Iberostar Rose Hall Brides - Post all info/questions here!

[Leah22]

The Grand has increased their reception prices to include a REQUIRED premium bar. To rent Port Maria with a group of 31-50 people, the price is now $3000 (it used to be $1750 with a standard bar and an optional $12 pp per hour extra to upgrade to the premium). 51-75 people is $4500, 76-100 is $6000, 101-150 is $9000. Also, the rates to rent the disco and host a beach bonfire party increased. The disco is now $650 for 20 people and the bonfire is now $500 (I believe they used to be $375 & $300). The only positive is that the Grand now no longer requires day passes for wedding guests IF you have a private reception. But if you have less than 30 people you can't do a private reception and their day pass rate increased to $75 (it used to be $50). I complained to Janielle & Angellie and informed them that I had planned and based my budget on the 2011 rates and I saw no need to upgrade to a premium bar. And if the new rates were going to jncrease they should have told me at the time of booking. Janielle responded with "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but these are the new rates. The Grand now requires a premium bar for all events." I just can't understand why I'm paying so much extra money for a reception dinner at an all-inclusive when my guests have already paid a premium at this resort.

2012 rates are twice those for 2011?!  Say it isn't so!  I just emailed the coordinators for the updated rates but I've certainly been working from the figures I received when I booked this June for my May 2012 ceremony.

 

 

Originally Posted by Leah22 

 

Iriegirl,

 

Where did you end up having you ceremony and reception?  Did you work with anyone in Jamaica to plan it?  I am considering hosting my reception (and maybe ceremony) off property since I just received the 2012 rates for the Grand (and they're almost double the 2011 rates).

[Nikadawn]

I have a confirmation from Sylvia at the beach that their prices are unchanged for 2012. Thank God cause my budget is MAXED.

 

Originally Posted by luvmoo 

After hearing that they doubled also, i emailed Silvia at the Beach.. as i am getting married in february and budgeted based on the prices i was given.. she wrote back and advised that there have not yet been any changes to the wedding package prices at the Beach... I can't speak for the other resorts but so far.. the Beach prices are the same!! *whew* crossing my fingers it stays as such!

 

 

[meshagraves]

I just got married there on Dec 17th 2011 it was like a fairy tale!! Beautiful!!!! You made a good choice.

[malikmakhi]

Did the actual wedding packages increase as well or just the additional things like bonfire, private reception, etc. Does anyone know if the rates increased for the Suites as well? If the rates increased like the Grand....I may actually have to plan my wedding somewhere else. I understand the rates will increase, but for the rates to almost double is absolutely insane.

[luvmoo]

Yeah i hear ya! That is why when i heard about all of these increases with the other resorts, i had to verify with Silvia, because i am the same.. i am already MAXED on my budget also hahah.. Thankfully it is yet to be changed.. so that is awesome.
 

Originally Posted by Nikadawn 

I have a confirmation from Sylvia at the beach that their prices are unchanged for 2012. Thank God cause my budget is MAXED.

 

 

 

[MoBayBride2B]

After reading about the prices doubling I emailed Nicole/Tiffany for a 2012 price sheet.  It looks like everything for the suites is staying the same but I did notice that they added a voucher to the diving center to the package.

[malikmakhi]

MoBayBride2be,

 

Thanks for the update. Can you please forward me the 2012 price list at [email protected].

 

Thanks......

[malikmakhi]

I feel so much better now. The rates for 2012 for the Suites did not change. 

[Jamaica2012]

Thanks for this input. I hear you on the pictures taken from below. I thought all photographers would know that that particular angle isn't always the best. Your pictures did turn out great, thanks for sharing! I will have to make sure to review some good poses and maybe even practice before going down there ;-)

 

Originally Posted by starrysim 

Quote:

 

I guess overall I'm satisfied because we did get lots of pictures that I do love.  However, some things I was disappointed with:

- the lighting was really bad in a lot of pictures, like harsh shadows obscuring people's faces. I think they needed one of those big pro flashes with the umbrella and stuff, but I can see how that wouldn't be very portable all over the resort and the beach. Not sure if other photographers do a better job with the lighting.

- they weren't very responsive to our ideas for locations to take pics, and they seemed rushed near the end. Even though it was supposed to be unlimited time, and we still wanted to take pics by the lifeguard towers and stuff, they just called it quits.

- they weren't always useful for posing suggestions.  A lot of the times they just told us to do something.  Some of their pose suggestions turned out really bad (and I could tell ahead of time that they would be).  Also, way too many shots from below - I absolutely hate that perspective - you know, double chins, up the nose, etc.  I didn't get it.  Unfortunately they also chose one of the worst pics for the front of our DVD case.  Along the same lines, they missed some great shots.

- some pics provided in B&W only, no colour version on the CD.  I emailed to ask for originals of a few of these, but nothing yet.

 

That said, I don't want to discourage anyone from working with them.  They were on time, professional and curteous, and we got our pictures and video in less than a month.  For being the most reasonably-priced Jamaican photographers, I think the value is there.  There are lots of very good pics, as you can tell from my post a few pages back.

 

[Jamaica2012]

That's unfortunate that the Grand Brides are being hit with this expense. Good Luck Grand brides and let us know if we can do anything....?!