Gran Caribe Real 2011 Brides

[wanda]

We ordered two entrees and created place cards to be put on the tables. Just be sure to print off a table seating chart to give to whoever is pacing those cards down for you. Flora (our co ordinator) lost our table seating paper so it made it difficult for my husband's aunts (who pretty much did all the work instead of Flora) to determine where to put the cards. Just be organized and make sure you have a few people you trust to to help with little details that you care about. 

 

 

Originally Posted by KathyW 

Girls my coordinator is Elsa and she emailed me and said 1. You can have two entrees  if you specify who gets what at your reception i.e place cards.. the other thing is Elsa told me in an email that the photographer who is staying at the Gran Caribe can come to the royal (your room) 3 hours before the wedding... hope that helps

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeahZ 

So ladies here is my issue.  I am staying at the Royal , but the reception is at the Villas Terrace at the Gran Caribe.  If I get a room for the photographers at the Caribe will they let them come take pictures of me getting ready at the Royal with out a day pass?  I would book a room at the Royal, but they are sold out.

 

[Bride2B22]

 

 

Wanda- I've read so many bad reviews on Flora!!! how was she?? i am def requesting NOT to have her!!

[ssantos78]

Oh really, how funny congrats. Well if I had it outside we had to pay 2500 dollars for rental damage which I was not going to do. I know it sucked that it rained for a few minutes but that's part of tropical weddings

 

Flora is not a good coordinator she didn't take charge to arrange the people at the chapel no one knew where to seat so the groomsmen ended sitting toward the back.
 

Originally Posted by wanda 

I think I might have seen you walk through the lobby on your wedding day  

  I know what you mean about the sweat, lol we had the same problem! You know the hotel made me feel that the AC broke THAT day (we got married on the 17th) and they said they couldn't fix it at such short notice but it sounds like it was never fixed and who knows how long it's been broken for. 

 

I have to say you were lucky that they let you have your wedding on the terrace to begin with. I wasn't given that option. I was asked while getting my hair done whether I wanted the terrace or the ballroom. Flora said if it rains or sprinkles at all, my wedding gets cancelled! They would not move our wedding as set up is time consuming (which I understand). The shitty thing is it only rained for a few minutes ( I didn't even notice the rain because it happened right when we were being introduced at the reception).

 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssantos78 

We got married 1/21/2011 it started raining for 30 mins and we had to switch from the terrace to the suite at the royal yes next to the wash rooms... I have a pic where one of the groomsmen was drench in sweat lol...

 

[wanda]

I really hope you don't have her. She was terrible! I really mean it. She doesn't listen to anything you say but pretends she does, she denies everything, and when I complained about her to her manager, she didn't seem to be too surprised. I'll give you examples of what she did:

 

1. She asked when we arrive into Mexico. I advised 5:30 at the airport. She asked to meet at 6. I explained that's not possible considering we have to clear customs and take the shuttle. After 4 emails of disagreeing, she agreed to 7. The morning of our flight we found out our flight was going to be delayed. I emailed her immediately advising her. She said no problem I will wait. We arrived at 7:20, she was already gone. The next day she had 5 weddings, so she said she was really busy and would squeeze us in. She claims that she waited until 7:45 for us and was upset that we didn't make it on time because she had a 14 hour shift (the day we met). We had the front desk call her office in front of us at check-in and they said she was gone for the day. She denied it and called me a liar.

 

2. We ordered chair sashes the day we met her. She had samples in her office. The day of the wedding, she used a different shade that what we ordered.

 

3. She agreed to pick up our stuff (unity candle, favors, etc) from our room the day of the wedding. Her and I walked back from the spa and she said she would be back for them. She never showed up. My guests had to do it.

 

4. She lost our table seating chart. We bought starfish that I asked her to place in a chest I brought. The starfish had escort cards attached. She decided to put the starfish on each table rather than the guest pick them up themselves. This took forever because she didn't know who was seating where. My husband's aunts had to guess.

 

5. I asked for a head table for 10 of us. She set up a rectangular table (as requested) but put chairs around it. When I asked her why she didn't have us all facing one direction, she blamed me for not specifying that. Then an hour later suggested we move my parents to the back so she can set the table the way we wanted. Of course I didn't do that.

 

6. Not sure if it was her job to coordinate or not, but the cake wasn't served. My husband served it to everyone. 

 

7. The day we met her to go over everything, I asked her what happens if it rains and can we see the ballrooms, she said not to worry about it because the weather looked fine (which no one can predict) but she decided to ask me what ballroom I wanted while I was getting my hair done the day of the wedding since there was a slight chance of rain. That's not something a bride should stress about the day of. It was my responsibility to have looked at the ballrooms in advance. I recommend everyone do that regardless of the expected weather but she didn't know how to talk to a bride. She approached me in a stressful way- hard to explain I guess.

 

8. She packed up my unity candle and taper candles right after the chapel. I had some family members in charge of collecting our stuff (which I recommend you do). However no one (including the hotel) knew where they were. The hotel ended up finding them somewhere and we got them back during our second week.

 

8. She was overall very unpleasant, never smiled, didn't seem to like her job. She was very disorganized.

 

If you do end up with her just keep in mind that she won't do much for you and have some guest (of course not a BM or your mom because they'll be busy) do the little details and touches you want. Print out instructions for any little detail you want her to follow. Keep a copy for yourself and give that to someone else who can manage.  We had 54 guests and 3 of them helped her. Really you shouldn't have to do that but for piece of mind, I suggest you do if you're having a big wedding. Also, I suggest you choose someone who can make decisions for you the day of. She asked me so many questions that day and it was really stressful. I had my cousin take charge because I got fed up with her. It was like nothing I said the day we met went through her head. 

 

I hope things work out for you (and all brides) the most important thing is to be organized and have back up plans. 

Originally Posted by Bride2B22 

 

 

Wanda- I've read so many bad reviews on Flora!!! how was she?? i am def requesting NOT to have her!!

[wanda]

I forgot about Flora and the Chapel. I was asked to stay in my room until she picked me up. For no reason (according to my guests) she waited a while before she came to get me. I thought they weren't ready for me and my guests were wondering what was taking me so long. I'm not sure why but she picked me up late. I thought she was going to help with the seating too but she didn't. I'm not sure if that's part of her job. She also didn't have the stereo ready. You have to make sure you ask for that in advance. I had the harpist play but also played one song for the unity candle ceremony.

 

For all brides, I recommend you do a proper rehearsal (find a time when everyone is sober) and have an usher. Make sure the usher knows how many seats to reserve (for immediate families). Our BM and GM stood up the whole time with us ( to the left and to the right of the altar) which we liked because we could see them which made us a little less nervous. 

 

Also another tip, I was asked if I wanted to walk down the stairs and my dad would be waiting there or if I wanted to come through the kids pool area, I chose the stairs. I had my brother come up and open the door for me. I mean you can open the door yourself put when you're nervous and your holding your bouquet and worried about tripping, it's nice to have the door opened for you. I just wished that I had someone to keep me company while I was up there by myself. It might have only been 15 minutes but it felt like forever. The downfall is if someone did stay up there with you they would miss seeing you walk down the aisle. 

Originally Posted by ssantos78 

Oh really, how funny congrats. Well if I had it outside we had to pay 2500 dollars for rental damage which I was not going to do. I know it sucked that it rained for a few minutes but that's part of tropical weddings

 

Flora is not a good coordinator she didn't take charge to arrange the people at the chapel no one knew where to seat so the groomsmen ended sitting toward the back.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanda 

I think I might have seen you walk through the lobby on your wedding day  

  I know what you mean about the sweat, lol we had the same problem! You know the hotel made me feel that the AC broke THAT day (we got married on the 17th) and they said they couldn't fix it at such short notice but it sounds like it was never fixed and who knows how long it's been broken for. 

 

I have to say you were lucky that they let you have your wedding on the terrace to begin with. I wasn't given that option. I was asked while getting my hair done whether I wanted the terrace or the ballroom. Flora said if it rains or sprinkles at all, my wedding gets cancelled! They would not move our wedding as set up is time consuming (which I understand). The shitty thing is it only rained for a few minutes ( I didn't even notice the rain because it happened right when we were being introduced at the reception).

 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssantos78 

We got married 1/21/2011 it started raining for 30 mins and we had to switch from the terrace to the suite at the royal yes next to the wash rooms... I have a pic where one of the groomsmen was drench in sweat lol...

 

 

[Claire83]

Has anyone been told who their onsite co-ordinator will be?  I'm not getting married until 6th May and I asked m WC who mine was going to be as I was going to request Diana.  Ive been told I have Diana - but has anyone else been told this as I am worried it will change when I get there & I will end up with Flora!

[APOLA2035]

Hi Claire83,

 

As far as I know, we are just assigned a onsite WC 30 days prior to our wedding. I also made the same request to them, but they can't confirmed yet since I get married only on May 28th.
 

Originally Posted by Claire83 

Has anyone been told who their onsite co-ordinator will be?  I'm not getting married until 6th May and I asked m WC who mine was going to be as I was going to request Diana.  Ive been told I have Diana - but has anyone else been told this as I am worried it will change when I get there & I will end up with Flora!

[Cassie323]

Does anyone have a review on Diana? I'm so nervous. I have Flora and my wedding is in 4 weeks!

[KathyW]

I have also heard negative things about Flora and did read some reviews from girls who have had Diana so I also asked for Diana and was told yesterday that I am booked with her So you definitiely can request who you want. Dont settle for less!!!!

[APOLA2035]

I agree with Kathy. Never got a good review of Flora and I also requested Diana.