ashlynm88

@@vancouverpetunia I forgot to mention we chose to have a buffet dinner menu (only allowed if you have 50 guests or more but people had dropped at the last minute and JC still allowed it thankfully). @@Gabyc22 I know JC stated that they stagger the wedding start times just in case the weather doesn't cooperate bc there is only one back up location. He said they never have 2 weddings starting at the same time. The day after my wedding it stormed right when the first ceremonies were to start and they all had to be moved to the back up location. They usually give themselves around 30 mins for each ceremony and then another 30 for clean up and set up time for the next one.

Hi there, I just had my wedding/reception at the preferred pool location in May 3rd. I'm waiting for my photographer to get my pics back to me before I write my review of everything..stay tuned! *I did not do assigned seats and just had a sign that says sit wherever your heart desires (rented from the resort/ JC). *I believe there for 4 waiters and 1 bar tender and then a head waiter/tender who kinda lead the group and I had 43 guests total plus a baby. The preferred pool has its own bar so they just used that, however I do know they set up a bar at the other locations. And like the previous post, the bar is included in the package price and price per person if over the package amount. We did a signature drink for cocktail hour only (orange crushes).

Hi all, Any recent past brides (2014/2015) know what amount is allowed by air for gifts/OOT bag items. I have read $300 and then another article shows $500 by air and $300 by land. I have seen both customs forms stating both and I'm not sure which amount I should abide by when attempting to pack and if I need to give items to others to bring with them so I don't go over. Thanks in Advance!

Well shoot I was only planning on using the 25 sparkling wine toast included in the package right after the ceremony for the bridal party and immediate family and not paying for more (I have 50 guests total), but I didn't ask if this was possible/allowed. I hope this isn't the case for the cake because we get dessert with dinner and not everyone will eat the cake anyways so I just want it to be for 25 too.

@@jessiker05 - The final payment due date is next week, so I should have a good idea at that point and then I can start my welcome bags project and favors idea, along with the million other things I feel like I have to get done/buy haha! And yes I keep trying to look at the bright side of people canceling just a bummer they said Yay up front and now just decided to back out.

@@jessiker05 - Yea I wasn't sure if I wanted to just make my own and drag them down with us or what... Still going back and forth but I keep thinking that they will look too fake to me haha I may just end up having the resort do the bouqs so I don't have to lug them down with us. I didn't want anything too extravagant and I already asked Juan Carlos about my colors, and I'm basically just leaving it up to them pretty much. We are on the beach terrace. I wanted Tequila Terrace haha but we really wanted to go this week and it wasn't available and with the number of guests we had at first the preferred pool was too small...but now we have people canceling left and right so oh well! We went from 75 stating they were coming to about 55 right now. How many guests do you have?

@@jessiker05 - Juan Carlos told me that you can pick any color from the types of flowers within the different packages in the wedding book. I think I am just doing Roses since they will hold up with the heat pretty well and my bouquet will probably be all white/ivory and then I am still going back and forth on DIY-ing my bridesmaids bouquets with oranges/bright pinks/white roses or having someone else make faux bouquets to bring with me or just paying for them through the resort and they will just be smaller than the Bride's Bouquet (I don't want them too big anyways). Juan Carlos said that certain flowers have an up-charge (not included in the wedding packages/examples) and include peonies, orchids, color calla lilies. Hope this helps a little bit. I am pretty much googling pictures to include in the form we have to turn in and letting the florist do her magic. Same for the center piece - can match with bouqets/colors. @@kdepass2 - The divine package will include 25 for ceremony (chairs), cocktail hour (drinks and snacks), and reception (dinner/drinks). Any amount above 25 will have the per person charge associated. Hope this helps!

Hi there, Has anyone brought their own "real touch" bouquets instead of using the resort bouquet offered in the package? If so, any good experiences ordering from someone who already makes them up (quality, customer service), or has anyone made their own? If you don't happen to use the bouquet in the package, has anyone had any luck being able to substitute another center piece possibly? Same with the extra bouts - maybe substitute fresh flowers for your hair or cake or some other substitution (ex: cost to rent vases for center pieces)? Thanks!

@jesiker05 I'm pretty that set up for ceremony/reception for up to 25 is included in the divine package total already. Then if you have any amount over 25 guests, you would have to pay the extra per chair and bow décor for the ceremony, along with cocktail hour and reception dinner. As for the menu, I think you choose 4 hors d'oeuvres either hot and/or cold or sweet. I am unsure how to choose the rest of the menu as far as apps and dinner options. I will need more clarification on this as well. I was also wondering if buffet option was available for the divine package, especially if we have a larger guest like. Does anyone know about this?

@@jessiker05 Hi there, I actually was shooting for 5/4 and tequila terrace and then I saw your posts on here and went into a slight panic LOL, but we really wanted to do it the first week in May since we got engaged on 4/30/15 and will be in Mexico for that anniversay....plus Cinco de Mayo is the same week, and I thought that would be an extra perk for us and our guests who stay to celebrate that too! Well we didn't think we would have gotten so many initial confirmations for blocking rooms, and are definitely a little in shock haha. We will see how things turn out though by the time the booking deadlines come up and whatnot. A lot can change within the next year. I did look on Etsy, but I changed to United States only and didn't see that many to choose from. I'm so hesistant with the overseas orders and how things would turn out, but I will have to take a look a little further.

Hi @vancourverpetunia, I just sent you PM with my email. Currently we have around 65 guests who have told us that they are definitely coming. We are thinking 75 max will be there (hoping for not too much more haha at this point). We both were thinking not a lot of people would be in, but much to our surprise there have been a lot of Yes's so far. I guess things may change within the next year too, so maybe we will end up near the 60 mark which is what we were thinking to begin with. Who knows!?!?! I was assigned Juan Carlos as well, so I will be sure to ask him about the lighting situation at the beach terrace. I am searching high and low for bridesmaids dresses all over the internet. I'm not sure I want to get "actual" bridesmaids dresses if I don't have to. They just seem too expensive and most likely can only be worn once. I'm looking more at sun dress types so they can be worn over again by the girls...and will most likely be cheaper. I really like this Alfred Angelo style, but the price tag seems really high for the way that it looks and part of me feels like I could possibly find a similar looking dress for cheaper.

Hi Now Sapphire Brides (past, present, future)! I just received confirmation of my wedding to be held on May 3, 2016 on the beach and then the Beach terrace, and I'm so excited to get things in motion in regards to the planning. I have been a bit unorganized/indecisive at this point, trying to narrow down a place, dates, guest list. I am working with Wendy as the travel agent for me and my guests and just getting things started in that aspect. She has been so helpful! I think I have read through this thread multiple times already, but I know now to take notes when I go back to read through it again to help with planning and staying a little more organized. I know that I want an outside photographer for sure (any budget-friendly photographers?), but I'm not sure about DJ (due to the number of guests we are expecting and our budget). I was also wondering since we are having quite a few guests who have stated they are definitely in so far, if the dinner and making our rounds of thank yours and whatnot would kinda run into the dancing portion of the reception since we only have 3 hours. I am thinking of bringing bose speakers we have to use for relaxing/smooth dinner/speech/cake cutting music and of course our first dance, but I'm also not sure if it would be loud enough for our group and the location we have? Then we could just use it for some dancing at the end before taking the party to the "night club/disco/bar area"? Any suggestions on this or budget friendly options other brides have used would be greatly appreciated! As far as decor goes, I would like for it to be fairly simple since I would like the background/location be the main part of the decor. I think I will stick with simple ceremony decor. The colors will come from my maids' dresses (teal/jade) and our bouquets mostly (magenta and orange), and I have thought about the maracas as favors for guests. For the reception I'm thinking use the maids' bouquets as center pieces and have a few battery-operated tea lights with some shells scattered on the tables. Anyone know what the lighting is like on the beach terrace after the sun goes down and it gets dark? I do like the lights I have seen hung above the terrace, but I'm sure that has a pretty price tag on it as well. I'm a bit of a scatter brain right now and thinking so many things at once. Thanks in advance!

We just got back from a wedding at Now Larimar in Punta Cana (which is also where I got engaged and would probably look into those more if we didn't want to try and get a different feel from a resort (not the same restaurants)...but the Dreams resorts seemed easy and maybe that is just because those are the ones that had been recommended to me at first. We are probably looking at around 60-80 guests (maybe, that's just a guess right now). For some reason I thought Moon Palace may be more out of the price range I was shooting for for my guests, but TA Wendy suggested that one as a possibility as well, so I may have to look further into that one. I'm just concerned with it's size. I'm really wanting a great beach (not too rocky, or at least has a walkable/swimable area) and I keep reading mix reviews on the "types" of beaches in the different resort locations. I spent all night last night reading all of @@calgarybride2015 posts/boards. She did an amazing job! And I really liked how she was able to do the "free" package and add on the upgrades and have the private dinner in the palapa. I did read that there are no "free" safes in the rooms, which I find very odd. Any info on that? I am definitely going to spend some more time researching Grand Sirenis this evening. I did see it was kind of far from the airport as well like Dreams Tulum, but I also think I should try and concentrate more on what I am looking for in location and the wedding all while making sure I keep their travel in budget too no matter the trip to and from the airport. That is just one of the things that I have had in the back of my mind the last few days in researching. Thanks for you input! It is greatly appreciated!

Hi there, Just wondering what your thoughts were of Dreams Tulum? Thanks!

Hi all, I'm newly engaged (well about a month old - April 30th). My guy proposed to me on the beach at Now Larimar in Punta Cana the day after close friends of ours married. It was amazing and I was totally surprised, no idea it was happening at all! Anyways, we are doing destination wedding, all inclusive somewhere in Mexico. Haven't narrowed down what resort exactly yet, but looking for May 2016, family-friendly, not in the heart of the hotel zone in Cancun (we want a more resort feel rather than a bunch of high rises right next to each other), great beach for pictures of course and our ceremony location (possibly reception location), has to have night time entertainment/disco for dancing, we would prefer no reservations for the a la carte restaurants (we were spoiled at Now), and no wrist bands if possible = Dreams resorts seems to be the only one I know of that has the last 2 features. Are there any others? I'm sure there are a ton of other things I'm forgetting about our wants, and I also find myself thinking a lot about my guests and their wants/needs before my own vision, so I think this is why I'm having a super difficult time choosing a resort that hopefully has the date I am shooting for. Has anyone else had this issue? Also, reading both positiv and negative reviews for resorts, as well as previous brides' experiences are making it very difficult for me to choose a resort, as well. I'm worried I am going to pick a bad one or have an awful experience. I have been in contact with a TA from apple vacations and Beach Bums vacations, both of which have only responded to my inquiries a few times and I feel like time is a ticking and I need to get these save the dates out like yesterday for guests to start budgeting for their vacation next year. Any thoughts/suggestions/concerns greatly appreciated.