Excellence Playa Mujeres Brides Post Here!

[AnyaKr]

Ok ladies... back to reality  The wedding was AMAZING!!!! 

 

We made a lot of decisions once we got there, so be flexible!  Originally, we wanted to have the wedding on the beach and the dinner at the Lobster House, but then ended up having the wedding ceremony in the gazebo and the dinner at the event terrace.

Reasons to choose gazebo over beach:

1. Protection from wind, sun, sand.  The acoustics were MUCH better than on the beach, people's hair stayed in place, no one was affected by the heat of the sun, sand did not get stuck in everywhere.  
2. You can take pictures at the beach immediately after the ceremony if you really want the pictures, that is what we did.
3. Better photo ops!  The sun sets directly behind the gazebo giving the entire ceremony a warm, romantic glow.
4. Very private and romantic- it's just you and your wedding group, very intimate!
5. Probably the cheaper version, because the gazebo needs minimal decoration.  They put up sheer curtains that look beautiful, and Yamina was able to decorate the pedestal with our dinner centerpieces that we reused.

We ended up going with the dinner at the event terrace, because it is A LOT more private!!!  MUCH better for a large wedding.  We were able to make as much noise as we wanted without any complaints from other guests.  Plus, it was a very intimate setting as well:  fountains all around, and we had tea lights around the entire wedding area.  We also had cocktail tables and a bar set up that people could hang out around as they were breaking from all the dancing!

 

Some pointers:

• I would recommend doing the tasting menu of your wedding dinner (I believe this is $20/pp.)  While most people are very happy with their selections, I would have changed some of mine up had I tasted them ahead of time. By no means was anything bad, it's just that a couple of the courses were just ok.  I am picky, so I should have just known better.
• Per the comment above, about me being SUPER picky.... I think I (along with the 3 friends, sister and mother) drove the hair and make-up artist CRAZY.  We were very specific.  Having said that, she did an absolutely AMAZING job!  I don't know how she put up with us, but my face and hair looked great.  Another hair stylist did my friend's hair which looked really nice.  I think people can by-pass the trial hair and make-up, because they are really great at what they do.
• Overall, the spa is really amazing.  Take your last day there so you can be relaxed going home, this is what we did and it was perfect.
• Yamina is AMAZING!  She will do everything in her power to make your day perfect.  Be patient with her- it will take her 1-3 days to respond to your e-mails.  She has tons of weddings going on and is currently the only one doing this.  Just as an example, she had 8 weddings last week!
• The videographer that came with the gold package was a real professional, he was great.  The photographers were just OK.  This is another thing that I am picky about, and it was honestly not up to my standards.  Luckily, we had our own photographer that we brought with us from the states.

 

We will be posting our pictures by next week, hopefully.  I can give you guys the link then.  Meanwhile, if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!

[JenFL]

Congrats on your wedding! Although mine is not for over a year I've already made up my mind with the gazebo and terrace. (my parents spent the week out there and sent me back lots of pics). That being said - I am also bringing a photographer from home. Is it easy enough? Did he/she stay at the resort too? Any tips? I'm signing the contract next week for mine (so I can lock in that weekend - booking is starting for 2012 already!) and I want to make sure I give them all the info I can as this is the first time they are doing an out of the country destination wedding

 

Thanks!

[ncarolinadaisy]

At Playa ladies!  It is amazing, Yamina is great, and the weather is perfect!!  Getting married tomorrow!  Will keep you all posted!

[HoustonBride10/31/10]

We fly down tomorrow -- hope the wedding is beautiful and perfect in every way, can't wait to here all about it!!
 

Originally Posted by ncarolinadaisy 

At Playa ladies!  It is amazing, Yamina is great, and the weather is perfect!!  Getting married tomorrow!  Will keep you all posted!

[AnyaKr]

 

Good luck, Nina!  Answers to your questions...

 

Just a few questions for you if you don't mind -- could you do a cake testing? You can't do cake tasting, but I assume you it was great!!!  We got vanilla cake with vanilla filling, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.  It tasted really great!

 

Did you like the flowers and everything you had selected when you saw it? Any disappointments? I am very nervous about basing everything off of a photo...  Flowers were great, exactly what I chose.  Based on what I saw and other brides' feedback, you have no worries here.

 

So glad to hear your review of the hair/makeup people - I am really nervous about that! Did you bring your own makeup, or did they use yours? Did you bring a photo or anything for them to copy? I had a picture of the hair and make-up I wanted.  I brought my own make up (because I like it), but they also have some as well.  I would recommend bringing yours just in case, but they have everything there too.  They did a really great job, REALLY!  I was stressing out at first, but by the time she was done it looked perfect.

 

Did you use the microphone for the wedding? Do you think that will be necessary? I'd rather not have to hold something if I don't have to... I imagine I'll be clutching plenty of tissues!

Yes, we used a microphone.  Actually, when we were saying vows, our friend (who married us) held it for us.  You will NEED a mic, bc of the sea and/or fountain sounds all around you.

 

I was also planning the beach location for the ceremony - I'll chat with Yamina about maybe making a switch...  Make the switch, Yamina can do all this for you

 

GOOD LUCK!

[scrose]

I'll second most of what she said here...

 

Cake: We had the Tres Leche (three milk) and it was delicious!!  Our guests raved about it and we even had them hold a couple of slices for us to have the next day as a late night snack (through room service)!! 

 

I loved my flowers - I had given her a pretty loose description (mostly it was the color I wanted) and a couple pictures and I was really pleased! 

 

The hair/makeup people were great - again, I had pictures so she was really good about asking me step by step if this was what I wanted. At first I was a little freaked out by the "helmet head" feel of bridal hair, but once we got down to that windy beach, I was glad for it!! I didn't LOVE my makeup, but it was good.  I tweaked it a little when I went back to my room and had to touch up some because of humidity,etc.  But I am SUPER picky about makeup and usually do my own for special occasions so I think she did a good job, considering.  

 

Agreed about the mic...your guests won't be able to hear you otherwise.  In fact, one of the funnier moments of our ceremony came when my hubby misunderstood what the officiant was saying and repeated it back wrong.    I am probably cracking up in most of the ceremony pictures because it was so funny.  But it made for a great story that we are all still laughing about!!  

 

Even with the wind, I loved having it on the beach.  It's up to you and what your tolerance level is for mishaps, I suppose...or check the weather that day and see what you think.  Getting married with the sand between my toes, surrounded by my closest friends and family, with the ocean 20 feet away was just amazing.  

 

Best of luck to you and everyone else and remember to just relax and enjoy it!!  (Everyone in my wedding group including myself and my hubby had a couple cocktails before the ceremony and we all had a great time!)  

 

I should get my pics back from the photog in the next couple weeks, I'll post them for sure!! 

 

Originally Posted by AnyaKr 

 

Good luck, Nina!  Answers to your questions...

 

Just a few questions for you if you don't mind -- could you do a cake testing? You can't do cake tasting, but I assume you it was great!!!  We got vanilla cake with vanilla filling, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.  It tasted really great!

 

Did you like the flowers and everything you had selected when you saw it? Any disappointments? I am very nervous about basing everything off of a photo...  Flowers were great, exactly what I chose.  Based on what I saw and other brides' feedback, you have no worries here.

 

So glad to hear your review of the hair/makeup people - I am really nervous about that! Did you bring your own makeup, or did they use yours? Did you bring a photo or anything for them to copy? I had a picture of the hair and make-up I wanted.  I brought my own make up (because I like it), but they also have some as well.  I would recommend bringing yours just in case, but they have everything there too.  They did a really great job, REALLY!  I was stressing out at first, but by the time she was done it looked perfect.

 

Did you use the microphone for the wedding? Do you think that will be necessary? I'd rather not have to hold something if I don't have to... I imagine I'll be clutching plenty of tissues!

Yes, we used a microphone.  Actually, when we were saying vows, our friend (who married us) held it for us.  You will NEED a mic, bc of the sea and/or fountain sounds all around you.

 

I was also planning the beach location for the ceremony - I'll chat with Yamina about maybe making a switch...  Make the switch, Yamina can do all this for you

 

GOOD LUCK!

[ncarolinadaisy]

Maybe we will see you around Houston!  If you see a bunch of crazies playing loud music by the pool...ummm, that's us!

 

Originally Posted by HoustonBride10/31/10 

We fly down tomorrow -- hope the wedding is beautiful and perfect in every way, can't wait to here all about it!!
 

 

[Heather7877]

We leave tomorrow morning too!  You are getting married the day after us! I will see you down there.  My parents are already there and they say it is amazing!!  I can't wait!

[aeluzu]

Daisy! Congrats. I hope that you're having a blast right now.

Please let us know all about it when you get back.
 

Originally Posted by ncarolinadaisy 

At Playa ladies!  It is amazing, Yamina is great, and the weather is perfect!!  Getting married tomorrow!  Will keep you all posted!

[aeluzu]

Wishing you the time of your life! Let us know all about it when you get back!

Originally Posted by Heather7877 

We leave tomorrow morning too!  You are getting married the day after us! I will see you down there.  My parents are already there and they say it is amazing!!  I can't wait!