Lauren & Keith are FINALLY getting married...Spring 2014

[Summer Daydream]

Hi! I have been driving my fiance crazy these past few weeks since we got engaged. I have already accumulated notebooks full of information so I figured I would start a planning journal to help organize my scattered thoughts, even though the wedding is a little ways off!
My name is Lauren and I am 28 years old. My fiance is Keith, who is also 28. We have been together for over eight years, and it has been long distance the entire time. It has been so hard, but so worth it. We met through a mutual friend (who disappeared and we have no clue where they are now) and have been together since. Our first vacation together was to Disney and we have gone a couple times since then.
My proposal was a complete suprise! We had decided long ago that we were never going to get married, we were just going to be happily unmarried. I of course changed my mind! I told him to take his time and when he was ready to propose, to make sure it wasn't a diamond...I'm not a huge fan of them. We had a large family dinner like we do each year, with both sides of the family present. At desert time, he asked me to grab the cake, which had the proposal written on it. I read it through the box and turned around and shouted, "Are you f***king kidding me?" and then proceeded to cry uncontrollably. Even though I cursed at him, he continued the proposal which included the sweetest speech ever. I am so excited that the day FINALLY arrived because I was starting to think he would never propose!
We are planning to get married in April 2014 at Sea Breeze Point. We hope to have a Wishes wedding, but most of the family doesn't really seem too receptive to a destination wedding. If it becomes an Escape wedding, the only problem I would have is waiting until only 8 months out to book! I'm a little too organized for my own good.
I would include pictures but I can't figure out how to resize them. Any tips on that would be appreciated. I'm looking forward reading other brides PJs and sharing ideas. It will be nice to be able to bounce ideas around and get actual feedback since I get the sneaking suspicion that DF is afraid to tell me if he doesn't like something, for fear I'd turn into a Bridezilla. Hope you all have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend

 

[ShanaMouse]

Welcome, Lauren!
I completely know what you mean about being too organized for your own good sometimes.
I am not a DFTW bride, but I am a Swan bride. It was either going to be a DFTW escape package or a Swan wedding, so I opted for the Swan, as I love DIY projects and being able to have control over certain aspects of the wedding, and I just felt as though the escape weddings didnt have much customization. PLUS, like you, I really didn't want to wait til 8 months out

I like your engagement story, because its nice when big moments like this happen when you don't expect them to. Makes the whole moment so much more special.

I look forward to reading more!

Happy planning!

 

[NoOrdinaryPrincess]

Welcome!

 

[DreaminDisney529]

Congrats on your engagement Lauren! I was just browsing PJ's and I saw you are a future 2014 bride like myself (I just haven't started a PJ yet). My fiance and I have also been in a long distance relationship for several years, so I know how tough it can be....Can't wait to see how your plans unfold!

 

[CinderALLIE]

Congratulations!! Look forward to reading your plans. I laughed at your reaction to the proposal...I would have had a hard time sharing that cake

 

[Summer Daydream]

Welcome, Lauren!
I completely know what you mean about being too organized for your own good sometimes.
I am not a DFTW bride, but I am a Swan bride. It was either going to be a DFTW escape package or a Swan wedding, so I opted for the Swan, as I love DIY projects and being able to have control over certain aspects of the wedding, and I just felt as though the escape weddings didnt have much customization. PLUS, like you, I really didn't want to wait til 8 months out

I like your engagement story, because its nice when big moments like this happen when you don't expect them to. Makes the whole moment so much more special.

I look forward to reading more!

Happy planning!

Thanks, Shana! I love reading your PJ. I think you're the only other person I know that loves to go to Disney On Ice.

Welcome!

Thank you!

Congrats on your engagement Lauren! I was just browsing PJ's and I saw you are a future 2014 bride like myself (I just haven't started a PJ yet). My fiance and I have also been in a long distance relationship for several years, so I know how tough it can be....Can't wait to see how your plans unfold!

Thanks! I think that 2014 will be here before we know it! When you start a PJ, let me know.

Congratulations!! Look forward to reading your plans. I laughed at your reaction to the proposal...I would have had a hard time sharing that cake

Thanks! Yeah, when I think back at my reaction, I just laugh. He said he wasn't surprised at all by it. I shared the cake, but I took a million pictures of it, so it will live on!

 

[djsmith]

Congrats from another 2014 bride so good to see i'm not the only one who wants as much info as possible as soon as possible too! it'l b good plannin at the same time like u said we can share ideas an stuff

i love how the propsal went! ur reaction is hilarious an its a good thing fiance continued with his speech an proposal instead of being put off lol. Bet u'l always remember that dinner now

I was originally gonna b an escape bride at the wedding pavillion but since there's only gonna b 11 people at the wedding we changed to the small courtyard at the swan hotel. i think the wedding pavillion would'v been too big for our small group, we were disappointed with how small the castle was in the background and it was more expensive than a swan wedding with less flexibility. Plus with disney we had 2 stay in a disney hotel an we couldnt stay at the swan as its not a disney owned resort. So that then meant we wanted to stay in the polynesian, which wi the cost of the escape wedding we could afford the poly an i didnt really wanna stay anywhere else. With the swan wedding i can afford to stay in the poly and maybe a few nights at the swan as well. The swan just seems so much more suited to us.

look forward to following along wi ur plans as i do mine lol

Debra
xXx

 

[Summer Daydream]

So, things on the wedding planning had been somewhat stalled. DF's father has been in and out of the hospital since before Memorial Day. He would be in for a few weeks, home for a week, and then back in again. He has been home for two weeks now, so basically everyone is spending their free time watching him like a hawk. But I do have some basic plans.

We are using blue and white as our colors. I was thinking that maybe I would accent the blue some shade of purple, but I haven't figured it out yet. I love hydrangea, so my boquet is going to be blue hydrangea with a few white lillies in it. We also know who we want in the wedding so we are in the process of working on ways to ask them. We also know that we do want SBP. We intially decided SBP, then changed to WP (since it's indoors which would be good for the older family members). But, SBP reminds me so much of my hometown in NJ that I really wanted to have some feeling of home in the destination wedding. SBP is is...for now! I'm sure we'll change our minds again!

Most of the family isn't receptive to the Disney Wedding, and it seems that only the immediate family will come, which is fine by me. We decided to have a large party when we return for those that do not make it. With only 16 people as definites, I looked into changing from a DFTW to S/D wedding, but I really want a MK photo shoot.

So, here are just a few pics of me, DF, and the engagement

[/IMG]

I wish DF would've given me some kind of clue. I went to the beach the day before and fell asleep, so I got so horribly burnt. Oh, well. I'm glad to have the hundred and fifty pictures taken by my future sister in laws of the whole thing.

 

[Summer Daydream]

This week I sat down and crunched numbers with my parents and my fiancé. With the escape package we are not looking to upgrade too many things, since we have decided on an extended stay at the World. We plan on spending two weeks in Disney, the week of the wedding with both families and them the next week by ourselves as our Disneymoon. I'm actually pretty excited about this decision because it means I get to be with my two nephews and niece when they get to see everything for the first time. I can't wait to see their little faces light up. I'm sure it will be completely magical. They are all so excited about going to "Mickey's house!"

My parents told me that they will pay for either the MK photo session, which was really the only upgrade I wanted, or a dessert party in the event that I can't get the MK session. I had been thinking about a DP but I wasn't sure if I was sold on it. It's nice to know this option is out there though.

My 86 year old grandfather was against my Disney wedding, since it was not very traditional. But he has decided he wants to come now and he is very excited. He is asking if we could go to the good restaurant again (Ohana) and if we can skip that awful place with the ballerina(????). I think he means Akershus. He also came over to visit as I was looking over all the dress photos i have accumulated. He picked up the pile of dresses I love but could never afford and pointed to one. He said to me, "I will buy you that dress." I laughed and told him its out of my price range. He told me it wasn't out of his and if I try it on and love it, he is buying it. He told me to consider it a gift from my grandmother, who I was so close to. So of course, I cried my eyes out at that and he looked at me like I had five heads.

I have started to work on ways to ask my bridesmaids to be in the wedding. I also have been toying around with gathering welcome bag items. I will post pics when they actually start to resemble more than just piles of stuff in the corner of my room.

 

[unbrelievable]

I know you said most of your family hasn't been overly supportive of a Disney wedding, but it's nice to see some of your family helping out! That thing with your grandfather was so, so sweet.

 

[BritKansas]

Congratulations from another 2014 bride & I can't wait to read more

 

[ShanaMouse]

This week I sat down and crunched numbers with my parents and my fiancé. With the escape package we are not looking to upgrade too many things, since we have decided on an extended stay at the World. We plan on spending two weeks in Disney, the week of the wedding with both families and them the next week by ourselves as our Disneymoon. I'm actually pretty excited about this decision because it means I get to be with my two nephews and niece when they get to see everything for the first time. I can't wait to see their little faces light up. I'm sure it will be completely magical. They are all so excited about going to "Mickey's house!"

My parents told me that they will pay for either the MK photo session, which was really the only upgrade I wanted, or a dessert party in the event that I can't get the MK session. I had been thinking about a DP but I wasn't sure if I was sold on it. It's nice to know this option is out there though.

My 86 year old grandfather was against my Disney wedding, since it was not very traditional. But he has decided he wants to come now and he is very excited. He is asking if we could go to the good restaurant again (Ohana) and if we can skip that awful place with the ballerina(????). I think he means Akershus. He also came over to visit as I was looking over all the dress photos i have accumulated. He picked up the pile of dresses I love but could never afford and pointed to one. He said to me, "I will buy you that dress." I laughed and told him its out of my price range. He told me it wasn't out of his and if I try it on and love it, he is buying it. He told me to consider it a gift from my grandmother, who I was so close to. So of course, I cried my eyes out at that and he looked at me like I had five heads.

I have started to work on ways to ask my bridesmaids to be in the wedding. I also have been toying around with gathering welcome bag items. I will post pics when they actually start to resemble more than just piles of stuff in the corner of my room.

it's so sweet that your grandfather made the offer to get the dress for you. now let's just hope that you love it just as much when you try it on as you do in the picture(s)!!

You know, I was never really into the whole Dessert party, but lately I have been trying to see if I can squeeze it into the budget, but for the amount of people we have I am not so sure this is going to happen lol.

Like you, the only upgrade I wanted (if we would have gone with DFTW) would have been the MK shoot. there is something so cool about that because it's the only time you can have private time in the park in your dress. If I had to choose between the DP and the MK shoot, I'd probably pic the MK shoot because it's kind of like a once in a lifetime opportunity and you have pics to cherish forever.

I look forward to reading more

 

[Summer Daydream]

I just realized that I never posted a picture of the dress that I am obsessed with. I just look at it and I just have this overcoming urge that I need to have it! http://i1163.photobucket.com/albums...41D0879-3793-0000039463BE2D31_zps8140ae0c.jpg


I also was thinking of incorporating purples and pinks into the light blue theme since we are planning to get married in April, so it would fit in to the spring theme. I am leaning towards a blue hydrangea bouquet with pale pink and lavender roses right now. Hopefully I will find a picture that seems to fit what I would like.

I also am budgeting money to have a replica of my bouquet made. A family friend told me she ordered a bouquet from this website of clay flowers for her cruise wedding last year and it was unbelievable! The website is dkdesignshawaii.com. I am afraid that when I try to preserve my bouquet, it won't work out right, so I'm looking into back up plans.

Unrelated, but I'm so excited the fall weather is starting to kick in up here. Everything smells so crisp and the colors are so pretty!

 

[Summer Daydream]

So, yesterday in the mail, I got not one, but my first two wedding related items. First, thanks to a super awesome DISbride, I got my just married pins!

Then, I had entered a contest on David Tutera's facebook a few weeks ago and I won! I got a my prize and the added bonus of his autograph. I may have squealed a little bit since I LOVE HIM!

and the prize was a satin clutch

Finally, just because I find it hysterical, here is a picture of my cat, Fez, in her Halloween costume. She purrs the entire time whenever she has a costume on and tries to bite me when I take them off. I think she should be on calenders.

That's all for now. It's officially 18 months until the wedding day so I have so much time to do things. I can't wait to book my wedding!

 

[celerystalker]

I love your ring! And your cat is adorable! Back later to read more.

 

[SeaBreezeBride]

Congrats and welcome to the boards!

 

[charliegirl76]

Congratulations! I love David Tutera! I have a friend that could be his younger brother, seriously.

Your cat is awesome.

 

[LittleKittyMarie]

OMG your cat! Hahaha!

Anyway... congrats on your engagement! Your ring is so gorgeous!

I love all the sweet stories you have in your PJ already--the one with your grandfather, that is so sweet! Also the dress photo you posted... that is stunning! I love it!

Looking forward to reading more!

 

[redlight]

I'm in. You're a really cute couple. Plus, Fez is adorable!

 

[Summer Daydream]

A possible change of plans...we are now thinking of spending the second week of our trip in Aulani!! Has anyone been there? I'm excited since DF hates to fly (getting him on the plane to the World is hard enough!) If anyone has any info on Aulani, I would love to hear it.

Non wedding related but Hurricane Sandy is really starting to freak me out and of course, she is hitting Jersey...