Paradisus Riviera Brides - POST HERE!

[KLC77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by navarrabrooke I know we have some time - our wedding is 7 months away, but I'm getting nervous about our guests not booking. We sent out the Save the Dates in early March and though many have received travel quotes, no one has booked their travel. Can anyone give me an idea of when they started to see guests booking their travel? Also, is anyone else using Destination Wedding Travel? A friend of a friend referred them to me and though our agent has been great, I'm seeing that their pricing for air and hotel are not as low as Orbitz or Expedia. Actually one of my guests brought this to my attention just a few weeks ago. I just checked again today and Orbitz is offering 40% off - a significant savings from some of the earlier quotes. Some of my VIP guests are the ones hit hardest by this ecomony and they are looking for the best travel deal. Does anyone have any advice to offer? Did all of your guests book through your travel agent or did some book through an online discounter such as Orbitz or Expedia? Also, my sister has 4 kids and I was told the Paradisus only allows 2 kids with 2 adults per room, so my sister and brother-in-law would have to get 2 rooms which would almost double the cost of the trip. But I know the resort has Family Suites with 2 double beds and a sofa bed which would accomodate her family. Has anyone else run into this? Sorry for all the questions - all of this has just consumed me lately. I appreciate any advice you can give! Thanks! Brooke

All of our guests did book thru our TA, but our TA would match a rate if we had found something lower. One person in our group found a lower rate for themselves on Expedia and our TA matched it. She just had to print out the info so the TA had it in writing. Don't worry about guests not booking yet. We had some people book up to 2 weeks before the trip, however the majority booked maybe 4 or 5 months out. We had a special rate that was going to end, so I think that motivated most people.

[becks]

We had a several families that had more than 2 kids. The rule is 2 kids + 2 adults max in a room - they will not price them any other way. We just booked the extra kids into grandparents' rooms and then let them sleep wherever they wanted. I can't remember if the rooms with 2 double beds have pull-out couches or not. some of the couches pull out, others don't. But they also have roll-away beds.

 

I think that as long as the kids are all accounted for (meaning book them into rooms with grandparents/aunts/friends/etc.) you'll be okay.

[KLC77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by becks We had a several families that had more than 2 kids. The rule is 2 kids + 2 adults max in a room - they will not price them any other way. We just booked the extra kids into grandparents' rooms and then let them sleep wherever they wanted. I can't remember if the rooms with 2 double beds have pull-out couches or not. some of the couches pull out, others don't. But they also have roll-away beds. I think that as long as the kids are all accounted for (meaning book them into rooms with grandparents/aunts/friends/etc.) you'll be okay.

Good idea!

[cac239]

Quote:

Originally Posted by becks Perla was able to put us in touch with our minister - but we were doing a symbollic ceremony, so maybe if you're doing the legal ceremony it's different. He gave us an outline of what he wanted to do, readings etc., we customized and added a few things. Not that we did programs - we didn't have a bridal party and it wasn't one of those things that was all that important to me. We did hang tags with the "Symbolism of the Starfish" and little silver starfish on each of our fans.

We are doing the symbolic wedding as well so I am going to ask her if she can put me in touch w/ him. The name of your guy wasn't Alejandro Monroy
by chance

[cac239]

Hello,

Rebecca or Robin just curious if you went w/ a chicken dish and which one you picked They only seem to have one option for chicken stuffed w/ cheese and just not sure about it.

 

Thanks!!!!

[navarrabrooke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by becks We had a several families that had more than 2 kids. The rule is 2 kids + 2 adults max in a room - they will not price them any other way. We just booked the extra kids into grandparents' rooms and then let them sleep wherever they wanted. I can't remember if the rooms with 2 double beds have pull-out couches or not. some of the couches pull out, others don't. But they also have roll-away beds. I think that as long as the kids are all accounted for (meaning book them into rooms with grandparents/aunts/friends/etc.) you'll be okay.

Great - I think that's what we'll do then. Good to know about the roll-away beds too - I had wondered about that.

And thanks for the encouragement about the guest not booking yet!

My biggest concern right now is with our guests getting the best travel deals. With this economy there are such great travel offers out there on Orbitz, Expedia, etc. When I had brought this to our TA's attention a few weeks ago, she said they would "try" to match them. Orbitz is posting the best offer I've seen yet. They are advertising 40% off and the cheapest room - the Deluxe Junior Suite - is $240/nt. (last I had checked it was $320/nt) In addition to that, kids 12 & under stay and eat for free! That is a huge savings, especially for my sister traveling with her 4 kids. I have a call in to our TA, waiting to hear back if she can match it. I'm also thinking of booking my sister's stay at the resort through Orbitz and the air travel through our TA. Not sure if we can use another travel company at this point since we have already booked our travel package with DWT, have a wedding website up on their site and have already sent out the Save the Dates with this information.

This part can be so stressful! Thanks for all your insight and advice!

[LAURENANDBILL]

cac239-For my menu I picked chicken cacciatore

 

As far as travel plans eveyone booked through expedia.

[LAURENANDBILL]

Yamille- Here you go

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[LAURENANDBILL]

Yamille- I also picked out this cake topper

 

DESTINATION BEACH THEME WEDDING RECEPTION CAKE TOPPER - eBay (item 370187547651 end time May-13-09 19:44:44 PDT)

[egsarah]

Brooke, I am going through DWT also. So far my travel agent has been great! We booked our travel, wedding, and honeymoon arangements through them and they were the same price as orbitz, expedia, and apple vacations when we booked. She said that she would match when it was apples to apples comparissons but I don't really know what the means since we haven't even sent out our STDs yet. ( I know I'm behind). I'll let you know what I experience as people begin to book.

 

No worries!