Blau Varadero

[ceecee2014]

Ohh, I love your hair! It's so beautiful.

 

I had trouble logging in for a few days due to the site updates - it also seems like ever minute of my day is taken up lately.

 

I am beginning to freak out... a bit! Mostly because I think I should be freaking out more? I am finally picking up my dress (post-alterations) next weekend (woohoo). So that's one big thing out of the way. I bought my dress at Cabaret Vintage, actually this dress.

It's even better looking in person and I am so glad that I went to Cabaret. Tao, the owner, is one of the warmest people I've ever met.

 

The weird part, for me, is that we have to decide on so many things down in Cuba, so I just have to let it go..... Which is strange, leading up to a wedding, to have so much up in the air. I'm getting used to it though and just going with the flow.

I still need to email Sabina and see what she suggests for speeches (the when and where element). I'm still curious about dinner too (we won't be having the lobster either, as I've heard mixed reviews... I also have quite a few guests who are partial to Northern Atlantic Lobster over Caribbean/Spiney Lobster, so not sure that it would be worth it), but it seems that I'll have to figure that out down there (mostly making sure my guests with allergies, vegetarians, are accommodated, but Sabina reassured me that we can figure things out).

Do you know if you are going to get married in the Garden or on the beach? We're leaning towards the Garden, because it seems quieter and I think we can play our own music during the ceremony, but we've decided not make the final decision when we get down there.

I'm also not sure what to do in place of a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner - obviously, everyone has been to weddings before, so it's not a big deal, but we're limited by our options since we can't rent out a dinner place for everyone. Are you doing anything? Is it necessary? I suppose this is something I should have thought about more than a month away... The Catamaran Cruise sounds like fun, how are you organizing that?! I'm not sure if that would work for some of our guests (can babies go - somehow I feel that could end badly).

For our gifts, we are just planning on giving everyone a nice bottle of Havana Rum (well, the kiddios will get a different present).

Now, let's keep our fingers-crossed for great weather in January.
 

[jackshayne0123]

Ohh, I love your hair! It's so beautiful.

 

I had trouble logging in for a few days due to the site updates - it also seems like ever minute of my day is taken up lately.

 

I am beginning to freak out... a bit! Mostly because I think I should be freaking out more? I am finally picking up my dress (post-alterations) next weekend (woohoo). So that's one big thing out of the way. I bought my dress at Cabaret Vintage, actually this dress.

It's even better looking in person and I am so glad that I went to Cabaret. Tao, the owner, is one of the warmest people I've ever met.

 

The weird part, for me, is that we have to decide on so many things down in Cuba, so I just have to let it go..... Which is strange, leading up to a wedding, to have so much up in the air. I'm getting used to it though and just going with the flow.

 

I still need to email Sabina and see what she suggests for speeches (the when and where element). I'm still curious about dinner too (we won't be having the lobster either, as I've heard mixed reviews... I also have quite a few guests who are partial to Northern Atlantic Lobster over Caribbean/Spiney Lobster, so not sure that it would be worth it), but it seems that I'll have to figure that out down there (mostly making sure my guests with allergies, vegetarians, are accommodated, but Sabina reassured me that we can figure things out).

 

Do you know if you are going to get married in the Garden or on the beach? We're leaning towards the Garden, because it seems quieter and I think we can play our own music during the ceremony, but we've decided not make the final decision when we get down there.

 

I'm also not sure what to do in place of a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner - obviously, everyone has been to weddings before, so it's not a big deal, but we're limited by our options since we can't rent out a dinner place for everyone. Are you doing anything? Is it necessary? I suppose this is something I should have thought about more than a month away... The Catamaran Cruise sounds like fun, how are you organizing that?! I'm not sure if that would work for some of our guests (can babies go - somehow I feel that could end badly).

 

For our gifts, we are just planning on giving everyone a nice bottle of Havana Rum (well, the kiddios will get a different present).

 

Now, let's keep our fingers-crossed for great weather in January.

 

Thanks CeeCee! And your dress is beautiful! We are wedding twins, my dress is also ready and I am having my final fitting on Saturday. I can't wait!!!! My Jr. Bridesmaids dress is also finished, I can't wait to see it on her, things are coming together! I am now on the hunt for the bridesmaids gifts, I found cute little monogram make up bags on David's Bridal for only $5! I was super excited, and when I went to check out, the items I wanted don't ship to Canada!! GRRR. So annoying.

 

I agree I'm not freaking out (yet) about things, I feel like I should be way more stressed, but I guess that's the beauty, and the point, of a destination wedding. It should be stress free and easy breezy! I am also having a hard time though not deciding things until we get there, it's hard to leave such important details until days before, but it is what it is. Some people are lucky and go to the resort months ahead of time to scope it out and make those decisions, but not all can afford that. But wouldn't it be nice?!

 

Yes the lobster down there is soooo different!! I ordered lobster when we were in Cancun last year and I was shocked! Not the same at all! I don't think my East coast family would like those lobsters. I didn't. The claws are missing, and they are the best part!

 

I have an idea of what I want so hopefully that will make our choices easier upon arrival. We are also hoping to get married in the gardens, I've read reviews that it's quiet, more private, they set up chairs(they don't on the beach) and you can also have mic and speakers for music and speeches (if you choose to have speeches at that point). We like the idea of the gardens being more private, not everyone on the beach will be gawking, it will hopefully be less windy and our guests can actually hear the ceremony and vows. I've read some horror stories on here about people on the beach not being respectful of your wedding, they get in the way, guys in speedos behind the altar (get a clue dude!)......I can only imagine. No thanks!

 

I mentioned a rehearsal dinner to my FI and he laughed, why do we need a rehearsal and dinner? Men.......I do want to gather the wedding party briefly for a chit-chat, you're right everyone has been to weddings and knows how it works but I do want to do a quick run down, and where everyone is standing, who they are walking with, etc. I think the catamaran cruise/dinner will be the night before the wedding, so that's our celebration. It's totally up to you if you want to do it, again the beauty of a destination wedding is that if you want, you can toss all of the regular traditions. I'd like to have a welcome dinner the first night we are there, I don't want to make a big deal out of it, but might let our group know that we are going to the buffet at X time, let's meet at X tables, and eat together. Nothing fancy or too formal, just let everyone know it would be great to get everyone together. You could do that? Just make an announcement and spread the word? How big is your group? PS RE Catamaran, my FI is taking care of those details. His best friend did it a few years ago for his wedding, so he's getting all the info from him. I'm not organzing it. But I'll let you know once he gets his butt in gear! I'm assuming all ages would be welcome, I guess it would be up to the parents if they wanted to go with kids. Of course nothing we are doing is mandatory, just a nice add on. I don't want to force our guests to do anything. FI has already said his sister and her hubby won't come on the cruise b/c they get massively sea sick, so that's fine. We will take their kids and they can have their own date night if they want.

 

Fingers crossed for good weather! I've been keeping my eye on it already! Especially with our weather lately, I need +26 and sunshine!

[jackshayne0123]

@@ceecee2014 HAPPY WEDDING DAY!!!!! Thinking of you!

[jackshayne0123]

We are back! Future Blau brides -  you will have an amazing beautiful gorgeous wedding day! There were a few hiccups, but overall it was perfect and amazing and everything we dreamed of. We couldn't be happier. The resort is amazing, beach is paradise, wedding ceremony amazing. Sabina the Wedding Coordinator was great, and Photographer Addiel - TOP NOTCH!!! I cannot say enough about him. I was worried the most about the pictures because there was no portfolio, no website or anything to look at his work, but my expectations were EXCEEDED by a million. He is amazing and professional, fun and creative, he gave us 60 photos printed plus all of our pictures on a disc (over 700) and we got a video too. Amazing amazing work!! We loved the Blau, so did all of our guests and if we ever go back to Cuba we would most definitely go back to the Blau.

 

A full review and pictures to follow soon!

[jackshayne0123]

Ok finally, here's my review of the Blau! Pics posted in my Gallery, I can't figure out how to attach them here grrrr

Review also posted on TripAdvisor

 

We were at the Blau for our wedding, January 19-27th, we chose this hotel based on the price, the 4 star rating, reviews, and the wedding package that was offered. We had 45 guests join us for one week, family, friends, children included. Everyone loved this resort! It's beautiful, clean, comfortable, hotel staff is very friendly and helpful. The food was good, better than we expected! Even dairy free, vegetarian and gluten free guests had no problem finding something to eat. The rooms were great, clean, beds were a bit hard but we have noticed that no matter where we travel. There was a mix up with our room when we checked in, we were supposed to have a Jr. Suite but were given a regular room. We slept there for one night, and the front desk moved us the next day, and gave us a late check out time for compensation for the trouble. Our Jr. Suite was amazing! Huge bedroom, 2 bathrooms, lots of closet space, a living room area, two TV's, two balconies, on the 11th floor, ocean view, spectacular! We felt like royalty. Our guests enjoyed their stay, and the families with kids had a great time too. There is a kiddie pool, playground, games and activities. The elevators are slow, but whatcha gonna do? We knew that going in. If your room is low enough, take the stairs.

The pool area is gorgeous, lunch buffet was great too, and a hamburger/hot dog grill outside that was open all afternoon. The beach was breathtaking! It was huge, lots of space, plenty of chairs, gorgeous white sand, warm turquioise water, it felt like a dream. The beach bar/snack bar was open 24/7, a good place for drinks and dancing after dark. Hotel staff, waiters, bartenders were all amazing! Very friendly, remembered our group, where we liked to sit, my mother made friends with a server at breakfast named Alberto and he called her his princess all week. They certainly make you feel special!

Our wedding was incredible - the wedding of our dreams! The wedding coordinator Sabina was fabulous, we emailed almost on a weekly basis for 6 months, she always replied back very quickly with answers to all my questions (and I had A LOT). She was very patient, helpful, kind and sweet. THANK YOU Sabina for everything!! The wedding package covered everything, all the legal paperwork, ceremony, cake, champagne toast and appetizers for all of our guests, reception dinner and drinks, decorations, flowers, there is a salon on site for hair and makeup (makeup for bride only though). A BIG shout out and THANK YOU and a huge recommendation for Yoandy at the salon, he was fabulous! So fun and friendly, all my girls loved him. He went above and beyond for me. There was a slight issue with my flowers, and he made phone calls ASAP to get it fixed. He was incredible. I loved him. Sabina took care of everything wedding related and I felt very at ease. The wedding day ran smoothly, except the Notary was 30 minutes late. But once she arrived and the ceremony started it was perfect and amazing! We chose to get married in the garden rather than the beach, it was gorgeous. We were able to have our own music for the ceremony, which was a plus. Ceremony was very nice, we added a few of our own personal touches, which was not a problem to add, and after I DO we went right into cake, champagne and appi's for everyone, and had our first dance, and I danced with my Dad. Then group, family photos in the garden, and then the bridal party moved to the beach for more photos. After photos, the reception dinner was at the Palma Real restaurant, and the dinner was top notch! Steak and shrimp, chicken upon request, dessert, it was great! Our cake and guest book were also brought over from the ceremony by the staff, I didn't even have to ask for it, a very nice touch. We had the restaurant to ourselves for about a half hour so we were able to do speeches, and there was a string quartet playing the entire meal, and they played a special romantic song for us, and my husband and I danced again. It was beautiful, we couldn't ask for anything more.

Speaking of photos - the resort photographer Addiel is AMAZING! Another huge shout out and THANK YOU to Addiel and his team, we also had a videographer, they took pictures and video from 2pm, an hour before the cermony, until around 5:30. Addiel is a true professional, very nice, funny, and amazing! He took the lead and told us what to do, where to stand, how to pose for pictures, but we had some ideas of our own and he was happy to do that as well. Our pictures and video are amazing, spectacular, perfect, we could not be happier! Our wedding was on a Thursday, and Addiel met us at the hotel Saturday to bring 60 prints of our pictures, the best of the best, and we also received a disc with all 700 pictures that he took, plus another disc with the video. Which was perfesionally done and edited, 45 minutes long. I cried through our entire meeting, looking at the pictures, they were more beautiful than I expected, I loved them all, I was so overwhelmed with love, appreciation, and his work. A+++ in my books. FABULOUS JOB ADDIEL!!!

Our week at the Blau, time spent with family and friends, and the wedding of our dreams will never be forgotten. The Blau will forever hold a special place in our hearts, and we would not hesitate to go back. We loved it and we are so happy we chose the Blau. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!