Azul Beach Weddings 2014

[TiffanyG]

Is anyone doing live ceremony music? We are having a very small ceremony in Feb and would love a simple guitar but $650 seems steep. Curious what others are doing for ceremony music...

[girlinthecity97]

Happy New Year All: 

 

I'm planning a Feb 2015 wedding but saw this thread and thought I'd jump in because I know we are wayyyy early in our planning. I'm going to the Dress Rehearsal later this month and am happy to take pics and make a more detailed report. 

 

From what I've read, some of the 2012 & 2013 brides used a company called Fresa Weddings (http://www.fresaweddings.com/) to get things that they wanted such as gazebo fabric, flowers, fire dancers, cake, cake pops etc... for cheaper than what Lomas charges (including the $800) fee. 

 

Hope this helps. 

[tmcdonald]

Thanks for the info.  I wonder how that works with the wedding planner at the hotel.  I am going to look in to it.

[girlinthecity97]

Thanks for the info.  I wonder how that works with the wedding planner at the hotel.  I am going to look in to it.

@Tmcdonald:

 

As I understand it, this doesn't impact the wedding planner at the resort. The planner simply makes sure that everything is set up etc to your specific requests.  This is more of an issue with Lomas as they prefer you to book their vendors etc.. I would confirm that an outside vendor like Fresa is allowed to come on-site before paying the outside vendor fee and get it in writing so there are no issues later down the road should you go the outside vendor route.  

 

The other brides seem to have had no problem but I would check to make sure - as things change.  I'll also try to get info on how it works re outside vendors when I'm down there. 

[talicea7812]

Hi GirlinTheCity...Congrats on the engagement/wedding.  Thanks for the info.  I'm so frustrated with the whole planning process. Im in the final countdown.  96 days to go.  Its like pulling teeth trying to get answers from anyone! My planner is the worst.  Takes days to respond & at this point I would like to hammer down some details. 

 

Due to the lack of communication, I am planning on bring a lot of my own decorations.  Lomas charges $4 a chair sash.  I can buy them online for .81cents! 

 

The centerpiece I asked for was quoted at $400 bc it has orchids (which according to them are expensive bc they are imported) I was told to get tropical flowers (by their definition includes roses, gerber daisies, & carnations)  all filler/everyday flowers to me.

 

Good luck with planning! have u figured out color/theme?

 

 

[TammyWright]

Not sure if anyone has shared but I just posted pictures of the new Karisma Wedding Collections.

 

Vintage Elegance

 

Sophisticated Soiree

 

Pure Glamour

 

Majestic Flair

 

Colonial Charm

 

Coastal Bliss

[girlinthecity97]

@@talicea7812 - ughhhhh say it isn't so! My TA said they had one of more responsive planning teams! Where did you get the sashes from? I am thinking we will have to buy lots because paying the vendor fee for things like photography and videography is killing the budget.

 

My color scheme is classic black & white with a touch of "champagne" (aka pale gold). I want the invite to be on pale shimmer gold paper with black matting. This however does not tie with my Save the Date (as Martha Stewart would mandate lolol). I am leaning against using many flowers and instead using candles, floating candles, etc as much as necessary.

How about you? Who are you using vendor-wise and what's your decorum? I couldn't agree more re "filler" flowers. That is nucking futs!

 

Thanks @tammyhost!

 

Not sure if anyone has shared but I just posted pictures of the new Karisma Wedding Collections.

 

Vintage Elegance

 

Sophisticated Soiree

 

Pure Glamour

 

Majestic Flair

 

Colonial Charm

 

Coastal Bliss

[talicea7812]

Well my theme is peacock.  With the colors purple, royal blue & teal.

 

After getting the $400 flower quote, im looking elsewhere for centerpieces.  My karisma planner doesn't seem to be willing to go to bat for me and get a better price (like a planner here would do). I've also been referred to the Lomas site and im not impressed with the flowers.  Most are roses, boring, and overpriced for something very small. 

 

We are having a very small wedding...only about 30 ppl.  So we are hoping to doing an unconventional table setup that I found on pinterest.  It's an "X" shape.  We can fit all the guests at that table and it only requires one centerpiece in the middle where the tables intersect.  Since we will only need the one centerpiece I want something tall!  I've come across some pretty ostrich feather centerpieces on Etsy.  They're pretty cool and are lighted so we can adjust them to our color scheme.  The same vendor also sells the submerged orchid vase centerpieces.  I think im going to get a couple of them to surround the feather centerpiece.  I've tried to upload some pics but for whatever reason its not working. I want to print out the dinner menus and place them on each setting with a peacock feather tucked in the napkin fold (again, another pinterest idea).  I'm trying to find place holders in either teal or something that I can paint.  Other than that I don't really think much more is needed for reception décor.  We're going to be on the "Chil Terrance."

 

Ceremony décor we will be using Lomas  

I would like to do the ceremony on the beach at the little thatched roof hut thing.  I want to get a small flower arrangement to hang on each side and maybe and table with an arrangement.  Previously, I discussed with my planner that I will not be needing the bouquets included in our wedding package.  I am getting crediedt that money towards ceremony flowers instead...and we also have a $200 deposit that is supposed to be for optional amenities...so we will put that towards the flowers too.  As for ceremony chair decorations... I found raffia starfish things that hang on the chairs.  I'm going to hang those on the chairs that line the aisle and add some peacock feathers to tie them into the theme. 

 

Photography:  I refused to use the approved photographers.  The prices were high for pictures that they didn't even edit.  So basically $1000+ for point and shoot pics! no way!  I am using a local photog & im so excited about her.  Im paying for her to stay 3 nights so we avoid the vendor fee and I got her services at a discounted rate since im paying her stay.  It balanced out to about $3000 for her (about the same we would have paid for full wedding coverage with a Mexico photog)

 

Videographer- Haven't booked anyone   Don't know if we can actually afford it.  We did a honeymoon registry so we're hoping that the money contributed to that will help up get a videographer!

 

Music- Haven't booked anything but will most likely just do a sound system.  One of my bridesmaids is really good with music selection.  I'll leave her in charge of compiling an awesome playlist.

 

Sorry for such a long post.  I'll try later to post some pics!

[girlinthecity97]

@@talicea7812 - no apologies necessary! your post is super helpful.  so many have made comments about the "nickle & diming" but no one really goes into details why. until now, i've pretty much only been able to deduce that it's associated with the outside vendor fee/per outside vendor (totally understandable) but i wasn't sure on what else. did you go with any of the packages? is that why they are giving you the "blues" re flowers etc? that's the other thing i'm confused about. hopefully our upcoming trip will help clear a lot of things up. did you go down for the dress rehearsal? my ta confirmed that we are all set but i'd like to "sneak" off and go check out other properties and meet some vendors (e.g., photographers) while we are there.

 

theme:  your colors and theme sound BEAUTIFUL!!! can't wait to see pics i also love your "x" table formation idea - very unique! did you do a peacock theme for your save the dates as well? i'm thinking of doing the luggage tag holders but inserting pics of the beach with the save-the-date info on it. since i plan to send it out once we nail down the resort, i figured it would entice guests to come seeing how rough this winter is shaping out to be. 

[talicea7812]

Okay....so I think I figured out how to post pics.  Here's some of the things I've done already.  Lots of DIY

 

Invitations- Designed by me! I got the boarding pass idea off etsy however the prices were crazy high! It would have cost over $300 for the invitation tickets, holders, and monogram bands.  I don't have design software so I again, turned to etsy.  the design was hand drawn and sent to an artist who turned it into a digital file that I was able to take to staple and print on my own.  The monogram on the outside was done on mircosoft word.  Everything was hand cut by me.  I also has matching stamps and labels printed on zazzle.  Including the stamps & labels everything would have cost about 350-400...but since I did it myself if came to $150.  Not too bad.  My only regret is that I didn't use heavier card stock. 

 

Centerpieces will most likely be these light up ostrich feather things off Etsy.

 

I think we are going to need 4...so we'll light 2 purple and 2 blue.

 

I've attached a pic of the ceremony location. 

 

Undecided about décor.  I like these starfish things from Etsy...I was thinking maybe just add peacock feathers to them to unite the peacock theme to the fact that its a beach wedding.  I will alternate the colors- purple, teal, and blue

 

If I don't use them I will just do chair sashes on the chairs that line the aisle.