Any Grand Palladium brides?

[Soon2BeMrsW]

Now that I'm really starting to plan my wedding, I have all sorts of questions. I'm sure that you girls will be able to help me out though. First of all, what time would you suggest having the ceremony? We are wanting to get married at the beach pergola and then have a private reception at La Laguna. I don't want there to be too much time between the ceremony and the reception, but I also don't want to be rushed with the pictures and such. Also, I'm a bit confused about when to send out the wedding invites. I would like to send them out once everything is confirmed, so that I can include details about the travel package, as well as my travel agents contact information. The problem is that once everything is confirmed, and I pay my deposit, my guests only have 30-60 days to book as a part of our group. I'm concerned that I won't have enough time to order and send out all my invites, and still give my guests enough time to book. Thoughts?

[claire0701]

Our ceremony time is 4-5pm so we have time for some photots afterwards before the sun starts to go down and then dinner is at 6:30. For us, this suits perfectly because there won't be several hours between wedding and dinner, but we will still have time to get photos while our guests have a few drinks. 

 

We sent out 'save the dates' about 18months in advance saying that we planned to book in about 6 months (we couldn't book sooner because flights weren't out till then)  and we would be booking to travel in July.  It gave people the chance to have a good think about it so that when we booked almost everyone had already decided if they were coming or not.  It was all quite easy because everyone had so much notice.  

 

Have a chat with your family and friends they will tell you what would be helpful for them as well.  I hope that helps a little. 

[jencadiz]

I think I have the menu options for the three restaurants if you go with dinner at one of the A la Cartes. I'll post it up to Facebook. I also just sent out a save the date for all my guests. I didn't want to print and mail twice, and most of our guests are Internet savvy. The ones that aren't we have asked other guests to assist them in getting to the information. So we sent them through Paperless Post. I paid a little to customize it and make it more in line with our theme, but they do have free options. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper then mailing anything and quicker!. An added bonus: it tracks who has received and opened it. So if time went by and it hasn't been opened I could follow up with them. Mostly our timing for the save the dates was based on getting the wedding website ready to go so that we could direct our guests to all the information they need to plan for the trip including downloadable info from our TA on different package info. The link was in the save the date so they could click and be immediately directed. I also would recommend the 4pm time. The lighting for photos is generally best right before sunset, sometimes referred to as the "magic hour".

[brebuisson02]

Hey girls,
Thanks for the suggestions for groomsmen gifts!
Have a question for you ladies .. what are your plans as far as hair/makeup for your bridal party on the day of your wedding? At the last wedding I was in back here in Manitoba, the bride paid for our hair and makeup for the day. I was hoping to do the same for my girls in mexico but did not realize how expensive it was at the spa! $72 per person for makeup and $89 or more for hair per person ..... is a bit more than I was expecting. So I think I might pay for their hair, and either they can do their own makeup (they all do a nice job of makeup anyways), or can pay themselves for their makeup. I thought I saw somewhere on here that someone had to pay a 50% deposit for their spa appts and it was over $500.00 .. it will add up quickly! Just wanted to see how you girls were planning on doing that.

 

On a sidenote, we got a few of our engagement photos back & I am so excited! Wanted to share them with you girls.

 

 

 

 

Our wedding social is coming up in about 2 months so we are starting to get organized for that. Next weekend we are going into the city to celebrate our anniversary (6 years together!) and my fiancé is going to try on rings and we are hoping to order his wedding band! I also have a consult about possibly getting a custom wedding band made since I cant seem to find one that fits perfectly into my engagement ring. We are also planning on registering for our bridal shower.. so exciting to finally be able to plan wedding stuff as we've been waiting for awhile!

[Carlota1981]

Hello ladies!! How are you all? Thomas is returning to work tomorrow so he is completely recovered, just some cough. 

Here we are suffering from a terrible weather! Yesterday at 11pm we were at 29ºC (84.2 F)!! Last night was difficult to sleep. We have not usually this high temperatures so is not typical to have A/C at home..

 

 

Bre, your engagement pictures are really beautiful. Congratulations having that photographer, is going to be your wedding photographer as well?

About the costs of the Spa... I agree, this are really high costs. This has been one of the things that shocks me the most. This is really expensive. Well, I am not having bridesmaids (only MH) but if I were you, you have two options from point of view.

 

You can talk with them, explaining them what are you going to pay and then give them the cost list (so they can see how expensive is). 

Anyway, the spa makes a 10% of discount if you book online. For this is required to pay the 50% of the amount thourgh Paypal. 

 

Or you could also look another option. When I realized that I could have done this, it was too late as I have alredy payed the 50% to the Zentropia spa. Then, why dont you look options with vendors? I have seen pics of other brides that got their hairstyle and make up at their rooms. 

I do not have any idea if this is a cheaper option but maybe it is and even better the vendor could make you an offer if you are going to be several people. Do not forget to haggle with the vendors!! Some of them do not want to make special prices but you could see that the most of them want to make a special discount. I had this with my flowershop and my photographer. 

 

Hope it helps!

 

 

Well girls it is only 3 weeks for us to fly to Cancun... It is incredible how fast the days have gone! Our flight is at 3pm and this weekend we have decided to book our sits at the airplane. It is not necessary to do it, but we prefer to be sitted alone and together and do not take the risk of being separeted during 9hours!! We have payed 10 euro for each sit, that is more or less 13 usd.

 

We have also booked a hotel in Madrid from where the flight leaves. We are going to fly on 28th from my city to Madrid (1hour of flight) and then we will stay in a hotel near to the airport. We did not want to take the risks of having problems with the flight from my city as sometimes cancelled the flights because of the fog. 

In fact, our guests have done all the same, they are arriving from London, Italy and from La Coruña (my city) the day before. We found a very good offer at half price of a modern hotel for only 60 usd the room including buffet breakfast, swimming pool, garden, terrace, etc. The pool is going to be great during that day at Madrid as this city is an oven in summer! 

 

 

For other hand, the community manager of Grand Palladium has contacted us to ask us want kind of upgrade we would like to have and that maybe we could have also the possibility to be upgraded to the Royal Suites (we won the prize the Palladium did last week). 

But we have prefered to be upgraded to a Mayan suite at Kantenah. I loved the ones that has only two floors and their own entrance directly from the beach. The Royal Suites does not atract our attention. OK you have better things but we prefer to have a more typical room and more beautiful. For another hand, a friend of mine that was there last November during his honeymoon told me a lot of details that makes we prefer the Mayan suites.

 

We are waiting for his answer to confirm us the availability as he wrote us that they are almost at 100% of capacity this summer. 

 

Claire, have you received any news from Vanessa? Hope so! I have noticed she is answering with not the same frequence. I think she is having a lot of weddings now. And they have two brides from my city that works at the Palladium that are getting married on July 20th and August 3rd. Probably a lot of work to do being one of them the manager of the Kantenah and Colonial. 

 

 

Girls, before stop writing here, I would like to ask you a question. Maybe this a fool one, but I would like to know how you are going to do with your fingerprints guestsbook to do not be spoiled... I have read that some of you are going to put it in a table at La Laguna reception, but I do not know what to do, because after the dinner we are moving to Las Rocas, so what could you suggest me? 

 

 

¡¡Un saludo chicas!!

[ngreenwood]

Hey Bre and Casey,

 

I booked the Styling Trio Riviera Maya for my wedding in December (prices are below).

One of my girlfriends who got married at the Palladium last year also booked them and said they were awesome.

 

I had looked into the Zentropia Spa as well... Pricing for the bridesmaids and family members were comparable. The bridal options from the Styling Trio are a bit pricier (from what I can remember, I haven't looked at the Zentropia price list for a while now!) however this is something I don't mind spending a little extra on as I'm quite picky!! They come right to your room and do both your hair and make up there. The Facebook page and website links are below.

 

Oh and one more thing, Adrian is the CEO so to book with him costs a little more as well.

 

Hope this helps!

 

https://www.facebook.com/stylingtrio

http://stylingtriorivieramaya.com

 

PRICING:

 

THE BRIDE HAS HER OPTIONS:

 

Bridal Package w/ Trial (includes Hair Styling, Airbrush Makeup & Lashes): $450 USD 

w/ Adrian: $600 USD

 

Wedding Day ONLY: (includes services listed above minus the trial): $325 USD

w/Adrian: $400 USD

 

Airbrush Makeup w/ TRIAL: 300 USD

w/ Adrian: $400 USD

 

Airbrush Makeup Wedding Day ONLY w/ lashes:

175 USD

w/Adrian: $200 USD

 

Hair Styling w/ TRIAL: 300 USD

 

Hair Styling w/o TRIAL: 175 USD

 

 

AS DOES THE BRIDAL PARTY:

 

Bridal Party, Grandma Sue & The "Rest of the Familia" Package:  $150 USD  per person (includes Hair, Airbrush Makeup & Lashes)

 

Hair Solo: 90 USD*

Makeup Solo: 90 USD*

 

[MyTye2B]

Hi Ladies, I am back from Las Vegas and mostly in one piece still.  I have my dress fitting coming up this weekend so I'll need to make sure I get rid of all my delicious meals I've put in my tummy this weekend!  I am sooo excited to go for my fitting, but nervous too, because I know that there is going to be a LOT of work to get done. 

 

Bre I love your engagement pics!!  So beautiful.  Thank you for sharing them. 

 

About the hair and makeup, I think it was me who mentioned it being over $500 for the 50% deposit.  It is expensive but I guess they have a monopoly since there is not much else you can do.  But, ngreenwood, I have read other brides from different resorts using who you suggested - Adrian in particular.  I think that is actually a really good deal!  The bridesmaids especially $150 is not too bad.  My bridesmaids all have long hair and it is looking like $137 just for their hair alone!  When I booked makeup it was $61 but I just had to add someone on and you're right that it's been upped to $72 now.  I think it would be really fun to get ready all together in the rooms! 

 

Carlota it sounds like everything is very well organized!  Very smart to prebook your seats (that's the airline lady in me!) and what a small price to pay to do it!  You definitely want to be sitting with Thomas on such a long flight.  I'm glad to hear that he's feeling better, by the way!   What a relief!  I am so excited for you that you will get a Mayan Suite, fingers crossed!  Tyrel and I booked a Mayan Suite as well, at the White Sand for our trip.  We think they just looked so cool!  You can take a boat right up to your room and have that outdoor shower.  It will be exactly the atmosphere we want.  I can't believe you only have 3 weeks left!  Do you feel like everything is coming together?  What last minute things are you working on?

 

Carlota, I noticed that Vanessa is taking slightly longer - usually a couple of days now to respond, but that she still provides exactly the answers that I am looking for.  On that last email that I sent saying that I was happy to see that if it rained we could stay outside she said you are the bride and you are the most important person on that day.  She is just so nice!

 

As for the fingerprint guestbook, I will be leaving it on a table at the entrance to La Laguna, and have stamp pads, a pen and a little treasure chest box full of alcohol wipes (I found the treasure chest at Dollarama for $1.50) so that the guests can wipe off their fingers.  I hope to ask Vanessa to put a small garbage pail near the table so they can throw away the alcohol wipes when they are done cleaning their fingers.  I am not sure who I will put in charge of taking the guest book back to the room.  I have heard at other resorts the wedding planner does this, or you can ask a friend or family member to bring it back to their room so that it does not get wrecked.  I just have heard that sometimes things disappear so I definitely wouldn't want that to happen.  I really feel like they are so organized though!  Just be sure you have your DJ or MC make an announcement that it is there so that all of your guests can sign it, and let Vanessa know that you won't be taking it to Las Rocas for fear that it gets ruined, so if she can take it away for you with the rest of the decorations, I'm sure she will.

 

I hope I get to meet you at the resort!

 

Claire, good luck we are thinking of you and wishing you all of the best in only 10 days it is your wedding day!!  Best wishes for a perfect day for you!! 

[claire0701]

Bre, your engagement photos are lovley   I decided against having out hair and make up done at the spa. I'm pretty fussy and even at home prefer to do these things myself so they can be 'just the way I want' haha.  I do think the prices are very steep though. 

 

It's a good idea to look into the outside vendors being recommended as well, it would be nice to have hair and make up done in your room rather than having to go down to the spa and possibly bumping into guests en route or in there. 

 

Carlota, I'm so pleased to hear Thomas is making a recovery and will be fighting for for the wedding!  You seem to be really well planned for the big day, the next few weeks will fly in believe me! We leave for Mexico tomorrow and the wedding is in a week and 2 days.  I have been pack, pack, packing for the last few days.  I am struggling with our luggage allowance which is only 20kg each.  I have managed to get my sisters to carry some of the OOT bags for me so that has helped but I am still a little over the weight.  Peter is a little under so hopefully that will be okay.  We weren't able to pre book our seats because the others in our group didn't want to and it had to be everyone on the booking.  We're just going to get to the airport super early tomorrow morning and I'm sure we will be fine. 

 

I did not hear back from Vanessa until several days after I first emailed her and she said she STILL did not know for sure if our paperwork was in place.  I had a minor breakdown yesterday when I called to see if I could carry a copy of the paperwork from our Diocese and they said 'no'.  I have emailed Vanessa again this morning with the address the paperwork was sent to and I guess I just need to leave it be and hope everything will work out okay over the next few days.

 

Good question about the fingerprint book as well Carlota, I would agree with Lauren and say appoint someone the job of taking it back to the room after La Laguna, on their way to Las Rocas.  Maybe your maid of honour?  I think we are going to keep ours at home for our AHR because of our luggage restrictions and we don't want it getting all crumpled.  All of our guests will be at the AHR as well so we will catch them all there a few weeks after we return.  I have just realised our AHR is the same day as you get married Carlota - we will raise a glass to you

 

Lauren, I'm glad to hear you had a fun weekend in Vegas, and it's also so exciting to have your dress fitting as well.  I haven't actually tried mine on since I picked it up last week because all I have done this last week is eat eat eat!  I have been trying to catch up with everyone before we leave so have been out for dinner lots!  I'm not worrying about it though, I'm just going to go easy on the carbs when we arrive and cross my fingers - everything will be fine. 

 

Well girls, I don't think I'll be back on here until after the wedding when  come back to give you all a review.  I hope I manage to do that before Lauren and Carlota leave, but if I don't - GOOD LUCK girls!  Enjoy every minute and I'm sure you will look amazing.  I can't wait to see your photos when you get back xxxx

[Carlota1981]

Hi brides!!

 

Claire I wish you so much luck with the paperwork and a very happy and beautiful day!! We will be thinking on you the 18th July!!!  Have a nice trip!! 

What a coincidence you are having your home reception the same day!! We will toast for you as well!!! 

About the luggage we have a restriction of 23kg and I think we also have to give sth to someone else!! With some many DIY projects! lol

 

 

Thanks for the tips about the fingerprint guestbook, I think I am going to bring a folder or sth to put into it after everybody has signed it. I was not sure if having it at La laguna or Las Rocas, but I think is better at the first one and I will ask to Vanessa to announce the people to sing into it. After that hope she can keep it because from La Laguna to the Kantenah is a little bit far away. I am not sure yet... 

 

Lauren, your trip to Las Vegas sounds really funny!!! So good you have done it the month before of your wedding! Hope everything goes great trying on your gown this weekend! I hope too to meet you at the resort!! Sure Vanessa will tell us sth!

 

And yes, only 19 days for leaving to Madrid and 20 to Cancun!! oMG! Today I am feeling quite stressed to be honest. First of all, Scooby is sick, he has an infection but luckily he will recovery before Thursday. He is with fever and yesterday we took him to the vet. First, Thomas, now Scooby!! 

 

Last Saturday the friends that were going to stay with Scooby during our trip at Mexico until the 8th August (when my parents will pick him up) told us at 10pm that they were not longer able to be with them... I was desperated!! But, first problem resolved! A friend of my mom and his son will have him at their home during these days. Thank godness!! This sudden shocks during the last days are not good!! This friend met Scooby two years ago so I have planned to meet her up two times before the 28th July so Scooby will get used to her and the son as well as to the home. Scooby does not like to stay at a house he does not know before!! haha

 

But in this moment the stress is being for the Thomas' paperworks. I do not understand why is taking so long to get them. I got mine the same day I went to ask for them. But we are alredy waiting two months for the Thomas'. 

 

We had to wait for them some months because of the registration after the wedding here in Spain. It was supposed that THomas had to started with his paperworks in April... but you know how the guys are!! But anyway, I could never have imagined that Italy takes so many time for giving everything. The worst is that it was supposed to have it in several ocassions but there is always some burocracy problems. 

 

So we are starting to think that if paperwork does not arrive in time, we will have to change our wedding package!! I did not want to think about this before.... 

So for this reason, I would like to take a look at the renewal packages. For this I need information about the ones that were available until last year. Please Lauren, do you have information about this? Could you please send it to me by mail? I would REALLY appreciate it!!  

 

My mail is: [email protected]

 

If you do not have the info about this in a pdf or at enclosure, please post it here. I do not have any information about what includes and the costs. 

 

 

And now I am still have things to do, I would try to look for them this afternoon. I have still to buy the ink pads, i have to stamp our seating cards (I have alredy design them), i am not able to find some fucsia floating candles for our cheap centerpieces at the Sports Bar and look for "Mr and Mrs" small sign for our reception.

 

Two weeks ago has opened a Danish store 200 metres away from my home and this has lots of things! This like an Euro or Dollar store. What a pity they did not open some months ago!. I have bought there some things for the wedding at a very good costs. This place is sooooo cheap!! To give you an example, I found there the alcohol wipes for only 0.50 euro (0.63 usd). 

 

This last days I have bought the white tulle ribbon for our starfish for the rings. We also have tried to colour some sand for the ceremony sand, but it was a disaster and the sand seemed a rock! hahaha But looking for the floating candles at one store, I found the sand!! We would like to have it clear blue, but they do not have it. So I have finally bought in light green. I think is going to be great as well for the ceremony sand. 

 

I have also went to the pharmacy to buy the mosquito repellent. I was looking for the Avon one that Claire suggested but it was impossible to find. So I have decided to buy one that my pharmaciest recommend it to me. I have just bought one small container because the PR at the Palladium told me they have the OFF repelent and I have read some reviews from Spanish people travelling there and they were saying that OFF worked perfectly. So we have planned to buy it at Playa del Carmen or at the resort. 

I have also bought sth for the mosquitos bites because mosquitos love me so I am sure I am going to have some bites anyway! 

 

My maid of honour is coming this weekend and she has planned to bring eggs to Santa Clara. According to the tradition the bride could not bring them. I have told her to make a photo of it as we have talked to make other pic as well at the resort when we are going to take some knives to bury them at the ground!! So funny, hahaha

 

 

 

Well, I am going to have lunch!!

 

Saludos chicas

[Carlota1981]

I am not sure that I have explained it correctly at the previous post. 

Lauren (or other former brides) what I need is the info about the vow renewal packages. I do not have them... 

 

¡Gracias!