NEED HELP PICKING VENUE PLEASE!! - End of Nov 2013 Bride

[shaeshae18]

I'm a Bride looking to have a wedding on Nov 30, 2013.  This happens to be Thanksgiving weekend.

 

We will have approximately 30 guests joining us.

 

We would like for our guests not to have to pay too much for the entire weekend.  If it is AI, we'd like to stay around $250-300/night per couple.  If not an AI, then closer to $150-200 per couple.  For flights, a majority of us will be flying out of the NY/NJ area (with access to LGA, JFK, EWR and the Phili Airport) and would like to stay around $350-500 on flights.

 

Our budget is $10,000 for the wedding, including everything but our own travel and hotel. We will probably stay a full week to a week and a half.

 

Thankfully, the end of Nov is a low season, but I want to make sure the weather is still good no matter where we book.

 

We are open to ANY venue in the Caribbean and Central America.  We have looked at almost every location and cannot come to a decision.  We love Negril because of the beautiful cliffs.  We love Turks and Caicos because of the gorgeous beaches. What we know we definitely want is a 4-5star hotel, something very clean and updated, for our guests, but we don't want a large AI.  We really don't want the feel of getting lost, we want this to be an intimate affair with our closest friends and family.  So, nothing like Beaches, Couples, Riu, Occidental, etc. 

 

I feel like no one has gone back and forth more than we have.  Originally, we were set on Negril, but had tons of trouble finding something beautiful, affordable, and that had availability.  We changed course and decided on a large AI in Punta Cana (Majestic Elegance), but then decided that we didn't really like the large AI idea and went with T+C.  I got pricing for some of resorts on T+C and even though some of them are affordable, the flights are expensive and from what I understand, having a wedding there is double our budget because the island is so expensive.  Now we're looking at Negril again...

 

Anyone with similar budgets and interests out there?  Anyone who already had a wedding or is planning a wedding with advice to help me pick? 

 

Clearly, I really need help!!

 

Thanks in advance!

[Arch713]

Congratulations on your planning!
 

I think you are definitely on the right track and are knowing what you like/want and are limiting based on your criteria. I think you should think about what type of environment and theme you would like. Every island has its own character and personality - so find what fits you and your FI.

 

While there are many other places- but have you thought of St. Thomas, Bermuda, Aruba or if you like the T&C - maybe other smaller islands similar like St. Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Johns?

 

It might be a good idea to find a travel agent who you like and get along with and have the travel agent kind of do the leg work/searching for you. Then the agent can come back with results within your criteria for you to decide. 

 

I like that you are open to so many places including Central America - how exciting.

 

Lastly, looking around this board for people who have had weddings all over might inspire ideas too.

 

Good luck!

[shaeshae18]

We have looked at a lot of different islands.  We're very excited to do something different and unique.  I think the question is the amount of money we can spend.  If it's not much, an All Inclusive will have to be the way we go.  If we have more in our budget, I think we can do something a bit more expensive, like T+C or another small island.  And, we have to see how much it will cost our guests and how much we're willing to ask them to spend.  It's crazy how much airfare changes from one island to the next! 

[Dazeydawl]

Hey shaeshae. I'm getting married at tensing pen on the cliffs of Negril. It's. A small boutique hotel with about 19 cottages for a total of 22 rooms. I booked in the off season cause the nightly rates are almost half. Each cottage is priced individually so it does fit alot of budgets being anywhere from 120 a night upto 460 for the 3 bedroom cottage which is great for families or if 3 couples want to get togethr and share (it has it's own kitchen and everythig). So some of the rates fall in your budget but some are higher. It's not AI but the rooms rates do include breakfast. I haven't got to into the actually wedding planning yet but expect to pay about 4g for the cocktail hour with appetizers and reception with 2 hour open bar. Our budget is about 15g but I'm sure we could cut alot out and that also includes bringing down our own photographer.

[shaeshae18]

Congratulations on booking your resort/venue!  I've seen tensing pen and it has REALLY good reviews on tripadvisor (my go-to hotel-booker).  Negril looks beautiful and my friends went their on their honeymoon and loved it. 

 

While the cliffs are wonderful and amazing, I've always dreamed of an actual beach wedding and I wonder if I will regret not doing a beach.  I'm not sure I will because the pictures I've seen of weddings in Negril have been AMAZING. 

 

Clearly, I'm just very indecisive!  I just want to island hop and have my wedding at all these locations!!!

[shaeshae18]

BTW - I find it interesting that May is considered the off-season for Negril, yet is a very high season for T+C... something to consider I suppose.  I'm my BFF"s MOH and she is getting married July 5th, 2013, with her honeymoon in Europe sometime that summer. I feel like I cannot pick a date before her wedding and I cannot do it in the summer because that might be too much for her with her honeymoon.  That's why I've pushed it into Nov, since it's still the off-season for tons of places, Thanksgiving is a time people won't need to take any vacation days, but the weather should be nice because it's the end of hurricane season.  If I push it into Dec, we're looking at people either taking time off or us going into the high season when everything is DOUBLE the price.  Eek!  Decisions!

[Dazeydawl]

Well there is 7 mile beach just 10 mins down the road. Maybe not for the ceremony but for pics after or next day TTD!

[Dazeydawl]

I picked may specifically because it's the off season and the prices are lower. Most DW insee are on the beach in the sand or in a gazebo so for menthe cliffs are what make my wedding unique and truth be told I hate the feel of sand under my toenails, lol, I knew I would bug me!! I didn't want my guests to have to pay too much but at the same time it is our wedding and not just a vacation so I wanted something nicer then the standard AI. Not that theres not really beautiful AI resorts out there but me and my fiancé are very private people and I just didn't want spectators.

[shaeshae18]

That is a good point, I could always do the TTD shoot on the beach...

[2bmrstremblay]

Originally Posted by shaeshae18 

 

That is a good point, I could always do the TTD shoot on the beach...

I was thinking about doing a TTD shoot on the beach in the second week of our honeymoon! That way all the guests would be gone and I could just focus on having a fun photo shoot!