External Vendor Friendly Resorts.

[SimpleBliss]

Hello,

 

I am reconsidering having my wedding on an all-inclusive resort thanks to advice/information provided to me on the forum! 

 

Can anyone name a few resorts that allow outside vendors i.e. being able to hire your own photographer, flowers, cake or DJ without being charged an arm and a leg for it?

 

If its a day pass they require to enter the facility, if you can provide the price that would be great. I would like to compile a list of these vendor friendly resorts. P.S. If my guests are off-resort are they allowed to come to my wedding or would they have to pay another fee to enter?

 

Maybe I can just get around some of these "policies" by inviting my photographer and DJ as "our guests". 

 

P.S. Looking for specifically resorts in the Playa Del Carmen area.

Edited August 3, 2015 by SimpleBliss

[dreamweddings]

Hello,

 

I am reconsidering having my wedding on an all-inclusive resort thanks to advice/information provided to me on the forum! 

 

Can anyone name a few resorts that allow outside vendors i.e. being able to hire your own photographer, flowers, cake or DJ without being charged an arm and a leg for it?

 

If its a day pass they require to enter the facility, if you can provide the price that would be great. I would like to compile a list of these vendor friendly resorts. P.S. If my guests are off-resort are they allowed to come to my wedding or would they have to pay another fee to enter?

 

Maybe I can just get around some of these "policies" by inviting my photographer and DJ as "our guests". 

 

P.S. Looking for specifically resorts in the Playa Del Carmen area.

@@SimpleBliss,

 

The Riviera Maya offers your a bunch of all inclusive resort that would allow you to bring out side vendors .

 

Check out Hacienda Tres Rios,

Barcelo resorts

 

Whats important is to know that every hotel has different policies, some would allow you to bring in your outside vendors at no costs and some would require a day pass.  as for your guests staying off the resort you will need to get them day pass to have access to the hotel. plus pay additional fee for the actually wedding.

 

Also it sounds like you might be better of, off the resort if you have your guests staying at different locations.  Again we have plenty of non resort locations I am happy to share.  

 

Happy Planning!

Joyce

[beckys98]

@@SimpleBliss you might be looking for a unicorn! I'm kidding - but I honestly haven't heard of a resort that doesn't charge a vendor fee at all. Some resorts definitely prohibit any use of outside vendors, and then for others the vendor fee varies. I got married at an Iberostar and the vendor fee was one night's stay per person. But during the course of planning they changed it for hair/makeup vendors to be $500 per person! I was planning to use the on-site salon anyway, but a lot of brides cancelled their makeup artists because of the crazy fee.

 

I didn't actually end up paying any vendor fees for my wedding. I hired an outside photographer but she covered the vendor fee in the package. I wasn't charged a fee for the florist because they just dropped off the flowers at the gate and didn't come onto the resort to set them up. We used the preferred DJ and I had my hair and makeup done at the resort.

 

We also had 5 people come off resort and we did have to pay a day pass fee of $80 just to get in the resort gates, and then we paid the per-person costs for the wedding on top of that. Our wedding ended at 10 p.m. and they were allowed to stay until 2 a.m.

 

Good luck with your search! My guess is trying to "minimize the damage" on vendor fees might be more feasible than finding a resort that charges no fees at all.

[acw271011]

@SimpleBliss  Both Joyce and @@beckys98 are right! If you want a resort, finding one that doesn't charge vendor fees will be difficult. You could always do a resort stay and have your wedding and reception off resort. Blue Vendao Beach Club is one location that a couple of brides here have used. Joyce would be able to help you with that. We're using Grand Coral Beach Club and then a restaurant in Playa del Carmen but we're a very small group. The resorts are all different in the fees they charge and there are definitely resorts that do not allow any outside vendors at all. It's a bit of work to investigate but a good travel agent would be able to help you through the maze. You also need to determine your budget and the budget for your guests as that will play a big part in what you end up choosing. You should note that beckys98 was married in Jamaica so some of the policies there don't apply to Mexico since it's two different countries. There are a couple of very nice resorts close to Playa del Carmen again that a good travel agent would be able to assist with.

 

Good luck!

[Moments That Matter]

Hi SimpleBliss, welcome to our forum and Congrats on your upcoming destination wedding in our area!!!

 

Here's a link to some outside vendor policies we've come across while capturing weddings in our magnificent Mayan Riviera.....Resort Policies webpage link

 

For some added inspiration, here are some magical wedding moments that matter we captured, taken from our Cover Photos Album:

 

 

Wishing you happy research, and all the best with your plans - cheers!!! team MTM