It's Official- I am an Atlantis Bride!!

[beachbride925]

Welcome and congrats!  I have 50 days till my wedding! I just thought I would update my status of where I'm at in my planning process. India is my coordinator and I'm not overly impressed with her but its ok. It takes a couple days for her to respond and I just don't feel like I'm as far as I should be with 50 days left.

 

I will stay that I did change to an a la crate because I wasn't going to use half the stuff that was included in the package. I am taking my own photographer. I saved alot of money because my photographer isn't charging me for a package, I'm just paying for his flights and room.

 

I am splitting my food & beverage min over two meals. I rented a boat for the first meal.... we will see how that goes.

 

I am using Full House Floral. I feel I was ordered more for a lesser prices the another quote I got. Everyone was very friendly.

 

Classadiva - what did you put in your welcome bags? I bought beach bags but I don't know what to put in them.

 

I haven't done the cake yet. Did someone say you can get a cake from somewhere else??

 

Thanks all I have so far.

[classadiva]

 

Originally Posted by beachbride925 

Welcome and congrats!  I have 50 days till my wedding! I just thought I would update my status of where I'm at in my planning process. India is my coordinator and I'm not overly impressed with her but its ok. It takes a couple days for her to respond and I just don't feel like I'm as far as I should be with 50 days left.

 

I will stay that I did change to an a la crate because I wasn't going to use half the stuff that was included in the package. I am taking my own photographer. I saved alot of money because my photographer isn't charging me for a package, I'm just paying for his flights and room.

 

I am splitting my food & beverage min over two meals. I rented a boat for the first meal.... we will see how that goes.

 

I am using Full House Floral. I feel I was ordered more for a lesser prices the another quote I got. Everyone was very friendly.

 

Classadiva - what did you put in your welcome bags? I bought beach bags but I don't know what to put in them.

 

I haven't done the cake yet. Did someone say you can get a cake from somewhere else??

 

Thanks all I have so far.

Hi,

 

  So excited for you!!!   You are going to be real happy with your wedding.  Hopefully your coordinator is more responsive as time goes by.  What you might try to do is buying one of those international calling cards for like $5 or $10 and calling her yourself.  That is what I often did when I needed to reach vendors in the Bahamas or my coordinator.

 

  The first meal on a boat sounds wonderful!! I have heard that Full House Floral was pretty reasonable.   As for my welcome bags....I had gone to the Bahamas in January for a site visit and had purchased bookmarks and keychains while there that said "Bahamas" on them in bulk to put in every bag.  I wound up paying like $1 for each key chain and about $1.50 or so for each bookmark but I needed over 50.  We also placed a deck of cards that had a sticker on the plastic cover with our names on it.  For the women...they got pashminas and nail file kits...the men were given khaki floppy hats....I was lucky enough to have a friend that gave me a TON of toiletries and other items for both men and women such as toothpaste, sanitary napkins, tampons, deodarant,  Tide to Go, shampoo, etc which I placed in their own bags within the bags. I purchased seperate items for the kids such as goggles and cutsey items.  The one thing that I wanted to buy but ran out of time for were Sudoko/Crossword books.  I TRIED not to buy too many heavy items. 

 

As for the cake...you must buy it from the Atlantis...I paid $19 per person !!!  There are however less expensive options.  Let me know if you have any other questions!!!

[classadiva]

 

 

Originally Posted by dominiqueamber 

 

Aww glad to hear it went well! I'm excited for your pictures and to know what videographer you used!

 

 

Thanks...will wait to see the video before recommending!!

[*slm*]

classadiva- Congrats!!!! my wedding at Atlantis is getting so close. Just 10 short weeks away! Would you recommend Mandara Spa for hair/makeup? How did yours turn out? The woman there sent me info on the bridal package. Is that what you did, for $220ish? I can't wait to see some of your pics

[Cdrolz]

 

 

Originally Posted by *slm* 

 

classadiva- Congrats!!!! my wedding at Atlantis is getting so close. Just 10 short weeks away! Would you recommend Mandara Spa for hair/makeup? How did yours turn out? The woman there sent me info on the bridal package. Is that what you did, for $220ish? I can't wait to see some of your pics

 

Hi Ladies, I haven't checked this board since I got married back in January 2010!  I am so excited for everyone getting married at the Atlantis- it was an amazing wedding and you'll be so glad you had your wedding there!

 

SLM-  I used Mandara for my hair and makeup.  I'd have to check the exact prices- but it was pretty expensive. They try to upcharge you for EVERYTHING.  I had extensions for my updo and they wanted to charge me $10 to "apply" each piece (I had 8 pieces)- even though they were the clip in kind. They wanted to charge $50 to apply fake eye lashes...  I had the woman come to my room, and I want to say they wanted to apply the $75 room charge to both me and my bridesmaid.... Needless to say I argued with them for a lot of those charges, but overall I felt like it was too expensive for what they charge.  However, in the end, she did know what she was doing and I was fine with the way I looked...

 

On another note- I saw the recent post about the cake....  I had the "yellow" which I think is just vanilla pound cake with chocolate filling.  It was hands down the best cake I have ever had in my whole entire life- I salivate just looking at my photograph of the cake. Worth every penny!

[*slm*]

classadiva- congrats again! What DJ did you end up using? I was going to use Matthew Sweeting's DJ service. He is also our officiant but I haven't seen any reviews about it. Thanks!

[classadiva]

Hi Slm,

 

  I did wind up using the Mandera Spa and I have to say, I really did like the hair and make-up service that I received.  They have moved and updated their spa and all I can say is that it is FABULOUS!!!  I did not take the Bridal package, but I paid seperately for hair and make-up.  They did try to pull a fast one in that I also had my flower girl's hair done and off-handedly they asked me if they could have permission to flat iron her hair..I thought it was odd that they asked if they could have permission...I did not care so I said yes.  Well..when I got the bill, they tried to charge me an extra I think $50 just to use the flat iron...I said...I DON'T THINK so!!!  Had I known that there was a charge...I would have said...no!!!  Anyway...they took the charge off immediately with no problem.  I thought that this was a little nervy on their part...it only made the technician's job easier...not mine!!  LOL

 

  As for the DJ..I used one that was recommended by Rev. Sweeting.  There was another one recommended by Rev. Sweeting..I think his name was Agabe that Mike...screen-name  MD2002 on here said was great.  I contacted him but he was busy the day of my wedding.  I then contacted the next DJ on the Rev.'s list and he was very good...we gave him a play list so he did not have that much room to experiment...and the price was right...$150 an hour as opposed to the $450 an hour the Atlantis charges for a DJ.  I would say if you give him a ply list..you will be fine.  He was very nice and also did the audio for our wedding since we had a larger group (cheaper than the Rev's prices for audio) PM for the info if you want it.    Just keep in mind that if you get your own music vendors, you have to pay ampage fees to the Atlantis...I think I paid just over $200 for 3 hours for the DJ.

 

 You will love Rev. Sweeting...I can't imagine a better pastor...I can't tell you how many people told us that ours was by far the best wedding ceremony that they had ever witnessed.  He is just a professional.  He has scripts for vows, ring exchanges, sand ceremony...and even when we told him that we were going to "jump the broom"...he had a script for that too and actually told us how it is done!!

 

I am going to post a few pics now on this board from the wedding so that you can get a flavor of what it may look like...

 

BTW..the cake was good...very moist...I had one tier of raspberry filled yellow cake and two of devils food/raspberry...the yellow/raspberry was AMAZING!!!

 

Also...as an aside...I don't think I've ever mentioned this...I had my Welcome dinner across the Atlantis Marina at the Club Land Or' timeshare. I may have been the first that they have done.  The timeshare itself is not great...but they are right on the water..overlooking the Atlantis property.  They refused to sell to the Atlantis and so the Atlantis built around them...they arre sitting on prime real estate!! In fact...you have to walk past their property to get to the Atlantis timeshare!!   I was supposed to have it outside on the lawn overlooking the water but they moved it inside....which turned out to be very nice too.  I had a DJ and a full open 3-hour bar as well as decoration included for a little over $50 per adult and much less per kid.  When I added up the costs of an welcome dinner at the Atlantis with drinks or off of the premises which would have required me to pay for transportation...this was a great bargain and it set the weekend off really, really nicely.

[*slm*]

Classadiva- Thank you so much! That info helps so much! I am definitely going to contact those DJ's to see what they say. Our ceremony is 3pm-3:30pm (which I want music for) and then we are having a 1hr cocktail hour right afterward with music. So should I ask for 1.5hrs of DJ service? or half h of audio and an hour of DJ?

 

Thanks for the Mandara info. I iwll probably end up not doing the Wedded Bliss pkg because I don't need a mani/pedi. I can't get a straight answer out of Shakeria there either in regard to what the pkg includes. It says shampoo+style but I need an updo. So I asked her if "style" is considered a "bridal updo" because they are both listed separately in their menu. She keeps skipping around the answer. I don't want to spend $220 on a bridal pkg if it doesn't include an updo, which is listed as $85 and up!

 

Was Alphanique just as sweet in person as she is via email? I just LOVE her! She told us we could ship items to her for the wedding if we wanted. So I will probably ship out my programs, cocktail table centerpieces, etc...because we are arriving by cruiseship, so we can't bring that stuff on the ship.

 

I can't wait to see pictures!!!!

[skp1]

I'm glad I stumbled upon this.  I just started the planning stages of my Atlantis wedding next June.  My wedding sales person is awesome - she's totally honest and forthcoming with vendor recommendations.  I've only had one call with my coordinator so far and my initial impression is that she isn't really listening to me and pushing a certain agenda.  Based on everyone's comments here, that isn't typical so if she isn't any different on the next call, I'm asking to switch.  I'm also doing the a la carte wedding as we weren't interested in half the things in the package.  I'm in the process of picking vendors to meet on our site visit in October - so far I only had one thing I was sure of and that was Matthew Sweeting and he's not available!  I'm soooo sad.  I really wanted something casual and off-beat.  Now I'm trying to find:

 

floral/decor - I don't want to spend a lot - my feeling is that the destination is the decor.  I'll check the ones recommended here

photographer - sounds like no one used a local so far.  I know I DON'T want to use Atlantis

DJ - sounds like it makes sense to go outside of Atlantis on this one

entertainment - we'd like a junkanoo thing but it seemed ridiculously priced by Atlantis.  Any suggestions?

 

I'm having trouble figuring out music for the ceremony.  We know we want a DJ at the reception but I can't justify spending $400 or so dollars for music at the ceremony when all you need are 2 songs - processional and recessional.  What is everyone else doing?

 

My wedding sales person recommended Apryl Weech for hair & makeup b/c she's heard mixed reviews about Madera.  I haven't called yet so I don't know any information. 

 

I wish I could share more, but I'm in the early stages.  And I thought a destination wedding would be easy! 

[md2002]

 

 

Originally Posted by classadiva 

 

Hi Slm,

 

  I did wind up using the Mandera Spa and I have to say, I really did like the hair and make-up service that I received.  They have moved and updated their spa and all I can say is that it is FABULOUS!!!  I did not take the Bridal package, but I paid seperately for hair and make-up.  They did try to pull a fast one in that I also had my flower girl's hair done and off-handedly they asked me if they could have permission to flat iron her hair..I thought it was odd that they asked if they could have permission...I did not care so I said yes.  Well..when I got the bill, they tried to charge me an extra I think $50 just to use the flat iron...I said...I DON'T THINK so!!!  Had I known that there was a charge...I would have said...no!!!  Anyway...they took the charge off immediately with no problem.  I thought that this was a little nervy on their part...it only made the technician's job easier...not mine!!  LOL

 

  As for the DJ..I used one that was recommended by Rev. Sweeting.  There was another one recommended by Rev. Sweeting..I think his name was Agabe that Mike...screen-name  MD2002 on here said was great.  I contacted him but he was busy the day of my wedding.  I then contacted the next DJ on the Rev.'s list and he was very good...we gave him a play list so he did not have that much room to experiment...and the price was right...$150 an hour as opposed to the $450 an hour the Atlantis charges for a DJ.  I would say if you give him a ply list..you will be fine.  He was very nice and also did the audio for our wedding since we had a larger group (cheaper than the Rev's prices for audio) PM for the info if you want it.    Just keep in mind that if you get your own music vendors, you have to pay ampage fees to the Atlantis...I think I paid just over $200 for 3 hours for the DJ.

 

 You will love Rev. Sweeting...I can't imagine a better pastor...I can't tell you how many people told us that ours was by far the best wedding ceremony that they had ever witnessed.  He is just a professional.  He has scripts for vows, ring exchanges, sand ceremony...and even when we told him that we were going to "jump the broom"...he had a script for that too and actually told us how it is done!!

 

I am going to post a few pics now on this board from the wedding so that you can get a flavor of what it may look like...

 

BTW..the cake was good...very moist...I had one tier of raspberry filled yellow cake and two of devils food/raspberry...the yellow/raspberry was AMAZING!!!

 

Also...as an aside...I don't think I've ever mentioned this...I had my Welcome dinner across the Atlantis Marina at the Club Land Or' timeshare. I may have been the first that they have done.  The timeshare itself is not great...but they are right on the water..overlooking the Atlantis property.  They refused to sell to the Atlantis and so the Atlantis built around them...they arre sitting on prime real estate!! In fact...you have to walk past their property to get to the Atlantis timeshare!!   I was supposed to have it outside on the lawn overlooking the water but they moved it inside....which turned out to be very nice too.  I had a DJ and a full open 3-hour bar as well as decoration included for a little over $50 per adult and much less per kid.  When I added up the costs of an welcome dinner at the Atlantis with drinks or off of the premises which would have required me to pay for transportation...this was a great bargain and it set the weekend off really, really nicely.

 

His name,the DJ, was Jose Ageeb. He was very good to work with! However, seeing what some other people paid he seemed to be on the pricey side but worth every penny.

 

You can't go wrong with Rev. Sweeting, your going to want to take him home with you. LOL