Newbie - Getting Married @ Now Sapphire Dec 2016

[VancouverGal]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm really excited to join this community! I'm getting married Dec 21, 2016 at the Now Sapphire in Mexico. I'm having a small wedding of approximately 20 people and just getting started on the wedding planing journey.  

 

I've done a good amount of reading and searching on this site which is amazing. There's just so many things that I'm trying to research that I'm finding it overwhelming.  Here's some of the things I'm trying to figure out:

 

1) As part of our wedding package, we get our choice of saxophone or guitarist for the ceremony. Has anyone done this? I can't imagine either as I walk down the aisle. I could always upgrade to getting a harpist.

 

2) Does anyone have a good recommendation for make-up artists who are good with Asian brides?  I get hair/make-up with my package at the Resort spa, but I sweat like a crazy person in the heat so I'm thinking I want to get airbrush make-up. I'm not much of a make-up person, but I want to look put together for my big day!

 

3) Since we're having such a small wedding, not sure if we want to do a traditional dance floor with dancing/music. We thought about hiring someone to play music while we sit at the tables, but not sure if that would take away from the special-ness of the occasion. Has anyone done something like this? Or basically not done the dancing portion of the evening? Not sure if I'd end up regretting it.

 

Thanks for any help!

[Moments That Matter]

Welcome to our forum community VancouverGal and Congrats on your Now Sapphire wedding coming up in Dec!!! you've come to the right place for lots of great resources to help with your planning questions - well done

 

You've chosen a gorgeous wedding venue as you can see in these magical wedding moments that matter we captured there, taken from our Now Sapphire Wedding Album - enjoy!

 

 

 

Happy research, and all the best with your plans - cheers!!! MTM Photography team

Edited May 7, 2016 by Moments That Matter

[vancouverpetunia]

@@VancouverGal I was married at Now Sapphire exactly a month ago today. Happy to answer any questions you may have. Have you joined the Now Brides group on FB? To answer your specific questions:

 

1) We had a friend play sax as we walked down the aisle (and back up). So it wasn't from the resort but we loved it, but maybe there was sentimental value to it, since he is a (talented) friend. We used the included musician (guitar) for our cocktail hour.

 

2) I'm not Asian but I am super sweaty lol. We had some clouds and a good breeze that day, but my makeup did not budge, other than my lipstick, for 11+ hours. I had to scrub it off at the end of the night. I had my makeup done at the salon (not airbrush). My stylist was Moises. He was awesome.

3) Where are you having your reception? We were on the tequila terrace. We brought a big speaker and used our iPhone with the Wedding DJ app for our playlists. It worked super well, with our 2 friends managing it (and didn't seem like much work for them, they double teamed). We had about 40 people.

 

P.S. I'm also from Vancouver (in case you couldn't tell from my user name).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[VancouverGal]

@@Moments That Matter Thanks for welcome and sharing pictures from Now Sapphire. Beautiful!

 

@@vancouverpetunia I saw your review! It's really helpful for newbies like me to see what others have done and I love how thorough yours was!  

 

Thanks for telling me about the sax. It's not something I've ever thought of having before, I think because I've always envisioned having a harp. I'm really tempted to hire an outside vendor for my make-up because I'm paranoid about it melting off my face. That's awesome that it stayed on you! The cost of the outside vendor fee ($300) seems steep for make-up and hair when I can get it done at the salon as part of my package but I'm not sure how I feel about chancing it.  Ahh decisions. 

 

I'm also having my reception on the Tequila Terrace! Good idea about bringing my own speaker + hooking up our iPhone. That sounds like a good way to go. How much lighting is on the Terrace? I'm debating stringing up lights overhead.

BTW, thanks for the tip on the Now Brides on Facebook! I had no idea!  Going to join now

Edited May 9, 2016 by VancouverGal

[Moments That Matter]

You're very welcome VancouverGal! As you can see from vancouverpetunia's advice, lots of great resources to help with your planning questions

 

Enjoy your wonderful journey ahead - Cheers!!! MTM Photography team

[vancouverpetunia]

@@VancouverGal If you really want airbrush, I think you might be able to avoid the vendor fee. Since the salon doesn't provide that service, I've heard they will waive the vendor fee if you bring in someone to do airbrush. Check with your WC, though, as I never asked about this myself, so I am not certain.

 

We rented a speaker from Love & Lace Decor (easier than bringing it with us). We also rented fairy lights & globe lights from them, however these were used in the pergola. I found the lighting on the terrace to be sufficient - honestly, I didn't really notice it one way or another (either too dark or too light). I think they basically had a couple of flood lights set up, but it didn't feel like I was in an interrogation room LOL.

 

If you want to string lights across the terrace (over the dinner tables), unfortunately they will charge you to erect poles that are needed to string the lights. When I asked, it was $400 per pole and I think you would need a minimum of 3, probably more. I couldn't justify that kind of cost...  

[VancouverGal]

@@vancouverpetunia good idea, I'll ask Juan Carlos about the airbrush! I just don't know if I can really bring myself to pay the make up artist fees plus the outside vendor fee too!

 

Speaking of which, $400 per pole?!?! Wow! I am willing to splurge on items that make a difference in ambiance but that is really steep. Now I'm definitely going to ask JC about that because I gotta know if it's really that expensive! What did they charge you for putting up the lights in the pergola?

[vancouverpetunia]

@@VancouverGal Yeah, I just about fell over at $400 per pole, which is why I went with plan b. They charged $100 to string globe lights and papel picado streamers under the pergola and another $100 to wind the fairy lights around the pergola poles. 

Edited May 10, 2016 by vancouverpetunia

[VancouverGal]

@@vancouverpetunia ouch, $100 each for stringing those things up is pricey too! I don't suppose they let you do it yourself and save the cost?

[vancouverpetunia]

@@VancouverGal Well, there were multiple strings of lights and the streamers. But yeah, it all adds up. I was told that they wouldn't let guests hang anything under the pergola for safety reasons (you'd need to be on a ladder). Not sure about wrapping lights around poles or railings. I didn't ask...