Beaches Negril Brides - Post here!!

[aodg9499]

I am!! We are getting married in 14 days!!! I am getting so excited. All of the posts on here are fantastic. I am getting so many ideas. I have a question. Some of you were talking about how you made a Wedding Program. My Miami coordinator has not told me the order of the wedding (exchange of vows, prelude, etc.) Do any past brides know how this works? I would love to make a program, but I feel lost!

Thanks!!

Aimee

[Jolene512]

Thank you, past Beaches brides! What an awesome thread! I'm getting married May 2012 at Beaches Negril, & I'm so excited to get planning, but I am spinning tires. Did anyone reserve the date and put the group code on the STD cards? I'm not really crazy on booking a block of rooms.. I really appreciate all the great pics, It's nice to see the resort w/o the marketing tools. I look forward to all your advice & insight ladies!

[jprovett]

Hi All,

I'm due to get married at Beaches Negril 11th November - exciting to read all your posts....

 

Does anyone have any pictures they'd be willing to share

 

Thanks!

Jo

[EricaRN]

Hello everyone... My name is Erica and I am getting married on June 29, 2011 at Beaches Negril at 3pm... that much I know..lol 

 

I have read this entire forum and must say got alot of useful information. Now I just have some of my own questions and wondered if someone can help me out with them. 

 

1. I realized talking to the wedding coordinator from Miami isnt going to happen anytime soon from reading your threads...lol and I do have a email into her as of three days ago so I will just wait for my reply although my travel agent did say I could go through her to get to the planner so if after a week I hear nothing I will do just that.

 

2. I would like to keep the cost down as this is the whole reason for a destination wedding plus I hate planning things and all the kerfluffle *haha* that goes along with all that.  I like to keep things simple and stress free as best I can. So with saying that, I plan on doing the New Beginnings Wedding however I do want different flowers.  I want the color pink and orange flowers SO, should I be bringing them from home or buy them there, I heard you can't take your bouquet home with you from the resort..is this true?  If so what is the point of paying all that money and having to leave the flowers there?  So I was thinking of getting my own made here and bringing them, plus picking up the freeze dried rose petals.

 

3.  Also MEAGAN you did what I want to do and that is have my wedding then go to one of the all inculsive restaurants (Seville or Mill) for dinner with EVERYONE that is there for my wedding.  When you did this, did you have to reserve that in advance or can you do that when you meet with your wedding planner?  And also did they allow that without any problems?  I dont care about them decorating it or anything like that... I just want everyone together for dinner and seeing as we are paying a arm and a leg to be there in a ALL INCLUSIVE I would like the dinner to be just that.

 

4.  I am getting married on a Thursday so if there is a "beach party" on thursdays, will we be able to eat together as a group at that or will that require reservations as well, does anyone know this?

 

5. For the post reception you had MEAGAN (the free one) it states that it is free for bride and groom and two or four others (sorry I forget and dont have the paper work right here with me) is this so or is the 30min reception post wedding inclusive for everyone and do you get to do your dance (bride and groom and father/daughter ) if you so choose at this time?  For this short of a time do they let you pick where you have this reception or do they just kind of set it up wherever and do I need to rent the dance floor for this or will the reception be somewhere where we can do this? I just want to know if I am going to be able to dance with my fiance and dad on my wedding day?

 

6. For the evening activities I am thinking we are just going to go to Liquids however how big is it? Do you keep your dress on for this or should you change? I guess you only get to wear it once right so should probably keep it on but what would be the norm?

 

I know I have a lot of questions but I am at the part where I have to pick the things I want and start the pre planning of events etc... so I just want to have an idea.

 

Also what is OOT bags?  What does that stand for, I understand what they are for and should be put in them but are these bags for everyone who attends your wedding or only the people standing?

[beachbum cw]

Hi Everyone, my name is Christina and i'm getting married May 2012 at beaches Negril (although we may be staying at Beaches Sandy Bay next door, cuz it's cheaper and we can share facilities with Negril). Jolene, what is your date? Would be cool to see you there! We are planning for May 5 but will be there from the 2nd - 9th.

 

Erica, an OOT bag is an out of town bag. I believe they should be given to everyone, or at least every family attending your wedding. There are lots of websites that give you ideas for what to put inside.

 

I also have a lot of the same questions as Erica, so any past brides, this would be helpful!

 

I am of the same opinion, that we have paid an all inclusive amount and don't want to be shelling out so much more money on a reception which is what i could have done at home! From what i have learned in past posts (and it has taken me about 3 days of non stop reading from page 1!!) that you have to pay $15.00 per person on top of the 2 free people just for the 30 minute "free" reception. It's not such a bad price, but we are probably looking at anywhere from 30 - 100 people! If any past brides have the details to the different price points on adding time for a longer reception, it would be really helpful in budgeting.

 

I have heard that if you get married on one of the days they have the beach party, your wedding party can just join in for free which is totally sweet, but beware of the sand fleas.

 

I'm also thinking about what to do with dress changes, I will be paying enough money for a beautiful dress and want to show it off for as long as possible! Would it look totally weird going to one of the resort restaurants?

 

Also, I'm wondering how it would work to go to one of the restaurants after the wedding. Would they give us a private section? Would it even be possible for a party of 100?

 

Thanks!

[beachbum cw]

Sooooo, I have a friend at work who absolutely loves Beaches Negril and has been there several times. She says that its an amazing resort and is basically the one who convinced me that my wedding would be great there. Some of the pros and cons:

 

Pros:

GREAT service, lots of restaurants, lots of things to do, great wedding planners at the resort, awesome DJs (she knows them personally).

 

Cons:

Lots of people there in general, lots of weddings -up to 4 per day so they kind of do them one after the other. Although i would like to have a more personalized experience, i dont want to take a chance on crappy service, so i'll stick with beaches!

 

She also let me know that it is totally normal to see brides in their dresses at the restaurants with their groups because they didn't do the $50.00 per person private 2 hour reception.

 

This has really put my mind at ease for now. I still have lots of time to get the rest of the stuff going, but it's good to have peace of mind!

 

Good luck to the ladies whose weddings are coming up! This forum is pretty quiet lately.....I wish more ppl would post their recent experiences.

[EricaRN]

So I have questions now about photography and videography...  does anyone have any pics that they can share from the onsite photographer and can you give me some feedback as to if they were good and how the video turned out as well.  I would appreciate it. 

 

Also the flower packages at the resort are horrendously priced considering you can't even leave the island with fresh cut flowers so I ordered Real Touch flowers and you can't even tell that they are not real. They are all the flowers I wanted and colors and I will be able to leave the island with them and keep my bouquet. If anyone wants to check out the place I used its hibiscusflorals.com  They are great to work with, easy to correspond with and they make sure you are happy and the prices are reasonable. There are pictures on the website and testimonals.. I am hoping once my wedding is done I can also submit my pictures for the site.  They are great people to work with.

[beachesSB1412]

Erica - hey I am getting married Jan 4, 2012 at Beaches Sandy Bay at 4pm.  I presume you know that the more rooms you book the more perks you get?  Anyway, Chloe is my WC and she is in Montego Bay - she is super nice, helpful and not pushy.  She is very quick to respond so if you have any immediate questions you can PM me and I can ask her - lol.  

Chloe did explain to me that you can choose your ceremony site & reception site upon arrival at the resort and they do not have to be the same spot although I think your choices are that of which you can choose for the ceremony (garden, gazebo, beach).  I believe you can bring your own ipod music or cd (not real sure) or you can pay to have DJ, steel drum, etc.  Everyone that books is able to attend ceremony/reception but if you want them to have a place to sit at the reception you have to pay $100/table for 8 people per table for BB wedding.

The flower choices are crazy expensive so I have decided to take the orchids and spend the $250 on a steel drummer for 1hr to be at ceremony/reception.  Also, if you stick w/ the white orchids your floral website has awesome hair flowers and you get two for $49 where as Beaches will charge you $35 for ONE and it will wilt and die.

I checked with customs and you can bring, I think, 1 liter of liquor with you - so we are probably going to bring our own champagne for room while we get ready because Beaches will have some delivered but at a price.  

I can shoot you an email of the pics/brochures/info Chloe has sent me so far if you are interested.  She has sent me pics of each ceremony site to choose from (I presume Beaches Sandy Bay options arent far off from Beaches Negril since they neighbor one another!).

I truely think that the minute you and your guests check in, if you plan ahead and inform them, that you can each make reservations for same time/day and have your own all inclusive restaurant reception - I dont think they want you to but oh well.

Enjoy planning!

[jeannajj]

Hi Girls~

I just got back from Beaches Negril.    I didn't get married there but I was the Matron of Honor.  My sister-in-law did the basic white wedding package.  She got married right on the Beach (absolutely beautiful) at 4 pm on a Thursday.  Her's was the ONLY wedding that day...there were 2 on Friday & 4 on Saturday.  She had a 1 hour private reception with just 1 table w/ chairs for basically the grandparents.  (There were almost 40 of us)  they knew most would be standing around--which was true. 

 

After the 1 hour reception we all headed over to the Beach Party--What a GREAT TIME.  (they had reserved tables for us at the Beach party-not all together but we pushed a few together)  Like the bride & groom said--they celebrated their wedding w/a  few hundred strangers.  2 of the groomsmen went up & had them play a song for them & they got them up on stage.  They had them do 1 slow dance & after that--they did the train...  really was a super party!  If you are open to celebrating w/ the resort & strangers--Thursday's are the perfect day.

 

I have not seen the pictures or video (hopefully this weekend) but I know they are very happy with both!!  Also-I had brought my ipod w/ music for the wedding--but they ended up using their coordinators--she set it all up & it was perfect.  I can get her name if anyone needs/wants it.    I know they were very happy with her.  The staff is great there. 

Rehearsal we ate at the Mill...which was good...it was basically the only place that could hold/serve 40 people.  The Seville is very nice-we ate their a different night.  I'd hold Rehearsal there if your group is smaller & they will allow it.  (it's Italian food)  The Mill is good food--but that is where you eat the majority of your meals.  (The only place to eat for Breakfast) 

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.  I'd be happy to help.  I know I did a lot of research before our trip.  I want to be back there~it's a wonderful resort!!!

[Kern0112]

Hey Jeannajj,

 

So great to to hear that your sisters wedding was fabulous.  I am also thinking about Beaches Negril or Punta Cana.  I keep hearing from some people that it is unsafe to go off your resort...is that true??  Was there a lot of restaurants/bars on the 7 mile beach?  What are the pros and cons of Jamaica and Beaches Negril?  How was the commute from the airport to the hotel?  Were the rooms clean?  Sorry for so many questions....look forward to hearing from you.  Thanks so much!!

 

Carinne