August 16 2010 Hot Air Balloon Wedding over WDW! What an amazing experience!!

[DisneyMomma81]

I love it ~ I'm wishing you all the best and can't wait to read more!

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

Just caught up with your TR, and I am so excited to read all about your day (which is so soon!!!). I am a Northern Ontario girl (well used to be) as well.

I'm not sure if I missed this, but are you still doing any extra photography sessions (at the parks or TTD)?

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

We have professional photography at the pre-ride, ride/ceremony, buffet and photos in the garden at the hotel.

I have a trash the dress booked with Randy C. the same day (eee!) which I really really hope we can leave in the budget! We are actually planning on doing it at the All Star Music, I think the contrast between our fancy clothes and the oversized theming will be SO different!!

Glenn Marks from TopMarks is doing the ceremony before/during after. His work is gorgeous and he has done a tonne of balloon weddings so he knows how to work with the lighting at dawn!

Plus I am pre buying my photo pass today! WHOO!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

No pictures yet though. You get to see me prettied up and gussied when I post them! We rolled out of bed, drove 3 hours to the city, and my man dropped me off at the door and I walked in one minute early

But holy goodness is it beautiful! I was so worried I wouldn't love it - I picked it out online, fell in love with it, then went to the store tried on two dresses and went with my top choice!

Minor alterations needed - only to bring in bodice and box (??) it so you can see down my dress I got to poke at the kids dresses too and they are spectacular!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now back to the shoe dilemma. No one will see mine. No one will see my younger daughters. But I still feel that we should have matching shoes. SO tempted to go barefoot still but my DF made such a good point - I have to stand in my heavy dress on wicker in a hot air balloon for an hour! I might have him convinced that I should stand on his feet... we shall see.

Honestly my biggest stress didn't even exist. I'm busty. Like a farmer's wife. I'm built for baby making I guess I was killing myself trying to find a strapless bra that 1) fit 2) didn't cost $100 3) FIT - who wears a 34 F ?? NO ONE THAT IS WHO! Apologies for the tmi. Then I talk to my bridal shop and she says I DON'T NEED ONE. Seriously? I've worn one since I was 11. I can't go without one unless I ... well, you get it.

And turns out I don't need one. Well, hell now I want to LIVE IN MY DRESS!! mwhahahahahahahaha

So in 4 days I get to go back, pick up my dress (altered!), my daughter's two dresses, my man's bowtie (clip on - come ON it will be 5AM!!) and a blindfold for him - turns out that he is SO much more traditional then you could imagine and doesn't want a glimpse!! So he will be blindfolded with the kids in charge of him until we get to the ceremony site!!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

I have a cool bridal shop!

If I bring my carry on bag (NOT box) and a bedsheet they will pack it for me!
The girls dresses will be in a second carry on.
Carry on #3 and #4 will be jam packed FULL of stuff so we can only check 2 bags. I'm cheap and rebellious that way!

 

[padisneyfour]

everything sounds great! you are almost there!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

With 24 days to go and living in a small town, we suddenly decided we wanted silk flowers for all of us. But not just any silk flowers. Orange tiger lilys. With peacock feather accents.

I want a bouquet, he wants a bout. A small bouquet or wrist corsage for my 12 year old. And either a small bouquet or flower girl basket for my 10 year old. I've spend HOURS scourging the internet for places that could do it in time. And I found ONE person in Australia. Her flowers are gorgeous just waiting to see if we could get what we want in time

Seriously. He would make a great gay best friend. Physically he is massive and very german - huge shoulders, barrel chested, big manly legs. But mentally and emotionally he is such a super softy. We spent two hours today trying to find a pair of Disney swimming trunks for my 12 year old daughter

This is the bouquet I am hoping I could get:

He wants a tiger lily bout, and I want a giant tiger lily for my hair! How gorgeous is THAT??

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

... they look even better than real!!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

everything sounds great! you are almost there!

With him working 7 days a week right now, 14 hour shifts OPPOSITE to mine... and the kids still at camp... I so wish I was there right now. Not just for the wedding and not just for Disney but so I would have everyone together

21 days until we drive to Manitoba to stay over for an early flight
22 days until we get to Disney!
23 days until the wedding aka we don't need to sleep

I think we're going to scope Winnipeg for artificial tiger lilys and peacock feathers to make our own darn wedding flowers. 3 weeks I don't think we're going to be able to order any!!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Www.dessy.com has many colour that you can get flipflops in I got myself some claret ones to match my AA dress!

Not enough time to get there here though before we leave!

GAH!! Silly small town Canada. I should move to Orlando and become a CM - I would make a great Lilo

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Gah!

Tomorrow heading out to the Meatloaf concert and then nighting in the city. Wednesday we have a super laundry list to work on after actually getting to spend some time together and with friends!

We are:

1 - determined to find and make our own wedding flowers. We're crafty and know what we want and don't want to take the chance ordering them from Australia at 3 weeks out! Heading to the craft store! Tiger lilies and peacock feathers for all!

2 - (well I am!) trying on my wedding dress for a final fitting and then my lady is packing it in my carryon for me - and she says I won't need it steamed! YAA!

3 - picking up my man's bowtie and blindfold, my daughters 2 dresses.

4 - going shoe searching!

5 - hang out

We actually get a good chunk of time together where we both aren't working! WHOO!

His ring is a little too big. He's lost weight too to "look pretty for me for the wedding" - we have to find a ring guard or chub him up! Seriously, it won't fall off but it is a little too loose for his liking. Can't resize it - tungsten! ACK! Oh well he is back to school in September so he will gain some weight back

*phew* now sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for these to arrive from the US! My town has the WORST MAIL DELIVERY TIME - overnight UPS packages take 3 days!! :

1 - our marriage form thing finally filled out and complete! - last step!
2 - my daughter's dress I ordered for her BBB appointment
3 - our family pirate tshirts for Pirate League day!
4 - the 40 Disney pins I ordered to get pin trading warmed up!
5 - the pearl holders for the pearls to do in Epcot

Not stressing too much at the moment

And I have developed brain. At our weekly IT meeting I interrupted my boss's rant about remote internet service providers to ask him about shipping times from amazon.ca since I'm still obsessing over wedding shoes

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

1 - We are doing our own flowers. It took 3 weeks for a package to reach us from the US ! I'm not playing here

SO we are going white tiger lily, a few birds of paradise thrown in for good measure, and peacock feathers! WOOT! So there US/Canada post!

Laurie will have a flower girl basket and a flower in her hair
I'll have a bouquet and flower in my hair
Chris will have a bout (tiger lily and peacock feather!)
Mo will have a wrist corsage


2 - My tomboy's dress doesn't FIT - straps way too long. Stressing. A lot. She wants to wear jeans with it. We scapped verbally. I won. She hugged me. I smell anti-dress to come Ordered her a strapless bra. That will go over well (insert sarcasm)

Good news is that my photographer seems wicked good. He wanted a list of what I want photo wise - and I am a LIST maker!! :

Before wedding
Chris in his blindfold with the kids leading him around
pictures during set up (deflated balloons pretty!)
picture of Chris first seeing me in my dress (my dress shop made him a blindfold!)
together pictures
us goofing around pre ceremony
mine and Laurie's shoes (we have matching dresses and REALLY unusual shoes!)
pictures of us in the balloon before we go up (looking pretty and then terrified - ha!)

During wedding/flight in the air
Disneyworld in background during ceremony
Ceremony photos - I'll cry but I'll be wearing waterproof makeup
Chris and the kids exchanging their jewelry
Us looking over the edge
lots of candid shots
champagne ceremony
we have bubbles for the kids to get us with so absolutely some pictures of that!
Laurie getting us with petals from her basket

After wedding
pictures post ceremony with balloons
Kids covering their eyes while we smooch
all of us nose to nose with the cake
pictures of us cutting the cake/at breakie
candid cake shots
me on stairs with my train on it (I still can't believe I got a dress with a train!)
Kids attacking us with bubbles
If we come across mirrors or windows we have to play with them!

Grass/garden photos
pretty outdoor shots (this is the only time my tomboy will be in a dress!)
Laurie getting us with petals!/Morgan with bubbles - take on the traditional post ceremony picture
the three of us giving him a hug
sitting in the grass outside (side by side and back to back)
him sitting in the grass with the three of us kissing his head
The four of us lying head to head in the grass
Me and Chris slow dancing in the garden
the two of us "I love you cuddle" photos
traditional "ring" shot but getting our matching tattoos in it (they are on our wrists!)

The mouse ears come on here! (we have groom/bride mouse ears! And the kids have ears too!)
Chris carrying all of us (me on his back, him holding each of my daughters!)
Chris holding me up in the air
all of us sitting on Chris while he lays down on his stomach in the grass
Chris and the kids sitting on the train of my dress
Chris and Morgan alone (her on his back)
Chris and Laurie alone (him carrying her princess style)
if there is a fountain at the hotel - I want a picture of us standing in it
Four of us with sunglasses on looking "bad" (think Men in Black!)
Few other creative crazy pictures - up to your imagination!

Anything else you have in mind or usually do we are so up for! We're pretty goofy and open minded


*What am I missing?? Is the list too big? Will he just not show up since I am asking so much???*

I had to cancel the trash the dress with Randy. Budget wise and time wise it doesn't work. I'm sad today. But we're 16 days away from the wedding so not too sad That will be something to go on the 5 year plan bucket list!

Buys of the week:
Picked out by me:

AND
Picked out by my man:

I had a great family wedding shower this past weekend which was really nice! I got my dress fitted perfectly! It is now packed professionally into a little pink carry on My 10 year old's dress fits to a T, but she won't fit it after the wedding, the fit is THAT perfect!

I decided on shoes. Laurie is wearing:

Morgan is wearing:

and finally... me!

brain is a biological condition. The shoe issue was giving me stomach cramps!!

 

[wishinon3stars]

Hi, I am enjoying reading about all your plans and wedding info and am looking forward to seeing all the pics when you get back.

One question, what is Trash the Dress? I can't seem to find any info on it anywhere. TIA

And my all my best for a wonderful wedding, vacation and life together!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Trash the dress is almost like a celebration - along the lines of "I'm married for life, never going to wear this dress again! - lets have fun with it!"

There have been TTD in Disney waterparks, I've even seen some gorgeous ones in garbage dumps!! (think the beauty of the dress contrasted with garbage... makes sense somehow!) Some of the coolest pictures I have *ever* seen.

It is something now for the 5 year bucket list. I wanted to do a family one though, and 5 years from now the kids won't fit their dresses. Ah well, life goes on and I can't get everything I want right??

I got my Prince Charming so I'm good

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Gah.

1 - out of town work trip during a 4 day work week. Ugh. Then I'm on vacation until August 31st

2 - I *think* my buddy is arranging a surprise wedding shower for me this week. Not sure on this one though. I'll keep everyone updated! I don't *expect* it but would love it!

3 - Bachelor party for my honey (his got put off by a week since his two best friends had a boy fight and one ended up in the hospital ... boys are weird sometimes!!) and bachelorette party for me on the same night!

Him - whack **** (first time golfers!), glow bowling, strippers (mmmm small town strippers) and then a bonfire. I told him just don't get arrested since then he can't cross the border

Me - ?? I only half know about it! I'm assuming naughty bingo and then... ?? Only so much going on in my town on Thursdays! We only have 3 bars

4 - Tomorrow I get to do the 6 hour each way drive to get my daughter to her last summer camp. Then Saturday I get to do it again!

5 - Lots of busy work stuff this week too so I am "allowed" to go on holidays

6 - Must clean house. My Disney box has overflowed to take over the kitchen and part of the living room

7 - Must clean car. All our camping gear is still in there. Ugh

8 - Can not gain weight. Cannot lose weight. Dress fits perfectly. I am alternating between peanut butter cups and salad to find a "balance"

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Are you wearing slippers for your wedding or am I missing something?

 

[Sha]

Wish I could just be in the area to look up and see the balloon. Best Wishes!

 

[LovesHerTaurus]

Are you wearing slippers for your wedding or am I missing something?

Yes I am wearing slippers!!

I figure I will be up at 3am for hair/makeup, the slight rebellion may perk me up Plus they are super comfy, and no one will see them!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Brilliant!!! I am sure you will be super comfy!!

 

[weedee]

Yes I am wearing slippers!!

I figure I will be up at 3am for hair/makeup, the slight rebellion may perk me up Plus they are super comfy, and no one will see them!!

my photographer actually got quite a lot of pictures of my shoes throughout the day! But I guess if you let him/her know not to focus on them it wouldn't matter. For me it was an important detail but comfort should also be a factor - 3 am is quite early.