Allie & Ben's DFTW Planning Journal

[crowellaf]

Something about planning a wedding has sent me back to 2004 and now I want to overshare on the internet!

We just had our first call with Diane, a Sales Manager. She was absolutely lovely! I know that lurkyloo's podcast talks about how they might not know what's possible versus impossible, but she seemed pretty knowledgeable. Granted, I'm a CM, so most of my questions were about discounts and prices. The only thing she said wasn't possible is using Launch Bay for a wedding. Apparently after SWGE opened, they decided that nothing wedding and Star Wars are compatible. I guess we're just ignoring Anakin and Padme, but whatever

(wait, Padme is on the opposite side of where brides usually stand....)

Ben and I met on Hinge and I left him on read for two months before we actually had our first conversation and thank goodness he was willing to wait for me! He had always dreamed of proposing on a cruise and I was always adamant that I didn't want to cliche caste proposal (do I somewhat regret that, mayyyybe...) But since COVID stopped most of those plans, he surprised me with a trip to Key West for my birthday and got down on one knee on a balcony with an ocean view. Everyone asks if I knew it was coming, and, I mean, yes I did, but that doesn't mean it still wasn't everything! That being said, our photos of the moment aren't my favorite, so I'm considering having him re-enact it when we take our engagement photos this summer...



He told me to dress up and I threw this dress on because I thought it would be more formal, but it clung to areas I didn't really want highlighted when I'm standing in profile...just a good reason for me to realize that I want a pouffier wedding dress! Anyway, we did get some selfies that show our personality a little more. Honestly, if I had advice for someone, don't worry about having photos of the moment. I like my memories a lot better and it's kind of weird that we had a random hotel employee there for such an intimate moment.



We started off wanting to get married in the fall in the mountains, maybe somewhere in Asheville, but with Covid and just looking more into the wedding planning process, we figured it would be easier to plan a local wedding. We did a lot of venue research and even toured a wonderful place, but it seemed to be lacking something. Just like I had been against a castle proposal, I always thought a Disney wedding would be too expected. I'd also looked at the logistics back when there were the three packages and I knew I just couldn't make those guest limits work within my budget. But lo and behold, they changed the pricing structure and suddenly Ben and I were looking at each other, half joking about all the places we could get married at on Disney property and realizing that it was what we wanted all along.

We're planning for late June 2022, maybe early July 2022. We're pretty much set on the Wedding Pavillion since July isn't great for outdoor ceremonies, but I do feel kind of bad since Ben was really enchanted by the idea of Canada or the UK Garden. Then again, he also wanted a dinner reception and veto'd my interest in a brunch pretty early on, so things work out. Sweet boy also didn't want me to have to get up at 2am on our wedding day!

When we first started looking at everything, we were thinking about Sea Breeze Point and Ariel's. Ariel's fell by the wayside with the guest limit and only allowing buffet. We're inviting no more than 52 (and that includes 3 small children and a baby) but we don't want it to feel cramped. For Sea Breeze Point, we decided one day to just see if the security guard would let us onto the boardwalk to check it out and he did! Then we were underwhelmed. I think the big thing is that you can't really control Guests walking by and kind of crashing the ceremony. I also didn't like how short the aisle is if you go down the center and if felt weird to walk in from the side.

It was at this point that we started thinking about Canada or the UK (or even Germany!) but also how gorgeous the Wedding Pavillion is without any additional decor. Ben said something that is kind of my north star for the wedding: "If we're getting married at Disney, we should get married in Disney." So ballrooms were nixed and we started looking at EPCOT reception venues. If we were going to have a perfect view of the castle for the ceremony, why not throw in a different park for the second? I love Epcot and an 80s aesthetic. Ben loves aquariums and the Living Seas Lounge became a real option.

Then we fell in love with the GM lounge. That view! I watched the Super Carlin Bros wedding video (OMG YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS!) and listened to all the GM lounge lurkyloo podcast episodes and stalked the internet for any photos I could find. We decided we liked the idea of a buffet because that's the only thing you can do at GM. Heartbreakingly, it's not currently available to book. Will it probably be available at sometime before June of next year? Absolutely. But that venue fee is HIGH! Over $2k? And we could get just as much space, if not more space at the LSL? For $700? That's a tough decision. I'm a big planner and a lot of that involves just envisioning what the day would look like and I've already done a lot of mental work to see LSL as the perfect venue...how would I go back and spend the price of a character to have to make a last-minute change?

There are also some great reasons we like LSL. Ben always wanted a late-night reception, but lunch is much more affordable for us and I really wanted a noon ceremony. LSL has that nightclub (lounge-y?) feel no matter what time of day. My dad had his scuba license and has been in those tanks three times over the years, once where he swam up to me and my siblings and took of his mask when I couldn't recognize him. Plus, Ben and I are big Boy Meets World fans and who doesn't remember Cory in the tank with that sign "I will never stop chasing you"??!! My family was actually in Epcot during the filming of that episode, particularly when they were filming the kiss by the fountain (my mom remembers thinking Topanga's outfit was inappropriate....to see what is acceptable at the parks now! No shade, just perspective!) I also love the split level feel and the fact that we might get a photo of our cake with a sea turtle in the background!

Also, it's original to the park and opening day epcot is just a feeling I want to bottle up (not like I was there, but still!)

SWLB was a fleeting option since Ben loves Star Wars and I left him there alone once early in our relationship because I had a CM preview of Slinky Dog Dash that took almost an hour! The patience of this man is unmatched!

Other possible reception locations are White Hall Room and California Grill, but we'd need the main room and Ben and I don't really want our reception to be over before 3pm...

Now for fun, I'm sharing some images from a 2002 WP vow renewal. It was pretty then, but wow is it gorgeous since it was renovated! Then I think the cake and champagne ceremony was in the White Hall Room (please correct me if I'm wrong, I don't recognize that mural!) and dinner at Citricos.



The growth around the pavillion! Unreal.


Honestly, this cake is really cute!


Glass Slipper Ceremony!


This looks like White Hall, doesn't it?



That's me in the pink dress...time has flown! And that fresh WDW trip sunburns on our cheeks and shoulders! I also distinctly remember the bubbles that looked like wedding cakes and as a little kid, they were awesome! Not quite the bubble wands of today, but still fun!



Hopefully Kathy doesn't mind that I posted her vow renewal photos! She was probably a DIS Board regular back in the day.

Okay, enough oversharing for now. Thanks for reading if you were interested!

-Allison

 

[crowellaf]

Alright, part 2! Seems like this side of the internet is a little less popular than it was five years ago, but I'm back to 2016 in Lurkyloo's podcasts, so I'm just going to blissfully live in the past!

Since I've last posted, we were able to have a lovely Cast Member show us the Living Seas Salon and WOW we are in LOVE! With the room. I mean, we're in love with each other too, but the room was a surprise. They just replaced the carpet, same design but so much cleaner than it had looked in photos and they made these new lacquer tables with this blue inset and I'm very excited for our buffet to be set out on those tables! My photos are terrible. My video is terrible, but it's so gorgeous in person and nowhere near as dark as people make it seem online.



So now it's just a matter of waiting until late June to set our date.

Preferred Dates: June 30th / July 7th / June 27th 2022
Ceremony: Wedding Pavillion
Reception: Living Seas Salon

We've also booked 7 hours with Vicki and David Arndt for photography. When I first found Carrie's podcast, I kept noticing that a lot of the photos I loved were by David and Vicki and I guess after seeing the price of the Roots, I assumed they would be really expensive, but they were running a promotion on one of the DisBride groups and I'm just so excited that we know who will be capturing our big day! We're looking into Trinity Cinematography for the same reasons, though that's a tough decision. I love the style of McElroy and Ben cried during some of their videos. I've also chatted with three other cinematographers that all just seem amazing! I know we can't really go wrong with any of them, but it's a tough decision!

What's nice about booking the Arndts is that I now am open to outside vendors wherever I can get them! I'm foregoing that extra 10% off Food as a Cast Member, but I think we'll make up for that in the other ways we're saving.

Some things we've decided:

• We're doing a first look and going to try and get all the wedding party photos done before our noon ceremony. We're thinking 9am for a first look, but I'd love advice on what time we should shoot for!
• Since we're going to be paying $5k for use of the Wedding Pavillion, we're going to do a receiving line and get a photo with all of our guests right after the ceremony but before the cocktail hour. It's 20 households total, so I think we can manage if we're organized. I'd love to have photos to include in thank you letters.
• Keeping everyone at the WP will also allow us to all take the same charter bus to the reception! I don't know why, but I'm really excited to ride the bus with all of our guests
• Ceremonial Dances, Speeches, and a cake cutting will all happen almost right away so that Photo and Video are gone by 3pm. I know it's so important to have them there, but I also want some time to just enjoy without worrying about what's getting captured.
• Toasts with drinks in hand, because, why not?

Some things I'm considering:

• Having our buffet be a "nod" to the full meal at 'Ohana (I at the very least want the bread!)
• Copying a previous Disney Bride I've seen that had hidden mickeys on all of her food, like seared into the steak and chicken, little Mickey-shaped potato gratin and croutons in a caesar salad...so cute!
• BOC to save money or a bar package and budgeting the food to the exact minimum so it's just paid and I don't have to worry about anything!
• No train on my dress...hopefully tea-length so I can dance and I don't die in the July heat
• Having my bridesmaids hem their dresses to tea or knee length? I'm pretty set on using Azazie. I'm thinking Steel Blue and/or Sky Blue and/or Blush Pink. But I also love the look of blue dresses with sunflowers. But roses seem more romantic!
• Silk or real flowers? Etsy or rental? Disney or outside vendor floral?

Am I really focusing in on floral way too early? Yes. I've looked into Something Borrowed Blooms, which are super cheap but look AWESOME but the prices aren't too far off from some beautiful silk bouquets on Etsy that I'd own after the fact. I do have allergies and I'd love to be able to just keep my bouquet, but there is something special about having real floral. So now I'm also looking into other local florists for personal floral. I know it's too early. I know I need to find my dress first so I can finalize what colors I want my bridesmaids to wear and then decide of types of flowers...but what can I say? I'm a planner.

In my budget spreadsheet, a lot of these little decisions have cut down the cost by like $5k. It's like extreme couponing while still planning a dream wedding!

Now the fun part!

We've asked Ben's sister to officiate. She was thrilled and shocked and is doing a ton of research on what to wear, what to say, how to just be the very best officiant ever. Ben also asked his brother in law to be the best man and he cried. He also asked his dad to be a groomsmen, no tears there but definitely surprise!


Thank goodness these boys are not afraid to show their love for each other!

We got Julie a metal cup on etsy with a cartoon of her as a minister and it was great!



All of Ben's people got an interactive wand from Universal and a Deathly Hallows stand from etsy.


I've only officially asked by friend from college since she lives in Ohio and I wanted to be able to talk to her about the wedding, but Ben and I are driving up North this June to ask my sister, brother, and sister in law to be bridesmaids. Originally I was going to mail everyone's gifts, but 1) it's expensive and 2) it was kind of a letdown to not be able to see her face when she opened everything...so I think it's worth the wait to ask everyone else in-person. The main reason we're going up is because we're vaccinated and I miss my family and also, I'm getting another niece or nephew in Mid-May! I'm so excited.

For my bridesmaids, I kind of went in on a 1980s EPCOT theme. They're all getting a fanny pack, socks, magnet that I illustrated and a Leave-A-Legacy knick-knack because I'm a sucker for puns! I took old photos of me and each person I'm asking and edited them in photoshop to get them all warped like the old Leave-A-Legacy wall just to keep with the future world feel.



My niece is going to be a flower girl and I got her a sparkly fanny pack, cute little sunglasses and then I went to Claire's and got her some little floral bracelets and a unicorn flower headband and just cute stuff she could play with!



We're going to wait a little longer to ask Ben's nephews to be our ring bearers. Those kids get really excited about something and don't really understand the concept of time...so we're putting that off. But I've pre-ordered a book to teach them a little bit about what they're going to do at our ceremony! It was written by a former Wedding Planner that was laid off so I really wanted to support her...buy it here!

Alright, I think that's a sufficient download of everything I've been thinking about for the past month...time to watch the season finale of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier!

-Allison

 

[cardiacnurse_sk]

I am so happy that you are sharing your planning! We have plans for VR at Disney at some point, and I am a fellow disney wedding podcast junkie!

 

[lurkyloo]

I love your planning journal! And how fabulous that you actually got to attend a Disney vow renewal. Being a guest at a Disney event is almost as much fun as being the bride!

 

[Allison Joy]

Aww. How cool. I may or may not follow this more (I'm in my late 30s and have never even been on a date, so I've mostly eschewed anything regarding romance... Mostly kidding. I don't mind "real life" love stories, but if I have to read one more "girl finds perfect guy" plot in a book... )

Anyway, I really just had to comment because we share a first name. Now I'll leave all the rest of you to enjoy, while I may or may not lurk and/or ever post again. (And yes, I know I"m weird. )

 

[crowellaf]

Hello and welcome to part 3!

I am back in May of 2014 with the podcasts and it's definitely fun to hear about people talking about prices, that Cinderella's Coach was $3,900 and that was ridiculous or that $13/point for DVC rentals was wayyy overpriced! Hindsight makes these things a lot of fun, almost as thrilling as reading people posting about whether they should have their wedding in February or March of 2020...

Today's installment is going to mostly be about dresses, but first, some updates!

• We officially booked Trinity Cinema for our videography and we're very excited!
• WE HAVE A DATE! 6/30/2022 WP and LSL, just as we were hoping.
• I asked all my bridesmaids and they all said yes!
• The flower girl said no! But she took the presents anyway. We'll see if her infant sister is up to the task in a year. Her favorite item in the bag was also the cheapest, this flimsy little headband...but that's good news! She'll probably be into a flower crown when the day comes.

Okay, the dress saga:

Ben and I planned this whirlwind road trip up to NJ and CT so I could see my family, get my stuff out of my parent's basement, meet my new niece, and try on wedding gowns!

Now I have this idea of myself formed in my head, probably from high school or college, where I am tall, awkward, and skinny. I am still tall, a little less awkward, but about twice the size I was whenever this mental self image was developed. I don't think I need to get into the societal implications, the stuff I say to myself in the mirror that CBT combats...just a little background. So anyway, I got a recommendation for a plus-size haven called Brides by Young. Known for keeping sample sizes that larger women can fit into, hallelujah! It was my first experience and that was on purpose. I've been to bridal appointments where they're trying to hold up a size 6 in front of a size 16 and that's just not fun. At the end of the day, they were absolutely lovely, but I didn't find my dress.



Okay HELLO. This was actually very pretty and my favorite from that day, but the ruching wasn't my favorite, I don't like seeming all of those layers and dang if the corset they put me in didn't make me want to perform an opera.

Then we traveled up to the bougey Westport, Connecticut. BHLDN is the wedding dress division of Anthropologie and everything is gorgeous. And while they are not cheap, there are a good amount of dresses under $1500, which is really good compared to a lot of places. They were also lovely. There were a lot of dresses that I could try on in my size or just slightly below it, but it is a bummer to see a ton of other dresses that they just don't make in my size. (Reference, I am currently a size 20, most of BHLDN's dresses end at a size 14. The average size of a US adult woman is 16.) I don't know if I would've ended up in them, but it sucks to not be able to even try! Anyway, I was left with two favorites from the day and was honestly ready to swipe/insert a credit card....



The dress on the left, "Vielle," was exactly what I came in for. Easy, breezy, beautiful. A little lace over tulle. No big skirt to worry about. A tiny train I could decide to hem off. I loved it on me in person. But not so much in photos. I was also able to try it on in a size 20, so I knew exactly what I would be getting. The dress on the right, "Mazzy," was a dark horse. It was A-line, which is what I was expecting to want, but it was basically strapless, no lace, only glitter, with belle-like dropped sleeves. They strapped me into a size 14.



The Vielle dress that I probably loved more in person just didn't pop in photographs. The Mazzy dress that threw me for a loop looked amazing in this one particular photograph and to make it worse, it was being discontinued, steeply on sale and there was only one left in my size. I didn't know what to do, so we left and I waffled for the next three days.

Cut to Washington, D.C. Ben and I had just walked a mile and a half in 92 degree sun only to realize I made reservations to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History for the wrong day. I find myself thinking about Mazzy...so I call BHLDN and get an answering machine. They call back, I explain that I just want to order it, because BHLDN sends you the dresses within a week and you can return it for full price up to 30 days after purchase. She tells me that they're all with clients but they'll call me back. I remind her that there's only one left in my size. She calls me back. I miss the call. I call back and leave a message. She calls back and finally we connect. I walk into the middle of a grassy field in front of the Washington Monument to whisper/shout my credit card number into the phone and hope that none of my fellow tourists were writing it all down.

So it came about a week later in a beat up box and I was afraid to open it.

My parents came to town and my mom came over to the house to see it on me in person, in my correct size.


WOMP WOMP

Look, I know that dresses need to be fitted to you, that it's better to have it bigger and then tailor it in. But this was not the dress I had built up in my head and I had a $1,171 charge on my credit card screaming profanities at me and loose glitter scattered all over my carpet. Would it all rub off half way through the reception? Could I hire someone to hold it on me like they did at BHLDN? Why did I rush into buying a dress just because it was the last one available?

We decided it would be best if I returned it. Mom and Dad were in town for one more day and they cancelled their plans at Animal Kingdom so they could hang out at the pool and I was charged with pulling some new, local, dress appointments out of thin air. The most local was booked up and didn't return my desperate voicemail. The place I had in my back pocket, the one that says they have the largest selection of plus size dresses in Orlando...only carries up to a size 16. I took it out on my body image. It wasn't a great day and my angel of a fiance picked up on it right away. He told me to enjoy a day with my parents, not to worry about the dress and sent his sister, our officiant, on the research trail.

I get to swim with my parents, get dinner at the Boathouse, FINALLY try Gideon's cookies (delicious, but a LOT, worth it to try, maybe not an every trip kind of thing...) I stay over at their OKW studio and we dine at Olivia's the next morning before they need to rush their rental car back to the airport.

Enter: The Gray Collective. Julie calls us at maybe 4pm on Friday (the day my parents leave) and a little whirlwind of planning later, we have an appointment at 3:30pm on Saturday. I enter my info on the site and then Ben and I rush out to see Black Widow in theatres (Really good! Much better than I was expecting and makes the character that much more interesting every time she shows up in the MCU.) We get home, we watch the second installment of Fear Street, I honestly forget about the dress appointment. I've had two appointments already, I bought a dress, it didn't work out. I don't have much hope. I go to bed and don't wake up until 1:39pm the next day. Let this be a lesson that when your world feels bleak, you might just need sleep!

Ben was the one to wake me up and suddenly I had less than two hours to doll myself up and get to a dress shop 40 minutes away. I shower, shave, quickly but carefully put on a full face of makeup. My hair is sopping wet and I'm out of practice with a year and a half from working from home in my pjs. Luckily, Ben offers to drive and I do a quick updo in the car and we meet his sister and Mom in the cute downtown of Clermont, FL.


Now THIS is my idea of a red carpet.

Our girl here, the owner of the shop, was LOVELY. She was stressed, the only person in that day and some regular customers came in to browse the boutique but dang if she wasn't sweet and the dresses were really pretty.

Let me cut to the chase. I think I found my dress...



I am very purposely posting a blurry screencap from a video, because a girl has to keep something for a magical bridal reveal! But I got to try in on in my actual size, the waist could be taken in a little, needs a hem and a bustle, and I just want to get rid of the sheer gap between the cups because I like them locked up. But I felt like a princess. The only issue was that my mom and my sister weren't there...so now I'm trying to plan a quick trip for them to come down so I can do this all again, pop some champagne and swipe/insert that card!

For any brides/grooms/non-binary royalty out there, sometimes the cliche thing is the thing you wait for. IDK, hope restored, I guess!

That's all for now folks! I did design our save the dates using Canva, but I'll share when I have more energy to explain the whole process. Back to work and the wedding podcast I go!

TTFN!
-Allison

 

[lurkyloo]

I love this story! I too would have frantically purchased the BHLDN dress on the phone in a field because it was the last one. And then just as frantically worked that return policy! I'm so glad you ended up with a gown you love, and I can't wait to see it in focus!

 

[crowellaf]

I love this story! I too would have frantically purchased the BHLDN dress on the phone in a field because it was the last one. And then just as frantically worked that return policy! I'm so glad you ended up with a gown you love, and I can't wait to see it in focus!

So glad to know I'm not alone! And wedding planning wouldn't be any fun without some big hiccups along the way!

 

[wishiwasindisneyjen]

You look AMAZING and so happy in that dress! Absolutely beautiful.

 

[crowellaf]

I guess if there's one piece of advice for wedding planning I would share, it'd be "Expect the unexpected."

My mom was sad I found my dress when she wasn't there and I think because she saw me buy a dress I thought I loved and then realize how much I would need to do to it to get it to actually work on me, she was nervous about even a little adjustment like closing up the bustline. So she was talking about flying down to see me try on the dress in person before I bought it. But the salesperson's voice echoed in my head...she'd been selling sample dresses here and there for brides that rescheduled and suddenly needed a different dress. It wasn't like it was definitely going to happen, but it might, and I would've felt terrible if my mother flew down again only to NOT be able to see me in the dress. Anyway, she told me to maybe go to one more shop and if I didn't find anything else I loved, I should just order the dress from The Gray Collective.

I am a good kid. I broke the cardinal baby-of-the-family rule by moving away from home, but I know that family is important. So I booked an appointment at The Dressing Room in Celebration. I texted my mom, asking her if she would be available at that time and told her I'd bring my laptop to facetime her. Then I texted my sister and asked her to go over to my mom's house with her laptop so they could both see me on a bigger screen. Grace, my salesperson, was a champ. She let me come early, sign into the wifi on my laptop.. She grabbed the table from outside so I could set up my laptop by the mirror and then we sat down and talked about the dresses I've tried on and the one I really liked. This was a very small shop but was filled to the brim with dresses! She grabbed two dresses that were essentially the same as my top choice, and another that was similar but a little different. She also grabbed a dress that came in tea length with an illusion neckline because that's what I imagined myself in at the beginning of my search. I don't have a lot of photos because we were juggling a bunch of technology. But I really liked the options she put me in and after I tried on two, she went and grabbed a new one. I'm a simple girl. I wanted a dress I put on and didn't have to worry about it. But I also love lace and beading and appliques and...sparkle tulle. I am a sucker for sparkle tulle. It's my kryptonite.

And this last dress? It was beautiful, it was in my size, and well...


I have one concern, the dress that has everything is also a little more complicated to alter. This dress is also $400 more than the last dress I wanted, but everything else felt right. My mom and sister were "there," it was only 20 minutes away instead of an hour, I loved the dress as it was, no changes to the design, just a hem and if it needed to be taken in somewhere, and it's really pretty!!! Do I still look at the video of the previous dress and love it? Yes. Am I nervous for spending so much money on a dress? Yes. But we bought it. So there's no turning back now...


Grace being a pro and getting my family in the photo


The back, I mean, look at the lace on the hemline! It's going to be expensive to alter...but it'll look so pretty at the altar!


Sparing you another closeup of the bust and just showing you the sparkly tulle and appliques.


It's no secret to people that know me that I have gotten larger in the past three years and I'm not super happy about it. But I feel beautiful in this dress and nothing else. Front, side, and back, if nothing else changes by my alteration period, I will be happy as I am. So if you're struggling, know that there is a dress for you and that the dress is the problem, not your body. Give yourself a break and a little love okay?

And from now on, if locals or brides just want to look at dresses in Central Florida, I HIGHLY recommend both The Gray Collective in Clermont and The Dressing Room in Celebration, because they were both absolutely lovely.

Now back to staring at bridesmaid dress swatches, staring at silk bouquets on etsy, and reformatting my budget google sheet for the seven millionth time...

I keep cutting things yet the total still ends up higher? Let's hope I'm just being overly cautious when putting in prices of things...


Ohh, we also sent out our save the dates, so say a little prayer or wish that our intimate guest list doesn't cause huge family drama and that people actually take our pre-RSVP survey...

-Allison

 

[crowellaf]

WOW, I got so lost in the sparkle tulle I forgot to mention. We got our LOA and I sent in the deposit! Things are real!!!

First off, I want to say that this was the most prepared I have ever felt reading a contract. Every single clause was something that I was well aware of thanks to this forum, the DisBrides/DisPrides communities on Facebook, and, of course, our fairytale wedding godmother @lurkyloo (I'm back to 2012 in the podcasts and I'm kind of curious to see the original version of your guidebook!)

We're doing a room block because our wedding is right before July 4th and I want to make sure we have some rooms set aside for people who don't know that it's already pretty late to book at 10.5 months out!! Plus, my brother is staying for at least a week with his family and with the handful of other non-DVC Disney nerds that are invited, I might as well get a free room!

Right now I have a standard room at GF to get ready in and the honeymoon room at the Polynesian reserved for our wedding night...but I think we're going to downgrade to a standard room at the poly, hope that CM discounts are eventually available for that, and then shell out $1000 for a deluxe room in the main GF building to get ready in. They're actually bigger than deluxe studios in the DVC building, more available, more expensive, but if it's raining, all of my girls will be ready and dry and we're hoping to get permission to take first look photos in the Enchanted Rose Lounge (since it'll be 9am, I don't foresee it being a problem.) Ben loves Beauty and the Beast, but I don't want it to be our theme and this is a nice way of incorporating it into a rain-proof plan.

Otherwise, our room block is GF, Port Orleans: French Quarter, and Pop Century. Honestly, I asked about the All Star Resorts and they were only $10 cheaper than Pop Century and Pop has Skyliner access AND all the rooms were just redone, so it was kind of a no-brainer.

I'm hoping that some of the people traveling either drive down or rent a car so I don't feel guilty for not providing a bus to pick everyone up from the hotels. I mean, they can uber for a lot cheaper and I'm already dishing out a grand for the charter to the reception. Plus, I don't want to deal with people missing the bus. My dad said I shouldn't worry about it, so I'm taking that as a blessing to leave the adults to find their own way! We're about half and half local and destination, so etiquette gets a little confusing. For instance, I know a welcome party is customary when you are asking people to travel, but we're just going to do a rehearsal lunch with our family and wedding party. We're actually looking at Bahama Breeze because it reminds us of our Key West proposal and it's significantly cheaper than any on-property option. Most people will have cars, my parents are probably driving down, and anyone else can rent a car, call an uber, or carpool with those that have a car. Plus, there are three BB's near WDW property, so consider it if you need a budget option!

The last thing I want to document is that there are a lot of disappointed brides right now on facebook, and they have every right to be upset. But I just want to remind future me that while seeing these posts does make me nervous after a $4,000 charge for the deposit, I've done a ton of research and I know what to expect. That budget sheet I'm building? I'm including transportation coordinators even if I hope I don't need them. I'm budgeting $380 for media guide fees even though I'm hoping they'll only charge me $190. I have a $700 venue fee at $15,000 event minimum in my contract, so that's locked in. And I also am dedicated to being flexible. Tables of 8 or 6, whatever is standard! I don't NEED placecards if getting them set up will cost me a fee, but I put in that $100 setup fee anyway. Plus I know that we get all caught up in the little things. Like I would love to have those laser-cut names at each place setting, but I know they're 1/3 of the price on etsy, but I also know that it's a very easy $50 to cut knowing that no one will keep theirs! I find these gorgeous table numbers, but dangit, let's just look into standard ones if I have to. And if this virus is even worse from now in a year? Well I'll just have to postpone or just have it with my immediate family. That's life. At the end of the day, I just want to marry Ben and that will be enough.

If you read all that, wow, thanks! As a treat, here are inspiration photos (from Azazie's instagram) for bridesmaids. I'm stuck between Azazie Sky Blue and/or Steel Blue (though I ordered a few more blue swatches just to see if I want an ombre deal since my brother will be wearing a navy suit.)


Steel Blue and I LOVE these flowers.


Sky blue and WOW these bridal parties are HUGE!


Sky blue and ditto with the flowers! I honestly like the smaller bridesmaids bouquets. It's simple.


This other HUGE bridal party is a mixture of Sky Blue, Dusty Blue, Ink Blue and Neptune. Steel Blue might be the front inner right too...

I asked my fellow DisBrides on Facebook and lo and behold everyone had photos to share with me! I don't want to share images on this public platform without asking permission, but these ladies are coming in clutch! So happy to be part of this community. The steel blue is gorgeous, but I do love how the sky blue plays with the windows in the WP:



I'll eventually make a decision. I'm ordering some try-on dresses for another trip up north in September. I've got my N-95 and face shield all ready for my flight. Be careful out there!

-Allison

 

[lurkyloo]

Wow, I love that dress! It's making me love lace for the first time ever... And it's so flattering too!

I'm glad you're able to roll with the punches DFTW is dishing out right now. I will say that, in 9 years of interviewing Disney couples on the podcast, even those who had the most stressful planning experiences still all say they loved their weddings and that everything worked out in the end.

And here's a peek at the old version of the guide for ya! Definitely not enough hot pink, if you ask me!