Secrets Maroma Brides

[newyork6156]

I think if you just do a search for Secrets Maroma Beach you will find wedding review threads for people married there. Also, mine should be a link at the bottom of this post.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by pryncesslinda general question: how can i find the wedding review page for SMB on here? I cant seem to find it. do we have one? im trying to get ideas for centerpeices and set-ups.

[jaccat15]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pryncesslinda Hey girls I need some advice.. my FI is driving me absolutly insane about our group rates! We have a wedding planner up here who has been working on group rates with two travel agents and they have been going back and fourth for weeks now tryign to negotiate the lowest possible rates. All of a sudden this weekend my FI decides to start searching for rates on .com's... well of course when you get soem 40% off sales, rates look fab, but they wont hold those rates until next April. They can change any day! So he wasn't getting this so I had to call them and personally speak to them about our situation, destination wedding, not sure # of rooms, etc. Well they would give us these 40% off rates if we book today. Umm hello? my guests arent ready to book yet. Our dave-the dates only just went out! I just dont think he understands that we aren't just booking a 2 person vacay. Also our Planner and these TA's are going to be coordinating all of our guests transfers and other small details. So we had a big conference call today with our planner and the TA, me and my FI. They gave us thier final quotes and helped explain to him more of exactly what they are helping us with. I think they are good rates, and he thinks they are insane! The rates we got today were $100 cheaper per person per night than what we thought they would be when we signed contract for the actual wedding at SMB. Ughh! I dont know what to do. He doesnt want to go with the TA thats been workign on our rates for weeks, and I dont want our guests to "fend for themselves" either. What to do what to do! Please help im going crazy!

Using a TA is much easier for you and your guests to use for this. Once you sign the contract with the TA, you will be all set and won't have to worry about anything. The rate you and your guests get through your TA are most likely cheaper than what is posted online and you will get the benefits of upgrades, resort credits and/or comps when your guest book through your TA as a part of your group.
Your guests can chose not to book this way - and you can't really control this -but offering them the TA makes it easier for everyone.

I am actually going through something now with my room block and the hotel and our TA - we reserved 40 rooms and they required a large deposit back in March when we signed the contract. Since my save the dates went out, only 17 rooms are booked and based on our contract, we now owe another deposit to keep the rooms held.
My TA suggests we decrease the amount of rooms to 30 in the contract and she is checking with Secrets to make sure if we go above 30 rooms, the rate will still be honored.
A little stressful also bc our invites are going out this weekend to 245 people and we are asking everyone to book by Aug.1 - ughhhhh!!!

[Boo]

deleted

[jaccat15]

yeah we cut the list too and we came out with that many people - crazy. the reason for the destination wedding is to keep it smaller so we think we will have anywhere from 40 people to 90 max - but you never know!

 

FYI - the hotel is allowing us to wait a little longer to give another deposit on the rooms - til about mid-August , this should def help phew!

[pryncesslinda]

I think today my FI is finally coming to terms about the TA situation. I tried explaining over and over to him what they are actually doing for us other than holding the rooms rates. They will be organizing everyones arrival's and departures, we will know where and when everyone will be arriving for our welcome bags, and transportation will be waiting for them at the airport when they arrive in Cancun International, all our taxes and fees...etc, I dotn know what got into him. He is the laid back, quiet one in the relationship and then all of a sudden there was a complete role reversal for like 48 hours lolol!!!

 

 

Jaccat- 245! WOW! thanks for noting that you had to put down the deposit for the rooms, b/c that was my next question. They asked us to do the same. So now we have to come up with all this money upfront. But we dont have as many rooms as you. Now a question if you dont mind me asking.... The desposits that you put down initially, will they go back to your room credit (account). How is your TA handeling that? I hope thats not too personal of a question. My TA said that she is going to see if she can do that for us. I dont know why they wouldnt. Our wedding like I said isnt until April... I cant start calling people and putting them on the spot asking if they think they are coming! Absolutly not! haha that was something my FI thought we'd do. OMG NO!

 

We have 70 invites, but I really dont think more than 30 ppl will come. So as of now we are thinking of only holding 10 rooms... I'm so confused over this. I'm just glad that my Fi came to terms with this TA and got back to himself ahhh! He was making me nuts. I love him so much!

 

The rates the TA came back with are cheaper than rates we have seen on the internet sites, except that one site that's having a 40% off sale right now. That's what got him all crazy I think. Once he found that one, he expected the TA to match that. That wasnt going to happen. I knew that. I mean the rates are still great rates, but that sale was better.... if everyone booked today lol. then of course we wouldnt have the extras that we get with the TA.

 

Boo- 40 booked already wow, thats awesome!!! yayy

 

newyork- i didnt even see the search thing before. im silly! thanks!!

[jaccat15]

i know it's a lot of people we are inviting but we had to since it was hard for my fiance's parents to come to terms with the destination wedding idea - my parents were so excited, it was pretty funny!

 

yes, we put the money down as a deposit and as people book, the TA is crediting us the amount to make up for it. it all will even out in the end but it's a lot of money to have to hold the rooms. I guess it's the trade off by providing your guests with a great rate. Since our rate is pretty good (I think) yet not has good as some other rates we have experienced at other (not as nice) hotels in the area, we decided to off set the costs for our guests by paying for everyones transfers to and from the airport. We thought this would help everyone by taking care of it.

 

P.S. - MY WEDDING IS 4 MONTHS FROM TODAY!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY

[pryncesslinda]

That makes alot of sense to me now. It is alot to come up with upfront, but thank goodness we are only holding 10. And I hope we dont go wrong by only holding 10, or 10 being too many. This is stressing me out. i have no clue who will surpise us by coming, and I bet the ones we think we know are coming, wont. lol ugh

 

 

HAPPY 4 MTHS to go!

[pryncesslinda]

Ok some good news all around. I get the whole travel agent contract thing! I had an ah-ha moment lol. We are holding ten rooms, with a minimum of 6, and a maximum of 30 at our group rate. Makes more sence and less stress!

 

We officially got our confirmation for our judge at SMB! For April 30th, 2011 at our 4pm cermony... yayy!

 

And tomorrow I will be offically handing in my signed travel contract and deposit!

 

We are moving right along here. Ill be having surgery on the 29th and its going to be a 4 month recovery so, I need to get these major things done before I'm laid up for a bit. I wont be walking for a while, so whatever wedd stuff is to be done it will all be through the comp. So I'm glad the major things are done and that Im blessed with a great wedding planner who's an angel to be here for me and help and I'm blessed to have all of you great girls helping out with my stresses, and giving advice and idea's, and info. So thank you to all of you too

[mellyrobert]

Hello Ladies! I have not been on in months but I have some questions for everyone...

Our wedding date is 12/6 and we are trying to reserve Portofino for 20 the night before for our rehearsal dinner. Celcilia said that it depends if the resturant is going to be open that night. Has anyone had any experience with reserving or planning there welcome/rehearsal dinner?

Also, how is everyone selecting there decor for the reception? Are you bringing stuff down or leaving up to Cecilia?

I have our invites getting made and will send out in Sept. and JUST got my STD's. Sending them out this week- seems kinda late!

All of you ladies are so organized!

[newyork6156]

Mellyrobert- They closed the world cafe for our reception. Although I don't think that restaurant is even open all that much for dinner. We originally looked into having our reception in Portofino and cecilia said we probably could have it there but wouldn't be able to have a dj b/c they can't turn off the piped in music in just one restaurant. Well I really don't think that's the case since they play different music in every restaurant, but I didn't push for it. Portofino was open every night we were there this past week. I think it's pretty popular since it's Italian. So I wouldn't plan on it just being closed the night you would like. I found that being persistant without being annoying got us far when planning our wedding there. Original no's turned into yes's on a few occasions. They really do try to accommodate your needs and wants.

 

Anyway, that being said, if you can't get portofino the red room in the world cafe is nice. I'm not sure how many people you have. There is also a blue room on the other side of the cafe (a bit smaller). I also know some people have the welcome dinner in the japanese restaurant at the hibachi table, it's pretty big (needs to be reserved). Fun, but you can't really talk to anyone other than the person right next to you. The mexican restaurant El Patio has a table in the back that seats about 10-12 people I think, so the whole restaurant wouldn't have to be closed.

 

We had 26 people and had our welcome dinner as a buffet and bonfire on the beach and it was great!

 

Hope this helps!