Torn about location... RIU vs. Renaissance

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by Sunnyray_Aruba

It's likely then that the policy change does not affect your wedding plans, so they did not have to inform you. The policy change has affected the plans of a couple I am working with, if they had stuck with Riu after 10 the party would need to be moved to the ballroom, this was not an option for the couple, as they want a fully outdoors party with a band and lots of dancing. The details on the policy were not really explained.

I would wager that they are trying to keep the noise down after 10 pm for the benefit of the other guests at the resort.

[Sunnyray_Aruba]

That appears to be the case... regardless, when a bride that has fallen in love with a venue gets to hear her dream out doors wedding dance party as promised is suddenly cut short by an hour and a half (all of the dancing portion), or that they have to move a 150 guests party to a ballroom, all of that just breaks a girls dreams...

[Jason_Margarita]

Originally Posted by Sunnyray_Aruba

Hmnm.. given what just took place with the couple coming down from Boston, I will have to disagree that Abi is top... Having a policy change after offering a service to a client is one thing, dealing with it in a great way, or accommodating customers is another. But perhaps this is a one time complication...

Lets be honest, RIU Palace is the most policy driven hotel on the Island!!! And yes, as a vendor we can be inclined to complain...But lets face the facts. Any couple getting married in Aruba, regardless of where they do it, will encounter one or more complications. And after working with almost all the hotels here, I've heard complains about every coordinator, every planner and every hotel. Yet, at the end of the day, every single couple I have had the pleasure of working with, left Aruba with a smile on their face, and without any doubt...HAPPY!

In my honest opinion Abi is very competent at her Job, and so is pretty much every planner I have worked with...do they have days were they are less than stellar, YES... of-course, who doesn't! But in the end, they will all go above and beyond for any couple. So I do believe this was a one time complication, and in the end...Abi has to adhere to the policies set forth by the hotel.

Like I've said before, it won't matter who coordinates your wedding, who photographs it, who provides the entertainment or who officiate's it, if you are getting married in Aruba, your wedding will be AMAZING!

Best Wishes,
__________________________________________________
For all your Wedding Photography & Cinematography
http://www.everafteraruba.com | http://www.jasonmargarita.com

[Sunnyray_Aruba]

Jason, it does matter during the process, and of course all of you are involved and maybe your amazing work leaves them so happy, they forget the scuffles and difficulties. We both have very different reference points, and that is fine and truely, you cannot really leave Aruba after your wedding without a smile, that is an impossibility.

This is specifically for those who consider it equally important:

A resort events coordinator (also titled wedding planner) is NOT the same as a wedding planner back home, if you're looking for an advocate of your needs as a bride, bring her along, get her/him involved before you head down, let him/her meet your vendors because the hotel planners and coordinators are still strictly bound by policy and have first allegiance to the venue/property. It will eventually bring some difficulties, if you must have someone that goes the extra mile look for internationally active wedding planners, like Terri Altergott from www.somethingborrowedsomethingnew.com, where they have a very personalized service to arrange your up-scale unique destination wedding experience, she plans Extraordinary Destination Weddings in different countries around the world, and recently also Aruba, email her for more information.