girlinthecity97

Thanks very much HoyaBeth! I'll be on the look out! Since I can't have my "dream" videog (Monachetti), there work was the next best thing!

While we had been talking of getting married for a while, things became "official" on Saturday, November 30th. While in my mismatched pj's with my hair tied up in a scarf and no one around, my fiance shocked me by (FINALLY) popping the question and presenting a ring that had been a post-it note doodle (instead of one of the 2 settings I'd picked as "options"). He's pretty conservative and always wants to "see-it" especially when it comes to big purchases. So the fact that he went with my doodle was HUGE! I'm glad he did . Planning Frenzy: Finally feeling "super official" I set out on a planning rampage. Since my fiance is so easy-going and a "pleaser", I felt it only fair to consider a destination wedding since this was something he felt strongly about. Against his feedback, I made a beeline for Barnes & Noble to buy The Knot's Destination Wedding guide and a planner - which I now realize, I really didn't/don't need. Armed with my fancy new planning guide and planner, I sat down and followed the advice of a good happily-married friend: "Pick 3-5 MUST-Haves and forget the rest." My top 3 were "no-brainers" (and thankfully aligned with my fiance's): Location - get pricing for "home" (here in the states) vs. a Destination. For the Destination, I used my own travel experience to help us choose a location that would give us (and our guests) the biggest "bang for buck" while being fairly easy & affordable to get to. All roads led to MEXICO! Food - a resort that had not just decent but GREAT food. We love a great meal and have a family full of "foodies" so this was an absolute MUST! My fiance pointed out that everyone still raves about the food from my sister's weddding 10 years ago & we should strive for the same! FUN - a resort that had activities for guests to do should they not want to book excursions etc... When hashing out the "MUSTs we differ on such as videography, she suggested that I remember to be flexible as well as realistic - which I recently had to apply after getting a pretty pricey videography quote (more on that later). After spending COUNTLESS exhausting hours combing Google and Tripadvisor for reviews of various resorts, I created a spreadsheet (yes a spreadsheet ) to compare the "Top 5" I felt matched the above "Musts." I found myself getting utterly confused and feeling greatly overwhelmed before creating the spreadsheet. Also, an "A-type" by nature, I was afraid I had somehow overlooked a property to consider. So I naturally bugged my fiance with non-stop "hey, what do you think about this place?" questions. Tired of having his sports watching interrupted, he suggested we consider consulting a Travel Agent/Advisor. I tend to be of the "I got THIS" mindset and figured I could calm my fears/concerns with a post on sites like this. I'm proud to admit I was wrong! If you are in the early stages of planning and are unsure where to start, I cannot recommend enlisting the help of a Travel Agent/Advisor (TA) enough! Leave it to the Pros: After checking with DW friends and reading various reviews, I selected 3 pros to conduct a phone interview with. The Knot's DW guide suggested interviewing TAs to assess knowledge, expertise, and fit (among other things). Instead of calling, I emailed each professional as an initial assessment. The TA we selected was the most responsive and addressed every question/point of interest/concern I listed in my inquiry. Upon speaking with her, she confirmed our 1st impression and lived up to the reviews we'd seen on-line. She also provided unsolicited candid feedback re the best time of year for our budget etc... I shared my spreadsheet with her and she did not hesitate to provided candid insight on the properties listed, as well as provide others that we should consider based on what we are looking for. Finding the right TA will really take what I felt was the biggest "weight" off of you - especially if you can't do a scouting trip! The TA will also take care of your guests travel arrangements, help negotiate best rates etc... Some also can advise you on the location contract - helping to avoid room minimum penalties etc... To Scout or Not To Scout: We are opting to scout because a) I'm "A-type" (remember?) and b)the front-runner resort offers a deeply discounted weekend where you can taste the food, see the location etc... Initially, DF (dear fiance) was adamant about NOT doing a scouting trip. After pointing out his practice of not making big purchases/investments without doing thorough research and "seeing-it", he relented. I further pointed out that due to the size, our wedding is a "big ticket" item so why should this be treated differently?! ​ Thanks to our TA, we have 3 locations of interest that we'll be visiting at the end of the month. In the meantime, I've set my sights on my remaining "Musts": Photographer & videographer, which I hope to narrow down to 2-3 before our trip so we can meet them. After getting a quote ( )from my "dream" videographer here in the states, I had to revisit the "Musts" and rank them in order of true priority & practicality. While a video is something I really want, it is something that will realistically be watched once in a blue after the wedding. With that said, I've moved this to a very strong "Nice to Have." I think this post has gone on long enough so I will end here....until next time.... xoxo - me p.s. please excuse my niece's toes. she wanted to help take a pic of my ring.

@Tmcdonald: As I understand it, this doesn't impact the wedding planner at the resort. The planner simply makes sure that everything is set up etc to your specific requests. This is more of an issue with Lomas as they prefer you to book their vendors etc.. I would confirm that an outside vendor like Fresa is allowed to come on-site before paying the outside vendor fee and get it in writing so there are no issues later down the road should you go the outside vendor route. The other brides seem to have had no problem but I would check to make sure - as things change. I'll also try to get info on how it works re outside vendors when I'm down there.

Happy New Year All: After taking a break, I'm back in planning mode. Mexico Brides: We've made plans to go down later this month to attend Karisma Hotels' "Brides Dress Rehearsal" so if any of you are considering a Karisma property or want me to check anything out let me know and I will do my best. While we are there, we will check out the Karisma resorts (Azuls because I have to factor in kids like my 9 y/o niece & 2 young flower girls), the JW Marriott and sister property as well as some photogs & videographers we like. Destination: At the risk of sounding cliche' do what makes you and your other half happy! Families WILL get over themselves and if they don't then pray (meditate or send good vibes or whatever you are into) for them. Going the destination route was my fiance's idea. I always envisioned getting married in my hometown surrounding by family etc... Since he's been so wonderful and laid back on everything and surprised me with a custom ring (i designed it on a post-it note and it came out beautiful!) going destination is the least I could do! My mom and aunt were VERY vocal about being against this and all the reasons I should have a state-side wedding like my younger sister. I ignored them and stuck to the plan - DW all the way and now they are on board. While they've gotten over themselves and are supportive, they aren't as excited as I would like - but who cares. I've been blessed with amazing friends to share in the planning excitement & my fiance feels included and happy! Focus on the Musts: At the end of the day, everyone is going to have an opinion on everything. A good friend advised me to figure out 3-5 MUST HAVES and let go of the rest. So far, this advice has helped me avoid much stress, frustration and fights with the fiance and family. It's also helping me to avoid getting "caught up" in things that are less important & potential budget busters (e.g., invitations, videographer, decor).

So happy I came across this post. I just posted a similar question in one of the general forums. Does anyone have pics/vid or advice? was there a particular photog from the company you worked with?

Hi All: We are trying to narrow down photographers & videographers to meet with when we go down on our scouting trip. Has anyone worked with Blue Lens Caribe? Would love to hear feedback as there isn't a lot on the web reviews wise. Since we will have to pay the outside vendor fee, we'd love to have the vendor do both video and photography. Thanks!

Happy New Year All: I'm planning a Feb 2015 wedding but saw this thread and thought I'd jump in because I know we are wayyyy early in our planning. I'm going to the Dress Rehearsal later this month and am happy to take pics and make a more detailed report. From what I've read, some of the 2012 & 2013 brides used a company called Fresa Weddings (http://www.fresaweddings.com/) to get things that they wanted such as gazebo fabric, flowers, fire dancers, cake, cake pops etc... for cheaper than what Lomas charges (including the $800) fee. Hope this helps.

Happy New Year All: We are gearing up to attend the January Karisma Bride's Dress Rehearsal to check out some of the properties and taste the food. Has anyone else gone to one? If so, do you have any tips or advice? Also we plan to use this as a scouting trip to also check out other non-Karisma properties and vendors such as photogs/videographers. All tips are greatly appreciated!

Hi @@taralyn8 - We are leaning towards Azul Beach but will make the final decision when we go to the Bride's Dress Rehearsal scouting trip planned for later this month. I have a 9 year old niece and possibly 2 young flower girls to factor in. I've also read great reviews. For us, truly good food and a resort that offers activities was the driving factor. We want guests to see this as a vacation and not just a wedding. Hope that helps.

Hi @@misbosox - I had/have a similar dilemma and my TA recommended Azul Sensatori because it has a side for kids & great kids club as well as a a side for adults so those guests wishing to have an adult-only experience can do so. While I did TONS of research on resorts (even made a comparison spreadsheet *blushes*), I found reaching out to a TA and giving them a detailed list of "must haves" really helped narrow things down for me. Ann has been great to work with and provides honest/candid feedback. During our "interview"/informational call, she recommended the best times of year that would also give us the most leverage in terms of getting great flight and room rates. I shared my spreadsheet with her and she provided great feedback of the resorts listed and recommended ones I hadn't considered like Azul Sensatori. She also visited Azul Beach and took pics during her recent trip to Eldorado Casitas. Hope this helps!

agreed!!

Hi All: What type of activities did they offer during the day? The site and fact sheet our TA provided says they offer lessons in salsa dancing, cooking, spanish and tequila tasting. Did you find this to be true?

For anyone who's also wondering about these, thanks to the help of our wonderful TA Ann (http://www.anniesescapes.com/) we ruled out LiveAqua and ME Melia Cancun. Since my 9 year old niece will be in the wedding and possibly a friends two little girls, she shared that LiveAqua will not allow kids on the property even if they are in a wedding. She said ME was more of a party spot - perfect for bachelorette/girls trips or other types of party vacations. While they allow kids, there isn't much for them to do because it caters to an adult party atmosphere. If anyone wants to see detailed picks of the Azul/Karisma resorts and a few others, I found another TA's site in one of the forums: http://www.shellistravel.com/Travelogues/tabid/316/Default.aspx I wish her pics were labeled so you'd know what you were looking at resort ceremony/reception/ restaurant location wise, it was pretty detailed and gives a good idea of what the resorts and wedding setups are like.

Oh cool - let me know your thoughts on Beach Palace & Paradisus. I have stayed at a Paradisus in the DR and liked it. Hair - I LOVE IT! I want some sort of updo or maybe a low chignon. The FI doesn't like extensions (don't go there) but I plan to sneak a few in over the coming weeks and will test him to see if he even notices hahaha.

This looks great!!! You should set up an Etsy shop.

So I purchased the Knot's Destination Planner & Ultimate Planning Organizer. I am not sure I really need the binder and am thinking of returning the organizer. There is a good deal of overlap between the 2 and overall, the organizer slants toward a non-destination wedding. What is everyone using to stay organized?

Well after the chat with and subsequent hiring of our new travel advisor, I am thinking I too will get my way and get to do a scoutting trip. She seems really great and although she doesn't do planning she does stay in the loop once I pick a resort incase anything goes left. I am excited to see her recommendations. She is going to suggest locations that have proven highly responsive WCs so I think I won't really need a planner. I already have a few in mind but am curious to see if any of those land on her list. Do you know which resorts you think you like? What are doing/thinking regarding hair? One of the reasons I want to do a scouting trip is to see/learn more re the hair skills etc... & figure out if I need to budget for bringing my Stylist down.

Hi Ladies - I am in the early stages of planning a Jan or Feb 2015 wedding. I would love, Love, LOVE to get feedback from anyone who had their wedding at any of these locations or has visited them recently. I would love to know everything from room noise (or lack there of) to thoughts on the wedding coordinator, to fees re non-resort vendors (e.g., photographer, videographer etc...). Tell me EVERY.THING!!!!!! PLEASE & THANK YOU!

Thanks Babystace & likewise! I got vetoed on the scouting trip by the FI aka "the numbers guy ".....its either scouting trip or a planner. He thinks having / doing both is redundant.

@Babystace - I too am planning for around the same time & trying to choose a location in that area.

THANKS!!!

Ah! Understood now! Sounds like you have lots of separate mailings.

Thanks for the welcome NJbride: Location - that is my current dilemma! We are thinking an upscale all-inclusive in Mexico but everything we like is adults-only & I have my 9 year old niece that I am trying to consider. We are super close & she will be heartbroken if she isn't in the wedding or where I or my parents are. :confused: Hoping one of the 2 travel coordinators we are interviewing can help me solve this challenge. @Gina - I am thinking we will do luggage tag STDs & a traditional pocket invitation. A good friend of mine did the passport invite for her statewide wedding because she and the now hubby are big travel lover's.