TandAGetHitched

@@scamacho - I second @@fandreolli - Azul Sensatori is a great option! I would recommend finding a travel agent - give them your list of 'must-haves' and 'wish-lists' for a venue, and they should come back to you with a few options. I gave our TA a long list, and she came back with 4 options in Riviera Maya and 4 in Punta Cana. We selected Azul Sensatori because it was Family Friendly, with adults only, less expensive, and great resort, good food, and overall a good vibe. Plus, she negotiated 2017 room rates for our 2018 wedding - saving our guests $$.

@@chelscbs - I just sent you a link to our schedule. Our wedding is May 11, 2018 - so about 9 months out, so it is possible the schedule could change a bit, but this is a really good start.

@chelscbs this is what we're planning... Ceremony at 4pm on the beach Cocktail Hour 5-7pm on the beach - we selected the Mexican Fiesta (we'll do photos from 5-6/630 and then join the cocktail hour) Reception - 7-11pm at Plaza Zavas - we selected the BBQ Deluxe as well We decided to do a set happy hour on the beach for a few reasons. we didn't want guests running off to other bars and then being late to the reception. our photographer suggested an hour between ceremony & reception to take newlywed photos. Photos will take more time than you may expect so it's nice to have a set activity for your guests. I don't think you can order just apps - I think you have to select a set cocktail hour menu - but a good question for your WC. I'm happy to share our full 'day-of schedule' if you're interested. happy planning!

@@Krysieluv86 - it all depends on the resort, the perks/freebies and the experience you want. DW can be cheaper, but not always. our DW is in Riviera Maya and our estimated cost is at the top of your budget range.... (after we apply all the perks). We have 67 friends and family joining us for our adventure next May. good luck!

Has anyone been following the recent news surrounding alcohol related incidents in Mexico... specifically in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen hotels. Iberostar Paraiso is mentioned, but incidents have been reported at other resorts too. Some theories are indicating hotels are served bootleg alcohol and/or have deals with local hospitals to extort money from guests. I've had a few guests contact me regarding some recent alcohol-related incidents in Mexico and I've reached out to our hotel, Azul Senstatori, but haven't heard back yet. http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2017/07/20/all-inclusive-resorts-mexico-suspected-drugging-tourists/490429001/ http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/27/us/mexico-state-department-alcohol-warning/index.html http://mexicovacationawareness.com BE SAFE!

Thanks for the ideas! I took her to dinner and asked her if she'd be my "right-hand-lady". She was very excited to be part of the day and all the planning. she said she was actually grateful she wasn't a bridesmaid - she's been in a lot of weddings lately and is looking forward to hanging out with me for the day, but not having just a 'big formal role' as she called it. I told her we need to come up with good title for her, because Personal Attendant does not fit. I told her we'll figure out the best title for her... some other ideas we had: Best Gal Master of Ceremonies The Guide Day of Genius Right-Hand Lady

hi! did anyone go with the basic Always & Forever [free] package for the ceremony? does anyone have any photos to share? trying to determine how much, if at all, we should add decor for the ceremony. Thanks!!

@Lposos @@Lauraspug We are May 2018 at Azul Sensatori in Riviera Maya. Our travel agent and our contract outlined the perks and they are pretty standard. Karisma has gone to a "Credit" based comps for the bride & groom. so everything is a credit back to you, after the event. So you'll pay 100% for your room, and then get a check/credit to your card - probably 4-6 weeks after. Check our the promo predicator - enter your dates, # of double rooms you plan to have booked, wedding date and resort and BAM! estimated comps will be listed. keep in mind, only double rooms count towards the wedding comps - any single rooms that are booked aren't counted. http://www.memorable...d=9&country=USA Keep in mind - different promos for US vs. Canada and even different promos for weekday weddings vs. Saturday weddings. Your contract from the hotel / travel agent should outline exactly what you're getting...We are getting 1 free room for every 6 paid rooms (7th room free). But "rooms" = nights in this case, so right now we have 35 nights booked (8 rooms) - so we're estimated 5 or 6 nights free, right now. The free nights do not include taxes or fees and are the lowest room rate possible.

I know this topic is going to strike a chord with many brides… We are getting married in Riviera Maya. We decided to have no bridal party as our guests are spending a great deal of money to travel to Mexico and we don’t want our friends and family to spend more on bridal party costs. I’m inviting many of my girlfriends/sisters to join me in the bridal suite the morning of the wedding- a care-free and fun getting ready party for everyone! I know the resort provides a day of coordinator for the wedding. What I’m thinking is I may ask one of my best girlfriends to act as our day of coordinator, and be the resort’s “go-to” for all questions regarding our wedding. I have a very special friend in mind; she is coordinating with several other girlfriends are working together to plan the shower and bachelorette party and she keeps asking me “how can I help?” I’m not expecting this person to help me pee or fetch things for me or be my “bridal b*tch” – I would just be asking her to make some decisions or answer questions from the resort/guests if needed. My FI and I both totally trust this person to make decisions on our behalf and she’ll ensure we don’t get hit with any fees or surprises. And honestly, I can’t imagine there’ll be much since the resort has the whole ‘wedding day execution’ down pat. I am absolutely planning to give her an amazing gift, to thank her for her help and include her in the program. (I’ve thought about paying a portion of her travel, or something similar) I cannot handle the term “personal attendant” because she is not! She’s an amazing woman who we know can make calm decisions under pressure, who is organized, super friendly and just overall amazing. She’d be a Bridesmaid if we were having a bridal party, but that’s not an option. Has anyone done something like this in the past? Any ideas on what to call her?

hi! we have two recovering alcoholics attending our wedding, one is my sister-in-law and one is very close friend - both different levels of sobriety. when we decided on an AI for our wedding, I approached both and asked how we can help. Our Travel Agent and our wedding coordinator, have made notes on each of their reservations. Their rooms will have all alcohol removed prior to arrival and special notes made to not restock the room bar. However, that doesn't mean they won't get a drink at one of the dozen resort bars. my sister-in-law has my brother who will help her stay clean on this trip and our friends will look out for our other friend. it's a group effort. At the end of the day, if either of them said to me 'I just can't do, I can't be around all the booze' and they decided to stay home - I would totally 100% understand and respect their decision. Have you thought about asking her what/who she needs around her to help her stay sober at your DW? Do you have family/friend that can help make sure she doesn't get out control. and have a plan b - what happens if she gets out of control - know how you want to respond before it happens, so you can be prepared. good luck! living and loving alcoholics is challenging and exhausting at times, but they need to know they are loved by you.

We are May 2018 at Azul Sensatori in Riviera Maya. Our travel agent and our contract outlined the perks and they are pretty standard. Karisma has gone to a "Credit" based comps for the bride & groom. so everything is a credit back to you, after the event. So you'll pay 100% for your room, and then get a check/credit to your card - probably 4-6 weeks after. Check our the promo predicator - enter your dates, # of double rooms you plan to have booked, wedding date and resort and BAM! estimated comps will be listed. keep in mind, only double rooms count towards the wedding comps - any single rooms that are booked aren't counted. http://www.memorablemomentsweddings.com/Memorable-Moments-Weddings-Wedding-Credit.cfm?agencyID=0&wedCred=9&country=USA Keep in mind - different promos for US vs. Canada and even different promos for weekday weddings vs. Saturday weddings. Your contract from the hotel / travel agent should outline exactly what you're getting...We are getting 1 free room for every 6 paid rooms (7th room free). But "rooms" = nights in this case, so right now we have 35 nights booked (8 rooms) - so we're estimated 5 or 6 nights free, right now. The free nights do not include taxes or fees and are the lowest room rate possible.

ooohh - what options did you select? how many guests did you have? I didn't see a pick and choose for the cocktail menu - what'd you have? My only concern with Pick and choose options is the # of guests and that 1/3 have special dietary needs. Quite frankly - I don't know if I want to manage the menu selections

hi fellow brides! we have 10 months to go and suddenly I feel like we have a lot to get done, but I found my dress last week, so I'm feeling really good with our planning! We just sent invitations and so far we have 30 guests confirmed and about half our room block booked. We are expecting a total of 50-60 guests. Question for past brides or upcoming weddings regarding menus.. cocktail reception - what menu did you select? We're looking at the Mexican Fiesta - anyone else book this? dinner reception - what menu did you select? We're looking at the BBQ Deluxe - anyone else book this? Appreciate any feedback/info on the menus would be greatly appreciated!!

We are having the same issue - super excited our friends & family are excited and willing to travel, but we're hoping for a smaller affair. We also have some guests who are completely offended we'd ask friends and family to pay so much to attend our wedding... how do you tell guests come, but it's okay if you can't. We settled on the following on our wedding website.... "We understand the cost to travel and time off from work, may be too much for some. Please join us if you are able, but we completely understand if you cannot. We are looking forward to an amazing vacation, with close friends and family as we tie the knot!"

FYI - check your wedding planner sites regularly! I hadn't checked ours in a few weeks, because we haven't booked or reserved anything - I checked this week and saw some customized ceremony & reception decor added... we haven't booked anything for decor yet. I emailed Javier and he responded today and told me he removed them (still there right now, but I'll give him a day and then ask again). make sure what is on your planner is what you booked hopefully the bride who picked these beautiful decor pieces has them on her planner too!

welcome! I'd highly recommend working with a travel agent! I initially contacted our #1 resort in Punta Cana and there was no negotiation and the price was way too high for what we are willing to ask our guests to spend for our wedding. I found a local travel agent (via the knot or wedding wire), and we told her what we were looking for in a venue - she did tons of research and came back with the options and pricing. The pricing she was able to get at the same resort in Punta Cana was significantly better than the rate I was given! We ended up at Azul Sensatori in Rivera Maya, because she was able to get us a great rate and some awesome perks. The TAs get better deals because they work with the resorts all day and know what to ask for and when is the best time to book. I highly recommend a TA, I can give you the name of ours, she's based in Minnesota, but that doesn't mean she can't work magic for you too! Plus, there's no fee to us and she's managing everyone's travel arrangements... if guests have questions - they just call her. TA is the way to go! let them handle the travel plans - you have enough other things to plan happy planning!

Welcome Jill! Javier is also our WC - I've been pleased with his services, but I didn't expect immediate responses, so I'm okay with the an email about once a week. Everything we've requested has been booked properly in our wedding detail sheet - sorry you're having a few issues. We booked Zavas, but considered Zocalo Al Fresco as well, as I'm worried about rain and the very last thing I want is to be stuck in some ballroom in Mexico. Javier informed us that Zocalo is under renovations right now, scheduled to be completed later this summer. He also mentioned the restaurant has mid-dinner entertainment - so the servers and other entertainers walk around the restaurant and perform for the restaurant guests. He mentioned that only a short wall separated the restaurant guests from the private event guests. These factors led us to select an outside venue instead of the restaurant... he was pretty open about Zocalo, but we had a call to discuss as I wanted to make sure nothing was lost in translation via email... Have you considered the pool deck? it's similar to Zavas and off the beach.

I've been looking into the same thing... We're planning a civil ceremony as well, but not until May 2018, so we have time change our mind . The only reason I would change our mind is the fact that we have to arrive on Monday for a Friday wedding date - so we'll only have a few days as 'honeymoon' after. I'm thinking I'd rather arrive on Wed for a symbolic ceremony and have more time after the event.... IDK - still time to figure it out - I change my mind almost every day... We had some good friends get married in Playa about 12 years ago, and they had no issues back in the US. She did mention it takes a few months to get the official certificate from Mexico, and then you have to have it translated to English, and go your local courthouse to have it officially recognized in the US. she estimated it was about $150 extra (MN costs). If you find anything - please let me know. All the best these last few weeks for you!!!

@@amyzig2 hi! I don't suppose you still have these, do you? If so, I'll take them. thanks!

Save the Dates officially mailed! And just like clockwork, I hear from our OC, Javier, every Friday morning via email. He's been pretty great, but I also tailored my expectations to weekly interactions, based on this forum and other bride's experiences (thanks friends!) We are confirmed for Plaza Zavas for our reception. but I just can't get the fear of rain out of my head. So I think I'm going to move our reception to Zocalo Al Fresco. Then we're indoors, with what look like a gorgeous view, and the rain isn't an issue. Has anyone else booked Zocalo? Thoughts (good or not-so-good)?

@@Berg999 - thank you!!! that is what I thought, but just wanted to confirm. We were initially looking at another resort, and they charged additional space fees for private events. trying to avoid big surprises in the budget department thanks for the tip on the BBQ - seems like a lot have selected that option!

ok - I have a really dumb question.... the semi-private dinner, included in package - that's a set menu, but there's no additional fee for the food - right? We pick a 3-course meal, it's in Spoon = no cost (unless we go over the max people) private dinner/cocktail hours - we pick the meal, and the cost is based on the PP prices listed in the banquet kit. There's no additional 'space reservation' fee for private events? right? we're trying to set the budget before we book anything with the hotel. and since our date is nearly 18 months away, the offsite WC has stated responses will be very slow, as they are focused on the upcoming events. thanks friends!

@@DestinationDelgado - it'll be here before you know it! Yes, we are using a Travel Agent - Kate's Travel out of Mankato. She came highly recommended by another bride and is on the approved TA list from Kaisma. She's in the midst of negotiating our contract now - as we only just picked our date a few days ago. I'm torn between Palapa Yoga and Plaza Zavas - both look amazing. My biggest fear - rain. if it rains and we got moved into a ballroom, I might break down. the whole reason for a DW is to be outside yes - keep me posted on the decor - can't wait to see pictures of your wedding!

@@DestinationDelgado - thank you!! I can't wait to hear how your May 2017 wedding goes - beautiful and gorgeous - I'm sure! I want to avoid any extra fuss, but yep, after reviewing the Lomas rental prices - looks like I'll be planning the same setup you are - bringing some decor. What MN Photographer are you using? We are also expecting 30-40, so good info on the private event. Where are you hosting your reception?

I’ve been reading this forum for a few weeks now and it was so helpful in selecting our resort! Thank you all for sharing so much info! We just landed on our date and our resort for our May 2018 wedding. We are planning 30-40 guests, with some teenagers in the mix. I'm not a DIYer and I'm in the middle of my MBA program - so I'm looking to mitigate any extra work with making/buying/bringing lots of decorations. I know we'll pay a bit more for this with all the rentals, but sometimes convenience is just worth it. Hoping for a minimalist look and feel. A few questions for past and upcoming Azul Sensatori brides... 1. private events – does anyone know the going rate on these? We are planning ceremony on the beach, followed by informal cocktails at another bar, followed by dinner and dancing. Based on photos and everything I've read on this forum, we are hoping to secure the Plaza Zavaz for the reception. 2. Has anyone used the photographers offered by the resort? Or better yet, just had one of your guests, who is not a professional phototag, take photos? I’m really not interested in paying travel for a Minnesota photographer. 3. Has anyone just gone with the Always & Forever [free] package? I don’t want a lot of fuss, extra work, extra costs – just wondering if it looks good, as a basic package. Maybe add a little flare with rose petals in the isle, but planning to keep it white and simple. Again – thanks to everyone for sharing and being so open about their experience! Wedding planning is a whole lot of work