JennaLea

Hey DW brides, I am having a wedding Oct. 2014 at a villa in Puerto Vallarta. Outdoor wedding, under a chuppa, then ceremony right up the stairs on the back lawn. I am working on the budget for the "day of" including all flowers, chairs, tables, decor, etc. What are some quotes you ladies have seen? My WC is handling all this for me so I'm sure she gets her flowers from a specific florist. I am not picky what so ever about the kind of flower, just overall color. I was thinking to save money to bring my own (very good silk flowers) for the ceremony chuppa, which would save me like $400 which sounds wonderful. But if we can then use those arrangements for the reception as well then no big deal, but it'd be nice to bring up the chuppa up stairs for the ceremony, it would be pretty in the grass. I don't know. What have you guys done? Thanks for your help!! Jenna

@JessicaR Do you know specifics of your sisters wedding? I know all was done through a wedding coordinator, but right now I am working on my budget, going over what everything will cost with my WC and flowers seem to be a bit crazy. Which they are everywhere I know but mexico should be better, especially since I don't care what type of flower, just the overall color. Do you know what she got for her flowers? Each table decor? We're getting married under a wooden chuppa. Just including the chuppa and tulle, its $250. I really wanted the ceremony decorated really nice and then use the same decor for the reception, since we're getting married at a villa this will be easy to transport, its literally up the stairs. So I am curious what your sis was quoted/charged because spending like $700 on the ceremony alone is just not in our budget. thanks so much for your help!

@@JessicaR I actually went with a Chic Concepts for my wedding coordinator. You sisters wedding looks amazing! Where was this location? We're getting married at a villa in PV therefore I'm dealing with a lot of outside vendors, which my WC is taking care of but I am also constantly googling for prices and quotes! Who knew a destination would probably end up being MORE work!!!!!! Thanks again for your response, I love to see beautiful PV weddings!!

@@MoniluvsMase I contacted both Mar Weddings and Chic Concepts, and decided on Chic Concepts. Both are good, I just found more info on CC and that made me feel better about my decision. They're amazing! They work with Mishka Designs as well, she seems amazing as well, both have been around for so long and have so many good reviews out there! Thats what makes these destination weddings so hard, we're SO far planning a wedding in a place we don't know very well. So we go off reviews and these forums, it's a lot of investigating and time!

@@JenH - I am so sorry for my delayed response. When you have such a long engagement I wanted to do so much in the beginning and then it was crickets for a while. I'm back though, excited as ever! Yay its finally 2014! We went with a villa wedding because honestly we didn't want anyone telling us what we could do. We wanted to select our own food, music, wedding coordinator, etc. We picked Puerto Vallarta on a whim, we new we wanted destination and to save some money, so it just worked. I went last July to check it out and fell in love! Its such an amazing area I couldn't be more happy with out decision. The villa seemed so much more of a cosy atmosphere, and there won't be an issue with other guests, its 100% private. Good luck with planning, let me know what you've decided on! @@california10 - Any news on your plans?

Hey girl - I am just giving my guests so suggestions on where to stay. Directing them to a resort we are getting a reduced rate at as well as like 3 other suggestions, b/c we know they are nice and somewhat close to where our villa is...so they aren't in a taxi for like 30 minutes trying to get to the villa, you know. So once you pick a villa, do a google search on hotels and choose and research a few that are close. Ask me, I went in and saw a few as well. As far as villas go, I Know your guests are coming FOR YOU and will probably rely on you for help with accommodations but you can only do so much, you're planning this wedding! So you can suggest a few close villas, give them the web addresses or ppl. to contact, but i'd say that's good enough. I'm not even doing the villa thing, we don't have big enough parties who would want to stay together, plus it's their vacation too. You're doing a wedding website right? Let me know if I can help. Jenna

Yes - its so awesome! I didn't go with Plush, although I def thought about it, they are very professional and are great with email communication - they got back to me right away. I am going with Elite Services, the man who owns it is Polo Diaz, I met with him and he's just great! Loved the food and his price is just amazing! I'm very happy with my choice, actually just sent my deposit! Exciting!!!! When are you getting married?

Sorry - I said Casa Cosmos had no beach, I take it back, there's a beach ...access right to it.

Who is using who in PV? I was recommended to use DJ Chris.

Don't apologize! I am here to help as much as I can through my planning process - and I hope once you go or hear back from when your parents go, you share your thoughts. We went with La Mansion (formally known as Garza Blanca). Not only was I blown away and loved everything about it - its 2 minutes walking distance from the resort Garza Blanca who will work with us on a good rate! Its more than perfect for us! That way my guests (I only want 50 people - so it'll be all CLOSE friends and family) can walk to and from the villa as they choose - no taxis, although taxis are so easy to get! SO even if they don't choose to stay at the resort next door - they won't have a problem. I hope you get to go there - your decision to have your wedding there will intensify so much! It's such an awesome place!! Where you traveling from? Casa Tres Vidas is nice - much older but such a cool feel. But for a wedding you have to rent out both the Quinta Maria cortez AND Tres Vidas. The owners makes you do for a wedding. But if your having a small wedding and want all your guests in the same location this is spot! VERY affordable and SO cute! Its like a maze and really, even though you'll be at the same villa, if won't feel like it. I can answer whatever questions you have about this place. Right on the beach, ceremony would be so nice here - this is why I considered it. Casa Cosmos is SO cute! this was our 3rd choice! Had a very tropical feel. The living area (which is where you'd have to have your reception) is under a huge palapa, definitely gives it a destination feel, very cute! I wanted more of a modern feel - not so tropical so this is why I choose to go elsewhere. No beach access here.

Hi Kerry - Any questions I can answer, I will. Are you going for a site trip? Or just booking off of pictures? The only thing I wil say about Villa Celeste is that the area is not the best. During the weekend (which I'm sure you will get marred on a Saturday) people can literally sit outside of the villa with their music as LOUD as they want and you cannot do a thing about it b/c it's a public area. And right next the the busiest public beach. Would you get married on the beach here? If so, keep this in mind - its public and very popular!! Its a great villa, has a lot of mexican flair but there are many things I considered after seeing it, the location is just awful. We didn't go see Villa Quetzal, so I can't personally help you there. Jenna

Hey brides to be! I just went on my PV site trip July 16-20. We saw SO many villas, and hotels for our guests. I learned so much, so if you have any questions at all, let me know and we can pool all our info here, so we know we're choosing the best vendors, etc. I am currently working on my website for my guests to send on my save the dates, so any info about the area helps. We went and saw Casa Guillermo, Casa Tres Vidas, La Mansion, Villa Celeste, Villa balboa, Casa Cosmos We saw Garza Blanca and the Best Western (used to be InterContinental) resorts for our guests, which are two we are recommending. We also went and saw the restaurant Le Kliff, oh my gosh, SO amazing!! This will be where our welcome dinner will be.

Springwater, Again, thank you so so much for taking the time to post. I am going to PV july 16th for a few days to pretty much ALL my planning - we'll be seeing like 15 villas I swear! I may have a few more questions after going there, before we do our final bookings, if you don't mind! I appreciate any help I can get. Jenna

Hi there - Thank you so much for letting us all know your experiences, I wish more brides would do this. I love the idea of the two villas, because I have more people I want to stay at the villa with us, but it'd be so nice to have a different house so we're not all piled into one. I really didn't want a beach wedding though, I want it at the house, overlooking the ocean, if possible...do you think there's enough room on the terrace to do this? I am going July 16th to go look at villas and meet all the vendors so I will see them all, but it's nice to know ahead of time. Did you feel like it was unorganized once you go to the villas? With getting food and alcohol? I'm worried about the other guests who are staying at the hotels, was it easy to get them to a from the villa? Thanks so much for your help! Your wedding was so beautiful. I am meeting with Photoshoots Vallarta too, their work is so great!! Jenna

I am looking at all of these villas - thanks a lot! Im trying to get info on all these villas before I come to visit in July.