Back from our Carnival Paradise Wedding 4/27/09 -- Long review

[CaliCruiser2222]

What a whirlwind! It was over too soon!

 

About 5 days before the wedding Carnival's wedding coordinator contacted me about the location and time and details of the day. We did the 1.5 hour Delux package at the wedding was at 1:30pm.

 

A few days before the wedding I was contacted by the minister that would be performing the ceremony. They went over everything from check-in to ceremony.

 

The night before the wedding, we headed out to Long Beach and stayed at the Best Western at the Convention Center. Rooms started at $80 and it was only about 2 miles from the cruise terminal. That night we went out with some of the bridesmaids and groomsmen to the Islands restaurant, then to a local dive bar. It was fun and I enjoyed the extra time with our non-cruisers.

 

The morning of the wedding after sleeping only about 3 hours, I got up about 6:30 and had my hair done around 8:00am. The guy that does our hair traveled for us about and hour and a half and did my mom's, 2 sisters and my hair. While my hair was getting done, my fiance was getting dressed in our room. After hair was done, back to the room to do my makeup. My Fiance and I knew we'd be seeing each other, so were ok with it since we knew we could seperate at the cruise terminal.

 

After I was ready and my 17 month old daughter were ready, we left the hotel about 10:00 am for the terminal. My fiance drove seperately and checked in all our luggage. The porters asked if there was any wedding stuff in the luggage, my fiance wasn't sure (even though I had it all) and the porter made sure our luggage got to our room quickly. And it did! 20 min before the wedding. For any other brides that don't want to see their husbands, it is possible to do so at this terminal. Although it is a big open space, you can with cell phones stay seperated.

 

All the sailing guests had to walk over to the Queen Mary for express check-in. It was strange because there was a VIP check-in booth, but we had to go to the QM. All the non-sailors just hung around until they were ready to be checked-in, around 11:15 or so. My 2 wedding coordinators found me and went over all the details of the ceremony and reception. They also said that check-in is a "hurry up and wait game."

 

Once everyone was checked in, they took the whole group of people (there were 2 weddings that day) into the big dome around noon I think. There was another security check, everyone had to show thier vistor pass or passport/sail and sign card again. Luckily I had my daughter's stroller for wedding items and my dress. She had on her backpack/leash and I could carry her. We had my dress, a bag of florals and a treasure chest card box filled with reception items. Everything had to go through the security scanners.

 

After all that, we were able to board the ship. I felt like a celebrity with my entorage (sp?) of people helping and bring things aboard. Everyone was oohing and ahhing my daughter in her princess dress. She definately stole the whole cruise!! Even on formal night people would say, "there is that little flower girl." Anyway, we bypassed the line of people to get on, and the wedding coordinator escorted us to my room. It was now about 12:30pm.

 

I had my groom's parent's room open for him to get ready. He and the guys were already ready, so they headed straight to the bar for a stiff drink. All the wedding guests were able to eat at the Lido buffet, no questions asked. I believe one of the wedding coordinators did mention to not display thier visitor badges.

 

While I was waiting in our room, my mom went and got me a plate of food. Our wedding was at 1:30, rehearsal for the bridal party at 1:10. I just hung out with my daughter until it was closer then I started getting ready. The last 30 min alone with my little girl were pretty nerve racking, but she kept me entertained.

 

The right at 1:30 the wedding coordinator came to my room and got us. We did a few pictures in the room and hallway then walked to the Leonardo Lounge. We did some more pictures with my dad and the bridesmaids, then everyone lined up in the hall outside the Lounge. The wedding coordinators did a quick run through and said everyone knew what to do so just go with it. The music started to play and the line started moving!

 

I don't really remember music playing or walking down the aisle, all I could see was my future husband. Then my dad handed me off and we began our ceremony. We opted for the candle ceremony just to get a little longer ceremony and chose all the poems we could. We were never charged the fee for the ceremony.

 

After the ceremony, we did family and bridal party pics, then walked next door to the Rex Club for the reception. Since the photographer was there for the start of the wedding, we went right into the toast and cake cutting for pictures. I had made up an outline for the coordinators, and they suggested I do it this way for the photog and for the dances to be later. I didn't care about the order, just as long as it got done.

 

After that, we ate and mingled and had some drinks, and before we knew it, our coordinator told us we'd do the first dance. I brought a cd for the first dance, but had the dj chose one for the father/daughter and last dance, which were perfect songs. We also did a money dance and the dj had songs for that too. It was a blast! Then there was more dancing and reception pictures, then everyone had to go. It went by so quick.

 

After the reception, we did some pictures in the diningroom on the stairs, outside on the deck and in front of a backdrop. They were all fabulous and it was hard deciding which ones to pick.

 

Shortly after was the Muster drill, we were still in our wedding clothes, and got a lot of compliments from everyone. I was planning on staying in my dress all night, but needed to get that corset off after the muster drill. My daughter slept through the whole drill, she was wiped out!

 

We made an appointment to meet with our photog the second to last day, and we went over the pics in the library. Since we had so much credit with our group booking, gifts and not stopping in Ensenada, we opted for the $750 package. Our photog threw in a wedding album and instead of the DVD slide show (which I can do) he added 3 or 4 more 8x10s. We also got some more pictures from family and friends, but made sure they picked them out before the night was over so our photographer could get them all on the cd. He also would throw in an 8x10 or 5x7 if they bought 6 or 7. He was a great photographer and salesman!

 

When we picked up our pictures, we tipped our photog $20 and he was grateful. After that we looked at some of the pictures from formal night and when we went to pay for them, he threw them in the bag of wedding pictures, and said, "thanks guys! here's your pictures." So he threw them in for nothing.

 

It was soo much fun and I am so glad we have pictures from family and friends as well as the professional ones. It was hectic yet smooth and soo worth all the pre-cruise craziness!!

 

Here's a link to our picture site: http://www.guisewedding.shutterfly.com

[RBattle]

Nice pics!!! I'm getting married on the Carnival Pride on 9/6/09. I'm just hoping everything goes as planned. When you sent your invitations out, what info did you put with it?? as far as not bringing gifts on ship or you will have to pay a duty charge, make sure you have your ID, etc..etc..

 

What kind of music did the DJ play?

 

Thx.

[CaliCruiser2222]

The invitation was a regular invitation with the time being 10:00 am, the time for priority boarding. Then I put in a newsletter with the documentation needed to get on the ship, the time all guests needed to be at the pier, driving directions and a synopsis of what was going to happen that day.

 

I put on the letter: due to customs regulations, we cannot accept gifts the day of the wedding. And left it at that.

 

All our info is on our wedding website at: www.mywedding.com/caseyloveslauren

[mouthy_broad310]

Congratulations to you!! What a beautiful bride I love your dress and the pictures! What a great review, my friends are getting married on the Paradise this Friday May 15th and we are all so excited. Which room was the ceremony held in? My friends ceremony is being held in the Normandu Lounge, we are so not looking forward to walking up the dang stage!

Also, how were the food and drinks flowing at the reception??!! Was there time for the best man and MOH to give a speech?!

 

Thank you!!

[attorneybride2010]

Congratulations and thanks for the review! Sounds like you had an AWESOME time! I just booked my reception on the Destiny for next June and was thinking of also getting a DJ. One thing I didnt understand from the paperwork was if you have to pay the fee for the dj PLUS an additional fee of $100 if you have more than 50 guests? I have a feeling we're going to have a lot of ppl attending (well over 60) and I didnt know if we would get charged a $100 fee from everyone (the extra WC charges, etc.)

 

Also, good to know that you may be able to sneak non-sailing guests into the buffet!

[merocket59]

Congrats!! It sounds like you all had a great time and the pics are so nice!!

[carmelinam]

Congrats!! It sounds like you all had a great time and the pics are so nice!!

You're website is fabulous! Congrats!