Las Caletas Site Visit! (11.11.12)

Hi Ladies!

My wedding isn't until next November, but we had our site visit last month and I wanted to share some info & pics with all of my planning brides-to-be. ENJOY!

I was emailing back and forth with our wedding coordinator, Blanca for a few weeks before we left for PV.  She has been sooo helpful and responds to emails very promptly!  (Meeting her in person was even better!  She is so sweet.  Girls, we are so lucky to have her on our side helping us plan from afar.)  We took a cab to the marina the morning of (there was some confusion at the gate about marina fees - I explained to the best of my ability with the language barrier that our wedding coordinator would arrive shortly and take care of everything.)  Blanca arrived minutes later and everything was resolved.  The marina is expansive and beautiful.  There are small shops near the entrance to grab towels, drinks, sunscreen, etc. I took some Drammine-DEFINITELY recommend this if you get sea sick, because it was VERY rough at times.  They provide it on the boat, but it may be too late by then.  I plan on giving packets to my guests in their welcome bags (make sure to get non drowsy or you will have a few very sleepy guests.  Never a good thing at a wedding  ).  The entertainment staff on the boat was AMAZING.  So much fun!  There is open bar on the boat with waitstaff service.  The boat ride is scenic and beautiful & pulling up to Las Caletas is indescribable. 

When you arrive, you are warmly greeted by the staff who remain attentive the entire day.  We followed Blanca for a quick tour and then sat down (with cold beers in hand) to discuss details.  A lot of brides on here have said how easy going they were when it came to the details...I wish I could say I'm that kind of bride.  For all of you that are obsessed with the details like me, rest easy.  Every request I had but thought I might have to give up with a destination wedding, was answered with YES, Of course we can do that!  Blanca made everything seem so easy.  I have every confidence that she will take care of everything exactly the way I have planned.  After talking for about 15-20 minutes,  she took us up to see the bridal casita.  It is so cute. There is a Jacuzzi and hammock in the back and a bed, sofa, private bathroom and vanity area inside.  I will say that it is smaller than it looks in pictures.  Not a big deal, but something to think about if you have a lot of bridesmaids.  The casita is located on the top of a hill near the spa, which my fiancé and I also enjoyed.  We booked hour long massages, TOTALLY worth the $50.  I paid over $100 at Dreams for a massage the day before but enjoyed the Las Caletas massage more.  Definitely recommend it for you and your girls the day of! 

 Bridal Casita

We then explored the beach a little before lunch.  Las Caletas is a jungle with a lot of cool little romantic spots that I'm sure would make for great photo ops if you are doing a "first look" photo shoot.  There is a small bridge and a vine covered tunnel...its spectacular really.  It a shame that our guests won't have access to those spots during the wedding.  They will be confined to a beach and dining area reserved for weddings, but you can explore with your girls during the day if you get the chance.  NOTE: The bathrooms are on a hill also--only lit by candle light, they will get dark quickly.  This is a good thing when you consider the fact that ALL toilet paper must be disposed of in the trash can and not flushed.  (Just a quick FYI ). 

The food and service were excellent.  Many choices at the buffet, very attentive and friendly service.  Beer & drink options are limited but we didn't mind.  Once I found a cold jug of Horchata, I was a happy girl.  I forgot to grab tip money from our bag and John was still eating, so I ran back to the beach to grab some cash.  Everyone must have been eating at the same time, because when I arrived at the beach, I was the only one.  I immediately grabbed my Ipod and walked down the "aisle" to time out the ceremony music.  Ladies, I cannot begin to describe the feeling of walking on that beach to your music.  It was magical.

After lunch, we sat on the beach to soak up some sun and enthusiastically talk about the wedding.  The beach is a lot smaller than I imagined but I think that just makes your wedding feel more intimate & special. The water is clear and warm. The décor is rustic & natural. Seeing Las Caletas and meeting Blanca made everything seem so real.  I can't wait to go back.  

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  I've attached some pictures to give you a better idea of what Las Caletas looks like! I know how much we destination brides rely on pictures. I have a document with more pictures of Las Caletas.  If you are interested in seeing it, just PM me.

dining area-- short wall on the right is the buffet area with the bar next to it

pic to show you how the dining area sits right about the beach overlooking the bay

this is the small cliff/ledge overlooking the beach at on the way to the dining area entrance...escort card table will go here.

sorry this picture is flipped...this is one of the bathrooms guests will use...they are each small "huts"  Those hanging candles & candles on the sink are the only light.

Thank you for posting this, it is helpful to me because we're not doing a site review. I have one question. You mentioned the marina fees, did you board at the marina in puerto vallarta or in nuevo vallarta?

Originally Posted by weliaslo 

 

Thank you for posting this, it is helpful to me because we're not doing a site review. I have one question. You mentioned the marina fees, did you board at the marina in puerto vallarta or in nuevo vallarta?

Of course!  We boarded at Puerto Vallarta.  Just emailed you more pictures to your gmail account. Happy New Year! 

Hi Lauren!

How did you arrange to have this site visit?  How much did it cost?  My FI and I will be vacationing in PV in 2 weeks and were hoping to go and do a little visit at LC!

Hi

Hi Lauren! How did you arrange to have this site visit?  How much did it cost?  My FI and I will be vacationing in PV in 2 weeks and were hoping to go and do a little visit at LC! Hi!! Hows your planning going? As far as arranging our site visit, I just emailed our wc, Blanca to set up and date and time. It is included in your package if you are getting the premier package. Let me know if I can help with anything else and enjoy your trip! Seeing las caletas in person makes it even more exciting!

Hi

Hi Lauren! How did you arrange to have this site visit?  How much did it cost?  My FI and I will be vacationing in PV in 2 weeks and were hoping to go and do a little visit at LC! Hi!! Hows your planning going? As far as arranging our site visit, I just emailed our wc, Blanca to set up and date and time. It is included in your package if you are getting the premier package. Let me know if I can help with anything else and enjoy your trip! Seeing las caletas in person makes it even more exciting!

Hi Lauren! We just got back a few days ago and it was great! We got to meet Dennise and relax on the island and it was even more beautiful than I remembered! It was so helpful being able to look at the reception area and now I feel better cause I think we will all fit! She also said that they are going to do some construction this summer to make that area a little bigger! Being there made me wish our wedding was sooner lol Oh and another thing I learned while I was there is that they are going to try to train te sea lion to be the ring bearer lol I hope he learns by next year, how cool would that be?!

Hi!

I'm so glad you loved it!  I know exactly what you mean-it makes it so much more real when you see it in person and pictures just don't do it justice!  Isn't it tough to leave?!  I can't wait to go back!   A sea lion ring bearer would be too cool.  I wonder if he/she will be trained before November.  I mean, a parrot is cool...but a sea lion?!  I'm so happy everything worked out with extra space.  I know there were so many things I didn't think would be possible, but when I asked Blanca, she was like, "Sure! We can do that!"  It definitely puts your mind at ease meeting them and seeing the space.  Good luck with all your planning and keep in touch!!

Lauren

Hi Lauren!

Thanks for the site visit post! We have also decided on having our wedding at las caletas except we wont be able to make a site visit before our wedding so your post was definately helpful. Just wondering, what types of things did you think were not possible? Because i think  Im also having those thoughts. For instance, I want to add personal touches to the decorations but Im not sure if they provide it or if I need to provide it for them? I just thought I would pick your brain since you did meet with blanca. Hope you are not to stressed out. Your big day is coming up quick! Thanks so much!

Dalida