Any Grand Palladium brides?

[Melgoody]

Hello, while I am not really new to this forum I have not posted yet because anytime I have a question in mind I just keep reading and get it answered!! I am getting married January 9, 2014 and am super excited.

 

Carlota, I have put in a request for your FB page and was wondering if you could confirm it? I seems there is lots of great information on there as well

[jencadiz]

Hola ladies, 

 

I just went to pick up my dress and spoke with the woman that is doing the alterations and she gave me great advice for traveling with the dress on the plane.  

 

1) Don't bother calling ahead to see if they will accommodate the dress, they will tell you they can't guarantee that anyway

2) When you get to the gate, after you go through security, go up to the counter and tell them you are traveling with your gown and are hoping they can assist you with hanging it on the plane. 

3) 99% of the time they will accommodate you and deal with it early (before everyone else boards)

4) Bring some sort of thank you for the flight attendant and give it to him/her after they assist you. "Thank you so much, I would like to give you a small token of my appreciation".  A small gift box of chocolates goes a long way, since their job is often thankless. 

5) Make sure you bring a second set of chocolates for the journey back!

 

Jen 

[Carlota1981]

Hello ladies! Well I have finished to pack! I am really tired as I am running thourhg the city to pick up and buy last things, packing with bubble papper all the things delicated and all the bikinis, dresses, etc It is incredible how many things we have to go with.... I could never imagine!!! Jen, I am very happy you have a beautiful wedding! I am wishing to see the pics! You could create an album at.our Congratulations to be now a.married woman! Is it not great to say that? I am also sure Vanessa made an awesome work! Lauren, i have no idea of what the Spa do. Have they answered you? About Tyrell, yes! You are getting married a very smart man! : ) He is sooooo right! I have found much more in you brides that some of those are nearer to me. I am ver happy to have found this wonderful site and you all great women! I am always going to remember all these days writing here almost everyday sharing each other so many things. Tomorrow, Thomas and I have the flight to Madrid at 6pm but at 1pm or 2 pm we are going to bring Scooby with that wonderful family. I am happy they finally have them all this 13 days until my parents will pick him up on August 9th. But, for another hand, I am sad that I have to be without him for so long. But of course, wishing to put my feet at the wonderful Grand Palladium! I cannot still believe that now "it is my turn". Well girls, i will probably write here again before leaving Spain. Meanwhile, stay so cool as you are all!!

[MyTye2B]

I'm so glad to have found you guys too!  Jen thanks for the reminder to bring a little treat for the flight attendants - very important!  And may even result in a complimentary drink on the way down haha.  Carlota, thank you for the reminder of the bubble wrap - I just went out and bought some yesterday and packed one big plastic tub with all of the OOT supplies.  We will put the bags together when we get there. 

 

Vanessa has confirmed our meeting time for Friday the 16th.  I have not heard back from the spa yet, but even still I may just bring my own primer in case.  I just want to make sure that my face stays on in all of that heat haha!  Can you girls help me decide on which style of hair to ask for?  Here are two pictures below.

 

 

 

I like the look of it down, but I don't think I'll be able to handle the heat haha!  What do you think?

 

Yesterday I feel like I got SO many little things done, and I finally feel like with 2.5 weeks until we leave that I am seeing things coming together!  I finally found ties for the guys (the exact colour of the bridesmaid dresses because I had the straps of my sister's dress in my purse so I could compare) and I got a white one for Tyrel.  I found them at the Le Chateau Outlet store and they had soooo many colours and styles and they were buy one, get one for half off!  Today we are finishing up the seating cards.  I also went for my dress fitting again yesterday which was SO beautiful but it still needs to come in a little bit more and now she will start on the length.  I am so nervous that it won't get done, but she says 2 more weeks and it will be perfect.  That only leaves me with 3 days until we leave for fixing if it is not.  But I know it will be!

 

Carlota, I wish you a safe and amazing flight to Madrid tomorrow, and all the best saying bye to Scooby for a few weeks.  He will be in really good hands and have a blast with his babysitters I know.    I do hope you are able to get back on here before you go, but if you don't then just know we are wishing you the most incredible time, and I know your day will be perfect and beautiful!!  xoxo  Have a WONDERFUL wedding Carlota!!

 

 

Lauren

[Mikeycelle]

Originally Posted by MyTye2B 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve been here and as usual I’ve missed a lot while I was away!  Here is a picture from my weekend.  It was awesome to get to do the ‘legal’ stuff in a fun and romantic way.  It was actually a lot more meaningful than I thought it would be, saying the vows in a back seat of a limo lol.  But I don’t want to tell too many people about it since we want it to be special and real in Mexico.  To us, that is our real wedding, we were just lucky enough to make the paperwork part fun. 

 

 

 

 

Welcome Sarah, and congratulations on your wedding and choosing Grand Palladium!  Although I haven’t been married there yet, I can tell you honestly that it is a beautiful resort, that I have nothing but positive things to say about Vanessa, our coordinator, and that I’ve heard only great things from the other brides who have had weddings here.  I hope you find this forum to be a valuable resource as I know we all have as we plan for our weddings.  If you read back a loooong way, a lot of your questions are sure to be answered and we can certainly help with anything you need to know as well.

 

Also welcome to tengotulove.  I wish you all the best in finding a resort that works perfectly for the both of you.  J  Honestly we are not the biggest nightlife people.  We’ll party a whole lot during the day lol, and then wear ourselves out.  I do think that Cancun would have the good night life that your fiance is looking for, but I haven’t researched too much into what the nightlife is like at Grand Palladium.  Vanessa our coordinator did send information about organizing a group trip to Coco Bongos (I’ve actually been there when I was a lot younger and it was a blast I just don’t think I could handle it these days, haha) so I do know that it is possible and I really don’t think it’s too much at all.  If you decide to get married here I do think you’ll love the resort and the people!  We booked through a TA and I’d recommend it.  In this case it’s nice to have someone else do the work and it’s hard to coordinate all of the people especially when it’s a time you don’t want to be stressed.  Our guests ended up paying just under $1400 each although that’s in August and it’s not a prime time.  Come back and let us know what you decide! 

 

Jen that’s awesome that you’ve had so much luck with Michael for the hair and makeup.  You’re smart to get stuff organized now because trust me life will get busy lol.  And anyone who is that great with communication is a good thing.  You don’t want to worry on your wedding day whether they will show up so I am so happy to hear that they’ve been so open with you and you trust them.  J

 

Mikeycelle it was SO nice to hear from you again!  Your picture from Del Sol is gorgeous!  Obviously, haha – their work is incredible!  I am so happy to be reminded again of what a perfect day you had.  I hope all the months since have been just as perfect.  J  Thank you for reminding us not to over pack.  Haha, Tyrel and I are allowed 4 bags each for free up to 50 pounds and I am having trouble figuring out how I’ll fit it all in, even with that allowance!  It’s good to know that Walmart is so easy and close.  Your video was awesome!  Thank you so much for sharing.  I had to watch it without sound haha, because Tyrel is sleeping but aside from the fact that you were stunning, the cake was gorgeous, the fireworks during your dance were amazing, the scenery looked so perfect!  I’m so glad that we got a videographer too to capture our day.  Now I am wishing they were there for longer to capture the party too!  Haha, unfortunately I don’t think that’s in the budget but your video is so great!

 

Carlota I have to listen to the Piano Guys song but I am on my laptop in bed and Tyrel is sleeping so I don’t want to wake him up. I will have to listen to it tomorrow.  We also just finished putting most of the songs that the DJ won’t play (so for the ceremony) on the computer but now I have to make sure they are all good and put them on an iPod.  I think I will use that My Wedding DJ app.  But like you, I just have to do it!  Lol.  Also about the weather I am SO glad that they will wait until 3 pm to finally decide.  It seems like it would be a LOT to put together in just about a half an hour if they wait that long, but I bet they can do it.  We’ll just keep praying for no rain! 

 

I have to say your dress is soooo beautiful!!!  I love the extra line of beading, what a smart decision.  It really makes the dress and will pull you all in I think.  Your guest seating cards are so nice too.  I have been working tonight on my seating chart.  I think in the end we will have 7 round tables plus our head table with 10 people at it.  We have 60 people now booked officially.  Phew!  Some of the round tables will not be full though, one we only have 5 people at and 2 others will only have 7 people.  Do you think that is ok?  It is just how it worked out with families and couples. 

 

For our menu cards Tyrel and I have to work on them this weekend.  Carlota your message in a bottle menus sound amazing.  Please share a picture when they are all done!  I would have loved to do that but it sounds like so much work.  You are much more patient than me haha.  I am also trying to put last minute things together for our OOT bags but now that we have so many more people coming I need to go buy extras of things like the Tylenol, which I originally found at the Dollarama and I only bought 15 of, but now we will have 27 rooms so I need 12 more, but I can’t find them for cheap anymore.  I’m debating if I should wait to see if they get them back in stock for cheap or just buy the more expensive ones?  I am also finding the same thing with the TUMS and a few other items that I still need to purchase.  Right now I feel like I am running out of money big time.  It’s our first full month in our new house so we are now getting all of the bills like our first cable bill, our first utility bill and the property taxes have been reassessed and we owe $600 more so I’m kind of freaking out that this is all happening 3 weeks before we leave for the wedding haha!  I also have to bring all of the money in cash to pay for my alterations for my dress which I go see on Saturday (can’t wait for that though!  That’s way more exciting than property taxes haha!)

 

Were you able to find strapless bikinis?  I have been looking for a white bikini, but as I’ve mentioned before I have a big old bum and no regular bathing suits seem to fit me.  I’d love to be able to find a S, M, or L that actually fit me but even XL bottoms don’t (I have a M top) so the only real bathing suit store in town is Swimco where the prices are stupid, like $200+ for a bathing suit that comes in big booty size which I’d probably pay since it is for the wedding but I don’t even like the styles, they’re all ugly.  So in Las Vegas I saw an awesome white, strapless bathing suit with like a gold rope chain across the chest – it doesn’t sound nice but it was so sexy!  But the bottoms didn’t fit (obviously).  I should have just bought the top, and then looked for separate bottoms here, but I was all mad so I didn’t haha.  And now I regret it.  Tonight I just found this online:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It almost seems too good to be true since it was so cheap, simple, free shipping from the UK to Canada (I will pay duty) and came in size big butt!  I am praying it will fit me, since I was really, really leery about ordering a bathing suit online.  I used to do it all the time from Victoria’s Secret but my body was different back then.  We’ll see!  They do allow you to return too.   Maybe when Claire gets back she can tell us if UK sizes fit like Canadian sizes, haha.  It even says it will be here in 9 days.  We leave in 21 for the wedding so I hope it comes! 

 

Well I'd better get to bed too!  I have 2 more classes to train at work, one next week and one the week after, and then from August 10th I am off and we leave on the 14th.  I can't wait!! 

 

Goodnight, Ladies!  Lauren

Hi Lauren!

Thank you for the sweet compliments! I'm still dreaming about our wedding week!

Your Las Vegas wedding pics looks so exciting! Very cool! Hope you won something in the casinos!

 

Celle

[Mikeycelle]

Originally Posted by caseylynndavis 

 

Maricelle....

Your video is perfect! What was the second song that was played during your video? How did you guys get to playa? via cab? if so, how much, and was it sketchy at all in the walmart...i speak a little spanish, and alot is healthcare geared, so it won't serve me too well there Hope you newlyweds are doing great!

Casey

Hi Casey! Thank you for your kind compliments on our video! I'm not sure what that second song was since Agustin picked the songs for our video. 

It was about $15 by cab. Walmart was better than some Walmarts in the US. The consumers are tourists and those who are residents on the Riviera Maya. We're still in honeymoon mode =)

[Mikeycelle]

Originally Posted by MyTye2B 

 

Quick question for anyone who has been in contact with the spa - do you know if they use a primer or something to help your makeup stay on better in the heat with how oily our skin can get there?  Especially for eyelids?  I am going to send a quick email but maybe someone here can answer quicker.  Thanks!  xo Lauren

Hi Lauren! I had my makeup and hair done at Zentropia Spa. They use MAC products. I suggest going to MAC and ask a professional on what's best for your face. They used primer and a setting spray for my face. I have combination skin and the products stayed on well.  Luckily my makeup did not melt off in the 90 degree humidity as you see on the video. I brought my own eye makeup for more dramatic colors. They had a huge collection of eye makeup anyway. Always speak up if you don't like how the makeup is applied or the colors are not to your liking. Also remember you are hiring someone to give you a special look that is different from what you'd normally look like. If you want to look like your usual then don't waste money on a makeup artist. Makeup should accentuate your features. My lipstick had to be reapplied time to time from kissing the hubby and the shots we took all night! Have your maid of honor or mom carry lipstick and facial tissue.

[brebuisson02]

Carlotta, can't believe you will be leaving tomorrow for Mexico! Wishing you all the best, have an amazing time and can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

Sounds like everyone is having their own kind of problems with guests not being able to attend our weddings .. I feel bad for my fiancé. One of his groomsmen decided to back out a few months ago saying that he didn't know if he would be able to afford it anymore because he had to pay a lot of $$ back in income tax. We totally understood and were okay with it as my fiancé had some other close friends coming that could take his place. So, we decided to ask one of Corey's best friends since he's been little if he was planning on coming to the wedding and he said he was, so we asked if he would want to be a groomsmen. He agreed, but they didn't have their trip booked yet. He called us last week and said he's not coming anymore because his dad is bringing him to Hawaii for Christmas. Also now, the first guy we had asked to be in the wedding party who backed out due to finances ended up buying a $62,000 brand new truck last weekend!! Kind of frustrating, obviously it's not about the finances but whatever! We have our wedding party all picked out now and everything is all sorted out thankfully.

 

Lauren, I like both hairstyles! I really am a fan of the half up - half down look but I agree that in the Mexico heat, all up might be a better choice & I actually really like that hairstyle as well.

 

What are you ladies planning on doing for an at-home reception (if you are having one?) and how long after you return from Mexico are you doing it? My mom just sent out my bridal shower invites and with them she put a little note saying that we would be having a reception at home when we get back to celebrate with everyone. It won't be anything crazy, if we had a nice big yard I would totally just do a BBQ with drinks and music, but we don't. So, my mom mentioned that I could rent the hall in town here and have a catered supper (nothing too expensive), and then drinks/dancing.

 

Well Corey had his stag this weekend, so I went away with my bridesmaids and we spent the weekend at my friends campsite. Such a great weekend but I am exhausted now so its time for me to catch up on some sleep!
 

[Chrestena]

Hi brides! 

 

Just wanted to pop on and say hello:)

 

Carlota- I was so sorry to hear about the train accident in Spain, I am very thankful your little sister was not involved, and my heart goes out to your city and it's people. xoxo.  I know you have already left for your wedding! I wish you the most beautiful ceremony!!!  I will be thinking of you I am off of work this week, so I promise I will post some wedding photos to your FB page. I have been so delayed in doing that! I am sorry to hear about your girlfriends, but...the most important thing is that you will be there with your love, Thomas. Congratulations to you both

 

Lauren- Congrats to you also! I loved seeing the Vegas pictures They were adorable...and your "real" day is coming up so fast. I can't begin to tell you ladies how fast it goes by! I'm glad you had an emotional vow ceremony in Vegas...saying those vows is such a beautiful thing!  And I loved your dress I know you will have a beautiful wedding and I can't wait to see your pictures!! xoxo

 

One thing that I noticed, reading through some of the posts, was the mention of gifts/cards at the destination wedding. I didn't mention this earlier in any of my after wedding posts, simply because it didn't matter, but as I have seen it mentioned now- I wanted to let you know (and we were VERY surprised about this) was that most of our guests (with the exception of 3) did not give us a gift or money. Some didn't even give us a card. We did receive 2 cards with well wishes. We felt kind of silly that we placed a card box out on one of our tables, but I did so because Michael and I would never attend any wedding, (first marriage or re-marriage), in any location, (local or destination involving travel) without a gift or a gift of money for the bride and groom. I was worried that the cards were misplaced, but we just didn't receive any. When we returned home, we did receive some gifts and cards with $ through the mail from guests who did not attend the wedding in Mexico. After talking to some of my co-workers, I was shocked to hear that this is a general consensus, and they all thought this was normal for a destination wedding to another country. Many of them thought it is the travel that is the gift, and said that they would not have given a gift of money either. I had never heard of this before! I am not sure if this is a new thing, or if just my group all shared this same thought...I dont know. Lol. Most of our guests are very comfortable financially, so it seemed strange to us. In the end, it didn't matter, but I just wanted to give you a heads up because I was a little confused. For the record, we are attending a destination wedding in a few months, and I will most definitely still be giving a card with a nice check in it! I can't imagine not

 

Sarah519- hello and welcome!  I used maracas for our wedding favors and got them online from a party website called Amols. There is a photo of them on this GP site...they were perfect - made in Mexico, hand painted, and surprisingly inexpensive! The funny thing is, the same ones are for sale in the GP resort stores...for about triple the cost!  

 

Brebuisson02- hi again!  Regarding having an at home reception: We are reciting our vows here in New York and having a very intimate at home reception. We were married at the GP on 5-8-2013, and our NY wedding is August 17th, so we waited just a little bit There is a beautiful gazebo that stretches out over the lake, with all the boats in the background- we will say our vows there, and move to a nearby restaurant for a private dinner on the deck overlooking the water. Very simple with good food and wine:) I do not want to re-create my Mexico wedding on the beach in any way. It was too perfect, so we are doing it totally different Very upscale food with nice wine here in New York, while in Mexico we did fun, h'ors doevres and signature drinks with the names "Mamacita Margarita" and "The Goombah Smash". Lol. I loved our wedding in Mexico on the beach so much that I didn't want to compete with it in any way!!  You will love your wedding at the GP-  I am certain of it!!!  And don't worry to much about people backing out...it happens, it did to us as well, so we just asked our family instead. And our groomsmen and bridesmaids were not an even number, so we had my stepson walk with both of my daughters- one on each of his arms It will all work out because it is your beautiful wedding I promise.

 

Talk to you soon ladies!!!  XOXO!!!  Happy planning!!!!!

 

Chrestena

[MyTye2B]

First of all ladies, I’ll warn you I’m writing from work again so it’s going to be a big, long mess. I have no idea why the formatting goes like this from my work computer. I leave spaces in between I promise haha!Well Carlota has gone and I saw she posted on the Facebook page, but again here I am thinking of you and praying for the most perfect day!! Xo Can’t wait to hear all about it! Mikeycelle thank you so much for the information that makes me feel much better! I did just hear back from the spa but your explanation is much better. I'm pretty sure they just said 'yes they have it's a powder' which if I had not read what you wrote wouldn't make me feel too confident lol. I did buy some of my own MAC makeup just in case I don't like the colours, but like you said, I'm open to a bit of a different and special look. I still want to be me, but a radiant and bright me! Bre, for the AHR reception, we are having two - a very small one out here at a hall in my fiance's parents town. They live about a 2 hour drive from us in Alberta. It's a really tiny town with under 1000 people who live there so it will be like a pot luck, ad in the local newspaper, drop in when you can, music on an iPod type thing. That one is 2 weeks after we get back, so not long at all. My parents are also having one in October, so it will be 7 weeks after we get back. My parents live in Ontario so we'll have to fly home for the weekend. It will be in their backyard but right now my mom is freaking out about it. I keep telling her we don't need to have anything big, nor do I want anything big. I'd be fine with BBQing hot dogs and just supplying alcohol and having a party, but she wants to have catered food and tents in case it rains. We don't really have any money so I want it to be smaller so she isn't so stressed, but a friend of mine from back home who got married in Punta Cana in January just had a reception at home earlier this month (my parents and I went to the wedding - their family have been friends since we were born) and it was soooo extravagant. I didn’t go because I couldn’t get time off of work to fly home, but there were tents, a plated meal, a live band, a DJ…. All in her parent’s huge backyard. I think my mom now feels like they have to live up to that which makes me feel awful. I’m sure it was gorgeous but that’s NOT what I want. Also we are having all of that at our wedding at GP and she only had a cocktail reception at her resort, so their AHR was the bigger party. Casey, I have not planned an actual pub crawl or physical scavenger hunt but I remember one person writing that there were bonus points for people who still had silly things with them like a napkin from the airline they flew on the way down. I guess it would depend on if you want people to find everything on the night of the pub crawl, or if older and newer items or pictures could be included. In our welcome books we made kind of a ‘photo’ scavenger hunt for the week and then whoever finds them all will be entered into a draw to win something (probably a bottle of booze) at our AHR. There are only a few things, like a speedo gone wrong, or our guests involved in an activity club game, the groomsmen getting into trouble, the bride and her girlfriends and their signature hand shot (every wedding we put our hands together and watch the ring fingers fill up. ïŠ) and the father of the bride doing a shot (he rarely drinks at all, but I bet his first daughter getting married will do the trick, haha!) Stuff like that! Hope that helps! Well ladies, back to work for me! Talk to you all soon. Lauren