Barcelo Maya Palace Brides

[mrsnova]

So we got our professional photos back a few days ago and I love them! Juan Navarro did an amazing job!

 

Here is a link to my fb album that has about half of them...too many to post

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200408264106645.1073741828.1157136230&type=1&l=0c31ad27d3

 

[julienelson0713]

Originally Posted by mrsnova 

 

So we got our professional photos back a few days ago and I love them! Juan Navarro did an amazing job!

 

Here is a link to my fb album that has about half of them...too many to post

 

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200408264106645.1073741828.1157136230&type=1&l=0c31ad27d3

 

Gorgeous!!!!!! I checked out your facebook album and they are all stunning! Congrats

 

[FireyNurse]

Okay its been some time since I posted anything. I have been so focused on little details. I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the exact answer to even after doing a search. 1. Negotiation on price - I get that they have to make money however, I do feel they nickle and dime you. I am bring 80 guests to this hotel all staying at the Palace for 7 -10 days. Has anyone had any lucky negotiating on the prices for anything? 2. Am I just not reading all this information correctly...not only do they charge you $66 per person over 15 (strawberry package) but then they also charge $15 per person for alcohol ???  My WC really has never made that clear on my spreadsheet of the price. 3. This outside vendor charge...do I have to pay $500 for my Photographer and $500 for my Videographer as well? 4. I did read somewhere that I don't have to pay for Adrian and his team to come on site as he includes that in his price and pays them ? 5. Are the 3 hours for the ceremony enough? What are suggestions to keep the price down 6. Rehearsal Dinner - is this something I get or do I have to pay for this as well ? Sorry I'm just freaking out and I'm only 32 days away from the Wedding. I am very fortunate that my parents are paying for my wedding however I don't want them to get down there and be like WTF are all these extra charges. So Brides that have recently been married there or anyone who knows an answer please HELPPPPP Thanks Sam

Hey! It's getting SO close for you, super exciting!! I can maybe provide some clarity on some things... The $66 per person is for the meals for each guest over 15. Yes you have to pay it for all guests eating that are over the 15 included...but in my opinion, $66 for a 4 course meal that is privately served on a beach and may include surf and turf (if you chose it) isn't bad. The reception includes 3 hours of drink service...you pay per person per hour over 3 hours. I believe it was $12 per person we paid. We extended our reception up front by 2 hours, then when we were given our 15 min warning that it was ending we were asked if we would like to extend it and we did for one more hour. I had a videographer and a photographer and yes it's $500 per vendor (if they are the same company it's one fee, mine were two different companies). Or to save money here go online to Barcelo.com, sign up for mybarcelo and book your people 2 nights staying at the cheapest resort (beach or caribe) and it'll likely be cheaper than the $1000 fees. Mine totaled less than $600 for the two rooms for two nights. We didn't do a rehearsal dinner at the resort cause I figured they'd charge something for it so we went to Playa Del Carmen and ate out at our favourite restaurant. I have heard people on here say recently that there were fees involved with rehearsal dinners at the resort, I am not sure what the facts are behind that. As well as negotiating, I am not sure what the chances are of getting things cheaper or free, we had a group of 20, so not enough pull for anything, haha, but I have seen a post on here about a free cocktail hour because the group was so large. That's all I have for answers for ya, hopefully other people chime in and you'll get everything answered that you are looking for Cheers!

[chrisdior]

Can anyone tell which restaurant is this best on the palace side? Thanks

[julienelson0713]

Originally Posted by FireyNurse 

 

 

Hey! It's getting SO close for you, super exciting!!

 

I can maybe provide some clarity on some things...

 

The $66 per person is for the meals for each guest over 15. Yes you have to pay it for all guests eating that are over the 15 included...but in my opinion, $66 for a 4 course meal that is privately served on a beach and may include surf and turf (if you chose it) isn't bad.

 

The reception includes 3 hours of drink service...you pay per person per hour over 3 hours. I believe it was $12 per person we paid. We extended our reception up front by 2 hours, then when we were given our 15 min warning that it was ending we were asked if we would like to extend it and we did for one more hour.

 

I had a videographer and a photographer and yes it's $500 per vendor (if they are the same company it's one fee, mine were two different companies). Or to save money here go online to Barcelo.com, sign up for mybarcelo and book your people 2 nights staying at the cheapest resort (beach or caribe) and it'll likely be cheaper than the $1000 fees. Mine totaled less than $600 for the two rooms for two nights.

 

We didn't do a rehearsal dinner at the resort cause I figured they'd charge something for it so we went to Playa Del Carmen and ate out at our favourite restaurant. I have heard people on here say recently that there were fees involved with rehearsal dinners at the resort, I am not sure what the facts are behind that. As well as negotiating, I am not sure what the chances are of getting things cheaper or free, we had a group of 20, so not enough pull for anything, haha, but I have seen a post on here about a free cocktail hour because the group was so large.

 

That's all I have for answers for ya, hopefully other people chime in and you'll get everything answered that you are looking for

 

Cheers!

How much per hour is it to extend your reception? Do you just pay the $14 per person per hour? I'm a little worried because 6:30-9:30 isn't a whole lot of time, and the disco doesn't open until 11.

 

missfreckles  Yay!! You must be getting so excited, it's coming so soon!!

 

I booked my photographer for two nights at the Barcelo Beach online using Mybarcelo and it was $300 with tax included. Definitely try that!!

 

As for Adrian, he personally told me that I did not need to pay the day pass for him. In the case of a makeup artist, there is no $500 fee because although there is a spa, the hotel doesn't have a contract with them in the same way that they do with Smile Market/Kodack/Ocean View (or whatever they're called now!!). If you go with someone else there may be a fee ($75) per person to get a day pass...not too bad!

 

As for a rehearsal dinner, I was told with my group of 25, there would be no fee. We would have a set menu (I've worked in a restaurant and this is simply easier for the kitchen!) and would not be all at one table, but would be in the same area of the restaurant. You CAN ask for a private dinner, but I felt like we could all get together for drinks after the rehearsal and dinner in the same section of the restaurant would be fine with me. It all depends what's important to you!

 

I believe with the Tangarine package there is a complementary cocktail hour for a certain number of people and the Blueberry package as well, but there is no dinner included. Some packages have small print at the bottom that says you get free dinner or $ off for the number of people you have. Check out http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloWeddings/en_GB/mexico/barcelo-maya-beach-resort/wedding-packages.aspx

 

Good luck with everything!!!

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by chrisdior 

 

Can anyone tell which restaurant is this best on the palace side? Thanks

If you want seafood - El Caribe

If you want a nice kinda fancy dinner - the french place, La Brasserie Restaurant

If you want lots of steak variety - rodizio...  

 

And which ever you choose - just ask the waiter what he recommends.  Everything we had was great!

[gilmana]

Originally Posted by missfreckles 

 

Okay its been some time since I posted anything. I have been so focused on little details.

 

I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the exact answer to even after doing a search.

 

1. Negotiation on price - I get that they have to make money however, I do feel they nickle and dime you. I am bring 80 guests to this hotel all staying at the Palace for 7 -10 days. Has anyone had any lucky negotiating on the prices for anything?

 

2. Am I just not reading all this information correctly...not only do they charge you $66 per person over 15 (strawberry package) but then they also charge $15 per person for alcohol ???  My WC really has never made that clear on my spreadsheet of the price.

 

3. This outside vendor charge...do I have to pay $500 for my Photographer and $500 for my Videographer as well?

 

4. I did read somewhere that I don't have to pay for Adrian and his team to come on site as he includes that in his price and pays them ?

 

5. Are the 3 hours for the ceremony enough? What are suggestions to keep the price down

 

6. Rehearsal Dinner - is this something I get or do I have to pay for this as well ?

 

Sorry I'm just freaking out and I'm only 32 days away from the Wedding.

 

I am very fortunate that my parents are paying for my wedding however I don't want them to get down there and be like WTF are all these extra charges.

 

 

So Brides that have recently been married there or anyone who knows an answer please HELPPPPP

 

Thanks

Sam

1.  Yes, we were able to negotiate prices/deals with our cocktail hour and we also got them to not charge for children for food or drinks... and something else that I can't remember right now.  Remind them that you are bringing all these people for 8-10 days.  And we were even negotiating right up until we paid.  

2.  Yes, it's $15/person/hour for alcohol... after your first 3 hours (I think).

3.  Our WC told us to tell the Barcelo Photography (the one you have to pay the vendor fee to) that the Photographer and videographer were together so we paid one fee - $500 and not $1000.  Had they known they were separate, I believe we would have had to pay $1000.  So, just say that they are one team.

4.  I can't answer that

5.  Your reception will FLY by.... we had our dinner at 6:00 and the whole thing ended at midnight and it went by like the blink of an eye.  I do know that some of our guests went to the disco afterwards.  We were so exhausted that we didn't join them.  We also had mariachis come from 11-midnight and we had a taquero come to serve traditional street tacos so those two things took up some of our 6 hours of party.  

6.  We did NOT pay for our rehearsal dinner.  We had like 45 people for our rehearsal dinner and because it was such a large group we had to have it at a buffet AND we had to do it right when the buffet opened.  They sectioned off 3 very long tables for us and it worked out great.  

[mrsnova]

Originally Posted by chrisdior 

 

Can anyone tell which restaurant is this best on the palace side? Thanks

We had the best meal at the french restaurant! The japanese and carribean was good too

[mrsnova]

Originally Posted by julienelson0713 

 

How much per hour is it to extend your reception? Do you just pay the $14 per person per hour? I'm a little worried because 6:30-9:30 isn't a whole lot of time, and the disco doesn't open until 11.

 

missfreckles  Yay!! You must be getting so excited, it's coming so soon!!

 

I booked my photographer for two nights at the Barcelo Beach online using Mybarcelo and it was $300 with tax included. Definitely try that!!

 

As for Adrian, he personally told me that I did not need to pay the day pass for him. In the case of a makeup artist, there is no $500 fee because although there is a spa, the hotel doesn't have a contract with them in the same way that they do with Smile Market/Kodack/Ocean View (or whatever they're called now!!). If you go with someone else there may be a fee ($75) per person to get a day pass...not too bad!

 

As for a rehearsal dinner, I was told with my group of 25, there would be no fee. We would have a set menu (I've worked in a restaurant and this is simply easier for the kitchen!) and would not be all at one table, but would be in the same area of the restaurant. You CAN ask for a private dinner, but I felt like we could all get together for drinks after the rehearsal and dinner in the same section of the restaurant would be fine with me. It all depends what's important to you!

 

I believe with the Tangarine package there is a complementary cocktail hour for a certain number of people and the Blueberry package as well, but there is no dinner included. Some packages have small print at the bottom that says you get free dinner or $ off for the number of people you have. Check out http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloWeddings/en_GB/mexico/barcelo-maya-beach-resort/wedding-packages.aspx

 

Good luck with everything!!!

I did my rehearsal dinner at the carribean restrauant. There was no charge and it was semi private. We had like 24 people and they set up two large tables right next to eachother. There was a set menue (you got to choose between two options) and I think you have to make the reservations ahead of time.

[Mel888]

Did your wedding coordinator plan the rehersal dinner or did you girls do it yourself?