2014 Paradisus Palma Real

[EVKnowsitall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandGirl808 
 

 

Yup, still hanging around Your wedding is less than 5 months away, my wedding is 6 months away... time is counting down!! Hope all is going well. Things are going smoothly for me so far.. only thing is that this vendor fee we're going to end up paying for outside photographers/videographers is so annoying. Sucks that these resorts try to force you to use their vendors by implementing astronomical vendor fees - especially for photos/videos, which are so important. Anywhow, right now we are deciding on the fire show and looking into other entertainment options. All else is so far so good! (knock on wood)

 

I agree. But I paid the vendor fee for my photographer...well technically I just booked him as a guest for three days because its cheaper and if they are a guest for a minimum of 3 days, you do not have to pay the fee. It was $606 to book him a room and $1,000 for the fee so I saved nearly $400. For certain vendors- the fee is worth it.

 

Although I like my video- done by Arrecife, I wish I had paid the outside fee for videography as well. My photographer, since he was an off-site vendor, did not work in synch with the videographer. In the video, the photographer stepped into some shots. A videographer and photographer who work well with one another can avoid this. My photographer had a videographer he worked well with, but I couldn't pay the fee for two vendors. All in all, I am happy with our choice, as our video is beautiful- but I wish they had worked better together.

 

My recommendations for video would be to be clear about what you want. Only after our wedding did I find out Arrecife does "music videos". I would have loved this option, but I didn't know it existed. I would have paid extra to have it as a second video. Also- because my photographer was not the "on-site" one- he booked our first look really early in the day and the videographer was not "contracted" for that time, so he wasn't there. I wish he had been. He also didn't get video of me getting ready because he came 30 minutes before my ceremony and I got married off-site at the church and needed that 30 minutes to get there on time.

 

Have a clear sense of what you want. I recommend watching trailers from other weddings and explaining to your photographer/videographer what you want. Make a list of your must have pictures. I wish I had more pics of my veil blowing in the wind. I only have two and my veil was tangled. Making a list of your "money shots" will help guide your photographer.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

[EVKnowsitall]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krisod 
 

Hey Girls,

i've been trying to jump on the forum but i guess my last post never got put up. i am new to the planning process. i just put my deposit down for our wedding in august 2014 paradisus palma real. i have a few questions and im sure i will have a ton more as the planning process begins. does anyone know where they move your wedding to if it rains? we are having the beach ceremony and was planning the terrace for our reception. i dont know if this is going to be really cheesy and cheap looking. we hare having lots of guest come from all over and i just can't see having a wedding and then it rains right in the middle of things. What would you do if you were having dinner and it started to pour? has anyone had their reception at Gabi Beach Club? im thinking to pay this extra upgrade fee. also, does anyone know if there is an additional charge for the wedding coordinator that is on site?

thank you, cant wait to hear more feed back

 

There is no charge for the on-site coordinator. It is included in your package. However, they are limited in what they can do. For example- setting extra decor up comes with an additional charge. They will coordinate everything and direct people and vendors and stay with you the entire wedding to ensure everything goes according to plan.

 

I would email Miami and tell them in writing that you want a contingency plan in case of rain. Because of the extra room charges- I told them I wanted the Apollo Terrace- which is right outside the Apollo ballroom- in case of rain. Tell them in advance so in case there is another wedding the same day as yours, you have first dibbs. 

 

I wanted Olympus Terrace- it seems to be the ideal location for brides wanting an outdoor reception. You don't need to pay for a dance floor and it photographs nicely. I was initially disappointed the terrace was booked on our wedding day by another wedding party but to be honest, I could not have been more pleased with the set up on the beach. Since we married in the Catholic church, my guests were more than happy to kick off their shoes for a barefoot reception. We had more space on the beach too. I walked through the terrace after our wedding and found the space to be restrictive. Depending on your party size, while it can very well hold a big amount, the layout due to shape might not necessarily be the right fit. Most brides don't go for the beach but I am soooooo happy we did. It is really breezy at night, and you feel like you're in your own world. You can be rowdy and crazy and not worry about gawkers (though the couple who crashed our wedding, I didn't mind- they were getting married the next day and just wanted to see our setup haha)

 

Gabi Terrace is gorgeous. I considered it but could not rationalize the fee. It is the most exclusive and private section for a wedding, other than the ballrooms, looks elegant, and is right next to a private section of beach. Honestly- I think you can spend the privatization fee on better things- if you're willing to spend that kind of money, why not entertain guests with la hora loca or the fire dancers. Let people enjoy the experience rather than the location. There are so many less expensive options, I feel like Gabi is a waste. We did not have Gabi money- but if I had spare change, it would not be spent on that location, I'd spend it on enhancements to the wedding.

 

As far as using a ballroom...my whole thinking is if I wanted a ballroom reception, why go to DR. I could have gotten married in a ballroom in NY. The point of a DW is to bask in all the glory and beauty of nature. Even when it rains- it doesn't for long. My biggest fear was actually having to be stuck inside rather than having a gorgeous outdoor wedding.

 

Whatever you decide, you can't go wrong. I visited three other hotels and non compared to Paradisus. It looks more gorgeous in person than it does in pictures. It truly is the best resort to get married in. Sure there are sucky things like outside vendor fees, but I'd do it at Paradisus again in a heartbeat because the pros outweigh the cons.

 

Happy planning WOOO HOOOO DW's are the best!

[PPRBride2014]

Hi Ladies,

 

so I leave for PPR next Wednesday! We have our planning meeting on Thursday, our beach BBQ on Friday and our wedding is Saturday the 22. After this we are staying for another week as our mini honeymoon..... i am so excited yet so nervous.

 

We are having about 60 guests and more ppl are saying that they have decided to go which is annoying...

 

Anyway, any tips that can help will be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you,

 

Ana

[PPRBride2014]

Hello Ladies,

 

I know that there is not much activity on this forum right now but I wanted to give an update for any future brides.

 

My husband and I just got married at PPR on March 22, 2014 and I have to say that it was the BEST decision we ever made. The staff at the resort is friendly, caring and willing to help at all times. My Wedding coordinator was Claribel who was Magnificent. We also worked with Mariella and Nuria who were amazing. They are always there when you need them. I had a few moments when i felt that i was going to have a panic attack and they were there.

 

Regarding the wedding our friends and family loved it. We had a beach BBQ welcome dinner on Friday and it was AMAZING. The day of the wedding was perfect. I have to say that nothing went wrong, everyone had a great time. I put my faith on them and they delivered. 

 

A full review will come but i just wanted to let all future brides know that this is the place to go for your destination wedding. JUST PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ana

[mdcmod]

Any Paradisus brides still around?

 

My fiance and I were choosing our wedding destination between Punta Cana and Cancun. We SO badly wanted to Punta Cana, but only liked two resorts- Majestic Colonial and Paradisus Palma Real. Majestic didn't have any dates that would work, so we went to PPR. I started looking at all of the beach pics, and couldn't help but notice how much SEA GRASS is constantly on the beach and in the water. That was a huge turn off for me and figured it would be for our guests, too....

 

I am now starting to have regret. PPR is SUCH a beautiful resort and and Punta Cana in general is so much less commericialized than Cancun. I would give anything if PPR was set on a nicer part of the beach.

 

Has anyone else had any issues with the sea grass there? Literally every picture I look at, it looks like there's TONS of sea grass around.

[Julia Eskin]

Any Paradisus brides still around?

 

My fiance and I were choosing our wedding destination between Punta Cana and Cancun. We SO badly wanted to Punta Cana, but only liked two resorts- Majestic Colonial and Paradisus Palma Real. Majestic didn't have any dates that would work, so we went to PPR. I started looking at all of the beach pics, and couldn't help but notice how much SEA GRASS is constantly on the beach and in the water. That was a huge turn off for me and figured it would be for our guests, too....

 

I am now starting to have regret. PPR is SUCH a beautiful resort and and Punta Cana in general is so much less commericialized than Cancun. I would give anything if PPR was set on a nicer part of the beach.

 

Has anyone else had any issues with the sea grass there? Literally every picture I look at, it looks like there's TONS of sea grass around.

 

It really depends on the day! They usually clean the sea grass every morning and sometimes during the day too.  However, some days you will get some sea grass and some days the beach is just perfect (no sea grass at all). There is really no way to predict unfortunately.  I used to live really close to PPR and walked on that beach every day.  The beach is very wide and long and the resort is gorgeous!

[PPRBride2014]

Any Paradisus brides still around?

 

My fiance and I were choosing our wedding destination between Punta Cana and Cancun. We SO badly wanted to Punta Cana, but only liked two resorts- Majestic Colonial and Paradisus Palma Real. Majestic didn't have any dates that would work, so we went to PPR. I started looking at all of the beach pics, and couldn't help but notice how much SEA GRASS is constantly on the beach and in the water. That was a huge turn off for me and figured it would be for our guests, too....

 

I am now starting to have regret. PPR is SUCH a beautiful resort and and Punta Cana in general is so much less commericialized than Cancun. I would give anything if PPR was set on a nicer part of the beach.

 

Has anyone else had any issues with the sea grass there? Literally every picture I look at, it looks like there's TONS of sea grass around.

 

 

Hey Mdcmod,

 

I can see why the sea grass May be an issue but trust me you don't even see it. It really did not show in any of our pictures... I think that PPR is the best place to have a wedding. I just got married there on March 22, 2014. I had my ceremony on the beach, my welcome BBQ on the beach and a romantic dinner in the beach on our last night and the sea grass was not an issue...

 

This place was top notch and all of our guests are still raving about it 3 weeks after!!!! I love all of my pictures and can't wait to see our wedding video!

 

 

Hope this helps!

 

Ana

[MrandMrsBonitto2016]

Hi!

I just got married at Paradisus Palma Real in May 2013. Happy to share EVERYTING! Can give the low down on the resort, staff, booking rooms, catering, event planning, music, photographers. Let me know how I can help!

Divatrotter!

Please share:)

Hey!

 

I am somewhat new to this post, but just as a reader I had my wedding at the Paradisus Palma Real on October 11 and had such a wonderful experience, I thought I'd share. Like many of you, I had my uncertainties and hesitations just based on what past brides have said. My advice to you is stay calm, stay organized and remember that your wedding day is about who you are sharing it with! Our ceremony, cocktail hour and reception were on the beach. It did begin to rain about half-way through our reception and it was suggested that we move indoors so we could continue to have the DJ. Obviously this wasn't ideal, but we got all of the important stuff taken care of outside before it rained. They moved us to the one of the ballrooms which had air-conditioning, that was a plus!

 

Here's a link to our "Sneak Peek" photos from our photographers. They are friends of ours and stayed with us as guests so we didn't have to pay the "outside vendor" fee.

 

http://blog.beyondthewell.com/2013/10/lisa-jeff-sneak-peek-paradisus-palma-real-wedding-punta-cana-dominican-republic/

 

Massiel was my coordinator on-site and she was absolutely amazing! She even offered suggestions during our planning meeting regarding lighting that made our wedding even more perfect/ true to our vision. She worked with us to plan a rehearsal the night of the wedding and 3 group dinners for 30 people at Vento, Aqua, and Bana- Bana was absolutely hands down the best food we had on the trip!

 

DJ Abentos was terrific! They respected our special requests and got the party started... fast! I don't think I stopped dancing for 3 hours straight. They are really good about taking requests of your guests, too. The Dominican Trio was also great and super friendly. We had them play during the cocktail hour.

 

Food- AMAZING! The appetizers at the cocktail hour were just enough to hold us over before the buffet at the reception. I'm normally not a buffet person, but selection #1 did not disappoint! The cake, like most say, is to die for too. They even made me a special gluten-free cake for the cake cutting!

 

Bottom Line- be patient, cooperative and kind with your coordinators and the staff at the resort and you're guaranteed to have a flawless wedding like we did!

 

I'm happy to answer any questions you might have!

 

Lisa

What is the fee for the DJ?

[2015DRBride]

Hi ladies,

 

We just booked PPR for 10.10.15. Very excited! Trying to decide where to have our reception. I think we will have about 50 people and we want plenty of room for dancing. For those who had a reception on the beach, what was the cost for the dance floor. Any unexpected expenses when you got there? Also wondering if the bridal suite is necessary for a beach ceremony. Any experiences? Anything you would have liked to know or would have changed?

 

Thanks!

[VNB11]

Hello Brides,

 

I just returned from my trip! So excited to share that the wedding was more than I can ask for! From the attention of my wedding coordinator, Sahoni (who by the way is the best!! She is really great at what she does and made me feel like everything was going to work out great, which it did), to the decor, entertainment, and food, it was just perfect for my husband and I. Throughout the night, my husband had a personal waiter who made sure that his drink was never empty and Sahoni and the romance team constantly (every few mins) checked on me. I have to say there was so many things that I loved about that night, but by far the violinist was one of my top favorites. He played contemporary songs, Rihanna - Diamonds, Bruno Mars-Marry me, to classics like Vivaldi-Spring. He is great and my guests were so impressed. We then had the Trio (Perico Ripiao) for the cocktail hour, which was a hit for my family, my husband's family and ourselves, our families are Dominican.   We used Abentos for our DJ. We gave him a list just a few days before the wedding and sure enough he had all the songs available. He played most of our songs and many of our guests were pretty much dancing the entire time he played. We can't complain. 

As for the food, we had a buffet (option #2). It was pretty delicious. I completely forgot to eat the desserts but many of my guests said it was very good. During the cocktail hour, we had three hot hor d'oeuvre (chicken, beef, and shrimp) soo yummy!!! 

 

My party was pretty large, close to 100 who stayed at the hotel and we had about 100 at the wedding. With that said, I highly recommend that you make reservations for the restaurants during the mornings. However, the romance department will hold about 14-15 seats for different restaurants for each day during your entire stay. Just make sure you confirm with your guests and the romance depart.

 

I decided to use the bridal suite, which I was not thoroughly impressed with. It was the same room my bridesmaids and I had, just with the beautician chairs and large mirrors. The cost for that room was $350. If your bridesmaids are available for you to use their room, I would say save the cash and use theirs. Or ask your romance coordinator to show you the available suite during your stay and decide if it is worth the price. 

 

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me.