cannot remember how many as it was my mom who tipped them. I also tipped to the photographer and videographer. But I repeat that this depends on how wonderful is the job, mainly when we are talking about the planner. The rest of them normally make a great job in all the weddings, right?

Grand Palladium doesnt charge any fee for outside vendors of any type. It is not in Cancun though

Yo creo que hay muchas pero algunas no han encontrado este post o directamente no conocen esta web Te casas pronto Lastminbride?

HOla!!! Pues yo hace tanto tiempo que escribí aquí buscando encontrar un poquito de español en esta página web que al final mi boda ya fue! jejeje Yo me casé en la Riviera Maya también, el 6 de agosto pasado y fue espectacular, precioso, maravilloso y no pudo ser más perfecto! Tuvimos un buen día de sol pero no de excesivo calor. Vinieron invitados desde España (de donde yo soy) y de Italia (de donde es mi marido). Todos contrataron el viaje con una agencia de viajes española y todos se encontraron en Madrid para viajar juntos. Mi marido y yo nos fuimos unos días antes para entregar toda la documentación legal para el registro civil, análisis de sangre, etc. Los invitados estuvieron con nosotros durante una semana entera. Después de la boda al día siguiente se marcharon de vuelta para Europa y nosotros nos quedamos dos semanas más de luna de miel. La verdad es que la experiencia de hacer una boda de destino ha sido espectacular. Lo recomiendo mucho mucho y México es impresionante (yo ya era la 2ª vez que estaba). Ojalá pudiera volver a casarme otra vez allí!! jajaja Un recuerdo precioso para la posteridad. ¿En qué resort te casarás tú? ¿Qué tal van las preparaciones?

Lovely!

We had 20 guests. Yes my planner was awesome but all the planners at the resort we got married make this. The wedding department doesnt charge anything for this and for example I had several other things made by her. She offered herself to collect sand from the beach of the resort for our ceremony sand (we wanted to have one of the sandd from there as a remembrance), she gave the oot bags to the lobby where we and my guests stayed so I didnt have to pay for the delivery to each room, she finished to make our starfishes for the seating cards and a big etc as we customized with several details our wedding.

Shopnboard, My wc offered herself to make everything,, also with all the decorations we brang. This was completely free. I know that is how the wedding department makes. I dont think is "fair" they charge you sth... We tipped our planner as she was great with us, very hard working person, the wedding was perfectly organized and she was amazing during all the months of planning with her mails answering me in the same day or the day after. That is why we tipped her with 200 usd.

Yes! And each time you need to "talk", write us here. it is good to have the opportunity to share this things with people that are planning a DW as you or that had the same situation than you.

Tbasgall, I didnt travel with that vases! I just ask for them to my planner. She told me the resort had 3 different types and they didnt charge any money for them. I just traveled with the candels and fake fucsia orchids you can see at the pic. I saved a lot of money as I did use this for the appetizers & cocktails. I had others for the dinner (I hired an outside vendor flowershop).

Hello LesasAC, I really sympathize with you because it happened the same to us when got married. It was quite depressing at the start because we had all the possible situations just as you mention! The worst for us was to be hardly critizied for the Thomas' parents... it is hard when it comes from a friend but coming from his parents was the worst. They told us we were insane and that they did not want to go to a crazy thing like that. They thought our decision was snob. They even told this "beautiful" things with the occasion of Thomas' birthday. They decided to go on holidays to other country during 3 weeks! So it was not a fact of money. The worst is to discover this kind of things while planning a wedding. So as it is supposed to have a beautiful planning and you must to be excited for this, make the same that we did. Forget about all this people. Best for you, this are not going to come to your wedding, you wont have to pay for them and you discover at the same time which are your real friends. Forget the complainings and the critics. You deserve sth better and dont deserve to think about people that cannot be happy for you. I know it is not easy, because it was not easy for us either, but repeat this to you every day, you will forget them and their behaviours sooner than you thought! Good luck and happy planning!

Hi girls, We got married on August 6th and we were really worried about the wine and champagne issue. At our resort the costs of these were 3 and 4 times more expensive than normal costs in Spain, where I am from. We did not want to pay that but we certainly knew we did not want to go with the awful wine house! Our resort did not charge a corking fee, but if the hotel had it, we would have go on with the idea of having good wine. Plus, there was other bride that got married at the same resort several months before me, and she had the same issue. She decided to buy the wine at a supermarket and she had bad luck as she said it was awful. I found thourgh this site a wedding planner based at Playa del Carmen, Yazmin de la Mora. She was great and we were really happy to find her!! She provided us a long list of wine and (French) champagne. We booked the bottles and we received them at the resort. We decided Yazmin gave them to us the same day of our meeting with our resort planner, so our planner had the bottles. We took a look at all the bottles to see they were right, and they were perfect. It was super easy to work with her and she answered me promptly. She is a very good professional and I really advice her. I repeat, for us having good wine and French champagne was really important and everything was perfect at our reception.

Hi girls! I got married last August 6th and everything was perfect!! We have returned home one week ago from our honey moon and we want to return! lol So, I wanted to share my DIY centerpieces. After the wedding at the beautiful beach gazebo, we had appetizers and cocktails and later the dinner followed by a party at the beach of the resort. The flowershop charged me a lot for the flowers for the gazebo, bouquests, bouttonieres, centerpieces, etc so I decided to change the centerpieces at the appetizers place for a cheap ones. I bought in Spain the fake fucsia orchids and the fucsia floating candles. I did not buy the vases, I got them free for this moment from the resort, after asking to my planner. As tables were small, we had one for each. My planner did fill them with sand and add some small stones. It looked much more beautiful than in the pics. I only spent 30 usd instead of the almost 300 usd that flowershop wanted to charge us. That is how it looked (sorry for the pic, it was taken for one guest).

And here it goes mine!! Lauren it was so great to meet you too!! I will upload my pics too at the FB group! Hi girls! As I promised here is my review! We arrived to the resort at the July 29th at 9pm. We were presumed to be at Kantenah lobby. We have required the possibility to have an upgrade to one of the beautiful suites next to the beach at that part, but as I explained you before, my travel agent is a good friend of the general manager of the resort and emailed him one month before our arrival. He had the really nice touch to upgrade us to the Royal Suites into a Mayan Suite which was beautiful. We were really happy with him as we sooner discovered he was going to make the same when all of our guest that were going to arrive two days later. We were really thanked and we asked to see him and he received us inmediatly. He is a very nice person! We had our meeting with Vanessa the 30th July. I was so happy to meet her and she told me the same. After 10 months of mails and some phone calls I was really emotioned to finally meet her. She was nicer in person! The first thing we made was the blood tests. I asked her before to make them at the doctor's office so I can be lied at the stretcher as I hate needles and this makes me puts me nervous. The blood tests are made by an special paramedic that comes to the resort for this. The thing was really fast, much more than I thought, and he was really professional, he found me the vein really fast and I did not notice anything. Vanessa brang me (withouht asking her) a coke and one sweet and other salad croissant. For those you do not know the coke/pepsi is great to up the low pressure. While being there, doctors were really nice with me and gave me conversation to forget about that. Meanwhile, the paramedic made the blood tests as well to Thomas. After that, we returned to the wedding office. We payed (220 usd both) to the paramedic for the tests and we re started to talk about the wedding with Vanessa. I gave her all our things that we brang to México for decorating the wedding. We talked as well about all vendors (names, ID, etc). I brang with me the word document with all the information about our wedding, but Vanessa had all the info wrotten so we just reviewed all the info. We asked her the last doubts we had and payed the bills and other amounts in cash (judge and musical trio). Our meeting lasted 3 hours!! Vanessa told me that the special white covers for La Laguna (4usd each) were a "present" from the general manager so we did not have to pay for them. She told me that GM phoned the wedding office two weeks before our arrival to know the planner that was with my wedding to give her some instructions. Vanessa was really happy because the GM told her that she was free from other weddings during one week just for our wedding (from 30th July to 6thAugust, the big day). She told us she was really happy about this because in this way she just had to work from 9am to 7pm (they work loads of hours per week, this is the reason Vanessa decided to resign). The next day, the 31th July we had our 2nd meeting with Vanessa. We visited all the locations with her (beach gazebo, Sports Bar for appetizers, La Laguna for our reception and Las Rocas for the party). This was great to us because we did not loose big time with this but was great to ask her doubts about how things were going to work in each moment. Being there we changed the place of some things. We were really happy to see all with her. Then at 5pm we went to taste the menu for our dinner. I had asked to Vanessa some months before to have the possibility to eat at least one dish between Thomas and I just to know if we liked that or we could change things. When the general manager knew that (when he phoned to the wedding office) he told to Vanessa to offer this as a private dinner. We refused this because we did not see it necessary until that point and we did not want to bother people so much! The taste of the menu was made at Portofino. When we arrived there with Vanessa we were shocked... There were there 4 waiters, one maitre, two chefs and the executive chef! We were a little "inconfortable" at the start with so many people around our table taking notes and treating us as we were kings, lol !! Then the food & beverage manager arrived (she is also Spanish) to introduce herself and asked us if we are feeling unconfortable for all that people. We said "no", we thought it would be rude saying yes, hahaha The executive chief was taking notes. I do not know in your countries, but in Spain is typical to taste the wedding menu. We saw some differences (althought the same language there is also a language barrier, belive me!) and we asked changes. Just with the mandarine sorbet (we asked to be served in a champagne glass, more liquid and with a little bit more of champagne- because in the other way it seemed a mandarine juice) and the other was with the cake. We just wanted the cover in light pink and less alcohol inside (too alcoholic for us when we did taste it! hahaha). The cakes included at the wedding package were vainilla, chocolate and Mexican flavour (3 milks) but we asked Vanessa months before to have a different one (I meant when the GM did not know about our wedding) and she asked to the chef and he said yes. Our cake was of champagne rosè, strawberries and chocalate butter. It was really tasty and everybody loved it. The 31th at 9pm arrived our guests while we were waiting for them at the Royal Suites. I saw as well that at the reception they had my OOT bags (Finally I had asked Vanessa to give them to the Royal Suites recepcionists so they could give them at the check in). Everybody loved their OOT bags and were enchanted about this detail. I made them simple and just for the women (9 in total). I forgot to take them a pic. They were pink in paper, smaller and I did stick an explanation in one side of the bag so people can understand what was that. The 1st August we had to go with our 4 witnesses to the wedding office because the Mexican law says the witnesses have to sign some documents before and during the wedding ceremony. They have to show as well the passports and the visa you obtain during the flight. After that, the rest of the days were all fun!! We loved to be with all of them during a week. This is a great thing about destination weddings, that you are with your family and friends and then you get married there!! Most of the people was never before at that resort or not even in Mexico and they loved the place. It is not strange at all because I really think GP is a beautiful hotel. My only complain about the place was the quality of the food at the a la carte restaurants. We have seen that compared when I went last time (2009) the quality is not so good as before. None of us nor the guests went out from one of them that you could say “i have eaten very goodâ€. One of our friends was there last November for his honeymoon and told me that then the food at the restaurants were much better than now. We even found that the food was better at the buffets than then. One positive thing of being at the Royal Suites is that you can book in advance so you dont have to queu. It is true what Claire told at her review: we saw very long queus of people waiting for. Even my parents for example did not book ever and just showing the bracelette they had a table inmediatly. Once you are seatted in a table we discovered as well they toke a lot of time to serve the dishes... They really need to hire more waiters, we saw empty tables in spite of the long queus outside plus the fact that the most of the times we had to wait to be served 30-45 min. Once in the American restaurant we had to wait 80 min... This is my only complain about the restaurants. Ah! And the wine house is still so disgusting as the 1st time! Hahaha but this Ok with me.... it is an all inclusive resort! I am not picky in this sense but to give you an example, our friends (most of them in their 30's were saying the same about the wine... lol). The day before the wedding, the 5th August we made an special dinner at the Mexican restaurant. We were 22 and the booking was made thourgh the wedding department (they do not allow more than 8 people to eat at the same table at the restaurants). The dinner was really good (in spite of what I was saying about the quality of the food we found this to be very good) and we had lots of fun. The only problem was that we had to dinner very early at 6.30pm. Well, we had our dinner at La Adelita and I have to say it was fantastic in spite of the quality food of other places. I was thinking in having it at the beautiful terrace of El Portofino, but this an Italian restaurant and the typical Italian food is not good at all at the resort. In fact, one day talking with one of the maitres of El Portofino, I explained him that Thomas was Italian and I lived at the country for a whole year and then he told me “ok, so then do not choose any Italian dish, i just advice the sirloin and the prawns, because the pasta is cooked twice and then it is not “al denteâ€. So, La Adelita in spite of being inside we had a large room for only us, so we only saw other people eating there when we entered and went out of the restaurant. The food was really good (well, if a Mexican speciality is not good in Mexico.... hahaha) and everybody loved them. But once more, they took a lot of time to serve the dishes to everybody promptly, but what could we do? Just patience because this is the Caribbean way of style (and I do not want to offend anybody, of course, but you see that everything is made really slow in the Caribbean places). I had asked to Vanessa to have the centerpiece of flowers included at our wedding package (I did have other from a flowershop for the wedding), and there it was. Everybody was really fun with the huge Mexican hats, etc. We finished 2 hours later, more or less, and then we went to the White Party at Las Rocas Bar. They made like a disco at open air, so you can dance, and we enjoyed that a lot. Then they make a limbo (one of our guests won!) and more music. Around 11.30pm starts the fire show... That I had to say that it was a big disappoinment... We dont know if they were tired or what because during 30 min they were making the same all the time. Nothing spectacular and all of our group as well other guests at the resort left the place... This was around midnight and a half and my MH and I decided to go to sleep because we wanted to be fresh for the next day. The next day my MH and I woke up late, at 10am, went to have breakfast withouth the guys, of course, hahaha, and then we returned to my room. We had an appoinment at 12 at the Spa but they told us to be at least 30 min before as there were other people from our wedding there as well people at the resort. I had booked a wedding package from Spain online that included manicure and pedicure spa, plus updo and make up. The 5th i went for manicure and pedicure at 4.30pm. I have to say they are really slow! I was not in a hurry but I was there for 1hour and 45min for sth that at least in my country is made in 30 min less.. The manicure has nothing special and I was wondering myself if this would last until the end of the wedding. She also painted me out of several nails and I waited she saw that but I had to tell her at the end... I would have liked to make this at home but we arrived in Mexico with 9 days notice of our wedding so it would have not probably last them because the products used at the pools are very strong and destroy any manicure/pedicure in few days. Well continuing with the Spa... My maid of honour and me went there for our appoinments (my mom and other friends of us had to be there later than us). So first advice of everything, avoid the woman named Cari. This was such a rude, unplesant and above all non professional stylists. My maid of honour had the bad luck to have her... she had to paint her nails twice as she was a disaster. My MH had booked an Spa manicure and pedicure but she just made her the basic ones and refuse to put her lotion. The same woman that makes this is the same that you are going to have for your updo and make up. So once again my MH had to be rude with Cari because she did not want to change her updo... I had even to go near to her (to Cari) to tell her, this is not the updo she wanted. Without saying anything she started again... So it was easy to see that she does not want to work at all and/or she did not fancy it. Then, do not do it! But c'mmon we are here because of a wedding, try be nicer! I had luck with my stylist as she was all the opposite (her name is Seyla) but I saw that even I brang 3 different full color pics of my updo that was really easy to make she had difficulties... It was not exactly what I have asked... The other guests of my wedding at the spa did not make an updo there, so they had just straight hair (and this cannot be complicated). My mom had Alejandra as stylist and she is really nice but in spite of talking the same language she seemed she did not understand what my mom wanted. There was not enough time and my mom decided to go with that updo anyway. Advice: look for an outside vendor. It does not worth the money at the Spa and the waste of time trying to explain sth that they do not understand. My MH went after that to the reception to complain about her stylist and the woman there was not really interested in paying her attention. As we finished earlier that we were supposed to and the flowershop had not arrived to the resort yet (we are going to have Vanessa bringing us the flowers for our hair to the Spa so the stylists collocate them) I phoned Vanessa from there and she told to go to the room and she will send us someone to put them. When we were at our room arrived the woman of the flowershop with Vanessa saying that the type of white orchids of my bouquet had not arrived well and that they had to change them for another white orchids. I was upset because I did like that orchids I chose (and BTW now that I am thinking were more expensive than the other that I had). She told me she was looking in other flowershops around and only could find 2 plants. I decided then to change the bouquets of my dad and Thomas using the other ones so I would have more the ones that I really wanted in my bouquet and in my hair. Also the bouquet of my MH was a little bit different from what I have ordered and the women told us we were wrong. Vanessa told us to dont worry that she was going to fix the situation. She returned with orchids like I wanted and she also re made my MH bouquet. The woman of the flowershop went and I decided to do not tip her after her behaviour and lack of professionality. My MH and me were so thanked to Vanessa because she spent like 30min fixing our bouquets. She was soooo nice!! And we were shocked about how she changed them!! Very professional! But with all that, Vanessa was quite stressed and when she went to look for extra flowers for our bouquets she met the photographers... Well, that is a really incredible story. For one hand what Vanessa explained me from the start was that any vendor coming in the resort needs to show his/her ID or passport if not the security guard is not letting them enter. I was really careful about this and I asked this info to all my vendors and their assistants. For other hand, I recognize I am very picky with the photographers and videographers. This was one of the things that I spent more time looking for. I perfectly remembered that the 1st day I started to look for one I was desesperated for the bad quality of the ones that I found in internet. Thank godness that there are advices about other that I did not find in the BWD site, there it was where I found mine. I wanted to have technique at our pictures and assistants in both cases (photographers and videographers). I saw a lot of pictures and videos until I decided who to choose. I studied Journalism and worked as a journalist in TV so I understand a little bit about images being capturing by a videographer, that is why I decided to choose to have an assistant here too. My advice is you all take a good look of this things because when everything has finished, photos and video are the things you are going to have as a remembrance of your day. I am happy to see that it really worths the money. Well, so returning to the story. When I was looking for a photographer I did find ones at Playa del Carmen that I did like. We talked by email about costs, etc and we were agree with this services. They sent me the contract but when I started to read it, this had important mistakes as hours and even the date! So I emailed them again asking them to correct those without signing it. I did not have an answer in spite I sent them 5 mails in 2 months and one private message to the facebook page. In my last mail I told them that I could not wait for them and if they did not answer me then I understood that they were not more interested and that I was going to look for another photographer. This was from November to January and never got a response. I found Erick Rodriguez and thank godness because in spite of being more expensive I discovered I did like his photos more than the others. I did agree with him to be at my room at 3.15pm. When Vanessa entered with all the extra flowers, behind her there were 2 men saying there were the photographers... I was a little bit confusing as I knew how the Erick's face was so my first thought was he was ill and he had to send other person... But it seems me strange as I did not have any email from Erick (you have free internet access at the Royal rooms). Then I decided to ask them again their names and the company.... could you believe those guys there were the ones that “disappear†and never repplied to me??!! MY MH and I were so shocked that being really polite I started to say that I had hever had an answer from them. One of the guys showed me at his mobile phone the contract and I told to him that that was not signed because it was incorrect. That I never payed a balance as a booking and that I had to look for other studio. They were shocked and told us that was not the 1st time they happened this and it is because the most of the times the people forget to sign them.... They finally decided to leave, they made some jokes like telling us “we are not angry†and I said to them “so sorryâ€. Vanessa was shocked too and started to ask me sorry. She told me that she could not understand why the security guard let them enter at the resort if they were not at the list and she did not ask them anything because she was stress with the flowers. I was not very happy with this because it was a unconfortable situation and this men were insisting in that... Well, so finally some minutes later Erick and Matias (videographer) arrived to my room and their assistants were to the Thomas's friends room. They were fantastic and really nice people, we were chatting a lot and getting ready and take the advantage to take some pics because the judge was arriving late (15min). Then Matias went to the gazebo to connect the audio and arrived his assistant, a really nice girl, Fernanda, that was before at Thomas' room. So then it arrived the moment of the leaving the room and our golf cart arrived with Rigoberto, such a kind man! The rest you have seen it at the video. Everything is really well organized and the ceremony was beautiful. The gazebo decorations at the columns at the gazebo were fantastic. I had the idea to have them because in my opinion “dress†the gazebo much more that being empty. Everybody was saying those were beautiful. Even the planners! We had there also Grace. After the ceremony you saw everything at the video, we toke photos and video at the beach and have lots of fun there. Then, Vanessa went with my wedding guests to the Sports Bar (at 5.15pm) and Thomas and I stayed more time with Erick and Matias at the beach and Grace. Then after this, we went to the Sports Bar terrace that it was beautiful decorated. We have booked the musical trio and asked them to enter behind us playing the music. People enjoyed the musical trio a lot, they played for one hour and beautiful songs. In spite we have chairs and tables, our guests were dancing and seatted around the fountain (that I asked to Vanessa on our 2nd meeting to work, as when we saw this location, the fountain was not pouring water) or eating around the appetizers. We had 3 waiters, everybody received a cocktail at their arrival as well as Thomas and I. It was really good! I did not ever drink it before and I asked later the name, it was Mango Belini. So, there was one waiter for the drink orders and other two waiters walking around and offering with trays the hot appetizers. The cold ones were on the buffet. We had also asked this months ago and we got a positive answer from the maitre. I meant this was nothing we got special because of the general manager so if you want to make it equally, it is supposed you will have it (eachtime is a thing from the GM I am telling it, if not it is because we asked months ago before he knew from our wedding there). We payed 350 usd for our appetizers, drinks and the waiters and I have to say that it worths the money! The food was really good. We also asked for some extra decorations at palm leaves and turtles made with watermelon (everything for free asked them months ago). We had too our own DIY centerpieces. This was free as well, made them with fake fucsia orchids and 3 fucsia floating candles in each centerpiece that I bought in Spain and I asked to Vanessa the vases and fill them with water and some sand so the flowers were not going to float. I saw she also added some small beautiful stones at the top of the sand which made them beautiful. I do not have any pic of it, but a friend of mine took one. I will ask him to send it to me to show you them. We were with Alma (other planner there). Then arrived Vanessa to pick everyboody to La Laguna at 6.45pm. When they went we wait a little bit there with Alma and Rigoberto toke us at the golf cart to bring us to La Laguna. Alma was all the time there, speaking with Vanessa thourgh the walkie talkie for letting enter us once the guests were seatted. Then we entered for the wooden bridge that is in front of La Laguna. The entrance is beautiful there. Once you are at the La laguna corridor there are some yellow paper candels at both sides which makes it more beautiful. From that moment the only person with us was Vanessa. She was there all the time. Small detail: We noticed that the waiters were really nice but (in spite we told this to Vanessa at our meeting) they do not know when to serve the wine and champagne. When I was seated they started for me to serve the champagne and I told them to not do it until the desserts. But this are protocolary things that Vanessa knew perfectly but the waiters not. I told this to the maitre and it was perfect. Everybody loved the starfishes for the seating cards and the bottles for the menu. I want to explain that none of our our guest was at a destination wedding in the Caribbean before. In Europe we are more serious, hahah and the same villa or restaurant makes this things for you in a special sheet of paper, anything special in it. People started to ask us if they could bring both at home. I had the suspect that everybody was going to ask me this and for this reason we did not make favours. I have been at home of several of our guests since we arrived to La Coruña and I saw they have the colored starfishes and mini bottles at their kitchen, bathroom or leaving room, which is nice to me, because in this way they had their own favours and they have them right now at their homes. We had the cake as well and it was delicious. But it was funny because we had asked to Vanessa that waiters brang the cake in a small troley (like the ones that they have at the kitchens) and besides the cake the plates so the waiter cut the cake and the other waiter started to give the dishes. We did not want to cut the cake. They did understand perfeclty and they even repeat it to me before going out with the wedding cake, but then started to spin around the table with the cake (3 rounds, haha) and then arrived Vanessa to remember what they had to do. It was really funny! We tip them anyway because they were really nice and came to me the maitre a couple of times to ask me if everything was going great. During the dinner, we had music that I had recorded at our ipod and that Vanessa played. We had downloaded soundtracks of movies but quiet ones like: the rules of sider home, dragonheart, sense and sensibility, pride and prejudice, etc. In a low volume, of course, so did not disturbe to anybody. Then, started the speeches which were greats and really emotional. The two best friends of Thomas speak some Spanish in spite of being Italian, and they wrote their speeches to read them in spanish so it was going to be easier for them, and this were beautiful. More people then started to take the micro and started to say beautiful things and best wishes. We do not make this of the speeches in Spain or in Italy. We only saw this in the movies, hahaha. But we asked people some days before if they wanted to say sth there was going to be a microphone and this had a lot of sucess. After that, we went to Las Rocas. It was not windy so it was perfect to dance. Everybody removed their shoes. It was really confortable to dance there because there is sand there but it is hard (not like when you step at a beach). There were 2 waiters at the bar serving drinks. We have also had the Chinese lamps and everything was beautiful decorated. We were there completely alone (I mean, no hotel guests) and had lots of funs just with the music of our ipod. If you do not want to waste money, I advice you this because the sound system is really good! We were there from 9.30pm to 0.30 and we finished at the swimming pool of Las Rocas swimming!! It was hot! Vanessa brang everybody towels and she even brang to my MH and me to the room at Royal Suites at her golf cart to take the swim bath. I had the trash the dress the next day with the same gown. We really had lots of fun and enjoyed a lot! It is a pity the hotel does not allow to stay more at the beach parties because i do not really think you are bothering someone as the villas area away from the area... We had the ttd the next day with Erick. We had booked him for an hour and he stayed with us for 2h30min... I was sooo tired!! But it worthed it a lot. We enjoyed it every moment with Erick and Omar (his assistant). We started at 6pm. We called to the butler at the Royal Suites for having a cart in our villa, the driver picked us up and brang there to the area of the beach where is the pergola. We started to walk to the beach that is next to the hotel, 10 min walking. There is a public beach and we toke there all the photos. After that, we walked to the Kantenah lobby to pick up a Royal Suites golf cart. Removing the sand and the sea water of the dress was not so difficult as I thought. I was 20 min cleaning it at the shower. I left them after at the terrace and then the next day was dry. The same with Thomas' suit. We left the resort during 3 days because we wanted to make a small trip by our own visiting mostly the state of Yucatán (Uxmal, Chichen Itza, groots, small towns, etc) before that I asked to Vanessa to stay with my dress as i did not want to bring it with myself at the rented car. There was no problem at all and I left her the dress. I also asked her so much was to bring it to the laundry (she told me the day of our 1st meeting that they do not wash the gowns, only iron) and she said to me that she knew that this was more or less 200 usd in a laundry the resort knows as other brides requested this. I decided to not do it, I had brung mine last week here to a laundry near to my home and has a cost of 40 euro (like 51 usd). We asked too to Vanessa if she knew if we were going to stay at the Royal Suites again after our 3 days outside (we were at the resort from 29th July to 7th August, and we returned from 10th August until 19th). She told me that she had seen we were at the Royal again, which was great. We requested to change our Mayan Suite for a Junior Suite as the ones that my guests obtained as being sometimes in this rooms I noticed that the air conditioning worked perfectly. This is because we had problems with the air conditioning. It did not work good at all and sleep was quite difficult because the room was quite hot. A man came to repair the a/c twice but didnt work. I went to the lobby to talk about this and they recognised that the system of the A/C at the Mayan suites were not good. I asked too why this type of room didnt have a fan at the ceiling and they told me that was impossible because of the structure... I dont see why this is a reason... So this is why we asked to have a jr suite at Royal. When we returned from our small trip we had the surprise when we were making the check in. The recepcionist made us to sign one small sheet of paper, we started to read it, and we saw that they were giving us other upgrade, from a jr suite to a suite. This was wonderful! The A/C worked perfectly! We were at villa 69 that is next to the pool and the lobby. We had 3 independent rooms. Once you enter, you saw the living room with TV, minifridge, A/C, ceiling fan, a small table and 2chairs, one couch and a small terrrace with chairs. You continue walking and you have at the right the wardrobe and at the left the bathroom which is great with a window overlooking a garden and the lake. Then, you continue and you arrive to the room. There you have the huge bed, another A/C and ceiling fan, the TV and a table with a chair and then the terrace with 2wooden deck chairs and the HUGE jacuzzi. This is super great. The big difference with the Mayan suites, for who wants to know, is that the Mayan Suite has a normal jacuzzi and a Mayan shower while the shower is at the bathroom of the Suite and a big jacuzzi outside. You have the curtains so you can close them to have more privacy. Anyway we were lucky with the room because also with the opened curtains was impossible someone saw you as we have the beautiful garden and lake and the suite is like in a corner so you do not see the other rooms. We ordered a lot of times the room service and we were highly surprise because the quality of the meat (for example) was better here that the a la carta restaurants! During our whole stay at the resort and also happened to our guests, in different nights we had the jacuzzi prepared without asking it previously, strawberries with chocolate, champagne, petal rosas, candels etc. It was funny too because we had two rooms in which some male friends were staying (two guys friends of Thomas and other 2 friends of mine, that they are not gay, but they just share the room because they are friends between them) and they had the jacuzzi prepared as well and champagne bottles in several ocassions! Hahaha It was funny to hear how they all described their faces when they saw that, lol The buttlers normally enter at the rooms to decorate again during the evening. Well girls, I do not know if I forget something, because I have been very detailed!! haha Hope this all details help you all you upcoming brides. This is the reason of my super detailed review, so you could see or understand more how they work at the resort. We were really lucky with all the general manager made for us and our guests but the important of all of this is that the wedding planners work really hard and you certainly obtain a beautiful wedding and an unforgettable day! My last advice is that to do not have problems with the language barrier, send to your planner a word document as we made, when everything has been booked. So in this way is easy they do not loose any detail. Sometimes they are reading our mails and then they have to go, so they could forget to put it down at your file. Other advice: bring all your things for the big day, your gown and your fiance's suite the day of your meeting. Could be difficult to find them other days (I remembered Maybride had a big problem to find her planner at the office). My advice is to avoid the hours between 12 and 2pm that is when they usually have lunch. They usually arrive at 9am and stay until 7pm (at 11am if that day they have a wedding) and they worked fr

Hello girls, I have return home after a wonderful wedding. It has been so amazing that i forgot comoletely about that people avoiding us or those who didnt show any interest. We even had people that never answered to the invitations. But we didnt ask to them. If you are not even worry, why have we to do it? It has been odd but also hard to see and discover this things, but when you arrive to your destination, receive your guests and spend wonderful days with them, nothing else matters. Believe me!!

Hi girls! The tropical storm goes on... such a nightmare! We are now in our room and ordered the dinner to the room service. It is impossible to go ouy from here! This is one good thing at royal suites! We haveaso booked a dvd movie so we are having a quiet night Just wanted to say that. I have received some photographers, videographers, etc that wanted to join the group and I didnt add them because i think all prefer to stay the group more private. The vendors have alredy this site to write here which is good btw. Un saludo

Hello ladies! Well I have finished to pack! I am really tired as I am running thourhg the city to pick up and buy last things, packing with bubble papper all the things delicated and all the bikinis, dresses, etc It is incredible how many things we have to go with.... I could never imagine!!! Jen, I am very happy you have a beautiful wedding! I am wishing to see the pics! You could create an album at.our Congratulations to be now a.married woman! Is it not great to say that? I am also sure Vanessa made an awesome work! Lauren, i have no idea of what the Spa do. Have they answered you? About Tyrell, yes! You are getting married a very smart man! : ) He is sooooo right! I have found much more in you brides that some of those are nearer to me. I am ver happy to have found this wonderful site and you all great women! I am always going to remember all these days writing here almost everyday sharing each other so many things. Tomorrow, Thomas and I have the flight to Madrid at 6pm but at 1pm or 2 pm we are going to bring Scooby with that wonderful family. I am happy they finally have them all this 13 days until my parents will pick him up on August 9th. But, for another hand, I am sad that I have to be without him for so long. But of course, wishing to put my feet at the wonderful Grand Palladium! I cannot still believe that now "it is my turn". Well girls, i will probably write here again before leaving Spain. Meanwhile, stay so cool as you are all!!

Thanks so much Jen, In fact I live near from Santiago de Compostela, where the train accident happened, my city is La Coruña and is 70km away. It is a terrible accident as the number of deaths are increasing each hour. Thanks about the thing of made/maid of honour... now this t-shirt sounds like the movie "Made of Honour" by Patrick Dempsey... hahaha Today has been a hard day, I have started to pack and it toke me more time than I thought. Packing with special paper all the starfishes and the bottles for the menus has taken me a while. I wanted to be sure to pack really well these and will do not damage at all. We are going to put all this things into a Samsonite luggage, so we can be sure that with all this steps, all won't arrive broken. I have also started to make my own luggage and it is almost finished. Although we are leaving La Coruña to arrive to Madrid on Sunday, we are seeing my parents tomorrow so I want to be sure that our luggages does not weigh too much. Although I alredy have several things to give them! hahaha I have also started on Monday to send emails to all my vendors suming up all the conditions, times, payments, places, etc to have things clear. There are a lot of things to check with each vendor about what we have talked time ago. I am happy to do this because in fact, one of my vendors did not remember that I had payed the whole balance for his assistant (but problem was solved quickly as I have all my payments made thourgh Paypal printed and keeped them at my "wedding notebook". And I have to finish also with the music for the reception. We wanted to have some instrumental music and quite as well while we are having dinner so I had the idea of downloaded soundtracks of movies. There are lots of beautiful songs. I am adding soundtracks like Dragonheart, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules, Gladiator, Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice, etc... I know nobody is going to listen them because they are going to be talking but I like the idea to have soft and lovely music at the same time. Well girls, I am going to sleep, so many things alredy to do tomorrow! hehehe ¡Besos a todas!

Hello ladies, Today is a sad day, in my state (Galicia) had been yesterday a serious train accident. In fact, I have seen on the TV news that almost all the mass media at other other countries are talking about this accident. Maybe you have seen the videos or read the news. I was really worried yesterday when I discovered this as my little sister were going to Santiago (the city where the train crashed) but fortunately she was in other part of the state. There were more people than ever traveling at that train because today is bank holiday in my state and most of people arrived each year the day before for the fireworks, activities, etc. It is the most important day for our state. Well, changing the topic..... Thanks so much again for your nice words. It is very comforting to read your posts cheering me up with this things about Thomas'family and friends. Thomas has been sad last week remembering that our day for leaving Spain is nearer than ever and this brought to his mind the fact that his parents decided to do not come to our wedding. Fortunately, he talks about this everytime he needs and I am very supportive (of course). Sometimes this kind of things are easier if you talk about them again and again and again. Lauren, the thing that your braidsmaid told you about do not expect anything/money at your AHR it is quite rude, to be honest. It sounds like is exactly SHE the one is not going to give you anything... it sounds like that... you will tell us after your reception in Canada. I think we both think very similar about the presents, haha. Thomas was saying yesterday that he prefered to do not have a present than having that, LOL I was talking about this kind of behaviour of other people with the weddings with a friend of mine that got married last year. He is coming to my wedding too in spite of he was at GP only 9 months ago but he is counting the days to return! He loves the resort! He was very supportive with me too and told me his experiences and there were more or less similar. The people you expect the most, sometimes are the ones that surprised you the most. He was quite sad too with some people comments that he received before and after his wedding. I remembered even his elder brother saying to everyone just after the ceremony and before the reception that the food at that restaurant was disgusting... I was really shocked about this... That your own brother is saying this to other people at his brother's wedding.... I know so many experiences nowadays that I have just decided to do not take it personally, and just let it go.... Just because there is no a solution for that... And now, tell me one thing girls!! Is it made of honour or maid of honour? OMG! I think I ordered bad!! cannot believe it! Because Lauren you have wrotten Maid in your last post... I took a look in internet before ordering them to the store but I found both things (like boths were correct) so I decided to order the t-shirt with "made" and I also found that depending on the countries you can said "honour" or "honor" (with or without the "u"). By the way, the colour of the words is fucsia (it seems red at the pics). Lauren, I cannot be more agree with Casey. Do not spend many money at the OOT bags. I have just decided to do them as a nice touch but I just added funny things and nothing important. I know my guests and I know they are going to bring their own meds, sun creams, etc so do not worry if the number is still increasing. For other hand, about the deadline to give to Vanessa, I think she told is one week before the wedding, but now I am having doubts if she told me 2weeks. I alredy told to her one month before the big day my number of guests. Tengotulove, the Vanessa email that I have is this: [email protected] Tell us what you finally will do about your wedding!! Well girls, I am going for a walk with Scooby!! ¡Besos a todas!