Any Gran Bahia Principe Runaway Bay Brides out there?

[Lisa K]

Thanks for the reply pask454!!!

I was also thinking of the same menu. I will take your advice and go for it! I will also look into the excursions

Originally Posted by pask454 

Samantha -- I had the Dolce Vita for my reception dinner, it was great! I had my welcome dinner at The Grill, and my rehersal dinner at the Japanese Restaurant (only fits 12 at the table they cook in front of you). You have to book your dinners closer to the date. They wouldnt book mine until the week before I left for Jamaica, although they will book your reception dinner in advance, but it still takes a while.

 

Lisa -- The menu for the Dolce Vita was good in my opinion, I forget everything that was the options, but I can tell you my menu so you can get an idea of what types of things they have. We started with Tomato Basil soup & croutons, then had Spinach Ravioli, then we chose chicken with a bacon and walnut sauce (with potato and veg), then for dessert we had a cream puff like thing, along with our wedding cake.

 

We went on the Karanda Tour, the Catamaran excursion that takes you snorkelling, Dunns River, then party on the way back. Its an affiliate of Cool Runnings, so you do the exact same thing on the same boat,  but I beleive that Karanda Tours was a bit cheaper. You get a discount rate. I emailed them before hand. Let them know your a wedding group..they will take pictures for you (although to buy is expensive) and we got one of the "smaller" (still big) boats, that fit 34 of my wedding group along with 8 other people that werent with us, which was better than an extra 50 people we dont know.

Goodluck!

[JayKay]

Here is a link to our wedding photos from Merrick Cousley

 

http://s1124.beta.photobucket.com/user/kergz06/library/

[SarahJ]

Originally Posted by JayKay 

 

They are the resort photographers.  The planners recommend using them, but I don't.  We had 5 free photos included in our wedding package and when we went to go look at the photos and choose one it was hard to.  The photos weren't very good and looked pretty amateur instead of professional.  I know the resort is trying to push people towards using them as now they charge a $800 fee for outside vendors. I highly suggest using a different photographer.

 

That's not good to hear JayKay! lol...I don't think I have much choice but to use them because 1) I'm certainly not paying $800 for the vendors fee and 2) we don't have any guests going that have professional cameras etc...and 3) we can't afford to pay for a professional photographer to go to the hotel on holiday with us as we are from the UK so its not just a short plane ride away.  I don't know what else to do unless any1 has any suggestions.. I will say tho I have looked at pictures they have taken at previous weddings and I thought they looked really nice. Thanks for the advice girls.

[JayKay]

Why not hire a local Jamaican photographer and see if they can work something out with the vendor fee-such as cover a portion of it, or stay a night at the resort to get around the fee?

Originally Posted by SarahJ 

 

That's not good to hear JayKay! lol...I don't think I have much choice but to use them because 1) I'm certainly not paying $800 for the vendors fee and 2) we don't have any guests going that have professional cameras etc...and 3) we can't afford to pay for a professional photographer to go to the hotel on holiday with us as we are from the UK so its not just a short plane ride away.  I don't know what else to do unless any1 has any suggestions.. I will say tho I have looked at pictures they have taken at previous weddings and I thought they looked really nice. Thanks for the advice girls.

[Candice37]

Hi Ladies! ...Im new to this site and have lots of questions, I will post soon- but any brides to be getting married April 30th 2013!?

[SarahJ]

I will look into it, thanks JayKay. I'm not going to let it stress me tho so close to my big day, I say "what will be will be"....ha ha :-)

[MrsViolo]

I have found 2 photographers who will cover up to 500 of the vendor's fee. A few will also pay for their own accommodations to stay at the resort which I think also means the vendor fee does not apply.

[MrsViolo]

I have found 2 photographers who will cover up to 500 of the vendor's fee. A few will also pay for their own accommodations to stay at the resort which I think also means the vendor fee does not apply. Sorry for posting twice!

I will look into it, thanks JayKay. I'm not going to let it stress me tho so close to my big day, I say "what will be will be"....ha ha :-)

[MrsViolo]

I have found 2 photographers who will cover up to 500 of the vendor's fee. A few will also pay for their own accommodations to stay at the resort which I think also means the vendor fee does not apply. Sorry for posting twice!

I will look into it, thanks JayKay. I'm not going to let it stress me tho so close to my big day, I say "what will be will be"....ha ha :-)

[Stay cee1]

Hi Lisa K,

My wedding is on July 9, 2013. I see yours is July 5th...We booked 10days for arrival on July 4th, so hopefully we will cross paths!

 

Happy planning...the count down is on and I feel like everything is just starting to come together.

 

So far we have completed our welcome bags, save the dates were sent out a year in advance and now just left the printers where our invitations will be completed by Friday (yippeee)..We selected the bridesmaid dresses and will order them along with mine next month.  I have decided on the table setting (picking up everything this weekend), and need to order the sashes for the chairs. 

 

How are your plans coming along?