North coast pop to samana, beach wedding at local prices

jahjahwarrior

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Mar 14, 2017
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Looking for more ideas for a beach wedding, either on the beach or with a beach view, on the north coast, for 80 people but not at tourist prices.

Was thinking to rent a large villa for $1500 per night or less, to have the wedding and stay for a few days with family after. So far not a single villa is willing to let me bring 80 people for the ceremony and reception... And hotels are charging around $150-300 us per person for the reception and dinner.

I don't need bargain basement prices but for those prices I might as well get married in the US...

Any ideas on venues I should research? Date is April 27...
 

janlindy

Active member
Mar 8, 2011
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Everything under the sun, Cabrera      has a FB page   Ryan Doyle is the contact person.  I have not used them, just am aware of them & sent a link to my cousin also.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Have you tried Rio San Juan & Cabrera (as janlindy suggests)

How big is the Bahia Blanca in RSJ?
big enough ?

Accommodation for how many - not all 80 right ?

I have a contact in Cabrera for you... big villa - BatMan rented it.

I'll keep thinking

PM me
 

chrisgy

Active member
Jan 15, 2013
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Looking for more ideas for a beach wedding, either on the beach or with a beach view, on the north coast, for 80 people but not at tourist prices.

Was thinking to rent a large villa for $1500 per night or less, to have the wedding and stay for a few days with family after. So far not a single villa is willing to let me bring 80 people for the ceremony and reception... And hotels are charging around $150-300 us per person for the reception and dinner.

I don't need bargain basement prices but for those prices I might as well get married in the US...

Any ideas on venues I should research? Date is April 27...

Blue jack tar in playa dorado will let you use their beach as long as there is a $5,000 minimum spend commitment. Fantastic beach / background for photos

Other options are to use a public beach . I'm familiar with Sosua. Here you have to request permission from the town, which they will normally give for a nominal contribution. And get your own decorator/coordinator/caterer etc.

Ask the churches for referrals/suggestions. the one right in front on the main road of Sosua Abajo (Iglesia Buen Samaritano) has lots of middle class weddings and has two or three people they work with that knows the ropes.
 

jahjahwarrior

New member
Mar 14, 2017
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That's great guys, thank you! Will be checking out each option.

The split will be roughly 20 people that need accomodations that are foreigners, and the rest are "locals." The hope was to keep family from the US, and mother, sister and brother in law of bride, together in one "nice" villa, with a beautiful view, pool, etc, to pass a nice weekend. Extended family from the DR, we would of course try to find some local hotel for them as well, but they would be on their own.

So we need 10 rooms minimum, and 14 is more than enough.

There is an "Eco Village" in Las Galeras with 14 bedrooms that is very close to perfect. The only problem is, they said they can only fit 50 people for the reception. More than 50, and we have to rent a restaurant in town for the wedding...but our hope was to have the reception right there. The benefits of a reception at the villa are that family from the US can go to bed when they want, no need to worry about finding a taxi for them, or having them find their way to hotel, as none of them speak spanish. Plus, the grounds of a villa are much fancier than having a party at a restaurant.

I am considering planning a weekend trip to Las Galeras to meet with the eco village people, and see their property, and try to convince them to have some outdoor tables too, to host the 80 people.

We had found another amazing rental property on the north coast that has hosted weddings and had room for 28 people to sleep there...but they were not willing to hold a wedding with more than 28 people... And we were falling all over ourselves for Sublime Samana hotel until we saw the price was $285 per person--without even renting any hotel rooms!

I have been surprised that either the places balk at having extra guests, even when I just ask for them to name a price for having the extra people, or the prices are extravagant even by US standards.

As I said, will be checking out each lead proposed so far! We really want to use a private beach if possible. We don't really want to get married on the sand of the beach, just in front of the beach, but either way I want no trash, nobody trying to shine our shoes, etc...
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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I doubt the facilities are comparable..... pretty fancy in Cabrera....Hollywood like

That may not appeal to some