Just Engaged! and no idea where to begin...

[Jules79]

Congrats!!   I am also new to planning and I have been on the phone it feels like for the past two weeks straight with my travel agent searching for the best prices from different resorts.  This is the biggest obstacle for us right now because I feel like price will decide who comes. Airline prices are so expensive, so we are hoping for a good all-inclusive deal for guests to offset flight prices. I think I am doing this backwards searching for the resort with the best prices first and deciding that way, anyone with suggestions? Thanks!!

[krsmith]

Congrats!!

 

The first couple decisions are the hardest! Once you start narrowing down the location/resort, it gets easier. We chose mainly based on those priorities too. Not only did we want it to be affordable for us, we knew that it would still be an expense for everyone else too. So finding the best place for a good value was important.

 

I knew I wanted not only something easily accessible and affordable, but also something tropical with a great beach. I feel like the Riviera Maya meets those categories! Beautiful white sandy beaches, but the affordability of Mexico. 

 

Check out the Del Sol Wiki. They have posted LOTS of slide shows of weddings all around the Riviera Maya. I could spend hours looking through them all! They give me great ideas of what I want for my own wedding and get me super excited to finally get down there and get married! Hope you enjoy them as much a I do!

 

Happy planning!

[Moments That Matter]

 

Congratulations and welcome to the forums! 

 

One of the most important things we'd like to stress about a resort is SIZE. Resorts in the Cancun/Mayan Riviera area range from about 60 rooms to 1000.

~ On one hand, the smaller resorts offer close proximity to all resort amenities.

This can have a positive impact on the schedule of your wedding day. Smaller resort means the SPA will probably be within walking distance to your room. No time spent waiting for transportation. Your time is important as you prepare for the big day!! In addition to the preparations, the planned wedding activities (ceremony, cocktails, reception & dance) are also likely within walking distance from each other. This is a big bonus for you and your guests, especially if you have older family attending your wedding. Grandma and Grandpa are sure to appreciate a resort where they can get around on their own.

Aside from the wedding day, the smaller resorts are group friendly in the sense that you will find family and friends wherever you go on the resort. Consider that your guests may be coming from all over the world. You will be able to maximize your time together with friends & family that you cannot otherwise see very often.

We have also found they are able to accommodate your needs quicker and easier. There are fewer hotel guests and weddings for the staff to deal with, which from our experience, means they are more available when you need them.

~ On the other hand, larger Resorts offer more space and selection.

Some brides decide to go with mega resorts to give everyone countless options when it comes to restaurants, beaches, etc. The resort premises has plenty to offer. Regardless of your guests varying preferences, they are sure to find something that works for them.

And the obvious, space. If you decide on some alone time with your fiancé/newlywed, there is plenty of space for you two to "get away", enjoy the view, sand in your toes and just relax.

With regards to the wedding, since these resorts are usually 3 to 5 interconnected resorts, you will likely have more options when it comes to selecting a wedding site and reception restaurant.

 

Hope this helps! I have many more tips like this on my "Choosing a Resort" page: http://www.momentsthatmatterphotography.com/choosingresort.html

Best of luck

Lincoln

 

[Amarjit Keshav]

I would love to help you as I am a destination wedding specialist, you can visit my webpage at www.weddingdayaway.com . Definitely finding the right location is critical and the ease of getting there too. it is important to talk to someone in that line of business as it can get very stressful when you are new at it.

 

[cbandemer]

CONGRATULATIONS AND HAPPY PLANNING!!!!

[leahpeah]

Congrats!  Narrowing down a place was the hardest for us as well, as budget for us and our guests was a huge factor!  Good luck!

[mhrushch]

Hi,

 

I feel like I'm in the exact same situation at this point, trying to find the resort or at least the area to get married in the carribean/mexico. We have been to Mexico, Playa del Carmen area and really enjoyed the food and drinks and having Playa del Carmen 5th avenue to walk to every evening instead of sitting though another resort evening show. So we thought that it would be the place to have a wedding in since our group is mostly young people who may want to go out to a different bar or do some shopping in the town. The only problem is, that area doesn't have the nicest beaches, sort of busy and not as scenic. I heard Punta Cana has nicer views, but if we went there would we still have something to do outside of the resort. I also heard Punta Cana doesn't have as nice of food as Mexico. Going crazy with all these decision. And I totally understand about the financial side of it, it does help narrow down the resort a bit, like we're trying to stay below 1900, so that people don't turn down the invitation. Have you narrowed down a place yet?

 

 

Marina

[KatieJ]

Congrats! Honestly choosing the location is the hardest part!!! But also the fun part, as after you decide, it feels like you are just waiting to do anything else!  So enjot this part of it, its the only time you have alot of control:) We decided on The Mayan Riviera in mexico... we found that they were the best prices for what you are getting! I dont think you can go wrong with the mayan riviera!!! Happy Planning

[mhrushch]

Hey,

 

I saw that you mentioned that you guys have decided on the Mayan riviera in Mexico. We have too (our date is around April 22 2012, very soon!!!). What resorts have you guys been concidering/booked? We initially chose the Royal Playa del Carmen but changed our minds later. We want to be in the Playa del Carmen area since there is lots to do for a crowd of younger people. A couple of the resorts that we're concidering at the moment are The Royal Hideaway Playacar (although it depends if we can get a good price) and the Riu Palace Mexico since its nice and big with decent pricing.

 

 

Marina

[Jessica4LUXE]

Congratulations!!

 

Definitely find a travel coordinator to help you with this decision. Searching online for the perfect property can often be overwhelming and misleading. A destination wedding expert can offer you their professional opinion based on your budgets and what type of property you are looking for!