Swan & Dolphin Weddings FAQ

[cantalaluna]

Hi Swalphins!

How is everyone doing? I posted here awhile ago when I was thinking about doing a Swalphin wedding and now as we are starting to inch our way closer to the time I thought I might throw some questions out there to you veterans!

Me and my fiance are thinking of having a ceremony at S & D and then perhaps going to Fulton's Crab Shack for the reception. Does anyone out there have any experience doing their reception at Downtown Disney? I am curious.

I am also curious how many people planned a Swalphin wedding from outside of FL. We are in GA so going back and forth between Disney and here is not an easy task so we probably wouldn't be able to do it too many times. For those who have done it, was it super difficult? What do you think the hardest part of it was?

We are thinking of a wedding probably of 50-100 ppl on a budget around $10,000. Cheaper is always better but I don't even know if that is doable. We don't need a whole lot of frills with the ceremony so we could probably cut costs there. The reception we are open for too. I don't know, just feeling a bit like a fish out of water here. Thought I'd turn to the Swalphin community for any advice, tips, etc!!

Sorry this was really long! Thanks for reading it!

Sincerely,

Liz

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I had a high tea reception. Tea--iced and hot, scones, tea sandwiches and pastries. It is my favourite meal and it turned out beautifully. I think it was thirteen a head.

Hi Andrea sweetie
I just thought that you may be interested to know that, strictly speaking, the gorgeous reception you had was afternoon tea, not high tea. Here is a link to an article about the difference
http://www.foodiesarewe.com/2012/12/differences-between-high-tea-and.html

Hope you are not offended, just thought you might be interested to know xxxx

 

[MrsDuck]

I am also curious how many people planned a Swalphin wedding from outside of FL. We are in GA so going back and forth between Disney and here is not an easy task so we probably wouldn't be able to do it too many times. For those who have done it, was it super difficult? What do you think the hardest part of it was?

We are thinking of a wedding probably of 50-100 ppl on a budget around $10,000. Cheaper is always better but I don't even know if that is doable. We don't need a whole lot of frills with the ceremony so we could probably cut costs there. The reception we are open for too. I don't know, just feeling a bit like a fish out of water here. Thought I'd turn to the Swalphin community for any advice, tips, etc!!

Sorry this was really long! Thanks for reading it!

Sincerely,

Liz

Hi Liz!

Teresa (icecoldpenguin) had her reception at Fulton's! I was a bridesmaid and the venue was very nice.

Most girls plan their weddings from outside of Florida. My biggest piece of advice: let your planner handle everything. They can get good deals and just be in charge. All you gotta do is make the fun decisions and show up.

Lastly, I had 53 people and an initial budget of $10k. We went over ($13k) but $10k is DEFINITELY do-able. Feel free to look at my planning journal for my budget breakdown. Let me know if I can help!

 

[Sheldora]

did anyone have a large reception at the garden grove? Im thinking 100-150 people. Also do they offer a cast member discount there like at dftw?

 

[sarahb01]

did anyone have a large reception at the garden grove? Im thinking 100-150 people. Also do they offer a cast member discount there like at dftw?

I don't know about the large party. But there is no cast member discount...anywhere. I too am a cast member and cannot get my discount on my dessert party through catered events.

 

[MrsDuck]

did anyone have a large reception at the garden grove? Im thinking 100-150 people. Also do they offer a cast member discount there like at dftw?

I don't know if they'd accommodate that many people. They were a little wary about my group of 53 and we had a pretty early dinner reservation. Hopefully you could work something out with them.

As far as discounts, we got a DVC discount.

 

[cantalaluna]

Hi Liz!

Teresa (icecoldpenguin) had her reception at Fulton's! I was a bridesmaid and the venue was very nice.

Most girls plan their weddings from outside of Florida. My biggest piece of advice: let your planner handle everything. They can get good deals and just be in charge. All you gotta do is make the fun decisions and show up.

Lastly, I had 53 people and an initial budget of $10k. We went over ($13k) but $10k is DEFINITELY do-able. Feel free to look at my planning journal for my budget breakdown. Let me know if I can help!

Thanks so much for the information! I looked through your whole personal journal and your wedding looked amazing! So fun! Your note gave me hope for the possibility of a Disney wedding!

When I was looking through your PJ I thought of a few questions. For Jellyrolls do you just show up and hang out? How did you organize that? How does the food work at the Garden Grove? Does everyone get a menu and just order what they want or do you set a menu ahead of time?

Also this is totally random but when you were organizing your ceremony did they allow you to talk with your officiant to set out certain things you wanted for the ceremony like music and readings and such?

Eeeeee I am so excited at this possibiliy! Thanks so much for the info!

Liz

P.S. I noticed you have done Run Disney stuff in the past! I am doing the Tower of Terror 10 Miler this October! I'm too excited to sleep!

 

[MrsDuck]

Thanks so much for the information! I looked through your whole personal journal and your wedding looked amazing! So fun! Your note gave me hope for the possibility of a Disney wedding!

When I was looking through your PJ I thought of a few questions. For Jellyrolls do you just show up and hang out? How did you organize that? How does the food work at the Garden Grove? Does everyone get a menu and just order what they want or do you set a menu ahead of time?

Also this is totally random but when you were organizing your ceremony did they allow you to talk with your officiant to set out certain things you wanted for the ceremony like music and readings and such?

Eeeeee I am so excited at this possibiliy! Thanks so much for the info!

Liz

P.S. I noticed you have done Run Disney stuff in the past! I am doing the Tower of Terror 10 Miler this October! I'm too excited to sleep!

Liz,
We wound up not going to Jellyrolls and instead went to Atlantic Dance Hall which was WONDERFUL. We just told our guests at the dinner we were going after if anyone wanted to join us.

I don't think there was a menu at Garden Grove. It was just buffet and people went up whenever and got what they wanted. SUPER easy and nice!

My officiant situation was weird. I planned with Rev. Jack Day via phone but he was unable to perform my ceremony due to health. 6 days before the wedding I was switched over to Rev. Tim and he worked with me to plan. Granted, we wanted a standard religious ceremony with a sand ceremony. Nothing fancy so we weren't too stressed about being too hands on with the planning with the officiant. You don't plan music with the officiant - you do that with your planner or the musician!

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask anything! And YAY for RunDisney!

 

[SwanBride2015]

Hi ladies,
Sorry it has been awhile since I have been on... Been doing the teaching stuff as well as wedding planning.

I am getting married at the Swan in June of 14. We are having our reception at Garden Grove. I already completed the contract. I talked with the assistant manager on the phone a couple weekends ago.. Here is the information I received....

They can accomodate up to 250 people if you want to rent out the whole place. We are having between 35-50 people (too early to tell yet). They are completely ok with that and we are having it upstairs. Also as far as the menu.. It sounds like they are revamping a few things over the next year in regards to the menu. (wink wink) like it won't be a buffet anymore. They are looking to do plated dinners. From what I was told the prices look to be about 28-34 a person. This is still in the works but sounds like what is planned to happen. Hope that helps!

Also, we are planning this wedding from Illinois. It has been a lot of fun. Nothing too challenging yet. I guess just getting people to return their preliminary reply cards. Don't understand what is so hard about marking the box yes, no or maybe!!! Drives me nuts. Sent them out March 1st and we are still waiting on quite a few. Due date is June 1st.

If you have any questions... just ask Always here to help!!!

 

[MrsDuck]

They can accomodate up to 250 people if you want to rent out the whole place. We are having between 35-50 people (too early to tell yet). They are completely ok with that and we are having it upstairs.

Two questions about this...
1. Are they charging for a buy-out of the place?
2. What do you mean "upstairs"? On the platform with the tree?

Just some clarifying questions to help our ladies! Thanks!

 

[SwanBride2015]

We are not personally buying out the whole place for the 250 people. She did say that you can do that though. I don't know what the cost is because I don't need to do that. We are on the same floor with the tree. Like what you had Faith. (I called it the upstairs, I guess that is incorrect wording. I meant around the tree area)

 

[mom914]

Hello Everyone!
I am new to DIS and I am getting married at the Swan and Dolphin in 71 days!

Planning a wedding from CT and never personally being at the SWD and trusting it all in the hands of others is truly something so I turned to all of you and these boards and have been doing some reading hoping for some peace of mind not that I have not felt comfortable with Erin and the ladies from Just Marry. I can say that after doing some reading I have heard some great things that have put my mind at ease a little and made me relax much more but What could go wrong it is a Disney Wedding Right?
Thanks for having me and just for the record I was engaged in Cinderella's castle on our anniversary last July and we are going to be married on the white sand beach this July on the same date...Yippee!

 

[KathyRN137]

Welcome! And congratulations on your upcoming wedding!


Kathy

 

[mom914]

Thank you very Much. I am a little nervous leaving all the planning to someone else and never having stepped foot at the Swan but from what I have read her on DIS I don't think I have much to worry about!

 

[MrsDuck]

Welcome Sue! Can't wait to hear about your big day!

 

[LoriGirl]

Can you give us some idea of what pricing is running on weddings there? I'm looking for near end of next year or Jan 2015 and still not sure on where I'm having mine. I'm still crunching numbers on an intimate ceremony and torn between a Disney wedding or Swan & Dolphin. Thanks!!

Hi ladies,
Sorry it has been awhile since I have been on... Been doing the teaching stuff as well as wedding planning.

I am getting married at the Swan in June of 14. We are having our reception at Garden Grove. I already completed the contract. I talked with the assistant manager on the phone a couple weekends ago.. Here is the information I received....

They can accomodate up to 250 people if you want to rent out the whole place. We are having between 35-50 people (too early to tell yet). They are completely ok with that and we are having it upstairs. Also as far as the menu.. It sounds like they are revamping a few things over the next year in regards to the menu. (wink wink) like it won't be a buffet anymore. They are looking to do plated dinners. From what I was told the prices look to be about 28-34 a person. This is still in the works but sounds like what is planned to happen. Hope that helps!

Also, we are planning this wedding from Illinois. It has been a lot of fun. Nothing too challenging yet. I guess just getting people to return their preliminary reply cards. Don't understand what is so hard about marking the box yes, no or maybe!!! Drives me nuts. Sent them out March 1st and we are still waiting on quite a few. Due date is June 1st.

If you have any questions... just ask Always here to help!!!

 

[SwanBride2015]

Hi LoriGirl....

I will help you as much as I can... I am rather new at this considering we just started planning this past December and we are getting married June of 14. Pricing will definately change for you by 2015. A lot of pricing isn't even out for me yet! LOL

For starters, I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing the Passporters Guide to WDW weddings. Google search it. I bought the online version and it is AWESOME! It downloaded into a PDF. This gives you a lot of information about DFTW and Swan weddings.

Next, you need to decide about how many people you want to invite and how much you are willing to spend.

DFTW has VERY strict guidelines you must adhere to. They offer 4 different packages. The smallest package is for only the bride and groom I believe. So if you plan to elope. Then there is the escape package. That is the one we considered. However, you are capped at a max of 20 people INCLUDING bride and groom. The initial cost isn't bad however we couldn't stay within 20 people. Then there is the wishes package... which a lot of brides do. I believe these are in the 10K-20K range. You have to meet a food and beverage minimum and depending on the night of the week will depend how much you have to spend. The last package is the couture and those weddings start at 65k

Phewhhh! That was a lot!

Now as far as Swan weddings which is more my league and what we are doing. There are a few different packages you can do with them. We are doing the cheapest package which is 1850.00. This comes with the bare minimum but that is ok with us because we wanted to add everything ourselves. The great thing about SD weddings is that you can book a year out. We actually were able to book 16 months out! You will be matched up with a planner through Just Marry. We decided to book our music, reception and photography ourselves. (if you book at DFTW you HAVE to use their vendors!) I did not want to be restrained that way.

It is all a matter of personal choice....
If you decide to do a SD wedding you cannot get married in the castle or have pictures there. You can't rent the Cinderalla carriage. That was not a concern for us considering the carriage is 3k alone!

Whichever you choose you can still host Dessert Parties just so you know.

There are always pluses and minuses to both. You have to sit down and really decide what is most important to you and what you are NOT willing to budge on. Then decide if you want a DFTW or a SD wedding.

I hope this was helpful! If you need anymore help or advice please let me know. Also, if you have a FB account there are LOTS of Disney Bride groups on there!

Good luck in your planning and keep us posted!

 

[MrsDuck]

Can you give us some idea of what pricing is running on weddings there? I'm looking for near end of next year or Jan 2015 and still not sure on where I'm having mine. I'm still crunching numbers on an intimate ceremony and torn between a Disney wedding or Swan & Dolphin. Thanks!!

Lori, what I like about S/D is the flexibility. We were torn like you are between DFTW and S/D. We wound up going with S/D because we got more bang for our buck and received better service than many DFTW girls. DFTW prices rise almost every year. S/D raised their prices for 2013 and I'm sure by 2015 it will be raised again.

It's a personal decision, that's for sure. But, for $10k I was able to have my dream Disney wedding without paying the DFTW price tag.

 

[LoriGirl]

Lori, what I like about S/D is the flexibility. We were torn like you are between DFTW and S/D. We wound up going with S/D because we got more bang for our buck and received better service than many DFTW girls. DFTW prices rise almost every year. S/D raised their prices for 2013 and I'm sure by 2015 it will be raised again.

It's a personal decision, that's for sure. But, for $10k I was able to have my dream Disney wedding without paying the DFTW price tag.

Faith, I went back and read all of your information. Loved your wedding pictures!! Looks like everything turned out beautiful. I did purchase the Passporters Disney Weddings and Honeymoons book and that has also been helpful. I am very much leaning towards the S/D. That is more in my price range. I'm looking at 30 to 35 people on a $6000 budget. I'm hoping that is do-able. I loved your lantern idea on the back of the chairs and plan on attempting to use that in my wedding as well. Please let me know if you are interested in selling some of your lanterns. I will be scouring these pages for information over the next 18 months. I'm loving all these ideas I'm seeing! Thanks so very much for all of your helpful information.

 

[LoriGirl]

Hi LoriGirl....

I will help you as much as I can... I am rather new at this considering we just started planning this past December and we are getting married June of 14. Pricing will definately change for you by 2015. A lot of pricing isn't even out for me yet! LOL

For starters, I would HIGHLY recommend purchasing the Passporters Guide to WDW weddings. Google search it. I bought the online version and it is AWESOME! It downloaded into a PDF. This gives you a lot of information about DFTW and Swan weddings.

Next, you need to decide about how many people you want to invite and how much you are willing to spend.

DFTW has VERY strict guidelines you must adhere to. They offer 4 different packages. The smallest package is for only the bride and groom I believe. So if you plan to elope. Then there is the escape package. That is the one we considered. However, you are capped at a max of 20 people INCLUDING bride and groom. The initial cost isn't bad however we couldn't stay within 20 people. Then there is the wishes package... which a lot of brides do. I believe these are in the 10K-20K range. You have to meet a food and beverage minimum and depending on the night of the week will depend how much you have to spend. The last package is the couture and those weddings start at 65k

Phewhhh! That was a lot!

Now as far as Swan weddings which is more my league and what we are doing. There are a few different packages you can do with them. We are doing the cheapest package which is 1850.00. This comes with the bare minimum but that is ok with us because we wanted to add everything ourselves. The great thing about SD weddings is that you can book a year out. We actually were able to book 16 months out! You will be matched up with a planner through Just Marry. We decided to book our music, reception and photography ourselves. (if you book at DFTW you HAVE to use their vendors!) I did not want to be restrained that way.

It is all a matter of personal choice....
If you decide to do a SD wedding you cannot get married in the castle or have pictures there. You can't rent the Cinderalla carriage. That was not a concern for us considering the carriage is 3k alone!

Whichever you choose you can still host Dessert Parties just so you know.

There are always pluses and minuses to both. You have to sit down and really decide what is most important to you and what you are NOT willing to budge on. Then decide if you want a DFTW or a SD wedding.

I hope this was helpful! If you need anymore help or advice please let me know. Also, if you have a FB account there are LOTS of Disney Bride groups on there!

Good luck in your planning and keep us posted!

Thanks so very much. This information is invaluable for me. I do think I'm leaning towards a S/D wedding. I'm trying to stay within a $6000 budget for 30-35 people and hoping this is do-able. I will check out the facebook link as well. I'm so excited and am loving all these great ideas I'm seeing. Please keep your posts coming. I'm gonna be following them closely. I'm in GA and am also planning this from a different state, so like you, I depend on this site a lot. Thanks!!!