All Custom/Wishes Brides- Schedule question

[LuluLovesDisney]

I have been dreaming of this for so long, but now that I am approaching the one year mark, there's a lot of planning to do.

For one thing, how do you manage to spend time with everyone?

I am planning a Welcome Lunch for everyone the day before and we have a whole day of events (10 am ceremony, 11-4 lunch and DP that night) for the wedding. However, I will probably have anywhere from 65-85 people! How will I spend time with them all?

I have 5 bridesmaids, including two "pairs" of friends that I know from different places and one cousin. I have a huge family, including 3 brothers with 6 little ones total. My fiance's best friend, his wife, his mom and his two children, plus my parents, my fiance's mom, my fiance's dad and stepmom and stepbrother, etc. Add to this my good friend who is coming from Texas with his partner and will be celebrating his birthday two days before the wedding! And the most important of all- my parents, who are 65 and 70 years old now, and I want to spend every moment I can with all the people I am closest to- this was one of the biggest reasons I chose a WDW wedding . . .

Is there anyone who had a "schedule" of events so that they could manage to spend time with everyone?

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Shameless bump so maybe an evening Diser can answer.

 

[twiu]

Hey, I had over 150 people at my wedding and I am sorry to say that it is nearly impossible to spend that much quality time with everyone! I have 4 siblings in my family, all married, and a total of 17 nieces & nephews... all who live across the country. I had very close family and friends and it was one of the things that was the most difficult for me to handle after the wedding. The fact that I hadn't seen these people who I love so dearly and then they were all gone in a flash. It was sad but make the most out of it.

You're going to be busy. You're going to be running around and there is just not enough time to spend with everyone. My advice is, think of who you really want to spend time with and focus on that. Have a gathering perhaps in your room with your closest friends one night. The next day do a luncheon with just the family. It really is difficult but I wish you the best of luck.

I had wedding events for 3 days prior to the wedding and I still felt like I didn't get to spend time with everyone like I wanted to. I think it's just hte nature of big weddings... unfortunately

Good luck though! Hopefully you can get it accomplished...

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Thank you!

I am probably going to have 65-85 so about half of what you had, hopefully that will make it easier.

Did you split up with your fiance at all so he could spend more time w him family/friends and you could spend time with yours?

 

[pixie08]

Hi Lulu. We had around 70 guests. Most arrived 1-2 days before the wedding but close friends, family and bridal party were there for a few days before. We were married on a Fri. Here are a few thing we organised to be able to spend time with friends and family. I sent out newsletters and had a website to let guests know what was going on.

Mon- hoop de doo review- so much fun. we had about ten people. We asked people if they would be interested and bought the tickets and everyone gave us money for them.

Tues-We had everyone meet us in front of the Canada pavilion at EPCOT for a whole evening of eating and drinking around the world. In the end about 35 people met up with us! Man this is so much fun with a ton of people. It was such a blast everyone still talks about it.

Weds-During the day I went to tea at the GF with my bridal party and some close female family. There were about 20 of us. I paid for this event because it was a "thank you" bridal luncheon. Afterward a bunch of us got pedis. Mean while dh had a bunch of guys go to ESPN zone and a poker party at my brothers villa.

In the evening we held an open invitation pizza party in my mom's villa- so many people turned out. Aunt, uncles, bridesmaids, groomsmen, friends etc. We were all over the villa and on the terrace. Afterward EVERYONE went to Jellyrolls.this was also a blast. Our parents and family were bribing the piano players and we all had such a good time even the older folks! Around 11pm the girls went to PI for a bachelorette night and the guys did their own thing and got very drunk

Thurs- we had our reahersal and then had our RD at Ohana. All our close family and bridal party was there. We followed this by an illuminations DP/ Welcome party in which everyone was invited. I think we had around 65 people.

Fri- wedding

All in all I loved the schedule. We had tons of time to spend with everyone and we have great memories and awesome pics lol!It was great because the day after the wedding we spent alone (even though I entertained the idea of a farewell brunch I cancelled it because I wanted to spend our first day as man and wife alone)- had a couples massage, breakfast in bed and V&A"s and left for Hawaii the next day.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

we had 62 people at our wedding and we had dinner with mark's family the night before the wedding and cake with mine the night after the wedding. it was still difficult to see everyone and spend time with them...

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

Thank you so much! It's weird I never thought of this before but your ideas are all so helpful. Mary, you are my idol. I am thinking of this:

Day 1-
 arrive in WDW!
 Organize and distribute Welcome Bags!
 Dinner with my parents and prob my 1 brother and his family bc they will be there early.

Day 2-
 finish distributing welcome bags
 some type of character breakfast with my ring bearer and 2 fg's - hopefully they will be here by then? If not, we could do a lunch on Day 3?
 Spend day at Epcot. Character pictures with ring bearer and 2 fg's? I need to see my nephew on Soarin and watching Turtle Talk! MEET UP OPPORTUNITY
 Dinner with fiance's dad and stepmom
 Drinks at Outer Rim- MEET UP OPPORTUNITY Maybe if there's anyone who wants to meet up with us, we could do a drink at each of the 3 monorail hotels- one at Outer Rim, one at the lounge by Ohana at the Poly and one at the GF

Day 3-
 My friend's birthday and he wants breakfast in the castle with the princesses, lol!
 Magic Kingdom/Studios w friends Many of us worked in the Studios so we have to go on the main rides there, too.
 Food and Wine Festival MEET UP OPPORTUNITY
 “Bachelorette” and “Bachelor” night? (I am so not into this, lol)

Day 4-
 Mandara Spa- 8 am -pedicures with mom, godmother and bridesmaids
 Welcome Lunch- 12 pm- EVERYONE
 Magic Kingdom with family, I want a holiday picture in front of the castle with family- all brothers, SIL's etc. I also need to meet Mickey with my nephew and niece!
 Rehearsal and Dinner -location TBD- just immediate family and bridal party
Day 5-
 Wedding Day!

Day 6-
 Brunch – Boma- EVERYONE
 Animal Kingdom Day! MEET UP OPPORTUNITY

Day 7-
 MK photo shoot (either today or yesterday?)
 11 am Bridal Tea- just moms and bridesmaids, I think/ Groom’s Gathering at place of Rob’s choosing.
 Meet up later for dinner?
Day 8-
 Behind the Seeds tour w/ dad- he has always wanted to do this

Special dinner?

Where I put "MEET UP OPPORTUNITY"is where I would like anyone to come! Now, should I JUST put those events on regular guests' schedules and add MORE events to bridal party people etc - have 2 different itineraries printed?

Also, we are paying for the welcome lunch and the brunch the day after, obv. the wedding and the rehearsal for those people. Other than that, they're on their own. Should I indicate that in some way?

This could change since I am still waiting for my date, (I am supposed to hear next week!) but I need to feel like I am getting something done or I will go crazy waiting!

 

[pixie08]

Lulu you are funny. Your schedule looks great.Just make sure to take time for yourself and absob what is going on!

I think the schedule looks great. The way I indicated things were not included was say for instance hoop de doo on my newsletter next to that event I wrote $50.

Next to the day we went to EPCOT "Eating and drinking around the world" I wrote- theme park admission needed. Food and drink not included. etc.