Gran Caribe Real 2011 Brides

[Vanessa C]

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Originally Posted by Soon-to-be-McRae Hi I am also planning a November 2011 wedding at the GCR we haven't booked anything yet because waiting for 2011 prices to be released with the travel agent and also in discussions about weather to book the wedding direct with the hotel or with the TA. Vanessa C.....We are hoping for the 12th November which will be a Saturday so you will be around at the same time as me :-) Do you have any ideas where you want your reception? are you planning on a private reception or semi-private? think we are going to have a private recpetion hopefully on the villa terrace carn't wait to start booking everything. Is it still quite warm and nice weather in Cancun in November?

That's cool that we will be getting married around the same time Congrats and good luck with the planning. My reception will be at the Villas Terrace and it will be private.

[abbypoo]

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Originally Posted by Vanessa C Hey abbypoo! This was really helpful! Thank you so much! I would love to see pictures when it is all over and done with! So u are using thier photographers? How do u think the quality will be? I don't like that the packages don't have many photos included in them. Which cocktail hour package did u choose?

I will def. post pictures as soon as the wedding actually takes place Yes, I am using their photographers, I'm sure they won't be the best that you can get, but I am confident that the a hotel that has SO MANY weddings, would have halfway decent photographers. One of the reasons we upgraded our package was to ensure that if they do suck, there will be plenty of photos to pick from. I'm pretty laid back about the whole deal, if you can't tell

Well my wedding package includes a cocktail hour, so I didn't really have to "choose" a package. if you mean what hors d'oeuvres we chose, I don't actually remember!

[Vanessa C]

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Originally Posted by abbypoo I will def. post pictures as soon as the wedding actually takes place Yes, I am using their photographers, I'm sure they won't be the best that you can get, but I am confident that the a hotel that has SO MANY weddings, would have halfway decent photographers. One of the reasons we upgraded our package was to ensure that if they do suck, there will be plenty of photos to pick from. I'm pretty laid back about the whole deal, if you can't tell Well my wedding package includes a cocktail hour, so I didn't really have to "choose" a package. if you mean what hors d'oeuvres we chose, I don't actually remember!

Yay! I'm so excited that u will share your photos with us! Okay, I just wanted to get your opinion about their photographers because I'm worried about that and not sure what I'm going to do. Photos are important but we don't want to spend too much. How many photos does your package include?

That's good that your package includes the coctail hour-mine doesn't but that's okay it's only like $10 a person extra for us.

[abbypoo]

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Originally Posted by Vanessa C Yay! I'm so excited that u will share your photos with us! Okay, I just wanted to get your opinion about their photographers because I'm worried about that and not sure what I'm going to do. Photos are important but we don't want to spend too much. How many photos does your package include? That's good that your package includes the coctail hour-mine doesn't but that's okay it's only like $10 a person extra for us.

Yeah Vanessa it's all about what's cheaper if you ask me! Always crunch the numbers and make sure the package is your belt deal vs. ala carte. This is how we ended up choosing the luxury option b/c we knew we wanted most of the things included.

The photo package we chose was the Caribbean package. It's $1250 and includes 120 prints and digital photos. The reason we chose this package, though, is because it's 4 hours long. We figure that's the perfect amount of time needed. Not too long, not too short.

[Vanessa C]

that's true-4 hours is good. I'm wondering if that includes while you're getting ready and the reception....? What about video, are u getting that too?

[abbypoo]

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Originally Posted by Vanessa C that's true-4 hours is good. I'm wondering if that includes while you're getting ready and the reception....? What about video, are u getting that too?

You can pretty much choose when you want them to start taking pictures, the only thing is that the hours have to be concurrent, no breaks. I actually think I will skip the candid getting dressed photos (I'm going to be flustered enough!) and just have them get there 10-20 mins before the ceremony and through the first part of the reception. I figure it will be dark and everyone will be drunk and silly by the end of the reception, so no need for professional pictures then.

[abbypoo]

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Originally Posted by Vanessa C that's true-4 hours is good. I'm wondering if that includes while you're getting ready and the reception....? What about video, are u getting that too?

I just wanted to let you know that I found out that the Gran uses funever photos (funeverphotos.com) and from what I can tell they are really very decent. From what I can tell they can either start an hour before the ceremony while you're getting ready, or they will start at the beginning of the ceremony. Hope this helps.

Does anyone know anything about the Gran Caribe's DJ? I'm worried that they will be bad!

[Vanessa C]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbypoo You can pretty much choose when you want them to start taking pictures, the only thing is that the hours have to be concurrent, no breaks. I actually think I will skip the candid getting dressed photos (I'm going to be flustered enough!) and just have them get there 10-20 mins before the ceremony and through the first part of the reception. I figure it will be dark and everyone will be drunk and silly by the end of the reception, so no need for professional pictures then.

Hey Abbypoo,
That sounds like a good plan for you. We may just end up going with their photographers, I just wanted more photos for 1250. I would like an option to have unlimited photos actually lol. We'll see what happens, we still have a lot of time. Thanks for your help.

[abbypoo]

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Originally Posted by Vanessa C Hey Abbypoo, That sounds like a good plan for you. We may just end up going with their photographers, I just wanted more photos for 1250. I would like an option to have unlimited photos actually lol. We'll see what happens, we still have a lot of time. Thanks for your help.

Well, I spoke with the guys at funever and they say that if your package is for say 120 (like mine) they usually take at least 3 times as many photos as that. They just set me a link to view a wedding they photographed, and there are over 79 pages of pictures. So anyway, while the package includes a set amount of photos, I'm sure more photos will be available for purchase, like any other wedding photographer. I know it's hard to think, 1250 for 120 photos, but you have to realize that you're really paying for is 4 hours of their times as well as editing and developing.

[jenjen181]

The more research I do on the Caribe Park Royal Grand, the more I'm liking it. Just the fact that it's an all-inclusive resort, and the gazebo is a little more intimate than most. Thanks for the review.