Any Gran Bahia Principe Runaway Bay Brides out there?

[Carol Despins]

Hello! thanks for your great review. im planning on getting married feb 2013 at gran bahia but just wondering about the photgrapher and make up artists you used - how did you find them?

thanks and congrtulations!

 

[Stay cee1]

Hello,

I've just confirmed our date with Chandlyn at the GBP for Feb 18th, 2013 and I'm so excited.  @Carol....what day is your ceremony?

I wanted to thank everyone on this thread for their wonderful advice, tips, and feedback about your experiences. 

 

My question is: My fiance and I are both Jamaican born, have both been Canadian citizens since we were 8yrs old.  Does anyone know where should I start in terms of required paperwork for the wedding?  Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Now...off to vistaprint.ca to print those Save-the-Dates....!

 

 

 

 

[FutureKeese22]

Hi Ladies!

I am new to this site and I am recently engaged as of February 21, 2012 and I couldn't be more excited to plan my destination wedding! I have the Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica as the resort we are getting married at on June 22, 2013 at 3 PM as they day we are getting married! I would love any advice you can give me. I have gone through a lot of the posts so I know some! We reserved the steel drum band as well and will more than likely have a semi-private dinner and the gazebo/dj/bartender for after dinner and on to the disco! Our photographer is a family friend and she is a paying guest at the resort for 3 nights, 4 days and Chandlyn said we had to pay $800 for her, but she told me friends and family could take pictures? She is a friend, so this doesn't make sense. I refuse to pay $800. She said that the policy changed about 3 weeks ago on photographers. Anyway, I look forward to hearing stories and love all of the information I have come across about the Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica! We also want to stay 2 weeks and take our honeymoon somewhere in Negril, Jamaica. We have a travel agent, but she hasn't started looking up prices yet. We are also doing boarding pass save the dates. I am trying to get everything major out of the way so my guests have time to save!

Amanda

[JayKay]

Welcome!  We were recently married at this resort and didn't have to pay $800 or any fee at all to have our photographer come to the resort for our wedding.   I think its absolutely rediculous that they can go from charging nothing to $800.  I do understand why you have to pay it, because the have a photographer at the resort they want you to hire instread, however, $800 is really outrageous.  If your photographer is a guest staying at the resort then I dont understand how you have to pay any amount at all.  Good luck with that!

 

Originally Posted by FutureKeese22 

Hi Ladies!

I am new to this site and I am recently engaged as of February 21, 2012 and I couldn't be more excited to plan my destination wedding! I have the Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica as the resort we are getting married at on June 22, 2013 at 3 PM as they day we are getting married! I would love any advice you can give me. I have gone through a lot of the posts so I know some! We reserved the steel drum band as well and will more than likely have a semi-private dinner and the gazebo/dj/bartender for after dinner and on to the disco! Our photographer is a family friend and she is a paying guest at the resort for 3 nights, 4 days and Chandlyn said we had to pay $800 for her, but she told me friends and family could take pictures? She is a friend, so this doesn't make sense. I refuse to pay $800. She said that the policy changed about 3 weeks ago on photographers. Anyway, I look forward to hearing stories and love all of the information I have come across about the Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica! We also want to stay 2 weeks and take our honeymoon somewhere in Negril, Jamaica. We have a travel agent, but she hasn't started looking up prices yet. We are also doing boarding pass save the dates. I am trying to get everything major out of the way so my guests have time to save!

Amanda

 

[FutureKeese22]

Thanks for the quick reply! My friend and photographer told me not to worry...they are just trying to get your money!

[cdnbridelinzy]

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! Looked liked an amazing time!! Congrats!

[cdnbridelinzy]

ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! Looked liked an amazing time!! Congrats!

Originally Posted by erindegagne 

Hey Ladies!! I got the link for our pictures from Merrick Cousley today, he did such a great job. There are a ton of pictures (725), enjoy

http://www.merrickcousley.com/clients/2012_0106_eringillwedds/

 

[cdnbridelinzy]

I just sent out all of my invitations last week, and have been getting texts and phone calls left, right and center about how amazing they turned out. Everyone absolutely loved them. It took alot of love and time to put them together, but was totally worth it. I will post some pictures of them soon! We also confirmed the Pisces for our wedding we are renting it out completely for the night.

[FutureKeese22]

I look forward to seeing your save the dates! Is the Pisces $2,500 for the whole night? Are you having a semi-private dinner or private?

[Stay cee1]

I'm just so happy with this post that I had to comment on it.  Even though JMarie posted this quite a while ago, and the WP-Beverly isn't there anymore, the details given here is extremely helpful. Much thanks JMarie for this...it settles a whole lot of my anxiety!!  I was worried about how to keep my guests entertained, but didn't wish to spend too much money on renting out the gazebo...now I see I don't have to go through all of that trouble.  Thanks again for this!!!
 

Originally Posted by JMarie 

Hi Ladies!!

I am a recent GBP bride so I can try to help answer your questions!  I just got married July 30 and everything about my day was perfect! You really have nothing to worry about with Beverly. She takes care of everything. She has been doing this for years so relax!!!

I am going to write down everything I can to help you!  I am probably going to jump all over the place, but I know you won’t mind!

  Once you arrive down there you just go to the front desk to make an appointment to meet with Beverly. During your meeting you will pick your flowers (she has a book with a lot of different choices), where you want your dinner reception to be (She already had mine picked because I knew that I wanted to have it at the Dolce Vita, You have to choose a menu for your guests. Even though it is all inclusive since it is a large amount of food you have to have a set menu, but it worked out fine and everyone loved the food!  Dinner can be no earlier then 6:30 because that is when the restaurants open.. so dinner was from 6:30-8:30 and we actually didn’t  finish until 8:45. I thought that we could be done dinner in an hour but it was the perfect amount of time… The Dolce Vita was beautiful and it over looks the ocean.  The room that Beverly set up for us was pretty private.. We had 33 people total and the room fit everyone just perfectly..

 As for the reception part, they have a really nice piano bar near the lobby and went there from 9-11 then we went to the disco. We didn’t have to pay any extra for this and we had an amazing time! We wanted to rent out the disco but it was 700.00 (plus 15.00 for each guests to drink at the bar) for them to open it up at 9. We didn’t think that it was worth the extra money so we just decided to go to the piano bar then off to the disco at 11. You can rent the gazebo area for 500.00 plus the 15 per person.  Anything that you decide will be sooo nice so no worries!

Beverly also made us an appointment to meet with the DJ so we could go over all the songs, the one I was walking out to, bridesmaids, our first dance and parent dances.. We brought all our music on CDs. The DJ also has tons of music too. We actually used some of his.  First your hubby walks out and for this we used Jason Miraz, (which the dj had), Then our bridesmaid and groomsmen walked out to Three little birds by Bob Marley, Then I walked out to instrumental romantic bridal music (which was beautiful) that Beverly recommended, but if you want something in particular you should bring it on cd! The DJ was really good with everything so I am sure that he would be worth getting if anyone is planning on renting out the Gazebo for the reception!  

Here’s how my wedding day went:

Ceremony was at 3:30- The minister was really good and very nice! I actually printed out my own ceremony from home and he followed everything I had written down. I even had two readings that I had my family members come up and read. They do use a microphone so everyone can hear.

Right after the ceremony you have a champagne reception right next to the Gazebo for about an hour. As soon as you walk down the aisle as husband and wife they hand you and your hubby glasses of champagne… During this time you do your first dances, parent dances, garter toss and bouquet toss! Make sure you request an extra bouquet to toss,  I used one of my bridesmaids or maybe just bring a fake one from home to toss..) you never see it again!  You also cut your cake at this time!  It may sound a little funny but trust me it all works so wonderfully!

 

My photographer was taking pics during this whole time and then me and my hubby left to take some pics on our own!  Beverly announces that dinner will be at 630 in the Dolce Vita so this allows your guests some time to go grab a drink or go and freshen up. Some of our guests went to the snack bar which is right next to the Dolce Vita. My hubby and I arrived back by 630 and we had a wonderful dinner. The maid of honor and best man gave their speeches during dinner too!

After dinner like I said we went to the piano bar until 11 and then we went to the disco! The DJ played awesome music, all new and up to date songs, and a lot of Michael Jackson which is my hubby’s favorite. He will play songs that you request as well. We had an amazing night and danced until 2:00!

As for decorations what I brought down with me was:  clear stone rocks in my color (aqua), and aqua and white flower petals, Beverly decorated the tables at Dolce Vita with them and they looked beautiful!

Aqua fans( which were put on all the chairs at the gazebo), starfish bottle openers for favors and Beverly got us bottles of Appleton Rum too! She is really nice and will try to help you in any way she can!    

The photographer I used was Misha Earle and she was awesome! She is soo accommodating and a great person to work with. She made everyone feel so comfortable. She came to the resort at 130 and didn’t leave until 930.. Then the next day she picked us up and took us to a beautiful garden and beach to take more pics! I did a TTD session too which was soo much fun! We paid 2500 but I didn’t mind because I want to have beautiful pics to remember forever! I posted her contact info.. a few months ago, but let me know if anyone needs it again.

Ok, I think that covers pretty much everything! If anyone has any other questions let me know! I’m not really on the site that much but I will try to check as often as I can. If anyone wants to see pics send me a private message with your email address and I’ll try to send you some pics that my friend took!  Hope this helps!!!!!!!  In the words of Bob Marley! “ Don’t worry about a thing!! Every little thing is gonna be alrightâ€