Advice from Escape Brides please

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi
I am new to this board and I am planning an Escape VR for myself and my wonderful husband in the Spring of 2011
I live in UK and would be so grateful for any advice from Escape Brides but would love to hear from any UK Escape Brides who have planned their intimate
special day from this long-distance point of view!!!
I particularly need to know the following:-

I understand that as part of the contract, a four-night stay at a WDW Resort is required. Is this for all guests or just the Bride and Groom? I am a DVC member and would like to know whether it would count if I booked some rooms on points or not?

I am planning just the basic package ceremony (with a few enhancements) for us and between 6 and 18 guests (depends on who can afford to come!!), and the basic package says that the cake and champagne reception is for the bridal couple and six guests. Can more attend if you pay extra?

I love the idea of a dessert buffet reception in the evening!! Could this be done for such a small amount of people and if so, roughly how much per person would it cost?

Can Escape Brides book a hair/beauty consultant to visit at the resort? If so any idea roughly how much for Bride and one attendant?

How good is the standard Disney two hour photography package? Nice photos of the event are particularly important to me and I wonder if it may be better to splash out on an outside photographer? I would have to have a seperate one for a dessert buffet reception, I guess as the included photographer is only present for two hours.

What are the music options for a small dessert buffet reception?

I think that is all for now!!
Thanks for all you help, but as I cannot book my special day until eight months out, I have a lot of questions unanswered at the moment

Thanks for any help you can give
Hugs
Joanne

 

[PrincessShea]

I understand that as part of the contract, a four-night stay at a WDW Resort is required. Is this for all guests or just the Bride and Groom? I am a DVC member and would like to know whether it would count if I booked some rooms on points or not?

Just the bride and groom have to stay 4 nights. A DVC reservation counts.

I am planning just the basic package ceremony (with a few enhancements) for us and between 6 and 18 guests (depends on who can afford to come!!), and the basic package says that the cake and champagne reception is for the bridal couple and six guests. Can more attend if you pay extra?

One cake is plenty for like 20-25 people. You will need to get another bottle of champagne though and its like $65.

I love the idea of a dessert buffet reception in the evening!! Could this be done for such a small amount of people and if so, roughly how much per person would it cost?

My dessert party was the best part of the wedding. I really recommend it. Save until you can do it. If you have under 10 guests, the party will be in Japan. If you have between 10-20 guests the party will be in Morocco. The venue rental fee for Morocco was $200 for me. Then all you have to do is get $22/person worth of food. Those are the minimums.

Can Escape Brides book a hair/beauty consultant to visit at the resort? If so any idea roughly how much for Bride and one attendant?

Yes. I used Patricia LeJeune (www.lejeune-pca.com). Many other disbrides use her as well. She charges a $50 travel fee and then hair & makeup is $120. So for you and one other person it would be $290. Once you sign a contract Disney will send you a list with other vendors...so you will be able to use that to call around for other prices.

How good is the standard Disney two hour photography package? Nice photos of the event are particularly important to me and I wonder if it may be better to splash out on an outside photographer? I would have to have a seperate one for a dessert buffet reception, I guess as the included photographer is only present for two hours.

The standard two hour photographer is only available to do the ceremony. You cannot have them come to the dessert party if you opt to have an outside photographer at the ceremony. I personally was not willing to have Disney Photography do the ceremony. If your ceremony is outside the parks (at SeaBreeze Point or the Wedding Pavilion, for example) you can have an outside photographer do the ceremony. I used studio222photography.com Many people on this board have used outside photographers. For the dessert party, because it is inside the park (Epcot) you HAVE to use Disney Photography if you want professional pictures. The cost is $350.

What are the music options for a small dessert buffet reception?

I don't really understand the question. If you are talking about the dessert party in Epcot, there are no options. The party is right before the Illuminations fireworks show and I'd be really surprised if they let you bring in outside music and distract from the show.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Thank you so much!!
You have been very helpful to me!!
Hugs
Joanne

 

[MegKate]

One other thing that might help you is an e-book that Carrie (lurkyloo) wrote about Disney Weddings - it's helped me quite a bit with the whole process!

http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710781.aspx

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Thank you again!!
I looked at the photographer's website and it looks wonderful!!
Have you any idea how much it would be to book them for a four hour session (their website says they can do this for a mid-week wedding)
Thanks again for your help
Hugs
Joanne

 

[MegKate]

You can check out the Roots www.rootography.com, Misty Miotto http://www.mistymiotto.com/ and Randy Chapman http://www.chapmanphotography.com/ are three photographers that are used alot by the Brides on this board. I think Randy does alot of the Escapes that I can think of.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Hi there - I'm a UK Escape bride, getting married 8 weeks today!

I have got Randy Chapman doing my photos, and Patricia Lejeune for hair and make up.

My biggest tip is if you find someone whose photography you really like, book it asap. I had Randy booked for 3 months before I could confirm my date - as he does lots of Disney weddings he knows the deal, and was happy to rearrange as far as possible if I didn't get my date.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

One other thing that might help you is an e-book that Carrie (lurkyloo) wrote about Disney Weddings - it's helped me quite a bit with the whole process!

http://www.passporterstore.com/store/1587710781.aspx

You can check out the Roots www.rootography.com, Misty Miotto http://www.mistymiotto.com/ and Randy Chapman http://www.chapmanphotography.com/ are three photographers that are used alot by the Brides on this board. I think Randy does alot of the Escapes that I can think of.

Thank you MegKate for all your advice!!
I will certainly check out those photographers!!
Princess Shea, I looked at the teaser pictures in your TR and all I can say is wow!! Absolutely beautiful!!!
Were the chair covers at the ceremony part of the Escape package or were they extra?

 

[PrincessShea]

As far as photography prices...

Studio 222 cost me $1200 for 4 hours

Randy Chapman's escape package is around $650

The Roots quoted me $4000 for their 4 hour package. Mine was a weekend summer wedding (ie, peak season) though and other people have reported that they are willing to negotiate prices.

I have no idea about Misty as I never researched her however lots of other brides here used here so hopefully someone will come along to help

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Once again thank you so much
Were the beautiful seat covers in your photos at Seabreeze point included or extra?

 

[PrincessShea]

Princess Shea, I looked at the teaser pictures in your TR and all I can say is wow!! Absolutely beautiful!!!
Were the chair covers at the ceremony part of the Escape package or were they extra?

Thanks I see I missed this question...The chair covers are extra. They are just regular white chairs otherwise. The chair covers with a sash are $8.75 each if I recall correctly.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi there - I'm a UK Escape bride, getting married 8 weeks today!

I have got Randy Chapman doing my photos, and Patricia Lejeune for hair and make up.

My biggest tip is if you find someone whose photography you really like, book it asap. I had Randy booked for 3 months before I could confirm my date - as he does lots of Disney weddings he knows the deal, and was happy to rearrange as far as possible if I didn't get my date.

Thanks Jen
8 weeks OMG!!!
I will be following your TR closely
Thanks for the advice. I will book the photographer asap!!
How much deposit does Randy require?
How long have you booked Randy for? How much did it cost?
Sorry for all the questions but I really need to set a budget. Hope you don't mind!!
I am right in thinking you cannot book your Escape package until 8 monyhs out?
Hugs
Joanne

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

Thanks Jen
8 weeks OMG!!!
I will be following your TR closely
Thanks for the advice. I will book the photographer asap!!
How much deposit does Randy require?
How long have you booked Randy for? How much did it cost?
Sorry for all the questions but I really need to set a budget. Hope you don't mind!!
I am right in thinking you cannot book your Escape package until 8 monyhs out?
Hugs
Joanne

I am an Escape bride as well, so I will help you out as much as I can.

I have booked Randy already, even though I will not have my date officially booked until August (due to the 8 month rule). Randy is understanding about this, and will offer a full refund if you do not get your desired date, and he is unavailable for your new one.

I got a 3 hour package. I think it is 600 approx with tax, so I already paid for half.

If you want to see my proposed budget, it is on my PJ (in the link below) although it is in Canadain $.

Good luck with all the planning!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I am an Escape bride as well, so I will help you out as much as I can.

I have booked Randy already, even though I will not have my date officially booked until August (due to the 8 month rule). Randy is understanding about this, and will offer a full refund if you do not get your desired date, and he is unavailable for your new one.

I got a 3 hour package. I think it is 600 approx with tax, so I already paid for half.

If you want to see my proposed budget, it is on my PJ (in the link below) although it is in Canadain $.

Good luck with all the planning!

Thanks for sharing your budget with me
I am not sure how the Canadian dollar and the pound compare
Hugs
Joanne

 

[gemmybear83]

Thanks Jen
8 weeks OMG!!!
I will be following your TR closely
Thanks for the advice. I will book the photographer asap!!
How much deposit does Randy require?
How long have you booked Randy for? How much did it cost?
Sorry for all the questions but I really need to set a budget. Hope you don't mind!!
I am right in thinking you cannot book your Escape package until 8 monyhs out?
Hugs
Joanne

Hiya I am a UK bride booking Randy for our Dec 2010 wedding. His escape package for 3 hours photos only is $450 + tax. I'm booking mine now as I know how busy he gets (and is willing to move the time and date). Plus he is charging me 2009 prices for a 2010 wedding

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Thank you
How much deposit do you have to pay Randy when you book his services or do you need to pay the whole amount.

Also does anybody know how much deposit Patricia would charge to book her services and whether she is as flexible with dates (eg Escape Brides being unable to finalize dates until 8 months out) as Randy appears to be?

Does anybody know how long the ceremony and cake/champagne reception will last for the Escape package? It's handy to know for booking timings for dinner afterwards.

Many thanks once again ladies

Hugs
Joanne

 

[MegKate]

I'll help you with Patricia - that's a 100 dollar deposit. We sent a deposit to her before we had our date, because I really liked her style. She indicated that she was flexible with dates because she was familiar with the DFTW process. Of course I was more attached to my date than location, so I felt confident booking all my vendors early because I knew somewhere at WDW I would be getting married on 10/12/09!

 

[gemmybear83]

You pay 50% of the fee to Randy

 

[lurkyloo]

Does anybody know how long the ceremony and cake/champagne reception will last for the Escape package? It's handy to know for booking timings for dinner afterwards.

Disney says to expect a 10-15-minute ceremony followed by a 30-minute cake reception, with the whole thing clocking in at about an hour start to finish.

 

[PrincessShea]

Does anybody know how long the ceremony and cake/champagne reception will last for the Escape package? It's handy to know for booking timings for dinner afterwards.

Carrie got it right in the post above. It's about an hour. Be sure to leave some time afterwords though for just you and the groom to take pictures before you have to go to dinner though!