Azul Sensatori Brides - POST HERE!

[murmel]

Originally Posted by kathryn83 

 

Been hard at work on sourcing items for our OOT bags. Am so stuck on what to get the MEN. Does the resort have any sort of innertube rental/pool floats for adults? Thought that could work if they don't offer anything.

There are no floats at the resort. Not even sure that they offer them at the gift store. I know we brought down a few air mattresses, tubes and had great fun with them.

 

Other ideas for men's OOT bags: a baseball hat, deck of cards, snacks

[JennyBenz]

Murmel-

 Congrats on your new position with BDW!

 I have a question, hoping you can help me...

 I don't want to pay the crazy high prices for centerpieces from Lomas, especially b/c we'll probably need them for about 10-12 tables.

 Would the resort allow me to bring in centerpieces I purchase off of the resort, or they won't allow any real flowers?

 If they do, where can I go to get fresh flowers or find a local service who can make something up?

 I was thinking of doing real touch submerged flowers but not I'm loving the look of something more vintage & with real flower. I just don't know ! LOL

 

Thanks for the help!

Jen

[murmel]

Originally Posted by JennyBenz 

 

Murmel-

 Congrats on your new position with BDW!

 I have a question, hoping you can help me...

 I don't want to pay the crazy high prices for centerpieces from Lomas, especially b/c we'll probably need them for about 10-12 tables.

 Would the resort allow me to bring in centerpieces I purchase off of the resort, or they won't allow any real flowers?

 If they do, where can I go to get fresh flowers or find a local service who can make something up?

 I was thinking of doing real touch submerged flowers but not I'm loving the look of something more vintage & with real flower. I just don't know ! LOL

 

Thanks for the help!

Jen

Thanks Jen.

 

The centerpieces are very expensive. However I am not sure if you could have someone bring in centerpieces without having to pay the outside vendor fee

Depending on how many flowers you wanted you might be able to find a florist in Cancun and just pick them up and bring them back??? But unfortunately I don't have any experience with that. We got out of renting the centerpieces by buying large vases in Cancun for super cheap, and then just filling them with limes and water. Could you bring some real touch/or fake flowers with you to use? What are your wedding colors? Maybe we can figure out an alternative that will not cost you too much

[kathryn83]

Originally Posted by murmel 

 

Thanks Jen.

 

The centerpieces are very expensive. However I am not sure if you could have someone bring in centerpieces without having to pay the outside vendor fee

Depending on how many flowers you wanted you might be able to find a florist in Cancun and just pick them up and bring them back??? But unfortunately I don't have any experience with that. We got out of renting the centerpieces by buying large vases in Cancun for super cheap, and then just filling them with limes and water. Could you bring some real touch/or fake flowers with you to use? What are your wedding colors? Maybe we can figure out an alternative that will not cost you too much

 

Jen -- have you looked at any of the packaged table decorations from Lomas? They aren't cheap but I feel like your money goes so much farther because of all the extras like chargers and table lighting. With the one I'm doing we also get to keep a few pieces as favors for our guests. Might be worth checking out if you've only priced out centerpieces.

[RachelTX]

Can anyone tell me anything about the Cigar Rollers?  It says they put on a 2 hour "show" but I'm not really sure what that would consist of.   Also, do they roll your pre-ordered cigars during the show?  or are those pre-rolled??

[ELAINENYC]

Originally Posted by RachelTX 

 

Can anyone tell me anything about the Cigar Rollers?  It says they put on a 2 hour "show" but I'm not really sure what that would consist of.   Also, do they roll your pre-ordered cigars during the show?  or are those pre-rolled??

 

We had the cigar rollers at our reception from 8:00-10:00. The 2 hr event is a few guys who set up a table and roll right in front of you a mix of Mexican and Dominican cigars. Since it is rolled fresh, the cigars are actually pretty good. Unfortunately, they do not roll cuban cigars. However, you can pre-order Cuban cigars which come in a box for an extra cost. Off the top of my head, I do not remember how much extra the cuban cost. But if you are interested, I can dig through my file to see how much I paid. The cigar rollers were a big hit with my group.

[ELAINENYC]

MY DETAILED REVIEW - Sorry for such a long winded novel. If you do not want to read my boring details you can just skip to the bottom where i listed a few tips. Please feel free to ask me any question or if you want to see any pics! Would love to help in any way I can!  

 

Tuesday – Nov 6^th

We arrived at Azul Sensatori around 1:30pm.  Once we arrived, we checked in at the Premier Concierge.  We asked her if she could recommend a shop in the Cancun area so we can pick up maracas. She actually informed us there is a Mexican Market on the premises on Thursday so we should be able to pick them up there. Since we needed 54, she was able to order them for us in advance. The big ones were going to be $5 and the smaller ones were for $3. Not sure if we could have gotten a better price in Cancun but since we were pressed for time we decided to purchase them this way. Any brides who may be pressed for time and really do not need to go to Cancun other than to purchase maracas, then I would recommend asking the Concierge to order them for you.

 

After settling in, meeting with the Premier Concierge, and putting together the Welcome Bags, I went right over to Le Chique to make reservations for my guests and my husband & I. I only made reservations for guests who were staying past Sunday and who wanted to try out the restaurant. It turns out that if you booked in the Premier section than the $25 entrance fee per person is waived.  Those who do pay $25 can apply it towards the upgraded menu ($110) or apply it towards the wine pairing. They have 3 different wine pairing prices ($55, $49 and $39).  Le Chique usually does not allow you to make reservations for guests who have not booked. However, as long as you play the bride card and you know which section your guests are staying in, then you can do this. 

Since we went with the Silver Wedding Package, we reserved our candlelight dinner for our 1^st night at the resort. It was perfect. The food was amazing and came out promptly. I recall reading from other brides complaining about the service. I guess we lucked out b/c the food and service was great.  As we were dining, there was another couple actually getting married with 2 witnesses. It was so beautiful and super private. An added bonus to witness this event while we were having out romantic dinner. I actually think my husband even teared up a bit. lol

 

Wednesday – Nov 7th

We went to greet my bridesmaids and to go over the cancellations with Olympus. They were the transportation company who was handling all transfers for my guests. Since my husband and I picked up the tab for our guests, it was very important to us to figure out who was cancelling and whose flight was being delayed. As you may recall, my area was not only affected by Hurricane Sandy but there was also a Nor’easter that hit the area on Wednesday night /Thursday morning.

We also went over the wedding detail sheet with our wedding coordinator, Janet. Make sure you go through each line and every detail. Do not leave anything out. There were a few minor errors I caught b/c I went through everything before I signed off.

I was entitled to have a mannequin in the room to display my wedding gown. Since I did not want my husband to see it yet, I had it sent to my bridesmaid’s room.

 

Also, I was entitled to a bridal attendant 3 hours before the start of the ceremony. I told Janet I did not think I needed her but if I did, I will call the wedding coordinator’s office. The day of my wedding, I called the extension # provided by Janet 3x and NO ONE CAME!!!! This made me furious b/c my bridesmaids and I could not get the gown off the mannequin! It took 2 women, who stood on chairs and pulled up the mannequin, while the other 3 women slid the dress off carefully. So, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, you ask for your wedding attendant to be by your side, even if she stands there doing nothing. You never know when you might need her…….

In the evening, my guests and I went to Zavaz. Since there were 13 of us, they would not give us 1 big table. Unfortunately, this is the case for all of the restaurants at the Resort. They will only seat you in small groups, max is 7 or 8 people and depending on which restaurant. Great food at this restaurant..one of my favorites.

 

Thursday – Nov 8^th

We greeted more guests and picked up the maracas.  Also, I filled out the dry cleaning service sheet, which you will find in the closet. If you only want your dress pressed, then make sure you fill out the proper line for “wedding gownâ€.  I did not see the line for “wedding gown†and filled out the line for “dress†as advised by Janet. The price for “dress†is 75 pesos. The line for wedding gown is 110 pesos. I was very annoyed when I check-out and I was not charged for 75 pesos. I did not care that it was more money but it was the fact that Janet helped me fill it out and she filled it out incorrectly. I wish someone could have at least given me the courtesy of telling me the sheet was filled out incorrectly and that it would be more money. At least I would have expected it. So if you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill it out correctly. You will notice a “Pressing†section towards the bottom of the service sheet.

 

By Thursday, I had about 42 guests. We all headed to Tapaz. I called ahead of time asking if there was enough seating for us. They were able to accommodate us; however the service was super slow!! If you are going with a large group, I would not suggest this. The plates are super tiny and after the very long meal, my guests and I ended up at Spoon since most of us were still hungry.

In the evening the resort had Tequila tasting as one of its entertainment. I HIGHLY recommend this. It was a blast!!! Its Tequila…you can’t go wrong. lol

 

Friday – Nov 9th

Again, we greeted the rest of our guests who were arriving. I will admit trying to greet all of our guests was a real pain.  It is a super nice gesture to meet all guests in the front lobby with the Welcome Bag, but it does take away from you enjoying the day. My husband and I were constantly checking the time to see who was coming and when.  So if this is something you are thinking about incorporating into your plan, then expect to not have much time enjoying the day esp if you have a large group. I had 54 guests.

Since I had requested for a private event (Welcome Dinner) at Spoon for my guests, it was nice not having to deal with whether or not the restaurant could accommodate us. There were a few large tables set up, which was curtained off for privacy at Spoon. The food was ok but it was nice to just have the private area to my guests and me.

 

Afterwards, we headed to the rooftop lounge. Unfortunately the mojito lounge was closed due to renovations but there was still a staff member coming around to take drink orders. It was at this location that I met Jana, the other bride from the forum. She was getting married on Sunday. Jana and her now husband, Tommy were super nice and a super cute couple!

 

Saturday – Nov 10^TH – THE BIG DAY

I started off at the spa getting my nails done at 10am. I was entitled to a free express manicure which was part of my silver package. I asked for a French manicure and was really disappointed. It was a very mediocre job. I had high expectations but then again it was for free and it was called an “express†manicure so….

While I was getting my nails done, my bridesmaid and MOH were getting their hair and make-up done. AMAZING job! I knew the work would be beautiful since I did not read one complain about their service on the forum. I trust if there was 1 bad job, a bride would be sure to inform us on the forum. Lol.

 

I was getting my hair and make-up done by my bridesmaid, who is a make-up artist and her mother who is a hair stylist. So, I got ready in their room. Plus the mannequin with my gown was displayed in their room.  I was ready by exactly 2:45; ceremony started at 3pm. If you decided to have your nails done before hand and your ceremony is at 3pm, I would suggest getting your nails done at 9am. The nail service is really slow.

I had my ceremony playlist on my iphone, which I handed over to Janet about 1 hr before the ceremony. As long as you have the songs in the order you want played and you tell Janet ahead of time and it is written on your wedding sheet, it should go smoothly.

 

Ceremony went well, except the Officiant was not speaking into the microphone. It was a very windy day so she was struggling with holding the script in one hand and keeping the hair out of her face. But if you have been doing this for a long time, shouldn’t you be an expert by now on juggling the script, wind and microphone?

 

Since we opted for the symbolic ceremony and sand ceremony, I was pleasantly surprised that we signed a certificate in front of everyone right after the sane ceremony. It was a nice touch.

 

Right after the ceremony, which ended at 3:30, we had a cocktail hour set up for our guests from 3:30-4:30. The location was Palapa Yoga which is a bit further down along the beach. I expected Janet to lead guests towards the Palapa Yoga. She only did it for a few guests and not all guests. So, only some of my guests made it and the others went to Spoon since they did not know where to go afterwards. I was really upset when I heard about this. I expected Janet to make sure things ran smoothly and to be sure guests knew where to go. Enough complaining about this.. lol.

 

The only thing I would suggest is to confirm and re-confirm your wedding coordinator will not drop the ball on this. Make sure they lead guests to the next location.

 

The reception started at 6:00 and it was an unforgettable night. DJ Doremixx is really great and had everyone on their feet the whole night. We also had the photo booth from 6:00-8:00 and then the cigar roller from 8:00-10:00. The photo booth was a hit and the pictures were hilarious!! The props they bring are super funny! The cigar roller was also another hit since we have a lot of cigar smokers in my group including my husband.

 

The only complaint is the candles that I brought from home were not lit. Although we did not need the light, I still would have liked the candles lit. I even asked one of the waiters to do this but it never got done. Also, I had lights for the hanging lanterns. None of them were lit. Again, I assume Janet would be checking all of this to be sure things were perfect.

 

After the reception we went to the Teens Club area which is turned into an adults lounge at night. We continued the party here and then ended the night on the beach.

 

A side note  - the water pump broke so there was no water in the late afternoon. Luckily my ceremony had started so my guests and I had no idea. But there was no water from the sink and no flushing the toilet until 1am! I heard another bride who was getting married after me was FURIOUS. Her guests, including the bride could not shower! I really would not know what I would do if that happened!

 

Sunday – Brunch and then relaxing by the pool

 

Monday – Dinner at Le Chique; excellent food!!!!

 

Tuesday – Excursion at Chichen Itza! It’s a full day event but totally worth it!!! I promise you would not be disappointed.

 

Wednesday – Back home as Mr. and Mrs. J

 

A few tips:

1. Make sure your wedding coordinator is by you during your big day. Even ask your wedding coordinator during your meeting, what exactly will she be doing…then ask her what you would like her to do.
2. If you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill out the correct line
3. I would suggest staying in Premier since dining at Le Chique would be for free and you have wifi for free. Otherwise, wifi would be $75/week or $15 per day (I think).
4. Some of my guests and I played beach volleyball at 4pm every day (except sat) during our stay…definitely a lot of fun.
5. When you check out make sure you go through your bill. I was charge a couple of things when it should have been for free.
6. Bring plenty of small change ($1 and $5 and $10).
7. Don’t forget sunblock…. VERY expensive at the resort!!!!!!!!!

8. Oh…and if you use the ATM machine, I believe it’s a 20% charge on what you take out.

9. After the wedding, they will give you back your decorations, make sure you double check it. We never got back our bride & groom signs. L

10. Wedding cake is terrible!

11. My set up fee was $150 b/c I did not have much stuff to set up. Honestly, the reason why the WC you are dealing with can not really give you a price is b/c they really do not know how much decorations you have. When you arrive at the Resort and you meet with your WC on the premises, they are the ones who can give you the quote. If your WC in Miami is giving you a quote and you like the quoted fee then get it in writing! The resort is reasonable on their set-up fee and you can always negotiate!

  ENJOY EVERY SECOND..IT WILL GO BACK VERY QUICKLY!

[GinaP]

MY DETAILED REVIEW - Sorry for such a long winded novel. If you do not want to read my boring details you can just skip to the bottom where i listed a few tips. Please feel free to ask me any question or if you want to see any pics! Would love to help in any way I can!   Tuesday – Nov 6^th We arrived at Azul Sensatori around 1:30pm.  Once we arrived, we checked in at the Premier Concierge.  We asked her if she could recommend a shop in the Cancun area so we can pick up maracas. She actually informed us there is a Mexican Market on the premises on Thursday so we should be able to pick them up there. Since we needed 54, she was able to order them for us in advance. The big ones were going to be $5 and the smaller ones were for $3. Not sure if we could have gotten a better price in Cancun but since we were pressed for time we decided to purchase them this way. Any brides who may be pressed for time and really do not need to go to Cancun other than to purchase maracas, then I would recommend asking the Concierge to order them for you. After settling in, meeting with the Premier Concierge, and putting together the Welcome Bags, I went right over to Le Chique to make reservations for my guests and my husband & I. I only made reservations for guests who were staying past Sunday and who wanted to try out the restaurant. It turns out that if you booked in the Premier section than the $25 entrance fee per person is waived.  Those who do pay $25 can apply it towards the upgraded menu ($110) or apply it towards the wine pairing. They have 3 different wine pairing prices ($55, $49 and $39).  Le Chique usually does not allow you to make reservations for guests who have not booked. However, as long as you play the bride card and you know which section your guests are staying in, then you can do this.  Since we went with the Silver Wedding Package, we reserved our candlelight dinner for our 1^st night at the resort. It was perfect. The food was amazing and came out promptly. I recall reading from other brides complaining about the service. I guess we lucked out b/c the food and service was great.  As we were dining, there was another couple actually getting married with 2 witnesses. It was so beautiful and super private. An added bonus to witness this event while we were having out romantic dinner. I actually think my husband even teared up a bit. lol Wednesday – Nov 7th We went to greet my bridesmaids and to go over the cancellations with Olympus. They were the transportation company who was handling all transfers for my guests. Since my husband and I picked up the tab for our guests, it was very important to us to figure out who was cancelling and whose flight was being delayed. As you may recall, my area was not only affected by Hurricane Sandy but there was also a Nor’easter that hit the area on Wednesday night /Thursday morning. We also went over the wedding detail sheet with our wedding coordinator, Janet. Make sure you go through each line and every detail. Do not leave anything out. There were a few minor errors I caught b/c I went through everything before I signed off. I was entitled to have a mannequin in the room to display my wedding gown. Since I did not want my husband to see it yet, I had it sent to my bridesmaid’s room. Also, I was entitled to a bridal attendant 3 hours before the start of the ceremony. I told Janet I did not think I needed her but if I did, I will call the wedding coordinator’s office. The day of my wedding, I called the extension # provided by Janet 3x and NO ONE CAME!!!! This made me furious b/c my bridesmaids and I could not get the gown off the mannequin! It took 2 women, who stood on chairs and pulled up the mannequin, while the other 3 women slid the dress off carefully. So, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, you ask for your wedding attendant to be by your side, even if she stands there doing nothing. You never know when you might need her……. In the evening, my guests and I went to Zavaz. Since there were 13 of us, they would not give us 1 big table. Unfortunately, this is the case for all of the restaurants at the Resort. They will only seat you in small groups, max is 7 or 8 people and depending on which restaurant. Great food at this restaurant..one of my favorites. Thursday – Nov 8^th We greeted more guests and picked up the maracas.  Also, I filled out the dry cleaning service sheet, which you will find in the closet. If you only want your dress pressed, then make sure you fill out the proper line for “wedding gownâ€.  I did not see the line for “wedding gown†and filled out the line for “dress†as advised by Janet. The price for “dress†is 75 pesos. The line for wedding gown is 110 pesos. I was very annoyed when I check-out and I was not charged for 75 pesos. I did not care that it was more money but it was the fact that Janet helped me fill it out and she filled it out incorrectly. I wish someone could have at least given me the courtesy of telling me the sheet was filled out incorrectly and that it would be more money. At least I would have expected it. So if you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill it out correctly. You will notice a “Pressing†section towards the bottom of the service sheet. By Thursday, I had about 42 guests. We all headed to Tapaz. I called ahead of time asking if there was enough seating for us. They were able to accommodate us; however the service was super slow!! If you are going with a large group, I would not suggest this. The plates are super tiny and after the very long meal, my guests and I ended up at Spoon since most of us were still hungry. In the evening the resort had Tequila tasting as one of its entertainment. I HIGHLY recommend this. It was a blast!!! Its Tequila…you can’t go wrong. lol Friday – Nov 9th Again, we greeted the rest of our guests who were arriving. I will admit trying to greet all of our guests was a real pain.  It is a super nice gesture to meet all guests in the front lobby with the Welcome Bag, but it does take away from you enjoying the day. My husband and I were constantly checking the time to see who was coming and when.  So if this is something you are thinking about incorporating into your plan, then expect to not have much time enjoying the day esp if you have a large group. I had 54 guests. Since I had requested for a private event (Welcome Dinner) at Spoon for my guests, it was nice not having to deal with whether or not the restaurant could accommodate us. There were a few large tables set up, which was curtained off for privacy at Spoon. The food was ok but it was nice to just have the private area to my guests and me. Afterwards, we headed to the rooftop lounge. Unfortunately the mojito lounge was closed due to renovations but there was still a staff member coming around to take drink orders. It was at this location that I met Jana, the other bride from the forum. She was getting married on Sunday. Jana and her now husband, Tommy were super nice and a super cute couple! Saturday – Nov 10^TH – THE BIG DAY I started off at the spa getting my nails done at 10am. I was entitled to a free express manicure which was part of my silver package. I asked for a French manicure and was really disappointed. It was a very mediocre job. I had high expectations but then again it was for free and it was called an “express†manicure so…. While I was getting my nails done, my bridesmaid and MOH were getting their hair and make-up done. AMAZING job! I knew the work would be beautiful since I did not read one complain about their service on the forum. I trust if there was 1 bad job, a bride would be sure to inform us on the forum. Lol. I was getting my hair and make-up done by my bridesmaid, who is a make-up artist and her mother who is a hair stylist. So, I got ready in their room. Plus the mannequin with my gown was displayed in their room.  I was ready by exactly 2:45; ceremony started at 3pm. If you decided to have your nails done before hand and your ceremony is at 3pm, I would suggest getting your nails done at 9am. The nail service is really slow. I had my ceremony playlist on my iphone, which I handed over to Janet about 1 hr before the ceremony. As long as you have the songs in the order you want played and you tell Janet ahead of time and it is written on your wedding sheet, it should go smoothly. Ceremony went well, except the Officiant was not speaking into the microphone. It was a very windy day so she was struggling with holding the script in one hand and keeping the hair out of her face. But if you have been doing this for a long time, shouldn’t you be an expert by now on juggling the script, wind and microphone? Since we opted for the symbolic ceremony and sand ceremony, I was pleasantly surprised that we signed a certificate in front of everyone right after the sane ceremony. It was a nice touch. Right after the ceremony, which ended at 3:30, we had a cocktail hour set up for our guests from 3:30-4:30. The location was Palapa Yoga which is a bit further down along the beach. I expected Janet to lead guests towards the Palapa Yoga. She only did it for a few guests and not all guests. So, only some of my guests made it and the others went to Spoon since they did not know where to go afterwards. I was really upset when I heard about this. I expected Janet to make sure things ran smoothly and to be sure guests knew where to go. Enough complaining about this.. lol. The only thing I would suggest is to confirm and re-confirm your wedding coordinator will not drop the ball on this. Make sure they lead guests to the next location. The reception started at 6:00 and it was an unforgettable night. DJ Doremixx is really great and had everyone on their feet the whole night. We also had the photo booth from 6:00-8:00 and then the cigar roller from 8:00-10:00. The photo booth was a hit and the pictures were hilarious!! The props they bring are super funny! The cigar roller was also another hit since we have a lot of cigar smokers in my group including my husband. The only complaint is the candles that I brought from home were not lit. Although we did not need the light, I still would have liked the candles lit. I even asked one of the waiters to do this but it never got done. Also, I had lights for the hanging lanterns. None of them were lit. Again, I assume Janet would be checking all of this to be sure things were perfect. After the reception we went to the Teens Club area which is turned into an adults lounge at night. We continued the party here and then ended the night on the beach. A side note  - the water pump broke so there was no water in the late afternoon. Luckily my ceremony had started so my guests and I had no idea. But there was no water from the sink and no flushing the toilet until 1am! I heard another bride who was getting married after me was FURIOUS. Her guests, including the bride could not shower! I really would not know what I would do if that happened! Sunday – Brunch and then relaxing by the pool Monday – Dinner at Le Chique; excellent food!!!! Tuesday – Excursion at Chichen Itza! It’s a full day event but totally worth it!!! I promise you would not be disappointed. Wednesday – Back home as Mr. and Mrs. J A few tips:

1. Make sure your wedding coordinator is by you during your big day. Even ask your wedding coordinator during your meeting, what exactly will she be doing…then ask her what you would like her to do.
2. If you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill out the correct line
3. I would suggest staying in Premier since dining at Le Chique would be for free and you have wifi for free. Otherwise, wifi would be $75/week or $15 per day (I think).
4. Some of my guests and I played beach volleyball at 4pm every day (except sat) during our stay…definitely a lot of fun.
5. When you check out make sure you go through your bill. I was charge a couple of things when it should have been for free.
6. Bring plenty of small change ($1 and $5 and $10).
7. Don’t forget sunblock…. VERY expensive at the resort!!!!!!!!!

8. Oh…and if you use the ATM machine, I believe it’s a 20% charge on what you take out. 9. After the wedding, they will give you back your decorations, make sure you double check it. We never got back our bride & groom signs. L 10. Wedding cake is terrible! 11. My set up fee was $150 b/c I did not have much stuff to set up. Honestly, the reason why the WC you are dealing with can not really give you a price is b/c they really do not know how much decorations you have. When you arrive at the Resort and you meet with your WC on the premises, they are the ones who can give you the quote. If your WC in Miami is giving you a quote and you like the quoted fee then get it in writing! The resort is reasonable on their set-up fee and you can always negotiate!   ENJOY EVERY SECOND..IT WILL GO BACK VERY QUICKLY!

Sounds wonderful!! I can't wait!! What did you use for center prices? I am thinking of just bringing down candles but now I'm nervous since yours were not lit! Thanks for such a detailed review!

[tkuzma]

Elaine, thanks so much for your review!!! I'm glad you had an amazing time I hope you can post a few pictures of your day.

 

Where did you have your reception?

 

What flavour was your wedding cake?

 

Thanks!

[kathryn83]

Originally Posted by ELAINENYC 

 

MY DETAILED REVIEW - Sorry for such a long winded novel. If you do not want to read my boring details you can just skip to the bottom where i listed a few tips. Please feel free to ask me any question or if you want to see any pics! Would love to help in any way I can!  

 

Tuesday – Nov 6^th

We arrived at Azul Sensatori around 1:30pm.  Once we arrived, we checked in at the Premier Concierge.  We asked her if she could recommend a shop in the Cancun area so we can pick up maracas. She actually informed us there is a Mexican Market on the premises on Thursday so we should be able to pick them up there. Since we needed 54, she was able to order them for us in advance. The big ones were going to be $5 and the smaller ones were for $3. Not sure if we could have gotten a better price in Cancun but since we were pressed for time we decided to purchase them this way. Any brides who may be pressed for time and really do not need to go to Cancun other than to purchase maracas, then I would recommend asking the Concierge to order them for you.

 

After settling in, meeting with the Premier Concierge, and putting together the Welcome Bags, I went right over to Le Chique to make reservations for my guests and my husband & I. I only made reservations for guests who were staying past Sunday and who wanted to try out the restaurant. It turns out that if you booked in the Premier section than the $25 entrance fee per person is waived.  Those who do pay $25 can apply it towards the upgraded menu ($110) or apply it towards the wine pairing. They have 3 different wine pairing prices ($55, $49 and $39).  Le Chique usually does not allow you to make reservations for guests who have not booked. However, as long as you play the bride card and you know which section your guests are staying in, then you can do this. 

Since we went with the Silver Wedding Package, we reserved our candlelight dinner for our 1^st night at the resort. It was perfect. The food was amazing and came out promptly. I recall reading from other brides complaining about the service. I guess we lucked out b/c the food and service was great.  As we were dining, there was another couple actually getting married with 2 witnesses. It was so beautiful and super private. An added bonus to witness this event while we were having out romantic dinner. I actually think my husband even teared up a bit. lol

 

Wednesday – Nov 7th

We went to greet my bridesmaids and to go over the cancellations with Olympus. They were the transportation company who was handling all transfers for my guests. Since my husband and I picked up the tab for our guests, it was very important to us to figure out who was cancelling and whose flight was being delayed. As you may recall, my area was not only affected by Hurricane Sandy but there was also a Nor’easter that hit the area on Wednesday night /Thursday morning.

We also went over the wedding detail sheet with our wedding coordinator, Janet. Make sure you go through each line and every detail. Do not leave anything out. There were a few minor errors I caught b/c I went through everything before I signed off.

I was entitled to have a mannequin in the room to display my wedding gown. Since I did not want my husband to see it yet, I had it sent to my bridesmaid’s room.

 

Also, I was entitled to a bridal attendant 3 hours before the start of the ceremony. I told Janet I did not think I needed her but if I did, I will call the wedding coordinator’s office. The day of my wedding, I called the extension # provided by Janet 3x and NO ONE CAME!!!! This made me furious b/c my bridesmaids and I could not get the gown off the mannequin! It took 2 women, who stood on chairs and pulled up the mannequin, while the other 3 women slid the dress off carefully. So, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, you ask for your wedding attendant to be by your side, even if she stands there doing nothing. You never know when you might need her…….

In the evening, my guests and I went to Zavaz. Since there were 13 of us, they would not give us 1 big table. Unfortunately, this is the case for all of the restaurants at the Resort. They will only seat you in small groups, max is 7 or 8 people and depending on which restaurant. Great food at this restaurant..one of my favorites.

 

Thursday – Nov 8^th

We greeted more guests and picked up the maracas.  Also, I filled out the dry cleaning service sheet, which you will find in the closet. If you only want your dress pressed, then make sure you fill out the proper line for “wedding gownâ€.  I did not see the line for “wedding gown†and filled out the line for “dress†as advised by Janet. The price for “dress†is 75 pesos. The line for wedding gown is 110 pesos. I was very annoyed when I check-out and I was not charged for 75 pesos. I did not care that it was more money but it was the fact that Janet helped me fill it out and she filled it out incorrectly. I wish someone could have at least given me the courtesy of telling me the sheet was filled out incorrectly and that it would be more money. At least I would have expected it. So if you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill it out correctly. You will notice a “Pressing†section towards the bottom of the service sheet.

 

By Thursday, I had about 42 guests. We all headed to Tapaz. I called ahead of time asking if there was enough seating for us. They were able to accommodate us; however the service was super slow!! If you are going with a large group, I would not suggest this. The plates are super tiny and after the very long meal, my guests and I ended up at Spoon since most of us were still hungry.

In the evening the resort had Tequila tasting as one of its entertainment. I HIGHLY recommend this. It was a blast!!! Its Tequila…you can’t go wrong. lol

 

Friday – Nov 9th

Again, we greeted the rest of our guests who were arriving. I will admit trying to greet all of our guests was a real pain.  It is a super nice gesture to meet all guests in the front lobby with the Welcome Bag, but it does take away from you enjoying the day. My husband and I were constantly checking the time to see who was coming and when.  So if this is something you are thinking about incorporating into your plan, then expect to not have much time enjoying the day esp if you have a large group. I had 54 guests.

Since I had requested for a private event (Welcome Dinner) at Spoon for my guests, it was nice not having to deal with whether or not the restaurant could accommodate us. There were a few large tables set up, which was curtained off for privacy at Spoon. The food was ok but it was nice to just have the private area to my guests and me.

 

Afterwards, we headed to the rooftop lounge. Unfortunately the mojito lounge was closed due to renovations but there was still a staff member coming around to take drink orders. It was at this location that I met Jana, the other bride from the forum. She was getting married on Sunday. Jana and her now husband, Tommy were super nice and a super cute couple!

 

Saturday – Nov 10^TH – THE BIG DAY

I started off at the spa getting my nails done at 10am. I was entitled to a free express manicure which was part of my silver package. I asked for a French manicure and was really disappointed. It was a very mediocre job. I had high expectations but then again it was for free and it was called an “express†manicure so….

While I was getting my nails done, my bridesmaid and MOH were getting their hair and make-up done. AMAZING job! I knew the work would be beautiful since I did not read one complain about their service on the forum. I trust if there was 1 bad job, a bride would be sure to inform us on the forum. Lol.

 

I was getting my hair and make-up done by my bridesmaid, who is a make-up artist and her mother who is a hair stylist. So, I got ready in their room. Plus the mannequin with my gown was displayed in their room.  I was ready by exactly 2:45; ceremony started at 3pm. If you decided to have your nails done before hand and your ceremony is at 3pm, I would suggest getting your nails done at 9am. The nail service is really slow.

I had my ceremony playlist on my iphone, which I handed over to Janet about 1 hr before the ceremony. As long as you have the songs in the order you want played and you tell Janet ahead of time and it is written on your wedding sheet, it should go smoothly.

 

Ceremony went well, except the Officiant was not speaking into the microphone. It was a very windy day so she was struggling with holding the script in one hand and keeping the hair out of her face. But if you have been doing this for a long time, shouldn’t you be an expert by now on juggling the script, wind and microphone?

 

Since we opted for the symbolic ceremony and sand ceremony, I was pleasantly surprised that we signed a certificate in front of everyone right after the sane ceremony. It was a nice touch.

 

Right after the ceremony, which ended at 3:30, we had a cocktail hour set up for our guests from 3:30-4:30. The location was Palapa Yoga which is a bit further down along the beach. I expected Janet to lead guests towards the Palapa Yoga. She only did it for a few guests and not all guests. So, only some of my guests made it and the others went to Spoon since they did not know where to go afterwards. I was really upset when I heard about this. I expected Janet to make sure things ran smoothly and to be sure guests knew where to go. Enough complaining about this.. lol.

 

The only thing I would suggest is to confirm and re-confirm your wedding coordinator will not drop the ball on this. Make sure they lead guests to the next location.

 

The reception started at 6:00 and it was an unforgettable night. DJ Doremixx is really great and had everyone on their feet the whole night. We also had the photo booth from 6:00-8:00 and then the cigar roller from 8:00-10:00. The photo booth was a hit and the pictures were hilarious!! The props they bring are super funny! The cigar roller was also another hit since we have a lot of cigar smokers in my group including my husband.

 

The only complaint is the candles that I brought from home were not lit. Although we did not need the light, I still would have liked the candles lit. I even asked one of the waiters to do this but it never got done. Also, I had lights for the hanging lanterns. None of them were lit. Again, I assume Janet would be checking all of this to be sure things were perfect.

 

After the reception we went to the Teens Club area which is turned into an adults lounge at night. We continued the party here and then ended the night on the beach.

 

A side note  - the water pump broke so there was no water in the late afternoon. Luckily my ceremony had started so my guests and I had no idea. But there was no water from the sink and no flushing the toilet until 1am! I heard another bride who was getting married after me was FURIOUS. Her guests, including the bride could not shower! I really would not know what I would do if that happened!

 

Sunday – Brunch and then relaxing by the pool

 

Monday – Dinner at Le Chique; excellent food!!!!

 

Tuesday – Excursion at Chichen Itza! It’s a full day event but totally worth it!!! I promise you would not be disappointed.

 

Wednesday – Back home as Mr. and Mrs. J

 

A few tips:

1. Make sure your wedding coordinator is by you during your big day. Even ask your wedding coordinator during your meeting, what exactly will she be doing…then ask her what you would like her to do.
2. If you want your gown pressed, make sure you fill out the correct line
3. I would suggest staying in Premier since dining at Le Chique would be for free and you have wifi for free. Otherwise, wifi would be $75/week or $15 per day (I think).
4. Some of my guests and I played beach volleyball at 4pm every day (except sat) during our stay…definitely a lot of fun.
5. When you check out make sure you go through your bill. I was charge a couple of things when it should have been for free.
6. Bring plenty of small change ($1 and $5 and $10).
7. Don’t forget sunblock…. VERY expensive at the resort!!!!!!!!!

8. Oh…and if you use the ATM machine, I believe it’s a 20% charge on what you take out.

9. After the wedding, they will give you back your decorations, make sure you double check it. We never got back our bride & groom signs. L

10. Wedding cake is terrible!

11. My set up fee was $150 b/c I did not have much stuff to set up. Honestly, the reason why the WC you are dealing with can not really give you a price is b/c they really do not know how much decorations you have. When you arrive at the Resort and you meet with your WC on the premises, they are the ones who can give you the quote. If your WC in Miami is giving you a quote and you like the quoted fee then get it in writing! The resort is reasonable on their set-up fee and you can always negotiate!

  ENJOY EVERY SECOND..IT WILL GO BACK VERY QUICKLY!

Thanks for the in-depth review, Elaine. Congrats again!