Barcelo Maya Palace Brides

[gilmana]

@amberduke  

 

We have about the same number of guests and we are doing the strawberry passion.  Have you considered the Strawberry PAssion?  I don't know what the tangerine sunset is.  

[gilmana]

To all of the brides who have already had their wedding - we are using an ipod/iphone for our music during our cocktail hour.  Do you know if an iPhone is compatible with their sound system?  I thought I read somewhere that it is NOT.  

 

Also, is the beach sectioned off - meaning can those from the tropical hang out on the beach in front of the Palace?  I was thinking of having everyone hang out on the beach between the Tropical and the Palace but I don't want anyone to hassle the non-Palace guests.

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by somethingblue77 

 

Hi! Another question from me..The holiday was a good break but now I am back in full planning gear!

 

I have booked an outside photographer and in order to avoid paying the $500 vendor fee, I am planning to book 2 nights for the photographer and his assistant. We are all staying at the Palace Deluxe but the rooms per night at that time is $266. The other resorts like the Beach and Tropical are cheaper at $140 per night. Would you recommend me to book another resort room for the photographer? Is that a hassle?

 

Please help. Thanks!

 

I would suggest you get the room for the Photographer at the Tropical (closest to the Palace).  If you can get the Tropical at $140/night - that's a good deal.  The Beach is the farthest from the Palace.

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by amberduke 

 

Only 45 days to go! We have about 70 booked and finalized so far (mostly at the Palace, which is apparently sold out now). I have silently been stalking this blog for 9 months and have taken the advice and not freaked out, BUT now that we are getting close...haha

 

We are doing the catamaran trip in place of the rehearsal dinner and I have completely stayed out of that planning and let my future mother-in-law have at it. I think no matter what, it should be a blast (although our families are mostly Irish/English and I have often wondered how sun poisoning might factor into this). 

 

The bridesmaids dresses are done. The groomsmen stuff is done. My dress is being altered. Hair and makeup booked through Adrian. The groom booked the DJ (he searched these blogs to choose him/my only requirement was the light up dance floor). Cake has been ordered by my Aunt (again, I stayed out of it and trust her/my mother). My brother is doing the ceremony (it won't be legal/we got married at City Hall here in Chicago on my Great-Grandmother's anniversary). My mother and Aunt have already designed and purchased things for vintage-y centerpieces. We have two photographers and a videographer (the groom's father is a professional photographer and they are all "guests" of the wedding/my parents paid for their travel/hotel stay for the week). 

 

Which brings us to my first-world-bride dilemma/What I need advice on:

 

We initially selected the Tangerine Sunset, but now seeing that we won't need a JOP, videographer, photographer, DJ, cake, or upgrades it seems downright silly to spend over $10,000 on that package!

 

Should we go a-la-carte for the cocktail hour, flowers, and reception (don't forget the mariachi you have all raved about )? Or add onto the Blueberry Dream? Or just suck it up and keep the Tangerine Sunset?

 

HALP!

 

  We have about the same number of guests and we are doing the strawberry passion.  Have you considered the Strawberry Passion?  I don't know what the tangerine sunset is.  

[Brenners]

Originally Posted by somethingblue77 

 

Hi! For those that used iphones/ipods for music, did you have to rent the audio speakers and microphones? If so, how much extra?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Originally Posted by somethingblue77 

 

Hi! Another question from me..The holiday was a good break but now I am back in full planning gear!

 

I have booked an outside photographer and in order to avoid paying the $500 vendor fee, I am planning to book 2 nights for the photographer and his assistant. We are all staying at the Palace Deluxe but the rooms per night at that time is $266. The other resorts like the Beach and Tropical are cheaper at $140 per night. Would you recommend me to book another resort room for the photographer? Is that a hassle?

 

Please help. Thanks!

 

 

We did not have to pay anything for the speakers or microphone.  Just be sure to let your WC know that you will be bringing your iPod for the ceremony or reception or both.

 

I would recommend booking them at the cheaper hotels as anyone staying at a lower price hotel can come to the wedding without having to pay a fee.

 

Good luck and congratulations!

[FireyNurse]

I second all Brenners said ) As well, I wasn't concerned with how close the photographers were to us at the Palace as they aren't in their room when its wedding time, they are in your room and following you around. I booked them at the cheapest I could to save money, so they stayed at the Beach/Caribe and had no issues attending our wedding.

 

Also I do not think that the charger/doc works with iPhones but we didn't try, I have just heard that. I do know that it is not compatible with the new style plug in chargers on iPods/iphones, it is an old style one. 

 

Just a couple tips for iPod users...

Cross Fade your music - theres a place you can go under settings so it blends the songs into each other, we did this and it sounded great! It is under Settings, then Music, then Audio Crossfade and you turn it ON.

Sound Check -  it is to monitor the volume of songs and make sure you don't have that crazy loud song that downloaded at a loud volume and then a really quiet one, it sort of checks them and makes them more even.

[FireyNurse]

Originally Posted by gilmana 

 

To all of the brides who have already had their wedding - we are using an ipod/iphone for our music during our cocktail hour.  Do you know if an iPhone is compatible with their sound system?  I thought I read somewhere that it is NOT.  

 

Also, is the beach sectioned off - meaning can those from the tropical hang out on the beach in front of the Palace?  I was thinking of having everyone hang out on the beach between the Tropical and the Palace but I don't want anyone to hassle the non-Palace guests.

Gilmana, 

 

The beach isn't sectioned off so you can all sit there, but the guests from the Tropical cannot order drinks from the coco beach bar at the Palace, they ask to see wrist bracelets. There is no beach drink servers so no one hassles you. We ended up sitting more so to the Colonial/Tropical side with our group so everyone had easy access to drinks, there are also some rocks on different parts of the beach so we sat in areas where we could best walk out into the water. Closer to the Palace side, if you have goggles and snorkelling gear and you just swim out (not even as far as the buoys are) you can see sea turtles everywhere, they are amazing to swim with and watch!

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by FireyNurse 

 

Gilmana, 

 

The beach isn't sectioned off so you can all sit there, but the guests from the Tropical cannot order drinks from the coco beach bar at the Palace, they ask to see wrist bracelets. There is no beach drink servers so no one hassles you. We ended up sitting more so to the Colonial/Tropical side with our group so everyone had easy access to drinks, there are also some rocks on different parts of the beach so we sat in areas where we could best walk out into the water. Closer to the Palace side, if you have goggles and snorkelling gear and you just swim out (not even as far as the buoys are) you can see sea turtles everywhere, they are amazing to swim with and watch!

Thank you!!!  That makes me feel better.  I did a site visit a year ago, and now that you said that about the rocks - I remember the Palace being rockier than the others.  

 

I LOVE sea turtles!  I can't wait to do this.  

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by FireyNurse 

 

I second all Brenners said ) As well, I wasn't concerned with how close the photographers were to us at the Palace as they aren't in their room when its wedding time, they are in your room and following you around. I booked them at the cheapest I could to save money, so they stayed at the Beach/Caribe and had no issues attending our wedding.

 

Also I do not think that the charger/doc works with iPhones but we didn't try, I have just heard that. I do know that it is not compatible with the new style plug in chargers on iPods/iphones, it is an old style one. 

 

Just a couple tips for iPod users...

Cross Fade your music - theres a place you can go under settings so it blends the songs into each other, we did this and it sounded great! It is under Settings, then Music, then Audio Crossfade and you turn it ON.

Sound Check -  it is to monitor the volume of songs and make sure you don't have that crazy loud song that downloaded at a loud volume and then a really quiet one, it sort of checks them and makes them more even.

Thank you for the info on the ipods... I thought I read somewhere on here that iPhones do not work.  We'll just do the ipod - it will be easier.  And great tips on fading the music!  Thank you.

[kbrandriet]

Omg you are getting married on February 16, 2013 at the Barcelo?
I am too and also have Adrian doing my wedding party hair and make-up

What time are you getting married and where at on the resort?

We are having our reception in a banquet room, thought about doing a cruise and looked into but we are having another big reception in April back in my home town so didn't want to get to crazy or spend way more than necessary. Super excited for our big day! see you there!