**Paradisus Palma Real Details & Discussion Thread**

[beava37]

Hi all, I just got back from my wedding at the Paradisus Palma Real on 12/18/10.  I posted my reviews of both the resort and DJ Mannia in the respective Resorts & Villas and Wedding Vendors sections.  Overall, my wedding experience was amazing!  I wanted to post a review for my photographers/videographers as well (HDC Photo), but I couldn't find anywhere to put it.  My pictures turned out great, and I had all of my pictures and an edited copy of my video in less than 2 days.

 

See a link to my pics below, and if you have any questions about the resort, my wedding experience, any of the vendors I used, or anything else please feel free to ask

 

www.hdcphoto.com

click the "Customer Access" tab

username: omidanderin

password: palmareal

[vmelendez319]

I may have been a bridezilla to Lauren today...I don't know if I can take the contradictions any more...I swear, there is a different answer from each person I speak to.  I'm trying to hard not to freak out, and keeping my frustration from FH is not easy.  He wont be happy if I tell him im not happy with the wedding planner.  I dont understand why they make it so difficult to plan a desination wedding.  Is it that hard to provide us with the correct tools needed to plan the most important day of our lives?

 

Sorry...I had to vent...I think I feel a little better now. 

[vmelendez319]

beava37:  Your pics are beautiful!  Congrats!!!

[kmhg]

Thanks so much for posting your wedding/resort review. I can't find your photographer review though - can you please tell me where it is? I need to find a photographer for our April 2011 wedding bc the one that partners with the resort charges you $10 per selected picture!!! That is outrageous.

Thanks!!

[beava37]

Hello   I don't have an official photographer review because I cannot find them listed as vendors.  The company was called HDC Photo (or Huellas Del Caribe).  They were absolutely amazing to work with.  I still can't believe how fast I got my pictures and video back.  I contacted them via email (they are also on facebook) and they responded to my questions and I had to put down a $400 deposit to reserve the day.  You can find a list of their prices on www.hdcphoto.com under the "The Experience" section.  The package that I got was customized, because I wanted to get all of my photos on a DVD, and to get a DVD of my edited video.  I didn't want any prints (although I did purchase a few, impulse) because I wasn't sure how they would travel.  The DVDs of the pictures and video came in a package that had one of the pictures from our wedding on the cover, and it also had our names and the date.  It was really cute.  I highly recommend them.

[bkbeachbride]

You can ask to deal with Teresa Calcos...she is the Romance Coordinator for North America -that's who I have been dealing with ever since I complained about getting the run around. She is pretty on top of everything. I've had no issues with inconsistencies ever since I've started working with her in Aug. Her son even got married at PPR a few weeks ago and she was kind enough to share some personal pics with me. She's awesome. I can pm u her email if u like.

[dania]

Hey Beave37,

 

I LOVE your photos, You were a very beautiful bride!, Love your hair, dress and everything!! Thank you for sharing them with us.

 

Few questions, if you don't mind giving the answers;

-What wedding package did you choose?

-I love your bouquet, how much did you pay for it? also, the centerpieces are amazing, how much did you pay for them?

-They did a great job with your hair. Did they also do makeup? were you happy with it?

-What was the total cost for your wedding? I am feeling I already breaking the budget, I am already going up over $20.000. I need to figure out a way to cut back.

I would really appreciate your answers. I need all the helpt I could get

 

 

 

[beava37]

Awe Thanks Dania!  You are too sweet

 

Ok, so here are the answers to your questions:

 

-What wedding package did you choose?

I ended up going with the 2011 Aqua package (modified of course).  I originally had the 2010 but nearly flipped when I realized it wasn't open bar and I was going to be paying out the A** to add that on, so thankfully Lauren Harder told me about the option to switch to the 2011 package, which worked out pretty well.

 

-I love your bouquet, how much did you pay for it? also, the centerpieces are amazing, how much did you pay for them?

Bouquet was $180 + tax.  I brought the starfish bouquet jewelry with me... I left it with Leni De Los Santos in the romance office, so if they still have them and you don't want to buy them (they were pretty expensive, I bought 10)  I'd ask her if that is an option  

My centerpieces for the cocktail hour were $15 each + tax, and we ended up having 5 tables.  I brought my own seashells for these, again I left those there too.  I went with the fake orchids for these since they were way cheaper and you really couldn't tell the difference. 

My centerpieces for the reception were $185 each + tax.  This covered the flowers and the 4 candles on the sides with sand (I brought the seashells for these as well).  I also added 4 cymbidium orchids on each table at $15 a piece + tax. 

Our sweetheart table centerpiece was $125 + tax.

 

-They did a great job with your hair. Did they also do makeup? were you happy with it?

I loved my hair too!  It actually turned out way better than the picture that I brought.  The hair and makeup are included as part of the 2011 aqua package.  I did do a trial run of both though, I forget how much that was, maybe $120 total for both?  Kayla did both my hair and makeup.  She was amazing.  I thought I was a perfectionist, but she definitely was moreso than I was!

 

-What was the total cost for your wedding? 

Total cost, its hard to say.  It depends on what all you want to include here.  We had outside guests, we extended the reception an extra hour, we had a violinist, a guitar trio, and a DJ.  I also added things like the chocolate fountain, christmas lights on the columns, colored aisle runner, bows on all of the chairs at the ceremony.  I also had a lot of things shipped like favors and out of town guest bags (beach bags with beach towels).  We also had 40 guests (including ourselves).  I'm not sure how many you are having.  For everything (including our week-long stay), it was definitely less than $20K.  If you want a line by line detail of what all my stuff cost, PM me and I'd be happy to send to you.

 

I hope this helps

[dania]

Thank you so much for the prompt reply, Beava37....you are an angel!!!

 

Yes I am def. going to pick the Aqua package with modification 2011. Thank you for the idea to do a trial hair and makeup with the resort spa. I will tell them to schedule Kayla for my April wedding. THANKs.

 

Please let me know if it possible to have your startfish bouquets & Seashells. 

 

YEAH!!

[122410mjbjah]

Hello,

 

Beautiful Wedding photos!  I am in the early stages of planning a wedding in Punta Cana, and I am so glad you posted your pic link because I have emailed HDC photography and got their pricing and was pleased, but wondered what their work looked like for recent weddings....  I have some questions if you wouldn't mind answering

Did you use one of Paradisus Palma Real's Wedding Packages?

Did you get married at the Palma Real?  

How were the resort wedding coordinators to work with? 

Was it difficult to communicate via email?  Did they speak clear english?  

 

I originally had thought of a Hawaii destination, but I Punta Cana sounded so amazing and you can get alot more for your $$.  My only concern is marrying/planning the destination wedding out of the country and how difficult it would be to work with the wedding coordinators/find a photographer.  Any feedback you have would be awesome!  

 

I was originally thinking of an October wedding, but if you could provide weather details on your December wedding, that would be great!

 

THanks so much!