Carlota1981

Sorry I explained bad. I mean the list of the wines that I have contains all Spanish wines. The champagne and sparklingk wines are Spanish and French. We decided to take Moet Chandon because we love it.

hahhaha sure Bre!! hahahaha I am happy double today!! Today I have received the wine and champagne list from Yazmin de la Mora (the outside planner based at Playa del Carmen). She sent to me the list that she has from usual providers she has for the weddings she organizes. I sent it to my dad and he has phoned me now. He has decided to take one red wine and other white (all Spanish wines) and champagne Moet Chandon Brut. He has said me he is going to pay (500 usd to be exactly) and no way to change his mind. So I am very happy for this detail from my dad. I am happy too with the costs that Yazmin has sent me. This are honest costs. Just only 2-3 usd extra for bottle for the cost that is in Spain, which I think is normal because these are no Mexican wines. I am soooooo happy!! If someone of you want to have the list, tell me to send it to you! Only that this are about Spanish wines (we asked Yazmin for this because are the ones my dad know) except for the (French) champagne. Sooooo good news!! Also because I can now start to make my last DIY project: the menus! I had not started yet because I did not know what was going to happen with the wine thing. Bre, take a look at the linen suites and beige in internet. I am sure you are going to have great costs. Thomas and my dad bought them. My dad found a bargain for his linen suite and linen shirt for only 125 usd. Thomas payed more because he wanted to make it tailor-made as he has shoulder and legs of a rugby player. He played rugby for almost 10 years and he wanted to have a suit to be perfect to his measures. Good evening everyone!!

Thanks Lauren and I am not sorry that you have reminded me about the speech, just the opposite! I have forgotten it completely!! Thanks so much ; )

*typo: I had my bachelorette party yesterday evening-night.... not today.. hehe so tired that I do not even know what I am saying, hahaha

Hi girls!! How is the weekend going? Mine perfect, I had today my bachelorette party and had lots of fun!! It was a surprise so it was great too for this reason. Now I am just lied on the sofa as I went to bed really late and today I am sooo tired! lol I have also got a couple of hours a mail from Vanessa telling me that the Thomas' paperwork is Ok!! Yuhu!! Good news! We expected that anyway but is great to have the official confirmation! Bre, as Casey and Lauren have said, THomas is using a linen beige suite and white linen long sleeve shirt. In my opinion this are the best colors for the beach. I have seen loads of pics and it suits better that color. My dad is using a linen suite as well but lighter colour, more like the sand. Some of the guys at the wedding are using this kind of colors as well. One friend of mine had told me some weeks ago that he ordered a linen suite as well. I think is no necessary, the men use the suite, but if he prefers so... that's up to him. We all thought that for the ceremony pics and the pics after that at the sand are better with the suit. Then, they would take it off the jacket, because it is going to be really hot! I have talked about this with my photographer as well and told me that the best are the beige suit and white shirt. She told me that matchs perfect with the colour of the sea and the sand and in general for Riviera Maya. She also told me that she adviced the same for the woman: to have bright colours such as coral, orange, turquoise, yellow, purple and any colour that stands out at the beach. I cannot be more agree! Casey, about the buffet you are askingShe is a Mexican girl that got married last year and she told me she made the buffet at La Laguna, so I think she can advice you better. But if I do not remember bad, she said to me that was very good and that they had a great waiters, all the time refiling the glasses, etc and that the guests very happy with the food. But ask her anyway, she is at the facebook group so she could give you more details. As you she had quite wedding guests, so I think is a great option to save money but being a private reception and with a better quality food that the ones at the buffet restaurants. We are only 22 people so for me is cheaper to take the 50usd option from the menus than the buffet. Lauren, great point about what you have asked! To be honest, I think I am going to say sth more or less similar that the welcome postcards says (that my guests will receive at the check in at their arrival to the resort). That we are very pleased and happy they have decided to come from so far and join us in this day, etc, etc, etc... I will have to develop the idea. Thanks to remember me one more thing I have to do! hahaha Vanessa has told me at the mail that I have received today that she has been sick some days because the weather is being crazy during the last days, that they are having rain two days in a row and the sun during other two days, and again rain, and sun, etc... I am worried again!! lol Crossing fingers for Claire wedding!! Claire we hope you are having a super sunny day! The same to Jen, but I think she is alredy married now!!! Wishing to have news about their experiences. So for not having crazy days and rains, my maid of honour, as the legend says, went on Saturday to offer eggs to Santa Clara. I am going to post some pictures at the Fb group. We have planned to bury knives at Riviera Maya as the Mexican tradition... I want to have this traditions in pics to remember this. ¡Un saludo a todas!

Hello Casey, That is the BIG question... I have alredy asked about this and I am alredy thinking on it, but I am sure I am going to tip Vanessa because she is a great planner. I hope she is going to be so awesome as well as she has showed me thourgh her mails all this months... I think I am going to tip her sth like 150 usd. Maybe more, I am still not sure. I think that depends when I am going to be there. I have found this threat here: http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/t/33346/tipping-wedding-coordinator/10 I am not going to tip all my vendors, because I have lots of them (flowershop, videographer, photographer, ice cream shop...). I do no have a DJ, so i dont have to worry about this point. And I am not going to tip the minister, we have to pay him 70usd... And I think this is enough! I am not going to tip the girls on the spa, I think my mom is going to do it as she is coming with me at the same time and she usually tips here in Spain, so if she tips the stylists at the Zentropia spa ok, if not, it is ok too. I am not going to tip the golf carts drivers, I asked Vanessa and she told me that each time is going to be a different one. If we have the same all the night, I would do it, but being differents, I am not going to do it. Suming up, I am going to tip my planner, the musical trio and the bartenders. I am going to have 7 different bartenders.

Hello Pamela, That was a big problem to me at the start, I really wanted to remain at the GP for my honeymoon. So at the end, I have just finished saying that everybody needed to fly the same day as my witness (this is the 31th July, and I really need my witness to be there the 1st of August). The offers here in Spain to get better costs than buy the flight and the hotel separeted is to go with a travel package that includes direct flight, stay at the resort 7 nights and transfers from/to the airport. So everybody accepted this because I got them a very good offer (1080 euro that is like 1367 usd). At the start, people start complaining for several reasons, but as you I did not want to have them around. I know the resort is huge, as I have been there, but at the end is more than probably you are going to meet them in some place. And I really want to be just the 2 of us alone and not to see someone suddenly. People does not understand this, which by the way is quite selfish in my opinion, but luckily they are all leaving the next day of the wedding. While they were deciding about this, we decided to rent a car and booked some hotels outside to do a tour around the mayan ruins (Chichen Itzá, Uxmal, etc) so we are going to be 3 days off and then return to the resort. In my opinion if I were you I would not try to explain your reasons (they are not going to understand you) so what you can do is to go to other resort, make a tour or try to explain them that there is a better offer for certain days... Jen, thanks so much for your words about the ice creams! I hope they like too!

Hello ladies!! Katryne, I am crossing the fingers to have a very beautiful and sunny day!!! Last weeks I have been worried about the weather. I am getting married at a beach gazebo and do not want to have to change my beautiful location to an indoor salon because the rain!! Crossing the fingers!! Jennifer! I have not started to pack yet. We are leaving on 28th of this month to Madrid, we are sleeping there and then from there we will take our direct flight to Cancun on 29th. We are arriving with this notice because of the legal wedding. I have just started to organize somethings. I am putting in a table that I have in a box room all the things that we need to bring with us but I do not need now: all my DIY projects, the sand and vase (sand ceremony), mosquitos repellent, some medicines, alcohol wipes (that guests will use for cleaning their fingers for our guestbook), the American adapter for the socket (we have different sockets in Spain), starfish and the white ribbon for the rings and a long etc!! It is incredible how fast the months has gone... We got engaged last August and we are alredy in July!!!

Hello ladies, I am very happy today!! We have finally got the Thomas' paperwork! The Thomas' friend in Italy that was asking everything have finally sent us the paperwork today by mail (scanner). So I have sent them to Vanessa. It is important to us to know that everything is correct so Vanessa is sending everything to the Mexican civil registry. When I sent my documents two months ago, the civil registry said my paperwork was right. Now we will wait the same answer for the Thomas' ones. It should be OK anyway. Lauren, thanks a million for posting here the options of the vow renewals. The Golden one includes the same that the Diamond wedding package. Thomas and I were talking about this during the last two days as it seemed that we had to change our options, but luckily the civil registry will say everything is OK and we could continue with our plan. About the cat sitters, I think is great that you have found these two girls that will take care of your cats (so lovely) and also pick up your mail, etc. I have to ask that last thing to my neighbour, hope she is here during our travel. It is so important that we have trusty people to take care of our pets, right? I am so relief that I have finally found someone and to be honest, I am happier now which the friend of my mom than the other peole that was going to remain with my dog. BTW, Scooby is getting better with the antibiotics, which is great. So good you are going to Las Vegas!! The sister of my made of honour got married last September. She wanted to go to Las Vegas to get married there but she could not persuade his fiancè... But I think it would have been funnier than the wedding they made in Spain, lol Kylie, this is the info about the Dj of the Palladium in case you have not contacted him. When I was looking for dj's I found out that this was the cheapest. We have finally decided to go just with the Ipod. We are bringing two Ipods just in case, haha Eduardo Flores Lomeli [email protected] www.dbmusic.com.mx www.facebook.com/dbmusicplaya www.youtube.com/dbmusic100 Bre, I think is great you could have your own photographer. We would have liked to do that as well but it was too expensive. We had to pay him the travel expenses (1300 usd) plus his rate for the destination wedding of 2300 usd. We have finally decided to look other options at Riviera Maya. We have booked Erick Rodriguez (from Claudiaphoto, he is her brother) for 1700 usd. We are still waiting the confirmation for the Mayan suite at the Kantenah. I hope we finally get it!! During these days I am finishing my last DIY project for the card seats. I have also bought a sign for the reception table "Mr. and Mrs." and bought the ink pads for the guestbook. I have found a cute store that sells a lot of things that I have seen before at Etsy! And we have other new vendor. At the weddings in Spain is typical that during the dancing part people can not only have drinks but also eat some chocolates, fruits, etc. Thomas and I thought that this was going to be too much food after the appetizers and the dinner so I had the idea to contact an ice-cream shop. Vanessa gave me the contact of one based at Cancun. This is an Italian one (they work with original Italian machines) so we are happy that we are going to have nice flavours and do not risk with the possibility of having bad ice creams... Italian guests will kill me!! hahaha So as it is going to be hot, we have finally decided in taking ice lollys. I liked the idea of having ones of margarita (cocktail) flavour. So we are going to have the margarita ones and the limoncello (that is a very typical alcohol in Italy with lemon flavour). The Cancun ice-cream store is going to place this at Las Rocas bar where we are having the party customized with our names (my crafty friend is making the design for this and for the lollys) This a pic they took for other wedding Well, I am going to continue with my last DIY projects... Just 17 days for leaving to Madrid and 18 for Cancun!! I cannot still believe it!! Bre, you will see how fast the time pasts... I cannot believe how I got engaged last August and we are alredy in July!!

Also, what kind of paperwork have you bring there?

I am not sure that I have explained it correctly at the previous post. Lauren (or other former brides) what I need is the info about the vow renewal packages. I do not have them... ¡Gracias!

Hi brides!! Claire I wish you so much luck with the paperwork and a very happy and beautiful day!! We will be thinking on you the 18th July!!! Have a nice trip!! What a coincidence you are having your home reception the same day!! We will toast for you as well!!! About the luggage we have a restriction of 23kg and I think we also have to give sth to someone else!! With some many DIY projects! lol Thanks for the tips about the fingerprint guestbook, I think I am going to bring a folder or sth to put into it after everybody has signed it. I was not sure if having it at La laguna or Las Rocas, but I think is better at the first one and I will ask to Vanessa to announce the people to sing into it. After that hope she can keep it because from La Laguna to the Kantenah is a little bit far away. I am not sure yet... Lauren, your trip to Las Vegas sounds really funny!!! So good you have done it the month before of your wedding! Hope everything goes great trying on your gown this weekend! I hope too to meet you at the resort!! Sure Vanessa will tell us sth! And yes, only 19 days for leaving to Madrid and 20 to Cancun!! oMG! Today I am feeling quite stressed to be honest. First of all, Scooby is sick, he has an infection but luckily he will recovery before Thursday. He is with fever and yesterday we took him to the vet. First, Thomas, now Scooby!! Last Saturday the friends that were going to stay with Scooby during our trip at Mexico until the 8th August (when my parents will pick him up) told us at 10pm that they were not longer able to be with them... I was desperated!! But, first problem resolved! A friend of my mom and his son will have him at their home during these days. Thank godness!! This sudden shocks during the last days are not good!! This friend met Scooby two years ago so I have planned to meet her up two times before the 28th July so Scooby will get used to her and the son as well as to the home. Scooby does not like to stay at a house he does not know before!! haha But in this moment the stress is being for the Thomas' paperworks. I do not understand why is taking so long to get them. I got mine the same day I went to ask for them. But we are alredy waiting two months for the Thomas'. We had to wait for them some months because of the registration after the wedding here in Spain. It was supposed that THomas had to started with his paperworks in April... but you know how the guys are!! But anyway, I could never have imagined that Italy takes so many time for giving everything. The worst is that it was supposed to have it in several ocassions but there is always some burocracy problems. So we are starting to think that if paperwork does not arrive in time, we will have to change our wedding package!! I did not want to think about this before.... So for this reason, I would like to take a look at the renewal packages. For this I need information about the ones that were available until last year. Please Lauren, do you have information about this? Could you please send it to me by mail? I would REALLY appreciate it!! My mail is: [email protected] If you do not have the info about this in a pdf or at enclosure, please post it here. I do not have any information about what includes and the costs. And now I am still have things to do, I would try to look for them this afternoon. I have still to buy the ink pads, i have to stamp our seating cards (I have alredy design them), i am not able to find some fucsia floating candles for our cheap centerpieces at the Sports Bar and look for "Mr and Mrs" small sign for our reception. Two weeks ago has opened a Danish store 200 metres away from my home and this has lots of things! This like an Euro or Dollar store. What a pity they did not open some months ago!. I have bought there some things for the wedding at a very good costs. This place is sooooo cheap!! To give you an example, I found there the alcohol wipes for only 0.50 euro (0.63 usd). This last days I have bought the white tulle ribbon for our starfish for the rings. We also have tried to colour some sand for the ceremony sand, but it was a disaster and the sand seemed a rock! hahaha But looking for the floating candles at one store, I found the sand!! We would like to have it clear blue, but they do not have it. So I have finally bought in light green. I think is going to be great as well for the ceremony sand. I have also went to the pharmacy to buy the mosquito repellent. I was looking for the Avon one that Claire suggested but it was impossible to find. So I have decided to buy one that my pharmaciest recommend it to me. I have just bought one small container because the PR at the Palladium told me they have the OFF repelent and I have read some reviews from Spanish people travelling there and they were saying that OFF worked perfectly. So we have planned to buy it at Playa del Carmen or at the resort. I have also bought sth for the mosquitos bites because mosquitos love me so I am sure I am going to have some bites anyway! My maid of honour is coming this weekend and she has planned to bring eggs to Santa Clara. According to the tradition the bride could not bring them. I have told her to make a photo of it as we have talked to make other pic as well at the resort when we are going to take some knives to bury them at the ground!! So funny, hahaha Well, I am going to have lunch!! Saludos chicas

Hello ladies!! How are you all? Thomas is returning to work tomorrow so he is completely recovered, just some cough. Here we are suffering from a terrible weather! Yesterday at 11pm we were at 29ºC (84.2 F)!! Last night was difficult to sleep. We have not usually this high temperatures so is not typical to have A/C at home.. Bre, your engagement pictures are really beautiful. Congratulations having that photographer, is going to be your wedding photographer as well? About the costs of the Spa... I agree, this are really high costs. This has been one of the things that shocks me the most. This is really expensive. Well, I am not having bridesmaids (only MH) but if I were you, you have two options from point of view. You can talk with them, explaining them what are you going to pay and then give them the cost list (so they can see how expensive is). Anyway, the spa makes a 10% of discount if you book online. For this is required to pay the 50% of the amount thourgh Paypal. Or you could also look another option. When I realized that I could have done this, it was too late as I have alredy payed the 50% to the Zentropia spa. Then, why dont you look options with vendors? I have seen pics of other brides that got their hairstyle and make up at their rooms. I do not have any idea if this is a cheaper option but maybe it is and even better the vendor could make you an offer if you are going to be several people. Do not forget to haggle with the vendors!! Some of them do not want to make special prices but you could see that the most of them want to make a special discount. I had this with my flowershop and my photographer. Hope it helps! Well girls it is only 3 weeks for us to fly to Cancun... It is incredible how fast the days have gone! Our flight is at 3pm and this weekend we have decided to book our sits at the airplane. It is not necessary to do it, but we prefer to be sitted alone and together and do not take the risk of being separeted during 9hours!! We have payed 10 euro for each sit, that is more or less 13 usd. We have also booked a hotel in Madrid from where the flight leaves. We are going to fly on 28th from my city to Madrid (1hour of flight) and then we will stay in a hotel near to the airport. We did not want to take the risks of having problems with the flight from my city as sometimes cancelled the flights because of the fog. In fact, our guests have done all the same, they are arriving from London, Italy and from La Coruña (my city) the day before. We found a very good offer at half price of a modern hotel for only 60 usd the room including buffet breakfast, swimming pool, garden, terrace, etc. The pool is going to be great during that day at Madrid as this city is an oven in summer! For other hand, the community manager of Grand Palladium has contacted us to ask us want kind of upgrade we would like to have and that maybe we could have also the possibility to be upgraded to the Royal Suites (we won the prize the Palladium did last week). But we have prefered to be upgraded to a Mayan suite at Kantenah. I loved the ones that has only two floors and their own entrance directly from the beach. The Royal Suites does not atract our attention. OK you have better things but we prefer to have a more typical room and more beautiful. For another hand, a friend of mine that was there last November during his honeymoon told me a lot of details that makes we prefer the Mayan suites. We are waiting for his answer to confirm us the availability as he wrote us that they are almost at 100% of capacity this summer. Claire, have you received any news from Vanessa? Hope so! I have noticed she is answering with not the same frequence. I think she is having a lot of weddings now. And they have two brides from my city that works at the Palladium that are getting married on July 20th and August 3rd. Probably a lot of work to do being one of them the manager of the Kantenah and Colonial. Girls, before stop writing here, I would like to ask you a question. Maybe this a fool one, but I would like to know how you are going to do with your fingerprints guestsbook to do not be spoiled... I have read that some of you are going to put it in a table at La Laguna reception, but I do not know what to do, because after the dinner we are moving to Las Rocas, so what could you suggest me? ¡¡Un saludo chicas!!

Hi Alyn, Depending of the wedding guests you are going to have, you will have also the possibility to make the dinner for free at one of 3 restaurants a-la-carte. I think this are the Mexican, the Brazilian and the Italian. In that case, for choosing the menu, you will have to ask Rocio for the dishes. I only have the menu of the Mexican and in Spanish.... as we are making a dinner for all of our guests there the evening before. Un saludo ; )

Thanks Claire!! I think the romantic dinner at the beach is too expensive for us but for free is great. I have sent right now all the details of us by mail. We have asked as well what kind of upgrade it is... But we are happy anyway!! About Vanessa, if you see tomorrow you have not an answered (I usually receives her mails during the night here in Spain and I see them next morning) if I were you, I would contact her again, just to assure she has received your email. Good night! I am going to bed as well!!

Thanks so much!! I saw they were going to make that and at that moment it was connected the Thomas'and I answered everything from his. We have had so much luck! There was one person that won before but decided to reject the prize as she is going to Punta Cana and not to Riviera Maya

Wow!! We are soo happy!! We will have an upgrade and at a romantic private dinner at the beach!!!

Ok so she is the boss.... as far as I know... So ask directly to her to have the information about the restaurants, etc Tell her you need to organize yourself because it is impossible to you to do it if she does not tell you something. We will try to help you with other doubts you could know but at least about the wedding packages and reception she should be available to answer your doubts.... I think this is one of the reasons they are called "wedding coordinators".

Welcome to the forum Alyn and congratulations for having a date. Regarding of what you have said about the planner... Which is your wedding coordinator? To be honest, it sounds strange that your planner does not want to plan anything with you until 2 months before the wedding... in fact, may I understood bad? If not, tell to her directly that you are not agree with this and/or write directly to the boss of them. Or as Claire has suggested try to clarify her about the restaurant or private location for the reception. Or maybe has it been a problem with the language? Hope you arrange this soon! Claire, thanks so much for the ideas for the bottle!! In fact I was thinking how to do that. You are so crafty!! Thanks sooo much for the idea!! I really apreciate it! Vanessa takes a while to answer when we talk about paperworks because she has to ask other people about it. It happens to us with several questions we had to know from the civil registry. So what she was doing was asking them, wait for the anwers and then wrote to me. The longest I waited for an email from her was 2 days. Do not worry sure everything is going to be Ok!! I am crossing fingers now for you!! I am nervous as well because the Thomas' paperwork is taking a lot of time!! I had got mine here at the same date... but Italian burocracy is being very slow. It is two months now when Thomas started with everything. I advice him to start before but you know how men are! Thank godness there is a friend of him that is doing everything there in Italy... But it is taking a lot of time anyway, and then he will have to send us everything to Spain. He cannot go with the documents as we need the 3 days for the Mexican civil registry and his friend will arrive two days later. So I understand you perfectly!! We are making legal wedding as well!