Any Grand Palladium brides?

[Carlota1981]

Originally Posted by karenk 

 

 

 

 

I loved this location for the privacy for our reception.  We had 45 people so yes this was the private pay per person reception.  My only thing I wish I had bought an extra hour, we were still ready to keep dancing at 11 when we had to shut it down.

the food was amazing but it wasn't what I ordered..we had a good laugh at that one.

 

 

 

The blood test is done right at the Wedding Coordinators office and it was very professional and easy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Karenk,

I do not know if you still enter at this website but I forgot to ask you two doubts from your review.

If you have the time to answer, I will be really thankful.

 

One is you said that the menu at your reception was not the one you had ordered. What did happen? They completely changed the menu, some of the courses, or the way to cook one or more courses? 

 

The other one is about the blood test, I am quite nervous about this because I am very frightened of inyections... how long they took for making it? Vanessa told me they took two test tubes, is this correct? Please any other thing you could tell me about this I will apreciate it a lot. I am really scary about this part of the wedding....

 

 

Thanks a million!!

[MyTye2B]

Hi Chrestena, Oh my goodness its 11 days now! I am so excited for you. I am glad you suggested having 2 copies of the information and emails too, one for you and one for Vanessa. I'm learning so much from you all! I too hope we hear from you one more time but if not I wish you nothing but happiness!! Carlotta, I'm so glad that Vanessa loved the document. Can I ask, did you just put things in point form or did you have headings and a template? I was going to ask if you you'd mind sharing it or how it was organized but then I realized its probably all in Spanish and I wouldn't be able to read it! Haha. If you have just a template though of how it was laid out or you wouldn't mind telling me how you set it up that would be so helpful since Vanessa love it. Thank you so much for all of your help ladies! I apologize for any spelling mistakes - this is the first time writing from my phone. I LOVE BDW mobile! xo Lauren

[MyTye2B]

I also thought I should tell you how much time I spent at work not working yesterday but organizing our wedding papers. I made 3 folders - 1 that has print out of all of my communication with Vanessa, one that has all of my communications with those I have contracts with (the spa, photographer, TTD photographer, DJ and decor company) including the scanned copies of payments, and finally one with all of the receipts for things like my dress, the things that I am bringing down for the OOT bags, decorations, gifts, etc. as I heard that sometimes they want to see receipts at customs. As per Chrestena I will now also make another copy of those things too! Smart!

[Maybride2013]

Hi brides..thanks for the compliments...looking at the photos you'd never know the stress prior..lol... My planner was Grace..and I dealt with her for almost a year but every time we'd email I would have to remind her of times,locations etc...doing the word doc is a great idea because when I saw my file it looked empty and I knew she did not keep any of our correspondence from the year. I had to re-tell her everything just days before. So even though I had covered EVERYTHING throughout the year she did not have all those details anymore. And the meeting we had was so rushed I of course couldn't remember everything. I would make sure you bring everything that you have for the wedding with you at that first meeting. She did not tell us to do that, as well I had huge boxes to lug and could not find a shuttle to take us there. She told me at the meeting she would come and pick up the decor as well as my dress and husbands suit for pressing. We asked what time she worked till and she said 7. We did not think anything of it in terms of her not being there. She said 7. We called from 4-7 and could not reach anyone. Tried frontdesk but they can't help. I was not to worried about the decor..it could be picked up day of wedding..it was my dress. She had stated in the meeting it takes 48 at least to get it pressed and back. So we could not get ahold of her and she did not locate me to get our dress and suit. This was Saturday...wedding was Tuesday. Sunday we tried again but they are closed. By Sunday night I was stressed because there was no way to get my dress done and back. We did have our transat girl help us. We made arrangements with guest services for them to pick up my dress from my moms room the following morning. They told us adamantly that they could not enter my room and pick it up. I say this because we were going to xel-ha that Monday and would not be there. So arrangements were made with my mom. But let me say..no one wants to help and no one wants to be responsible..it was our transat girl that got into it with them on our behalf. Thanks to her . I decided that night that I did not want to send my dress out...everyone kept saying it would not be back in time...I couldn't have no dress for the wedding.so I told my mom when they came to take the dress that I did not trust it to be sent out. It was late when I made this decision so I could tell no one at guest services so I left the message with my mom..so off we go to xel ha early the next day..got back around 7 and my dress was gone from my room. I call my mom...they never even got in touch with her..call the wedding dept...closed...front desk...no idea...no note or message for me. Of course I'm thinking it has to be they've sent it out. Frustrated that no one can tell me of course. Thankfully my new sister in law is Spanish and we head to guest services...the girl there says it sounds familiar but they would never enter my room and take it..they are not allowed...she calls Rosia at home...she gets on the phone with me says they would never take it...not allowed and neither would guest services...so now I am panicking. 5 mins later she calls back and says guest services took it and it will be back in the morning. One hand does not know what the other is doing there. Dress arrived next day...husbands suit never did get pressed ...take everything and go over everything at your meeting. I thought I was prepared...and I was but there is a language barrier and they don't anticipate anything. Myself as a planner if I did not have a girls dress by end of the day that we met I would have sought her out..they don't there. I believe they work very hard..too hard and things can get screwed up. They need more staff in the wedding dept. I chose flowers through the hotel..I showed a pic...she mentioned using carnations to get the look...I said NO to carnations and I heard her on the phone telling the florist no carnations ( sorry I hate this flower!) well my bouquet was full of them. The boutinierres were somewhat wrong...nothing scissors couldn't fix. They also delivered the flowers at 10am...the boutinierres were brown and losing petals by the wedding. I did say to her they can't sit in my room all day and she said its air conditioned it will be fine...it wasn't but I couldn't 't stress anymore about those things. One weird thing our minister stood behind me during the ceremony and I couldn't hear her at all. Not sure why they did that. But here's an example of miscommunication. I asked for the ministers table to be off to the side not under the pergola...doesn't look nice in pics..and I wonder if they took it one step further and thought that to mean the minister as well. It never would have occurred to me they would move the minister as well. So until I see the video not sure what my vows were...lol I think the girls are more than capable of doing great weddings there but us as brides...assume nothing and don't be afraid to point stuff out that seems questionable...I'm pretty forthcoming and I still had problems. They are absolutely gone in the afternoon so reach them in the morning. The decor I brought myself...lugged those curtains down with me...they did not have those in packages for my wedding. I did leave them down there for the wedding dept to keep for any beach brides going down soon. The flower balls they provided as I did not want the hanging bouquets they usually use. I was trying to avoid any greenery showing. Grace can get them for you if you want them. I had my hair done at the spa....awful...as you can see the girl was all but gone. I specifically told my hairdresser not to use a curling iron.have to use hot rollers or curl with a straightener for my hair to hold curl...had to curl my hair back in the room before the wedding. They also made my daughter cry...trying to get knots out..it was awful...hit her in the head really hard with the brush at one point...I felt so bad she 's only 13 but looks older. I got mad at them finally...I wish I had done my own hair...if you 're getting an updo use them for sure I know you will all have a great experience mine probably could've been avoided had I realized how not "on the ball" they are. I should have been more proactive...but we had our 4 kids with us and couldn't just drop everything and hunt down planners and deliver stuff. The locations for weddings are ALL beautiful there....can't go wrong with any of them...the weather is amazing...hotel is a little big but food and drinks are in abundance....beds and pillows are like rocks...lol...beach and pools are incredible...oh pool is deep, no shallow end.. Hope I covered my experience and I know from reading on here no one else has had any issues so maybe I took it to hard...I guess I just thought there'd be slightly better treatment when you spend that much money.. Be organized ladies and be clear in your expectations...and expect that it won't be on time if you are using shuttles to get anywhere..if it wasn't for the guys at the front( with the safari hats) we would not have had the transportation we did. They were awesome on our wedding day Can't wait to see other brides pics!

[claire0701]

May ride thank you so much for your review and in so sorry to hear that everything don't go perfectly for you. I agree with the there's though that your look beautiful and I hope as you said, one day you will look back with a smile on your wedding day. Your comments will be really helpful or us and I'll deinitely take 2 copies if all correspondence and maybe make a chek list of questions or things I wa to clarify with the WC at our meeting as it seems we only get that one chance and as you said it will go so quick I may forget something's! Carlota, like Lauren, I'd also love to see the word document you sent (if its in English and you're happy to share) as Vanessa is also my WC and if he's happy with yours she might like if I did something similar. It's so grey that we have this forum to get all out ideas worries and questions out there. I don't know I I'd have been able to book a DW without it! Christina I'm very excited for you, not long now, like ou I was thinking of mikeycelle and hoping her daywet beautifully! Can't wait to hear all about it

[claire0701]

Sorry Maybride my predictive text changed our name to 'May ride' - silly iPhone (or just my chubby fingers haha)

[Carlota1981]

Maybride, thanks a million for your detailed review. This helps to understand more and more. 

I am completely agree with you. Grace must be organized with all the things. I trust in the people but I understand that not everybody is as well organized as I am, or you are or were when you worked as a wedding organizer.

If I were one, I would have never thought in having the file of a bride almost empty, just because later it is worst for making your job. 

 

 I have to say, that Caribbeans are very quite. They live the life in general very relaxed so knowing this from their character it is also another reason that made me to create a document with all the information. It is not that they are fool and I am inteligent but I just assume that is better to assure the things. 

 

And I see it was a good idea because in just 4 sheets I put down all the details. It is also organizing for me. I have a notebook where i have written all the things with the vendors and Vanessa, photos, etc. I just want to be sure to do not forget anything.

 

And by another hand I have to recognize that since I decided to celebrate my wedding there, I am making lots of questions to Vanessa. I know I have to bring everything to her because I asked her. Every doubt about number of waiters, hours, places, vendors and thousands of other things are subjetcs at my mails with Vanessa since last August. So girls, I advice you to ask her your wc everything and write a document to her. At least, when can be sure that we have done everything we could.

 

Lauren, it is a very good idea about the photos of how we want the things. I have to add that to my document. 

 

 

Maybride, thanks a million, really for all your information. It is a pity you have such an experience but as you said in a previous post you will laugh at this and remember only the good things such as you got married in a wonderful scenary as it is a Riviera Maya beach and the Caribbean Sea ; )

[Carlota1981]

Hello Lauren and Claire,

 

 

 

 

 

Yes the document is in Spanish, lol. I have writen some basic translations into English so you can understand. If you have any question, do not hesitate in telling me it.

 

BTW, it is not finished. But Vanessa scared me a little bit when last week she wrote me thinking that I have choosen another menu... completely different menu. So this was reason I decided to send it to her before. I will send her the final document some days before we leave Spain and of course I will bring a copy with me for our meeting and comment with her all the details there.

 

This document has nothing special. I just summarize all the things and small details and write them.  

 

 

Good night!

 

 

 

 

 

Boda Carlota y Thomas BDW.doc

[MyTye2B]

Originally Posted by Carlota1981 

 

Hello Lauren and Claire,

 

 

 

 

 

Yes the document is in Spanish, lol. I have writen some basic translations into English so you can understand. If you have any question, do not hesitate in telling me it.

 

BTW, it is not finished. But Vanessa scared me a little bit when last week she wrote me thinking that I have choosen another menu... completely different menu. So this was reason I decided to send it to her before. I will send her the final document some days before we leave Spain and of course I will bring a copy with me for our meeting and comment with her all the details there.

 

This document has nothing special. I just summarize all the things and small details and write them.  

 

 

Good night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Carlota!!!  I haven't looked yet but I really appreciate you sending this!!!!  AND thank you for putting some translations!    I wonder if the menu that Vanessa thought you chose was mine?  Lol, I'll be getting married right after you and she is my planner too. 

 

MayBride thanks again for the detailed review.  It certainly gives me a lot of insight and tips for how to make the best of a situation where the 'laid back' casual feel is not exactly what I'm going for on my wedding day.  Also, thank you so much for the info on the decorations.  It's great to know that I can have the resorts provide those flower balls - I like them way better than the typical flower arrangements personally.  I think they are so clean and classy.  Thanks again.

 

Lauren

Boda Carlota y Thomas BDW.doc

[MyTye2B]

Ok, now I have read it, Carlota!  You are the best!!  Since I write SO much and in English it is so nice to have some of the translations.  Your document really must have streamlined things for Vanessa and made it so much easier for her to understand.  I am going to have to get everything organized to do the same.  I like that you included all of the extra costs as well.  This was great!

 

Can I also ask you what flower shop you used in Mexico?