November 2012 Brides?

[AllieH]

I know there are a couple others out there - where are ya?? 

 

We haven't picked the exact date yet, thinking the 9th or 10th. Waiting until airfare comes out so we can price AI packages (including air), confirm available dates and pick the actual Big Day. 

 

Still focused on Rivera Maya. Have the dress, working on the accessories. Have the STD designed, need the resort & text to put into it too. 

 

Where is everyone else with the planning? 

 

[MissNikki]

Hello AllieH

 

I was just going to start this chat group and thought i better do one more serch incace i missed it...And here you are!!!  Ya I am so excited to have a November 2012 Bride Chat group!!!

 

We are also just waiting to here on the prices of the resort we picked!  we are getting married on 10-11-12 (10th of November 2012) We are going with the Aventura Cove Palace that is going to be the Hard Rock by the time we get there!  We picked this resort for a couple of reasons:

1) Its kid friendly

2) we will hopefully have around 30 people so its got something for everyone

3) Every Bride i have talked to that has stayed at this resort says is Beautiful!

4) the wedding ceremony locations ( we needed a gaziboo type area as my fiance has very sencitve eyes to the sun.. found that for pictures this would be best.  We did engagment photos out side and my photographer had to cut over 1/2 of them because his eyes were closed lol)

 

 

What are you looking for in a resort?  I have looked at almost all of them!

[AllieH]

Hi Nikki! 

 

So our dates will be close together - WOOHOO! 

 

We are looking for a medium sized resort, not 100% sure yet on adults only or family friendly (my sister is still unsure if she's going to make the trip and bring her kiddos). if it's family friendly, then we'd like to have an adults-only area to retreat to. I have my eye on El Dorado Royale (adults only) or one of the Azul resorts (family friendly). 

 

I don't think I really want to get married ON the beach and deal with all that sand for the ceremony - thinking more of a patio or deck overlooking the beach (don't want ballroom either). The NOW Jade has a patio space with a pergola that I really liked. 

 

Excellent food is important - my FH is a huge foodie, and we want good quality food. Swimmable beach is on the wish list, along with an infinity pool (but I haven't found very many infinity pools in my searches). 

 

We have a TA who will help us with all of this. I'm just a bit OCD and ready to make decisions. 

 

How did you decide?? 

 

[MissNikki]

Hey Allie

 

I would say that i was a little to OCD to make a desition also!! lol  So I first did a exel spread sheet and made a list of all of the things that were important to me ( or to family coming) then i put in all the resorts i was looking at in and seen which came out on top!  This was a real eye opener for me because at first i thought that picking a resort would be easy but i guess i wanted way to many things in one resort! So once i had the list i started to cut the resorts that werent even close or didnt have the things that were most important to me. ie ceremony sites. 

 

Since I found Aventura Cove Palace i loved there wedding packages!  I just loved the horse and buggie!!  I love that it was kid friendly and big enough for everyone. All the reviews say that its an  amazing property and has great weddings.  The only thing I am not sold on is thewhole lagoon idea rather then the traditinal beach but hay something had to give!  ( BUT at least we can go to any other palace resort in the area PLAYACAR palace is only a 20 min free ride away!)  plus the lagoons will be fun for the kids since they will be able to play in the water without waves crashing into them. This resort is turning into a Hard Rock and the one in punta cana looks amazing so i hope ares will be also fingers crossed!  This is scary to me that i am booking at a resort that is going under renos right before my wedding lol

 

I also love the Pergola at NOW Jade!  I also just seen photos from a wedding by the fountain there and the were really nice.

 

From what i have read if your fiance is a foody then Azul is the place for you!!!  All of the brides that are foodie coming back are saying they choose AZUL just for the fact that the food is amazing!!!! YAY for you!!!  I was also looking here but my date was already taken so i kept looking. (my cousin is going here on the 10th of DEC i will have her take some pics!!!)

 

Having Adult Only as an option opens up so many doors!!  there are alot of AO resorts that i LOVED but because my family has so many younger kids that we want there AO was not an option for us

 

Alright i feel like i have gone on long enough!  Just excited to talk to someone in the same stage of there wedding

 

PS do you have a pic of your dress would love to see it! 

 

[AllieH]

I totally have a spreadsheet with all the things I want in a resort lol 

 

My dress is Sophia Tolli's Xandra (I didn't buy it from that site, it just has the best pic of the dress!). 

 

 

tell me about your dress! 

 

[MissNikki]

LOVE IT!!!  SO PRETTY!!!

I am still shopping for my dress!  There is a store here intown that will have all the new 2012 dresses in in January so i am going to go look then!

PLUS  my sister lives in vancouver so me and  my mom are going to go there for a girls weekend in febuary so i will also get to do a little shoppoing then might even go over to Seattel!!  (Im living in Grande Prairie AB so it will be fun to go to the big city!!)

 

There is one dress that i have found that i really like but nothing that I was like OMG I LOVE IT!!!  I have been looking for a picture of it but havent found one

 

So my fiance just informed me that if we find a great last minute deal after christmas we might just go do some site visits So if we do i can totally take a look for you!!  its always nice to have some personal photos!!!  You can just send me your exel of top prioritys and i can keep them in mind when we look!! Since it sounds like we like some of the same resorts! 

 

 

 

[AllieH]

thank you! I love the dress, but since I got it so early, am now having doubts. I know that's normal...and I know it'll be fine when it gets here. I think most of the doubts are more related to the store where I got it (hated the experience, but loved the dress!). I should have waited and found another shop that carried that same designer/line and ordered, but I got caught up in the moment. Oh well, I will love the dress (I'm repeating that to myself!). 

 

Geeez girl - you live in the middle of nowhere up there!!! All I can think of is "Brrrrrrrrr". 

 

Definitely go to the city to do the dress shopping - and try a whole bunch on. I was surprised by what ended up looking good on me, and the dress I got I almost didn't even try on because it looked awful on the hanger. 

 

I was reading up on the Adventura - I like the new wedding packages a lot! Especially the ones with fireworks. I like that they have all the decor laid out so it simplifies the decisions (those little details are a bit overwhelming to me! that's why I went with a DW vs. anything at home). When is it supposed to be converted to a Hard Rock?? I've stayed at the HR in Biloxi, MS - it was actually really awesome. We loved the decor of the rooms (modern, a bit edgy). I've also gambled at the Seminole Hard Rock near Miami. Another nice property. And of course the one in Vegas is incredible. 

 

and your fiancé rocks! I'd love to do site visits.We should have some prices in the next few weeks - I'll let you know what our finalist resort are if you do end up taking a trip down there. that'd be awesome! Maybe we should keep an eye out for last minute deals in Jan/Feb as well (we love to travel). I'm off to drop some hints to my guy... hehehe  

 

 

 

[MissNikki]

Hello Lady

 

So I have been having these pain attacks since August and i havnt had one in a while untill sunday afternoon and it was rediculous so I went to the DR again and this time they are saying that I have gul stones   I guess thats what the has been all along but when i had my first attack it was right after I had fallen in the river, so the DR thought i had a twisted esophugous??  so once I had done the test to see that my esophugous was fine we just thought it was pain from torn muscles in my chest.  Anyways just got back from my ultra sound to see whats going on in there!!  Now I just have to wait to see the DR.  My appoinment is not untill the 16th but i think i might just walk in to get my results!  Hopefully i dont need surgey, i dont want the scars

 

I have recived my first quote back for aventura and its like $1830 a person --- I dont know i feel like that a lot to ask everyone to pay to come to my wedding!  I keep thinking maybe i should find a cheaper resort, but then im not at all sold on the other wedding packages or they cost like double... and are still not as nice.  what is your price range for your guests?  where are you flying from? (i guess this makes a big difference)

 

PS i was looking at your dress again and I LOVE the lacey detail!  so pretty! 

[MissNikki]

OOPs for got to awsner your question about aventura, it will be rebranded HR for the Fall! its suppose to be done for fall so lets hope its ready for me in november!

[AllieH]

gallstones are no fun. I had my gallbladder out a few years ago - have 3 small scars from the scopes. it wasn't a tough recovery at all. 

 

I would like to keep it around $1200PP for 4 nights (and give people the option to stay longer if they want), including the airfare. I'm not sure how reasonable that is yet. I was pricing some of the Dec/Jan last minute deals, and for us to go for 3 nights it's around $700, so I'm hoping the $1200 will work. We are flying out of DFW, but everyone else will be coming from other cities - lots of other cities from coast to coast (and one lone friend from Toronto). My travel agent will earn her $$ with this one!! 

 

Personally I think $1800 PP is high. but it does depend on where you're flying from, and how long you are planning to stay. where are you flying out of? 

 

how many people are you hoping to have? I think we'll be happy if we have 20...but whether it's just us, or a big crowd, it'll still be awesome. 

 

I was drooling over some of the Palace's new Colin Cowie packages. with fireworks. I'd love, LOVE to have fireworks on my wedding day! silly, I know...