"New Resort Opening May 1 2011" NOW LARIMAR ~ PUNTA CANA

TJfeb2012 · December 6, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS Katusha!!!!!!!!

So glad to hear that everything turned out for you Katusha~! The questions and answers were great. I love your tables!! They look great! You did such a good job on them! I have some questions too LOL

Did you have Castaways all to yourselves?

For your table runners what was the length of the material you used?

What did you use in your vases to light them up that way?

Was Catasways cool? Is it at all sheltered? I am trying to decide if we are going to have our reception here...Do you have photos of an overall view of this area?

Did they have the dacing area set up on the terrace?

What did you use for your OOT bags themselves?

I need to start booking things and getting organized! LOL... i have been a bit of a procrastinator lately!

Did you do a Trash the Dress shoot? If so did you "trash" your own dress or have a second one for that?

sarahgn4t · December 11, 2011

Can someone tell me what the price is for the divine wedding package? I had the pdf file from 2011 somewhere on my computer and I can not seem to find it anywhere???? I know the website has the prices for 2012 I just want to see what the price difference is from this year to next year????

Is anyone planning on having a rehearsal dinner? We have 60 people going to our wedding so we are wanting to have a welcome dinner the night that everyone gets there but Claribel told me that we can not rent out a restaurant for the event? I am confused on where we are suppose to have it then if we have over 25 guests?

I feel like the pdf I had for 2011 package pricing had more options on it then the current pdf file online for 2012 and I am just wanting to compare what I was originally looking at to what the options are for next year!

I am having such a hard time deciding on what extras I am going to incorporate into my package. I feel like these packages include nothing!! They include the officiant but you still have to pay for it??? They include the d.j. but you still have to pay for all of the equipment?? I am so confused!

Any thoughts or ideas on what you ladies are going to do would be so helpful!

Please give me an update on your wedding plans and what extras and options you are choosing would be great!

Thanks,

Sarah

Skygirl · December 11, 2011

Sarah, i will pm you.

Alana LM · December 11, 2011

So I have the 2011 guide, you're saying the 2012 guide is different? Does anyone have a rental list from this Innovart place? I was under the impression the hotel had most things!

vav11238 · December 11, 2011

No, Sarah's right. Right now, I'm feeling as if there are a lot of potential hidden costs that you can get hit with once you're on the resort about to have your wedding. And it is hard to get any answers. I've been emailing Claribel or three weeks now and have yet to hear back from her. Same goes with Innovart too. Katusha telling us that to get married at the fountain you need to rent that piece of wood for $1500 still has my mind reeling. So now, I'm buying my decorations for the reception and bringing them with me.

Sarah - as for what I'm planning to do:

Friday - first night ppl are flying in. I'm telling them to have dinner where ever they want and to meet up at nine at a specific place for drinks.

Saturday - more ppl will be flying in but in the afternoon I plan on having a bridal luncheon at one of the resort restaurants. I figure if a group gathers somewhere then what can they say to us. Of course, that means they'll be no decorations but for now this is how it'll work. Saturday night it's do as you please night (except I know my MOH is planning a girls lingerie party).

Sunday - We're booking an excursion - either a tour of Santa Domingo or the islands. Both are all day events.

Monday - the morning they get to rest and relax. The wedding is at 5pm. With the divine pkg you get the dj for 2 hours and I'll book him for another 2 hrs then those who want to party, we're heading to the club.

Tuesday - once again, we're all going to meet up at the same restaurant for brunch. So we can say our goodbyes.

This is all tentative, of course, but how I'm seeing it planned out. I've been told by two friends who had similar weddings to not over plan peoples days. Yes, they're here for the wedding but they also want to get a little vacation in too. So I've allotted free time for them. I currently have fewer people so it's easier to do a flash mob sort of thing and the resort will have to deal with it.

I'm looking forward to hearing what else Kat and Moni have to say.

Originally Posted by Alana LM

So I have the 2011 guide, you're saying the 2012 guide is different? Does anyone have a rental list from this Innovart place? I was under the impression the hotel had most things!

teamboyd2012 · December 12, 2011

OMG!!! I'm sooo overwhelmed.... I just decided last week to book with Dreams for our October 2012 wedding (despite the mixed reviews that I've seen). I figure no one will ever be happy with EVERYTHING so...... Besides, it's paradise - how bad could your wedding suck? LOL However, this weekend I had this complete feeling of dread that I picked the wrong resort. Part of this is b/c I can NOT believe that I'm booking the BIGGEST day of my life at a place sight unseen. So I am so very appreciative of all the feedback, photos, reviews, etc that all of you ladies have provided. Now, I see that NOW LARIMAR has shared privileges I wonder if should book at NOW and guests can use some of the facilities at Dreams? Or give guests either option, depending on price? Does anyone know how the exchange between the two resorts would work?

vav11238 · December 12, 2011

This is merely my two cents but do not let people stay at either or. For one, Now and Dreams aren't that close to each other so you and your FI will be running back and forth or will be told that half your group was feeling neglected. NOW and Secrets however are next to each other though Secrets is adult only which can give people without kids the option to have a quieter resort experience. But still, you'll be running back and forth.

One of the first things I told all the invitees was that they had to stay at the same resort. I know it doesn't fit into everyones budget but I didn't want the hassle of people not making events on time because they were elsewhere. Or not feeling as if they were getting to see enough of me or my parents. You want to enjoy, what you're considering to be the BIGGEST event of your life, if you're going to frazzled and tired than it will be hard.

Pick a place and know that while you're there, it will all work out wonderfully.

Originally Posted by teamboyd2012

OMG!!! I'm sooo overwhelmed.... I just decided last week to book with Dreams for our October 2012 wedding (despite the mixed reviews that I've seen). I figure no one will ever be happy with EVERYTHING so...... Besides, it's paradise - how bad could your wedding suck? LOL However, this weekend I had this complete feeling of dread that I picked the wrong resort. Part of this is b/c I can NOT believe that I'm booking the BIGGEST day of my life at a place sight unseen. So I am so very appreciative of all the feedback, photos, reviews, etc that all of you ladies have provided. Now, I see that NOW LARIMAR has shared privileges I wonder if should book at NOW and guests can use some of the facilities at Dreams? Or give guests either option, depending on price? Does anyone know how the exchange between the two resorts would work?

vav11238 · December 12, 2011

teamboy I meant to connect this link for you to see where all the resorts are in Punta Cana:

http://puntacanatv.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PUNTA-CANA-AREAS-MAP.pdf

Hope this is helpful!

Skygirl · December 12, 2011

Vav, i hear you about Claribel lacking the communication on her end. I have sent her 1 email 6wks ago, got nothing. reforwarded agan 3weeks later, got nothing. Then wrote her an email that not for nothing, but i was not bombarding her with emails what so ever, and if this is how our communication going to be on her end she needs to let me know, so i can make further arrangments. Got nothing in reply. So i said screw it and contacted concierge service Huana, and got an email back from Claribel the next day, telling me how sorry she is. I do not fell that i should be felling ignored and have to go above the wedding coordinator. But for now, i will sit back and relax...and enjoy the planning. And yes i agree about the stupid board made of wood for $1500, is way too much. For $1500 i can pay for my nephew to come down for the week and enjoy vacation. I think we should all write the letter, somehow sign our names and email it to the Concierge service and Claribel asking for them make it available for no charge....?what do you think?

vav11238 · December 13, 2011

I think that's a brilliant idea, Skygirl! I'm always up for voicing my opinion. And FYI - call. I called today after not getting a response for four weeks and Claribel immediately was so sorry and my emails were up on her screen that minute. I asked for price lists and what was sent to me were emails full of pictures but no prices. So because of this, I am now bringing all of my decorations. I will only be paying them for their time to put it all up and the few fresh flowers I want - nothing more. Claribel sent me an Innovart power point presentation of what they do and various presentations but there isn't a price insight. My cost conscience mindset is none too pleased. Plus I haven't gotten any real info on the DJ or photographer and I'm 70 days away.

If any of you want the presentations, pm me your email address and I'll forward it on. They're massive files though.

Oh and she also sent me some more photos. All of the ones at the fountain have no piece of wood. And the last picture is at Castaways.