Royalton White Sands

[mysticjade]

My parents are throwing an AHR for me a month after our wedding and have hired a wedding coordinator to help them with the planning process. Apparently they mentioned to her that I am having my destination wedding at RWS and she completely GUSHED about the place! She went recently to scout the place and loved the resort so much that she wants to have HER wedding there!

 

When a wedding coordinator wants to have her own wedding in a certain place, that’s a serious seal of approval!

[Bee]

Hi all, great thread going here. Wish I was more involved in planning but my wedding is at the end of the year so I can't plan yet. My friend said I should consider venue options off the resort or at least get some pricing to compare RWS with. Has anyone tried to look at reception venues outside the RWS? Any idea where I should start? I want to have some pricing so I can assess the difference between what RWS is offering. Some of the things they are charging for are ridiculous! We have a very large group and we think we're already bringing them a lot of business so I think it's strange that they nickel and dime for everything. Thoughts?

[pamelas21]

My parents are throwing an AHR for me a month after our wedding and have hired a wedding coordinator to help them with the planning process. Apparently they mentioned to her that I am having my destination wedding at RWS and she completely GUSHED about the place! She went recently to scout the place and loved the resort so much that she wants to have HER wedding there!

 

When a wedding coordinator wants to have her own wedding in a certain place, that’s a serious seal of approval!

Oh my god that's awesome to read!!

 

Can't wait - so excited!!

 

<3

Hi all, great thread going here. Wish I was more involved in planning but my wedding is at the end of the year so I can't plan yet. My friend said I should consider venue options off the resort or at least get some pricing to compare RWS with. Has anyone tried to look at reception venues outside the RWS? Any idea where I should start? I want to have some pricing so I can assess the difference between what RWS is offering. Some of the things they are charging for are ridiculous! We have a very large group and we think we're already bringing them a lot of business so I think it's strange that they nickel and dime for everything. Thoughts?

Hey Bee!

 

I completely agree - it's insane what they're charging!

 

We're hosting a private event on the beach and are paying $10 an hour per person AN HOUR LOL for open bar! We're doing 6 hours plus dinner....

 

Just crazy I think!

 

My fiancé and I are floored with the prices!

 

But I keep saying to him - could be worse! I have friends in Toronto that have had weddings north of $70k and we're no where near that!

 

I will say I looked into off resort BUT the royalton is in the middle of nowhere and I was concerned that transportation to and back would be too long for our 51 guests....

 

Either way I did look into it! And you should too! It's good to check out your options!

 

How big is your group??

 

Good luck girl!

 

Pam

[Bee]

wow! I sorta looked through the packages and noticed that they only offer a bartender for 2 hours and then we'd have to pay $10 per hour per person extra. We'll probably have around 90 guests total. So the resort is making more than $100k just from the packages off our wedding. You think they'd give you a break on some of the other services based on what you're bringing them! I think I read that a dance floor for 50 people is $750 so I will need two of those. It's just insane! A friend got married in mexico with 60 guests at a 5 star resort and it cost them $20k. I have no idea what to budget for this wedding now because of how expensive each little thing is. I am going to look for places around RWS -- there's got to be a restaurant or something where I can get a quote -- just to compare what RWS is charging.

[pamelas21]

I know it really is insane! I can't believe my fi and I thought this wedding would cost $10K max LOL yeah right!

 

Honestly we have 53 people total and we're spending more than your friend! I can't imagine having 90 people!

 

It's good because you have all of your loved ones BUT it's bad because the resort really takes alot out of you! And you're right you would have to get two dance floors! Plus I'm sure there are other things you'll have to double up on!

 

We're doing the FREE package and doing everything else a la carte...it just doesn't make sense to pay for any of the packages with the size of our group. If we had 20 people it makes sense...if we had 35 people it still makes sense but after that you're better off going the a la carte route!

 

I confirmed that yesterday when I did an excel price list comparison....

 

Good luck with the search! Keep us posted on your plans! <3

 

Pam

[SoEze]

I'm floored by the prices that I'm hearing. Yikes! It's amazing how a package starting as low as "free" can end up in the thousands smh. I'm soooo not looking forward to this :-/. Just curious, are the prices jacked up because of the things you guys want (private event) or is it the basics like flowers, decorations etc. that are causing the prices to go through the roof?

Weddings are such rip offs! They see us coming and raise the prices smh

[Bridetobe771]

My guests list including my fiancé and I is up to 34 people. I'm estimating less than 20 people in total at the wedding. I'm also doing the "free" wedding and adding on the Jamaica Experience. I'm really hoping to keep our wedding under $10,000. I think my biggest expense will be pictures. Thanks to the girls on this thread for pushing me to looking into external photographers You were right! It is better than the RWS photography packages

Pamelas21 have you received pricing from Merrick Clousey? They are the only photographers that haven't sent me pricing.

[pamelas21]

I'm floored by the prices that I'm hearing. Yikes! It's amazing how a package starting as low as "free" can end up in the thousands smh. I'm soooo not looking forward to this :-/. Just curious, are the prices jacked up because of the things you guys want (private event) or is it the basics like flowers, decorations etc. that are causing the prices to go through the roof?

Weddings are such rip offs! They see us coming and raise the prices smh

 

I think the packages work really well for a max guest list of 35 people AND if you want your semi-private reception at an a la carte.

 

My fiance and I are having a private beach ceremony and reception which is why it costs so much more! So we're paying $100 a person! That doesn't include, photography, flowers, and things like a steel drum band, dance floor, etc!

 

It really adds up!

 

I just think it's silly to pay for alcohol when we're at an all inclusive! :S

My guests list including my fiancé and I is up to 34 people. I'm estimating less than 20 people in total at the wedding. I'm also doing the "free" wedding and adding on the Jamaica Experience. I'm really hoping to keep our wedding under $10,000. I think my biggest expense will be pictures. Thanks to the girls on this thread for pushing me to looking into external photographers You were right! It is better than the RWS photography packages

Pamelas21 have you received pricing from Merrick Clousey? They are the only photographers that haven't sent me pricing.

 

Hey hun! So happy you're saving money by going with an external photographer!

 

Yes, I did - here you go!

 

Basic $1,800

3 hours on location

Min 200 photos

 

Classic $2,600

Coverage - getting ready to reception close

DVD - min 300 images

Photo retouch

Online Gallery

 

Deluxe $3,500

Coverage - getting ready to reception close - two photographers

DVD - min 500 images

Flush mount album

Photo retouch

Online Gallery

 

[Bee]

Has anyone tried to negotiate? I'm wondering if that's an option. Worth a try. Anyone who has a large group should get some sort of discount! I was just looking through the basic packages and nothing works for us so I'm assuming we'll go with the a la carte? Now I know why so many people choose Mexico -- it's so much cheaper! We're bringing a friend who is a photographer so we're saving some money on that but I know it will all add up when we add rehearsal dinner plus wedding/reception. I can't plan my wedding til June because that's what I've been told. I was emailed the documents for wedding packages, food, drink, music etc. I was also able to get the flower and decor pdf thanks to Pam. Are there any other documents I should be looking at?

Also, all the outdoor receptions have to end at 11pm? Anyone with an upcoming wedding concerned about that? I know my guests will want to party later than that!

[pamelas21]

Hi Bee!

 

Another bride on here that recently got married offered a few tips and advice and one of the things she wrote was to definitely negotiate a bit!

 

I’ve tried with Laura and so far have gotten $5 off LOL so instead of paying $87per person for food and open bar I’m paying $82.

 

My date was changed because of an error with the Royalton which is a huge deal to me – I had already sent out save the dates, my guests were booked in and the website was up and you think they would’ve offered me something for the inconvenience but they didn’t! :S

 

I looked into many resorts before booking the Royalton and I honestly didn’t feel Mexico was cheaper!

 

Yeah outdoor receptions have to end at 11pm which really sucks! Chris and I did think about moving the party to the ballroom from 11pm to 2am for example  but then we would’ve had to pay $10 per person per hour for open bar plus moving the DJ, etc. So we’ve decided to end it at 11pm and ask our guests to join us for an afterparty at the Sports Bar!

 

I know you can’t plan until June but I’ve started an excel file (I’m a marketing analyst) so this is normal for me LOL to track costs and stuff. Here’s what I’m doing:

As part of the Free Package you get 10 people included for a semi-private at one of the a la cartes. Important Note: Laura told me that only the Italian could seat my 53 guests. The steakhouse and Zen could not seat a party of that size SO make sure you ask Laura if the Italian can even fit your 90 guests!

 

So we’re doing the Rehearsal Dinner at Italian a la carte - 10 people are included as part of the Free Package after that I have to pay $20 per person so $20 x 43 people.

Wedding Ceremony, Cocktail and Reception - Private Event on the beach
We're doing 4 hours of open bar that's $10 per person per hour = $40 plus Surf and Turf dinner which includes 2 hours of open bar at $47 per person = $87 per person for our wedding drinks and dinner. BUT Laura has given me a $5 discount so $82per person.

 

Bee, my honest opinion is don’t go with any of the packages that you have to pay for – they’re just not worth it for a group your size! 90 people is a lot!

 

I would go with the Free Package and add from there – I’ve done the math for both options and for my group of 53 it was more cost effective to do the Free Package and add on after that!

 

Hope this helps! <3

 

Pam

Edited May 14, 2014 by pamelas21