nattiegams325

Bump!

@@AliciaW Congratulations! A wedding can be expensive or affordable anywhere you decide to get married. A misconception that I've come to realize that having a wedding in Mexico is going to be cheaper. Definitely not true. Especially when you start to add up extras and if you have more than 15 or 20 guests (the average covered in a wedding package), the price adds up very quickly. Also depending on when you want your wedding – if you decide to come during the high season you should expect to pay more but have a really good chance at good weather. Versus the low season, the fall, prices will be cheaper but there's a higher chance that you'll have rain on your wedding day. I would definitely get a travel agent to start. They can give you some great recommendations on hotels. Also start thinking about the kind of hotel you want and the size of your wedding. All-inclusive like dreams, palace, Iberostars, Barcelo vs non AI like Rosewood/Banyan tree mayakoba. Adults only or family friendly? Church ceremony or beach? What is important to you – a good night life such as in downtown Cancun or Playa del Carmen, more rustic Mexico like Tulum, a good beach? Also think about distance from the airport. A hotel in Cancun is a 10 minute drive, versus the Barcelo complex is an hour and a half south and Tulum even farther. In my opinion, choosing the resort is the most stressful part. After that, it's all fun :-) good luck and don't hesitate with any questions!

@@smileitseb apparently it's $300 for outside photog or videog and $150 for anything else. But then they're making @@pddcmc pay the day pass?? I think that's a scam

@@racht33 thanks girl!! I can't wait to be there :-) When it comes to stress, I actually found that the most stressful part was choosing the resort. I literally knew every single hotel in the Riviera Maya like the back of my hand from all the research I did lol. Seriously, it got weird. :-) but once you get the resort, everything just kind of falls into place. You actually don't really do much planning until about three months before the wedding. So for the eight months or so before I officially started planning, I did things at home like the invitations, my dress, and tons of idea planning on Pinterest and photography sites and these forums! We went for our site visit in September, if you can find it in your budget to go, I really recommend it. I feel like because we met our wedding planner in advance, she is being extra helpful. Plus then you can get a tour, do a tasting, and start making some decisions. So for stress, I found that it kind of came in waves..high stress in the beginning then nothing. Then high stress during invitation printing and dress finding, then nothing for a few months again. My last major stressor was going back-and-forth with the official planning form - so many decisions that I became really overwhelmed. But now that that's done I'm not even nervous! Don't hesitate with any questions, I asked so many during my planning and the girls in this community are so helpful, it's only right that I return the favor :-) especially when I get back at the end of the month, I'll be right back on these forums helping out all my future brides again :-)

@@TauniaS pretty much tell us everything! Haha :-)

@@racht33 lock down your resort and date before invites. What we did is spread through word-of-mouth about our destination wedding and by the time invites went out we already pretty much knew who was coming. There were a few surprises on the yes and no ends, but overall we pretty much knew who would be coming. I am getting married at Dreams Riviera Cancun in 2 weeks, and yes, the price tag is steep. There are so many resorts down the Riviera at all different price points - You should be able to find one that fits your budget. Also like someone said before, my package includes up to 20 people, everyone over that is additional. Destination does not always mean cheaper. And these resorts nickel and dime for every detail. I hope you find what you are looking for, and best of luck! @@racht33 also about the rain, it is unpredictable of course being in a tropical climate, but the heaviest chance for rain is in the fall. Every time I've gone to Mexico (12 times) has been in the winter January or February and we've probably total had two days of rain out of all those times. We went in September for our site visit, and out of five days we only had two that were sunny. The prices are cheaper in the fall, but there's a good chance that you could have rain on your day.

@@pddcmc I would absolutely refuse that. I have never ever been told anything about day passes for vendors. Only the $150/$300 fee. If you have any documentation or emails to back that up, I'd use it.

Anyone who is had styling trio for their wedding, did you have to pay the external vendor fee for the day of and the trial?? They are telling me I have to pay $150 each day but why should I pay if the hotel does not have what I want (airbrush makeup)??

@@smileitseb I put all pictures/inspiration in the wedding planning form that you send in 3-4months before the wedding. Claudia and I went back and forth about 6-7 times over the course of 2 months with the form. I sent in pics of maid of honor dress, fiancé's suit, color boards, table set ups, flowers, etc. Now that we are under 3 weeks from wedding day (and I leave in 15 days omg), I emailed claudia yesterday with some last minute things before our final meeting that will take place a few days before the day. Our guitarist is really bad about emails and never confirmed nor acknowledged our song requests so I asked her to follow up with him. Also let her know what time the videograoher and styling trio are arriving (finalized plans with them this past weekend). And I also made the final list of to-do's that I'll be bringing with me. I'm being super detailed so I don't forget anything-even writing down photo ideas for the photographer, items to bring to the final meeting, and things to follow up on (eg scheduling included turn down service/bfast in bed, massages, etc). Going to work everyday is torture you guys lol I just want to be there!!! :-)

@@Lbrennan0 @@smileitseb I got maracas from the same place! Highly recommended so far-great at emails and fair price. For 45 original design personalized maracas including delivery to resort was $219.50. Because we upgraded to the platinum menu we are doing lobster tail and filet. We didn't give people an option (we didn't even ask because who doesn't like lobster and filet?!) hehe. You're doing a plated dinner too? @@Dec2015 :-) I know I can't believe its almost here! It will be eastern time when we go. So the sun will set an hour later than before, I'll be sure to let you know about the sunset! We are going with Dreams photog (adventure photo) because I actually love their work and they know the resort better than anyone (my absolute fave though is elizabeth medina but she was ridic expensive). We upgraded our package I think to...sapphire? It's like 3000 but ill check. The 30 min TTD session that's included we are swapping for a 30 min photog of our welcome dinner the night before on the beach. My videog (Indigo videography) is I think 1900? Great price and way better quality than Dreams in house videographer. With external vendor fee ($300) indigo is only $150 more than Dreams would have been, and I am going to receive a much much better product. We are not doing a honeymoon right away because we'll be in Mex for like 9 days. We are doing Europe in the fall.

@@landryfrost Yes we are for the reception. We are having the guitarist for the ceremony. LEAVING IN 20 DAYS!!!! OMG

Here is ours www.NatalieBill2015.com

@@Dec2015 i'm going with adventure, one of their higher packages, I think it's $3000. But instead of a trash the dress they're going to photograph my welcome dinner the night before. They will send you a form for people who have the ultimate package on prices. I might even have it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it. @@smileitseb no, we upgraded to the platinum sit down menu

We used wedding window and I think a personalized URL was like $20 for an entire year. Here's ours Www.NatalieBill2015.com

@@smileitseb four weeks like now we will just be landing in Riviera Maya!!!!! Ahhhhh hurry up!!

@@Nybride525 yes, it can get chilly at night. Especially when you're next to the ocean and there's a pretty strong breeze. Not chilly by New York or Chicago standards haha but after being in the sun all day at 80 or 90°, it can feel nippy.

@@smileitseb @@pddcmc every weddingmare I have gets more and more detailed as I plan more lol! Bill and I just booked a regular room- not even an ocean view haha! We are hoping that they upgrade us once we get there since in the package it says they try but that it's based on availability. But to tell you the truth, it's okay if they don't- my parents got one of the suites so that's where we'll be getting ready. And we figure we won't be in the room too much anyways, so no big deal.

Mine was about $410. I've seen anywhere from $200-$500.

The Iberostar complex has a beautiful beach except the grand (rocky). But they're not the greatest for weddings. I'm having my wedding at dreams Riviera Cancun, and I know, the only thing I'm not thrilled about is the amount of seagrass. It doesn't bother me too much though, and they do try their best to pick it up daily. I've heard great things about secrets Maroma beach, but it is adults only and expensive.

@@desmiv The reception is 3 hours. You can have a longer reception for extra of course, but if you have an outdoor reception, it cannot end any later than 11 PM. If they are shutting off part of a restaurant to accommodate your guests, they will charge you for the organized rehearsal dinner/welcome dinner price. I was confused too because of the all-inclusive, but they explained to me that they are taking away business and tips from waiters as well as preventing other hotel guests from using the restaurant. They are also charging for the organization and essentially shutting off part of the restaurant for your party. If you have a smaller number of guests or people coming to the welcome dinner, you can go to a restaurant and hopefully get seated together. But it's not guaranteed. And there is a free promotion going on, it's called the save the date promotion. Unfortunately I was not able to take advantage of it, they are pretty strict, because I booked my wedding back in March. You can email David Carrillo about this.

Get the dress whenever you want, but don't get it fitted until 4-6 weeks before wedding day :-)

My fiancé got his from Nordstrom. It was $700 so of course we didn't get groomsmen attire there. We went to Jos. A. Bank and they always have great sales and promos.

@@ChicVivi you don't pay extra for tables and chairs at seaside, but for every guest past the 20 included in the package, you pay extra for reception and cocktail hour. Everything included in the ultimate package is extra for each additional guest past the included 20. Ask as many Qs as you want girl! I did when I was planning and I want to help our future brides as much as possible. I LEAVE IN ONE MONTH LADIES!!!!

@@pddcmc we didn't, we're getting the tres leches cake which we had at the coffee shop at the resort, so if that's the same one - I'm a happy girl! We will try the desserts included in the platinum menu when we get there (didn't get to try them during tasting due to kitchen error) @@ChicVivi we upgraded to seaside. Not sure if you've been to the resort, but the tables and chairs are the ones used in the restaurant during the day. You cannot substitute tables or chairs but they can arrange them in squares or rectangles, no circles.

Ladies, I saw today that Riviera Maya's time zone is changing from Central to Eastern time effective Feb 1! Extra hour of sun but also earlier ceremonies will be HOT! Slightly POed that my WC didn't alert me to this...http://www.worldtimezone.com/dst_news/dst_news_mexico11.html