El Dorado Royale (EDR) Brides - POST HERE!

[AllieH]

Hi Chris!!! I'm glad you are doing well, and sorry you are so busy. We will keep you posted on how everything goes (of course!!). We did luck out and his mother is paying for the DJ. otherwise we wouldn't have spent the $$ on that to be honest. I'm waiting anxiously for Jill to get back so I can hear how it all went.

 

We saw the judge this morning - so legally I am a WIFE. it's surreal and weird and wonderful all at the same time. Of course we aren't broadcasting it, but we told some of our close friends. and yes, I'm at work now. total buzzkill!

 

Originally Posted by chiquita8302 

Yayyyyyyy Allie- 16 days!!! :-)

 

I'm still here reading all your stories, girls, I just haven't had that much time to post!! Ugh!

 

Our final payments and RSVP and everything is due in November so I'm looking forward to crossing that bridge so that I can know and just accept how many people are coming, and start planning the details based on that. I've kind of held off on things because I have NO idea who is coming! Oh well- soon!!

 

My FI and I also did the get married before thing.... We actually ended up getting married a couple of months ago (SO lame, but I"m self employed, so this way I can finally have health insurance that is affordable. We figured it was stupid to wait for no reason.) But we are pretending it didn't happen, and nobody knows about it lol but he does call me his wife sometimes which is cute. :-) I'm ready for it all to be a reality.... it is coming so soon- 4 more months (plus a little lol)!! Yay!!!

 

I know Jill is in Mexico now, and Allie you go so soon... I can't wait to hear back from you girls how things go. I know you've been working hard with your budgets like I have been, so I'll be curious to hear what parts were essential and what wasn't so I know what areas I need to prioritize (Dj's, etc.) and what I don't have to fret so much over!!!

 

Hope all is well with you girls!

 

Chris 

 

We'll still be at EDR when you get married! COOL! We are using the Cocotal dinner as our welcome dinner the first night (almost) everyone gets in. Anyone who misses the dinner can catch up with us later in the evening. We're doing a private dinner at Tucanes for our reception.

Originally Posted by Onelove2013 

We are getting married in 22 days!!!!

Please help me decide what to do!!!

I have been going back and forth forever trying to decide to have a private recption dinner or just have the El Cocotal wedding dinner!! I just don't want to spend the extra $ on the private dinner.. We are very low key and I think doing the El Cocotal will be simple and then we can all just go to Guacamayas Bar and party all night!

Also I have gazebo 55 booked but I think I may change my mind to fuentes or the white gazebo on the beach.... 

 

What do you girls think?!

[TheWolferts]

Chiquita-

 

One thing that I wished we didnt spend as much money on was the cocktail hour... I wasnt sure if I should include our wedding party into our total number for our cocktail hour since I knew we would be taking pictures for a majority of the hour, but the resort staff assured me that we would have time to go back and celebrate with our guests, get a beverage or two and get some food before our reception. So we went ahead and paid for the additional 13 people; however, the resort staff actually told us we could not go back and lied to us saying that all of our guests were actually at the reception site already... so basically we paid for an additional 13 people (at $15 per person, thats $195 wasted)... needless to say I let it go on our wedding day because I didnt want to be the bridezilla, but wrote a scathing letter to the hotel and we were refunded the $195.

 

So I would just take it into consideration when planning/budgeting.

Originally Posted by chiquita8302 

Yayyyyyyy Allie- 16 days!!! :-)

 

I'm still here reading all your stories, girls, I just haven't had that much time to post!! Ugh!

 

Our final payments and RSVP and everything is due in November so I'm looking forward to crossing that bridge so that I can know and just accept how many people are coming, and start planning the details based on that. I've kind of held off on things because I have NO idea who is coming! Oh well- soon!!

 

My FI and I also did the get married before thing.... We actually ended up getting married a couple of months ago (SO lame, but I"m self employed, so this way I can finally have health insurance that is affordable. We figured it was stupid to wait for no reason.) But we are pretending it didn't happen, and nobody knows about it lol but he does call me his wife sometimes which is cute. :-) I'm ready for it all to be a reality.... it is coming so soon- 4 more months (plus a little lol)!! Yay!!!

 

I know Jill is in Mexico now, and Allie you go so soon... I can't wait to hear back from you girls how things go. I know you've been working hard with your budgets like I have been, so I'll be curious to hear what parts were essential and what wasn't so I know what areas I need to prioritize (Dj's, etc.) and what I don't have to fret so much over!!!

 

Hope all is well with you girls!

 

Chris 

[jnitschke]

Originally Posted by Shannon Burgess 

 

I hate that they charge you for EVERYTHING...I do like your idea about Walmart, that is really something to think about. When is your wedding? 

 

Do they charge a set up fee for wedding favors also? 

I'm getting married over Memorial Day weekend next May.  I think they charge you a base rate fee for the different events based on how much you want set up and how labor intensive it is.  I'm not really sure yet, since I'm not to the "getting quotes" stage of planning.  Some of the other girls might be able to break down the set up charges for you.

[jnitschke]

Originally Posted by Onelove2013 

 

We are getting married in 22 days!!!!

Please help me decide what to do!!!

I have been going back and forth forever trying to decide to have a private recption dinner or just have the El Cocotal wedding dinner!! I just don't want to spend the extra $ on the private dinner.. We are very low key and I think doing the El Cocotal will be simple and then we can all just go to Guacamayas Bar and party all night!

Also I have gazebo 55 booked but I think I may change my mind to fuentes or the white gazebo on the beach.... 

 

What do you girls think?

It does seem to be silly to pay for an all inclusive resort, and then pay for a seperate dinner.  I've had to explain this to my FI a couple of times.  But, I tell myself that it's not that you're paying for the food, but rather for the private services of your own chef, waitstaff, and prep team-and to me I just think when would there ever be another event that is special enough to warrant a private staff, and if we're going to go all the way and ship everyone down we might as well make it memorable.  So, I'm doing the private dinner, it doesn't have to be your typical DJ party.  If our group is small we might just do a quite meal next to the water.  Tables set up on the beach with candles.  I think that would be something special and memorable.  And, you can keep the costs down by picking simpler meals, like the family style dinners.  Or as a different possibility,  if you do your pictures before the ceremony (which I'm considering just because it'd be good to have photos before the humidity/heat has a chance to wreak havoc on us), you could do a "cocktail & appetizer, or desert hour" package, which is for the 2 hours instead of the 4... you could do the toasts and other traditions, like cake cutting if that's your thing, 1st dances with an Ipod system playing... then after your two hours are up have everyone go over to El Cocotal for a later dinner.  It might not matter then that it's crowded, since you've already done and said what you wanted to for the evening.  Just an idea, since it seems like you're having trouble choosing... I figured, why not do a bit of everything. .....

 

**********************************************

... on a totally unrelated side note.. I was just looking at the emoticons on here... when would you ever need to use this-->emoticon on a wedding discussion board? Unless you were talking about the beating you take from the ridiculous fees and rental rates.

[jnitschke]

Originally Posted by AllieH 

 

 

We saw the judge this morning - so legally I am a WIFE. it's surreal and weird and wonderful all at the same time. Of course we aren't broadcasting it, but we told some of our close friends. and yes, I'm at work now. total buzzkill!

 

 

YIPPEEE!!!!

-that's so fun.  We'll be doing the same thing before we go, and then just not tell anyone other than our witnesses.

[CanadianLindsey]

Originally Posted by Onelove2013 

 

We are getting married in 22 days!!!!

Please help me decide what to do!!!

I have been going back and forth forever trying to decide to have a private recption dinner or just have the El Cocotal wedding dinner!! I just don't want to spend the extra $ on the private dinner.. We are very low key and I think doing the El Cocotal will be simple and then we can all just go to Guacamayas Bar and party all night!

Also I have gazebo 55 booked but I think I may change my mind to fuentes or the white gazebo on the beach.... 

 

What do you girls think?!

My thoughts...

Spring for a private dinner and just choose a cheaper "cocktail" like menu since there is free room service and other food at the resort that your guests will be able to eat, you don't have to really over feed your guests like at a typical reception. The El Cocotal dinner we used as our welcome dinner and they only let you have 8 people to a table and your mixed in with other resort guests so it feels awkward. We also went to the Guacamayas Bar after our dinner and then that way we didn't have to pay for a DJ or dance floor(we used an ipod player to play music for dinner)

I think Gazebo 55 is the best for privacy and scenery.  The white gazebo on the beach is right beside the smelly salt water pool and the main walking/golf cart path...so not it's not very private.

[Shannon Burgess]

Originally Posted by Onelove2013 

 

We are getting married in 22 days!!!!

Please help me decide what to do!!!

I have been going back and forth forever trying to decide to have a private recption dinner or just have the El Cocotal wedding dinner!! I just don't want to spend the extra $ on the private dinner.. We are very low key and I think doing the El Cocotal will be simple and then we can all just go to Guacamayas Bar and party all night!

Also I have gazebo 55 booked but I think I may change my mind to fuentes or the white gazebo on the beach.... 

 

What do you girls think?!

Hi I had the same problem as you but ended up deciding on the Private Reception at Tucanes..but I only have 17 guests so the food isn't going to end up being that pricey (less than $400) but if you want to beef up the decor thats where it gets expensive. 

 

I've booked the Beach chapel terrace gazebo but I had seen where so many people had chosen Gazebo 55 that I almost switched to it....but I think my final decision is going to be the Beach Chapel Terrace Gazebo...I just really like the white one for some reason. From what I've read a lot of people like the location of Gazebo 55 and you can't see sand bags in the view. 

 

I would do whatever you think would make YOU the happiest!! 

 

Best Wishes!

[Shannon Burgess]

Originally Posted by jnitschke 

 

YIPPEEE!!!!

-that's so fun.  We'll be doing the same thing before we go, and then just not tell anyone other than our witnesses.

Congratulations Allie!! I'm doing the same thing in December about a month before we go...we are also keeping it a secret I'm not good at keeping secrets so not sure how that will go but we'll see lol 

[mstigger]

Congrats Allie!!!

Welcome to wife-hood!!

How exciting that you are sooo close! I can't wait to hear how everything goes and see all your pictures. I'm seriously debating "borrowing" your mad libs idea, I just love it and think it could be VERY funny....especially after a few drinks!!

[murmel]

Originally Posted by chiquita8302 

 

OK reading Allie's to do lists made me think of something....

 

 

....are any of you doing at home receptions?? I wasn't planning on it, but at the last minute here I"ve realized that none of my family can come (my mom recently got diagnosed with early onset alzheimers and it's just too much for her) and not many of my FI's friends can go, so I'm considering doing something at home, maybe in the summer? I'd want it to be casual, more like a party where we could play the video (I think I'm going to do the online video thing through Lomas where I think you get to keep a copy of hte video) and eat and drink and what not?

 

This kind of made me think of the registry.... I am not registering, but was thinking that I almost wonder if I shoudl consider it if we're going to have an AHR? Or if we shoudl just keep it as is and be greatful that some people are joining us in Mexico as our gift. Just a thought....

 

Chris

We did an AHR for family and friends. It's super easy to do something super casual, especially in the spring/summer. Maybe get a video, or do up a few photo books with wedding photos. Get everyone together for a nice BBQ to celebrate.

 

As for a registry. We personally didn't do one. We really choose to think that guests joining us in Mexico was a gift in itself. But many people who cannot attend might wish to still get you a gift. So really use your best judgement- you know your family and friends.