Any Gran Bahia Principe Runaway Bay Brides out there?

[amandajill]

Hello girls...

I'm not in Calgary but still Alberta (Peace River) and I am getting married at the Gran Bahia Principe as well ! May 29th, 2010... I would love to hear of your experience after the wedding since you are getting married first!!

I just booked my photographer today... I would recommend getting someone off the resort.. I was a bridesmaid at 2 weddings at Ocho Rios in Jamaica in October and both brides were not happy with the photo packages... price and creativity was not that great...

Amanda

[christinak82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerrij I'm behind on all the chit chat! I emailed paula to the other day to book my appt and she said they didn't do GBP anymore...i was like, uhhh we just had about 4 emails back and forth and each eamil i stated the hotel name, and then finally she's like, oh i thought it was grand Palladium! oy! I have talked to the new spa rep via email and just waiting to book our hair and pedi's when i hear back! i am def goign to book it before we get there. i'll tell him to put it in his books! hahah Julia, we have 47 booked! it's going to be so fun i cannot wait! try doing a search on Jan's, there is lots of talk about them, but like Christina said, most brides stop posting after their wedding...so hopefully you can find some info. I actually decided against ordering extra flowers other than flower girl flowers. But Tai is actually doing them for way cheaper than i thought now, so that is good. i bought parasols and fans for uber cheap for the BMs and moms instead. Beverly is getting on my nervous! hahah she never responds anymore. argh! so i'll just leave it for another couple weeks and then i'm going to call her. last time i called another WC there said she'd be back in 15 mins. so i called back in 20 and she wasn't there so the WC helped me and said she'd reply to the email i've been waiting so long on. Julia i also heard one other girl got her steel drum band for free! i wonder how we can snake some freebies too! hehehe I can't believe i'm just 25 days away until we leave! I really wish there were some past brides that got married here. i haven't seen any pics or anything even on trip advisor...just the odd one from someone who went to a friends wedding there.

wow kerrij, it must be so exciting to know that its only 25 days away :-)
and yeah its so hard to find more information and especially pictures about GBPJ. even that one review on tripadvisor has only one picture of the bridal bouquet... thats it?!?!? If I would have my wedding pictures done I would post them everywhere and tell everyone how it went... I mean why else would you take so beautiful pictures if you dont show them?
I wish you all the best kerrij... hope you´ll let us know about your experience...

[kerrij]

Hi AmandaJill! Another one of us GBP girls! yay! Thanks for the photog tip. who you book def makes your photos amazing! i hope my girl is good!! her website she looks awesome!

Christina i couldn't agree with you more!

 

What are your guys plans for your weddings? are you all having it in the gazebo with dinner in a restaurant or is anyone renting out the private space? Are you doing anything special or different?

[juliaks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerrij But Tai is actually doing them for way cheaper than i thought now, so that is good. i bought parasols and fans for uber cheap for the BMs and moms instead.

I told Tai not to do flowers for the Moms (I don't have any bm's) - do you think I'm going to offend them? Half of my guests are mom's/dad's - I didnt want to offend anyone by not including them, but I don't want to offend anyone else either... What do you guys think?

Also Kerri, did you find out how that girl got that steel band for free? I'm already WAY over budget, so I can't add any music (our wedding is small anyway), but I'd add music if it was free!

33 days til we get married! Getting close!

[Virtuous]

Hello Brides-to-be,

 

I am from Canada as well, living in the Toronto area. I’m looking to get married at GBP in Nov of this year. I have not booked yet, I’m still waiting for questions to be answered by Beverly. Since many of you will be getting married at GBP before me I would love to lean on your wisdom for ideas.

 

We are looking at 75-100 guests and would like to have a private reception. Beverly provide a prepaid party package one for $60per person and the other for $100per person. Is anyone out there doing the prepaid party package, which consist of Special Decoration with Tikki Torches, welcome cocktail with coconut water, Steel Band or Live band, Night “Show†of 45 minutes, Special typical dresses (not sure what this is) and buffet menu.

 

Does GBP do custom wedding packages? There are many items on the list of packages that we will not be needing, because we are getting an offsite photographer, our own minister and if we go with the prepaid party package I don’t know if the sit down reception that is included in the package is relevant.

 

If any of you plan to do a private reception can you let me know what your plans are? I’m trying to find ways to bring down the cost.

[kerrij]

Julia, you should call Beverly and ask her if you can get the Free Package...I called and talked to the other WC there yesterday (DeshonJay) and i got the feeling that they don't care who gets what package...you get all the basic stuff except minister fees which is $400 and works out way cheaper than blissful, especially if you only have 16 people! and i found out that is why i haven't had to put a deposit down, because mine is "free" so i pay when i get there.

 

I would absolutely not feel bad about getting your moms flowers and not everyone else. you should make your moms feel special cause it's their little girls/boys day! they would love it! i'm getting our moms a silk fan for the ceremony and no one else.

 

I'm not sure how the girl got it free, i'm hoping when we get there we can squeeze so free things in there?! eek!

 

Hi Virtuous! I didn't know about that $60/100 package! now that i know they have tikki torches i'm going ot have to inquire about that! sounds awesome!! Since i didn't know about this, i'm sure i don't know if they do custom pkgs or not. sorry!

 

I'm not doing a private reception, just dinner in the rest (one of them has a private-ish room) an then our dance for 2 hours at the gazebo which is private!

 

I've learned that since i don't get email responses anymore, so annoying!, that calling them works just as well and you can ask either of them questions and their responses are usually No Problem! hehe so cute!

[Rani]

Hi girls!

As someone here wisely said - with Beverly it is a hit or miss. Funnily she replies pretty fast to me. I think once you gave her your credit card form filled out you can stop worrying.

Girls, did anyone already book an appointment in this new Bahia Spa? Or is it just me since no one brought it up here. I wonder how many hours do I need to get hair and make up done? Would 2 hours be enough? Should I be ready like half an hour before the wedding? hmm

How off topic is that? ))) Just didn't find much threads about this aspect of jamaican weddings.

In case someone needs this - [email protected]

[kerrij]

Ya I booked our spa appointments. I want to be ready a couple hours before the ceremony though. My ceremony is at 3:30 and I requested to be done around 1:30 so I'll prob start at noon and go for the 2nd round of appointments. But if you contact the spa they will guide you to what time you should start if you know what time you want to be finished. All depends on what you want done exactly to your hair and stuff.

[StephAli]

Hey Kerrij

 

I am getting married at GBP in November and I am debating the reception....Do you know how far/close a bar is to the gazebo? Beverly told me that I can rent it for $500 and then I would also have to pay $15 per person per hr for a bar.....did she tell you the same thing??

[kerrij]

Hey Steph, yes she told me the same thing. i think it's a bit of a hike to the bar. if you look at pics of the gazebo it's a little ways. But to me it's worth it, if people are walking to the bar all the time they won't be at the dance, they'll get distracted and start chatting with other people.