Generations Riviera Maya 2015 Weddings (And 2014 Too)

[ChiTiff]

Also - Do any of you know what the Always & Forever Ceremony actually looks like (as in, pictures, not just a description)?  I can't get a reasonable response from my WC, but because we're doing our ceremony on the skydeck I'm hoping the landscape speaks for itself - I didn't want to have to spend another $3k to upgrade the ceremony as well.  

[rtscent]

@@ChiTiff they include little pictures of the ceremony set up in your details sheet once you get deeper into your planning. Your WC should be emailing you this. The always & firever package is very bare minimal. This is why I decided to bring some decorations bc everything was starting to add up. I'm paying the extra $500 to have the sky deck ceremony, another $500 for the pier reception. For example if you want to add gazebo flowers that's an additional $1600!!!! I'm getting fake gazebo bouquets made at bloom and bringing them with me. It's worth the hassle. They also charge $100 a bag for aisle flower petals and more. I would focus on what you actually want in your ceremony and reception cost it out with GRM/ Lomas and if you can DIY it or bring it I would.

 

 

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@@ChiTiff I'm using a TA to handle all of my guest travel accomadations. My guests were OK for the most part but you will always have people who are gripers.

 

 

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[girlinthecity97]

@@lauralane - Welcome and I totally agree with @rtscent, great info!!I haven't seen/found anything on the finished Sky Deck but did find a youtube video shot from the sky deck site.  I really hope they make the gazebo white and don't put an ugly wall & tiled floor like they did at some of their other properties. 

 

@@rtscent  - I too have a free cocktail reception but didn't know they limit the location you can have it in!!!   On other Karisma threads the brides were able to have it where they wanted. I hope that's the case with GRM.  

 

@@nicatella - we are going with a memorable moments reception package and tweaking it because when we priced the custom set ups at the BDR they were $400-$540, which is insane!      Given so many things are running over budget & depending on the number of guests we actually get, we are also thinking about bringing everything and using goodwill suitcases like @@rtscent mentioned.   

@@ChiTiff - WELCOME and congrats!!

@@rtscent - I too am looking into bringing all my flowers with me. I got a great quote from www.bloombridal.com 

[rtscent]

@@girlinthecity97 nice to see you back on the thread ! Bloom bridal is awesome

 

 

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[ChiTiff]

@girlinthecity97  Thanks for the tip on Bloom Bridal!  Welcome!

[kfracassi]

I was planning on a wedding at EDR, but now it looks like the best man is bringing his kids, so I'm now looking into the Generations/EDR combo. I have no clue about the reception locations for Generations. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

Thanks

[lauralane]

@@kfracassi Well, I'm pretty biased but I think you're making a great decision! I'm doing my wedding at Generations in March but plan on staying at EDR Casitas -- and I truly think it's the best of both worlds And that goes for both you and your guests!

 

Please keep in mind that there's probably more options that I won't list here because frankly, I don't know about them. I was pretty dead set on what I wanted (the pier!)... so best to contact Lomas and make sure you're aware of all of the options. They gave us a tour of the restaurants and they're nuts. Like beautiful, Vegas style restaurants with infinity views of the ocean... if you did your wedding at any of these, I'm sure it would be beautiful (and that's my very happy backup plan in case of terrible weather!)

 

But, that said, here are two options at Generations for your ceremony and your reception:

 

1. The pier! There's a lot of awesome pictures of the pier, but after seeing it in person I maintain that none of them do it justice. I was initially into it because I'm NOT into beach weddings (I don't want strangers watching my wedding!) and it protected us from any threat of inclement weather, while still allowing the most beautiful water view. But then I saw it in person, and it did all of those things but in an even better way than I could have dreamed. It's so much BIGGER than it looks in all of the photos -- I think that very high ceilings help create that feeling. And it's also a bit higher than I'd have imagined, so you feel like you're on a boat floating in the ocean It's a T-shape, which is pretty apparent in the photos, but you can imagine how that lends itself to a really nice setup for receptions or cocktail hours... lots of special areas and nooks for photos, food or cocktail stations, etc. 

 

Pretty much all of the photos on here are of the pier (and are what sold me in the first place!) http://www.weddingsbylomastravel.com/hotels/El-Dorado-Generations-Riviera-Maya-By-Karisma/gallery

 

2. The roofdeck! This one, I know much less about. And to be honest, was not even on my radar when I selected Generations. I knew I loved the pier idea and that was it. We're just now in the process of sending out invites and our estimate ranges from 60-100 -- we have no idea how many people will really come. When we mentioned this in June to our wedding coordinator, she said that we needed to do the reception on the roofdeck in order to be sure that we could accommodate the highest possible number of people. I didn't even KNOW they had a roofdeck (it's actually still under construction!), and I was hellbent on the pier for everything! But, seeing the ridiculous care and attention to detail that the hotel put into the restaurants and the resort itself, we knew this was more than a safe gamble. To really be extra sure, we ate dinner at the highest restaurant at the resort that night and at sundown, the view over the water was insanely beautiful! 

 

(If that doesn't make sense, know that all of the restaurants at GRM are stacked on top of each other. The pier is one floor above sea-level, at the first floor of the hotel. The water view from there is already beautiful, and every floor higher just gives you a broader scope of the scene! So, imagine that the roofdeck, which I believe is 6+ floors up, has an incredible view of the ocean.)

 

@@ChiTiff was kind enough to email the photos that her wedding coordinator sent her recently - if you'll email me at lauraleighnash@@gmail.com I'd be happy to pass on the love It's still under construction but I get more and more excited with every photo!

 

So, thinking of all this on top of the fun to be had next door at the adults-only EDR -- I'm feeling pretty excited. You should be too They literally built Generations thinking of weddings, so we're all in good hands. Hope this helps!

 

Cheers,

Laura

[ChiTiff]

Hey @@rtscent - So after I continue to go back and forth with them, I'm leaning towards bringing my own decorations.  Are they charging you $5 per person for bringing your own decor?  My WC told me about this today when I said I wanted to bring my own table numbers, which I think is ridiculous for just table numbers.  If I just did ALL of my own table decor entirely, would it still only be $5/pp?  At this point, my WC takes about a week to get back to me, so I figured posting here was faster!

 

 

@@ChiTiff they include little pictures of the ceremony set up in your details sheet once you get deeper into your planning. Your WC should be emailing you this. The always & firever package is very bare minimal. This is why I decided to bring some decorations bc everything was starting to add up. I'm paying the extra $500 to have the sky deck ceremony, another $500 for the pier reception. For example if you want to add gazebo flowers that's an additional $1600!!!! I'm getting fake gazebo bouquets made at bloom and bringing them with me. It's worth the hassle. They also charge $100 a bag for aisle flower petals and more. I would focus on what you actually want in your ceremony and reception cost it out with GRM/ Lomas and if you can DIY it or bring it I would.


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@@ChiTiff I'm using a TA to handle all of my guest travel accomadations. My guests were OK for the most part but you will always have people who are gripers.


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[rtscent]

@chifTiff yes they say its $5 /pp for decor set up, however I asked for a specific quote from my WC based on what I wanted to bring (listed below) and she quoted me $400 for the total set up. This includes the set up and breakdown @ each of my events during the wedding weekend. 

 

Here is what I proposed that I would bring (not sure if i'm sticking to this 100%, but its good to know)

 

Sat Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Votive Candles

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Sun Rehearsal Dinner

Ø  Chair bows

Ø  Table Cards

Ø  Small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Votive candles

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Sun Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Monday Ceremony

Ø  Chair Covers and Bows

Ø  Ceremony Bouquets

Ø  Ceremony Candles

Ø  Aisle Flowers

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Monday Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Amp / speaker

Monday Reception Dinner

Ø  Centerpieces

Ø  Guest Table Flowers

Ø  Table cards

Ø  Seating Chart

Ø  Cake Table Flowers

Ø  Favors

Ø  Amp/speaker

[AllieH]

a tip from past brides - take the $5 pp quote, and don't get into details about the decorations you want to bring with your WC. review them in detail when you get onsite and they will stick to the $5 pp (unless the $400 is less than $5pp based on the size of your group). the set up fee is by far one of the most subjective fees we've seen from Lomas, and generally the onsite WC is much more generous than your pre-planning WC. 

 

 

@chifTiff yes they say its $5 /pp for decor set up, however I asked for a specific quote from my WC based on what I wanted to bring (listed below) and she quoted me $400 for the total set up. This includes the set up and breakdown @ each of my events during the wedding weekend. 

 

Here is what I proposed that I would bring (not sure if i'm sticking to this 100%, but its good to know)

 

Sat Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Votive Candles

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Sun Rehearsal Dinner

Ø  Chair bows

Ø  Table Cards

Ø  Small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Votive candles

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Sun Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Monday Ceremony

Ø  Chair Covers and Bows

Ø  Ceremony Bouquets

Ø  Ceremony Candles

Ø  Aisle Flowers

Ø  Amp / Speaker

Monday Cocktail Party

Ø  4 Table Bows

Ø  4 small centerpieces

Ø  Monograph paper napkins

Ø  Amp / speaker

Monday Reception Dinner

Ø  Centerpieces

Ø  Guest Table Flowers

Ø  Table cards

Ø  Seating Chart

Ø  Cake Table Flowers

Ø  Favors

Ø  Amp/speaker