Azul Fives Brides 2015

[Smellsey]

@@ashhtayy I have heard that there are shows. I thought I had read it on here. Your travel agent should be able to help

[TinkerSofi]

@@ashhtayy I heard there were shows, and the club can be hit or miss, they put music but sometimes no one dances. I'm guessing that if you bring your wedding guests there the party will actually be good. 

 

Out of all the AI i've been to, the clubs are always hit and miss, it all comes down to the people that go there. In Punta Cana, people were kind of lame and didn't dance, which made the club kind of boring. When I went to Cancun, the Riu's club was great, everyone was dancing and having a good time. The second resort I went to, people were more into drinking and doing silly things, so no one danced, which again, not our cup of tea but it's wasn't awful either. I think the only exception is if you book a resort like the Oasis in Cancun, and trust me, you do not want to have your wedding there hahah. Well, that's unless a spring break theme is the main goal .

 

The positive thing is that if people want to go out, downtown is only 10 min away and there's quite a few clubs there. That's why we chose it. We thought it was nice and quiet, but the party was only a few minutes away .

 

I always tell people, you will never find a resort that has absolutely everything you want or that will be 100% perfect, so you have to go with the one that has the most things . People have given us all kinds of excuses for why they don't like our resort, from "I wanted to spend $1000 max on my trip", to "You have to walk 5 minutes to the beach" and "It's too honeymoonish". So yeah, you can't make everyone happy so focus on what makes you and your fiance happy

I just spoke to someone at azul fives and seems the complementary always and forever is not free anymore !!!

Anyone else encounter this ??

Yeah, they just changed the small print. A few weeks ago it was Sensatori only where it wasn't free, but I guess now they added Fives to the list. 

 

One piece of advice, make a screenshot of absolutely everything when you book. Sometimes they change things without warning. 

Edited March 3, 2015 by TinkerSofi

[ashhtayy]

@@TinkerSofi @@Smellsey

 

Thanks for the replies. Here is what my TA just got from AF -

 

"We do have nightly entertainment which start around 9:00pm at our Salon Fives or on our Fives Plaza; however, the entertainment finishes at around 11:30 and our Gin and Zky bars close at 1:00am every night (the 1910 Cantina Mexicana closes at 11:00pm as it is close to the Essence section). Entertainment is diversify as we have an acrobatic show, a Michael Jackson Tribute, karaoke, etc.; however, we do not have a DJ on property.

 

We are a 15 mins taxi ride from Playa del Carmen and the very lively 5th Avenue where many bars, disco and the famous Coco Bongos can provide a more diverse entertainment scene."

Another question for the Canadian Azul Fives brides flying Air Transat...

 

We've been asked to pay $300 for the first block of 15 rooms - 90 day hold - and $150pp ($300 per room) for each additional room we would like to reserve. Sound accurate?

 

My fiancé and I find this awkward and here is why. We've been semi keeping the resort a secret but telling people we were getting married in Mexico when we are asked. Now that we have the perfect date at the best price, our TA is asking about how many firm 'yes' responses we have and suggests we pay the $300 per room to secure all the yes respondees and leave the first 15 for the maybe respondees. We aren't going to ask people for $ now before even sending our STD's, so...we will pay all deposits up front. The awkward part is asking all 200 people on the list if they are a yes, no, or maybe.

 

How did YOU handle this? Any tips our tricks?

 

Our invite list is huge but we realize a big portion will likely unable to attend. We're at an age that everyone's getting married or having babies so we recognize it could be hard for them.

 

Do we just guess and hope we booked enough and the resort doesn't sell out?

 

Thanks brides and brides-to-be ♥️

[snswedding2016]

@@ashhtayy

 

I've been told by my WC from AF that the Zky Bar has either a live band playing or a DJ to play music. I've heard from a couple difference sources online as well about a DJ being on site. I think the thing is that there isn't one there at the club every night. 

 

In terms of holding seats and booking. My fiance and I had a fairly large invite list (well it felt large to us!) - 150-ish people. After talking it over with some other brides and my TA we estimated about 60 people would attend. We didn't have conversations with guests asking them if they were a yes or no but as soon as we announced our engagement we knew we wanted to do a destination wedding and roughly the time of year and so we based our estimated number on the responses we got from everyone. We ended up holding the 15 rooms (30 seats) with our initial deposit of $300 and then held an extra 6 'land only' rooms for an additional $300. We really couldn't afford to put down deposits to secure the rooms for everyone up front and also didn't want to be on the hook for holding to many and then releasing most of them.

 

We are about a month after our deposit deadline and all our rooms are booked. We have 45 adults and 8 children confirmed - so our estimation was pretty close. That being said every group is different and we may have people that will continue to book and others who may not come through with their final payments (you never know). 

 

What time of year are you booking for? I know that our week sold out pretty quickly - right now the only rooms you can get are the 2 or 3 bedroom suites. Although I think AF sells out all the time it just depends on how quickly the rooms go. 

 

Not sure if that is of any help but that was my experience in the booking process. 

[andreaberretta]

I haven't been down there, but the resort looks amazing and everyone has good things to say about their weddings. I have no doubt that our day will be great, but just be ready for the nickle and diming that you'll have to endure until the day of. I've come to accept it now, for some things I bit the bullet, but for others no way haha. 

 

I read on the Azul Beach thread that they don't allow any more outside vendors aside form photographers and videographers. I'm not sure if it would be the same at Fives . I wasn't planning on getting anyone else but I know many of you guys were planning on bringing dj's and/or make up and hair teams. Maybe double check with your WC's. 

They do allow them!! I'm not using any in-house vendors, the thing is, my wedding coordinator inside the hotel stopped working there this past february so I can't tell you who to speak to. 

 

But you may ask, and I don't mind you mentioning my wedding!! Gerardo Sanchez & Andrea Berretta, tell them you're my friend and I told you hahaha

 

good luck!!!

 

I'm getting so nervous, we are only 2 months away from the wedding!! can't wait to tell you how it was!!!!

[andreaberretta]

@@TinkerSofi @@Smellsey

 

Thanks for the replies. Here is what my TA just got from AF -

 

"We do have nightly entertainment which start around 9:00pm at our Salon Fives or on our Fives Plaza; however, the entertainment finishes at around 11:30 and our Gin and Zky bars close at 1:00am every night (the 1910 Cantina Mexicana closes at 11:00pm as it is close to the Essence section). Entertainment is diversify as we have an acrobatic show, a Michael Jackson Tribute, karaoke, etc.; however, we do not have a DJ on property.

 

We are a 15 mins taxi ride from Playa del Carmen and the very lively 5th Avenue where many bars, disco and the famous Coco Bongos can provide a more diverse entertainment scene."

Another question for the Canadian Azul Fives brides flying Air Transat...

 

We've been asked to pay $300 for the first block of 15 rooms - 90 day hold - and $150pp ($300 per room) for each additional room we would like to reserve. Sound accurate?

 

My fiancé and I find this awkward and here is why. We've been semi keeping the resort a secret but telling people we were getting married in Mexico when we are asked. Now that we have the perfect date at the best price, our TA is asking about how many firm 'yes' responses we have and suggests we pay the $300 per room to secure all the yes respondees and leave the first 15 for the maybe respondees. We aren't going to ask people for $ now before even sending our STD's, so...we will pay all deposits up front. The awkward part is asking all 200 people on the list if they are a yes, no, or maybe.

 

How did YOU handle this? Any tips our tricks?

 

Our invite list is huge but we realize a big portion will likely unable to attend. We're at an age that everyone's getting married or having babies so we recognize it could be hard for them.

 

Do we just guess and hope we booked enough and the resort doesn't sell out?

 

Thanks brides and brides-to-be ♥️

 

@@snswedding2016

 

Hello !!! I'm from Mexico and I'm marrying this next May 1st. 

 

I really really think the guys at the hotel abuse the fact that you guys aren't here to negotiate or to look for other options and that's getting on my last nerve.

 

To answer your question about the rooms blocking, we also made that deal and we didn't regret it because they all finished very very soon, and now the people that didn't make their reservations on time are rushing and there are no more rooms available for the date. 

 

And for example, if you blocked 30 rooms, your guests can start making the reservations without paying them, only by giving a credit card in guarantee and they pay as soon as they get to the hotel. So that payment you make for the blocking, the hotel keeps like an advanced payment for the actual wedding, I'm I making myself clear? haha if you have questions you can ask. 

In my case, we first make like an agreement for the wedding details directly with the wedding coordinator at Azul Fives, it was an Excel sheet and we filled it in with locations, timing, details etcetera. Then, the excel calculates approximately how much will my wedding cost, so the money we paid for the blocking after everyone made their room reservations is transferred to the wedding total. 

 

Hope it helps!!

[calgarybride2015]

@@ashhtayy I heard there were shows, and the club can be hit or miss, they put music but sometimes no one dances. I'm guessing that if you bring your wedding guests there the party will actually be good.

 

Out of all the AI i've been to, the clubs are always hit and miss, it all comes down to the people that go there. In Punta Cana, people were kind of lame and didn't dance, which made the club kind of boring. When I went to Cancun, the Riu's club was great, everyone was dancing and having a good time. The second resort I went to, people were more into drinking and doing silly things, so no one danced, which again, not our cup of tea but it's wasn't awful either. I think the only exception is if you book a resort like the Oasis in Cancun, and trust me, you do not want to have your wedding there hahah. Well, that's unless a spring break theme is the main goal .

 

The positive thing is that if people want to go out, downtown is only 10 min away and there's quite a few clubs there. That's why we chose it. We thought it was nice and quiet, but the party was only a few minutes away .

 

I always tell people, you will never find a resort that has absolutely everything you want or that will be 100% perfect, so you have to go with the one that has the most things . People have given us all kinds of excuses for why they don't like our resort, from "I wanted to spend $1000 max on my trip", to "You have to walk 5 minutes to the beach" and "It's too honeymoonish". So yeah, you can't make everyone happy so focus on what makes you and your fiance happy

 

Yeah, they just changed the small print. A few weeks ago it was Sensatori only where it wasn't free, but I guess now they added Fives to the list.

 

One piece of advice, make a screenshot of absolutely everything when you book. Sometimes they change things without warning.

OMG hahah I was looking at the oasis chains and my TA strongly advised against it

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TinkerSofi]

@@ashhtayy We paid $300 for the two of us which blocked 15 rooms (or 30 people). Then our guests had 90 days to pay $150 to reserve their spot, or $300 per room I suppose. After the 90 days we released all the rooms from our block that hadn't been booked (which was none, we actually went over a couple). You shouldn't have to pay upfront right now for all your guests, at least not with transat. This way your guests have 90 days to decide if they're coming or not. 

@@calgarybride2015 their prices are very tempting, but I guess that's what brings all the spring breakers in the first place hahah. 

 

Totally fun for a vacation, but not what I had in mind for my wedding

[snswedding2016]

@@andreaberretta Congrats - you're wedding is coming up so soon! I think you are talking about booking directly through the hotel itself. It works a little differently for us Canadian brides as we book our packages with hotel and flight together so the deposit also holds the seats on the plane for us. It requires a little more up front planning and commitment from guests but in the end I think our packages for pretty reasonable. 

[ccphu]

@@andreaberretta. Are you working directly with the Hotel? I know that if you work directly with the Hotel it is easy to negotiate vendor fees and  they are more flexible on using any vendors that you want. Unfortunately for the Brides that are using Karisma or Lomas they are very strict and possessive and they want all the business for themselves. That is why they don't "allow you" to work with other vendors. It is ridiculous!!! It is not the resort fault that Karsma and Lomas brides cannot bring any other vendors. That makes me very, very upset. We are paying a lot of money and people from Lomas and Karimas think that we are ignorant or stupid and they can charge us anything they want. If any previous brides know how we can trick the system and find other ways to use outside vendors. PLEASE share the info in a PM I want to know!!! LOL