HELP Grand Palladium Brides!!!!

[holly_d]

Hi! I love your reception photos! Did the hotel charge you to have Tai Flora drop the chairs off/pick them up? If you don't mind could you let me know how much you paid for the chairs? I got a quote from an outside vendor and wanted to compare. I know you said you had them at the ceremony, did the hotel charge you to move them to the reception? We are having out reception in the blue lagoon and the hotel wants to charge us $300 to move the chairs from the ceremony beach location to the blue lagoon and I'm trying to see if anyone else had this done too.

Thanks so much! 

[mswhatever]

Tai Fora charges $8 for chair rentals. It includes delivery and moving the chairs to the reception. There are no extra fees.

[kasabre28]

 

We had our wedding at the Grand Palladium Lady Hamiltion on October 29, 2010 at around 5pm. As I write this we are sitting in the Montego Bay Airport awaiting our flight HOME It would not be fair to all up and coming brides who will marry at th GP if I have a short review NOW.......... instead i'll write everything down so I wIill not miss anything...and write a full review when I get home complete with photos I PROMISE!!!!!!!!

 

What I will say is we had NINA the "Supervisor" of the wedding deparrtment as our "Planner" at the hotel with that said I will worn you that If you have not Micro-managed your wedding with the hotel at this point, YOU MUST START, the wedding staff are very nice people but they throw your special day together quickly...and they are no were to be found on your wedding day if something goes bad... NOTHING WILL GO SMOOTHLY UNLESS YOU DO TWO KEY THINGS

1. Speak to the Maid of honor and Best man and let them know of the above information so they can filter alot of B.S that may happen.

2. Choose another person who Manages people well, make sure all of your helpers know what you want and what is suppose to happen at the ceremony and reception...

 

I know I know these are things that you expect your planner to do but SHE DOES'NT

 

I am a very positive person and the Grand Palladium is a very beautiful place.... and at the end of the day I am very happy to have married the man of my dreams in the beautiful country of Jamaica but  the GP has SOME SERIOUS ISSUES......I really wish we picked another hotel

 

 

I will post soon

[kasabre28]

 

 

Originally Posted by missgomes 

 

My ceremony is at 4 at the Gazebo.  I would like my guests to meet the photographer about 30 minutes before the ceremony to take family pictures.  Do you have any suggestions on a location to take these pictures?  

 

I haven't heard from Nina yet so if anyone could answer a couple of questions for me (I am working on my welcome letter today):

1.  Is the cocktail hour located at the ceremony?  Do we have use the IPOD hookup during cocktail hour?

2.  How far (in minutes) is the Gazebo to the Blue Lagoon.

3.  Does anyone have pictures of the dance area at the Gazebo?  What is the lighting like?  Romantic 

4.  If you used the DJ, did you give him a list of songs?  Is there any contact info for the DJ?

 

Thanks!

You wont hear from her that much on your wedding day either... 

 

i'm not sure if you have received an answer as of yet or if you have received any of my previous messages because i'm not sure I got any replies from you but the Gazebo is not an easy walk for anyseniors attending your wedding AND it is very pretty ...In belive its about a  ten minute walk or you can have Nina transport your guest by cart to he Lady Hamiltion lobby or whatever area is closer to the your reception site...I must also inform you that The Poseidon is the closest to the Gazebo..

2. The Cocktail hour takes place at the ceremony site...and I just got back from our wedding and I didnt see any dance area at the Gazebo ...

3. The DJ thats used at the hotel is called Irie Jamz Entertainment ( they have a website)  and your planner will give you a form with questions about music that includes songs that you must hear and song you dont want to hear..

4.Your planner has someone from the hotel or wedding department play the music at the ceremony they have speakers and a whole set up..

 

hope this helps ...

[stephdanny]

...You looked like you made a beautiful bride though. Sorry to hear things didnt go as smooth as you would of hoped. I'm actually looking into two other resorts now: RIU Ocho Rio and Jewel Dunn's River Resort, they seem to be the same price.

[mswhatever]

I really think that they should not call the wedding department planners. They should call them organizers or assistants. A planner actually plans your wedding with you and the GP staff just does what you plan. I gave them typed out, color coded instructions, a check list if you prefer, of everything I wanted. I bought my stuff to them in matching colored bags. NO guess work for them. It was all taken care of for me. We were very happy. I am sorry that it does not turn out that way for everyone. You do have to stay on top of them before you arrive. I remain pleased with how things turned out.

[Candi]

Congratulaions Kasabre you look beautiful I love your dress.

[missgomes]

 

 

Originally Posted by kasabre28 

 

 

 

You wont hear from her that much on your wedding day either... 

 

i'm not sure if you have received an answer as of yet or if you have received any of my previous messages because i'm not sure I got any replies from you but the Gazebo is not an easy walk for anyseniors attending your wedding AND it is very pretty ...In belive its about a  ten minute walk or you can have Nina transport your guest by cart to he Lady Hamiltion lobby or whatever area is closer to the your reception site...I must also inform you that The Poseidon is the closest to the Gazebo..

2. The Cocktail hour takes place at the ceremony site...and I just got back from our wedding and I didnt see any dance area at the Gazebo ...

3. The DJ thats used at the hotel is called Irie Jamz Entertainment ( they have a website)  and your planner will give you a form with questions about music that includes songs that you must hear and song you dont want to hear..

4.Your planner has someone from the hotel or wedding department play the music at the ceremony they have speakers and a whole set up..

 

hope this helps ...

 

 @ Bold.. I meant the Blue Lagoon... but that's probably why no one responded. LOL

 

Sorry to hear that you had a few hiccups.    Thanks for the info on the DJ. 

[missgomes]

This is so helpful.  Speaking for myself, and maybe a few would agree, the planning process can be a little overwhelming.  I personally, have been to only a handful of weddings and don't remember much (besides LONG vows, food, and whether they had an opened bar or not). LOL  With that being said, planning your own wedding can lead to nightmares and disappointments.  There has been some GREAT information in this thread.  Taking heed to the statements below have really shown to be crucial IMHO when reading wedding reviews.

 

I'm off to search for "a guide to planning your destination wedding" and starting my own "To Nina Checklist".  LOL

 

Any additives would be appreciated!

 

Keep coming with the ideas/thoughts/experiences.  We FB are GREATFUL!!!

 

Originally Posted by mswhatever 

I really think that they should not call the wedding department planners. They should call them organizers or assistants. A planner actually plans your wedding with you and the GP staff just does what you plan. I gave them typed out, color coded instructions, a check list if you prefer, of everything I wanted. I bought my stuff to them in matching colored bags. NO guess work for them. It was all taken care of for me. We were very happy. I am sorry that it does not turn out that way for everyone. You do have to stay on top of them before you arrive. I remain pleased with how things turned out.

[burgerbone]

We are heading to the GP on Saturday and are to be married on Wednesday the 17th.  We are on our 3rd wedding planner!!!

 

A week and a half ago we were back at square one having to send in all of our documentation, meal preferences, etc because they lost all of our information!!!

 

Now this is what bugs me.  $2k for the wedding ceremony (Ruby Package), $960 to setup chairs for 46 extra people for the ceremony, and and extra $2500 for dinner and the reception hall and they lose all of our information and the communication between the wedding planner and us is non-existent.  We accepted the costs of the dinner but charging and extra $20/pp to setup some chairs is simply outrageous.  I called a place in Montego and they would deliver the chairs and pick them up for $84 / us.  All said and done we are bringing about $90k in revenue to the resort and this is how we are treated.  I know we will have a good time while we are there and we are expecting that the actual wedding ceremony will be a gong show, but I will let everyone know how it turns out and how they are trying to overcharge on everything with terrible service and unacceptable communication.