nattiegams325

@@landryfrost they are charging me $550 for hair and makeup with trial with the head guy (Adrian), without him it wouldve been $475 for the same services. They quoted me $625 once for Adrian, but luckily I had the original email that stated $550 and it had been another lady who responded to me. I've only been communicating with Yonatan now. Another girl just told me they told her $745! Just be aware of this...I think my price is fine but no way would we have spent more. @@fhk815 we're not exactly sure 100%, but basically we're taking as much as we can in carry-on bags. The things that we can't bring with us on carry-on such as the hand sanitizers and aloe vera, we're just putting in the actual luggage and hoping that everything makes it okay :-) I was thinking of buying a cheap suitcase at Goodwill and then just leaving it at the resort when were all done. @@Dec2015 i'm in the Chicago area as well, I've been using Deb Watt. She is located in Bartlett and works out of home, so she's always available and has been extremely helpful. She has handled all the bookings for all of us. http://jdktravel.com

@@smileitseb fans from oriental trading. The bamboo fans, they are actually pretty good quality but they aren't uniform in size (just fyi)

@@Dec2015 I was told the only option was 8-11pm but 2 weeks ago i was told they could accommodate me and do 7:30-10:30. Ceremony 430, cocktail 630, so we can go straight to reception. Dance floor is always extra but my WC recommended we not get the dance floor in seaside because she basically said it was a waste of money. She said it's nice to have on the beach or pool deck but not in a restaurant.

My fiancé and I met at the University of Illinois- school colors are blue and orange. My garter is a university of Illinois garter :-) so that's my something blue.

@@landryfrost @@fhk815 Our OOT bags include our itinerary, a welcome letter, a medicine baggie (pepto, Advil, Tylenol, bandaid), aloe vera, gum, a puzzle book, cologne/perfume, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, chap stick, personalized deck of cards....I think that's all but I'll post again if I forgot anything! I'll also post pics later :-) I went with Styling Trio because this is the only day of my life where I need to look perfect lol and I wanted the best. My mom had her hair done by them during one of our site visits and they did an incredible job. They're expensive, but it's worth it to me. I hear good things about the DRC spa for hair, but makeup is iffy. I am using the included hair/makeup on another night from the salon. I dont know if I'll get another vendor fee. I told Claudia I was getting them during the site visit but she hasn't said anything since and I plan on keeping my mouth shut. I just told her I was getting my hair and makeup done by someone else. With the amount of upgrades we are getting, I would not be a happy camper to get another fee.

My fiancé didn't ask for much, but one thing was that we not get married in the sand because he wanted to wear shoes :-) if you're by the ocean, it will be windy, doesn't matter if gazebo or beach, and the temp should be the same. One thing I did witness at beach weddings if it was a strong gust, sand could blow up - but I only saw this once out of about 8 weddings I creeped on during my site visits!

I wish people would not advertise in the resort threads. Anyways - @@Brod63 yes, it's $1000 extra, but it includes chairs and tables. 6 weeks to go as of tomorrow and we leave in 38 days! @@smileitseb Yeah, no fake petals allowed at all for throwing or sprinkling down aisle. @@scancun Everything sounds great! I actually saw a cocktail hour in the main bar during one of my visits to DRC and it looked so nice. Especially to be out of the sun :-) Here's what I have: Package: Ultimate. 44 guests including bride and groom (we had one couple cancel due to passport issues) Wedding party: best man, MoH, flower girl, ring bearer WC: Claudia Solis Wedding day Feb 23, we arrive the 18th (staying till 26th), everyone else comes sometime between Thurs-Sat. Welcome dinner: Feb 22 south beach. Mexican buffet with Caribbean trio. Hair/makeup trial prior with Styling Trio, using our included videographer for this Ceremony 4:30 Gazebo symbolic ceremony, hair/makeup with styling trio, videography with Indigo Weddings Cocktail 6:30 Pool terrace with Mexican trio Reception 7:30 Seaside Grille with platinum sit down menu (lobster and filet). We are having the DJ but no dance floor per our WC's suggestion. We are almost done with everything, me and Claudia have finalized most of the decor (last minute things will be decided at final mtg), OOT bags done and packed away in carry ons, music done, dress alterations starting tomorrow, maracas ordered (to be delivered to hotel), fans for ceremony decorated with ribbon, menus/itineraries printed. All that's left is the guest book table! Have to figure out logistics of how we want it decorated and such. It's all coming together!

@@calgarybride2015 USD! Plus 16% tax

@@Brod63 congrats girlie!!! For my Feb 23 wedding, I got my dress in early June and it came in November. My fittings start this Monday. DRC will allow sparklers as long as you're not in the Seaside Grille (like me...wahhhh) and they only have small cold fireworks. No resort along the Riviera Maya will allow fireworks anymore from what I've heard because the beach/reef is protected. DRC will not allow fake petals either (and will charge you $220 for the real ones!).

I'm doing postcards too! My fiancé and I are getting there before the rest of the guests, so we're going to take a walk down the beach to the town of Puerto Morelos where we can find the postcards for cheap :-)

@@scancun omg! How many guests are you having? Tell me all about it :-) and obviously we need to meet up beforehand for a good luck margarita haha. That seems like it's cutting it pretty close, I know that they work fast but geez… They're really going to be down to the wire to get your wedding cleaned up and mine set up! @@fhk815 of course! The ladies on this forum have been so helpful for the past year to me, of course I have to help out all my future brides :-) 49 days!! Leave in 44 ahh!!

@@fhk815 We are having a welcome dinner on the beach for all of our guests the night before the wedding. It's taking the place of the rehearsal dinner, and my fiancé's parents are covering it as they would if we were having a rehearsal dinner at home. We wanted to do a sit down dinner for our guests. It is expensive- $35/person. We're having it on the beach with the Mexican buffet, and we also hired the Caribbean trio for a 45 minute set. We are having the long tables with minimal decorations, but even so, with 44 guests, it's coming out to about $3000. All we paid for is tables/chairs, the food, the music trio, the light bulb strands, and a few lanterns for the tables. No flowers or table runners or bows or anything else. So yes-nickel and dime for sure. I know a lot of people just do the cocktail/apps, but we just never considered that. Good luck!

@@DecemberBride15 yay!!! Congrats on being a future DRC bride :-) Dreams discourages uses of outside vendors, but they will allow it with an extra fee of course. They might even tell you that you cannot have, for example, outside make up and hair people… like I'm having. However at the end of the day, they just want you to be happy, and will pretty much let you do whatever you want to do. We did tip our wedding planner during our site visit, and I don't think that hurt :-) Is there any specific aspect of the wedding that you have questions on or want more info about external vendors- photography, videography, food, flowers, reception/ceremony sites? We can help you if you're a bit more specific. My fiancé and I originally were going to do a legal wedding in Mexico, however we changed our minds and are doing the legal things here at home (I'm in the Chicago suburbs) and doing symbolic in Mexico, but we're not telling anybody ;-) Happy planning! 51 days to go ladies!!!

@@pddcmc I did, and I also clarified EVERYTHING on the form not only because I'm ocd but because I want no stress when we get there lol. So I included us and wrote out "including bride and groom" @@kmk2016 the airline told us it's counted as our carry on :-( and also said I have to put it in the overhead compartment. So I plan on playing dumb and hopefully a nice stewardess will give me closet space!

@@TeamArceo I think the resort photographer is great, but the videographer is not good at all in my opinion. I'm trying to avoid paying a vendor fee for styling trio by conveniently forgetting to tell the wedding planner about them haha...I just said I was getting hair and makeup done on my own and am using the salon services included in my package on another day.

How is everyone getting all the stuff down there? Checking it all or trying to carry on as much as possible? My dress counts as my carry on as does my fiancé's suit, so we'll be checking extra bags that I figure I will buy cheap at thrift store and then just leave them there when we leave.

I leave in 50 days! I think time is flying!!! Cant wait to hear your review!!

I think part of the fun of a DW is that anything goes! I don't think any of my guests will have been to a DW before so I'm setting the bar lol...I am giving out OOT bags when they arrive, bamboo fans for the ceremony, and maracas at the reception (the whole shake to kiss thing instead of tapping on glasses!).

I think people are just crabby pants...seriously no one HAS to come to my wedding. But when I did get annoyed is when people said they couldn't afford it but didn't even bother calling our travel agent (who got cheaper rates than online)...like they didn't even try. Then they get upset that I'm not having an AHR. Ummm hence the point of of a DW...ugh people annoy me. This is your (our!) day, enjoy it. The people who truly matter will do everything possible to come. Unfortunately weddings sometimes make or break relationships, and I think this is even more so with DWs.

@@TeamArceo The silver menu was never an option (it's only with the basic wedding package), food is one of our priorities so we were going with platinum despite the extra price ($12 more for guests included in the 20 person wedding package and $70 for each additional guest). We are going with a sit-down dinner since we upgraded to the Seaside Grille and we never wanted a buffet. The platinum menu is very elegant and the main meal has the option for surf and turf lobster tail and filet mignon. I don't know about the cocktail hour because we are having one :-) @@hsocorso Yes it's $1000 extra but all tables and chairs included

@@TeamArceo I found Indigo after lots of internet searching and emails looking for the best price. I had a specific style I was looking for and Indigo was the only one that captured that. Dreams is charging $300 fee (external videogs/photogs), but given the price Dreams was going to charge me for their videographer with a subpar video result, including the fee, Indigo is only $150 more. I did try to negotiate this price to match Dreams but he wouldn't budge. Still, for $150, I am getting a MUCH better product. Styling Trio is doing my hair and makeup. I hired the head artist, Adrian, and am getting a trial the day before for my welcome reception (they change your hair and makeup after the trial so you don't look the same). They are the most expensive, but I don't care. It's the one day that matters! My mom got her hair by them when we visited in September (we went to their salon in Playa). They did an amazing job, truly, we don't know how they got my mom's curly hair to stay straight with beach waves until the next day when she jumped in the pool...Almost 20 hours later! @@smileitseb Did Dreams charge you the $300 fee too?

@@Dahniella you seem to be someone who works for Trend and art. This forum is for brides looking for real reviews, not made up advertisements.

If I didn't love the photographer at Dreams Riviera Cancun, I'd go with Elizabeth Medina. Uhhhhmazing but pricey$$

@@hsocorso I agree with the ballroom...wouldn't want to be inside. We are getting married on a Monday. Ceremony at the gazebo (4:30), cocktail hour at the pool terrace, and reception at the Seaside Grille. We upgraded to the platinum menu. And yes, nickel and dime for EVERYTHING. I am trying to negotiate a little but they are a wedding factory. I doubt they'll budge. I'm trying to play the...lots of upgrades and lots of guests I'm bringing so you better give me something back...game but I'm no good at it

@@Lbrennan0 North beach is more private. If you're looking at the ocean from the hotel, it is on the left side. The south beach is on the right. They are both very nice, but more weddings happen at the north beach. Neither is completely private. There will be people in their bathing suits setting up shop on the lounge chairs to watch! But everyone is very respectful . The workers will clear the sea grass away so you don't see it in pictures and the wedding staff shoo's away people from walking behind the ceremony (makes them walk around). @@pddcmc Yes, all the details on the wedding planner form have changed especially when you see how they add up on the budget planner. You don't want a generic wedding so the more you plan they more they suggest ways to customize it so things keep changing! I was assigned my wedding planner, Claudia Solis, back in September (5 months prior) because I went for another site visit. We talked quite a bit back then in person and via email, but then we went about 2 months without talking and mid November she emailed me and let me know to email the planner whenever I had it. So I'm sure your planner will contact you in January! Since then, we've gone back and forth with it twice. I had lots of Qs about decor (like the difference in size of the medium vs large flower arrangements, reception table decor, etc). We had a few procrastinators who didn't book until the last minute, and we had one cancellation. Final guest count is 44 including me and Bill...2 kids and 42 adults. Our reminders were via our website and word of mouth. On the to-do list for this weekend: Wedding bands (eeee!), prep pre-wedding letters/CDs, and maybe make the table numbers!