RIU OCHO RIOS REVIEW - our July 20, 2010 wedding and our stay at the resort *PHOTOS**

[January_Jamaican_Bride]

Hi there,

 

Your wedding looked great!  I am getting married there in January and had a few questions.

 

How did you go abouot getting the lit up palm trees and cocktail table?

 

Why did you choose the bamboo arch (by the way I love)

 

Any other suggestions/tips you can give ?

 

Angela

[Ebbie475]

Hey Lady,

I was on the beach when you were getting married.  You look so beautiful.  My wedding was the day before and I was unable to have it on the beach as planned because of the rain.  I didn't care since hey...I was in Jamaica, Mon!

 

Congrats!

Evelyn

[JennandMike08]

Thanks for the great review! Your pics are beautiful! If you can find a pic of the table set ups that would be great. Did you plan on that all along? Did they do the linens for the separate tables or did you bring your own?
 

[JesseLyn10]

 

 

Originally Posted by January_Jamaican_Bride 

 

Hi there,

 

Your wedding looked great!  I am getting married there in January and had a few questions.

 

How did you go abouot getting the lit up palm trees and cocktail table?

 

Why did you choose the bamboo arch (by the way I love)

 

Any other suggestions/tips you can give ?

 

Angela

 

Thank you!!

 

The lit palm trees, lit cocktail tables and bamboo arch were rented/set up by Tai Flora.  I contacted Jennivie at Tai Flora and told her what I wanted the wedding to look like and the venues we wanted to use and she sent back all sorts of suggestions which included the decor we ended up using.  We had 8 wrapped trees and 3 lit tables.

 

The beach venue is a white gazebo and I really wanted a romantic castaway-esque wedding with lots of wood and natural materials so I asked the WC if I could have a ceremony set up next to the gazebo instead of using the gazebo itself.  No Problem!  This is why I had the arch   (BTW, my TTD is total castaway wedding!  I can't wait to post pictures from it)

 

If there is one tip I can give you it is to relax and believe that everything will work out!  I am such a planner and I couldn't believe that the WC wanted to meet with me the DAY BEFORE my wedding to finalize details.  I was breaking out in stress hives!  Well, I stressed out for nothing because a slower pace is just what they are used to and it all worked out wonderfully!  Antonette is amazingly detailed and showed up at dinner and at the beach reception to make sure everything was perfect.  You just have to trust that it will turn out wonderfully

 

[JesseLyn10]

 

 

Originally Posted by Ebbie475 

 

Hey Lady,

I was on the beach when you were getting married.  You look so beautiful.  My wedding was the day before and I was unable to have it on the beach as planned because of the rain.  I didn't care since hey...I was in Jamaica, Mon!

 

Congrats!

Evelyn

 

Thank you!

 

Did you get married inside Mammee Bay on the poolside with a woman minister?  I was on the beach doing our engagement pictures (in the rain!) right below your ceremony (if it was yours!).  Your wedding put my mind at ease about the rain venue because I had no idea what the set-up would look like and I really liked how they did yours so that it was still open air.

 

Congratulations!!!

 

Jesse

[frizzy64]

I can't believe you only met with the WC the day before! I'd have been stressing out big time! I read in your review that the WC would no longer put out decorations and things for people! I am planning on making my own decorations but presumed the WC would be able to set them up. Did the your friend/relative find that they missed part of the day due to having to set things up for you?

[JesseLyn10]

 

 

Originally Posted by JennandMike08 

 

Thanks for the great review! Your pics are beautiful! If you can find a pic of the table set ups that would be great. Did you plan on that all along? Did they do the linens for the separate tables or did you bring your own?

 

 

Thank you!

 

I didn't use my camera and I am still sifting through my guest's photos on FB so as soon as I find a decent picture of the dinner set-up I'll post it! 

 

I was actually told by Chandlyn that we would have a long table in the shape of  T so that we would sit at the top and our guests would sit along the length of the table.  Because we were at 51 people and needed a few highchairs, the restaurant changed the set up into a more traditional wedding dinner arrangement (I think there were 6 tables, 3 on either side of my and my groom's table all angled in towards my table).  My MOH and her mother set up all the placecards  and called my room to let me know that the table arrangement had changed but that it would work out better, which it did.  We were able to circulate to all the tables and talk to everyone rather than having a camp-style communal table (which I was also into, don't get me wrong, but I did prefer the arrangement that we ended up with).  Our wedding cake and guest book tables were right across from my table.

 

Tai Flora provided the table linens for the dinner.  We also had table linens for the tables at the beach reception and I think the RIU provided these because the tables were set up before we had dinner so they definitely weren't brought down from dinner like our centrepieces were.

 

Hope this helps!

[blckrevpower]

Congrats!!! I was just in Jamaica doing "research" for my wedding next year and having some fun!!! It did rain a lot, but it looks like your day was perfect.

[JesseLyn10]

 

 

Originally Posted by blckrevpower 

 

Congrats!!! I was just in Jamaica doing "research" for my wedding next year and having some fun!!! It did rain a lot, but it looks like your day was perfect.

 

It did rain but it was enjoyable rain.  All the locals that we spoke with said it doesn't rain this much in June and this was some weird weather they were having.  I actually preferred the overcast because it was comfortable and we didn't have to deal with the sun's intensity.  Our wedding day was the one day it didn't rain! but it was still cloudy so it was comfortable to be outside all day.

 

Good luck in your planning!  I would totally do it all over again in Jamaica!

[JUSTUSTWO]

Congratulations! Your pics are lovely & it seems like you all had a great time! Glad to hear that despite the situation with Chandlyn, you got everything that you wanted. Your entire review totally makes me miss ROR!