Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe

[Bjeantil]

Beautiful! Where did you have your reception?

[natalieblev]

Thanks Trivera I would appreciate it so much. My email is [email protected] That is the first I have heard about even seeing flower options, other than what other brides have posted on here. 

[teena84]

Oh man, I just wrote a bunch of stuff and accidently went to another page so everything got erased - GRR!  Anyway, I wanted to apologize for not participating in this forum more than I should've.  I hope everyone is not stressing so much for this planning - I know I am, regarding travel arrangements, but my friend told me, it could always be worst, had we plan the wedding locally.

 

So I'd say I made some good progress - got the deposit money down for wedding package, along with confirmation for garden gazebo symbolic ceremony location, and bar higuey for reception.  I just got the menu from Susana and she said everyone have to eat the same meal?!!  I know a lot of people who would like beef, but some people can only eat chicken or fish.  I think, Sunny?  You paid extra to hve options for the guests, right?  Was the extra cost only for choosing main dishes?  Or can the guest pick different apps and desserts too?

 

Also, does anyone know how much it costs to rent just the mic and sound system from them?  We don't need a DJ - we were just going to play music from a laptop or something..

[sunny55143]

I got to pick my own bouquet.  Marlene sent me a bunch of different pictures they could do, and then I brought a bunch of pictures I liked to our meeting and we found one that I liked and they would do.  I get the feeling that real flowers are surprisingly hard to come by in the DR...strange for a tropical location.  That was what the wedding coordinator at the Jellyfish Restaurant told us.  But you should definitely get to pick from some options.

 

We ended up not doing floating candles in the pool.  The pool actually covers a lot of square footage, so you would have to have a lot of candles.  And if I remember, Marlene quoted me something ridiculous like $7 per puny little floating candle.  (They were also a lot less lenient about us bringing decorations when I was planning - it sounds like you guys are allowed to bring more stuff now).  Plus, it was super windy the whole week we were there (thankfully not by the end of the week/our wedding) and my mother-in-law thought the candles would get all clustered into the corners from the wind.  I dunno if that would have really happened but we decided it wasn't worth it, but maybe it would have been if we were allowed to bring our own.

 

We paid extra to have our guests have a choice for the main course.  It was A LOT of back and forth to just get that, but I'm sure they would let you have a choice for apps and zerts to for a price, just like anything else.

 

We didn't actually use the DJ as the DJ, we had him play our iPod.  I'd assume they could quote you a price for just the mic and the sound system that is lower than the $488 for the DJ...but you know how they are big sticklers on rules and the way they always do things.

[teena84]

Originally Posted by sunny55143 

 

I got to pick my own bouquet.  Marlene sent me a bunch of different pictures they could do, and then I brought a bunch of pictures I liked to our meeting and we found one that I liked and they would do.  I get the feeling that real flowers are surprisingly hard to come by in the DR...strange for a tropical location.  That was what the wedding coordinator at the Jellyfish Restaurant told us.  But you should definitely get to pick from some options.

 

We ended up not doing floating candles in the pool.  The pool actually covers a lot of square footage, so you would have to have a lot of candles.  And if I remember, Marlene quoted me something ridiculous like $7 per puny little floating candle.  (They were also a lot less lenient about us bringing decorations when I was planning - it sounds like you guys are allowed to bring more stuff now).  Plus, it was super windy the whole week we were there (thankfully not by the end of the week/our wedding) and my mother-in-law thought the candles would get all clustered into the corners from the wind.  I dunno if that would have really happened but we decided it wasn't worth it, but maybe it would have been if we were allowed to bring our own.

 

We paid extra to have our guests have a choice for the main course.  It was A LOT of back and forth to just get that, but I'm sure they would let you have a choice for apps and zerts to for a price, just like anything else.

 

We didn't actually use the DJ as the DJ, we had him play our iPod.  I'd assume they could quote you a price for just the mic and the sound system that is lower than the $488 for the DJ...but you know how they are big sticklers on rules and the way they always do things.

 

Thanks so much for your quick response, Sunny.  I just got word from Susana, saying that if I want my guests to have option, we should pay extra for each person for buffet style - a whopping $58US per person!  I think this is quite excessive, especially when our wedding package is suppose to include food and drinks.  Luckily, I found an old post you posted about the extra cost for beef/fish and chicken, and I copied and pasted that into my response email to her.  Our guests are already eating buffet every morning, we don't want them to have to eat buffet for our wedding too.  We'll see what her response is - I'm trying very hard to be patient and nice to Susana since we are the one asking for things from her, but it's not easy!

 

She was however, able to give me a lower quote for without the DJ, which was $390 USD.  Man, the costs are starting to add up! 

 

Do you by any chance remember how soon you had to tell Marlene the final number of guest count for your wedding/reception?  And how soon you had to tell them who wants what for their menu?

 

Again, I really appreciate you still coming back to this forum so often even now after you are married, to help us brides-to-be out.  I'm sure we all feel the same.

[KristinNicole]

Hi! I am trying to plan for a Catholic wedding at the chapel next May. I have heard from a friend that in the DR, a Catholic ceremony is required to be in their native language of Spanish in order to be considered legal. Is this true?? If so, my plans are going to completely change, we only speak English!!

[Bjeantil]

Did your WC specify the equipment that is provided without the Dj? For example mic, lighting, sound systems, iPod or lab top connections, etc. I am going to bring a friend to do Dj and want to know what he would need to bring to be able to do his job!

[trivera5521]

Bjeantil: I emailed her abd asked Included in my invoice was the DJ services for 3 hours, can you please confirm what this includes? DJ includes speakers, amplifier, microphone and a person who will be in charge of putting the music Also Hope this helps!

[Bjeantil]

Thank you, I will have to contact her for labtop connections.

[MegnAustin]

Does anyone have package prices the only info I can find is in Spanish. TYIA!!!