Kat & Adam's Italy/UK (Europe not WS!) Wedding and Disneymoon 2013 - *Intro Pics*

[longwaybycarriage]

Let's start with...we're engaged! Yay!

I'm Kat, the bride-to-be, and I'll be kicking things off, but DF (aka the groom-to-be aka Adam aka PumpkinPilot) is also a DISer, so he'll be posting/updating too. I’ll be using a purple font and he’ll be using blue to make sure we’re easy to spot.

I have to say, our first post on the weddings and honeymoons boards feels like a bit of a milestone – I can’t believe it's our turn. We promised some of you the story so far – a proposal post – so we're going to start there. After that, we’ll share some of our blue-sky ideas and you can watch us try to wrestle them into some kind of semi-sane plan. There will be pictures, predicaments, we’ll probably ask for opinions on matters of multiple-choice...all the usual stuff...and whatever other fun, frolics, and feathers (if I can get them past DF! ) we find on the way to 'I do'.

Contents

The Bride and Groom

The Proposal

Photos

 

[longwaybycarriage]

About us...

We both live on the outskirts of London, but we’re oh-so-tragically separated by 30-odd miles, the River Thames, various train/tube lines, a congestion charge zone and – in trying to circumvent all of those – the M25 and its traffic-making mastery. We've started the great house hunt, so the struggle will soon be over...well, it will be if we ever decide whether to go SE into Kent (near me) or NW towards Oxford (near DF).

DF is an I.T. genius for a corporate communications company, he’s a music geek (sorry, darling, would you prefer aficionado?!), and he loves gadgets, airplanes, and his Brompton. I'm a writer (working on turning that into "author") and – predictably enough – I love books, books, and more books! I also love history, all things design, and am quite the techie (okay, geek!) myself. As you can imagine, we have a wedding app and wedding spreadsheets instead of the traditional folder...and I'll be building us a wedding website at some point.

Obviously, we share a love of Disney! That aside, we’re into theatre, films, and a whole list of TV shows (it started with sci-fi & fantasy, but we've branched out!); we enjoy eating out and trying to cook; and, when time permits, we dabble in some partner dancing (I used to teach).

Last and, of course, most – we love the little and large pooches in our lives. (Photos a few posts below!)

How we met...

We met in December 2006, in Covent Garden (so we came from opposite sides of London and literally met in the middle). Only a couple of months ago we realised that, the night we met, he was in a pub on one corner having pre-Christmas drinks with his friends and I was in a cocktail bar on the opposite corner doing the same. Both groups then moved on to another pub/bar and we all met on the basement level where a band was playing...we talked music and operating systems, he complimented my perfume, we exchanged numbers...and here we are.

The DIS...

We took our first WDW trip together in 2008, but we'd both been once before with our families. I discovered the boards during the planning process (phew!) and soon found myself addicted to the podcasts. DF thought I'd gone mad (madder than my usual mad ), but that all changed once I got him into "the bubble". Armed with an itinerary (spreadsheets again!) that meant we were never waiting in line longer than 15mins or so, ADRs for some amazing restaurants, and other inside info, we had an awesome two and a half weeks. We were with a group of friends, which wasn't always easy, but we made the best of it and there was no doubt we'd be back...soon. Our first trip took place during Halloween/food and wine, our second (with DF's family this time) was supposed to be a pre-Christmas trip but, thanks to heavy snow here in England, it ended up being a month-long, actual Christmas trip! Between the two, we squeezed in a short hop over to Disneyland Paris and our first trip to California.

We're very excited (and very lucky!) to have another trip to California all set for next year – we'll be on the DIS ABD Backstage Magic Tour in June. Then there's the honeymoon! So far, we've decided we'd like to do WDW alone for the first time, take our first Disney cruise (it'll actually be our first cruise of any kind), and try to fit in some beach R&R...someone will have to come and drag us home eventually!

 

[jessa07]

Congrats and great start! I was initially a little freaked out when I saw "Kat & Adam" because I know a Kat and Adam who are engaged and I would have been very upset if they changed their venue to WDW and didn't tell me!

 

[longwaybycarriage]

Thanks! We know another Kat & Adam who just got married too - must be a popular combination!

I really meant to post the proposal story sooner, but we seem to have spent every waking hour venue hunting. I had no idea how time consuming it would be.

So, at long last (still working on a photo montage thingy!)...


The Proposal...

It started on a Sunday – we were out walking in a country park when DF surprised me with the news that we would be going away somewhere. I wasn't allowed to know where (and got us lost while trying to guess!). Two days of careful clues followed – one was a gift wrapped pair of Wellington boots that was half clue and half red herring – and I, oh-so-cleverly, deduced that we’d be going down to Cornwall. There was clearly a whole conspiracy in the works and it had clearly been in the works for a while – if nothing else, I thought I had a good idea of its scale. I was wrong. We got on a train...to the airport. I got another gift wrapped clue once we arrived. It was a guide book. Our destination? Venice. There was jumping, and squee-ing, and a teeny tiny tear in my eye (that's all I'm admitting to! ).

I'm one of those people with a bucket list of places to go that's as long as all my limbs put together, but Venice has always been at the very top. When I was a little girl, I saw an episode of Wish You Were Here featuring Venice and fell in love. I've travelled a fair bit in Europe, but I've been "saving" Venice (and the rest of Italy) for a special trip. And this was a special trip.

I devoured the guide book on the plane (what can I say, I'm a planner!), devoting about a third of my brain to the task – the other two thirds were far too busy dealing with the giddiness and disbelief. The realisation didn’t come when we touched down, it came the moment our water taxi emerged onto the Grand Canal and we stood to take in the view...we were in VENICE! We docked at the hotel and were shown to a beautiful suite where there was a bottle of Prosecco, some chocolate dipped fruits, and other treats waiting for us. Once we’d settled in and unpacked, we dressed for dinner and went down to the waterfront where DF called a boat from the Cipriani to collect us. We were greeted in the lobby by a gentleman (the events manager, as it turned out) who, not only seemed to be expecting us, but seemed to know DF somehow...and, suddenly, my brain was in suspicious, guessing-gear all over again. A guided tour of the gardens brought us out onto the fondamenta. There was a restaurant on a sort of pier/terrace and I thought – aha! But no. Beyond that, under a big tree, with a view straight over the water to St Mark's Square, was our private table.

It was pretty incredible. There were roses and petals and candles, lanterns leading to the edge of the water...even the furniture was romantic! Our server, Alberto, was waiting to be introduced – he was wonderful from beginning to end, both professional and friendly in that rare, perfect balance. He started by presenting us with strawberry bellinis, which...wow. Best aperitif ever (opinion). Invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice (fact). Our places were set with scrolls, tied with ribbon, that we unwrapped to reveal elegantly hand-written menus. There were seven courses (still working those off!), designed by DF and the chef to include all of our favourite foods. Some of the highlights were the lobster (something we actually tried together for the first time at Narcoossee's) and the salt-baked sea bass. Alberto, the French cart service virtuoso, in one of his most spectacular feats, actually turned the sea bass and its accompaniments into an Italian flag on each of our plates!

We enjoyed the view, the delicious food, and a bottle of wine as the sun went down and the birds sang and then, after dark, along with the lights across the water, came the coincidental serenade! Somewhere, in the distance, a soloist started on a whole set of love songs.... With our heart-shaped chocolate and berry mousse, came a glass of red moscato, so I reminded DF that it was his turn to make a toast – and did he ever! (Giggle) He made a speech, in Italian, and then in English, and then...there it was...the box! He went down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Inside the box, there was a little light (gadgets, you see!) shining on a white gold and diamond love knot ring. At that exact moment, the mystery soloist was singing an Alicia Keys song and had just hit the line "some people want diamond rings...."

I nodded. Then said yes. Then said si. Then went further into shock...I kept apologising for not having anything profound, romantic, or even remotely articulate to say (words are supposed to be my thing). I think I offered to recite the prologue from Romeo and Juliet if that counted! Alberto came to congratulate us and, once we’d finally eaten our dessert and our petit fours (we were sooo stuffed!) and said “we’re engaged!” to each other a few thousand times, he walked us back to the boat dock. Believe it or not, the surprises didn't end there.

The next day, we were serenaded again, this time by an accordion player and an opera singer on our gondola ride – which was as surreal as it was wonderful. We explored Venice for the afternoon, wandering way off the beaten track and back again – I say wandering, it was probably more bouncing on my part – and then went back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. We made it to the top of the lobby steps that evening, before DF sprang one more surprise...who would we find gathered below? Kevin, John, and the rest of the ABD Viva Italia group! We joined them all for a meal, in the hotel’s lovely Marco Polo Salon, where we enjoyed hearing some of the hilarious tales of their travels and got to peek at some of their photos. I was so stunned, I'm not sure I managed to string one full sentence!

DF gave me one last little gift to open, which turned out to be a pair of Disney "just engaged" pins for us to wear. And then, the surprise-free part of the trip started, some of which we spent with those who stayed on after the Viva Italia Tour ended, wandering Venice after the trusty sunflower.... I really, really, really didn’t want to leave. I even tried hiding behind a pillar in St. Mark's Square for a while but, eventually, when the water taxi arrived, DF talked me into coming home and planning a wedding.

We returned in time to celebrate with friends and family over the extra-long weekend of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. There was a very British BBQ in the cold, an afternoon tea, lots of bunting, champagne, cards, and presents. And lots of people asking if we'd set a date! We’ll save the answer for another post....

 

[paigeturner]

Oh my gosh, what an AMAZING proposal! Seriously, it sounds like it came right out of a movie, I love it! I can't wait to hear your plans, and am so excited for you!

 

[NoOrdinaryPrincess]

Wow! That's one of the most amazing proposals I've ever heard!

 

[ctnurse]

Wow what a great proposal with lots of romantic surprises. That is something you will never forget!

 

[LittleKittyMarie]

I'm staring dumbstruck at my computer after reading your story. Have I ever read about more romantic proposal, I think not. Amazing, amazing, amazing. I cannot wait to read more and of course, see a picture of the ring!

 

[PumpkinPilot]

About us...

We both live on the outskirts of London, but we’re oh-so-tragically separated by 30-odd miles, the River Thames, various train/tube lines, a congestion charge zone and – in trying to circumvent all of those – the M25 and its traffic-making mastery. We've started the great house hunt, so the struggle will soon be over...well, it will be if we ever decide whether to go SE into Kent (near me) or NW towards Oxford (near DF).

DF is an I.T. genius for a corporate communications company, he’s a music geek (sorry, darling, would you prefer aficionado?!), and he loves gadgets, airplanes, and his Brompton. I'm a writer (working on turning that into "author") and – predictably enough – I love books, books, and more books! I also love history, all things design, and am quite the techie (okay, geek!) myself. As you can imagine, we have a wedding app and wedding spreadsheets instead of the traditional folder...and I'll be building us a wedding website at some point.

Obviously, we share a love of Disney! That aside, we’re into theatre, films, and a whole list of TV shows (it started with sci-fi & fantasy, but we've branched out!); we enjoy eating out and trying to cook; and, when time permits, we dabble in some partner dancing (I used to teach).

Last and, of course, most – we love the little and large pooches in our lives, Fiyero and Sascha. (Will try for a photo later today!)

How we met...

We met in December 2006, in Covent Garden (so we came from opposite sides of London and literally met in the middle). Only a couple of months ago we realised that, the night we met, he was in a pub on one corner having pre-Christmas drinks with his friends and I was in a cocktail bar on the opposite corner doing the same. Both groups then moved on to another pub/bar and we all met on the basement level where a band was playing...we talked music and operating systems, he complimented my perfume, we exchanged numbers...and here we are.

The DIS...

We took our first WDW trip together in 2008, but we'd both been once before with our families. I discovered the boards during the planning process (phew!) and soon found myself addicted to the podcasts. DF thought I'd gone mad (madder than my usual mad ), but that all changed once I got him into "the bubble". Armed with an itinerary (spreadsheets again!) that meant we were never waiting in line longer than 15mins or so, ADRs for some amazing restaurants, and other inside info, we had an awesome two and a half weeks. We were with a group of friends, which wasn't always easy, but we made the best of it and there was no doubt we'd be back...soon. Our first trip took place during Halloween/food and wine, our second (with DF's family this time) was supposed to be a pre-Christmas trip but, thanks to heavy snow here in England, it ended up being a month-long, actual Christmas trip! Between the two, we squeezed in a short hop over to Disneyland Paris and our first trip to California.

We're very excited (and very lucky!) to have another trip to California all set for next year – we'll be on the DIS ABD Backstage Magic Tour in June. Then there's the honeymoon! So far, we've decided we'd like to do WDW alone for the first time, take our first Disney cruise (it'll actually be our first cruise of any kind), and try to fit in some beach R&R...someone will have to come and drag us home eventually!

Hi y'all ! Lucky groom here

Thanks for your kind comments. I have to admit to just a little bit of blushing while reading them Very much appreciated though

So, as promised here are some pictures. First up, our pooches....

Everyone these are our Doggies. Doggies these are our Dis friends...

A few pics of our special table overlooking San Marco on "proposal night"....

here's the promise ring...

and here's us (and Stitch) enjoying Wishes!

 

[Summer Daydream]

Just following along now. I'm with you on the always wanting to visit Italy part. Your proposal was so romantic. I saw the pics posted and the location for the proposal was beautiful. Also, love the puppies...they are so cute

 

[PumpkinPilot]

Finally got rid of the links and put the pictures up hence the edited post. Hope you like them

 

[BritKansas]

Your proposal was so romantic. Looking forward to following along

 

[Circusgirl]

This is AWESOME!!!

I loved hearing the story from beginning to end, and being immersed again in the wonder of Venice. I can't wait to hear more about what is to come!

Fantastic pictures of the most magical dinner setting ever, and sweet pix of the pups.

 

[LittleKittyMarie]

Your puppies are so cute! Your ring is gorgeous and the photos of the proposal setting are so romantic, they surpass even what I was imagining!