Gran Caribe Real Cancun Brides Post Here...

[simba1234]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdaigz Hey Everyone!! We are planning our wedding here! In the process of trying to get all the information straight to get married at the waterfront catholic chapel! It's proving to be a little difficult to get answers from the wedding coordinators! We have our deposit down - but have been instructed to contact the church directly to no answers. Our wedding date is April 27th 2010 - deposits are down etc.. Has anyone else been through this process? Any hints/tips when dealing with the wedding coordinators and the church??

I'm planning to get married in the chapel on April 23, 2010 so just a few days before you:) It's been an extremely frustrating process. They are horrible at getting back to me and won't even confirm a time. I have the deposit down also. I have just literally stalked them to get answers What do you need to know? Do you have the email of the church contact? Did they tell you which documents you need? You have to get a letter from your local parish stating that they authorize a catholic ceremony in Mexico.

Let me know if there's anything I can answer.

[tdaigz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by simba1234 I'm planning to get married in the chapel on April 23, 2010 so just a few days before you:) It's been an extremely frustrating process. They are horrible at getting back to me and won't even confirm a time. I have the deposit down also. I have just literally stalked them to get answers What do you need to know? Do you have the email of the church contact? Did they tell you which documents you need? You have to get a letter from your local parish stating that they authorize a catholic ceremony in Mexico. Let me know if there's anything I can answer.

HI there

That is great news! Congrats!! We fly down on the 22nd I might be hounding you instead of our wedding planner. It has been terrible! My fiance was finally able to get ahold of her. She mentioned how busy and swamped she was. Apparently they have all new staff working there now? I have no idea - i'm supposed to have a phone conference with her tomorrow - but i'll have to see what kind of time i have at work tomorrow.

We have put our deposit down - and really - it is impossible to get in touch with the church. We were told we must deal with them directly. We have the email - received one reply in 2 and 1/2 weeks - saying we need a form and to fax it to them. Didn't even tell us which form. So we must talk to our priest in order to get it approved? That is great news - more than i have got from our WP. Have you received much information regarding the Reception planning process? I'm worried that i'm not actually getting anything done properly due to the lack of response from real resorts.

What were the instructions the church gave you guys? I just want to make sure we'll be able to speak to our priest soon to get all the necessary information as it does take a while to receive. I also just want to start the reception planning process. Do you know the difference between the private reception and then luxury private reception? Thanks so much!

[simba1234]

Tdaigz - I've literally been calling a million times until they have no choice but to answer or call me back. I just buy a $2 calling card which gives me about 2 hours worth of calling time and then I call as many times as necessary.

 

The WP at Gran caribe isn't going to give you much info about the catholic requirements. You need to contact the parish in MX to find out what they require. They told me I needed the following:

 

A letter from my local parish in the US stating that they authorize a catholic ceremony in Cancun, MX. The letter should include the following info: Where you're getting married (Cancun, MX), the ceremony location (Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel in Gran Caribe Real), The date & time of the ceremony, and the date of your baptism, communion and confirmation. The letter needs to have an official seal of the catholic church and it should be addressed to "Luis Alberto Chauvarria". They need that letter emailed/faxed to the church in Cancun one month before the wedding. You should call just to triple check because I've heard different dates thrown around. I'm going to try to send mine at least two months before to be safe. Then you need to bring the original letter when you fly into Cancun a few days before the ceremony.

 

When I called the church in Cancun, they told me that the ONLY thing they need is this letter but I'm going to also bring copies of my communion, confirmation & Baptism certificates just to be safe. If your fiance is part of a different church then he will need to go through the same process with his church unless your priest is willing to put both of your informations in the same letter. My fiance lives in brooklyn & I live in manhattan so he needs to get a letter from the church in his jurisdiction. My church said they won't include him in my letter.

 

I called my church in the states yesterday and they told me that in order to give me that letter authorizing the marriage, I need to bring in my birth certificate, baptism, communion and confirmation certificates. They will then give me the letter and information on when/where to take the precana classes (premarital counseling).

 

The email to the church in Cancun is [email protected]

 

The contact there is Lupita Ramos and her phone is 011-52-998-849-5035.

She was really responsive and returned my email within a day. I followed up with a phone call just to triple check the requirements.

 

I know that's a lot of info:) I hope it helps...I know how frustrating the process is when they don't get back to you.

 

I'm not having my reception at Gran Caribe. I had already fallen in love with a reception venue somewhere else but they don't hold catholic ceremonies so I decided to have the ceremony in Gran Caribe and the reception elswhere. I'm glad I went that route because my reception WC has been amazing, responsive and helpful - she's made it really easy for me. If I had to deal with Gran Caribe for the ceremoney AND reception I think i'd be a bridezilla right now:) Good luck & let me know if I can help with any other questions.

[AmyBoerema]

Hi you guys....i had posted earlier about looking into gran caribe. I actually think I have changed my mind about the chapel, based in part on the comments here.

 

I am sorry it's been so much trouble to get answers!! it shouldn't be that hard.

 

still trying to figure out another place with a catholic chapel....

[tdaigz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmyBoerema Hi you guys....i had posted earlier about looking into gran caribe. I actually think I have changed my mind about the chapel, based in part on the comments here. I am sorry it's been so much trouble to get answers!! it shouldn't be that hard. still trying to figure out another place with a catholic chapel....

Amy -

I'm sorry- I really don't want what i was saying or should i say complaining about to interfere with your decision. I do think this location has a lot great things going for it. The church is absolutely beautiful etc.. I do believe the trouble i've been having will be worth it in the long run.

I spoke with the WC yesterday and was told there has been a lot of restructuring and shuffling in regards to the planning team. I do think you should just try to talk to them - see what they say and what type of service you receive etc.. You can never know for sure. I do know that this chapel is somewhere i really want to get married - if you do too - see how they can treat you

I can't say for sure that everything is going great in the planning process - but I have been speaking with a few people who have been married in Mexico - and have been told that the service is "a little bit slower" paced. Maybe i just need to relax and go with the flow... haha

[simba1234]

Yeah, I agree. I think it will be 100% worth the effort. i had a few frustrations early on in the process but I just kept being persistent because this is without a doubt my dream ceremony location. I'm so excited about it and have no problem stalking until I get answers. They're on a different wave lenght in MX and don't have the same sense of urgency we do. I'm a New Yorker so I'm super fast paced and expect answers immediately. The responsiveness from the WC has gotten WAY better the last couple of days. I think that as I speak to her more & more and build a relationship she has been a lot more responsive and helpful.

 

I wouldn't dismiss this place based on our complaints I think it will be worth every penny & every single frustration I had to deal with in the beginning.

[Rose13]

I just looked into this one, and its gorgeous!

[Trukita]

Hello,

I am also looking into the Guadalupe Chapel.....but not sure if they can let everyone in the chapel even though we would not stay at any "Real" resort. I am already in contact with the parish in cancun but the hotel has to get back to me if this is even a possibility. The wedding coordinators usually take a long time in any part in Latin America its a laid back attitude there and you pretty much have to stalk them and who care's if they get annoyed....I mean its our wedding day and its their job to take care of us...So for the brides out there that feel bad about stalking, don't feel bad that's the only way you will get results quicker. But its so worth it in the end to have everything just right and at such a beautiful location.

[simba1234]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trukita Hello, I am also looking into the Guadalupe Chapel.....but not sure if they can let everyone in the chapel even though we would not stay at any "Real" resort. I am already in contact with the parish in cancun but the hotel has to get back to me if this is even a possibility. The wedding coordinators usually take a long time in any part in Latin America its a laid back attitude there and you pretty much have to stalk them and who care's if they get annoyed....I mean its our wedding day and its their job to take care of us...So for the brides out there that feel bad about stalking, don't feel bad that's the only way you will get results quicker. But its so worth it in the end to have everything just right and at such a beautiful location.

Yes they will let you have your ceremony there. I'm getting married there in April and - I'm not staying at any Real resorts and neither are any of my guests. I'm not even having my reception there. They do require that you have at least one event there other than the ceremony since you are not hotel guests. For example you can have the cocktail hour, reception or rehearsal dinner...you just have to negotiate that with the WC. I'm only having the rehearsal dinner there but they originally wanted me to have the cocktail or reception.

I'm also sure the prices are a little higher than they would be if you were a guest but I didn't think it was too bad.
Definetly worth it in my opinion.

[Trukita]

Thanks!! I feel better, today I have a call scheduled with them and I hope it goes well and will see if I can do the rehearsal dinner there too....can you share what kind of dinner they offered and costs? Thanks in advance!