Paradisus Riviera Brides - POST HERE!

[Freckles]

Wow I have been out of the loop for awhile now. After spending the last couple of hours reading through the posts over the last few months I just want to say congratulations to Becks, and Brook and all the other girls who have gotten married. Missy have a wonderful wedding and enjoy every minute of it!!!

 

I had a couple of questions regarding if the resort charges for the setup of the centerpieces that we would like to bring down? As well as setting up the bows on the chairs and the ceremony arch? ( we are bringing down our own tule)

 

Also Missy if you have time for a quick question before you go (if not no problem) - when you booked in 2007 I remember you mentioning that you secured 2007 rates on certain things as the prices are just getting higher and higher. What rates did your deposit secure at 2007 rates?

 

I booked in 2008 and have just recieved the pricing for 2009 and would like to know if any of the other girls out there are who deposited in 2008 have secured the 2008 rates or is everyone being charged the higher 2009 rates?

 

Thanks

[MissyR]

I know for the centrepieces Perla is not charging us to set them up - that being said - my Best friend will be coordinating that the day of so I am sure she will be assisting in putting them together - not sure about the chair bows.

 

In terms of the rates - when we booked (which was November 2007) I asked Perla for quotes on certain things right away - the DJ as an example, the mariachi trio, bouquets, lobster option for the dinner. If there are things that you have already decided on then I would get a price. With the lobster, she originally quoted me $18 pp but then 8 months later when we were reviewing costs she said $24 - when I called her on it I had to send her the email where she said $18 and she honoured that..

 

It wasn't so much that our deposit secured the rates.. it was that she quoted us prices in 2007... Does that help!?

[Freckles]

Thanks Missy, that does help. Have a wonderful wedding and cant wait to hear about everything when you get back!!!!!

[KLC77]

Missy have a wonderful time in Mexico! I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back.

 

Freckles~ Perla told me that if I brought down decorations like chair bows, an aisle runner etc that she would set them up and their would be no charge. I even offered to have one of my relatives help with the set up and she said it was not necessary even tho we were thinking of bringing our own decorations.

[megs123]

hi everyone! I am new to this website. I found it when my fiance and I first decided to have a destination wedding, and now I'm back! We booked the Paradisus a few weeks ago, and we are officially getting married in the MR the week of feb 2-feb 9 2009! We had to change our date last minute, so unfortunately for us, we won't be having an onsite wedding because the date we wanted was already taken. So, if anyone has any suggestions for wedding sites in the area, we are all ears!!! either something on a private beach, or maybe by the ruins, or on a cliff overlooking the ocean. We are pretty open to any outdoor venue.

Congratulations to all of you!!! I hope to see some of you there in Feb!

[robinbood]

Hi Everybody:). I’m back from my site visit and it was great- I’m so much more relaxed! I’m sorry it’s taken me a few days to write this- I wrote a long review on Sunday, and then when I went to post it, I had to re-login and the review was lost- ugh! So now I’m writing it in word and will cut and paste!

 

First: Missy, I know you’re down there already- all the best to you! I can’t wait to hear all about your wonderful day.

 

Ok, so here’s the scoop (I apologize in advance for being so detailed- feel free to skip ahead): My mom and I went down on Friday and returned on Tuesday. I originally was planning on having my ceremony at Paradisus and the reception at the Blue Parrot in Playa del Carmen, because I am having at least 80 guests (still receiving rsvps until Dec.1) and had thought the reception at the Paradisus would be cost prohibitive. I also had seen Nylalany’s review of her wedding last May at Al Cielo and loved what it looked like, so I had made an appointment there as well. Here was our schedule:

 

Arrive Friday, rent car and check in to Hotel Aqua Luna in Playa del Carmen

Friday afternoon: tasting at Blue Parrot

Saturday morning: First meeting with Perla at Paradisus

Saturday night: Dinner at Yaxche in Playa del Carmen, location for rehearsal dinner

Sunday morning: go to Tulum ruins

Sunday lunch: meeting (and lunch) at Al Cielo

Monday: check in to Paradisus, follow-up meeting with Perla

Monday afternoon: hair trial at Paradisus spa

Tuesday: leave

 

So since this is the Paradisus thread, I won’t go into detail about the other locations (feel free to pm me with any questions), except to say that Al Cielo is an amazing place, about an hour south of Paradisus, and I had one of the best lunches there I’ve ever had, so if you’re going to see the Tulum ruins, you may want to stop at Al Cielo on your way back (fyi, it’s cash only!).

 

My mom and I were not comfortable with the lack of privacy at the Blue Parrot at night (it becomes a lively club), and their hotel was a little too far away from the venue to place kids with a babysitter, so when we first met with Perla at the Paradisus, I told her that we would love to be able to have the reception there, but I was concerned with budget. Perla felt confident that we could make it work. WELL, I did not know that the open bar was included in the per person cost of customized packages, as well as tables, chairs, etc.! I had emailed Perla a few months ago about the cost of open bar and she had responded with $10 an hour per person, so I did not realize that was after the first 5 hours (1 hour for cocktail hour, 4 for dinner). Perla apologized for the miscommunication, and said she would update the menu/package options to indicate the inclusion of open bar to clarify for future brides! Did anyone else not know this, or was I just clueless?

 

When we arrived at the Paradisus, it was as beautiful as I remembered (my fiancé and I had gone down last May). My mother was very happy, which was great, because she was a little apprehensive about the whole destination wedding thing. Now she answers the phone “Holaâ€! There were TWO weddings that afternoon. As most of you know, Paradisus only has ONE wedding per day: However; due to the Dreams Tulum closing, the bride who was booked at the Paradisus agreed to allow another wedding to occur on the same day (very nice of her!). The original wedding was on the beach and the terrace above it. The wedding moved from Dreams was using the area between the pool and the beach- I hadn’t seen that as an option before- it looked very nice and could accommodate a large party (the wedding was for 70 people).

 

 

Perla had to go tend to the wedding set-ups, and she let us eat at the buffet restaurant (Caribbean Marketplace), which was nice since we weren’t staying there that night. We let her know the food we were interested in having for the tasting on Monday.

 

Before we came back on Monday, we went to Plaza Las Americas- a mall in Cancun, to pick out shells for place card holders (per our friends’ recommendation at Hotel Aqua Luna. Muchas gracias Marco, Hugo and Anola!). It’s a large mall, about 10 minutes from the resort, and the shell store is near the Sears entrance. We found great ones, and headed to the resort for the tasting and to finalize the rest of the details. We met Perla. I asked about the weddings on Saturday, and she said it rained during one of them- right after the ceremony. They moved the cocktail hour inside the lobby area, and then were able to have the rest of the reception back outside (one good thing about the climate- other than rainy season, if it rains, it’s for no more than 10 minutes!).

 

The tasting: The food is good. For foodies, it is not mind blowing, but definitely respectable. The tres leches wedding cake is delicious! One thing to note: some of the menu choices may be available in the daily buffet. We wanted to make sure the food at the reception was not something they would have already eaten during their stay. If this is an issue for you too, just ask Perla, and she’ll let you know. After the tasting, we met up with Perla again, to give her our menu choices and receive a written quote. We will be having a welcome dinner in the buffet restaurant on Friday night- Perla is sectioning off an area for us (no charge). For the reception on Sunday, we are getting married on the beach, and having the reception on the terrace. The per person cost came in less than what we had thought it would . I don’t know if Perla gave us a deal because we were there in person, or because we already have 30 rooms booked, or just that prices have changed, but we were in budget, so whoohoo!!!

 

After the tasting, we checked in to our room. They had given us a free upgrade to a royal suite ocean front room- it was great to be out on the balcony overlooking the waves. Then we went to the spa for our hair appts. The hair stylist, Leticia does not speak English, but the receptionist does if you need her. Between the pictures I had brought (of a soft updo) and my broken Spanish, we figured things out. She did not follow the pictures closely, but I thought, “Let me see what she will do, because that is what she is most comfortable doingâ€. It turned out really well. I had my mom take pictures so I can remind Leticia what she did come January! My mom, who has short hair, just needed a blow dry, and was not happy with the results. I strongly advise getting a trial appointment before the day of the wedding (for bridesmaids too, if possible), to avoid any unnecessary stress! For dinner, we ate at L’Hermitage, which is beautifully done (pumpkin soup, delicious, sea scallops good, Mom’s duck, not the greatest. Excellent cappuccino). We walked around the resort at night- checked out the lighting on the terrace (which was fine), and had a drink at the lobby bar while listening to guests singing (or trying to sing!) karaoke. It was a really nice, relaxed atmosphere- fun, but not rowdy. If you want more action, you will need to go into Cancun. We went out to the beach before heading back to the room, and laid on the chaise lounges, watching the waves. It doesn’t get much better, does it?

 

That’s about it. We have all chosen a wonderful place and I feel very lucky! Feel free to ask me any questions. Please also let me know how to upload pictures on here, and I will !

[KLC77]

Thanks so much for the review. It makes me so happy every time someone comes back and has so many good things to say since the first time I'll see the resort is 5 days before my wedding. Did we already determine that I'll be gone before you get there? I leave to come home the 17th.

 

To post pictures you have to put them in a photobucket account and then post the IMG code here. If you don't already have a photobucket its really easy to start one. Just go to photobucket.com

 

So glad that Perla was able to work with you so that you can have your ceremony and reception right at the resort!

[robinbood]

Thanks Kelly! Yes, unfortunately we arrive on the 18th. We'll just miss each other! I can't wait to ask Perla about your wedding when I arrive!

[glavas]

Hi Kelly,

 

This is Julia and Ryan; were also getting married at the Paradisus but on The 29th of January. But we will be there to see your wedding since arrive on the24th.

 

We appreciate all the information that you have given everybody and of course us on this forum.

 

I have some questions for you:

 

We read you comment about the open bar during your reception on the terrance. we also are having our reception on the terrace but we have 35 people coming to our wedding. We also weren't sure if they included the open bar in our package (Aqua); then Perla told us in was $10 pp same as you heard. But i guess from what you learned is that its included in the post ceremony cocktail as well as the 4 hour reception? so in essence it is part of the package they just dont tell you that. can you comfrim or deny that?

 

 

Its pretty neat how you flew down there to meet with perla. We arent going to do that since we only 35 people coming. What are things that you find are advantageous about meeting Perla face to face and discussin the wedding?

 

Since we will meet her when we arrive there; we will have alot too cover and decide upon? how much time will this take?

 

 

We are also spending an extra week there for our honeymoon which is nice. Ryan is staying with his boyz the first week; and im staying with my girlz; then we can meet up in the end.

 

 

I apprecate all your help.

 

Congrats to you both,

 

Thanks,

Julia & Ryan

[robinbood]

Hi Julia,

 

I think you actually meant this for me (Robin), not Kelly, since her wedding is the 10th. Since we are having a large group, we didn't use any of the existing packages, so I do not know if the open bar is included in those. I would definitely email Perla and ask her if the Aqua package includes any open bar.

 

I think you will find you will be able to cover everything in about an hour when you meet with Perla. As far as making decisions, it all depends on how quick you and Ryan are at making them/how much you determined beforehand (are you planning on having specific centerpieces? Music? etc.).

 

Congratulations to you too! I think we are all going to have very special days.