Swan & Dolphin Weddings FAQ

[2dogmom]

Hi everyone! I'm new here but I've been reading a ton!!

I want to get Married through Just Married at the Swan and Dolphin in 2014!.... However, I do have a few questions if anyone can help!!

...What is the best time of year to have a wedding here? (weather, and prices)?

Also.... have any brides done a ceremony and dinner or lunch reception only then had a celebration at home? I'd LOVE to know how to set up the invitations for something like that!!

I'm at a complete loss....

Thank you so much in advance!

...What is the best time of year to have a wedding here? (weather, and prices)? I got married in June - HOT and RAINY. My ceremony was moved inside from the beach location. If I didn't have to work around my kids schedules, I would have done October - December

Also.... have any brides done a ceremony and dinner or lunch reception only then had a celebration at home? I'd LOVE to know how to set up the invitations for something like that!! I did an at home luau a month after the wedding. If you want to know the wording I used, I can go look it up. We were rather informal with invites. For the Disney wedding, I emailed a newsletter and asked people to email me if they were interested in coming. For the Luau, I sent out invites and had the reply be either call or email. We had a photobooth at home that was awesome. It was a lot of fun, more fun than the actual wedding.

 

[Icecoldpenguin]

Hi everyone! I'm new here but I've been reading a ton!!

I want to get Married through Just Married at the Swan and Dolphin in 2014!.... However, I do have a few questions if anyone can help!!

...What is the best time of year to have a wedding here? (weather, and prices)?

....Has anyone done a ceremony in the morning and done a brunch or lunch anywhere? If so where?

....Is it possible to do a Christian ceremony instead of just having an officiant?

Also.... have any brides done a ceremony and dinner or lunch reception only then had a celebration at home? I'd LOVE to know how to set up the invitations for something like that!!

I'm at a complete loss....

Thank you so much in advance!

*As far as best time of year i think that is determined by the kind of weather you like. I love hot so summer was not bad for me. However, Faith likes it cooler and she loves disney at christmas with all the decor so she chose december and while shannon chose september. the prices dont change with time of year which is nice

*I did an 11am ceremony then transported guests to fulton's crab house for lunch at 1-4pm i can email you the mock up of our invite to help you

*christian ceremonies are a definite option with whatever officiant you choose

I know I have been REALLY bad about replying on everyone's PJs, but I swear I read them, and LOVE them! Teresa, yours has been helping me a ton!

so glad it is helping I am about to indulge you all with a honeymoon story

Thank you so much everyone!

Teresa- I know this is silly, but I had no idea what a PJ was until you told me! I plan to read yours now! How else do I access the other ones?

MrsDuck- THANK YOU for all this information! I guess by a Christian ceremony is exactly what you were talking about!

(Sorry I'm very new to all this as you can see haha)

also in the planning our happily ever after you will find ALL the planning journals from DFTW brides and all other brides but if you want swan ones we almost ALL have links to ours in our signatures. Mine has a table of contents on the first page to help you navigate

 

[LittleMermaid1417]

Ok so now the brunch at the attic is out of the questions Where is a good place to have a reception brunch? I was kinda leaning toward somewhere at the boardwalk

 

[ShanaMouse]

Ok so now the brunch at the attic is out of the questions Where is a good place to have a reception brunch? I was kinda leaning toward somewhere at the boardwalk

I've never been and I'm not sure how many guests you have and at what time you are looking to do a brunch, but you may want to look into Fresh Mediterranean Market at the Dolphin. They also have group dining, so you may be able to possible reserve a section in the restaurant. I know they are only open for breakfast and lunch.

Maybe also look at the Garden Grove at the Swan? It's not private but I know they have great food and one of our fellow Swalphins (Faith ) is doing her dinner reception there, if i'm not mistaking.

Other than that you may want to consider breakfast at Cape May Cafe, which is at the beach club.

The only thing to look out for is the time you are looking at. Many restaurants close at 11 or so as they don't do lunch and others dont open until 11 or 11:30.

Hope this helps.

 

[LittleMermaid1417]

I've never been and I'm not sure how many guests you have and at what time you are looking to do a brunch, but you may want to look into Fresh Mediterranean Market at the Dolphin. They also have group dining, so you may be able to possible reserve a section in the restaurant. I know they are only open for breakfast and lunch.

Maybe also look at the Garden Grove at the Swan? It's not private but I know they have great food and one of our fellow Swalphins (Faith ) is doing her dinner reception there, if i'm not mistaking.

Other than that you may want to consider breakfast at Cape May Cafe, which is at the beach club.

The only thing to look out for is the time you are looking at. Many restaurants close at 11 or so as they don't do lunch and others dont open until 11 or 11:30.

Hope this helps.

I am looking to having between 16-20 guests. I was thinking brunch 10:30-11:00. I just really want to do a good breakfast. Thanks for the info!! I am fixing to check those places out!

 

[ShanaMouse]

I am looking to having between 16-20 guests. I was thinking brunch 10:30-11:00. I just really want to do a good breakfast. Thanks for the info!! I am fixing to check those places out!

Not sure if you have your heart set on something in the boardwalk area but I have also seen a lot of brides do their breakfast/brunch reception at 'Ohana. None of these are private, but they will accommodate you as best as they can and the breakfast there is great! Plus, you'll see some characters free of charge lol.

 

[MrsDuck]

I believe Garden Grove has a character breakfast! It's right at the Swan and has good prices.

{and then you don't have to pay the crazy fees for having a character show up to your wedding... heheh!}

 

[celerystalker]

Mrs - I can't wait to finish your PJ! I'm so excited you're doing a dinner at Garden Grove!
I want to do a character meal there - but I'm just not sure how it's going to work out.

I need to ask Erin some more questions, but I'm trying to space them out - 1 email a week at the 13 month mark is a bit much!

The fiance' wants a real cake.
I want a character meal and a Fantasmic! dessert party.
Fantasmic is at 6:30 the night of our wedding.
How in the world can we fit all this in?
His answer is to give up the character meal - which would save money -
but think about how much fun it would be!

Anyone know if Garden Grove will serve a cake from the Swan itself? I'm hoping to avoid the $5 per person outside fee.

 

[Icecoldpenguin]

My best advice to you is to spread this out. Do a dessert party or character meal for other events then you can fit it all in.

Teresa

 

[mam516]

Hi, Swalphins! I am getting married at the crescent terrace on 12.1.12! It is getting so close I can hardly wait.

I need some music selection help. I have a violinist for the ceremony, but don't know what songs to pick? Anyone have any favorites?

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Hi, Swalphins! I am getting married at the crescent terrace on 12.1.12! It is getting so close I can hardly wait.

I need some music selection help. I have a violinist for the ceremony, but don't know what songs to pick? Anyone have any favorites?

Best wishes! It's so exciting that you're getting so close. I'm afraid I'm no help with music. I vacillate on that issue all the time. "String group or iPod?" "Pop music or standards?" It's terrible.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I should also mention that I requested to join the FB groups today. We're only a few weeks away from touring the ceremony sites and (I hope) securing our date now. I'm getting really excited for it.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi and welcome mam516!!!
We had a harpist and we asked her to play a few favourite classical pieces during guest seating, and Disney love songs during the cake/ champagne reception after the ceremony. We used Stairway to Heaven for groom/officiant entrance, theme from 'Swan Lake' (I thought this appropriate as we had a loose swan theme running through our VR), for MOH entrance, Canon in D for my entrance (not my choice, but DH loves it) and an excerpt from Handel's Water Music (as we had our ceremony in front of the gorgeous swan fountain in the West Courtyard), for our recessional.
HTH

 

[MrsDuck]

Mrs - I can't wait to finish your PJ! I'm so excited you're doing a dinner at Garden Grove!
I want to do a character meal there - but I'm just not sure how it's going to work out.

I need to ask Erin some more questions, but I'm trying to space them out - 1 email a week at the 13 month mark is a bit much!

The fiance' wants a real cake.
I want a character meal and a Fantasmic! dessert party.
Fantasmic is at 6:30 the night of our wedding.
How in the world can we fit all this in?
His answer is to give up the character meal - which would save money -
but think about how much fun it would be!

Anyone know if Garden Grove will serve a cake from the Swan itself? I'm hoping to avoid the $5 per person outside fee.

Glad my PJ is helping!

You may want to do the character meal as a welcome dinner event and Fantasmic either as a reception or something after OR, a rehearsal.

You can have Garden Grove serve a cake from the Swan and the $5 fee would be waived but the Swan's cakes are REALLY expensive. We found it was cheaper to pay the fee than order a cake from the Swan!!

Hi, Swalphins! I am getting married at the crescent terrace on 12.1.12! It is getting so close I can hardly wait.

I need some music selection help. I have a violinist for the ceremony, but don't know what songs to pick? Anyone have any favorites?

Welcome fellow December Swalphin!

We are having the violinist play traditional wedding music (her choice) and exiting to "Married Life" from the UP soundtrack. We thought it would just be easier to have her choose than us!

 

[mam516]

I like the Cannon D. I am trying to decide between that or Cinderella, A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes for my entrance. I want to choose the main songs. Letting the violinist pick the other songs sounds like a great idea! Thank you!

 

[DreaminDisney529]

Hi Swalphins,

My name is Cassie and I am really glad I finally I decided to click on this thread! My fiance and I are in the beginning stages of planning a June 2014. I always knew I was going to have a DFTW but recently I have been running the numbers and I am not sure if I want to spend that much in addition to dealing with all the rules and restrictions. I have already been emailing Erin from Just Marry to get some more information and she has been very responsive! I'm still in my "research" stage, but I'm looking forward to reading some great planning journals & exploring the possibilities for a S/D Wedding!

I will be going to Disney for the week of Thanksgiving and I wondering if Just Marry does site visits for Swan Weddings, or if its just easier for me to visit the ceremony locations on my own. What do you all think?

Thanks!

 

[ShanaMouse]

Hi Swalphins,

My name is Cassie and I am really glad I finally I decided to click on this thread! My fiance and I are in the beginning stages of planning a June 2014. I always knew I was going to have a DFTW but recently I have been running the numbers and I am not sure if I want to spend that much in addition to dealing with all the rules and restrictions. I have already been emailing Erin from Just Marry to get some more information and she has been very responsive! I'm still in my "research" stage, but I'm looking forward to reading some great planning journals & exploring the possibilities for a S/D Wedding!

I will be going to Disney for the week of Thanksgiving and I wondering if Just Marry does site visits for Swan Weddings, or if its just easier for me to visit the ceremony locations on my own. What do you all think?

Thanks!

Hi, Welcome, and congrats!!1
Erin has been my planner and is extremely helpful and has been great at communication.
Like you, after crunching numbers I just didn't think that a DFTW would work for us and the number of guests we have.
I think that they will definitely be able to show you around the resort to show you some of the ceremony locations. I would just let Erin know now to see if they can already schedule a date with you to do that next month, since it's the holidays and I'm not sure if they will be able to accommodate the site visit on a short notice. Other than that I don't see why they couldn't.

 

[MrsDuck]

Hi Swalphins,

My name is Cassie and I am really glad I finally I decided to click on this thread! My fiance and I are in the beginning stages of planning a June 2014. I always knew I was going to have a DFTW but recently I have been running the numbers and I am not sure if I want to spend that much in addition to dealing with all the rules and restrictions. I have already been emailing Erin from Just Marry to get some more information and she has been very responsive! I'm still in my "research" stage, but I'm looking forward to reading some great planning journals & exploring the possibilities for a S/D Wedding!

I will be going to Disney for the week of Thanksgiving and I wondering if Just Marry does site visits for Swan Weddings, or if its just easier for me to visit the ceremony locations on my own. What do you all think?

Thanks!

Welcome Cassie! You'll find that most of us started out as a DFTW girl but ultimately switched to S/D. The reason for my switch: the S/D is much more affordable and there are SO few restrictions!!

Let us know if we can help out at all!

I did a site visit last December but I had already booked; I'm sure that if you ask they will be happy to do a site visit!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Congratulations and welcome, Cassie!!!!!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Hi Swalphins,

My name is Cassie and I am really glad I finally I decided to click on this thread! My fiance and I are in the beginning stages of planning a June 2014. I always knew I was going to have a DFTW but recently I have been running the numbers and I am not sure if I want to spend that much in addition to dealing with all the rules and restrictions. I have already been emailing Erin from Just Marry to get some more information and she has been very responsive! I'm still in my "research" stage, but I'm looking forward to reading some great planning journals & exploring the possibilities for a S/D Wedding!

I will be going to Disney for the week of Thanksgiving and I wondering if Just Marry does site visits for Swan Weddings, or if its just easier for me to visit the ceremony locations on my own. What do you all think?

Thanks!

Best wishes and congratulations! I'm still more than a year out from our desired date and haven't booked anything yet, but Just Marry has been incredibly helpful already. I have a site visit scheduled for a little over two weeks from now to look at both ceremony locations and private dining rooms in the Swan/Dolphin restaurants. Definitely call or e-mail Erin and see if she can schedule a time to meet with you.