Boycott El Dorado Royale & Karisma Resorts-UPDATE policy REVISED!

[BandE2008]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nic Dragomire Pryzeless, Im sure it was not Tammy's intention to be hurtful to you or to any other brides that are having their wedding at EDR. The thing is, EDR and their current policy regarding outside vendors doesn't reflect a high end resort. One aspect to weddings and planning weddings are choices. You (the bride and groom) get to make choices that will make your wedding unique to your style and tastes. When those choices are removed, its more of a one size fits all situation, nothing like what a wedding should be. Lets talk hypothetically for a minute... lets say a couple comes to Tammy and wants to look at some "high end" resorts in the Maya Riviera area. So Tammy shows the couple EDR and they fall in love with the property. Then this couple comes to find out they can't bring in outside vendors to make their wedding day exactly what they want. Im pissed if Im that couple... If a couple is going to spend their good money on a resort like EDR then my guess is they are going to choose the best vendors for them and "THE" vendors they want. Not what the hotel says they have to go with. just my .02

I have to agree with all of this.
My first gut reaction when seeing this post was Oh wow - Thats nice - Boycotting the resort I chose, now I wont see reviews, now they wont be as "well practiced" in weddings if they lose business, now I wont get to talk to other brides and compare notes etc etc etc.

However, in reading the content I agree with what Tammy is saying and doing!

I was one of those brides who felt almost DOPED. I asked for a high end resort and my TA recommended this.
I read trip advisor, the brochures etc., confident I did some research and booked it! THEN found this site and started learning things - going to my TA and having to pay extra fees etc., and it has sucked! I feel doped. I feel let down. I feel punished. Because what, I DIDN'T KNOW! How was I to know. I wish I had the info upfront and I am sure other future brides will be thankful for the upfront info.
The crap part now is that being informed, I would have chose a different place. However, in doing that it will cost my guests more and I am not comfortable asking for more money months after they have booked.

I chose a DW for ease. Yet, I feel like I am banging my head against a wall.

I suggest we put together a form letter of sorts speaking to the BS of this and our disappointment, making them aware we are a community of many displeased people who will take our current and future busines elsewhere to send them the message of how many people this is effecting and reaching.

[nolaroy724]

I guess I just have to add one thing. I posted this in the EDR ceremony thread, but I'll post it again here. I am one of the EDR brides bringing in my friend who happens to be a photog and she is staying 7 days at the resort with her husband. When EDR asked me about photography, I told them I would not need it because one of my guests would be taking pictures. She said that would be fine but if my friend had professional camera equipment then they would have to charge me $500. I was speechless. I wanted to say, no, she's using a disposable camera - of course she has professional camera equipment (and in that thread there was discussion on what constitutes "professional"). She and her husband are paying well over two grand to stay at the resort but this doesn't seem to resonate with them.

 

I have not responded to her and have my TA who says she has the president of Destination Weddings.com working on it.

 

I agree with Bande2008. I feel a little doped by the whole ordeal but am trying to make the best of it. I am going to send this thread to my TA, so she can warn other potential EDR brides, especially because she is the one who suggested the resort in the first place!!!

[beyondsmitten]

You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not. Some either restrict outsiders or charge you a fee just to use them. You have to really weigh what you want and if the LOCATION is what matters to you more than PHOTOS then this is the place for you, if not keep searching until you find a place that meets your needs. I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT?

 

My location is beautiful, but provides a minimial level (virtually none) of communication before the wedding and charges $300 fees for EVERY outside vendor. I have to keep my fingers crossed that once I arrive things will go smoothly since I can't really talk to them beforehand AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding, but that is the choice I made to have a lush, intimate property to myself and my guests for the weekend. I could have chosen something else but weighed my options. That is what you have to do too!

[Dbld78]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not. Some either restrict outsiders or charge you a fee just to use them. You have to really weigh what you want and if the LOCATION is what matters to you more than PHOTOS then this is the place for you, if not keep searching until you find a place that meets your needs. I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT? My location is beautiful, but provides a minimial level (virtually none) of communication before the wedding and charges $300 fees for EVERY outside vendor. I have to keep my fingers crossed that once I arrive things will go smoothly since I can't really talk to them beforehand AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding, but that is the choice I made to have a lush, intimate property to myself and my guests for the weekend. I could have chosen something else but weighed my options. That is what you have to do too!

Yeah....true, but this is because the girls are either being extorted for making the choice or they were not told of the fee and "policies" before they booked and even some are being told that they have adhere the policy even though it was made after they booked!

Myself being a bride as well as a professional photographer, it's not right. True if you're not that into what your wedding images look like or it's just not that important to you that you can just use the so called pro that the island provides. But it's certainly not fair to brides that do want the choice and unfortunately more and more of these resorts are pulling this deal. Now for real do you really think it's because they want to protect the exclusivity of the resort? Nah.....it's about money, when you book outside vendors you are taking money away from them and they don't want that they want to keep the money with in the resort. As one of the girls stated in another thread she was told that her friend who is a professional photographer is using "professional" equipment she will be charged the $500 fee. And the girl and her husband are booked to stay for a week.

It's extortion at it's finest....and what Tammy and all the girls are doing is taking a stand which to me is going to make a huge difference....

So to answer the question as to what they plan to get out of it......well for them to change their policy......because it's HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!!!!!!!

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not. Some either restrict outsiders or charge you a fee just to use them. You have to really weigh what you want and if the LOCATION is what matters to you more than PHOTOS then this is the place for you, if not keep searching until you find a place that meets your needs. I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT? My location is beautiful, but provides a minimial level (virtually none) of communication before the wedding and charges $300 fees for EVERY outside vendor. I have to keep my fingers crossed that once I arrive things will go smoothly since I can't really talk to them beforehand AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding, but that is the choice I made to have a lush, intimate property to myself and my guests for the weekend. I could have chosen something else but weighed my options. That is what you have to do too!

I don't think it's that common. I had no problem finding a place that didn't have a policy like this. The big problem most of us have with EDR is how they changed their policy after people had already booked.

Even with this boycott, people can still pick EDR for their wedding. Its not like we'd kick them off the forum. So they can still weigh their options. I think a lot can be accomplished with this boycott.

[BandE2008]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not. Some either restrict outsiders or charge you a fee just to use them. You have to really weigh what you want and if the LOCATION is what matters to you more than PHOTOS then this is the place for you, if not keep searching until you find a place that meets your needs. I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT? My location is beautiful, but provides a minimial level (virtually none) of communication before the wedding and charges $300 fees for EVERY outside vendor. I have to keep my fingers crossed that once I arrive things will go smoothly since I can't really talk to them beforehand AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding, but that is the choice I made to have a lush, intimate property to myself and my guests for the weekend. I could have chosen something else but weighed my options. That is what you have to do too!

I have to comment about this ....
This post is NOT about charging for outside vendors
Thats fine
I agree many do, and that is just how it is .....

This post is specifc to EDR because they continue to change things, and charge extrodinary amounts etc.
Outside (small) fees for vendors is common .... and its okay,

AS LONG AS THEY ARE UPFRONT ABOUT IT
AND
THEY DONT CHANGE THEIR POLICIES WITH THE WIND!

[LCBride2007]

I think you will find that most girls on this forum that had their wedding at a resort didn't get charged for outside vendors. I know my location certainly didn't (it wasn't a resort though). They had vendors available to me, and if I chose to use them, great, if not, then there was no additional costs or fees.

 

As for this comment, "I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT?" I think the answer is pretty clear. We hope to get them to change their policies. Simple as that!

[TammyWright]

i answered in bold.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not.

this is not true...there are resorts that will allow you to bring in outside vendors. i didn't pay any fee to have any of my vendors do my wedding

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT?

are you kidding? we have had almost 2000 people visit this thread in a few days...i wonder how many of those people changed their mind about getting married at EDR after reading this thread....every wedding that they do not get is alot of $$ to the resort.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding,

ok, this is the stupidest thing ever. You actually PAID the resort to let you have your uncle officiate...that is NOT normal...i have not heard of anyone else paying to have their family officiate

[lucy106]

I have to agree that it is great to share what has been going on. Constantly changing policies, a current policy of nights stay plus $500 fee is nuts. Tammy is not saying EDR is bad, just that their policy sucks. Which it certainly sounds like it does. I can understand the shock of the EDR brides when they saw a sticky saying to boycott their resorts but it is not a personal thing. It is meant to help future brides and grooms from heartache and more importantly a big PITA.

[can't wait!]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyondsmitten You know Tammy this policy seems to be pretty common for most resorts, high end or not. Some either restrict outsiders or charge you a fee just to use them. You have to really weigh what you want and if the LOCATION is what matters to you more than PHOTOS then this is the place for you, if not keep searching until you find a place that meets your needs. I don't know what you hope to get out of a BOYCOTT? My location is beautiful, but provides a minimial level (virtually none) of communication before the wedding and charges $300 fees for EVERY outside vendor. I have to keep my fingers crossed that once I arrive things will go smoothly since I can't really talk to them beforehand AND I have to pay for my own uncle to officate my wedding, but that is the choice I made to have a lush, intimate property to myself and my guests for the weekend. I could have chosen something else but weighed my options. That is what you have to do too!

Things you need to know.

This isn't a TAMMY thing. It's a thing many of us have chosen to take a part in. And as you can read in the posts, many girls are glad to hear the news BEFORE they book their site.

I know but a handful of resorts that charge to bring outside vendors in. MOST DON'T. My location is also beautiful and is extremely flexible and free of extra charges. I could bring the pope to officiate my ceremony and they wouldn't charge me a dime. Now getting him to agree is another thing.

So please, before you go singling out Tammy, understand this is a forum to exchange information so that we are better prepared for our weddings.