Disney Wedding on the Down Low?

[Tracy00]

Ok, I get that this forum is about Disney weddings, but doesn't anyone have a wedding ceremony on property that is not officialy thru the Disney machine? I realize that Disney does not condone this, but it still must go on.

I'll do it on the POTC ride if I have to, but I'd rather sneak in a ceremony at my resort. Let me also say that everyone who would come to my ceremony are family members and are also guests of the same resort -- even the officiant will be a family member, so it's not like we'll draw any more attention than we would on any other day if we are all together, which we will be at times. There are a total of 6 adults and 6 kids. We are also a very casual group and there will not be official wedding attire - just casual beach clothes.

I just feel that as I am already in this trip for over $13,000, there is no way I'm forking over another 4-10,000 for the honor of an overpriced ceremony. I'd much rather keep it on the down low and spend that money on next year's Disney trip!! I don't need the theming, I don't want all that attention directed at me - I just want to be married at my favorite place!

So - will anyone fess up that they are planning this type of forbidden ceremony?

 

[Bride-to-be]

The only problem is that you are going to have an incredibly hard time getting outside vendors. No photography, music or flowers.

I am sure it has probably been done, but if you are planning to make it so incredibly bare bones - why dont' you just get married at home before you leave and make the trip a big disneymoon?

I think most brides do disney weddings because they want the experience they want the planning session and all of the added disney touches that make a disney wedding really special.

 

[Tracy00]

Thanks for the reply, Bride-to-Be!

We are a family of photographers, so that's no biggie. Yes, I could get married before we go, but I really want to do it there. Maybe part of the fun is getting away with it? I really, really love the Poly (as you can tell from my siggie) so to me it would be special just to be there for the memories.

I should also say that we've both been married before and I personally was happy with bare bones in my other wedding too. I am not into the planning, spending the money on a fleeting moment or all the attention that goes along with a "wedding". We live together and I came with 3 kids and we have a 15 month old little boy between us. I am incredibly happy each and every day and getting married there bare-bones would be just fine with me. Flowers - no flowers, doesn't make much of a difference to me. Maybe some tropical-ish flowers just for some photos?

Thanks for your comments - I appreciate it!

 

[CharacterFan]

Bride-to-be is correct. You won't find an officant to do it for you. Vendors will only do Disney weddings when you book threw Disney.

And if Disney finds out you're doing this, they can ask you to leave. It is aginst the rules. Poly is an option for an escape wedding. If you want a Disney wedding.

You can do a wedding at the Sawfin. It's normally cheaper then doing a Disney Fariy Tale one.

 

[Bride-to-be]

Characterfan made a good point about disney asking you to leave if they find out.

Just as a heads up disney reads these boards on a regular basis.

 

[Tracy00]

Thanks CharacterFan - Like I said I have an officiant as a family member and guest of the same resort, so that's not a problem. Also - I don't mind if it's the most casual ceremony ever - as long as it's legal, which it would be. I know it's been done - I was just interested in hearing stories from those who have done it this way.

There are plenty of places I could do it - could be my hotel room and no one would ever know - we are not that large of a group and will be in the same room (as we pick each other up to head to the parks) on several occasions. I am aware that Disney has the potential to read these threads and I'm ok with that. The type of small, simple and quick ceremony I have in mind would not turn a single head while it's happening (and I'm really ok with that!). I also may do this before leaving home or when we get back. It's not a deal breaker for my vacation happiness!

And on another note as far as Disney reading these message boards: they would be far better served to take note of various guest complaints and try to fix things that are broken than they would be to try to spy on guests (and I honestly don't think they are really wasting their time doing either).

 

[sbsteel]

Disney does not condone this and you run the risk of being asked to leave. That being said...

I've read a couple pj/trip reports of people who have done so. One was at a Grand Villa at OKW and another was in a savannah view room at AKL. Both kept it very simple - few people, minimal/no decorations, very much on the down low. I know one picked up a small cake from Publix for the 'reception' and both made sure to take all decorations down almost immediately after for fear that housekeeping would tell management.

Could you get away with it if you were smart about it? Most likely. Would I recommend it? Not really, I wouldn't want to keep one of the happiest days of my life very hush-hush and not be able to celebrate fully.

 

[pinkcow]

I understand where you are coming from. At the same time there are so many stresses that come with your wedding day, do you really want to be worried about hiding from CM's, or being confronted about it?

What if you made a day trip to Brevard County and had the ceremony on the beach? Then your photog family can take full advantage of it! You could do something like have breakfast at your resort, drive over to the beach (It's 45 mins to an hour away) have the ceremony, then go back to Disney a new married couple!

There's also an option near Disney here

As others have said, if you can swing it you could try the Swan & Dolphin, or Buena Vista Palace and still be on property.

HTH!

 

[OlivePnut]

I heard of a couple getting married in a horse carriage at Port Orleans. They had their friend become a notary to perform the ceremony. Of course they had no guests attending but it's a disney wedding that wasn't through disney!

 

[disbridemimi]

You could do it, but I wouldnt want to have to have my ceremony in hiding or in a hotel room (yuck). I want it to be a beautiful location outside somewhere. I want to be able to move freely and not have any added stress. You can do an Escape wedding for 4500, and they make it pretty stress free, you really just have to show up.

SO you COULD do it by breaking the rules, but I think it might be a bit stressful, and if you get kicked out, you'd have no recourse or reason to complain. Just not worth the risk, Id hate to have my wedding interupted or ruined.

 

[Tracy00]

Pinkcow - I've been married twice before and actually both times were stress free as I'm sure this one will be as well - no matter where it happens. I'm a very laid back person. I would be completely happy with this "ceremony" taking place as we sat around on lounge chairs by the pool. Doesn't really matter exactly where, I just like the sound of Disney World or Poly in general.

And Disbridemimi - I used the hotel room as an example - just to prove the point, that it can really be done anywhere at anytime - just depends on how much trouble you want to go to. Obviously standing in my hotel room is at the low end of the trouble scale. We don't need a "reception" afterwards as we can go to any number of restaurants on property and have a lovely meal. As far as hiding it, I truly don't think that would bother me in the least. It's a pretty private moment as far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't care if it were just the two of us and the person officiating, but as long as my family is there, they might as well see us get married. I think there are plenty of beautiful locations where it can be done no problem.

The extra $4,500 is what makes me want to do it this way. I don't know that I have ever heard of a bigger rip off to me personally. I would much rather put that money towards another Disney vacation than give it to them for the priveledge of having someone marry me on their property. It just doesn't make sense to me. And the $4,500 would not be a financial hardship, it just goes against every single thing I think makes sense. As you can see from my signature, I could have bought a second house with the money that has been spent on Disney vacations, so I don't think they can possibly offer me $4,500 in valuable services to make it worth my while to simply stand on their property for 5 minutes while we make our marriage official.

I truly can't image anything LESS stressful than sitting on the beach, or wherever, POTC, HM, Spaceship Earth, hotel balcony, pool, whatever and getting married quietly and discreetly. I really can't. I just have to show up. That's pretty easy cause we'll all be there already.

OlivePNut - that's exactly the sort of thing I was asking about when I began this thread. I know people are doing it, I just wondered different ways they are going about it - so thank you for sharing that story. If I thought we could all fit in a carriage and not have some mad kids (at not being included) I might think about it!

Thanks for the thoughts and comments. I do appreciate them!

 

[Eac_5981]

To tell you the truth, and I don't mean to be rude at all, but I think that would be tacky. I see your point, and it really is expensive but that just does not seem right to me.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

If you were to do something like that outdoors you better hope there are no other weddings that are scheduled to go on at the same time. I am sure you can sneak it somewhere but the best place to do it without getting caught would be a room. I don't think it's a good idea to do it but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Tracy00]

Eac_5981 - Thanks for your comments. I take no offense and I realize what I'm proposing to do is offense to some and that's ok. Personally after viewing the Disney weddings site and "wish lists" I can't think of anything more tacky than some of those wedding choices or asking guests to load up my Disney gift card but there are some that are a-ok with that.

I think I just look at the whole wedding as a big to-do a little differently than most. I lead a lucky, lucky and happy life literally every single day. It's been years since I had a bad day (and I divorced him!!). It wasn't always that way, but it is now and I'm thrilled to have the life I do. I do want to get married and think my favorite place on earth would be a fun place to do it, but I seriously cannot imagine getting $4,000 worth of experience back just to do it by the rules. If I wanted a theme wedding and needed all the attention that goes along with it, I think I'd be fine with the extra money. But since I would be more than happy to be in the pool in my bathing suit, holding my 15 month old and the 3 olders ones getting to be there while I got married and then change and go to a nice dinner afterwards - with or without everyone - whatever works at the time - I really cannot justify the extra few grand for something simple, simple, simple like I have in mind. I guess it's just so simple it's not comprehendable to most brides.

DisneyBrideToni - Hi! I see what your saying, but it also makes me think I've underplayed the simple nature I'm looking for. We'll be there with my family who we see several times a week. We all live near each other. My boyfriend and I already live together. I do not want any big to do. I just want to leave with a legal certificate that says we are now married and go back to our regularly scheduled life. I think it would be fun to do at Disney World. Since we are travelling together and travel together quite often, I don't think we appear to be any sort of spectacle. I think our group, sitting anywhere on the Disney property could pull this off within a few minutes and viola! - mission accomplished! Everyone's happy and poof - we're instantly on our honeymoon for the rest of the trip! At the very least it might help me procure some grandparent babysitters!!

 

[MegKate]

If you were to do something like that outdoors you better hope there are no other weddings that are scheduled to go on at the same time. I am sure you can sneak it somewhere but the best place to do it without getting caught would be a room. I don't think it's a good idea to do it but whatever floats your boat.

I agree with Toni - whatever floats your boat down the river and to the sea!

The ones I've heard about on this board have been from rooms. You said you're a Poly fan (we're hoping to be able to upgrade and stay there for our H-Moon). Have you thought of getting an MK view and getting married during Wishes?

 

[disbridemimi]

Can you get a room with a balcony? I bet that would be pretty, especially if it were a MK view. That way at least you could put the money towards a fancy room?

 

[Tracy00]

MegKate! Thanks for the comments! The MK view and during Wishes is a GREAT idea. I had originally been thinking beach as I love the sights, sounds, smells, etc. of the Poly beach, but I think you might be on to something!

Thanks for the idea!!

 

[figmentfan814]

Have you considered Swan & Dolphin or one of the other Downtown Disney Hotel Plaza Blvd.? I know one (which slips my mind) has a gazebo out back that can be used for ceremonies.

For as little as $900 you can do a ceremony with basic decorations at the Royal Plaza.
http://www.royalplaza.com/_files/_pdf/Wedding_Packages_2009.pdf

The Royal Plaza
Wedding Ceremony Packages

• Your Ceremony Package Includes; Beautiful Crown Point Courtyard or Private Ballroom
• Rehearsal Time Scheduled within the Week prior to your Wedding Date.
• Your memories will be accented with selected décor and style. Arch with Flowers,
• Columns, Riser and Set-up are included in package. $900.00 ++ applies for all Ceremonies Planned.

 

[smhogar]

Have you looked into Shades of Green?
It is right across from the Poly.
They have a small gazebo in the near the road (begining of their property).
I believe that you can see Wishes from there.

 

[RubySlippers]

There are plenty of beautiful discreet places that you could pull this off Port Orleans Riverside has quite a few areas that you could do this as well as the CBR. Lots of little areas and courtyards where this could be done.
My DH and I saw TWO unofficial weddings last year one at the Wilderness Lodge and one at the fountain at the entrance of the Marketplace!

Happy Wedding!

Ruby