El Dorado Royale (EDR) Brides - POST HERE!

[AllieH]

everyone plans in their own time. and honestly a lot of the details can be done onsite if needed. the resort won't really start planning until you closer - as you know. 

 

as long as you are planning anything that needs to be ordered...or are ok with it - don't sweat what someone else is doing!! 

 

@@NickiLynn1116

 

I've been going back and forth on the floating candles and the lighted poles, etc. I LOVE how they look in your picture. SO BEAUTIFUL! I also frequently look at the Generations board, and it makes me so nervous like I'm dragging my feet. These brides are ON TOP of things and I feel like I am not. I know my wedding is quite a ways away, but there's so many little details I haven't even thought about yet that people are mentioning. Oh goodness....

[EriLu11]

@@NickiLynn1116

 

I've been going back and forth on the floating candles and the lighted poles, etc. I LOVE how they look in your picture. SO BEAUTIFUL! I also frequently look at the Generations board, and it makes me so nervous like I'm dragging my feet. These brides are ON TOP of things and I feel like I am not. I know my wedding is quite a ways away, but there's so many little details I haven't even thought about yet that people are mentioning. Oh goodness....

I feel the same way... I have a pretty solid idea of what I want, but my WC is not really getting back to me in a timely manner regarding price quotes. I'm trying to pick and choose pieces of their Memorable Moments collection. I'm worried that last minute it's all going to add up to be over budget...especially considering photography is SO much pricier than I imagined. I def want floating candles and I really want to hang lantern lights (i do not want to go through Lomas bc the price is outrageous) but I also don't know when is too soon to start negotiating. 

 

Who is your WC?

[EriLu11]

Has anyone negotiated with Sarani or any of the EDR photographers? Sarani herself is unavailable the day of my wedding and has assistants available (which I am fine with), but I am in sticker shock. I can't justify spending $6,000 (a LARGE portion of our wedding budget) for photo and video all day especially considering the cost doesn't include any albums. Her photos are so much nicer compared to the other approved vendors but I am wondering if at this point it is better to pay the $800 outside vendor fee if I can find another great local photographer for less. Any suggestions, experience or feedback is much appreciated.

[girlinthecity97]

@@EriLu11 & @@kfracassi - @@AllieH is 100% correct.I just came back from my wedding and honestly didn't start working to finalize details with my WC until about 4-5 weeks out from my wedding date.  I purposely held off because a) I wanted to do things once I had a final headcount or as close to final as possible and had read how so many others were frustrated with the delayed communication when they tried to finalize further ahead.  I figured if I waited until closer to nail down all the particulars/details it would go more smoothly.  In some ways this is true in that I had her full attention because she was eager to finalize our list and get final payment.  We also did a few conference calls to help keep things moving along. I am not saying this works for everyone because to some this is WAY too last minute but I offer it to give you an idea that not everyone is locked and loaded far in advance. 

 

My best advice to you ladies is to focus on knocking out as many things as you can that do not require a firm headcount.  So for instance, I knew I wanted an offsite photog who was amazing but within budget even WITH the $800 vendor fee so I did my research and secured that 1st.  The next thing I would suggest tackling are:

 

• Other vendors (e.g., Video, DJ, Creating your own playlists for each event)
• Selecting your menu & cake or at least narrowing it down to what you want price permitting with a plan b option
• Draft Seating Charts (weddingwire.com has a GREAT interactive one that will you move people around, and and delete etc...) It helped me visualize how many tables I could potentially need based on the number of deposits and committed guests I had/anticipated
• Designing or purchasing decor items you know you will need (e.g., table numbers and/or frames, guestbook, posters for guests to sign in lieu of guestbook etc..)
• Purchasing or finding bridal party items/gifts (e.g., embroidered handkerchiefs for parents, flower girl items, etc.)
  
  Another bride shared a spreadsheet she and her now hubby created that mimicked the Lomas one so we could make calculations based on guestimates of the number of guests we had.  I tried to be as realistic as possible and budged for 50-75 guests and ended up with 60. Thanks to DF's suggesting we brace ourselves for 75 (which we were confident would be a stretch given it was a peak long weekend w/ high air fare) we came in under what we budgeted in reality and could make a few splurges at the end. 
  
  I truly hope this helps you ladies! Enjoy this process despite how taxing and trying it may be!

@@EriLu11 - DF wouldn't go for a videographer so we went for a photojournalist style photog.  His name is Sascha Gluck (CancunPhotos) and was absolutely amazing to work with.  We are waiting for our pics but stole a couple of peeks at some of the shots he got and cannot wait to see the finished product!!!

Edited February 20, 2015 by girlinthecity97

[AllieH]

YAY welcome back!!! how was everything??? 

 

@@EriLu11 & @@kfracassi - @@AllieH is 100% correct.I just came back from my wedding and honestly didn't start working to finalize details with my WC until about 4-5 weeks out from my wedding date.  

[girlinthecity97]

@@AllieH - Thanks so much!!! Amazing is an understatement and it went way too fast. Everyone told me it would go by in a blink and despite mentally preparing for that, I WANT MY DAY BACK! LOLOL I truly TRULY cannot thank you enough for your support, insight, and encouragement through this process!  You help so many of us stay sane and figure things out, I wish I could repay you in some way! *hug*

[kfracassi]

@@girlinthecity97 - Thank you so much for all of the advice. What kind of tables do they have for the reception. I'll be at Tucanes with 40-50 people. Also, I really do NOT want a sweetheart table, but I'm wondering if it will be easier since some people are coming with dates that won't know other people... Any suggestions?

 

Thanks girls!

[girlinthecity97]

@@kfracassi - I did the round tables that seat 8 and had 60 people. Initially, I thought about having us sit with either our parents and aunts or some members of the wedding.  Another seating alternative is to have long retangular tables set up in a "U" formation with you guys sitting in the "bend"/center of the "U".  This worked really well for another bride that got married at Azul Beach.  She only reserved the seats closest to her and her hubby for parents etc and left the rest open for guests to sit where they liked. 

 

No thanks needed, happy to help and share my battle scars. LOLOL 

[mkg51615]

Hi ladies,

 

It is almost two months until my big day! Does anyone have a copy of the ceremony script? Or a sample program they used? Thank you!

[kfracassi]

Thank goodness... this thread is no longer archived. I was ALMOST panicking. So, for my ceremony, even though we are getting married here first, I was still going to have my dad speak (he's an elder at our church), and then my fiancee's friend (who we are getting ordained) to do the actual "vows". Do we need to have the WC or whomever do the ceremony, even if it is just symbolic?

 

Also, I'm thinking of doing a "naked" wedding cake. They are so pretty! I bet Loma's will still somehow charge me extra, even though it's less that they even have to do...

@@mkg51615 - This is the OLD ceremony script I found from the beginning of this thread. I started from page 1 and I am working my way through. Not sure if this is up to date...

 

MARRIAGE CELEBRATION:

 

GATHERING WORDS

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

REFLECTION ABOUT MARRIAGE AND LOVE

 

CHARGE TO THE COUPLE

 

SCRIPTURE OR POEM READING

 

DECLARATION OF CONSENT

 

EXCHANGE OF VOWS (STANDARD OR OWN VOWS)

 

PRESENTATION AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS

 

FINAL BLESSING OR PRAYER

 

PRONOUNCEMENT OF HUSBAND AND WIFE - KISS

 

INTRODUCTION OF COUPLE AS HUSBAND AND WIFE