For those of you married at an AI resort...

[kr3611]

I feel like this may be a stupid question, but I've been worrying about this....we're getting married at an all inclusive where all of our guests will be staying. For the private events, they charge you and additional amount per person. We're willing to pay this for the wedding reception, but for the rehearsal dinner and a welcome reception we'd like to save some money. Did any of you do a smaller or more informal welcome or rehearsal and not pay extra for a "private" event? I've never been to an AI resort....is it usually possible to just save some tables together in the restaurant or meet in the bar all together?

 

Thanks!

[Agape Gems]

I'm guessing that every resort is a little different and it probably depends on how formal you want things to be, but I don't want to pay for extra stuff at an AI either so we are having our welcome reception at one of the bars and I'm just going to get their early and claim an area. And I bet if you want to do a rehearsal dinner your onsite WC could make you a reservation at one of the restuarants so you can all sit together.

[MelissaH]

We had a welcome breakfast at one of the buffets and didn't pay extra, just left a nice tip for the waiters.

[PaulaV]

For our welcome dinner we just met everyone at the lobby bar, gave out the welcom bags and went on together to dinner.

 

It just so happened that Friday all the resort restaurants were closed and they were having Carribbean night in the ballroom. (Dinner and show).

They sat us all together and we made sure to tip them well.

 

Worked out great.

[Copita]

Each resort is different. Our AI is offering us to pay one lump sump to block off a restaurant to host our reception privately, with all the food and drinks included in that price.

The only thing extra beyond that is the cake. (Because we have about 150 guests).

I stayed at another AI last summer and a couple was married and had their reception on the other side of where guests were having dinner and had absolutely ZERO privacy. I felt realy bad for them because i was certain they couldn't hear their music or themselves over the chatter and talking of the resorts guests.

Talk to your WC about it.

It's up to you.

[dragonfly]

At our AI resort I just talked with the wc and she arranged a farewell dinner for all of our guests. We just had her set up tables together in a alcolve, away from the other guests, in the main eating area, it worked out great we all had dinner together and then we tipped our waiters really well. For our welcome reception we met in the lobby bar, and had arranged for some hor douvers which was a minimal extra charge, but at least the drinks were included. We did this early afternoon when the bar was not busy.

[MissyR]

We have arranged to have a separate, private area of the buffet and there is no extra charge.

[jajajaja]

I can't say much about our AI and a wedding reception. We didn't get married there. However, I did book a "private" wedding dinner with them. They wouldn't reserve an area in the restaurant so we had it in one of the large suite terraces. We paid $21 per person. In hindsight, I should have just had everyone meet at the buffet because our resort already had several large table of 8 grouped together. Plus nearly everyone hated the food and some snuck down to the buffet afterwards. It was too "fancy" for them. I thought it was good.

 

If staying at an AI- save your money. Just arrange a time for everyone to meet for a welcome dinner. I can understand the want to have a private reception though. I would pay for that.

[1elephant]

we had our RD off site. our AI would have charged per person to put such a big party together. they got annoyed whenever we showed up anywhere together, but would seat us as soon as they could (usually 45 min or so).

if you want to save $, i'd say "meet us at the buffet/bar at ___o'clock". each morning we'd meet at the buffet at 9. we wouldn't all sit together, but we'd all be together. this obviously wouldn't work if you're having speeches, but it's an option.

[jajajaja]

We all met at 9am for breakfast too. It was easy to seat us because we only had like 20 people.