Dreams Cancun - Questions for those married here!

[clgriffi7]

I bought pashminas for the ladies and aviator sunglasses for the guys from the following website:

https://www.firstwholesale.com/
 

 

Originally Posted by Soon2BMrsS 

I have put together a wedding week survival kit, with a spanish/english dictionary, first aid kit with pepto, advil, a sewing kit, personalized koozies (oriental trading) pen/paper, single crystal light packs,  tissues, sunblock, playing cards, hand sanitizer. 

 

 Were should I look for the pashmina's?

 

[clgriffi7]

Good call - I bet you are right that when Claudia said Garden she is talking about that grassy area you described by the pool instead of the spa garden.

 

I am doing all of my events back to back:  ceremony at 4:30pm, cocktail hour 5:30-6:30pm, reception 6:30-9:30pm.  We will take our bride & groom pictures before the ceremony (2pm-4pm) and then group/guest photos between the ceremony and cocktail hour (5:00-5:30pm, while the sun sets at 5:10pm).

 

I prefer the idea of keeping your guests moving from one event to another instead of sending off on their own.  Two things to consider:  1)  The sun is harshest at noon and least desirable for pictures, the closer to sunrise and sunset the better the lighting for photographers and 2)  a later ceremony = not having to get to the salon as early!  I emailed the spa and said I wanted to be out by 1:30pm (to start my pics at 2pm) and that there will be 4 of us for hair & makeup (bride, MOH, MOB, and MOG) and they are starting our appointments at 9:00am!!! Just something to consider.

 

I think looking for shot glasses once in Cancun is a good idea.  As for the playing cards, Oriental Trading Company has 10 different options for personalized playing cards.  Hopefully the link below will work.  Their prices are MUCH better, but the designs they have might not be what you want/like.

http://www.orientaltrading.com/toys,-games-and-novelties/games-and-activities/playing-cards/personalizable-a1-388934+18-4-1.fltr
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by hairdos11 

I believe that you can have it by the spa garden because I know I have seen a pic on this site of a reception there.   However the garden reception pics that I was sent by Claudia were of the grassy area by the pool, over that way.  Which is still really beautiful because you can see the gazebo, pool, and ocean.  

Question for everyone, how far apart are you doing the wed, cocktail hour, and reception. We are thinking wed at noon, the pics, then cocktail hour, then dinner at 4pm.  I know it seems far apart but since we will be a small group I figure after the ceremony and pictures everyone could go freshen up in their rooms or sit at the bar in between the dinner times.  I know all the weddings I went to there was always a huge gap and you socialized in between.  Or should I move the wed until 2pm?  Claudia thought my gap was big but she said it's up to me. 

Bags for guest- I got brown gifts bags from Jo Ann Fabrics I did stencils on there of palm trees, hula girls, fish, and cocktails.  I picked paints that really stood out, I just put Cancun, Mexico on there.  No names or dates, more work then I imagined.  I plan to put cards, crossword puzzle books, a bittle stoppers, and cocktail for dummies.  Again I have a small group of 15-20 and they range in age so I tried to think of everyone.  At the dollar store they have the crossword books, at Target for a dollar they have the cocktails for dummies.  Anything else I plan to grab when I'm down there, that way I don't have to lug it in down there.  If you buy say 10-20 shot glasses there I'm sure you can bargain for a good price.  Sorry so long! Anyone know where to get personalized cards.  At becup they wanted $70 for 24 packs (that's the min. you have to order) which includes the setup fee.  That seems like alot of money to me!

 

[clgriffi7]

One OOT bag item that I think I will really appreciate later is a postcard for the guests to fill out and mail back to us.  I ordered them from Vistaprint with a caricature of my fiance and I on one side (it was supposed to look like the 2 of us in wedding attire) and the back side having a message that reads "Please write a message to the bride & groom and drop this card in the mail to give the happy couple a unique souvenir." and it is addressed to us as a married couple (his last name).  We will need to buy postage once we arrive in Mexico - hopefully the resort front desk can help us with this...

 

We think the caricature looks funny as the artist drew my Asian fiance to look Hispanic (of course the sad excuse for a sombrero doesn't help).

 

[caboose]

I agree with Hairdos, I've seen pics of a reception at the spa garden on this site too. Do a search in this forum for spa garden it's got to be here somewhere. When I visited the hotel I remember Claudia saying you could do the cocktail hour in the grassy area by the gazebo so that's always an option. My concern is if you do the cocktail hour and the reception on the terrace, what do your guests do while they break down the cocktail tables and put up dinner tables and decorations...seems awkward. I'll just make that decision once I get there next week....

[clgriffi7]

NEXT WEEK?!!!  So exciting.....
 

Originally Posted by caboose 

I agree with Hairdos, I've seen pics of a reception at the spa garden on this site too. Do a search in this forum for spa garden it's got to be here somewhere. When I visited the hotel I remember Claudia saying you could do the cocktail hour in the grassy area by the gazebo so that's always an option. My concern is if you do the cocktail hour and the reception on the terrace, what do your guests do while they break down the cocktail tables and put up dinner tables and decorations...seems awkward.

I'll just make that decision once I get there next week....

 

[caboose]

Yep. I was very calm and mello and not stressing about my to do list until you posted NEXT WEEK in all caps. LOL I still have things to do but I woke up Monday all Martha Stewert'd out. I had to give myself a few days to not think about wedding tasks and not flip out about the umpteenth email I haven't received a response back yet from Claudia. My motto this week is I'll just figure it out when I get there

[mgl27]

Hi Girls!! I received so much stuff over  the past couple days!! My bags from cheaptotes are just fine.  They are what you expect them to be, cheap totes!!   But like Courtney said in an older post, people will more than likely leave them behind.  I did the iron on decals today.  We used maracas/sombrero, palm tree, sea horse, fish, light house, sun and a sail boat.  Have them in the wash right now, but will post pics soon.  I think they came out great for cheap totes and an iron decal!! They also say Cancun, Mexico October, 2011.

 

I ordered 99 cent luggage tags on eBay (should arrive Friday) and we are going to use printable "business cards" purchased from staples with everyone's address and some sort of cute image on them.  I thought about sending beforehand, but since we have quite a few, I decided against all that postage.  I'm just going to use them as tags/labels for each bag.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/290538433224?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 

 

We just ordered koozies from barrypromos.com.  75 of them for $82.  Those should arrive on 9/8.  Best price I found.  We needed about 65-70, so the quantity and price worked out fine.  He sells in 50, 75, 100 etc.  He sent us a final layout in email form and it looks adorable.  Yellow koozies at top says, eat, drink & be married.  Bride and groom drawing, bottom Meghan & Scott 10.29.11.  Hopefully they look great.  Will let everyone know.

 

I am going to email my TA and ask her if she has any pictures of the garden.

 

My ceremony, cocktail hour, reception all follow one another as well.  Ceremony at 4, cocktail hour from 5-6, reception 6-10.  I just though it would be easier if all just flowed together.  I didn't want anyone going back to their room and passing out!!! 

 

We also ordered maracas to use as name/table cards, which came.  They are adorable, but honestly HOW THE HECK WILL I GET THEM DOWN THERE???!!! LOL.  I'm for sure going to get stopped at customs!! 

[clgriffi7]

Meghan -

 

How much are you being charged for the extra hour of the reception? I think the per person open bar price might be worth it, but not sure when you add on more money for the DJ.  I have definitely been thinking about adding an hour because our reception will start so early (unfortunate result of picking a date when the days are shorter).  However, I wonder if it will be worth the money for our group of only 26 adults.  May just be worth it for us to all go out afterwards...  Does anyone know what Desires is like and if that would be worth a try?

 

I too plan on doing maracas and having them at each place setting at the reception.  However, I decided to forgo the transport fees and take a risk on being able to buy them once I get to Mexico.  That means that on the day we arrive we will have to leave the resort and head to a market in hopes of finding some.  Adventure.
 

Originally Posted by mgl27 

Hi Girls!! I received so much stuff over  the past couple days!! My bags from cheaptotes are just fine.  They are what you expect them to be, cheap totes!!   But like Courtney said in an older post, people will more than likely leave them behind.  I did the iron on decals today.  We used maracas/sombrero, palm tree, sea horse, fish, light house, sun and a sail boat.  Have them in the wash right now, but will post pics soon.  I think they came out great for cheap totes and an iron decal!! They also say Cancun, Mexico October, 2011.

 

I ordered 99 cent luggage tags on eBay (should arrive Friday) and we are going to use printable "business cards" purchased from staples with everyone's address and some sort of cute image on them.  I thought about sending beforehand, but since we have quite a few, I decided against all that postage.  I'm just going to use them as tags/labels for each bag.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/290538433224?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 

 

We just ordered koozies from barrypromos.com.  75 of them for $82.  Those should arrive on 9/8.  Best price I found.  We needed about 65-70, so the quantity and price worked out fine.  He sells in 50, 75, 100 etc.  He sent us a final layout in email form and it looks adorable.  Yellow koozies at top says, eat, drink & be married.  Bride and groom drawing, bottom Meghan & Scott 10.29.11.  Hopefully they look great.  Will let everyone know.

 

I am going to email my TA and ask her if she has any pictures of the garden.

 

My ceremony, cocktail hour, reception all follow one another as well.  Ceremony at 4, cocktail hour from 5-6, reception 6-10.  I just though it would be easier if all just flowed together.  I didn't want anyone going back to their room and passing out!!! 

 

We also ordered maracas to use as name/table cards, which came.  They are adorable, but honestly HOW THE HECK WILL I GET THEM DOWN THERE???!!! LOL.  I'm for sure going to get stopped at customs!! 

 

[NurseM]

The maracas can be easily purchased in Cancun, we went to a outlet market type store, five minute walk from Dreams. It was great no one hassled us in the store cause it was set prices, but we got each maraca for 50 cents!! They were good quality too! 

 

Our reception we only had for three hours, it was long enough and went from 8-11pm then we all went to desires, two other weddings that had happened that day were there also, we all partied and danced until 1:30am, then husband and I went back to the room and ordered a piece of our wedding cake from room service!! Desires was a great option. 

 

Your asking about the garden, I would say if you want it private choose the terrace, the garden there is rooms right above it, that everyone can watch if they want. There is also the option of Himitsu beach for your reception, it is so so private and beautiful. 

[clgriffi7]

Thank you for this info!  Are there particular directions to this market or a name we should ask for?  $0.50 is what I am talking about
 

Glad to hear you think 3 hours is enough - that will save us some money (and save me the hassle of having to try and justify it to my fiance).  What I love about a destination wedding is that you have already spent a few days with your guests, so you don't have to waste your reception time "meeting and greeting" everyone - you can all sit and eat a full meal and then party together.  Is there something special about entrance fee or drink tickets or something like that to Desires?  For some reason I feel like I read something about free entrance and a free drink per night for Dreams guests or something like that.

 

We will be using the beach for the reception so the garden was an option for the cocktail hour.  But I am definitely in favor of privacy (as much as that is possible at a resort) so I think the Terrace is the best option.

 

Question for you:  my fiance and I will be staging "first look" photos because we want to take pictures before the ceremony (so we can have a ceremony closer to sunset) - where do you think would be a good place for this?  I would like it to be somewhere pretty so the pictures turn out well but I would also prefer it to not be somewhere crowded where my fiance and I will be a spectacle.  I have seen one set of pictures like that on this thread from a previous Dreams Cancun bride and she did hers on the pier.  The setting was very pretty but you could tell in the pictures that it was very windy out there.  Any suggestions?

 

Originally Posted by NurseM 

The maracas can be easily purchased in Cancun, we went to a outlet market type store, five minute walk from Dreams. It was great no one hassled us in the store cause it was set prices, but we got each maraca for 50 cents!! They were good quality too! 

 

Our reception we only had for three hours, it was long enough and went from 8-11pm then we all went to desires, two other weddings that had happened that day were there also, we all partied and danced until 1:30am, then husband and I went back to the room and ordered a piece of our wedding cake from room service!! Desires was a great option. 

 

Your asking about the garden, I would say if you want it private choose the terrace, the garden there is rooms right above it, that everyone can watch if they want. There is also the option of Himitsu beach for your reception, it is so so private and beautiful.