Hi Tracy,

Try Exquisite Weddings - they are wedding planners who will arrange some 'extras' even if you havent arranged your wedding through them. I contacted them and they emailed me a list of prices. They quoted about £350 for an hour, and then you pay for champagne and drinks on top of that. What did First Choice quote you?

I have booked through Thomas Cook, but not getting married until Sept next year so havent arranged anything else as yet. Would be interested to know what prices another tour operators are quoting, as opposed to the local wedding planners as I have heard mixed reports about Tour Operators ripping you off. We are planning to wait until we are in resort to book all ours through Thomas Cook, so I want to be sure we are making the right decision. As it will be a small low key wedding there hopefully won't be much to arrange!

I really did fancy the idea of the champagne cruise, but we are trying to keep costs down as much as possible, and will prob only have a handful of guests there so it would be an expensive extravagance! (I can dream!!)

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to have your own music at St Paul's? Most of the reports I see, have the greek music. Is this something the tour reps can sort for you or do we need to bring our own cd player?

Any advice welcome.

Good luck to all getting married soon - It's killing me having to wait another year!

Hi Everyone

Can anyone help me!?
I am really interested in booking my wedding in Rhodes and love the look of Lindos -St Pauls bay. IS it nice?

Can anyone recommend any nice 4/5* all inclusive hotels in Rhodes? Also does it matter where your hotel is or is it better that you are in Lindos Pefkos?

I am thinking of first choice to have the weddings is this the best option or is a direc planner better?
Any help advice would be great.

Thanks :

Hey Noonoo07

Im not getting married until May 2009 and using Thomas Cook who have been quite helpfull and a lot cheaper than the wedding planners based in Lindos. If you would like to have everything sorted before you go then i would say use the wedding planners. I wont be getting my date confirmed until November time but know it will be 1 of 2 dates i have given them and also wont be sorting out all the extras until we arrive. I am however booking the reception myself directly with a restaurant/hotel once we have the date confirmed. Lindos is absolutely stunning, as is the rest of Rhodes. We are staying in a hotel called the Lindos Mare half board and if you look it up on some review websites it has had nothing but brilliant views. Also if you look on the hotels website they can do your wedding planning for you etc. I tried to look for some all inclusive hotels when i was getting ready to book and couldnt find any for Lindos itself, half board was the best we could get. There is quite a lot of other ladies on here that have actually got married so will probably be able to give you more advise although it has been very quiet over the last few weeks (prob because a lot of them are off getting married, he he). If there is anything else you want to ask though feel free and i will try to help you best i can.

Hope this helps??

Claire

xx

Hi everyone
Thanks claire for the info about the boat cruise, first choice are charging about the same as the one you have been quoted. I am sure someone posted on here a name of someone that you can contact direct but i have looked back through and i cant find it. I personally think that £350 is alot of money to pay out and unless i can cut that price i will have to think of something else. As for your own music i am sure it said in my literature you can make a cd and take it over. This is something i definiately want to do so i will email my wedding planner and i will let you know.
As for the person who wants advice about who to book with i would say go with a wedding planner based in rhodes. I am booked with first choice and i really dont recommened them but that is only my opinion and i am sure others would disagree with me. As for choosing st pauls bay for your wedding location i have to say is great as it is such a lovely place, well i think everwhere in rhodes is great. Also i really dont think it is that important to be based in lindos i am staying just outside lindos in an all inclusive hotel called the iberostar lindos royal. It has good reviews so fingers crossed it will be good for us too.
Thanks for the offer Tanya if you do happen to see anything let me know but i am sure you will be very busy with all of your arrangements. I think i fly out just as or after you come back omg i am so excited i cant wait even though it is not much longer.
Speak to you all again soon
Tracy

There are sooooo many people going or already been to get married!! Im sooooo jealous, cant wait to see all your pics and a full wedding report.

Good luck again to those of you getting ready to go. Only 9 months till im off now, yey!!

Claire
xxxxxxx

Ok guys - My name is Nicola by the way! thanks for your help!

Can I ask anyone who booked with a wedding planner to let me know which one? Is it Lindos weddings?
Also has this cost you much more than First choice who quoted me £339 (although unsure what that includes!)

Thanks for all your help I am looking at Sept 09 and I want to get it all booked ASAP!

Hi Nicola, he he

Ive booked mine through Thomas Cook (not the wedding planners), it has cost £199 for the wedding + the cost of the holiday and then add on any extras that we add on once we arrive in Rhodes. From what i have heard from people that have already been married there they arent that expensive.

Claire
xxxx

Hi Claire thanks for all your help!

So Thomas cook have been ok with for so far? I am so in 2 minds really about tour operator or wedding planner!

[*]Want tour operator as the hols and package can be all booked together plus its cheaper however you can not confirm your date and they cant help with the reception until you arrive. However some have said good things some have not?? Just want to make a decision but decison making is not my strong point!!

I was looking at first choice but previous reply says not good? Do you mind me asking why?? xx

My friend booked though Thomas Cook and recommended them plus we are on a tight budget. We booked in April this year for May next year but dont get our actual wedding date confirmed until October/November time, we did however give a choice of 2 days which we would like and they told us that although they cant guarantee the date we want until later in the year they have never known anybody not get it. Aparently things are so laid back out there that anything you want will and can be sorted with only a few days notice. Honestly i was stressing so much a couple of weeks ago about booking through a tour company rather than the planners based there i was going insane , lol. Loads of people have put my mind at ease though and granted the tour companie reps dont spend all of their time planning the weddings, as Lindos is getting more popular for a wedding location they are more experienced than you or me and i havent heard a bad review about Thomas Cook. I am however planning to arrange my own reception over there, if you look on the web a lot of restaurants have websites and will arange your meal etc directly with you. For the record too i am a bit of a control freak and its killing me not being able to do anything until November, lol.

You do what you think is best though and if i can help with anything else let me know.

Claire xx

Hi Claire & Nicola,

It's helpful to know of fellow Thomas Cook weddings! We went with them mainly because a friend works in a travel agent and could get us discount, but also 2 friends have used them for their weddings and had no problems. I had a few wobbles a while back but my other half has reassured me everything can and will be sorted as soon as we get to the resort.

We have booked for September 09 and have provided 2 preferred dates, taking into consideration any guests will arrive in the second week. I'm not too bothered about what time the wedding takes place and I like the idea of it being a short ceremony! I have been told the Mayor of Lindos/Rhodes has announced he will not be confirming any 09 wedding dates until after September this year so I expect to get confirmation after that.

We are staying at Lindos Memories, half board. Reviews are excellent and I can't wait to get there. It was because I liked the hotel so much that we decided on Rhodes. I was all for having the ceremony at the hotel but once we saw the chapel in St Pauls Bay...... wow!

It is nice to hear somebody else has used Thomas Cook!! I thought i was the only one, ha ha.

Only thing im worried about now it the weather which i know i have no control of whatso ever .
With us going at the beginning of May (the dates we have given are the 14th and 15th) i have been told it is more likely to rain, h2b has told me not to be so stupid, lol. The one thing that gives me peace of mind is that Thomas Cook do weddings at Lindos Mare (aparently its the only hotel in lindos that they, Thomas Cook, will marry you at???), so if it is raining im hoping we can just stay at the hotel grounds.................

Claire xxx

Hi Claire,

We went to Lindos end of May last year and had a few days of rain - but it was just in the afternoon and dried up by the evening! (I do think we were just unlucky the week we went!)
As the ceremony should be in the early evening I would hope you would be OK. Think positive! Good to know you have a back up plan tho!

Our dates are 18th or 21st September. Got my fingers crossed it will be the 18th as that's a Friday. Otherwise if it is the Monday it means a 48 hour honeymoon!

Cx

Just had a reply from my enquiry with Lindos weddings sounds good but is that bit more expensive - What I like tho is I can specify my date as I am a control freek and it may drive me made!! Ha

I dont reckon you will rain just do a few sundances and pray lot and it will be fine. Also good you have a back up plan as the hotel weddings are under a gozebo and that will be so nice also. So dont worry.

xxx

Hi girls
Just reading through all the threads and you have been busy.
I just want to add i booked with first choice and they were very reasonably priced for their wedding package i think all tour operators are fairly reasonable. I am disappointed with first choice as the time of my wedding i feel is awful and i have tried to change it but they wont budge, even though they say we will do everything to make your day special. Also First choice have contacted all of our guests and asked them if they would like any extras for there holiday and gave them these extras at a good rate. We have not been contacted by them and when we tried to book our seats for example we were charged more than our guests. I think the company have forgotten they would not have this large party going over if we werent getting married.
So i have had the wedding package from first choice but all of the extras i have booked independantely and they were alot cheaper than first choice.
If you book with a planner already based in rhodes i feel you get a better service even though they are a bit more expensive. I noticed some of the girls who did their wedding this way say they had chosen the day and time, which i personally feel is how it should be.
But anyway whatever way we do it i am sure we will all have the best day of our lives. Only 6 weeks now and i am sooo excited cant wait to get out there and sort out the final touches.

Tracy

hi girls...i'm back!!!! havnt much time just yet to go through it all...just got home thismorning...shattered....but...all can say is amazing!!!get yourself a very long drink at the ready and a comfy seat...its a long one!!!!speaks soon love "mrs hayhurst" xxx

Hello Mrs Hayhurst
Welcome back glad to hear you have had an amazing time cant wait to hear all about it. Not long for me now 6 weeks and i will be there yippee.
Speak to you soon and congratulations.
Tracy

Yey!!!!! welcome back mrs (he he)

Cant wait to hear your report and see your pics

xxxxxxxx

Hi everyone! I'm new to this but have read all previous posts (phew!) I'm all booked up with my wedding date confirmed for 5th October 2009 - just counting down the days now! We used a wedding planner based in Rhodes & got our date confirmed within a day or 2 of requesting it - even down to the time of the ceremony!! We're hoping to have around 20 guests coming over & have an appointment with our planner when we're over there this October on holiday, so we can check out some venues for the evening reception.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello & love catching up with everyone's progress!

T x

P.S. Has anyone who has already been married in Rhodes booked the photographer (Lindos' resident wedding photographer?) and if so, how were the photos? Also, anyone who has been married @ St Pauls, did you use the deck down from the chapel for a couple of drinks with your guests? How long are you allowed to stay down there for and is it a good idea for a little break in between the ceremony & the reception?

Hi everyone!

Well im just back from what can i say was the most amazing day of my life!! I got married in rhodes St Pauls bay and to top that of i used Lindos Weddings who were absolutely fabulous from start to finish. Karen and Laurence have that extra special personal touch they are both two lovely people who set out to make your day a dream come true and thats what they did for me along with the rest of there team cath and claire..
The wedding took place on the 8th July 2008 my day started at 4pm when bev the hairdresser came to my room to do my hair!! well what can i say she was brilliant she made my hair look so thick and sleek i loved it! then the make up artist followed i used a girl from Lindos Spa who was very good as she does a trial with you a few days before the wedding i felt like a princess!! Taxi arrived about 5:45 to take me to the get the boat to go to ST Pauls i arrived at st pauls by boat along with my father and bridesmaids about 6:30pm just in time for the ceremony!!! that was so amazing seeing all my friends and family gathered at the church along with the hubby!! and me coming round the bay of St pauls by boat this was all arranged through karen and laurence after the ceremony we done the 1hr champagne boat cruise which i can highly suggest you do .. we done the speeches on the boat so that let all the men look forward to getting it over and done with then have there meal in peace!! Arriving back from the boat cruise we were taking through the streets of Lindos to our reception venue at Med East by the sounds of the Greek acordianist/violinist who really spice up the evening.. on arrival at Med east we were met by Cath who had decorated the venue just to my requirments everything looked beautiful!! The greek band then started up at 9pm and played until midnight they were a dif class very entertaining!! All in all my day was fairytale and that was down to the work Lindos weddings put into it David and Myself could not thank them enough.. they leave no stone unturned and really go that extra mile for you.. any questions about my day or Lindos Weddings just ask!!
i cant add an attachment but if you type in msn friends of pefkos into google and go to the pics it should say wedding 8th july 2008 thats me so take a peek!

Mrs Montgomery