2015 Grand Palladium Punta Cana Brides

[rebeccalane]

@@samilein We have to choose a set menu and I believe that is true for any group over 14 people. I think we choose that when we get there at our meeting. They can make exceptions for allergies and kids etc. i think it's an appetizer, main, dessert plus the cake/cupcakes.  I can post more details when I get back!

 

Our welcome bags are an assortment of things, but there are so many things you can do. We got canvas bags made from vistaprint that ended up costing about $4.75 each (always great sales on vistaprint!). They have a picture, our names and our wedding date and turned out really nice. We are giving one bag per couple or one to any singles so that helped keep cost down a bit. In the bags, we are putting small sheer bags for the girls that will have a few necessities that might come in handy; razor, q-tips, cotton pads, bandaids, hair ties, bobby pins and floss sticks. Then each bag will also have a custom calendar magnet with our same pictures on it and names and date (vistaprint, $20 for 50), a loofah (dollar store $1.25 for 3), spf chapstick, pack of gum, a custom engraved shot glass with our names and date (theweddingshoppe.ca), 2 small scented tea light candles with one holder (ikea), custom matchbooks with our names and date (theweddingshoppe.ca) and a pen with our colors, names and date on them (vistaprint). We also had custom buttons made for people to wear around the resort to help identify who is there as a part of our wedding. We have a lot of people that will have never met each other so we thought that was a cute idea to help people get to know each other. Those are from Six Scent press in BC and were about $50 for 100 including shipping, I *think* that's everything  Oh also, the coordinator said they would take care of handing them out to our guests when they check in so we are labeling each bag with a tag and the guests names on them.

 

For the kids, we only have 3 toddlers and 2 babies, most are in the wedding so I had custom canvas bags made for them (vistaprint again) with their name on them, and put some coloring books, crayons, playdough, balloons and a keepsake book for being in the wedding. The babies will also get something small so that they aren't excluded  

 

Like I said, there are so many things you can do. For one wedding we received beach balls with their names and date on them, another we received drawstring shoe bags with a double walled plastic tumbler each. Of course it depends on your budget and how many are coming.The smaller the group, the more significant you can make the gifts without going over budget. I think we managed to get a lot of things in our bags for not to much.  Travel accessories, tumblers, small keepsakes etc are all good ideas and very useful.  Think about what you'd appreciate if you were attending, I found that helped me out a lot!

 

As for the open bar, that's a weird one that always irked me. Why we pay for booze at the wedding at an all-inclusive resort is just frustrating. I was told that is it $16 per person for bar service above just wine, beer and soda. Kids under 18 are not included and I think you can exclude numbers for people that don't drink but that's hearsay  It's for 3 hours of bar service so that you can have other hard alcohol available. This is probably the most disappointing thing I've found out so far. all other destination weddings I've been to you have been able to order from the waiters any drink you can get at any other bar on the resort. Bit of a damper to have to pay more for this. But it's unfortunately a necessary evil as I don't expect people to drink beer and wine all night. The good thing is I put that in my budget long ago when I first caught wind of it so it's not an unexpected cost later on. 

 

Hope that helps!

[Beachgirl622]

Hello all!  I am getting married at the Palladium Palace December 30th 2015 and I can't wait for that day to get here!  Im so glad I found this forum, so many helpful tips.  

 

@@rebeccalane I can't wait to hear about you wedding and Id love to see pictures of the reception site, since we are also doing a private reception!  

 

Do anyone else know of any welcome party/reception ideas for guest other than the beach bash?  I'd love to host something at the Hemingways bar or somewhere else on the resort but Im not sure if it is an option!  

 

Can't wait for the best day of my life to get here!

 

 

[Meandhim]

@@Beachgirl622 Welcome!! Your wedding is about a month after mine!

 

 I'm also very excited to see reception pictures, because I'm also having a private reception and there is not much in the way of pictures anywhere!

 

I'm pretty sure you can have a welcome party from what Carolina has told me before...There is a finger food menu...Not sure if you can have anything private at Hemingway's though. I will have look back thru my emails to see if I can find anything specific.

 

I going to assume that most of you have seen this but just in case... I found a very interesting site : Palladium Addicts

It has maps, resort info and tons of other things... if you going the forum you can talk to people who are posting live from the resort, or people who have been there numerous times. 

[Kerrierf]

Alright! All spa appointments confirmed, all food allergies listed, everyone has paid for their trips, and I just made an appointment for myself and bridesmaids for dress alterations and to look at accessories.  My partner is going for his suit this weekend with his mom, and I have started a general playlist for dinner and the beach bash.  Finally feel like I'm getting back on the ball here!

[Meandhim]

@@Kerrierf So exciting!!! Just about 2 months until you leave!

 

I'm working on starting a planning thread to keep my self organized....I'm so far out from my wedding date that there is not a lot I can do but I don't want to wait til last min either! I've started to do a first draft design of all my printable's like the welcome letter, bag logo, I Spy Game, Mad libs, Resort info, etc....So that when it comes down to crunch time I can just change a few small things and send it to be printed, hopefully during a vistaprint sale!

 

Trying to figure out else what to do for OOT bags...

 

now that everyone is paid in full for you...what the number difference from the original deposit booking date? Did you have many extra people?

[Kerrierf]

Nice! I did something similar, getting a bulk of my planning done over the summer before work got crazy and grad school started again.  Here's an overall timeline of what I did (and when).

 

Jan-April 2014

         - Scouted out hotels and travel agents

         - Finalized guest list

         - Sent out a general "Save the Date" with our plans to get married in the
           DR in May 2015

         - Set up our website with information

May 2014

         - Picked a hotel and destination

         - Updated website

June 2014

         - Wedding dress shopping!

         - Officially asked wedding party

July 2014

         - Engagement pics!

         - Booked our photographers!

         - Ordered invitations (bilingual)

         - Ordered favours (sunglasses)

         - Ordered flowers (silk)

August 2014

         - Bridesmaid dress shopping

         - Sent out invites (gave booking date with TA 2 weeks before TA
            deadline so that we can follow up)

September 2014

         - Deposit's due

October-November 2014

         - Decided menus and overall plans for the packages/extras

         - Decided guest book plans

         - Bought guest book (small box for post-cards that will be bought there)

         - Made small "personalized" details (signage)

December 2014

         - Bought wedding rings (we ordered them online and had to return his
           because it was too big, and we exchanged mine because of the size)

         - Starting planning music... slowly

         - Made spa appointments

January 2015

         - Honestly not a whole lot... damn bronchitis!

         - Phoned embassy to figure out legalities

February 2015

         - Final payments (our guest list didn't change much. A few people still
          might decide last minute to join, but we actually had 2 couples decide
          not to come because they found out they're expecting - exciting news!)

         - Purchased bridal party gifts

         - Arranged pet/house sitter

March 2015 - STILL TO DO!

         - Buy accessories

         - Fitting appointments

         - Buy groom's suit

         - Email Carolina confirmed plans

         - Buy parents' gifts

         - Plan music

         - Embassy Appointment (documents valid for 3 months)

         - Start writing vows

April 2015

         - Hair appointment

         - Final fittings

         - Pack

         - Last minute details

[Meandhim]

@@Kerrierf

 

Thanks for sharing! I will have to make a list like this

 

 

A lot of my guests are first timers to All inclusive so I am research the resort a bit right now, it has changed so much since we were there in 2007... I'm trying to find out what all the hot spots are, best shows to see best bars to frequent...etc...I'm making my own little map as well...I kinda want to try to keep our group together without wasting to much time deciding what to do each day... I kinda wanna pick a "HOME" spot..so that way people can explore but always be able to find some of the group at the home spot...I don't know if that makes sense..or if it will just be a futile effort...but it's keeping me busy right now...lol

 

So I just found out from the palladium addicts site that on friday nights they have a special BBQ dinner on the beach with two sittings at 6:30 and 8:30...requires reservations. There is also an app that tells you the schedule of activities for the day.

[Beachgirl622]

@@Kerrierf

Do you plan on getting ready with your bridesmaids at the spa or in your room?

[Kerrierf]

@@Meandhim that's so smart! We want to get everyone together informally the first night for drinks at one of the bars - I should check out which one is close to our section and seems fun!

 

@@Beachgirl622 we're all getting ready in the spa. I put the option out to them, as well as my step-mother and my future mother-in-law if they wanted to go to the spa or just figure it out ourselves. Everyone decided they wanted to go get our hair/makeup done, so that's what we're going to do.  The 3 bridesmaids are starting at 10, myself and my future mil will go at noon, and my stepmother's appointment is at 2 (the wedding is at 4).

[Meandhim]

@@Kerrierf you are staying in the Palace section right? I think luckily for you the palace section is pretty contained I think there is a bar and pool and restaurant right in the middle! Plus you are close to the best private reception location. But so far what I've been reading Hemminway's Is the "must do" bar.... It's in the Bavaro section ...listed as the cocktail bar on the map... Halfway between the Bavaro pool and the lobby. There is also a brand new Adults only pool just opened that is NOT just for the royal section. It's some near the palace section and the spa... Best part is that it is open til midnight. If I find anymore tidbits I'll let you know

 

I wanted to do a get together the first night and give out the welcome bags but We don't get into Punta cana until 8:30pm! Then we have to go through customs, get our bags, catch the shuttle and get checked in, plus I think it might be easier to pack if I assemble the bags there....so our first day is kind of wasted...now I don't know when to do it...any suggestions?

 

I'm trying to see if they can change out flight times a little especially on the way back because a lot of my guests will have to overnight in Toronto! Not fun!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk