Iberostar Rose Hall Suites Wedding

[helenk]

Hey all! I'm new to this site but have been looking through all the forums for great ideas! We have booked our wedding at the Iberostar Rose Hall Suites in Montego Bay. In talking it over with my fiancée we really want some kind of private reception. The package includes the semi private dinner only. We looked at renting the restaurant out for a private reception, but with the added fees plus paying for a DJ for that time and added decor requirements, we just don't have room in the budget for it.

 

The resort has an option though to rent out their club "disco" for a couple of hours before they open to the public. It includes the DJ and open bar.

 

I was thinking - since I've read on here that the semi private dinner feels pretty private as they put the wedding party in a section by themselves and there's usually not a lot of people in the restaurant at that time - to have the dinner and then go and have a private "reception" in the club? We really wanted the private reception to have some traditional things like first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son dance etc.

 

Any brides do this at their Suites wedding? Any help would be appreciated!

 

 

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[FutureMrsGlover]

@@helenk.....I recently did a site visit to Iberostar Rose Hall Suites....yes, you can do just what you said.  I spoke with Simone while I was there.  You can have the cake and champagne toast in the disco.  I actually thought about doing the same thing.  I originally chose Royalton White Sands for my wedding but I am not sure now based on room availability and the size of the regular rooms.  They are really small and I want my guests to feel comfortable.  In addition, based on the packages chosen (Love and Jamaican Experience) it would cost me additional $70 per person over the 20.  At Iberostar it is 25.  I am still trying to decide which resort but I think I am going to change to Iberostar. 

 

Also as far as décor, Iberostar includes the table cloths, overlay and chair covers and chair bows.  So you would only need your centerpieces and table numbers if you do the private reception.  I would talk with Loreto or Simone and they can help you plan to meet your budget. 

Edited June 28, 2014 by FutureMrsGlover

[helenk]

@@FutureMrsGlover Yes Iberostar's packages are very affordable! So did you like the resort and rooms? I'd love to hear about your visit as we will not have the opportunity to do one prior to the wedding!

 

I think we will do the champagne toast after the ceremony at the dinner maybe? With the cake.

 

Yea even with centerpieces only needed for the private restaurant reception it would add up depending on our guest count and then the DJ! Because the fee alone is more and then you have to add the DJ fee for 3 hours. We'll see. The club rental includes the DJ and open bar and it's only $450 so I think we're just going to do that But we are going to wait until we have a final guest count to make a decision and since we don't plan the final details until 2 months prior to the wedding with the coordinator it works out

 

 

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[Tatimrivera]

Hi, I'm so glad you asked this question. I'm hoping to get more insight on the semi private reception because I am hoping to do everything traditional within that hour in a half (I have read reviews that the dinner service is slow) so that may buy us time on first dance, mother daughter dance and son mother dance and the toast. I'm not planning to go the throwing of bouquet or garter.

I will be sending my questions this upcoming month to the resort and see how other ppl figure it out.

Our wedding guest list is 25 ppl so spending the money on the disco is not in budget since we've decided to do a welcome cocktail that Wednesday before the wedding.

[helenk]

Well with the dinner there's no music just the restaurant music so we can't do any dances during it, I've read reviews where they did the cake and speeches but I think that's about it. I'm leaning towards the disco I just need to find out if there is any seating available there. And like all the details, it depends on our guest count and since the wedding is still over a year away I won't be able to make any final decisions for a while lol

 

For a welcome party I was just going to have everyone meet at one of the restaurants so we don't have to pay for a private event and DJ. Or I read a review where the WC let the bride and her guests meet in one of the bars during the time it wasn't open to the public yet and they had one bartender there to serve them some drinks. I was going to ask about that when I got down there I don't have money to spend on extra private events so whatever I can get for free is great!

 

 

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[FutureMrsGlover]

@@helenk......I did like the rooms.  They are a very nice size a small sofa that pulls out to a bed, and a balcony with chair swing to relax in.   The only thing I didn't like about the rooms is there is a slight musty smell but that is due to being on the island and all of the dampness. I am going to put air fresheners in my guest bags to solve that issue. 

 

When I did my site visit, I spoke with Simone who was very pleasant and knowledgeable.  I explained to her my desire to keep the cost down as well.  So the package is $2799 + 800 (private reception) + 570 (DJ) + 750 (30 extra guests) = $4919.   I thought this was not too bad.  However, if we don't end up with the 40 - 50 people for the private reception, then we will have dinner and then rent out the club as well to do the cake and dancing. 

 

Simone also showed me pictures of the restaurants when they set them up for the private receptions - very elegant. 

 

I also asked about private dinners such as welcome dinner or bon voyage breakfast - I was told that they can make seating arrangements in the restaurants for your group at no extra charge or you can meet up in the Blue Moon Music bar to have drinks for a meet & greet. 

 

I had originally wanted to be married at the Royalton White Sands....but they charge for the chair covers, bows, aisle runner, etc.  Also, in order to do a private event there is the event fee of $300 + you pick a buffet and pay per person (this was $36 to $60 per person).  Or you can do a semi- private but they don't have a place to do dancing afterwards.  Or I was going to do the Jamaican experience added to the Love package but it then cost $70 ($20 for love package and $50 for Jamaican experience)  per person over 20 guests.  It was just easier to go with Iberostar because each additional person is only $25 and my FI keeps adding people to the list. 

 

All of this can get quite complicated when you are trying to stay in a budget and not go over.  

 

Have you decided where you will have your ceremony?

[helenk]

@@FutureMrsGlover yes the blue moon music bar is where the brides review I read had her welcome "party"! That's great! Wow those are a lot of extra costs for the Royalton! Iberostar's package is very well priced.

 

We really want a beach ceremony! Hopefully weather permits. I also love the view from the lobby terrace

 

I know we don't choose it until we are there and they show you all the locations so I think we may wait to decide until we actually see the locations ourselves and see which one feels right.

 

Although my fiancée and I are dead set on being barefoot haha. All their locations are gorgeous.

 

I saw a brides pics where hers was in the lazy river, that was pretty cool and you can do the cocktail hour right there too I think.

 

So many options!!!

 

Did you happen to find any better pics of what the bouquet included looks like? I'm thinking of buying fabric for the chairs and arch in a color rather than the white silver or gold included in the package, but I want it to match the tropical bouquet.

 

 

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[FutureMrsGlover]

@@helenk.....I want to do the lazy river and cocktail hour on the terrace.   And if we have enough people, then the private reception. 

 

I only have the pics of the bouquet that Loreto sent me but I have decided to do my own bouquet and bridesmaids if needed (not really sure if we are doing the wedding party). As well as my centerpieces.  I saw this cute idea on Pinterest with lighted chinese lanterns with flowers coming out of top, with votives around the lanterns.  It will be easy to pack the lanterns as they come flat. 

 

I have designed our invitations, website etc....I am just waiting the confirmation from Iberostar so I can get them printed and sent out.   I am excited to finally get them out.  It will feel real once all the friends and family have their invites. 

[helenk]

@@FutureMrsGlover Yay that's awesome! We are not having a wedding party....I'm so glad I decided against it, so much less stress!!!! And our friends can enjoy themselves without any pressure.

 

We sent out our save the dates earlier this month. I'll be sending out the invites maybe in January so people can make travel arrangements early if they want.

 

Those centerpieces sound so cute! Pinterest and Etsy are amazing for ideas. I got our save the dates from zazzle.com - super cheap and I'll be getting the invites from there as well. When is your wedding?

 

 

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[Tatimrivera]

Awesome ideas ladies. Thank you for posting. I am still nervous because I want a traditional wedding and am not sure how it will turn out.