KaraEbeth

Hi @@beccafries I don't plan on using a collection, they are more $ on top of the price for the wedding already. You can use a collection or you can use decor from the Lomas Travel website. (Lomas Travel is the offsite company coordinating all Karima resort weddings). The links below are what one of the coordinators sent me: Wedding Package: http://www.karismahotels.com/WeddingsRomance/Weddings Gourmet Inclusive Wedding Events: http://www.karismahotels.com/WeddingsRomance/Weddings Ceremony Locations: http://karismahotels.com/weddingsromance/weddings/choose/ceremonylocations Optional Amenities: http://www.weddingsbylomastravel.com/planning/ Private Event Banquet Kit: http://karismahotels.uberflip.com/i/183324 I've seen a lot of complaints about lack of communication from Lomas Travel and people having a hard time hearing back from them but I've heard that several weeks prior to the ceremony you start hearing from them more. I've also heard that once you are at the resort the onsite coordinators have all of the information from Lomas and you're in good hands but I haven't had my wedding yet so I can't give you a personal account. I have poured through the reviews for Azul Beach on TripAdvisor though and all of their wedding reviews are very positive so I feel like I'm in good hands. Just a heads up also, there is an $800 outside vendor fee per vendor if you choose to use a different vendor than one of their preferred (like a photographer or makeup artist, etc.) Also, you can bring your own decor instead of using a collection or Lomas' decor and they charge a $5 fee per person to set it up for you. I plan on doing this just because it will still be cheaper than using their decor or the collection. Hope all this helps

Thanks @@talicea7812. Yes, the Hacienda sent me the small menu since i'm only expecting about 30 people. Yes, please keep me posted, I'm interested to hear. I still can't view pictures, I haven't posted enough yet I know I've seen posts about an outside flower vendor possibly in the PDC area but I can't remember the name.

Good point @@ng2015 maybe I will stick to 3:30 then:) thanks!

Thanks @@talicea7812! That restaurant you were talking about emailed me, did they just send you a small menu?

Thanks @@ng2015, you too! I'm wondering if I should move it to 4:00 so maybe we will have some nice colors in the sky around that time? What do you think? I'm really not sure!

@@smhvb5 I am considering going with a photographer there. Their pictures on the Lomas website don't look THAT bad. I also considering getting a few Wedit video cameras! I reserved our date ladies, 2/27/15! What time is everyone doing? I put 3:30 but really wasn't sure for February. The WC I've been communicating with said it gets dark around 5:30 this time of year. @@ng2015 thanks for the info, I guess the way they have things up confuses me a little...so if you go through a GI preferred TA do they deal with all the communication between Lomas then? My agent usually goes through vacation express or apple and they also have their own wedding planners. When I filled out the inquiry for Azul someone named Erika contacted me and I've been very happy with her so far. Not much of a wait for her to get back with me regarding any questions I've had, not sure if she is who I will be dealing with most of the time or not. @@talicea7812 thanks for the suggestion! I will have to look it up, I'm not able to see pics yet haha. I'm just booked for the lowest package right now because we're doing an at-home reception and don't see the point in spending a lot on a destination one too. (I'm compromising with my fiancé, he wants a party when we get home...I am okay with having everything in Mexico). I was just going to do the ceremony on the beach, maybe a casual cocktail hour while we get some pics, and then dinner at one of the restaurants, and partying at the tequila bar. (I am totally not a traditional bride haha). I'm one of the last of my friends to marry also so I know what NOT to do lol. One thing I do remember from some of the venues here my friends have used, it isn't abnormal for a venue to have preferred companies you have to go through. However, the $800 is a lot more than what they charge here if you use someone who isn't preferred. I hope everything works out for you!

@@lordleon, I am just in the beginning stages, haven't booked anything yet. I can't remember where I first heard of the s'more party but it was on an Azul forum, if you search for "s'more party" it should bring up several posts about it. @@jasstz I agree the s'more party is cheaper and much more original. Thank you for the info! @@ng2015 - I agree with the OOT bags, I refuse to be charge $4 per bag to have the hotel deliver them when I can just hand them to everyone myself! Thanks ladies!

@@jasstz Thanks! What company are you going through for your catamaran? I've seen some mention of vendors on here that will do 2 hours for $900 for up to 40 people and it includes appetizers and open bar or something like that. That still may be out of my price range but I thought I'd still look into it. I thought the s'mores party would be a nice casual idea for the welcome cocktail the evening everyone gets there or the day after so everyone can mingle. I'm expecting 20-30 people so that doesn't seem too bad.

My fiance and I got engaged on NYE and have finally found a hotel. We decided on Azul Beach for Feb. 2015! We are still ironing out the specific dates but it's looking like late Feb into the first week of March We are having an at-home reception and are paying for all of this ourselves so we are only doing a ceremony and the semi-private dinner afterward and plan on partying with friends after dinner either at the tequila bar or out on the town. I don't see the point in paying extra for a "private" reception when we would be drinking alcohol and eating food that is already included in the hotel rate if we were eating in one of the restaurants.... In order to cut costs, I also plan on possibly picking up outside flowers myself or bringing real touch ones with me. I know a lot of people have commented on the resorts fee to set up the decorations you bring yourself but I saw in someone's planning journal for Azul Sensatori that paying the fee to have the decorations put up is still cheaper than using some of the hotel's decorations so I think I'm going that route. I also don't plan on using flowers in any of the decorations other than for the bouquets and plan on using starfish or shells of some sort instead. I'm so excited, just don't want to wait a year now! Also, (depends on the cost) I am considering renting a catamaran for a couple hours for our guests or possibly doing the s'more party on the beach (has anyone heard of this? I saw it on a post) I inquired with Lomas about it yesterday but haven't gotten a quote yet, the s'more party may not even be doable depending on the cost but I thought it would be a cool welcome party. Otherwise, we will do our own informal welcome cocktail party at one of the bars.

@JenniferM Thanks! I think I would do it too but when I was looking at another resort with the price being about $1600 w/ airfare people were making comments.... I guess they have the option of not coming the full time and only going 3-4 days....

Thanks @TA Wendy!

What's everyone's opinion (if you were a gues at a DW) of paying $1956 pp for 6 days in PDC at an adults only five star resort? This isn't including airfare.

@TA Wendy, I've been in love with the Royal PDC since I laid eyes on it but it was out if the price range for a lot of the guests I would be inviting. So you're saying guests from RPDC can come over to Gran Porto but not vice versa? That's one thing I was worried about, I knew I had read they can come over and count as a "guest" for your package but I wasn't sure about other days. I would hate to have people come all that way and only see them one day. Also, I'm wondering if I should change the date range I was looking at, I originally wanted between Jan-March of 2015 but I am wondering if doing it in early December would be a cheaper option....just worried about weather at that time. Thanks!

Thanks @@RaynDrop!

Thank you @@girlinthecity97!

Hi Tammy. I liked El Dorado Royale and Seaside Suites based on their reviews for food but am torn on a few of the differences between both resorts. First of all I really loved El Dorado Maroma but it is out of my guests price range I think. If it was just the two of us for our honeymoon or something I could see paying that but wanted to keep it semi-affordable for guests planning on attending. I am torn regarding the size difference. I can't decide if I would rather stay at the Seaside Suites since it's smaller and may be nicer for a wedding group or the Royale since it will have a lot of options regarding restaurants, room prices for my guests, things to do, etc. Also a con thought for Seaside would be that they don't have a lot of room options for my guests and the con for Royale could potentially be the size. I am afraid it will be hard to track people down, etc. I am now signed up for the webinars for both the Karisma resorts and the RPDC resort however, when I tried to click on the Now resort webinar there wasn't a link. That's kind of later in the planning game than I would like because I'd like to have a decision made and deposit down somewhere by beginning - mid March. acw271011, thank you! There is no way we will forget our engagement date I guess, haha. I did see that guests could stay at GPR and be counted as your guests for the wedding packages and I thought that was nice. I'm wondering though if other days we would be able to hang out between the two resorts. I quickly glanced at Gran Porto Real but didn't really look into it just because i was so bummed by the price point for RPDC. It is perfect and there would then be no debate between that, EDR, EDSS, and the Now Jade resort....decisions, decisions...

@@amandances, I am interested to hear your experience with EDR, I'm considering that for a wedding next Feb.

@@girlinthecity97 thanks for the info! I am also considering EDR but am also considering AS, EDSS, and Now Jade. Did the EDR seem to large for a destination wedding group to you? I'm afraid it will be hard to get everyone together since it's such a huge resort. Also, I've read complaints about the beach. Thanks!

Hello! My fiancé and I got engaged on NYE. We are planning on a Feb. 2015 wedding preferably in Rivieria Maya, although we aren't opposed to DR. Originally I fell in love with Royal Playa del Carmen, they seemed to have awesome packages but it ended up being the top end of the budget for my guests. We are now debating between El Dorado Royale, El Dorado Seaside Suites, and Now Jade. Has anyone had a wedding at these resorts or know someone who has? Any suggestions or tips? Open to other places too!