Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe

[trivera5521]

One more questions guys, so we just received the confirmation that our date is available for the ceremony but they cant seem to confirm the reception location? I guess my concern is that the only reception location we are interested in is Bar Higuey and if its booked the day of our wedding then I may change our date. I just dont feel comfortable locking into a date without knowing the one reception space we want is still not booked. For those of you who have booked your weddings, at what point do you book the reception location???

 

Considering Bar Higuey can only be booked for one wedding per day, if its booked for our day then we will have to settle for the banquet room and thats just not acceptable. We arent going all the way to DR to have our reception indoors in a banquet room, I can do that right here in CT LOL...ya know.

[Oct 2012 Bride]

Trivera5521 - I was just about to say something about that as well.

 

I'm posting the email I received today. Keep in mind we are doing the Strawberry Package: I'm not quite up to 150 posts. I really want to post all the pics here.

 

Actually we have a website, but it does not have pictures of decoration, cake or flowers.  If you have example pictures of things that you want you send them to me, we will do our best to get them.

 

Is the buffet extra or does it come with the Strawberry Package? If it is extra, how much extra is it?

The buffet is not included on the strawberry package, remember it includes a dinner with a set menu (one entrée, one main dish and one dessert). The cost of the buffet are:

Buffet premium light: 58USd per person

Buffet premium: 77usd per  person

Can you send me pictures of all the reception locations and decorations available with the prices? How much are the drapes?

The cost of the drapes you saw on the picture is 300 usd. The reception location we have available for that date  the ball room that I sent to you on the other email.  

We want the beach wedding. What are all the decoration options we have for the beach?

You want your ceremony on the beach, right? Please find attached pictures of set ups, be advised that what you have included on the strawberry package is photo example in pink (of course you can change the color), if you want something different it would be additional. Please find pictures attached.

Can you send me all the pictures that you have?
 I attached pictures of table set ups and decorations that you can add.

[Oct 2012 Bride]

[Oct 2012 Bride]

[March2013 Bride]

Thanks to all future BBPD brides for the great info. First time posting. We have decided on March 2013 as our month and we are firming up the exact date soon. Many of our questions have already been answered here but we still have a few more that maybe you can help with. 1- what are some travel agencies used and what are some tips you can give? Extra perks for so many room nights? Price per person per night for different rooms, etc. 2- what/where is Bar Higuey and how much extra is it? 3- can you do a beach 3hr reception? If so, how much extra? 4- Is anyone doing roof top/ chill lounge for rehearsal party night before? How much, what do you get for it, totally private? Open to public and if so can we just have impromptu gathering there without paying extra? 5- We are probably going with Strawberry package and then paying extra for each person over 25. Any thoughts on this? 6- is the 3 full day stay before wedding mandatory? If not, how do you get around it? 7- can you get married at resort on a Sunday? Anybody doing this? You guys are great and I can't wait for 2013. Thanks again for all the great posts.

[sunny55143]

Oct 2012 Bride, thanks for posting those pictures!

 

Hi March2013 Bride and welcome to the forum!

 

I'll try to answer as many of your questions as I can, based on my own experience.  I'm sure other brides can give you more info too.

 

1. We used a local travel agency that my mom uses to book a lot of her own travel.  Basically how it works is that the TA will work with some sort of tour operator (ours used Gogo, there's also Apple Vacation and Funjet) and get slight discounts on the room rates.  If you put a deposit down on a block of rooms, some will give you a free room with every 25 rooms booked.  (or it might be 1 free night for every 25 nights - can't remember).  We had a handful of guests use our TA, which is convenient because their room rate included an airport transfer.  We also had a handful of guests book their whole trip through Orbitz or Expedia vacations.

 

2. Bar Higuey is an outdoor, open-air but covered area in the Barcelo's convention center.  Sounds like it's very popular for their receptions.  It was included in my package (Tangerine Sunset), but I think they extra charge might be $500 for it?  Maybe another bride would know that.  Here is a pic we took when we visited (sorry it's super large!):

 

 

3. I'm pretty sure you can do a beach reception, not sure about the extra charge.

 

4. We are using the roof terrace for welcome cocktails next Wednesday (wow - that's crazy to say!).  Basically, you pay $500 to reserve the area and that's all you get.  We are debating whether or not to get drink service there for $12/person/hour.  They won't put a bar on the terrace, they'll only have waitstaff go back and forth and take orders.  I'm sure you could just have an impromptu gathering there for free but you obviously won't be guaranteed space.  It seems like it would be a hot commodity.

 

5. We have 70 guests and are paying for the extra 35 over our package.  I think some other brides like Oct 2012 Bride are also doing the Strawberry package.  If you have more than 25 guests, that's what it seems like you have to do.

 

6. I have heard that the full 3 day stay is not a DR requirement, but rather, something that resorts enforce to make sure they have all the documents.

 

7. I'm pretty sure they don't do Sunday weddings.  Marlene said none of the wedding staff works on Sundays.

 

Hope some of that helped!  Good job on numbering all the questions - I've found that's the best way to email with the WC's!

Originally Posted by March2013 Bride 

Thanks to all future BBPD brides for the great info. First time posting. We have decided on March 2013 as our month and we are firming up the exact date soon.
Many of our questions have already been answered here but we still have a few more that maybe you can help with.
1- what are some travel agencies used and what are some tips you can give? Extra perks for so many room nights? Price per person per night for different rooms, etc.
2- what/where is Bar Higuey and how much extra is it?
3- can you do a beach 3hr reception? If so, how much extra?
4- Is anyone doing roof top/ chill lounge for rehearsal party night before? How much, what do you get for it, totally private? Open to public and if so can we just have impromptu gathering there without paying extra?
5- We are probably going with Strawberry package and then paying extra for each person over 25. Any thoughts on this?
6- is the 3 full day stay before wedding mandatory? If not, how do you get around it?
7- can you get married at resort on a Sunday? Anybody doing this?
You guys are great and I can't wait for 2013. Thanks again for all the great posts.

 

[trivera5521]

Amazing info, thanks OctBride 2013!!! OMG next week?!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh how exciting!!!!!!!!

[canadiandawn]

Hi all,

 

I'm trying so hard to weed through posts and am still a little confused on a few things. 

 

1.  Are the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe and the Barcelo Punta Cana the same resort?  If so, I have been in contact with somebody different (Ariana Fernandez) than the name you are all mentioning.

 

2.  Well, maybe I should find out the answer to my first question before going into a long winded post with tonnes of questions.

[trivera5521]

Canadiandawn: No they are 2 completly different resorts. I will tell you that I visited both this past February and Barcelo Punta Cana doesnt compare to BBPD in the least bit. BBPD is by far a much better resort in so many aspects.

 

On another note ladies, I finally got to the bottom of the reception/ceremony confirmation. As previously stated I was besides myself that BBPD was able to confirm the ceremony date was available however told me they werent able to confirm availability at the Bar Higuey for my reception "at this time". Well apparently in order to confirm the reception space as well you have to leave the 30% deposit.  They can confirm your date is open for your ceremony for free but the deposit is required to confirm the reception space. So be prepared to leave the 30% if you want to confirm both the ceremony and reception space/date/time.

[canadiandawn]

Thanks trivera5521.  As I'm looking around, I can't even find the Barcelo Punta Cana anymore on the different travel sites just to get ball park figures.  Did you find the cost to be about the same, more or less?  I didn't really like what the WC was saying at this resort.  She said that I can book the wedding, I don't need a deposit but we have to book our trips now.  I can't book anywhere this far in advance so it's a catch 22.  Maybe I should be looking into the Barcelo Bavaro instead.