Azul Fives Brides 2015

[TinkerSofi]

I agree with you there, most prices for the stuff from Lomas is crazy and the stuff isn't even that great so we're opting for getting a few things from them and bringing most from home. Make sure you get your login information to your planning website http://karisma.theweddingbuilder.com/Home/Login things will always be updated on there so you can make sure any changes are loaded to your account. My WC takes about 3 days to respond so I can deal with that, also for most things the answers will be in this forum or the Azul Fives 2014 thread, then it's just a matter of getting confirmation from your WC. Maybe ask your WC if there's any way you can get quicker responses. Since moving to a team approach they might be able to do that. I prefer to get answers from the same WC even if it takes longer, but mine doesn't take weeks to reply so that might affect my opinion. I think the biggest thing for me is letting go of that control and trusting both the Miami and the on-site coordinators that they'll do a great job. I'm also trying to accept that something will go wrong probably but to try and let it go unless it's something huge. That's the only way I don't go insane with trying to plan something from so far away. 

 

Good to know that things are like they look in pictures! 

[reynbow]

Hello everyone. My wedding is on May 23, 2015. After reading all your comments, I'm glad i'm not the only one stressing out about prices, the WC, vendors, etc. it is very frustrating to plan a destination wedding. I'm considering to get some of the decorations for the reception on my own and just bring everything with me the day of the wedding. I did hire a photographer and video from an outside vendor. I'm considering to find a local florist and see if they can make my center pieces for the reception. 

I visited the resort back in September and everything looks like the pictures you see online. The staff is very friendly and the service is great. I asked one of the WC of the resort if it was possible to work directly with them, but unfortunately we have to use Karisma. In my experience with Karisma, i'm very disappointed with the service. My WC from Karisma  take days if not weeks for her to respond back to my emails. I tried to change my WC , but they told me I cant.   it is sad because my WC is in charge of the preparation and coordination of my wedding and if something goes wrong she is not going to be there to fix it. 

Does anyone have any tips or ideas of things that i can bring or make that will help to save money??

Lomas-Karisma prices are outrageous and the things the offer for that price are not that glamorous. 

 

I feel your frustration @@ccphu!  When you visited the resort, did you make contact with any of the on-site coordinators there?  I find that if I ask questions from my Miami WC that she can't answer, such as questions specific to lighting needed for the wedding events, or dimensions of the event locations, etc. then I contact the Azul Fives coordinator directly, and I get the response I need!  I think some things the Miami WC doesn't need to know, and the on-site coordinators will just take care of it. 

 

I'm planning to bring most of my decorations too and still debating about outside flowers (not sure how strict they'll be at Azul Fives to allow outside flowers).  To save money, I'm planning to use Katy HK (Love & Lace Wedding Decorations.  She's on this forum.) for renting lighting and maybe a few other items.  And I'm hiring an outside wedding planner for day-of coordination, and she's helping me with finding better deals on some other decorations we'd like such as sheers for the gazebo, maracas, paper parasols and floating lotus lanterns for the pool.  This way I don't have to lug this stuff on the plane. 

 

In lieu of flowers for the bridesmaids, I'm having them carry fans with a fake flower glued on, like this:

 

And for our reception centerpieces, I'm only putting flowers on half the tables.  The other half, I'm going to have an $8 Moroccan lantern and a few votive candles as the centerpiece, so this is going cut down on the flower costs too. 

 

Hope this info is useful!

Edited October 14, 2014 by reynbow

[Kate0]

Just found this website and read all 40 pages of everyone's questions and answers!! This is soo helpful! It is very overwhelming at first! I just booked my wedding on the sky deck for March 2016. I know I have plenty of time but I would love to see pictures of the girls having their weddings coming up!! 

[IvanLuckiePhotography]

The Sky deck is something really cool! but I like more the beach rea beside the pool, It is outdoor and you feel where you are getting married, step on sand and have reception there is fantastic!

[ccphu]

@@reynbow thank you so much for the information!!!. Yes, I met with the onsite wedding coordinators and I have their information. If I have any questions and I don't get a response from my WC I will contact them.

Are you paying the vendor fee for the outside wedding planner that you hire???.do you think you are saving some money by doing that?? I read in one of the comments that a bride ordered centerpieces flowers from an outside vendor and they just delivered the flowers at the lobby, that way she didn't have to pay for vendor fee. Not sure if you can still do that. But I don't see why they are going to say no to you. I love the idea of doing half flowers and the other half Moroccan lantern.

I will definitive going to look for Katy HK love &lace wedding decorations.

@ I'm new at this and playing catchup with the comments everybody is making. I read on one of your comments that you got a rate for $489 for 3 night per person per room. Is this rate base on the number of guest you are having?? In other words the more guest you have. The more amenities you get form the resort?? I'm just curious because my rate it is a little it different so I don't know if it the resort or the TA that can negotiate the rates. I guess we all want to get the best rate for our guest.

 

Thank you!

Edited October 14, 2014 by ccphu

[ccphu]

@@TinkerSofi Do you have the contact information-name of the person that you are using to rent some of the decor for the wedding? I'm glad i'm not the only one thinking that prices Karisma offer are too high. i don't want to go over my budget just because everything is so expensive.

I'm glad i find this forum and all of you girls. I love the fact we can help each other and give tips to save money. 

[kellymenning]

@@ccphu Yes, the rate we're getting for the basic regular room, garden view is $489.00 for 3 nights, all inclusive. Which is a pretty good deal if you ask me. I did have a block of 60 rooms and we ended up booking 56 out of those, so I think that helped with the rate. I'd definitely try to negotiate it if I were you. We also found out a LOT of people got 1-BR suites, so make sure you have plenty of those.

 

@@ccphu Katy is the girl I'm using to rent almost all of my decorations from. Literally, I'm renting runners, chair sashes, lights, paper bags for around the pool with candles, jars, chargers, etc. Her rates are really good and she's been so nice. It's helpful because she's been a bride down there and knows the outrageous fees they charge, so she just wants brides to not have to pay those outlandish costs. Her FB page is Love & Lace Décor. I know she's on this site too. I'll see if I can find that post.

@ccphu - her username on here is MrsHK

@@sbjzmex - for our cocktail hour, I have the 15 high cocktail tables and then I'm also doing  a few rounds of 8 tables so some people can sit down if they need to. The hotel didn't charge me extra for those.

I also forgot to mention that I'm getting married on November 1 and I leave in 2 weeks! Yikes! When I get back, I'll give y'all a full review of the wedding and will gladly send you all pictures. My photographer is giving me a flash drive the night of the wedding with all of my pics. So I'll be around to help you all out. I know a lot of brides have gotten married and then disappeared from this site so I never saw their reviews. I promise I won't do that!

@@ccphu Sorry, I keep reading more messages so I wanted to add another comment. One thing I'm doing to save on cost is I'm doing half of my tables with floral centerpieces from Lomas, and the other half I'm doing lanterns and bottles. I'm getting the lanterns and bottles from Katy - Love & Lace Décor. She's also doing my welcome cocktail party, rehearsal dinner and post-ceremony cocktail party decorations, which has really cut down on the cost. I'm only doing 2 sheers so I can save money on those.

To contact Katy, you can submit an email at this website.. loveandrum.com/marry-me-katy-mikee-in-Tulum/

[ccphu]

@ Thank you for all the information!!! your wedding is around the corner. I'm sure it is going to be a beautiful wedding. Don't forget to share pictures with us. 

Are you paying any vendor fee by working with Katy? 

 

@andreaberretra Are you paying vendor fee for you WC? 

 

Does anyone knows if there is an extra charge for having a guest signing book table?

I hired an outside photographer and video. I'm was thinking of getting just a day pass for the day of my wedding, but i'm not sure if i can do that. 

We are paying a lot of money for the wedding, plus we are having around 70-80 guest. I think that is more than enough money for the Hotel and they still find ways to charge you and arm and a leg.  

[kellymenning]

I am not paying a vendor fee. I'm getting the stuff from her outside of the resort. I am having a guest signing table and they aren't charging me a fee.

 

I finished my welcome bags finally!

[kmk2016]

@ Thank you for all the information!!! your wedding is around the corner. I'm sure it is going to be a beautiful wedding. Don't forget to share pictures with us.

Are you paying any vendor fee by working with Katy?

 

@andreaberretra Are you paying vendor fee for you WC?

 

Does anyone knows if there is an extra charge for having a guest signing book table?

I hired an outside photographer and video. I'm was thinking of getting just a day pass for the day of my wedding, but i'm not sure if i can do that.

We are paying a lot of money for the wedding, plus we are having around 70-80 guest. I think that is more than enough money for the Hotel and they still find ways to charge you and arm and a leg.

 

A day pass will not suffice for your photographer and videographer. You will need 3 nights stay in the hotel, or the vendor fee.

 

Katy the girl with all the decor will meet you in Pdc to get you your items, so no outside vendor fee- just a taxi and the set up fee the hotel charges for decorating and setting up your area.

 

There is no charge for a table used for your guest book- just mention it at your onsite meeting upon arrival.