A&W's Planning Journal! Jan 2011 - Disneyland Wedding - Engagement + Ring Pics!

[Safflower]

I've been admiring the planning journals on here since he proposed, and now I think I'm finally ready to start a one of my own! :goodvibes We're shooting for a Disneyland Wedding in January 2011, and I can't wait! To get things started, here's our engagement story:

In January, we went on a family trip to Japan. One of our first stops was Tokyo Disneyland! As trip planner / tour director, I had spent several months getting everything ready to make sure that everyone would enjoy themselves on the trip. Little did I know that Will had been planning to propose to me while we were in Japan! He had been waiting until he could ask my father's permission in person, and seeing as we'd all be together on the trip, he realized that it would be the perfect time. We had joked about him proposing, but as I thought it wouldn't happen for at least another year or so, I was completely unaware that he had been planning anything at all.

Our first day at Tokyo Disneyland was really romantic- the trip was going smoothly and we were having a great time. I was so happy that I was finally getting to show Will all these neat things in Japan! Will took advantage of my distraction of being "tour guide" to take my father aside and ask him for my hand. Luckily, my dad said yes! :yay: Will's mother and sister were along on the trip as well, and they were already in on the plan.

The second day there, we went to Disney Sea. It was late in the afternoon, just before sunset when we rode Aquatopia. Will and I got on first, so we had to wait for everyone else to finish before we could move onto the next ride. The park was really quiet that day, so we waited off to the side where no one else was. As we waited, Will had his sister take a picture of us kissing in the sunset. She was about to put down the camera, since everyone else was off the ride, when Will asked her to take another picture. Just then, he reached into his pocket and said "I have a present for you".

When I realized what was happening, I burst into tears of disbelief! I couldn't believe that he was really proposing. He kissed me, and put the ring on my finger and I just kept crying. When I finally managed to let go of him to tell my mom (who wasn't in on the surprise), everyone was so excited! It was really perfect to get to have both of our families there when we got engaged, and it was so romantic for him to propose there! :love::love: Afterwards, I was still pretty worked up, so we rode Journey to the Center of the Earth to calm down, and then had dinner at the Miracosta to celebrate! The rest of our trip was amazing, but that moment definitely made the top of the list :goodvibes

Here's a picture of me saying "yes": http://gallery.me.com/skuldi/100311/IMG_2600/web.jpg?ver=12380279290001

I can't wait to start posting more about the wedding!

[Sarah <3 Disney]

Welcome!:goodvibes

That story and picture are so cute! I can't wait to read more! Especially a Disneyland wedding... those are few and far between on these boards. :rotfl:

[MainStMandy]

Ohhh I love your story!! Congratulations and welcome to the boards!!

[ghoulish delight]

Aww, I love your proposal story! :lovestruc It's too sweet! And of course I'm thrilled to see another DL bride!!! :banana: :yay: I'll be reading along, and am excited to see more from you!

Welcome and congrats!! :goodvibes

[pinkcow]

Ooh! Can't wait to read all of your plans! What a great proposal! :goodvibes

[pezaddict231]

Welcome to the boards! What a sweet proposal story, it really makes me want to go to Disneyland Japan!

[BecBennett]

Yay another 2011 planner! Welcome!

You both look so happy in that photo!

[Safflower]

Thank you so much for the warm welcome everyone! Today I want to share my stories of dress shopping...or, well, the dress shopping saga. After he proposed, finding the perfect dress was the thing that I wanted to do the most! After seeing the Kirstie Kelly collection for DFTW, I thought I had found what would be the dress. The one that I had my heart set on was the SB2722, after I saw it on a mannequin on a trip to DL (http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/dress.jpg).

I thought it would be easy- there is a salon in San Francisco that carries the dress collection, so I figured I could make an appointment, try on the dress, and buy it all on the same day. How wrong I was! I called the salon, only to find out that the dress had been discontinued!! :scared1:

Luckily the wonderful shop owner was able to have a sample shipped from LA for me to try on, and they said that they would still be able to make the dress for me if it was the one :woohoo: The day finally came for me to try on the dress, and I was so excited, but... it just didn't feel like it was the one! http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0215.jpg

So... I tried on every other dress that caught my eye :rotfl:
http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0217.jpg

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0219.jpg

The shop was really great, and the owner did so much to help me! Even though I didn't find the right dress, she was so willing to work with me :goodvibes I would highly recommend Flair to anyone shopping in SF!

Next I tried looking at Pricilla of Boston. So so many beautiful dresses! http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0025.jpg

Nothing that was really my style though... or even close to my budget! I thought all hope was lost, but I kept making appointments...

(To Be Continued! :goodvibes)

[pezaddict231]

I know exactly how you feel, I loved a particular dress for over a year. I always thought that would be my dress. Then I tried it on, and I wanted to love it, but I just didn't. Don't worry, you'll find the perfect dress! Maybe have the consultant pull something that she thinks would work, that's how I found my dress.

[ghoulish delight]

I too had a dress in particular that I loved for nearly a year before I went dress shopping. Finally got to try it on, and it just wasn't the one for me either. :confused3 Funny how things work out!

Anyway, I'm veeeery excited to hear the continuation of your dress shopping saga! :cutie:

[Safflower]

I know exactly how you feel, I loved a particular dress for over a year. I always thought that would be my dress. Then I tried it on, and I wanted to love it, but I just didn't. Don't worry, you'll find the perfect dress! Maybe have the consultant pull something that she thinks would work, that's how I found my dress.

That's exactly what ended up happening! :rotfl: It makes sense to get their advice though- they see different types of girls in so many dresses every day, they should be able to tell what will work and what won't!

I too had a dress in particular that I loved for nearly a year before I went dress shopping. Finally got to try it on, and it just wasn't the one for me either. :confused3 Funny how things work out!

Anyway, I'm veeeery excited to hear the continuation of your dress shopping saga! :cutie:

I saw the first dress in the DFTW window that's in the breezeway between the Grand Californian and Downtown Disney- it was love at first sight, and he hadn't even proposed! Even though it isn't the one for me, I still stare at it every time I pass by the window :confused3 I just can't resist imagining it!

[GoonieBride]

your story is tooo cute! welcome and looking forward to reading more!!

[Safflower]

So, after my first two appointments, I was feeling overwhelmed with choices and I really had no idea what type of dress I was looking for. I booked an appointment at Saks 5th Avenue, as at the time their bridal department was in the process of closing, so they were selling all of their sample dresses at great prices! There weren't too many choices, but I was lucky enough to get to try on a Vera Wang dress that was originally sold for $11,000!! :scared1:
http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0038.jpg?t=1249239911

And then- the consultant brought me another Vera Wang dress, that with the discount would be less than half of my dress budget! :woohoo: It was amazing! It seemed like it was the perfect dress for me :goodvibes
http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0040.jpg?t=1249239956

I had an appointment the next day at one more shop though, so I put the dress on hold so that I could sleep on it and be more sure. When I went to the other shop the next day, I looked at the dresses, but I didn't see anything that I thought was better than the Vera Wang dress. I thought that I had already made up my mind, and that nothing would be better. I still tried on a few dresses, just to be sure. The consultant helped me out a lot, and brought me some extra dresses that she thought would look nice.

The last dress that I tried on looked alright on the hanger, but I didn't think it would really be my style.... and then I put it on! It was amazing! Even though it was just the sample dress, it fit me perfectly :dance3:

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0180.jpg?t=1249240761

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss130/safflower/IMG_0181.jpg?t=1249240795

Once I had it on, I didn't want to take it off- I had finally found the dress! :cool1:

[ghoulish delight]

Ooh, it's beautiful!!!! :lovestruc And you look so happy in it! Yay!! You're so tiny in it too! Pretty pretty!

[GoonieBride]

congrats!!! its a wonderful feeling when you find the dress isn't it!!! :yay:
im very happy for you!!

[MainStMandy]

Oh your dress is beautiful!! It fits you perfectly!!

[Safflower]

Oh your dress is beautiful!! It fits you perfectly!!

Ooh, it's beautiful!!!! :lovestruc And you look so happy in it! Yay!! You're so tiny in it too! Pretty pretty!

Thank you! :goodvibes


congrats!!! its a wonderful feeling when you find the dress isn't it!!! :yay:
im very happy for you!!

Yes! I felt so relieved once I knew that I had found it and didn't have to worry anymore :goodvibes I was beginning to think that I'd just have to settle for a dress that was only "OK" :lmao:

[Safflower]

Back in March we took some engagement photos and I wanted to share them with you guys :goodvibes I think they turned out really nicely!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3535/3790169390_8993e5e1fe.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3578/3790169428_1603a49fde.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3790169470_1fa9aab425.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/3790169548_4a905288ce.jpg

We already used some on our engagement announcements, but I'm thinking about maybe using them somewhere else too- I just don't know where else I could put them in the wedding :confused3

[Safflower]

A few shots of the ring too :lovestruc

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2519/3790169254_e17f15a2c5.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2549/3790169194_5ae5a1520e.jpg

[MainStMandy]

Awww I love your engagement pictures! Very nice!!

[pezaddict231]

your engagement pics are so sweet! You could definitely use them for other wedding related things, you could use them in newsletters if you do them, or make a guestbook with them, you could blow one up and have a mat around it that guests sign...that's all I've got so far, but you can definitely use them in some way.

[ghoulish delight]

Your e-pics are so sweet! :flower3: You can tell you two love eachother lots! Also, your ring is gorgeous too!

[Safflower]

your engagement pics are so sweet! You could definitely use them for other wedding related things, you could use them in newsletters if you do them, or make a guestbook with them, you could blow one up and have a mat around it that guests sign...that's all I've got so far, but you can definitely use them in some way.

Ah! That's a great idea :goodvibes I'd love to put them in the guestbook, since I know most of our guests haven't seen the majority of our e-pics, so it'd be nice to have them see the rest. It'd make an even better keepsake then too :woohoo:

Also, we just had our first planning session on Wednesday! :yay: I'll have to post details soon, but it looks like we'll be able to do some of our crazy ideas :dance3: I was getting a little bit down / worried budget wise, so getting to talk to them really helped out. Thank goodness!

[ghoulish delight]

Do you have a set wedding coordinator yet?? If so, who'd you get?

Looking forward to you filling us all in on the PS details! :thumbsup2

[Safflower]

Do you have a set wedding coordinator yet?? If so, who'd you get?

Looking forward to you filling us all in on the PS details! :thumbsup2

So far we've been working with Traci, but I'm not sure if she'll be our set wedding coordinator? She's been great so far though! Even with my sometimes outlandish ideas :rotfl:

The planning session went well, and she was able to show us the different locations we were considering at the Disneyland Hotel. Have been talking a lot about budget though in this past week, and I feel like I'm just hitting a brick wall with the wedding plans. :headache: For the size of our wedding, we just don't feel like any of the choices that they have really fit "us" - not that we don't want to do Disneyland anymore! We're just trying to figure out how we can be able to afford to do things and still have the wedding be an expression of our relationship. Then again, I've also been talking / thinking about the wedding non-stop since our PS last week, and I've even had some wedding nightmares! :lmao: So perhaps it's time to step back for awhile so that we can figure out what's most important to us. I just want to know soon so we can get that contract signed!

[GoonieBride]

im sorry your stressing. maybe you need day the beach! sun, sand, water, and a good book to get your mind of the wedding.

glad your PS went well!! keep us posted! im excited to read all about a disneyland wedding. :cutie:

[CelticBelle]

hi! ill be getting married at DL just a few months after you. I absolutely love your dress! It fits you perfectly and looks stunning. I hope ill be able to find a dress that impressive. ;)

When you went for a planning session was that your site visit since you said you hadnt signed a contract yet? Im asking because I just sent my planning packet back to traci, and was trying to get a grasp of what well be going over during our PS.

Good luck with deciding on your locations!

[Safflower]

hi! ill be getting married at DL just a few months after you. I absolutely love your dress! It fits you perfectly and looks stunning. I hope ill be able to find a dress that impressive. ;)

When you went for a planning session was that your site visit since you said you hadnt signed a contract yet? Im asking because I just sent my planning packet back to traci, and was trying to get a grasp of what well be going over during our PS.

Sorry I haven't been on recently! When we went down to meet with Traci we talked mostly about locations and bigger details. Since we live in the Bay Area, we can't go down to look at things as often as we'd like. Meeting with her before we signed the contract allowed us to get a feel for our locations before we got locked into somewhere we'd end up hating :rotfl:

I'm excited to read your PJ! Great to see another DL bride.

[weedee]

joining in popcorn:: Your e-pics are great!

[CelticBelle]

Sorry I haven't been on recently! When we went down to meet with Traci we talked mostly about locations and bigger details. Since we live in the Bay Area, we can't go down to look at things as often as we'd like. Meeting with her before we signed the contract allowed us to get a feel for our locations before we got locked into somewhere we'd end up hating :rotfl:

I'm excited to read your PJ! Great to see another DL bride.

thats basically what we did also. Were in the sacramento area so we went for a site visit during the half marathon weekend, and then they sent us our contract etc. Our planning session is 2 weeks away! :banana:

I cant wait until your planning session and we get to hear all the details. It sounds like youll have a lot of cool ideas.:thumbsup2

[pink_tink8i8]

aww your e pics are great and your dress is beautiful. Very princessy :)