Married or going to be married at Grand Palladium Punta Cana?

[eberry]

Hi BRIDE2B1130 and Jenn963! It's great to hear from other brides who are getting married at the same resort and around the same time as us! We have our ceremony booked for Nov. 5 at 4 pm, and so far we have 33 guests booked.  We're thinking of doing a beach bbq, but we haven't planned any of that yet. 

Jenn963, did you use a specific travel agent or booking company?  We used Luxe Destination Weddings, and they are in Toronto. 

I'd love to hear more from you ladies over the next 9 months!

[Jenn963]

hey eberry! awww this is awesome!! so we'll prolly run into each other as we will be arriving November 4th.....the wedding date is still pending on confirmation but Carolina gave us Nov 8th at 4pm and I sent her the agreement form and hoping she will change the time to 3pm instead of 4...just cuz I think 4 is too late to do pictures (depending on when the sun sets at that time of year in DR). I want sunny bright pics, not sunset ones. But whatever I get, I'll be happy.  I originally went thru a wedding specialist company called AbsoluteWedsite.  But this week I cancelled with them (long story that will turn into venting lol) and booked with marlin travel (SO much happier).  

wow so 33 people confirmed huh! how many people did you invite in total? and how long ago did you send out your invitations?

I'm gettin a bit concerned because we are now goin into Feb and I STILL haven't even confirmed a date....I sent an email to Carolina this morning to confirm the date (I know and understand she takes a couple days to reply) so that i can ship my invitations to the printer.  I already have the design and everything I just need to plug in the info....So by the time my guests get their invitations it'll probably be mid Feb!! and that only leaves them with one month to soak it all in and make their first deposit (end of march)....*sigh*  patience, patience lol 

How's Luxe Destination? I've seen their ads everywhere lately! Are you being well taken care of with them? 

You'll def be hearing from me for the next few months!! i'm so glad i found this website!

[eberry]

Hi Jenn963!  I've never been to the resort, so I'd love to hear how your trip goes next month!

We sent out email invitations in October and then paper invitations at the beginning of December.  In total, i think we invited around 150 people.  A few people booked before Christmas, but the majority only booked during the last couple of weeks.  It was quite stressful because we had to guestimate the number of guests  we thought would come and put down a non-refundable $250 dollar deposit for each. With regards to using Luxe, there are so many things that we're discovering after the fact that are frustrating.  For instance, they negotiated our rate with Transat before the rates were even posted online for anybody else, but we trusted that we would get a good deal since we were putting down deposits for 20 rooms.  Low and behold, when the public rates actually came out about a month later, they were $14 less than what our contract was.  After asking our travel agent if there was an opportunity to price match, she came back and said that we have one opportunity up to 100 days prior to departure, and we have to find the exact same trip (i.e. has to be from Transat for the same room type, same dates, same EVERYTHING) and there has to be available (still not quite sure what that means).  Basically, we have to keep an eye on the rates, and once we see one that we want to attempt to challenge, they will go back to Transat  and request a price reduction, but it's not guaranteed that we'll get it. So needless to say, it's been frustrating.  We have also signed on for Wedding Planning services from Luxe.  They will negotiate rates with the resort for things like the reception and guarantee to save you at least what you paid for the wedding planning.  We haven't started that part yet because we wanted to wait and see how many guests we have.  Hopefully that is more fun and less stressful than the travel arrangements.

When you go in November, are you only going for one week?  We've decided to fly down on Wednesday, October 30, whereas the rest of our group will be coming on the saturday.  That way we have time to relax before everyone gets there and we can get the OOT bags ready and greet all of our guests once they arrive.  (on that note, we ended up booking our additional flight on our own rather than with Luxe because they couldn't get us any deals.  in the end, we have to pay for the regular one week trip - november 2-9, as well as the extra flight on the oct. 30).

Do you know what you're doing for a photographer?  There's a photographer in Whitby who we used for our engagement pics, my fiance did family pics with her in the past and the family of a friend of ours uses her all the time, so we're going to try to get her to come down with us.  It might end up being a little pricey because her fee will probably be the trip plus an actual fee for her services, but we'll start getting that set up soon.  

Are you making OOT bags?  i've seen so many great ideas on these forums... i can't wait to get started on them!

[jenmheadrick]

So excited!! Just under 2 months to go! Everything is booked! Nothing left to do, leaving it all in the hands of Carolina! Wish us luck!

[eberry]

Congrats and good luck, jenmheadrick!

[Jessica1005]

hi Jenn, im booked for April 20, 2013, when is yours?

[Jenn963]

Originally Posted by eberry 

 

Hi Jenn963!  I've never been to the resort, so I'd love to hear how your trip goes next month!

We sent out email invitations in October and then paper invitations at the beginning of December.  In total, i think we invited around 150 people.  A few people booked before Christmas, but the majority only booked during the last couple of weeks.  It was quite stressful because we had to guestimate the number of guests  we thought would come and put down a non-refundable $250 dollar deposit for each. With regards to using Luxe, there are so many things that we're discovering after the fact that are frustrating.  For instance, they negotiated our rate with Transat before the rates were even posted online for anybody else, but we trusted that we would get a good deal since we were putting down deposits for 20 rooms.  Low and behold, when the public rates actually came out about a month later, they were $14 less than what our contract was.  After asking our travel agent if there was an opportunity to price match, she came back and said that we have one opportunity up to 100 days prior to departure, and we have to find the exact same trip (i.e. has to be from Transat for the same room type, same dates, same EVERYTHING) and there has to be available (still not quite sure what that means).  Basically, we have to keep an eye on the rates, and once we see one that we want to attempt to challenge, they will go back to Transat  and request a price reduction, but it's not guaranteed that we'll get it. So needless to say, it's been frustrating.  We have also signed on for Wedding Planning services from Luxe.  They will negotiate rates with the resort for things like the reception and guarantee to save you at least what you paid for the wedding planning.  We haven't started that part yet because we wanted to wait and see how many guests we have.  Hopefully that is more fun and less stressful than the travel arrangements.

When you go in November, are you only going for one week?  We've decided to fly down on Wednesday, October 30, whereas the rest of our group will be coming on the saturday.  That way we have time to relax before everyone gets there and we can get the OOT bags ready and greet all of our guests once they arrive.  (on that note, we ended up booking our additional flight on our own rather than with Luxe because they couldn't get us any deals.  in the end, we have to pay for the regular one week trip - november 2-9, as well as the extra flight on the oct. 30).

Do you know what you're doing for a photographer?  There's a photographer in Whitby who we used for our engagement pics, my fiance did family pics with her in the past and the family of a friend of ours uses her all the time, so we're going to try to get her to come down with us.  It might end up being a little pricey because her fee will probably be the trip plus an actual fee for her services, but we'll start getting that set up soon.  

Are you making OOT bags?  i've seen so many great ideas on these forums... i can't wait to get started on them!

Ya i had issues with a wedding specialist company....Absolute Wedsite....they were so very disorganized and I didn't feel like it was going to be a good next few months if i stuck with them....those companies probably have sooo many weddings at a time that you're basically just another number....I didn't want to feel this way so I cancelled with them, lost a small deposit, but saved myself the hassle of dealing with them.  Either way, I found an amazing travel agent and i already am in contact with Carolina so I'm more "hands on" this way I feel.....I have read that the booking part is the most stressful but after that it's a breeze So good luck to you and hope it all works out!! 

And I think you misunderstood me...i'm not goin to GPPC next month lol...i WISH but I can't.  We aren't leaving till NOV 4 and we are stayin there for the whole week.  Luckily, I got my wedding date confirmed 4 days AFTER we arrive so I have those days to run around and look at florists and get tips from other brides who have their weddings there before me (*WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE*) 

I have not booked a photographer but this will probably be my next task after invitations are sent out! carolina emailed me saying they charge $500 for an outside punta cana photographer/videographer...so it's either i bring my own family/friend who does photography or i use their in-house guy....i have to check their work out....

OOT bags...no....i'm not doin one but i think i should because i have a few things in mind I already wanna buy (flip flops, custom labelled mugs, sunscreen, fans, etc).....I will have to check with the mister for a budget on that LOL 

 

I"M SOOOO EXCITED!!!!! 

[Jenn963]

Originally Posted by Jessica1005 

 

hi Jenn, im booked for April 20, 2013, when is yours?

November 8th 2013 congratsss how exciting! I hope you come back on this forum after everything has settled in and post some pics and ur experience!!!  

[Bride2B1130]

Hi Jenn 963 and eberry - sorry it's taken a little while to respond...this thing called 'work' is getting in the way of everything lol. We are booked for Nov 30 2013. We wanted to get married on our anniversary but they apparently don't do weddings on Sundays which is fine. So we will probably miss you all due to the fact that our wedding is in in latter November:(. Let's see as far as packages I believe we're going with the Crystal one. Right now we are about to start finalizing our guest list and we took it down by a lot since a nice little chunk of money will be going towards the photographer. Since you mentioned wedding times - ours is at 3PM but I've heard they operate on Carribean time so it may very well be at 4. A few things have me nervous 1) Hoping and praying it doesn't rain and 2) Whether the length of the civil ceremony is actually 10 minutes and 3) If the judge will have 'official' duties that day (we so want to be married in the Dominican Republic). At one point Carolina mentioned the civil ceremony to be 15 minutes but now she mentioned 10. My fiance feels that she just sends out formatted emails because she is so busy - do you all have that experience? If anyone visits the resort please do take pictures of the decorations that they have if you can! That would certainly help us out!!!

[Jenn963]

I don't get it....I read other brides' packages are "crystal" or "diamond" or something...is this ONLY for legal weddings? Does anyone know?

because I'm having a symbolic wedding and the PDF file that Carolina sent me has "Silver package", "Pure Paradise", "Waves of Love", "Ocean Pearl", "Tropical Promise", and "simple stunning signature."  So I guess it's different depending on the type of ceremony ur having? The least expensive one of the ones i;ve mentioned is the Silver one goin for $690US but it doesn't include nearly as much extras as the other ones, so i will have to sit down and compare......
I got my confirmation finally from Carolina for Nov 8th at 3pm.....now what? lol will we not email until later this year? She hasn't emailed me anything else....i guess there's plenty of time for the details.....I wish she had an assistant....oh wait, she does....I wish she had an assistant's assistant.....lol. She seems so super busy and every time i email her and she replies, it seems like it's all copy and paste type answers.  lol