Nikki & Rob's PJ Wishes VR 11/9/09 WP, GF *We leave Sun. morning!!*

[Desnik]

Welcome to my new PJ!!!! I am so excited to be planning again!
You can see my original PJ here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1675539

We have had a change of plans so I am starting a new PJ. Here's what we have so far:

Date: Monday November 9th, 2009
Ceremony: WP 5pm
Cocktail hour: White Hall Patio
Reception: White Hall Room
Transportation: Cindy's Coach
I have already booked the venues above and everything was available!!

We are doing a fall theme. It is our favorite time of year and the usual time we visit WDW. We love all the colors of fall and will be using them for the cake and invitations and decor.

Vendors we hope to use:
Photography: Misty Miotto
Videography: Star Fruit Productions
Hair/makeup: Ana Beaute Speciale
Dress pressing: Carolyn Allens
Officiant: Kevin Knox

I have a guest list of 75 but expect about 40-50 to actually come. I already have 25 definite guests coming. We will have both adults and kids and we plan to have Mickey come too! We still plan on making our own invites with cards and pockets and making our own newsletter to send to our guests before they get the save the dates from Disney. We will be doing a site visit in January and I can't wait to see it all in person! I am still in love with the same dress, Paloma Blanca style # 3807 but haven't tried any dresses on yet.

I will add some new pictures because the ones on my original PJ are so tiny. Not sure how/why that happened. Anyway, I will be back with questions and updates so stay tuned!

 

[padisneyfour]

WooHOO! Congrats on getting your venues! your plans so far sound great looking forward to hearing more...

 

[Desnik]

WooHOO! Congrats on getting your venues! your plans so far sound great looking forward to hearing more...

Thank you!!!

 

[Desnik]

Here is a better picture of the newsletter DH and I made. It is the original one so we have to change the dates on it and I want to change the picture too. All the wording will stay the same and the format too.:

BTW, my real name is Dominique, but everyone calls me Nikki. I will be using my real name for everything like invitations, etc...

Questions....
Can anyone recommend an officiant? We are not religious so we need someone who is ok with not having anything religious in our ceremony. I would like to book someone ASAP. Also, when should I book everything else like photographer, video?

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

Just want to tell you CONGRATS!!!!! Happy Planning!

 

[Desnik]

Just want to tell you CONGRATS!!!!! Happy Planning!

Thanks!!

 

[Desnik]

I have a bunch of questions!
I need help with an officiant! Can anyone recommend one that will do a non religious ceremony?
**I think I found one. We are looking into booking Kevin Knox**

When am I suppose to be booking my vendors?

Also, should I be dress shopping now?

Anyone have any ideas for a fall themed favor for my guests? Keep in mind I don't want anything liquid, or edible.

I really wanted a dessert party, so does DH. With my ceremony being at 5pm a dessert party that night is out. Is is weird to have the dessert party the night before? Maybe as a welcome party?

When should I receive my contract? I see some Dec '09 brides have gotten a contract already!

 

[Desnik]

BUMPING, in hopes of getting some answers to my questions.

 

[GlobalDiva]

I have a bunch of questions!
I need help with an officiant! Can anyone recommend one that will do a non religious ceremony?
**I think I found one. We are looking into booking Kevin Knox**

When am I suppose to be booking my vendors?

Also, should I be dress shopping now?

Anyone have any ideas for a fall themed favor for my guests? Keep in mind I don't want anything liquid, or edible.

I really wanted a dessert party, so does DH. With my ceremony being at 5pm a dessert party that night is out. Is is weird to have the dessert party the night before? Maybe as a welcome party?

When should I receive my contract? I see some Dec '09 brides have gotten a contract already!

Hey Nikki =)

I myself booked my photographer almost a year before the wedding (1-24-09) (www.cpoweddings.com) just because we loved their pics and met with them and decided to book right after. A big part of the wedding right there that I took care of early on.

I also found my dress about 10 months before too. I'm of the mindset that once you find a dress that you love and that looks amazing on you, you don't need to keep on looking forever just in case "something better" comes along. You'll just drive yourself crazy.

I got my contract a year before my wedding date.

Can't tell you much about dessert parties unfortunately

I'll think about your autumn wedding favor question

 

[Desnik]

Thank you for the help and info!

I received 2 emails from DFTW yesterday. Boy I had trouble with that room block, but I think I have it figured out now. Bill said once I send him that info he can send me my letter of agreement.

What happens if I sign the letter of agreement and then want to change the reception site?

I think we are going to go with Kevin Knox as our officiant and do the "hands" ceremony. He sent me one for a vow renewal and it is so perfect!

I know I want to book Misty for photography and Ana from Beaute Speciale for hair and makeup so I should contact them to see if they are available. I think I will do that today.

I am on the fence about having a videographer. I love Star Fruit Productions. Their videos are amazing. I am just not sure if I should have a video or not. We'll see.

I am so nervous to go dress shopping! I don't know why but I keep putting it off! My mom is dying to go with me and she insists on buying my dress. She didn't get to do it for me the first time and she wants to do it now. I tried arguing with her, but that has done me no good!LOL I just love that she is so into all this with me and I can call her and pick her brain about things! It is a lot of planning but I am having fun doing it.

I am going to schedual a site visit for our Jan. trip. I now want to see the Napa room in person. It usually isn't my style, but I just love this room. I am also in love with that view. I really wanted to see fireworks with my guests. If I keep the times I have and venue that will be impossible on the day of our vow renewal. But, if I switch to the Napa room we can see Wishes from there. That would be great. I'll have to get DH on the same page though cause he loves the idea of doing everything at the GF. It's his favorite place!

As for the room block. I had to pick the GF because that is where we will be staying as well as my mom and I think my dad will stay there too.(they are divorced) I picked ASMo and CBR(because of the recent renovation there). I am going to use my DVC points for my sisters family and MIL. I am going to put them at AKV. I plan on letting the limo pick them up and bring them to the WP. Then get the charter bus for the guests at the CBR and ASMo. The limo can also pick up my parents at the GF and drive them over to the WP.

Now as for how I am getting to the WP. DH insists on Cindy's carriage! I want it too but that price is killing me. He says it's Cindy's carriage or nothing!LOL So, I am wondering where does the carriage pick me up exactly? After the ceremony will it drop us off at the reception if it's at the White Hall room? How long do you get the carriage for?

Another thing about the carriage. Should we all go in it to the WP? Meaning my DH, myself and our 2 kids? We will all be getting ready in the same room together and taking pictures together before the ceremony so we will all already see each other. I just thought it is silly to make DH wait for me at the WP. We will be walking down the aisle together too. What do you guys think?

 

[Desnik]

Here are a few pics of cake designs I really like:

 

[Desnik]

Here are some more:

 

[trudy88]

I particularly like the green one; it's so different...

 

[Desnik]

That's what I thought of the green one, it's different and I like it!
DH, not so much! He really doesn't like any of them, but I'll work on him.

The room block info is sent in and we are set for our site visit in Jan. I am starting to worry DH might not like the White Hall room. He is very picky and particular and I am worried that picture of that bird on the wall in there will have him running for the door!LOL We shall see....

I plan on going dress shopping in Jan after the holidays. My mom and 2 sisters will join me. We are all so excited!

 

[padisneyfour]

all the cakes are pretty! good luck with all your plans!

 

[c1nd3r311a52010]

I love the green cake so unusual.

 

[mcarthur205]

I have a bunch of questions!
I need help with an officiant! Can anyone recommend one that will do a non religious ceremony?
**I think I found one. We are looking into booking Kevin Knox**

When am I suppose to be booking my vendors?

Also, should I be dress shopping now?

Anyone have any ideas for a fall themed favor for my guests? Keep in mind I don't want anything liquid, or edible.

I really wanted a dessert party, so does DH. With my ceremony being at 5pm a dessert party that night is out. Is is weird to have the dessert party the night before? Maybe as a welcome party?

When should I receive my contract? I see some Dec '09 brides have gotten a contract already!

Congratulations on getting your VR booked with DFTW! I booked Randy even before I booked my date lol! And I booked my other vendors as soon as I had my date. And you should definitely go dress shopping soon!

I think a dessert party as a welcome party would be great! I think I've read one or two TRs where the brides did this. Do you want Illuminations or Wishes?

 

[Desnik]

mcarthur205
Thanks!
I would want Illuminations cause it is my favorite! I am still on the fence if I will do it.

So, I just found out 2 more families will be coming to our VR!!! That is 7 more people. It is so exciting that everyone we have talked to is so excited and happy to join us at WDW. I have to say I have not had one person question why Disney, or think it was crazy. Everyone has been like when and where can we stay! They seem to all be making it their family vacation and will be staying for the week. This makes me want to plan some group outings. Hmmm I'll have to think more about that!

I'm not sure if I posted this yet, but I blocked rooms at the GF, CBR, and ASMo. I picked our comp night for the night before the wedding. I am now rethinking this. I just read that they give you a concierge room. I do not want to have to move from my room the day of the wedding, or at any time. I will either ask them to down grade(will they do that?) or upgrade to concierge for the week! The resort snob that my DH is will probably want to up grade for the week!LOL We will see.

I am waiting till the new year to go dress shopping. I am getting excited about it.

I have been thinking a lot about the reception. The colors, decor, centerpieces, linens. Wow, it is overwhelming! I think I am going to go with chocolate brown table cloths, with a sheer dark orange runner. Then whatever we do for centerpieces, I want all the fall colors in it. Brown, dark red, orange, yellow, green. I would love to incorporate small pumpkins some how. I still have no idea what to do for favors. I wanted to do something different, useable, and easy to transport back to NY. I'm going to scour the internet for pictures of some ideas. I'll post pictures if I find anything good.

 

[Desnik]

Some favor ideas:
Candle:

Soap:

 

[Desnik]

So, I sat down with DH last night to go over some wedding stuff. He looked at all the ideas I had and we looked at pictures of the rooms at the GF to have the reception. Well, he is OK with the fall colors, but not as a theme! He wants it to be more Disney themed. So, can anyone help me with ideas on how to make the reception more Disney? He loved the look of the WP and said that says Disney to him. But when looking at the White Hall room he didn't feel it. I had a feeling once he saw better pictures of it he would have some issues!LOL He said it looks like any other room in a catering hall. He said he can find that any where in NY. He wants a look he can't get in NY. So, with keeping the same colors, how can I make it more Disney while still keeping it classy? Should we change the reception site? BTW, he didn't like the Napa Room either. That was my plan "B". Help!