Venue Communication Floods In..& So Do the Problems

[BillysBride]

Ugh! Ofcourse, I knew this would happen. It's only to be expected, but I'm still cranky about it. Granted we're only just getting started and there will be FAR more significant issues that come up before it's all said and done. I do realize that for sure.

 

Anyway, finally yesterday morning, our TA Deb sends an email forwarding a response she received from the corporate wedding coordinator for our hotel chain. They have 3 properties in Mexico, and she had already given me the head's up that most likely the woman I'd been dealing with is not the person who would be assigned to oversee our wedding. She was right and as per the email from the corporate coordinator, after they get our signed contract, she'll be assigning someone to us. All fine.

 

Well, irritant #1 was that she sent the open bar options package. Other than the a couple of lines with actual dollar amounts, it made no sense. OK, fine...I can ask for clarification and work with whatever language barrier arises. It wasn't so bad.

 

Irritant #2- I send back full details about what type of ceremony we need, projected number of guests, etc. I'd already sent it to the other chick, but fine..this is someone new who is obviously in a better position to get things done. Fine. Well, she comes back asking if we require the services of a minister. I say that we are open to whomever from the staff conducting the ceremony since it is "only" symbolic. An ordained minister costs $400 on top of the ceremony package. A significant amount of change in our pockets. She hits me back saying (basically) that they've never had that request before and staff members normally don't have anything to do with the ceremonies. She is going to take it to the sales director and get back to me.

 

So, I guess other than just being irritated (since that truly is the only word that works), I'm wondering if anyone else has been told this. Being on BDW has done great things for kind of tailoring my expectations about this and that, but I'm thinking maybe seeing so many brides post about how their weddings were officiated by hotel staff members has given me the wrong impression.

 

If this is how they roll, hell- I'm tempted to have one of our family members do it. We have a couple of deacons:)

[~Nicole~]

I was always under the impression that the on-site WC did the symbolic ceremony?? Maybe she's confused....lol. So what is she saying, you have to provide someone? I wouldn't settle for that unless it's what you wanted! Crazy!

[BillysBride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikki07 I was always under the impression that the on-site WC did the symbolic ceremony?? Maybe she's confused....lol. So what is she saying, you have to provide someone? I wouldn't settle for that unless it's what you wanted! Crazy!

I'm about to email her AGAIN and suggest just that. What kinda floored me was the whole "we've never had that request"...umm...ok, so you dealt with a bunch of brides that weren't members of BDW so they didn't know any better and just paid you people four hundred bucks. haha

Heck, I'm willing to bet I could find someone to come in from off site and do it for less than $400. Geez!

Thanks girls. Glad I'm not being a whiney brat and this really is unusual.

[Jacilynda]

An officiant for us was much more expensive than $400. Of course we aren't doing ours at a resort but i just assumed people used an officiant or family member, not staff or WC.

 

We have a cousin doing it for us. I can personalize how we want and have someone we love do it and be part of our day instead of someone I've never seen in my life.

[BillysBride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacilynda An officiant for us was much more expensive than $400. Of course we aren't doing ours at a resort but i just assumed people used an officiant or family member, not staff or WC. We have a cousin doing it for us. I can personalize how we want and have someone we love do it and be part of our day instead of someone I've never seen in my life.

I don't really care about the whole stranger-doing-it thing. In fact, I think that actually works better for me than it would if someone from the fam did. I cannot under any circumstances imagine one of my goof ass brothers standing in front of us "marrying" us. lol We just don't have that kind of serious vibe in my family and I don't even know if anyone is capable of it.

If we pull someone from the guest list for it (which presents another problem since ours is so small), it would have to be a family friend for sure. I've already sent out some info feelers for outside officiants, so I'll either try my best to find someone under $400 or have a family friend do it...but hopefully she'll get back to me and say the on site coordinator can do it.

[Jacilynda]

We are NOt serious at all!!!! Which is part of the reason I like having our cousin do it. Its one of the best days of our life and i'd much rather laugh through it, our personalities, than be serious which is SO not us. We'd probably laugh anyway at how serious the officiant would be anyway

[rodent]

yeah, my officiant was the hotel wedding coordinator, elena, barefoot. I thought about having a friend or family member officiate, but didn't know who would be good for that. I put some feelers out & just got "sounds like a good idea, i wouldn't be a good person for that." so end the end we had the hotel WC. It was nice though. I like that our ceremony script was read with an accent. Adds some authenticity to our mexico wedding. And i like that she isn't wearing shoes.

[BillysBride]

Morgan- I'm really not feeling the idea of a family member...or even a friend. lol You're one of the dozens of folks I remember having their WC officiate and so I'm really suprised they seem so taken aback by the request. Odd. But this is a smaller resort that is more out of the way I suppose.

 

Jacilynda- lol, I get what you are saying. It's just different strokes. I think everyone who knows me (even here on BDW) knows I'm the first person to crack the hell up about something completely inappropriate. My entire family is the same, but Billy has approached the entire issue of the ceremony so seriously, it's definitely made me appreciate his outlook more. He's very set on it being the tie that binds us and is taking it all so soberly, it's got ME very hesitant to have it be too light hearted. I like it that he's being so serious-it's romantic to me! We could both laugh all the way through the legal ceremony and not care, lol.

 

Girls, I have GOT to share this with you.

 

Her response to my earlier email asking for clarification on the issue and broaching the subject of our bringing our own officiant. Her first line is in reference to my saying I was suprised more staff involvement wasn't the norm.

 

Dear Savannah,

 

Well, we know the importance of this kind of events for our guests. That's why we do not.

 

If you prefer to bring your own minister, no problem. Just be sure he has the official permision to lead ceremonies in Mexico. The hotel could be fined in a possible inpection.

 

Kind regards,

R***** de** M*******

[DanielleNDerek]

Savannah does she realize your having a symbolic ceremony? Her response makes it sound like your trying to get legally married in Mexico.

[~Nicole~]

Savannah, this chick is killing me! What doesn't she understand about the term "symbolic ceremony"? lol!!! I wish you luck in dealing with her! So is she completely new in her position?