JamaicaNicole

Does anyone happen to have a free photobook offer, I am looking to checkout with the photo album I made for my wedding it is bigger than the normal size but it says that it will deduct $29.99 from the total which is $250. That coupled with the 50% off sale should help to bring it down.

We just got married in Jamaica and I haven't received the pictures yet but I am unhappy with the photographer. The first thing that annoyed me is that I was expecting to get the main photographer for the company. It was a week before the wedding and I hadn't had any communication confirming anything so I reached out, only to find they would be sending one of his employees. I expressed my concern since when I booked he said it would most likely be him shooting he reassured me everything would be fine though. On the wedding day I had no communication from the photographer which would have been nice because I had to confirm with my wedding planner she even showed up. We really wanted sunset photos and there is such a small time frame to get them, our photographers external flash stopped working during this and she was messing with it for at least 15-20 minutes. At that time my husband and I started taking pictures with our phone as to not miss the sunset completely. While my dad ran back to the reception to get his camera. After that she sat down on a bench for another 20 minutes trying to figure out her external flash. For all the money you pay them shouldn't they have a back up. Not to mention we will never be able to get the perfect sunset picture because the moment was missed. This is not a huge deal but then my photographer ended up dancing with my guests on not one but at least 3 songs. I am paying them they should be capturing these moments not dancing I have not received the pictures yet and they might have turned out great so I am waiting to say anything to the photographer who owns the company until then but I just had to vent my frustration.

I am so frustrated with the wedding planners every little thing they either Nickle and dime or change things up on. I wanted to do just the bonfire the night before the wedding the $500 option not the party which was the $1400 option but now they are saying the $500 option is only an add on to the wedding can't be on a separate night. Cora was able to do just the bi fire though and so were other brides I hate how they make things up.

I am in a similar boat albeit not as close to my date as you. I am getting married on a holiday weekend as well, July 4th, so airfare is ranging around $550-$600. I haven't had anyone book yet and it is driving me crazy I just want someone to first! The deadline is April 4th for me but it does seem that people wait to the last minute. We gave around 18 months as well and I though that would be good people would put the down payment down and then pay in installments so it wouldn't be as much money all at once, but to to each there own. It's hard because you want to start buying but don't want to do to little or to much. Just an idea and this is not for everyone but we are getting our marriage certificate in the US prior to leaving. We live in PA so which has a big Quaker population so we have a certificate called a self uniting license and that allows you to sign it with your fiance and 2 witnesses and that's it. We are going to opt for that one because we will count our wedding day as the real one this will just be us signing papers. I didn't want to deal with the hassle of having to send my documents there and the risk of them not getting there or getting lost. We also just wanted to have a US marriage certificate as I have heard some horror stories about people not really being legally married with some international ones.

Has anyone tried emailing the airlines and seeing if you could get any accommodations since you are heading to your wedding. I am specifically concerned about the baggage fees. At $25 a bag it could get pretty pricey. Which has me leaning towards flying Southwest where I would get 2 free bags each. I want to fly non-stop though and currently Southwest is not flying direct from Philadelphia to Montego Bay, Jamaica. Has anyone heard of them potentially flying non-stop any time soon. Or of any of the big airlines waiving baggage fees since it is your big day?

I would highly recommend Montego Bay. Jamaica. We are getting married at Secrets St. James/ Wild Orchid it is a little pricier but when it comes to an all inclusive I truly feel like you get what you pay for. If you think about it your food drinks hotel are all included in that price. If you go in the summer months though the prices are more reasonable. I have stayed at the Dreams/Secrets lines several times now and can not recommend them enough. Good lucky with all of your planning!!

Congratulations!!! We have stayed with that line (Dreams/Secrets) a few times now and have been nothing but impressed with everything. We stayed at the other Dreams in Punta Cana but that was facing the Atlantic not the the Caribbean so we were a little bummed, but yours faces the Caribbean so good choice!!!

I just reached out to Secrets St. James/WO and got a response they quotes me $370 per string light so $740 in total to just set them up. In there extras book it lists the cost of getting the lighted paper lanterns as an extra as $370 total with them providing all of the lanterns and lights. I am trying to save money by bringing them my self and I know a lot of brides have done this. I don't understand why me bringing it results in the cost being double if I bought from them to set up. Does anyone have any advice?

My fiance proposed to me on a hot air balloon, it was so unique and I loved it! Just an idea.

That is awesome that you had 85 people come and thank you again for all of your help! Was the bonfire big I saw a picture where it looked like just a smaller burner but maybe that was because they had smores they might have set that up on the side. Did they charge to set up the tables at the event for the wecome bags or the show racks.

I am planning on doing the welcome bonfire as well do you have any pictures I haven't been able to find many. Did you do the one with the dj and open bar. I saw one and it looked like they were just little burners instead of a huge fire with wood on the beach. Did you bring stuff for smores with you.

Congratulations I went to Secrets a few years ago fell in love with it and am getting married there July 2016! I highly recommend there it is a beautiful resort!

Thank you for looking into that, sorry just one more question how many people were at each table.

Please let me know because when I reached out to them they said it would be $380 total $300 vendor and and $80 day pass. That is ridiculous they charged you even the $100 just for her dropping them off I think the vendor fee is ridiculous. We are spending so much money already and they are going to charge us a penalty fee for using someone other than the resort for a vendor that is not right. My cousin got married in Punta Cana and just had to pay the day pass that's it.

Uhh I know I completely agree about the vendor fee just because you choose to use someone else then them you get dinged with $300. I have an outside photographer coming in and have to pay it for that on top of a day pass.

Thank you so much for all of the feedback you have been so helpful! Did you get the DJ for 3 hours so just for the reception and not for the ceremony or cocktail hour.

Were your flowers an upgrade, if so were they expensive I want to upgrade mine to the blue and purple ones in the wedding planning guide but I am nervous on how much they will be and they will not give me any set prices for that until closer to the wedding.

I know it is absolutely ridiculous that a sound system to play your wedding music is not included. We were thinking about my the the pill xl speaker to play our music. Was the jambox loud enough where everyone to hear. Did you do that for the reception also or did you get a DJ.

One more question during the ceremony did you rent the sound system for music going down the aisle. If you did they play it for you or did you have to have someone you knew work it. Awe that is awesome your pictures are beautiful!! I can not wait to our wedding and I am the same way I am a huge planner and they take a while to get back to me about things which drives me crazy! Oh also how was the food with the ultimate package.

Thank you so much for the feedback!

That is horrible I am getting married there next year and I hope I do not have a similar situation. How much is it to rent the tent, I do not think that should be a cost you incur as they should have had a back up option for you.

Hi everyone I am getting married at Secrets and was wondering if anyone brought string lights and paper lanterns with them and what the cost was for them to set it up. Also were they able to give you how long the space will be and if there will be outlets to plug them into and trees or posts to hang off of.

Thank you so much for posting, I have a ton of questions. Did you get any of the packages I noticed that your chairs did not have the white covers on them I thought they were included with the packages. Also did you upgrade your cake or is that the standard. Was it extra to get a tent on the beach, did you do that through Secrets? Also did they put those black lamp post lights out for you was there any additional charge for it?

I think they are beautiful I always try and remember that the things we fixate as brides people will most likely not even notice.

Thank you for the review. Did you make the welcome letter yourself and if so do you have a template you could send me I really like it! Also where did you buy your fans from and/or will you be interested in selling any that you brought home or have let over.