I got married at The Royal Playa del Carmen on June 17, 2013 at 4 PM at the Gazebo. We had 39 people attend our wedding in paradise. It was fabulous! I have written a review of the resort followed by a detailed description of my wedding. Sorry if it is long! I did a lot of research and learned a lot through the process that I would like to share!

 

Resort: A++

 The Royal was absolutely beautiful! The grounds were immaculately clean and welcoming. Everyone in our group felt special just staying there and the staff only amplified that feeling. Everyone seemed to have an easy time checking in with the hotel and getting their rooms. A few people didn’t like their room location and the hotel was very accommodating to changes. The hotel was pretty good about passing out welcome drinks to everyone. Only problem, they didn’t get one to Josh and I. They also didn’t check us in at the romance concierge like they were supposed to. That was kind of upsetting because we had been traveling a long time and a little air conditioning and champagne would have been nice. All those things can be fixed though if you just speak up and ask for what you want. Throughout our stay, our group adopted the volleyball pool near the swim-up bar, so it was always easy to find people. Also, every day my parents saved 6 chairs on a little balcony overlooking the pool, so we always had a place to put things and knew where to find our friends. It was very helpful! You just have to get up early enough to go out to the pool and put towels on the chairs you want to reserve (also known as "the towel game"). I would recommend going out by about 8am to get the good seats. 

Rooms: A+

The rooms were spacious and comfortable. We got a beautiful turn down service every night and there were always rose petals leading the way to our room and designed on our bed. Our guests also got special surprises like adorable towel animals J We had no problem with construction like others had because they must have been taking a break that week. We stayed in a Master Suite near the quiet pool and the coffee shop. I Loved being so close to the coffee shop! It was my favorite (More on that later though)! My mom’s only complaint was that our room was too far out of the way so on the wedding day when she was running around getting stuff done for me, it was hard for her to make it back to hang out with the girls while we were getting ready. The large room was great for the girls to get ready in. It also offered a lot of spots for pretty pictures. One big plus for me too in the master suite was the steam shower. It was so relaxing! We didn’t have a chance to use our Jacuzzi in room, but plenty of our friends used it daily and loved it. The staff will even come fill it if you tell them when.

Food: A+

 The food at The Royal blows other all inclusives out of the water. We started every day off at the coffee shop.  The staff knew us after one visit and was very outgoing. They have a menu, but will make you pretty much any drink you want! A lot of people ate at Spice, the buffet, a lot but I am not much of a buffet person. My favorites were Asiana, Pelicanos, and the Tapas bar. It was good food and normally didn’t take too long. Maria Marie had FABULOUS food, but dinner typically took 2-3 hours. We loved having the breakfast buffet at El Mediteranneo, but I didn’t have the pleasure of eating there. The VIP Lounge has snacks and nachos. Our friends kind of adopted that place every night while we were there after everything shut down. The room service was very good, and they were a lot more reliable than people have given them credit for in the past. The best meal I ate was the Chef’s Plate. Josh and I had a romantic dinner there one night, and between the gourmet food and the relaxing slow-paced experience, I left feeling blissful.

Entertainment: C

The one thing I really found lacking at The Royal was entertainment. They had daily activities at the pool and a nightly show, but that was it. Granted, we had 40 people there with us so we pretty much made our own entertainment. The hotel could use some them night parties, or tastings, or even just get the word out better about what they do offer. Don’t get me wrong, there was never a dull moment during our trip and our guests couldn’t have been happier just spending time getting to know each other.

 

WEDDING PLANNING

 

Off-site Coordinator: C-

I had 2 off-site coordinators during my planning process. I think this is the biggest area that the resort needs to work on in terms of weddings. My first coordinator didn't seem very organized and I had to ask her things multiple times to get it across. It was exhausting. She went on maternity leave (thank goodness) and was replaced by Alejandra. Alejandra did a better job, but the whole process was still more stressful than need-be. This is the time you plan your wedding package, food, decor, flowers, events, locations, and all the other extras. I made it very clear what I wanted and they still missed things. I was expecially annoyed when I showed up in Mexico and they hadn't ordered the bamboo chairs and square tables I had special ordered for the wedding/reception. Luckily most everything was fixed my my on-site coordinator. Just a quick tip! If your off-site coordinator is stressing you out or won't respond, just go with the flow and about a month before your wedding when you get you on-site coordinator, they will make everything magically come together.

 

On-site Coordinator: A+

I had some hiccups through the planning process up until I got my onsite coordinator Denys Madrigal. She was AMAZING! We arrived in Mexico the day before our guests and had a meeting with Denys. We went over all the wedding and reception details and made sure we were on the same page. They hadn’t gotten my bamboo chairs or square tables I had asked for, but we decided the white tiffany chairs would be just as pretty. They were able to get the square tables for our reception on short notice too. In the end, most of the plans were made on that day. From there Denys took care of everything for us that she could. We ran into a little problem when it was raining on my wedding day. She brought the head event coordinator to speak with me and we decided to have the cocktail hour and reception indoors but keep the wedding at the gazebo. They told me they would set the chairs up outside the gazebo and if it was raining they would just move them up under it. I would be lying if I told you this caused my mom and I zero stress, but it all worked out for the best in the end and Denys made everything beautiful and perfect for us. She was very good about listening to my ideas for all the things I brought with me and making the decorations look just as I wanted them. TIP: DON'T STRESS ABOUT THE WEATHER! I got all anxious and puffy for no reason. The hotel will take all measures to make sure everything is as good or better than what you plan. Just check out the pictures of my reception hall and you will understand!

 

OUR WEDDING DAY

 

Spazul/Wedding Hair: B-

On my wedding day, I woke up and went to get my hair done at the salon. We had a less formal wedding, so I had my girls style their own hair. I was a little disappointed in my hair for one main reason. The stylist used a straightener to make my curls even after I told her they never hold if you don't use a curling iron. She made excuses and did it anyway. Sure enough my curls fell within the hour due to extreme humidity and my MOH had to pin all my hair up. She did a fabulous job on the top of my hair though. Too bad the bottom looked so messy that no one really noticed. One of my best friends is a makeup artist and did all of the girls make up, including mine, once we met up in my room. We had a fun day getting ready. We just ordered a ton of room service and sipped champagne while we all got ready together. My photographer arrived in time to capture us finishing getting ready. It worked out well so we all at least look presentable in all the professional pictures. 

 

Flowers from Marvin @ Maya Floral: A++

I got a free bouquet with my wedding package, but since I got the girls bouquets from an outside vendor, I got my bouquet through him so I would know they all complimented each other.  I am so glad I did because even though I asked for a hot pink bouquet with some lighter pinks mixed in, I got a bouquet that was largely light pink roses. Our flowers from Maya Floral were perfect. We didn’t have to pay an outside vendor fee because my dad just met Marvin out front with our payment and brought the flowers in himself. We got the girls bouquets oversized so that we could use them in our table centerpieces at the reception. I used my bouquet from the resort as my bouquet toss so I got to keep my original.

 

 

Ceremony at the Gazebo: A+

I brought a picture with me of how I wanted the linen decorating the gazebo and they copied it perfectly. During the wedding, it was luckily not raining so we had all of our guests seated out in front of the gazebo. We didn’t use the red aisle runner they provide because it clashed with my colors. Instead we sprinkled pink rose petals down the aisle. I wanted a simple look so we didn’t wrap the chairs in anything. We just put a program and a ribbon wand at each seat. Our wedding started just a few minutes after 4 PM. Our music was played perfectly by Denys. I made a play list for her and titled the songs “wedding processional”, “bride walks out”, and ”wedding recessional.” It is very helpful so they don’t have to remember which song is which. Our wedding went off without a hitch! We had my grandma marry us, which turned out to be very special. We also added a lot of personal touches to our ceremony that made it meaningful and memorable. The gazebo is such a beautiful place to get married! Don't get too caught up in the details though, because in the end the most important thing will be the man standing opposite you at the alter.

 

 

 

Cocktail Hour: B

Initially, we had not planned on having an official cocktail hour. We planned to give our guests that break to cool off, change into comfy clothes if they like, and chill at the bar. Unfortunately, the royal has a new rule that all your events have to be back to back. I was told that if I wanted my wedding at 4 PM (the latest time possible) and my reception at 6 PM, that we would have to pay a $600 charge to separate them. So, considering the cocktail hour was half that much, we just sprung for it. We moved it into a lounge area in the lobby just in case of rain. It was nice because they closed of the room and turned the air conditioner on. Everyone had canapés and champagne and cooled off until the reception. I didn’t get to attend because we were busy taking pictures, but my mom said it was nice and people seemed to enjoy it. She just said the canapés could have been better.

 

Reception: A++++

 

Initially, I had wanted a beach party reception, but that wasn’t in the cards for us. It was raining early in the day on our wedding day and there was more expected in the forecast. They told me that they could still set up the reception on the beach, but if it rained then all the vendors would pack up and leave. Since that seemed like a horrible idea, I let them move it indoors. I might have had a little breakdown during this decision making process, but it was honestly the best choice I could have made. The head event coordinator made sure EVERYTHING was beyond perfect! He opened up a wall to give us extra space, they hung linens out from the ceiling, they put in up-lighting around the room. They went above and beyond to make my reception hall unforgettable. In the end, I would recommend anyone (especially summer brides) to have the reception inside. We had a large private area with AIR CONDITIONING. It was so humid outside that I am not sure we could have danced on the beach like we did inside. Everyone was totally comfortable and happy all night. They were all in awe of how beautiful the space was. It looked like something out of a dream! We got the buffet BBQ dinner, which was delicious and covered like and entire wall of the reception hall. Our goal for the reception was to have one big celebration and it was exactly that! We paid for the extra hour of reception, which is a must! We also got DJ Ivan with Doremixx and his light up dance floor. It felt like we were at some fabulous night club! We were able to get the tres leches cake as our wedding cake because it was indoors and could be kept cool. Everyone ADORED It. The standard size was plenty to eat for 40 people. I don’t recommend getting a larger cake. In the end, almost everyone that came to our wedding told us it was the best they had ever attended. I honestly couldn't have planned or hoped for it to go any better than it did!

 

 

 

 

 

DJ Ivan: A+++

Since our goal was to throw a big party, DJ Ivan was a must! We filled out his papers telling what we definitely wanted played, and what we didn’t want played, etc. We gave him a pretty long list of songs and he supplemented it well. Josh and I started the night of with a bang when we did a fun upbeat choreographed first dance. Once the music started, no one left the dance floor. We had a lot of younger friends at the wedding, so DJ Ivan played more new dance music. Every now and then I would go request a few older songs to make my parents happy. Then he would slowly make his way back to the newer stuff. He played all the right music at the right time. At one point he played “shots” and some guys came on the stage and stood on a chair, pouring these delicious green shots in everyone’s mouths.  Everyone that was there has told us that we had the best wedding they had ever been to. DJ Ivan helped create the atmosphere that made everyone soooo happy. He is worth every penny you pay for him!

 

Cecilia Dumas Photography: A+++

My mom and I found Cecilia online while planning my wedding. We got quotes from my top choices and she was by far the most affordable! She was quick to answer any questions we had throughout the planning process. Cecilia has a great personality and is very upbeat. Her and her assistant Paola worked very well together. We booked Cecilia for 6 hours so she showed up while my bridesmaids and I were getting ready. She took several pictures of decorative details, of me alone, and of me and my girls all before the wedding to save time. During the wedding she got amazing pictures from all angles but was never distracting. The emotions she captured takes me back to our wedding day every time I look at them. After the wedding she took group pictures quickly so everyone could enjoy the cocktail hour. The bridal party stayed at the beach to get all of the fun pictures we had planned. She even had a print out of several picture ideas I had sent her so she could make sure she took them all. There were several people on the beach that didn’t seem to notice they were wandering around in our pictures, but Cecilia was very assertive (but kind) and able to clear the way so our pictures were taken quickly. Josh and I stayed on the beach with her to get couples photos before the reception. We got so many pictures in a short time because she was quick to tell us where to go and what looked good. At the reception, Cecilia got pictures of EVERYTHING that was important. She was with us for 3 hours at the reception. The pictures really show how beautiful and fun it was! We also had Cecilia do a trash the dress session. We met up with her 2 days after our wedding and had a blast in our one hour session. She kept us moving and took pictures constantly. I was nervous about the session but we ended up having a blast! She is a genius with her camera and our pictures turned out SO gorgeous! Cecilia took close to 2000 photos between the 2 sessions! She was very quick to edit and send the photos too. She mailed me our pictures the week after our wedding! She sent me an email saying she decided to edit extra pictures (for no extra charge) because she got so many good ones. She mailed us hard copies of all the edited photos, a beautiful photo book, and cds with all the pictures from the wedding including digital copies of the touched up photos. Cecilia made the whole photography process exciting and simple. She was fun and made everyone feel comfortable. We are so glad we found her and are so thankful that she got so many candid photos that remind us of how amazing our wedding day was! She is the best! Here are some examples of her beautiful work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that's all the basics. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask. I would love to help you out, especially because i understand how stressful it is planning the perfect wedding online. Happy Planning!

-Audrey