Joannabanana's Planning Thread - May 12Th 2016 - Grand Sirenis

[yycbride2016]

@@JoannaBanana & @@calgarybride2015 What do you mean one is included? I am doing the same as you did calgarybride2015 and they told me if I do the free ceremony on the palapa beach I have to rent the $800 archway in order to get the beach. That is basically the cost of having my ceremony on the beach. Did you do something else?? 

[calgarybride2015]

I paid around $980 to upgrade from the free package to have the palapa. But after that my ceremony fees were included in the free package. So the chuppah with white shears and 2 hanging flower pieces as well as the flowers on the minister's table were NOT an extra cost.

 

At @@yycbride2016 you are paying to upgrade to the palapa and for an arch?

 

 

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[yycbride2016]

@@calgarybride2015

 

This is what Adrianna told me:

"If you prefer to choose another package, then the extra will be the Bamboo Gazebo ( includes white fabrics and chairs with white cover  for 10 people ($5.250  Mexican pesos). If you have more guests or we will like to add another color this will be an additional as well."

 

So I think I have to pay for the Bamboo Gazebo (not archway sorry my mistake). But is this the same thing you did?

[calgarybride2015]

No mine wasn't worded that way. In the package handouts there was a fee to upgrade your location. So I paid around $11800 peso to upgrade from the semi private ala carte to the palapa. With that I had the cost for the meal and such extra, but ceremony wise -- no I just got it all included in the free package. So I got all my decor/gazebo and I got all the chairs and white covers (I paid more for the ribbons) and I got all the appis and toast drinks for all guests. I was worried id have to pay for more chairs and appis/toast drinks over the 10 but I was told that this cost was covered in the per person fee charged for dinner.

 

I'll turn on my pc right now and post exactly what I paid for.

 

 

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[yycbride2016]

@@calgarybride2015 Wow! Thanks. I just went through my emails from Adriana and she said i have to pay that 5250 pesos for the ceremony and then that 11800 for the reception. They must have changed things around. 

[calgarybride2015]

@@yycbride2016, that makes no sense when you think about it.  If you qualify for the free package why should you have to pay for it? my understanding was if you didn't qualify for the free package it was in fact the silver package and you would have to pay that THEN the upgrade fee for the palapa.

 

here is my breakdown, which may not help anymore if policies changed.  Were these prices she quoted in the packages you were sent? if not, I would fight that!   Prices below are the approximate price I paid in Canadian, but I converted these prices over a year ago so it's safe to assume they changed

 

Free package (was silver otherwise)

upgraded to the palapa $980

cocktail hour $8.45 per person for the 1 hour x  41   (kids under 12 free)

extend reception by 3 hours (so had 6 total) $8.45 per person per hour x 41

dinner was buffet bbq $32 per person x 39 (2 had dinner included in day pass, kids under 12 free)  The 10 included in the package do NOT count when you upgrade so I had to pay for everyone but as said this included all extras for them - chairs, toast/appies, etc.

2 passes for mexican friends to come on resort $100 ish x 2

Mexican Trio for cocktail hour $375

4 tables/20 chairs for cocktail hour $100 (didn't end up getting these so they refunded money)

10 lighted chinese lanterns for reception $100 (she didn't end up charging me for these, but worth the cost)

4 bridemaid's bouquets (then used as centerpieces) $32 x 4  (I had this price quoted, the base price in their catalogue is higher)

5 boutoineires $18 x 5

(mine and groom's included)

upgraded my flowers to larger size $42

chair ribbons $1.95 x 45  (you have to include cost for yourself and bridal party as well, as they need chairs at the reception lol)

hair trial $125

wedding hair $140

wedding makeup $85

petals for isle $18

golf chart shuttle all day $85

DJ $59/hr x 6 hours

 

Then I had the $500 USD deposit deducted before I paid.

Wedding bill before deposit was around $63000, I had to pay for the spa items on their own

All in all I believe I paid around $5500 Canadian.

Edited August 24, 2015 by calgarybride2015

[TinkerSofi]

I love the shot glasses and your invites turned out so nicely!! I agree with others, that they textured paper was such a nice touch. 

 

Don't worry too much about numbers yet. We had 40 people coming, and 9 backed out when final payment was due , then one more backed out 2 days before the wedding. He was a groomsman and he told us while we were in Mexico. He had a valid reason though, so we weren't too upset by it. It actually worked out great, not only in terms of money, but also because it was a nice number to be able to spend time with everyone . I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

 

Next, I'd say wait until your RSVP's come in and people are booked so that you don't buy a bunch of stuff based on "potential" numbers and then you're either missing things, or you have too many. I'd start working on the idea of decor, centerpieces (although you won't know how many you need until you have your count), but you could work on decor such as guestbook, your ceremony/altar decor and things like that that are not so dependant on numbers. 

 

Maybe start making choices with the hotel about the food and things like that. 

 

You could also start a playlist for music or work on the kind of script you want. You will probably finalize these closer to the date, but at least you'll have an outline to work with when things get really busy. 

[krystalball]

@@yycbride2016 That does seem crazy that they would want us to pay for the palapa for the reception and pay for the ceremony. I haven't really been in contact with Adrianna much since I booked the resort, but now I guess I'll need to send her an email to confirm some of the things that I had assumed were included based on the documentation that she provided.

 

Fingers crossed the ceremony cost is free like it was for @@calgarybride2015 since that will save all us GS brides some money that is better spent elsewhere!

[JoannaBanana]

@@TinkerSofi I am kinda sitting back and waiting for now.  I'm just perusing décor on Pinterest.  I can't know what to plan for if I don't have numbers like you said. 

 

For any girls who are hazy on the details of their budget just ask Adriana to include the cost of all items you plan to request.  That's how I got the quote above.  Photography, hair, etc isn't on the list - but I don't think there's much missing from the quote otherwise.  I might consider the DJ, but for now it's off the table.  I asked her for Free Package, Upgrade to Palapa, BBQ Beach Menu, golf cart for the day.  With the current currency conversion rate 40160 pesos is $3103.75 Canadian.  I know I wont get off that easy, but I think that's a reasonable start.

[calgarybride2015]

That's a great price and if you don't add many more extras you can totally stay in that ballpark!!! How many guests do you have and/or anticipate? Hahha I remember stalking my numbers like a hualk to ensure I got the free package!

 

The extra flowers and extra 4 hours of open bar is what jacked up our cost.

 

 

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Edited August 24, 2015 by calgarybride2015