Amanda132
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2009
Most of the big wedding decisions are done, and I'm feeling a lot less stressed! Some advice for future brides: your planner will ask for your final guest count at 45 days out. If you have it, give it to her as close to that 45 day mark as you can! We gave our planner our final guest count at about 37 days out, but then after seeing our final budget numbers, we wanted to make some changes to our BEO. Doing this in the seven days prior to making the final payment was rather stressful for me. I know you can still make changes after that final payment, but I really didn't want to over or under pay.
As far as our outside vendors, I decided to add one additional hour with Trinity and two additional hours with the Roots. Our timeline will look something like this:
12:00 - Roots and Trinity arrive
1:00 - First Look
1:15 - Pictures with bridal party/families
2:30 - Ceremony
3:00 - Pre-reception starts (and more photos for us)
4:00 - Reception starts
6:30 - Cake cutting
7:00 - Trinity leaves
8:00 - Roots leave (and we head to Epcot for our dessert party)
8:30 - Dessert party starts
We're not doing photo or video for the dessert party, since we're trying to be as budget friendly as possible. Also, I wanted the experience of seeing my guests see the fireworks, not facing a bunch of cameras.
In other news, I had my bachelorette party this weekend! It came together kind of crazily, since I didn't want to be involved in the planning at all. I had enough on my plate. My sister Samantha is only 20, so she couldn't partake in any alcohol-fueled festivities. So she tried to plan a bunch of other things, but it turns out that all my friends are flaky and no one would commit to anything she suggested. So finally, I told her I just wanted a massage and to go out to dinner with her and anyone else who was willing to make the time. In the end, it turned out to be a whole bachelorette day!
She and I started at Trails End for breakfast.
Us on an empty bus from the Fort Wilderness parking lot to Trails End
I love Trails End breakfast! So much delicious food, and relatively affordable as far as Disney buffets go.
Then we went to the Grand Floridian Spa to get a massage for two. If you've never been, the spa is super fancy! When we checked in, an attendant showed us all the amenities they offer. They gave us these big plush robes to wear to wait for our massage.
Here is us in our robes, and then later in the Grand Floridian lobby.
I've only ever gotten a massage on a Disney Cruise before, never on land. On the cruise, they spent the whole end of the massage trying to sell me on some crazy expensive spa product that I didn't need. At the Grand Floridian, she only made one small mention of selling something. At the beginning of the massage, she asked if we wanted any aromatherapy oils or treatment upgrades. We politely declined, and she didn't try to sell us anything for the rest of the treatment. I was very happy, since nothing is more awkward and de-relaxing as someone trying to sell you something you don't want.
After the treatment, Samantha and I got to enjoy the hot tub and steam room and unlimited cucumber water at the spa for a while. If you ever go here for a treatment, bring your bathing suit so you can enjoy the amenities! We loved the hot tub, but the steam room was way too steamy for us. We also laid out on the heated loungers for a bit. Then I showered in their fancy showers, which had free shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair brushes, razors, and more! Maybe I don't get out much, but it's the little things that excite me! I would say we spent close to three hours at the spa, and only 50 minutes of that was our actual massage.
Next, we went to the Grand Floridian lobby to see if they had their Christmas decorations up. They were in the process of constructing their big gingerbread house, but it wasn't done yet. But they were giving out free samples of gingerbread! Yum!
After the Grand Floridian, we met up with my bridesmaid Haley and had dinner at the Melting Pot, which I love. Then we went back to my sister's and hung out for a while more. Our officiant/friend Leah joined us as well.
I got a gift of a giraffe onesie.
And a bride Tervis tumbler.
And also a bottle of Rosa Regale, which I don't have a picture of.
Overall, it was a great night. At first I was upset that a lot of my friends couldn't make it, but in the end, I was happy to spend the day/night with the people that I'm closest to. That's what really matters.
And then when I got home, Jeff showed me something that came in the mail...
We bought those Magic Band-its quite a while ago, so I was very happy to have something to put them on!
Now it's really feeling soon! Only a little more than three weeks to go, and only 14 more work days!
As far as our outside vendors, I decided to add one additional hour with Trinity and two additional hours with the Roots. Our timeline will look something like this:
12:00 - Roots and Trinity arrive
1:00 - First Look
1:15 - Pictures with bridal party/families
2:30 - Ceremony
3:00 - Pre-reception starts (and more photos for us)
4:00 - Reception starts
6:30 - Cake cutting
7:00 - Trinity leaves
8:00 - Roots leave (and we head to Epcot for our dessert party)
8:30 - Dessert party starts
We're not doing photo or video for the dessert party, since we're trying to be as budget friendly as possible. Also, I wanted the experience of seeing my guests see the fireworks, not facing a bunch of cameras.
In other news, I had my bachelorette party this weekend! It came together kind of crazily, since I didn't want to be involved in the planning at all. I had enough on my plate. My sister Samantha is only 20, so she couldn't partake in any alcohol-fueled festivities. So she tried to plan a bunch of other things, but it turns out that all my friends are flaky and no one would commit to anything she suggested. So finally, I told her I just wanted a massage and to go out to dinner with her and anyone else who was willing to make the time. In the end, it turned out to be a whole bachelorette day!
She and I started at Trails End for breakfast.
Us on an empty bus from the Fort Wilderness parking lot to Trails End
I love Trails End breakfast! So much delicious food, and relatively affordable as far as Disney buffets go.
Then we went to the Grand Floridian Spa to get a massage for two. If you've never been, the spa is super fancy! When we checked in, an attendant showed us all the amenities they offer. They gave us these big plush robes to wear to wait for our massage.
Here is us in our robes, and then later in the Grand Floridian lobby.
I've only ever gotten a massage on a Disney Cruise before, never on land. On the cruise, they spent the whole end of the massage trying to sell me on some crazy expensive spa product that I didn't need. At the Grand Floridian, she only made one small mention of selling something. At the beginning of the massage, she asked if we wanted any aromatherapy oils or treatment upgrades. We politely declined, and she didn't try to sell us anything for the rest of the treatment. I was very happy, since nothing is more awkward and de-relaxing as someone trying to sell you something you don't want.
After the treatment, Samantha and I got to enjoy the hot tub and steam room and unlimited cucumber water at the spa for a while. If you ever go here for a treatment, bring your bathing suit so you can enjoy the amenities! We loved the hot tub, but the steam room was way too steamy for us. We also laid out on the heated loungers for a bit. Then I showered in their fancy showers, which had free shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hair brushes, razors, and more! Maybe I don't get out much, but it's the little things that excite me! I would say we spent close to three hours at the spa, and only 50 minutes of that was our actual massage.
Next, we went to the Grand Floridian lobby to see if they had their Christmas decorations up. They were in the process of constructing their big gingerbread house, but it wasn't done yet. But they were giving out free samples of gingerbread! Yum!
After the Grand Floridian, we met up with my bridesmaid Haley and had dinner at the Melting Pot, which I love. Then we went back to my sister's and hung out for a while more. Our officiant/friend Leah joined us as well.
I got a gift of a giraffe onesie.
And a bride Tervis tumbler.
And also a bottle of Rosa Regale, which I don't have a picture of.
Overall, it was a great night. At first I was upset that a lot of my friends couldn't make it, but in the end, I was happy to spend the day/night with the people that I'm closest to. That's what really matters.
And then when I got home, Jeff showed me something that came in the mail...
We bought those Magic Band-its quite a while ago, so I was very happy to have something to put them on!
Now it's really feeling soon! Only a little more than three weeks to go, and only 14 more work days!