Pastor York

[SimplenSweet]

I just wanted to tell you all THANK YOU! I fought my WC tooth and nail and got her to drop the $638 charge for Pastor York. PPC basically stated that "we just got a new policy where WE have to book the pastor butttttt we'll grandfather you in". How kind of them

 

anyways, they are letting me just pay the $120 for an outside vendor fee- which I think is much better- still not completely happy about it but just glad I got the $600 charge dropped.

 

THANK YOU for alerting me to this!

[JasminB]

thats awesome!! 120 is not bad at all I am having to pay 200 at the Riu Bavaro for an outside vendor fee!!

[maridr2012]

SimplenSweet, whats going to be your final price then for having Pastor York marry you at PPC?  I'm going to end up paying $522 (their fee last year when I booked the wedding was $450 + 16% tax).  For any weddings booked in 2012 they are charging the $638 they tried to get you for ($550 + 16% tax).  I don't mind it terribly too much that I still have am paying more than what he states his fee is $350, but I figured since if I just pay him directly I'd still have to pay the resort the outside vendor fee it's only a difference of like $50.  Also, I'm hoping that working directly thru the resort will give me more peace of mind in securing a pastor since he already told me he's not available on my date. 

 

But, good for you for sticking to your guns about it!

[SimplenSweet]

I actually will end up paying $470 total. $350 directly to Pastor York and then $120 to the resort. All in all, I've saved $168 (oh boy!) lol. Oh well, better than nothing I guess. It just makes me mad that I'm going to have to watch everything to closely though.

 

I'm also bringing my own photographer from the US (booking her a room for 3 nights in exchange for her photography services) and I'm hoping to only pay the $120 for her as well since I'm listing her as my guest and paying for her for my wedding package ($40 for her for the Fantasy package that I've arranged). If they tried to charge me that outrageous $1000 for the outside photographer fee we would really have a brawl! Basically, I'm just going to say that she's a friend who just happens to take photos. I don't see how they could charge me the $100 when I'm paying for her to be in everything and booking her as a guest?

[maridr2012]

Since your photographer is staying at the resort and she is a "guest" at your wedding, you won't need to pay another $120 for her as an external vendor fee for a day pass.  They can't charge you that fee because she's already staying there.

Originally Posted by SimplenSweet 

I actually will end up paying $470 total. $350 directly to Pastor York and then $120 to the resort. All in all, I've saved $168 (oh boy!) lol. Oh well, better than nothing I guess. It just makes me mad that I'm going to have to watch everything to closely though.

 

I'm also bringing my own photographer from the US (booking her a room for 3 nights in exchange for her photography services) and I'm hoping to only pay the $120 for her as well since I'm listing her as my guest and paying for her for my wedding package ($40 for her for the Fantasy package that I've arranged). If they tried to charge me that outrageous $1000 for the outside photographer fee we would really have a brawl! Basically, I'm just going to say that she's a friend who just happens to take photos. I don't see how they could charge me the $100 when I'm paying for her to be in everything and booking her as a guest?

[maridr2012]

Hey girls.  So, after 3 weeks of several emails back and forth between Pastor York - when he told me that he wouldn't be available for my November wedding, nor would his backup pastor...and me kinda freaking out and stressing over it...I FINALLY have a new confirmed pastor - referred by Pastor York himself.  The pastor that will be marrying us is Pastor Torribio Francisco, and the WC at my resort has confirmed he is available, I am paying for his service directly thru the resort.  It'll be a tad bit more expensive than going thru Pastor York directly, but at this point I don't care, I was desperate to have a pastor marry us and not just a regular symbolic ceremony by one of the resort employees.  The only down side is Pastor Francisco only speaks Spanish, so the WC onsite will have to translate the ceremony in English (Pastor York will provide a transcript of the English translation).  To me i'ts not such a big deal because my parents and some of my relatives attending only speak Spanish anyway...but when I mentioned it to my FI he wasn't very happy, as he and his family only speak English!  LOL.  But...at least we're having a Pastor do the ceremony for us which will be a special touch, and we'll technically already be married by the time we get there anyway (stateside legal ceremony a few days before departing).  

 

So, to sum it up...my words of advice to any couples that have not yet secured your officiant, do this early on and document it!  If you're planning on using Pastor York, who's basically the only Pastor that officiates ceremonies in PC, email him early on and lock in your date and time!  If you're planning on getting married in early November like I am, contact him soon to get backup options!

[JasminB]

WOW I heard he books fast i am not getting married til june 2013 and i already confirmed him for my wedding. Glad everything worked out for you !!!!

[KelcT]

Has anyone experienced bringing your own pastor with you? My uncle is an ordained minister and i would rather him do the ceremony then some stranger that I don't know. He will be staying at the same resort as us (Paradisus). I was just curious if they allowed a pastor that is not on their "list".

[SimplenSweet]

I'm sure they will charge you the $120 "outside vendor fee". That is the standard charge for bringing someone from the outside in I believe

[johnm]

Yes you can have anyone you'd like do the ceremony. If you are getting a civil/legal ceremony you'll still need to meet with the judge separately to sign the official paperwork and say an official "I do" in front of him. But the ceremony can be read by someone else.