Just Booked Melia Caribe Tropical for Nov 2011!

[KyraJohnson]

 

 

Originally Posted by capecodder 

 

Hi Ladies!  I am new to this website and we have booked our wedding at Melia for April 17, 2012!!  So excited!!  We have been to the resort before and loved it!!    Can't wait for the big day.

 

Question for you...Did anyone have a friend or a family member perform the symbolic cermomy?  My mom is a priest and I was hoping to have her do the ceremony for me!

 

 

Hi Capecodder,

 

I am having a civil ceremony so I'm not sure about symbolic ceremonies, I would say your best bet would be to ask your WC.

 

KyraJohnson (formerly Destination_Diva)

 

[KyraJohnson]

Hey girls,

 

This is the former Destination_Diva, I lost my account PW  and even though I messaged the admins for PW recovery they never got back to me  So I decided to just start a new account.

I hope all my fellow Melia brides planning is going well. 4 months from today we will be on our way to the sun! We now have 53 people booked including bride and groom! So excited!!!

 

KyraJohnson (formerly Destination_Diva)

[MeliaBride11]

 

Hey Ladies! I got married at the Melia on July 2nd. I want to give my review on my experience of my wedding day. I planned for an outdoor wedding at the beach gazebo and the beach reception with the TFT 75 package because I had 65 guests. Esterlin was my wedding coordinator and she was beyond outstanding, if you have her as your W...C your in good hands. There was a 60% chance of rain for the day due to a Tropical Wave in the area and she informed me that I had a choice to move the event indoors, my entire dream of my beach wedding was going down the drain, and we made the decision to bring it in and not have ruined because of the rain. My Mom than went to her and told her to keep it outdoors that whatever happens, happens. About an hour before my 5pm ceremony at the gazebo it started pouring rain. She returned and said we have no other choice to move it in, I agreed, and again my Mom kept it outside. Just in time for the ceremony it started to clear up with a light drizzle and the guests did not mind and took their umbrellas with them, it actually helped out a lot because the wind and cooling rain made it both more romantic and not so hot. We were able to keep my beach reception also and since we had a buffet we made moved it into the Turey Grill just incase of a downpour the food would be safe (a little inconvenience for the guests) but under the circumstances we had no other choice. We had the perfect reception with everything going on and all the back and forth we had going on. We had the LED dance floor that made dancing beach side amazing. And thanks to Esterlin and her amazing team everything came out to be beyond belief rain and all. As soon as the reception was over and everything was being cleared the rain poured down once again.
 

I contacted Pastor Rick York for the ceremony and he was booked and he recommended me Pastor Torriaba.  We wanted a Spanish ceremony since my husband is Cuban and the majority or the guests spoke Spanish also.  He did an incredible job, everyone loved the ceremony and the way he spoke. If Pastor York is not available definately use him.

On photo and video, I did not choose to go with Arrecife Studios, I decided to use Jorge Allocco Photography & Florian Koetter, Video Punta Cana. The photos and video are amazing. They both did an outstanding job capturing our rainy event and were more than understanding with circumstances. Both of them gave me the CD of pictures and all the copys of the video 3 days after my wedding. We did the Trash the Dress with Jorge Allocco also and I love those even more than the wedding day pictures, they are unbelievable. His camera got splashed by a wave in the ocean and he just dried it up, changed the lens and kept shooting. He's a great photographer, we made a great choice. Florian Koetter, Video Punta Cana is also amazing, he's trailer for our wedding made me cry. The video is almost 2 hrs long and the DVD has a beautiful label with a picture of us. The DVD case is also beautifuly done with pictures of the event. I am extremely happy with both their works and recommend them to everyone that was fantastic memories.

Inbox me or email me at [email protected] if you want any info about the event or hotel.t t  

 

Here are the links for photos & video:

Jorge Allocco's Photo Blog:   http://jorgeallocco.blogspot.com/2011/07/daneuska-ruben-melia-caribe-punta-cana.html 

Video Punta Cana Trailer:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laDjyaCNkJ0 

 

 

[capecodder]

Hi Kyra,

 

I sent my WC an email today and got a response back today!!  My mom can perform the symbolic ceremony for us.  Yay!!  I can't believe you have 53 people booked.  That's great!!  I was happy with my 17 people..lol!

 

How is the rest of your planning going?  What else do you have left to do?

 

Jenn

[KyraJohnson]

Hey Jenn,

 

That is great news!! I'm so happy that you will be able to have someone so close to you perform the ceremony, it will make it that much more meaningful

 

As for planning everything is going pretty well. My FH has finally asked all his GM so now we need to get on finding their outfits. I think we will be doing a Tommy Bahama shirt, khakis and flip flops. My dress is in and I have my fist fitting in August... diet, diet, diet lol (well more for the swim suits than the dress). The BM dresses are on order.

The thing I'm still struggling with is trying to figure out a seating chart for the reception. Esterlin just doesn't seem to understand what I'm asking Also FYI if you refer to the dinner that is included with your wedding package as a reception she will think you mean that you want a private reception for extra charge, I hope in my response back to her I sets her straight. haha.

[KyraJohnson]

Also we have almost everything for our OTT bags...

 

Bags picked out by FH from Dollarama $1 each.

 

Fun floaty toys... got many different kinds from dolphin and alligator to water wings and a mini water volleyball set. All from Dollarama between $1 - $2 each.

 

Pail and shovel sets, we got all different colors, $1/each.

 

Water guns from Dollarama, 2 for $1.50

 

Our personalized Mugs, found on eBay... didn't realize they weren't "travel" mugs until they arrived no lids! We will make them work.

 

Waterproof bags for money/camera/etc.

 

We are planning on doing 1 bag per couple and we will include one floaty or pail/shovel or water gun, one waterproof bag and a mug each. We are still considering adding a hangover kit and would include stuff like Crystal Light singles, Pepto Bismal tabs, Advil, Starbucks instant coffee singles, etc.

 

 

[capecodder]

Love your ideas for the OTT bags!! I may have to steal some! lol!!

 

You must be very excited that your wedding dress is in!  I ordered mine in April but still no word yet on when it will be in.  We were thinking of doing the same thing for hubby's outfit.  Now, just to fund something he likes.  I think he is way more picky than I am!

 

That would be frustrating not being able to get your questions answered about the seating chart.  I read a post on here where the bride translated her question into Spanish and then got her question answered that way. 

 

Are you getting your hair and makeup done at the resort?  I'm pretty sure I'm getting my hair done there but not sure about the makeup.  I've read a few not so good reviews about the makeup.  So I'm thinking I may get a lesson or two at home first and doing my own.

[kristiduhe1975]

KyraJohnson, your OOT bags are cute. I found some at Dollar Tree, but have yet to purchase anything to go in them!   We are getting married on 11/18/11 at the Melia in the garden gazebo. What location dd you choose? We have 51 people booked thus far !!!! I never expcetd so mant people but I feel blessed. What package did you choose?

[KyraJohnson]

 

Originally Posted by capecodder 

Love your ideas for the OTT bags!! I may have to steal some! lol!!

 

You must be very excited that your wedding dress is in!  I ordered mine in April but still no word yet on when it will be in.  We were thinking of doing the same thing for hubby's outfit.  Now, just to fund something he likes.  I think he is way more picky than I am!

 

That would be frustrating not being able to get your questions answered about the seating chart.  I read a post on here where the bride translated her question into Spanish and then got her question answered that way. 

 

Are you getting your hair and makeup done at the resort?  I'm pretty sure I'm getting my hair done there but not sure about the makeup.  I've read a few not so good reviews about the makeup.  So I'm thinking I may get a lesson or two at home first and doing my own.

Steal away! lol

 

Ya I was thinking about using Google Translate and putting it in English then the Spanish underneath. That was what I did for the maps and that worked out pretty good. I got a response with the maps attached the next day (they were in Spanish but hey beggars can't be choosers haha).

 

I talked to my hairdresser and she agreed to have me and one of my BM come in for a wedding hair trial and she will teach us how to do a style (I think we will go with a chignon bun). Then for my makeup I was thinking of going into either Sephora or Mac and getting them to teach my how to do makeup for the day. I know at Mac it's only like a $5 charge (rumor from a friend) and they donate that to charity. My hairdresser is an avid traveler and she was telling my that she went to a wedding in Cuba and did the brides hair but the BM's went to the salon and the girls who were the "hairdressers" were the ones who were waitresses the day before, haha. I think I should be able to do just as good if not a better job than them.

 

[KyraJohnson]

 

Originally Posted by kristiduhe1975 

KyraJohnson, your OOT bags are cute. I found some at Dollar Tree, but have yet to purchase anything to go in them!   We are getting married on 11/18/11 at the Melia in the garden gazebo. What location dd you choose? We have 51 people booked thus far !!!! I never expcetd so mant people but I feel blessed. What package did you choose?

Thanks! I took a while finding some of the stuff, especially deciding on the bags. I originally had towels too but decided to take them back it was just going to be too many bags to haul down there.

Oh the 18th is the day after we arrive!! We chose the beach gazebo!! I loved the pictures I found of it!! My FH right from the start was saying we would have 50 people, both me and our TA thought he was crazy! But wow he was right!! including us we have 53! And I have 2 more people who have expressed interest in coming now!   We went with the Tides 50 package. I'm pretty sure we will be having our "dinner" in the Dominican restaurant, I've heard there a semi-private room. (note how I am trying not to call it a reception lol)