Scottish piper in DR

[gillianonbarra]

Am searching for Scottish Piper (big pipes) to pipe at my daughter's wedding in July in DR. We are coming from Glasgow and the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Wedding is at Gran Ventana Beach
Resort beginning of July 2008. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanx Gillian

[DRAddict]

I'm WORKING on it already!!!! 8)

Seriously though folks, this is a most uncommon request & I would love to get some answers to Gillionbarra. If ANYONE has a thought/link/contact for me to follow up over here, drop me an e-mail or post it here & I will follow it through! Thanks ~ Grahame.

[DRAddict]

Okay,
The concensus of opinion is that you should try this organisation in Santo Domingo.
Brit Chamber of Commerce in DR - for a number of years there have been Whisky Extravaganzas here - many have had pipers present on the day.
http://www.britchamdr.com/en/acti17.html

Ave. San Martín 253, Suite 203
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Tel.: (809) 616-2335 Fax (809) 616-2336
Email: administracion@britchamdr.com

If that fails, you could try the Dominican section of House of Spain who might well have a pipes section (but not SCOTTISH pipes I'm afraid). They are contactable via a website http://casadeespana.com.do/contactos.as ... t_fest_dep

Good luck & get back to let us know how you get on. ~ Grahame.

[gillianonbarra]

Hi Graeme,

Thanx for that, I have contacted your first suggestion.

I have another querie, maybe not so obscure this time. I would like to find a professional photographer who would take photo's on the day!

I see you are a golf buff - I am organising a Whisky Galore Festival for next year. 2009 is the year of Homecoming to Scotland which also incorporates encouraging visitor's to Scotland. Within the Festival, we are hosting a golf tournament. We are the most westerly golf course in Scotland - next stop Canada! It is not a conventional course.

Bit of useless info - Barra is a very small island - population approx 1200. Compton MacKenzie wrote Whisky Galore whilst living on Barra and the film was filmed here. His house is here and he is buried here.

Should be a fun festival!

regards

Gillian

[DRAddict]

I am delighted to hear that the thoughts & links MIGHT be useful. lease keep us informed as to what responses you get (could be useful if we get any more Scots marrying out here!!).

With regard to the photographer - YES I do know somee photographic studios here in Puerto Plata. Won't this be being handled by the tour rep. though? Or maybe the Wedding Coordinator will be recommending the photographer of choice? I am more than happy to send you the details of these organisations but bear in mind the tour companies/hotels may well frown on 'outside competition'!

Get back to me if you want me to send you details of the 'Ted Jiminez' studio in the centre of Puerto Plata.

Regards ~ Grahame.

[gillianonbarra]

Hi Graeme,

Not good news. I am told there is not a piper in DR. However, I am determined to find one. Any other ideas? Maybe an ad in a local paper? What do you think? I will get back to you about the photographer.

I appreciate having you as a contact over there - you must be a very popular man indeed!

Thanx again

Gillian

[weddingplanning]

Gillian and Graeme,

I'm also getting married in the DR and am trying to find a scottish piper to play in the Gran Ventana in a few months time.

I'd be so grateful if you would let me know how you got on and whether you managed to find someone. I'm trying to organise this as a surprise hence I'm not going to leave my name online.

I hope the wedding earlier in the year went fantastically.

Thanks,
Weddingplanning


[Edit: please don't quote the previous post in it's entirety.]

[DRAddict]

Hello WeddingPlanning,
I regret I never received a follow up from Gilian to my suggestions & she didn't contact me whilst over here earlier this year. I am HOPEFUL she got something sorted out re 'The Piper' but apart from the suggestions already made above, I can not help further at this time.

I know the Gran Ventana well & you should be well happy with your choice of hotel. If your 'hubby to be' wants to get round the golf course whilst here (I know what stresses these weddings can be for a man!!!![lol]) then tell him to get in touch with me.

By the way ........ despite how Gilian thinks I ought to spell my name (i,e, the Scottish or Irish spelling) it is GRAHAME. Pleased to meet you & get back if there is more information you need! ~ Grahame.

[weddingplanning]

Thank you so much Grahame for your prompt response - I'll do some more research and let you know how I get on.

By the way - I'm actually the hubby-to-be, it's my wife-to-be I'm hoping to surprise. I don't actually play golf so I'm not sure it'll be too relaxing lol, but thanks anyway.

Its great hearing from a local that the Gran Ventana is a good choice.

All the best,
Weddingplanning

[Edit: please don't quote the previous post in it's entirety. It's really rather tedious to scroll through stuff we already read a moment ago.]

[DRAddict]

By the way - I'm actually the hubby-to-be, it's my wife-to-be I'm hoping to surprise.

Ahhhh, ....... you great big Romantic you!!! 8)

I don't actually play golf so I'm not sure it'll be too relaxing lol, but thanks anyway.

At the risk of having my typical British Humour being misunderstood yet again ...............
No matter Sir, if she plays golf maybe I could play a round with her! !!!

Its great hearing from a local that the Gran Ventana is a good choice.

Gran Ventana is just 6 minutes up the road from our pad - 8 minutes during rush hour!! If you need anything just walk up to the golf caddie shack or ask the starter for my telephone details!!

Feel free to visit my website www.casabush.org or that of my partner in crime who forced me to this idyllic (for us) new home ...... www.ginniebedggood.com for more information about the DR & the north coast in particular! If you want to contact direct then you can use the website facility. ~ Grahame.

[gillianonbarra]

Hi Wedding Planning and DRAddict,

My daughter's wedding was cancelled (but we are all happy about that!). I did follow up on all the links, but to no avail. I wish you luck - there must be a piper out there somewhere!

Anyway, Keri (my daughter) is getting married again (to a lovely man this time) and it will be happening here on my doorstep - Vatersay Beach next July. I have her coming into the bay on a boat, I have a fantastic piper and drummer waiting for her and a couple of accordions to play the wedding dance on the beach!

Good luck again - and hey if you struggle - there's always Vatersay Beach - on a beautiful day, you could be anywhere in the world!

Gillian