Any Grand Palladium brides?

[Manda123]

Hi JND!

I am having the exact same issue as you with the dates. We are keeping our fingers crossed for Jan 5th, 2012, but Rocio says we can't book til May. Did she tell you a date in May that you can call and book? When I spoke to her about a month ago she said that not a lot of people had been calling and requesting dates for Jan next year, so hopefully we will both get the dates we want.

I know that if you have 40+ people you need to have a private reception. Not sure about some of your other questions since I am a newbie too!

Good luck with your planning and I am sure we will have lots to talk about as our dates get closer

 

Originally Posted by JND2012 

Hey ladies!

 

Sorry, I'm super new to this site so I thought I'd introduce myself!

 

I'm getting married at the Grand Palladium Kantenah resort in January 2012.  I've also requested a date but was told that I had to wait until May!  I'm a bit nervous about it because I really want the 25th, since we'll be there from the 20th-27th.  We have 40 guests!

 

I have a few Q's!  (I know it's a bit early but I'm super excited!)

 

-  What are you ladies doing for the "dance floor"?  If you bring your own music, you can hook it up and have a dance floor in the private reception?  I really, really want dancing!  Is anyone getting a DJ?

-  With the private reception, do you only have to pay additional menu costs?  Or is there another fee?  And what are the private reception options?  And what are the time limits on a private reception?

-  What are you doing for a photographer?  Is there a policy on bringing one in?

 

 

...  I think that's it for now.  I really like the idea of having the cocktail time!  =)  Where are you getting the information?  I have the menu list and the package list - is there anything else out there?

 

 

[StephyD]

We're getting married at the beach gazebo.  The only thing they provide is the ribbon on the pillars.  If you want flowers of any kind, that's extra.  I think they can give you the red carpet and some petals as well. 

 

I didn't want my bouquet and boutonniere (since we're getting flowers from Vanessa Jaimes) and they offered to make me a premium centerpiece for the table at the ceremony (which we agreed to) or to make 2 small arrangements for the pilars.
 

Originally Posted by Ellabaja1983 

Question for you ladies! 

 

This morning I spent so much time on the Grand Palladium Addicts website and was looking through the wedding pictures they had posted.  Is anyone else having their wedding in the beach gazebo?  I'm curious if they do the decorations on the pillars, or if that's something we need to bring if we want it?

 

[Ellabaja1983]

Thanks, Stephy.  I've spent a lot of time today looking at pictures of previous weddings at GP.  I think I have figured out my bouquet!  Along with that I've been able to see pictures of Gran Azul where we are having the reception, so I can picture the layout and everything!  It's been a productive day in that regard.

[Laine81]

Hello Everyone

 

I just returned from our wedding at the Grand Palladium.  Our wedding was on the 10th of February.  So I will get down to the details.  First I would recommend asking the wedding coordinator when your meeting is.  We arrived at 4pm and were given a handful of envelopes about the resort one from the wedding coordinator...etc.  We were so excited to be there we did not open the envelopes until the following morning.  The meeting was scheduled for 930am...it was 9am when I opened the letter...omg!  We needed our passports, tourists cards, money for the doctor and the minister as well as 4 witnesses with their passports and tourist cards.  Needless to say it was a nightmare...our witnesses had no idea and they were already out and about checking out the resort....the resort is huge.  We did a lot of running that day...I cried a lot.  Once the details were set out the wedding coordinators do not contact you at all until the wedding date...stressful.  The weddings office is located in the White Sands...this is a hike from the Kantenah or Colonial, there is a trolley that can take you, but we often walked up the beach its really fast that way.

The wedding day was perfect...surprisingly due to the lack of communication. Bouquets were in my room by noon, my dress was steamed and delivered the day before the wedding (note the left it in a clear bag stretched out on the bed...so go into the room before your fiance...we almost had a disaster! lol)  The transportation was late picking myself and the bridesmaids up..but it was cool...fashionably late.  The ceremony was at the beach gazebo...the one with the white pillars..its also located at White Sands.  The backdrop is honestly decor enough but they have all colours of chair bows, tulle tied to the pillars, rose petals on the aisle.  It was beautiful.  They played all the music on the ipod as requested, no problems at all.

I would not recommend the cocktail hour for an extra cost.  There are lobby bars everywhere...our reception was at La Laguna and there was a bar right beside it and everyone went there and had cocktails and laughs while we had pictures taken.  

The setting at La Laguna was so beautiful, you honestly did not need much more.  The food was the best meal we had our entire trip.  We chose menu option 5.  We used an iPod for the music and their sound system was more than enough.  The microphone for speeches and the MC cut out a few times...but it was fine we got it to work again and everyone was laughing about it.

The disco opens at 11pm and once we were done at the reception we headed to a lobby bar beside the disco...then everyone went into the disco and danced the night away...it was so much fun.

I used Juan Navarro for my photographer...he was so professional and his prices were unbeatable...my pictures are stunning!

I hope this helps...feel free to ask me any questions..i will be completely honest!

Good Luck

Laine 

[Ellabaja1983]

Laine, thank you so much for the review and tips!  I'm glad that even though there was a lack of communication you were able to still have a great day!!  I'm so glad to hear that things went well with the iPod for both the ceremony and the reception, that's probably my biggest worry.  Luckily we have already done the legal ceremony here, so ours is a "renewal of the vows" down there.  Question, did you us the spa for hair/makeup??  I'm just curious as to how that was, if you did.  It sounds like you had very much what we are having, with a few slight differences.  I have also been thinking of doing some centerpieces...is it not worth it, do you think???  I think my final question is, how did things go with your cake?  Did you get what you wanted? Or were you left wanting more in regards to the cake?

[Laine81]

Yes I used the spa but for hair only...they were very good and I was pleased with my hair.  I chose to do my own make-up, only because I was afraid it may not turn out the way I like...so I cannot comment on their make-up skills. They did however place false lashes on me and they looked great.  Centerpieces I don't really think are worth it...I wanted them and then my fiance convinced me that it was a needless expense...I guess it depends on your style...but I don't really think they are necessary...I didn't miss them, lol.  The cake was great it was really beautiful and tasted great.  we forgot to even cut the cake because we were too busy dancing...haha

[Ellabaja1983]

Awesome, thanks again for the info!!  I don't really wear make-up so I have no real preference on how it is done...  I'm also glad to hear you didn't miss the centerpieces.  I'm think they would be a unnecessary expense so, I think I may just bypass them...  Did you have flowers on any of the tables at the reception?

[Laine81]

The head table has a centerpiece arrangement and the other tables had candles on them...it was simple but looked very elegant.

[JND2012]

Thanks for your information, Laine!  It's so nice to hear from people who are actually getting (or have gotten) married there.  I'm glad that everything turned out. 

 

For those of you who are getting married legally at home - are you using a wedding package or do you use the vow renewal packages?  I never thought of that until reading your posts.  Are you telling your guests that you'll be legally married before?  I was hoping to avoid telling them...  there's already been a lot of drama about us being "selfish" for having a destination wedding, I'm sure that would cause some uneccessary stress.

[JND2012]

Laine - which wedding package did you use?