Need help planning sandals wedding/reception

[wilsonj2]

Hi Sandals Brides,

 

My fiance and I would like to get married next summer at one of the Sandals resorts, but we have a ton of questions!  We don't know anyone who has gotten married at any of the resorts, so we would appreciate any and all information you can provide!

 

What is the best month to get married in the Caribbean (thinking about weather)?

 

Which resort is the most affordable, but still very beautful?

 

I think we would just need the Beautiful Beginnings ceremony and basic reception.  We will have anywhere from 10-25 guests and would like to do some sort of dinner reception after.  Is there a restaurant with great music for my guests to dance?  Is it easy to make a reservation?  We want as much of a traditional reception as possible, with dinner, dancing, and drinks, but we are on a tight budget.

 

I welcome any advice!  Thanks everyone! 

[mrs*j*2011]

First off, welcome to the forum!  This is a fantastic resource so spend some time looking around and reading reviews, etc and soon enough you'll have a ton of ideas!

 

I'm not sure when the best time to get married in the Caribbean (if there even is a "best" time) is but I've always thought to stay away from hurricane season and school vacation/spring break seasons.  We're getting married in January in Jamaica where the average temp is 80 degrees.  We didn't pick January for any specific reason, it just so happened to work out that way.  Of course, this is a subjective opinion because since we live in the northeast, we could encounter a nor'easter on the day we leave just as easily as a hurricane could hit the island we're at!

 

If you're trying to figure out prices and which location would be best for you, check out Sandals website and run some rates to get an idea what price range each resort is in.  When deciding on my location, I took travel time into consideration.  Initially I wanted to get married in Antigua but it would have taken twice as long to get there as Jamaica so I had to compromise.  I didn't want to spend the better part of 2 days traveling, nor did I want that for our guests either.

 

Do you have a TA?  They might be able to help steer you in the right direction.

 

You will get mixed answers about making a reservation at one of the restaurants.  It's really hard to get a definite answer until you arrive at the resort.  It seems to go by availability and booking a butler level room may help get you a better table.  The WC's in Miami (who you will be in contact with up until you travel) will tell you they cannot guarantee a large group together.  You might be ok if you only have 10 guests (we will have 10 and are taking the chance to get a table together) but if you are going to have more like 20 people, you might want to consider the private reception.  Once you book and are put in contact with the WC, they will provide a booklet of the options.  Basically you can choose anything from a 30 minute cocktail hour for $15/pp all the way up to a full 3 hour reception for $75/pp. 

 

Sorry to be so long winded.  I've learned a lot in the past few months just by reading about other brides experiences, on here and on the Facebook page (Fans Who Love Sandals Weddingmoons).  Sandals isn't as popular as some of the other resorts on this board so sometimes the info is hard to come by!

[BakersGirl]

We got married at Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica on May 2nd.  It was perfect.  Let me know what questions you have.  I will PM you my email address! 

[hockeymom97]

I agree with what MrsJ said...having a great TA helps tons!! The answers you get from the WC's vary so widely, but if you have a reputable TA, they can def help answer your questions and guide you thru the decision making process based on your specific wants and needs. I have an amazing TA and wouldn't have it any other way!!

[Michelle-2]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum     I know you will be able to find answers to all your questions here.  Happy planning.

[Girasole]

We got married @ a Beaches (sister of Sandals) on T&C, all their packages are similar.  The cheapest island to usually visit in the Caribbean is Jamaica (travel purposes - flights are cheaper).  Our wedding was in May and it was about 88 every day with absolutely no rain.  We used a TA which can help you figure out costs & which resort has the amenities you are best looking for.

Good luck with your planning!

[sthor07]

hey we were considering getting married at Sandals Whitehouse Jamaica. I am also trying to figure out the best way to accommodate around 20 people in terms of reception and cocktails. Have you discovered anything since you originally posted? I am very curious to know how much info you have!

[wilsonj2]

Hey sthor07,

 

I love Sandals Whitehouse...it was our second choice!  We ended up going with Sandals Grande St. Lucian for July 2011.  We are planning to have the private 3 hr reception for our guests.  We figured that since they are coming so far/spending so much money, it's the least we can do.  It's going to be $75 per person, but I think it will be well worth it.  We're still trying to decide on whether or not to hire a DJ or just use our Ipod.  We are working with a travel agent who has done lots of Sandals weddings. Choosing the resort was the hardest part!  Good luck!

[sthor07]

st lucia was one of our top choices too! we decided on jamaica to lessen costs for the guests. do you receive menu options for the reception? is there plenty to work with? i am all about customization with food/drink. we really want a "traditional jamaican band" but are also considering ipod. decisions decisions

[wilsonj2]

As far as I know, you have to pick one item from each category on their menu.  I am going to ask for two options, because I've heard other brides say they complained and were given the two options.

 

As far as music, I really want the steel drum band too!  The prices are pretty outrageous though...going to be like 350 for one hour.  Maybe that's good?  I don't know...never done this before!  haha good luck planning.  Let me know if you find out any other details or I can help with anything else!