DREAMS PUERTO VALLARTA "thread"

[SarahBen2011]

It's really really tough at first.  I was extremely frustrated.  Each time they changed a coordinator I had to go through everything again, re-confirm prices, etc. But I've heard that most resorts are like this... it's just the way they operate.  We decided to go with the free package since we are not using their photographer and therefore didn't need that portion of the higher up packages (Michelle Turner, she seems so great!). And the packages only include 20 people and we knew we'd have more than that as well.  AND we didn't want to spend money on a cocktail hour (which ends up being about $30 a person) so that's another reason we went for the free deal. I'm doing a full planning thread in a few weeks so I'll try to remember and post that here for you too!

 

Have fun planning!  Have you set a date?

[LTLFAITHY]

I am so glad to hear that things are going okay with your coordinator ~ but 4 different ones! That's nuts!

Thanks so much for the info on the extra guests ~ do you have to pay any additional fees for the additional chairs at the ceremony. I know some place do that, which I think is crazy. And thanks for the tip on getting a contract going!! 
 

Originally Posted by mllek1986 

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!

You are right about the wedding coordinators being a little dicey in the past but I've been very impressed with the current one (Fatima), all in all she will be my fourth I have worked with but I have also been planning for about a year and a half.

The main issues I've had in the past was having them honour prices that past coordinators have provided to us, but it was always resolved and honoured after I copied and pasted responses from a previous email. Other than that I have constant contact with Fatima and she usually responds within a max of 2 days.

We have around 55 guests coming to Dreams for our wedding in January and we are also getting the Ultimate package, so we're paying about $75 per person above the 20 for the cocktail hour ($30 per person)  and plated private reception ($45 per person). I would put in your request immediately with them to reserve your date ($500 deposit for ultimate package) and get them to write you up a contract asap before they start implementing the 2012 prices (they've been known to go up by more than 50% on certain items).

Good luck with your planning. I don't believe there's a better place to get married than at Dreams! 

 

 

[LTLFAITHY]

Awesome! I'll keep an eye out for your planning thread!

We haven't made any final decisions, but we are thinking April 6, 2013 ~ so we're still a ways out. 
 

Originally Posted by SarahBen2011 

It's really really tough at first.  I was extremely frustrated.  Each time they changed a coordinator I had to go through everything again, re-confirm prices, etc. But I've heard that most resorts are like this... it's just the way they operate.  We decided to go with the free package since we are not using their photographer and therefore didn't need that portion of the higher up packages (Michelle Turner, she seems so great!). And the packages only include 20 people and we knew we'd have more than that as well.  AND we didn't want to spend money on a cocktail hour (which ends up being about $30 a person) so that's another reason we went for the free deal. I'm doing a full planning thread in a few weeks so I'll try to remember and post that here for you too!

 

Have fun planning!  Have you set a date?

 

[mllek1986]

They will provide the white chairs with covers for all your guests with no extra cost, if you want to upgrade to the chiavari chairs then its $7 a chair. Enjoy the planning!
 

Originally Posted by LTLFAITHY 

I am so glad to hear that things are going okay with your coordinator ~ but 4 different ones! That's nuts!

Thanks so much for the info on the extra guests ~ do you have to pay any additional fees for the additional chairs at the ceremony. I know some place do that, which I think is crazy. And thanks for the tip on getting a contract going!! 

 

 

[LTLFAITHY]

That is fantastic! Thanks for all the info!! I appreciate it
 

Originally Posted by mllek1986 

They will provide the white chairs with covers for all your guests with no extra cost, if you want to upgrade to the chiavari chairs then its $7 a chair. Enjoy the planning! 

 

 

[lpierce]

So far our experineces with the planner has gone well. She has stepped up in the last week as our wedding is Dec 2.

 

I was a little frustrated that they plan to bill us an additional $75 per guest even if they are booked at the resort.

 

Has anyone had experience with the guitar soloist?

 

cheers all

[Dreams2011]

From personal experience.... I am a very detailed and organized person as well and had everything laid out for the wedding coordinator "on a silver platter", but there were still a number of mistakes made even so that could have easily been avoided if the WC had paid a little more attention.... just be forwarded and try not to let it get in the way of your day. The resort does push too many weddings through for what they are staffed for, hence the huge WC turnover. Ours was beautiful and a very memorable day, issues aside, but just be forewarned as I'm not the only one who has had this experience...

Good Luck and Happy Planning!

 

Originally Posted by LTLFAITHY 

You must be so excited SarahBen2011!! I am also a VERY detail oriented person, which is why I was so concerned reading some of the reviews. Are you guys using one of their packages?? We are looking at the Dreams Ultimate Wedding Package, but we will definitely have more than 20 people, so I need to look into what the additional cost/person fee will be. Looking forward to hearing about the Big Day! 

 

 

[b gardner]

  Unlike most of you who planned well ahead of time, i got engaged last december and planned to be married in Mexico this novemberish but didnt set dates or the resort untill end of July, My wedding co-ordinator is Eleane Joya and she is pretty good with everything- ive only had the 1 coordinator- however i havent been booked at the resort for that long.

 

We are doing the free package too as we have 41 of us going down there and couldn't justify paying for the upgraded packages AND THEN paying the extra per person above 20 people. also i dont care to have some of the tings on the upgraded packages and after some research i found that it was more affordable to do the things i want separatly and just add the things i want.

 

after alot of back and forth we decided to do the reception dinner at oceana restaurant with just their set menu items- i havent heard of anyone doing this yet so i dont know how it will go but we will see, the resort told me they would set up 4 tables of 10 but Eleane said they cant promise we will all be together?!?!? WHICH WILL REALLY SCREW MY PLAN UP!! but i plan to stress to her to talk to that restaurants servers and ect. to make sure we are all together and then while we are down there i am going to go to the restaurant and tip someone who's working that night to ensure we are in the same area....here we will do dinner, cake and champagne toast... maybe we should have paid for the reception but we decided to do a bonfire after the dinner so we thought we would just do dinner then bonfire... at the bonfire we will set up our own bose speakers and ect. and hang around the fire- dance and relax... I hope my plan turns out good as its very basic compared to what others do- and there isnt as much structure for dancing and cake and ect.

 

 

[b gardner]

Hey Everyone,

My Mom found a new site that i thought i'd share- its got some great idea's for wedding stuff.

pinterest.com it will especially be good for all the new brides on here who are just starting their planning, between this site and BTW your set!

[LTLFAITHY]

I sent in a request for information and was put in touch with Eleane Joya too, I have e-mailed with her twice over the last few days, and so far she has been great. She has responded to both e-mails in less than 24 hours, and we haven't even signed a contract yet! I am praying that the resort has picked up on the negative reviews regarding coordinators and made some changes! That bonfire sounds like so much fun, we are thinking about doing one as an arrival party. 
 

Originally Posted by b gardner 

  Unlike most of you who planned well ahead of time, i got engaged last december and planned to be married in Mexico this novemberish but didnt set dates or the resort untill end of July, My wedding co-ordinator is Eleane Joya and she is pretty good with everything- ive only had the 1 coordinator- however i havent been booked at the resort for that long.

 

We are doing the free package too as we have 41 of us going down there and couldn't justify paying for the upgraded packages AND THEN paying the extra per person above 20 people. also i dont care to have some of the tings on the upgraded packages and after some research i found that it was more affordable to do the things i want separatly and just add the things i want.

 

after alot of back and forth we decided to do the reception dinner at oceana restaurant with just their set menu items- i havent heard of anyone doing this yet so i dont know how it will go but we will see, the resort told me they would set up 4 tables of 10 but Eleane said they cant promise we will all be together?!?!? WHICH WILL REALLY SCREW MY PLAN UP!! but i plan to stress to her to talk to that restaurants servers and ect. to make sure we are all together and then while we are down there i am going to go to the restaurant and tip someone who's working that night to ensure we are in the same area....here we will do dinner, cake and champagne toast... maybe we should have paid for the reception but we decided to do a bonfire after the dinner so we thought we would just do dinner then bonfire... at the bonfire we will set up our own bose speakers and ect. and hang around the fire- dance and relax... I hope my plan turns out good as its very basic compared to what others do- and there isnt as much structure for dancing and cake and ect.