Grand Palladium Jamaica/Lady Hamilton - 2011 Brides!

[sleigh]

are you/did you do a private welcome dinner (like pay the $55/pp fee for the whole resturaunt) or just book a reservation at one of the resturaunts... and risk not sitting in a group?  I want to do some sort of welcome thing, but Im tempted to just say hey meet us at the hotel bar at whatever o clock for some welcome cocktails (this would be free, but I also got a quote for a private cocktail, which is $15/pp)! We will have about 30 adults and 8-10 kids coming for our wedding.

[tinasett13]

I have not booked anything Travel agent said to wait till we have more people booked Is 15 per person just for drinks? Wish we could rent dance floor for beach and have jerk chicken and red stipe all night

[BeachBridein11]

My suggestion is to work this out with your WC over the phone.  Waiting to make a reservation for 20 people when your there will probably be impossible.  Only VIP guests can make reservations and the times we tried, the most we could make was for 8 at a given time and it wasn't always on the day we wanted.  Also, make sure she knows you're not doing the private option for the Welcome Dinner!  You don't want to get dinged at the end.  Trust me, having it at the buffet isn't a bad option.  The buffets are HUGE and you will get the privacy you want without the hassle of waiting.

 

Originally Posted by hdinsmor 

Question for you ladies, are you having a welcome dinner/ rehearsal dinner at the resort?  I want to have dinner with all of our guests the night before the wedding, and since we have over 20 people, the only restaurant that we can choose is Poseiden (sp?), the seafood restaurant.  My wedding planner originally told me that I need to book the dinner 2 weeks ahead of time, but now she is saying to wait until I get to the resort.  The thought of not having a reservation ahead of time makes me nervous.  Especially since I am sure that the other 9-10-11 weddings will be planning the same sort of dinner, and they will most likely have over 20 guests.  Does anyone have more information on this?  Can I make the reservation before we get there? 

 

Thanks! 

 

[BeachBridein11]

Honestly, having the Welcome Dinner at the buffet isn't a bad idea.  With a large group, dinner at one of the a la cartes will probably be 3 hours long (and that was with 8 people)!  It's crazy I'm telling you!  We had our own section with 44 people at the buffett and it was perfect!  No other guest were even close to us.  We had our own waiters as well.  We gave our speeches and ate; we were probably there for 1.5-2 hrs and then just moved the party up to the Inifinity Bar.  Come to think about it, I suggest the buffet over the a la cartes.  You don't have to be "quiet"... hmm how can I describe.  It's so much easier to walk around table to table and chit chat, whereas at the other places, you will feel like your "invading" other guests' dinner.  Just a thought!!!!

 

Originally Posted by snowbeltchick 

I know.  I was originally told I could book ahead of time, but then was told I had to wait until I get to the resort.  I'm planning on having a rehearsal dinner but I've told the family we might just be stuck at the buffet.

 

 

 

[hdinsmor]

Well, now I feel much better about having it at the buffet!  BeachBridein11, did you make a reservation at the buffet restaurant with your group, or just show up? 

[BeachBridein11]

We talked to Maria in Customer Relations the day before the dinner.  She talked to the buffet manager and told him to expect the large group.  The buffet opened at 630p, so we were there to secure the area we wanted, however we told everyone to come at 7p.

 

Originally Posted by hdinsmor 

Well, now I feel much better about having it at the buffet!  BeachBridein11, did you make a reservation at the buffet restaurant with your group, or just show up? 

 

[hdinsmor]

Girls, I just got an email that I have a new wedding coordinator!!  Oh my goodness!  I'm a little worried.  Anyone else get the same email?  I feel like I am starting from scratch, but I save all of the emails with Simone, so hopefully I have nothing to worry about.....

[sunset2012]

Oh no... I've been coordinating my plans with Simone also but my wedding is not until June 2012. Did they say if Simone had left the resort? Who is your new coordinator?

[hdinsmor]

Sunset, they haven't said if Simone has left, but I have a feeling she has.  I asked Omeshia (my new wedding coordinator) if she has left the resort, but I haven't heard back.  I will keep you posted.  If I were you, I would consider requesting that BeachBridein11's wedding coordinator (I can't remember her name, but I know she has posted it in several threads) be in charge of your wedding since Simone has left and you still have time. 

[lindsayraz]

I've been dealing with Omeshia since day one (I sent in my wedding date request in July, my wedding is March 2012).

She has been great so far, no complaints! She usually takes about 24-48 hours to get back to my emails.