2015 Iberostar Rose Hall Suite Bride

[jnj2102]

Hi Everyone!  I am getting married on 7/10/15 in Iberostar Rose Hall Suites!  I am just now starting to think about wedding invitations, photographers, videographers, florists, and the like.  I did send out my save the dates though (yay) and I found my dress and the bridesmaid dresses.  I look forward to hearing everyone's progress as they plan their weddings this year!

[budgetbride2015]

@@jnj2102 Welcome!!!!! We are here to help ....I'm bringing my own photographer and videographer with me. For decor im using Godfrey Guy he's local in Jamaica very creative and very reasonable. U won't have any communication issues with him he responds right away and emails new ideas ....programs I'm going the DIY route

 

.invitations im using wedding paper divas..my wedding is 8/8/15

Congratulations on the dress thats when it feels real

[Beachlight]

Hi, new to this site and I'm planning a wedding for June 2015 (very short planning period). Some of you are booking outside photographers but my contract says I can't. How are you getting around that? I just signed my contract this week. I'm nervous about using digipix..... They don't have much to display on their website. Does anyone know if they're any good?

Also, does anyone have a copy of the final checklist? I just want to know what I should be thinking about. I'm having a very small wedding - 15 people max. I'm wanting to book all of our dinner reservations before going. According to the hotel website, you get 4 dinner reservations for a seven night stay. Does anyone know if the reception dinner is included in that four? Thanks for all of your posts.... It has been so helpful since Loreto is horrible at communication.

 

I've seen other brides post about doing wish lanterns and I'd love to do that. Has anyone asked if this is still okay? Thanks!

[budgetbride2015]

@@Beachlight Welcome!!!!! Yes u can bring in your own u just have to pay the vendor fees. Some will pay it for you. Mine will be a guest at the hotel so I don't think I'll have to pay since the vendor fee is a one night stay at the hotel

[beckys98]

Hi Beachlight - Here are some answers to your questions. 

 

You CAN bring an outside photographer, but a vendor fee does apply. Many, many photographers will cover the vendor fee for you. I'm using Stacey Clarke and she covers the vendor fee. I have not heard many good things about DigiPix and I understand their prices aren't even very good for what you get. So you should definitely explore. My top 3 were Stacey Clarke, WPAJ/Sungold, and Misha Earle. 

 

You will not be able to make your dinner reservations ahead of time. You will be asked to select restaurants for your reception dinner (and a rehearsal dinner if you have one) on your final details sheet, but I don't think they confirm those with you until a couple weeks before. The rehearsal dinner would count as one of the 4 a la cart reservations, but the wedding dinner won't. With a group of 15 your dinner will be "semi-private" at one of the restaurants. You have to have 40 people to have a private dinner.

 

I highly recommending sending one email to the wedding coordinators with multiple questions. I've gotten quick replies - but they literally have weddings EVERY day so they are very busy ladies! I wouldn't worry. I've never heard a single bride have anything even remotely negative to say about their experience with the wedding coordinators once they got closer to their day. They just have to prioritize!

 

On wish lanterns, you can do them if they are the environmentally friendly/biodegradable kind. However, I've seen a majority of brides say they had trouble lighting them because of the wind on the beach and they didn't work. Others have been able to do it successfully. So just know it would be a risk! 

 

 

Hi, new to this site and I'm planning a wedding for June 2015 (very short planning period). Some of you are booking outside photographers but my contract says I can't. How are you getting around that? I just signed my contract this week. I'm nervous about using digipix..... They don't have much to display on their website. Does anyone know if they're any good?
Also, does anyone have a copy of the final checklist? I just want to know what I should be thinking about. I'm having a very small wedding - 15 people max. I'm wanting to book all of our dinner reservations before going. According to the hotel website, you get 4 dinner reservations for a seven night stay. Does anyone know if the reception dinner is included in that four? Thanks for all of your posts.... It has been so helpful since Loreto is horrible at communication.

I've seen other brides post about doing wish lanterns and I'd love to do that. Has anyone asked if this is still okay? Thanks!

[Beachlight]

Thank you both so much for all the information! I'm glad to hear the communication with the wedding coordinators gets better. Once you've booked, who is that you communicate with? Is it still Loreto?

 

Beckys98: since you're getting married the same month I am, what restaurants have you chosen for your rehearsal and reception dinners and why? I would love to do the steakhouse on the beach, I'm sure it's a gorgeous sunset, but I'm worried about the casual dress code and atmosphere being a little too casual. We have such a small wedding party so there will be many other hotel guest there with us. Have you asked the wedding planners what exactly they mean by semi-private?

[beckys98]

Hi @@Beachlight - We are hoping to do the Steakhouse for our rehearsal dinner. I didn't want to do it for our wedding because it is outdoor and I'm really paranoid about being TOO hot, sweaty and uncomfortable in my dress. I definitely want the air conditioning for the reception. But I'm not so worried for the rehearsal dinner. I think the only restaurant that is more formal than the others is Calabash; but I think they are all "nice" and you're group should be fine. 

 

For a private reception they tell you which restaurant based on the size of your group. We should be at Calabash since we'll be around 70, which is what I want anyway. I feel like the decor there is neutral enough that any decor we bring won't look odd. The Mediterranean is kind of nautical looking and the Mexican is, well, Mexican. I'd really be fine with any of them (except steakhouse) though!

 

From what other brides have said, they try not to seat other guests around you for a semi-private dinner, but basically your group is just sitting together in one section of the restaurant. Most have said they were by themselves until the end of their meal (assuming they started dinner at 6:30) and have said that they didn't even notice the other guests in the restaurant!

 

As far as coordinators, I've heard from both Nicole and Simone. Simone just sent me my final details sheet this week! 

[CarlyW]

I'm getting married at the Suites in July of this year. I went their last October, and absolutely loved it. I am in the process of hiring outside hair and makeup from In Your Face Beauty Bar. I love what I see on their website www.inyourfacebeautybarjm.com. I'm having a hard time deciding which photographer to choose though. I absolutely love Dean Clarke. My fiancé is hell bent on Dwayne Watkins, whose work is gorgeous. Who are you guys using?

[beckys98]

We looked at Dwayne Watkins but he was out of my budget! My top 3 were Misha Earle, WPAJ, and Stacey Clarke - and we decided on Stacey Clarke. Her package pricing was excellent and I liked the tropical, bright feel her photos had. Some of the others were a little more vintage or dramatic in their editing style, and I really want to make sure the photos look beachy and light.

 

Stacey covers the vendor fee and the Monday after our wedding she is going to take us off the resort to get some additional pictures - my fiance is Jamaican so we really want some photos where you can tell we are there!

 

Does Your Face Beauty do both hair and makeup? I've pretty much decided on the spa to avoid paying a vendor fee, but I love the idea of getting my hair and make up done in my room to avoid the heat as much as possible. And I'd love airbrush make up...

[NenaRoss]

Hey Ladies! Quick Tip especially for guests who can't attend, my fiance and I figured out how to live stream the wedding via YouTube for free minus the cost of a hotspot rental and live stream camera.  I will let you all know how exactly it turns out when I return in April.