2015 Grand Palladium Punta Cana Brides

[samilein]

Thank you so much

[Alicia328]

There were 45 people plus the two of us and it worked out to roughly $7,000CAD at the hotel and I paid with my credit card... They charge your card in pesos tho so it was hundreds of thousands of pesos lol ... A bit scary lol but it's better than them charging in pesos and then paying in USD and paying the exchange on that too... You would lose twice...

 

Dispite the exchange being a bit rough right now.. The price of gas is great! Take some of your gas budget and put it in the wedding budget!!

 

 

@@samilein I'm getting married at GP nov 25th...I'm opting for a renewal package with a private reception because I will get married just before I go. @@Mels84 just came back from her wedding... If you read further back in the threads... Hers was about $7000 for 45 people with a pure paradise package and private reception.... Really it's all about the extras. @@shevette925 is staying at GP but having her wedding at JF....maybe these ladies can help with your questions...

 

 

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Hi everyone!

 

I just started wedding planning and this site has been so incredibly helpful!

 

@@Mels84 and @@Meandhim It's so comforting to see that you both were able to plan your wedding on a good budget!

 

Can I ask how much your guests had to pay for their all-inclusive packages. I'm in Toronto, Canada, so most of my guests will be flying out from here. I really don't want my guests to break their banks attending our wedding. I'm hoping that their all-inclusive package will be around $1500 pp. Is that possible at GPPC?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies

[Mels84]

@@Alicia328 it depends on the time of year I think and possibly which section you book in but our Toronto guests were just under $1500 based on double occ. at the palace.. Single was close to $2000.. I also had a group flying from Thunder Bay and they were only slightly more than $1500. Transat was great for incentives for us... For every 10 people that booked... The 11th was free up to 4 people (provided that everyone booked through the same travel agent!) Plus we got as $500 voucher for future travel, an extra 10kg bag checked, priority boarding(they let us board right after the people in wheel chairs, before first class and families with kids and they specifically called brides and grooms.. The boarding lounge all clapped for us lol) , 2 200ml bottles of champagne for the flight there... Separate check in for the group...and our plane was awesome... Decent leg room, tough screen TVs in the backs of the seats with a good selection of tv shows or movies that you control..

 

@@samilein I posted a lot of info about the planning process and cost of everything on this thread... Read though that and let me know if you have any more questions

 

One of the biggest a heads up about hidden cost that I can give you though is if you are bringing a vendor in from outside the resort for the day (someone who is not one of your guests), the resort charges a $500 USD vendor fee... That would go for photography, videography, or if you are bringing in a makeup artist/hair stylist (there is a spa on site that you wouldn't have to pay this fee for) etc... I had a friend record the wedding for us and a friend of mine who came to the wedding was the photographer so I didn't have to pay since they were our guests and staying on the resort too... Someone mentioned that the way around this is to book them into the hotel even just for the night before the wedding... One night at the hotel wouldn't be close to $500.

[Meandhim]

@Alicia328 Welcome! When are you planning to have your wedding?

 

I haven't had my wedding yet...But I have a estimated budget for Approx $7000 same as @@Mels84...so for me it will all depend on how many people I get to come...I have no numbers of people attending yet as my booking deadline is not til the end of Feb, then I will have a better idea.

 

I'm in TO too! Most of my guests however are from Newfoundland and the rest were spread all over so I had to choose Air Canada because at the time they were the only carrier that flew from all the destinations at that time of year.

 

My AC price from TO was 1800...but Westjet just came out with their prices and I was able to get a quote for 1500 from them that I am currently trying to get Ac to price match. I am staying the the Bavaro section. I also have the 11th person is free deal.

 

Punta Cana section of the resort is the cheapest I believe and it is where I stayed the first time I went and where I wanted to go this time but it was not available from AC when I booked

 

if I were you I would get a quote from Sunwing, Air Transat, Westjet and AC for all the sections of the resort they fly to and then choose the best deal....and don't forget they will all price match...so if Air Transat has better wedding perks but sunwing has a better price...try to get them to price match or perk match.

 

Good luck & Happy Wedding Planning

[Everly]

@@Mels84 @@Meandhim - Thank you for all the great info! Currently GP is on my list of possible resorts(Our TA is working on quotes right now). Question though. The 11th person free. Is that just for the room, the airfare or both? Apologies if that seems a silly question. I thought it was the room but then as its a whole package with Transast/AC you are booking suddenly I wondered if it was for everything.....

[Mels84]

@@Everly It's both however, with transat and I'm sure it's the same for other companies, there is still a $125 fee plus the taxes for the trip still to pay... For us it worked out to total about $500.

[Meandhim]

@@Everly... I'm pretty sure it's for both...but you have to pay taxes and fees... I'm not sure exactly how much it is with Air Canada

 

 

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[Everly]

@@Everly It's both however, with transat and I'm sure it's the same for other companies, there is still a $125 fee plus the taxes for the trip still to pay... For us it worked out to total about $500.

 

 

@@Everly... I'm pretty sure it's for both...but you have to pay taxes and fees... I'm not sure exactly how much it is with Air Canada

 

 

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Oooooh! Thank you! That  is good to keep in mind. I don't mind paying the taxes and fees(right now, lol), its going to help a lot since there are two family members we are going to need to help cover for them to make it down. 

 

You ladies are starting to sell me on GP that much more!

[shevette925]

Hello Ladies,

 

So happy to have been recommended to this site and thread

I'm in search of clarity

 

My fiancé and I are booked at GP for Nov. 5, 2015 ... And now I'm having second thoughts ...

 

...we were drawn to the GP because compared to other resorts we had researched, it seemed to be more reasonably priced...I understand that perhaps a resort would charge a nominal fee for privatizing and setting up an event, but wow! They are really capitalizing on DW it seems...they can definitely get quite pricey...of course we want our wedding to be beautiful, but we don't want to mortgage a day either

 

So as for on the fence ~ I recently saw wedding pictures from the jellyfish in Punta Cana and felt like the wedding I'm imagining had taken shape...until I received the price lists...now I'm trying to price out both the GP & JF to see truly what the differences are...

The JF would mean complete privacy (no beach onlookers and speedo's in pictures )

I'm opting for a barefoot beach wedding ...

It also looks like a gorgeous setting for the ceremony & reception...

GP is definitely more within our budget - but I feel I need to see pictures (other than the professional ones posted online)

I'd love to see and hear about the semi-private and private dinners - the beach bash - the decor - experiences of the planning and the big day!

 

...and if anyone can give provide insight on the size of their group and final costs-well that would be helpful too

 

I would describe myself as a less is more... - even when I saw the JF wedding, it was simple and romantic but it definitely had some elegance ... But it also had the price tag and another consideration is that because we will have about 5-10 children, being on the resort would make it easier if the grand parents or parents would need to take them to bed ...the JF requires a shuttle...

 

So ladies...congratulations to all of you - and thank you for all of the sharing of ideas and insights and experiences - both ahead of my post and hopefully thereafter.

 

@@samilein , I went through the same dilemma as you. I ultimately decided Jellyfish because I would have more of a say and I would  have a better sense of what I would be getting in terms of decor and food for the reception. I felt like I was lacking essential info on the reception options at GP. I also realized that with what I wanted and the number of guest I'm expecting (around 75-85) the add on cost were adding up quickly. My quote from jellyfish was pretty comparable so I made the switch. 

 

I think GP is really great option for smaller weddings, but I would not have saved much  money staying with them. If you are really thinking about Jellyfish, you should reach out to them sooner rather than later. I happened to be very lucky because they had a bride back out and my date happened to be open. When I spoke with them,  they were booked every day from the new year until June I think. They only do one wedding a day which adds to the privacy.  Hope that this and all the info the other ladies have provided are helpful. 

[Meandhim]

Hey Everybody!! This Thread has been a little quiet lately...My booking deadline was today...I have 44 people put down a deposit...including me and my FI and our Photographer...its finally starting to feel real! Now for the FUN planning part!!

 

@shevette925 @Alicia328 @@Everly @@samilein @@Kerrierf how is the planning going??

 

@@Kerrierf it's getting closer!!! You must be getting so excited!

 

@@Mels84 How was your first married valentines day ? Did you get the rest of your Pictures back yet...still dying to see some reception pics