2011 Iberostar Brides

[pitt2011]

Hey Ladies!! Well I am back after a long hiatus on this website and I had a lot of reading to catch up on!! I have gotten a lot of information so far and the rest has been from you guys. I have had a busy 5 months since I have last posted! I got a new job, celebrated my 30th birthday and my FI bought a house!!!!! I feel like such an adult now! My wedding is July 20, 2011 and I feel like I have planned a lot but I think I still need to do a lot! So far 10 people have booked their trips and are waiting for others to finalize theirs. This is definitely the stressful part about planning. I hate waiting for people to make decisions.

 

RadioChic - Thanks for the tip about going to 5Below to search for OOT bag things. I never even gave that store a thought. I must go there soon!! Your wedding is approaching quickly! You must be getting so excited.

 

LindoBride - I can't wait to hear all about your wedding and see lots of pics. I read what little you wrote so far and after reading about the Presidential Suite, I might just have to add a couple of nights there onto my package. I am also just about to book Ivan Luckie for photography. I finally decided to go with him for photography. I don't know why that was such a big decision for me to deal with? I will also consider tipping the cook before the wedding and ordering hot appetizers at the cocktail reception. I want yummy food.

 

Talk Soon!!!!

[Hannah5611]

GET THIS!!!! I just got an email back from Iberostar....they have a NEW photography company that they sign with starting Feb 1!!!  After that, the fee to bring in an outside photographer is $500!!!!!!   THAT IS CRAZY!!!!!

[Hanna20]

That is completely INSANE!!! Especially for those of us who have already booked photographers long before the new company comes into the resort. If I were you I would email your coordinator and get them to honor the previous agreement of $300 based on the fact that you already hired an external photographer with that in mind, and that you booked your wedding long before the new company started so their rules should only affect those who book AFTER Feb 1. I have sent an email to my coordinator asking her about the new company and mentioning my reasons from above. I will let you know what she says once she replies.

 

Asking for $500 (plus $100 for guest passes) so a total of $600 for absolutely NOTHING is so completely unfair!
 

Originally Posted by Hannah5611 

GET THIS!!!! I just got an email back from Iberostar....they have a NEW photography company that they sign with starting Feb 1!!!  After that, the fee to bring in an outside photographer is $500!!!!!!   THAT IS CRAZY!!!!!

[Lindobride14]

Hey Girls-

 

I am completely shocked to here about this new photography company starting February 1st, especially seeing that I was just there! 

 

The $300 charge to PhotoCaribbean is not anywhere in the contract that we all signed, much less the newly imposed $500 fee. 

 

To be honest with you, we did not pay any $300 fee.  I had heard previous posters say that Photo Caribbean was calling their room demanding their $300 (For doing absolutely nothing!!!!) They never called us and we certainly never brought it up.  We DID have to pay a $50 guest pass for the photographer and his assistant on both the wedding day and the day after for the TTD session so they did squeeze a cool 200 bucks out of us.

 

Maybe we just hit the jackpot because they got rid of the old photographers and the new ones don't start till Feb 1st.  I don't know. 

 

If I were you girls though, I wouldn't make a stink about it on email.  I would just avoid them once you're there.  There is nothing in writing saying you owe this.  They do not have your credit card number.  I would just not answer their calls and not show up.

 

 

[Hanna20]

Lol!! That sounds like a great plan!! Since it isn't the resort charging, it should be easy to avoid the Photography company... worth a shot anyway! If for some reason it doesn't work then I do have it in writing that the penalty is $300 so I could just bring that out if need be.

 

Quick question for you... How did you ensure that they would let the photographers into the resort? Did you have to provide their names or meet them at the entrance? I know about having to buy the guest passes but I just wasn't sure about actually getting them in. So if I'm in my room getting ready I don't want them to be stuck at the gate or anything!!!
 

Originally Posted by Lindobride14 

Hey Girls-

 

I am completely shocked to here about this new photography company starting February 1st, especially seeing that I was just there! 

 

The $300 charge to PhotoCaribbean is not anywhere in the contract that we all signed, much less the newly imposed $500 fee. 

 

To be honest with you, we did not pay any $300 fee.  I had heard previous posters say that Photo Caribbean was calling their room demanding their $300 (For doing absolutely nothing!!!!) They never called us and we certainly never brought it up.  We DID have to pay a $50 guest pass for the photographer and his assistant on both the wedding day and the day after for the TTD session so they did squeeze a cool 200 bucks out of us.

 

Maybe we just hit the jackpot because they got rid of the old photographers and the new ones don't start till Feb 1st.  I don't know. 

 

If I were you girls though, I wouldn't make a stink about it on email.  I would just avoid them once you're there.  There is nothing in writing saying you owe this.  They do not have your credit card number.  I would just not answer their calls and not show up.

 

 

[nucci]

Welcome back!!!  Thats SO exciting!!  Thanks so much for all the advice and i cannot wait to read your final review and see pics!  I would love to see some of the pics you have now!!  Can you email them to me??  [email protected]

 

How much extra was the food during cocktail hour??

 

Are there 2 open air restaurants at the del mar?  I know that's where our reception is but didn't think that was the name.  What other sides did you go with??

 

YAY you're married!!!!

[nucci]

Ladies that stinks about your photographers!!  We hired Claudia Rodriquez.  She's a little pricy but her albums are amazing.  You could email her and see if she or any of her photographers are free?? 

 

And I totally agree about the fee...I'm not bringing it up unless they do and if they do there's NO way I'm paying $500!!!!

[Lindobride14]

Hi Erin-

 

First off DO NOT STRESS about the weather.  The 10 day forecast was showing not just scattered showers but thunderstorms on almost every day before we left and the weather was perfect!  It did rain the night of the rehearsal dinner (night before the wedding) but nobody cared because we were all inside eating at the Japanese restaurant.  Other than that it was like 80 degrees and sunny for almost the entire trip.  Bring a light sweater because it does get a lil chilly walking home from Galaxy at the end of the night LOL.

 

The sides that we requested were a cubed potatoes with like a basil pesto in them and the veggie was a roasted tomato and zucchini with parmesan.  We asked for these sides with both the salmon and the steak.  However, when the steak came out,  to my surpeise the sides were different.  I was PO-ed at first but once I tasted it to was way delish.  The cut of meat w.as more like a beef tenderloin, a thicker cut of meat that was extremely tender (almost like a pot roast) It was served over a bed of roasted potatoes and it was all covered in a yummy sauce.  I really can't describe what the sauce was like but it was great.  Everyone said it was the best meal all week. 

 

I don't think we had any cold apps.  The shrimp cocktail served in martini glass was served cold obviously but I think that was an upgraded appetizer.  I'm, not sure what you get with the standard cold apps that come with the weddig package.

 

For the pres suite, when we called the front desk they day after the wedding to find out how much it was for an additional night, they said $300.  We thought about it and said no thats too much and hung up.  Then we called back a few minutes later and they offered $200 and we accepted.  So definitely bargain with them!  I tell you though, that room is so worth the money!  We were staying at the Lindo for the entire week before the wedding and slipped the guy a $50 at check in and he winked at us and upgraded up to a "honeymoon suite" there.  It was a standard room with an extra pull-out futon.  Nothing spectacular at all!! Then the next day when my sister and some other family members arrived they put them in the rooms right next door to us which were identical to ours for no additional charge!  We so got hosed!

 

When my sister and I checked into the pres suite at Del Mar the night before the wedding, I was on Cloud Nine!  I was dancing around the groom and taking pictures of everything LOL  It really got us excited for the wedding the next day!

 

You will be SOO pleased with DJ Doremixx,. He throws an awesome party!  The only thing I should mention is that if you want a few slow songs played, make sure to tell him that.  We danced our asses off all night, then at the end of the night, we were like "wait a minute, there were no slow songs."  Some of the older crowd might miss that. 

 

Sucks about your favors!  Hope you get it all straightened out!  I had heard about things "diappearing" in the mail if you try shipping ahead.  How annoying.  Thats what a girl gets for trying to be organized and think ahead.

 

Well, I hope you found this helpful.  I will PM you the link and password for our pics.

 

Tara

 

 

 

Originally Posted by radiochic10 

I can tell you the fee to bring in an 'outside' photographer to any Iberostar resort for your wedding is $300.  They have a contract with a photo place there & they won't let it slide-BUT-here's what we're doing.  A friend through work is a professional photographer & offered to do our wedding (including anything revolving around it...i.e. rehearsal dinner) in return for the trip.  So-we're bringing him to Mexico-he gets a little vaca AND we don't have to pay the fee because he's a GUEST at the hotel.  There's where the loophole is.  They don't charge you for the photographer or even a videographer as long as they are staying at an Iberostar property for at least 2 nights.  Maybe that will help you if you have a friend who's a photographer.  Everyone knows someone who is-it's worth asking around to your friends & family.

 

Hannah!  Welcome back!!  I just emailed with Karla & I was asking about the weather because according to weather.com it looks like it's been raining there A LOT & she said there were 4 weddings in the past week & they all went perfectly & I even thought-yours was one of them!!! YAY!   I had a few questions----since we're leaving a week from Monday! HOLY cow!!  First, I'd love to see your pictures!  Could you email them?  Can you tell me what the sides were that you got instead of the corn & potato?  Did you have any cold apps & were they ok?  Not sure about adding hot at this point since now I'm thinking I need the extra $ to tip the chef! And can you tell me how much it was to upgrade to the Pres. suite the rest of the time or is that too personal???  Just trying to figure out the final budget and it's amazing how many things are nickel & diming me to death now! (Like our favors-which are MIA.  I shipped them Jan 6th & the post office can't find them!  Cost $54 just to ship and I think I'll have to re-order them and pay extra to have them personalized quick & shipped to my sis's house so she can bring them when she comes the 12th!)  And I am SOOOO glad I went with DJ Doremixx after reading your review! yahoo!

Thanks! Erin

 

PS-still love that my "Mac Daddy" label has stuck!!! HA HA HA

[Lindobride14]

Sent you the link for the photos, Nucci. 

 

The hot apps during cocktail hour was an additional $6 per person.  The sides we went with are detailed in my previous post.

 

Yes, there's two open air restaurants at the Del Mar, but one's like a snack bar by the pool.  If you're having your reception at the open air restaurant, it's the same one.   

 

Gosh, I can't believe our wedding was last week at this exact time!!  Wish we could go back in time and do it again!

Originally Posted by nucci 

 

Welcome back!!!  Thats SO exciting!!  Thanks so much for all the advice and i cannot wait to read your final review and see pics!  I would love to see some of the pics you have now!!  Can you email them to me??  [email protected]

 

How much extra was the food during cocktail hour??

 

Are there 2 open air restaurants at the del mar?  I know that's where our reception is but didn't think that was the name.  What other sides did you go with??

 

YAY you're married!!!!

[tfletcher1124]

Hello Kroshka514,

 

Just found this link, and trying to read all the posts, but I had a question for you: My FI and I LOVE the  Grand, and want to stay there, but we were told by Reyna that we had to have our wedding at the resort that we were physically staying at. Is this incorrect?? Were you able to do it the other way? Because we       would love to stay at the Grand and have our wedding at Lindo/Maya. Please let me know about your experience!!

 

Thanks,

Ty