Breakfast in France?

[melanieewr]

Even though I am not having a wedding, I am putting together a fantastic celebration for 10 or 12 of my closest friends. October will be my 45 birthday and I am currently going through chemo for breast cancer and I am looking forward to a wonderful time in my favorite place! This "shebang" wil be a surprise for everyone but myself . I am currently working with 2 convention services gals who are great. I have planned a dinner at GMR for the first night, a Grand 1 yacht ride the 2nd night (we have done this before and loved it), a private safari and dinner in the Tamu Tamu courtyard the third night, and the private breakfast in France.

I figured some of you brides had done the breakfast and maybe some of the other things I have planned and hopefully could give me some suggestions that my planners might not think of.

I have ordered various things for invites for each "surprise" and these will be put in my friends rooms each day. We are DVC members and will be at the Boardwalk, so that will be a convenience.

Some of the items:

For GMR...Baskets that have Toto in them. I will add a dvd of Public Enemy and I am having garters made of red bandana print. I plan on having charms engraved and attached to the garters with the date.

For Grand 1...Wine stoppers with "Wish Upon A Star" engraved in the star.

Safari...Plastic safari hats and I will have the invite in vinyl stuck to the hat. I have the machine to do this. Attach animal print balloons to the tops.

Breakfast...Very bright paper cups with pink and green designs. Front says OOhh La La...French Vanilla Cappucino.

The entertainment for each of these has been the big issue with me. I am trying hard to keep the cost for that in check. I have been told that I must meet the food/beverage minimums, but we can work on the rest.

Whew...I don't envy you girls with all the planning that is involved in putting together a wedding! I have to admit though...I am having fun with this and it is such a welcomed distraction right now

Thanks!!!!!!!

 

[luvsmickey]

I don't have any info on eating at Epcot's France for breakfast, but I wanted to comment on your post...I think you have some GREAT ideas! And I can't believe YOU are the one planning it and not one of your friends, you must be a GREAT friend! Well, I hope you have a wonderful time, it sounds like you can't help but to! Good Luck!

 

[Brier Rose]

OMG..ALL of your events sound FABULOUS!!

I would love to hear more details!

 

[princessdisneybelle]

Your ideas are amazing! I too would love to hear more details.

I hope your chemo treatments aren't too horrible. I went through that with my mom when I was 13. Thank God she is cancer free.

There was a great lady on here that had a vow renewal with a reception at the GMR. Maybe her trip report would give you some ideas. Her name is Janet.

GL and happy planning.

 

[melanieewr]

Disneybelle; How wonderful that your mom is cancer free! It must have been very hard for you at such a young age.

I don't want to intrude here since it is a wedding site, but I would love to share the plans as they progress...unless anyone objects.

I have read Janet2k's reports and she is an inspiration to me with the wonderful events she has planned.

Best Wishes to all of you!

 

[princessdisneybelle]

Please share! Other non wedding events would help brides too I would think. I love to hear things like this. And thank you. Actually it taught me alot of great things. We are very close now.

 

[M&M126]

I dont have much to add about breakfast but your plans sound WONDERFUL! You are so creative and I know you and your friends will have a blast!

 

[melanieewr]

Well, I just got off the phone with my planners!

Here is what we have come up with so far, but there are still lots of details to work through.

Oct. 17th; GMR. We will start with cocktails in the gangster area with a streetmosphere performer for the entertainment.

Dinner of course will be in the Western area (menus will still need to be figured out and I would love suggestions!) The venue cost is $3000 and the food beverage minimum is $2000, so it should be an extravagant meal for just 10-12 people! We will have a strolling guitarist and some streetmosphere entertainment. Moving on to OZ for dessert and I am hoping that entertainment can be kept very minimal here.

Oct 18th; This should be the night for the Grand 1 and I will contact GF dining and have trays of sandwiches, fruit, cheese and wine.

Oct 19th; This evening will be the Private Safari. I have been given 2 options. A truly private experience that would be $1500 and would be a smaller "excursion van" and would last about an hour or so. The second option is to be a "mix in" with the last ride of the day and this would be $12.50 per person.

We would then move to dinner in the Tamu Tamu courtyard. They are also looking at other areas for the dinner. The venue cost is $250, but we are working on the plated dinner cost. Right now is very high! The other option would be a reception style appetizer buffet...stand up with a $500 food/bev min. I want the plated meal though.

Entertainment will most likely be the African trio which is a more subdued option...even though we are party people...lol!!!

Oct 20th; Breakfast in France ! Oddly, I am more excited about this than anything. The venue is $250 with a food/bev min at $1225. Of course, we are working on the entertainment. I am hoping for a strolling violinst and a streetmosphere performer. Allie has suggested a French Flower Salesman. I would give her some details about my friends that he could then "play upon".

We are thinking about a setup of an omelet and crepe station to add along with buffet pastries, fruits and meats.

As I get all of my items in for my "invites", I would love to share those here. Someone will have to pm me with the instructions to do that...LOL. It's been a long time since I have and I have forgotten!

Right now, I am looking back at some of your menus that you girls have used at your receptions. Yummy

 

[disney*planner*girl]

Wow, your plans sound great! Do you mind me asking if you have photos of the Tamu Tamu place? I am looking to book some private events for an upcoming trip of our's.
Also, who did you first contact to get things rolling?
Thanks!

 

[karentan]

wow, you sound like a very generous person and youve got some very lucky friends!!

 

[Tabetha]

What a wonderful trip you're going to have! And a private safari... hmmm... I'm getting ideas...

 

[AbbyPan]

You are so cool! Keep us posted!

 

[Brier Rose]

Thank you so much for sharing all of your plans!

We're in the middle of planning our DD's 16th Bday Celebration, and I always looking for more ideas!

Oddly enough, our dates are also Oct. 17, 18, and 19th!! It's this year though!

Looking forward to hearing more details!

 

[DisneyFairy19]

WOW what you have planned is amazing....

GL through your chemo you will be in my prayers.. My cousin went through that last year and is cancer free.... GOD BLESS

 

[melanieewr]

DisneyGirl; I would love to share the photos of Tamu Tamu. I just don't don't know how to import them to here. Someone is really going to have to help me with the pics! Also, I contacted Christie with convention services to get everything rolling. I will ask her if it is okay to pm you with her direct #.

BrierRose; Oh, I remember my DD's 16th. How wonderful that you will be spending it at WDW. My plans are for this October also, so I hope I don't interfere with any of your dates!


This is some of the new info from my planners;

I have a good pic of the "excursion van" now and I really don't think it will work very well. It is almost like a short school bus with very large windows that only open half way down. I prefer the open air regular ride vehicles, I just wanted a more "private" ride. The entertainment for Tamu is really expensive for my small group. It seems very disportionate. The African trio is $5000. Another option is an African dressed Jazz trio, which I actually like the idea of...$2100. The third option is background music...$500. I will need to decide on the rest of the entertainment before I finalize Tamu. The venue cost that I listed previously includes standard linens which are black. We will most likely add a simple centerpiece of greenery and votive candles and perhaps an animal print accent.

The strollling accordian for France will be $550. I can easily live with this. They are still waiting on the streetmosphere cost. The other entertainment options were pricey. Again, I may be getting some discounts as I am planning several events. I am not sure about this, but I am hoping

I know a lot of folks do not like posting prices like this, but I know how much it helps me to have an idea of what I will be spending. I had actually thought about having a VR, but I knew a lot of family and friends would not be able to make it and would feel very left out. There will still be quite a few that would love to be with us, but they know there will be many more birthdays. A VR just seems like a once in a lifetime event! Of course, it doesn't have to be

I have found a website (charmnjewelry.com) that has some really great engravable charms. I am considering having an engraved charm with each invitation. Each charm would coincide with the event that day, and would have a few words on it that would combine to form a meaningful phrase. Definitely something to consider!

I am sorry this is so disorganized and rambling. I am a bit "off" still from a treatment this past Tuesday...one more to go! I will try to be more coherent with my next posting!

 

[princessdisneybelle]

Hope you feel better soon. Your plans sound amazing. Love the charm idea.

To post pics in threads I upload them to photobucket.com. copy and paste the img code into the thread. or you can check the photos you want in your post go down to the bottom and click "generate code" then copy and paste the code for message boards. HTHs

 

[Brier Rose]

BrierRose; Oh, I remember my DD's 16th. How wonderful that you will be spending it at WDW. My plans are for this October also, so I hope I don't interfere with any of your dates!

WOW!!
I hadn't realized that your dates were for THIS October as well!
How cool is that!

I must have gotten you confused with another diser planning a party for next October.

We're doing a dinner at the GF Summerhouse and Beach on the 17th, and then an Illuminations Dessert Party on the 19th.

We seem to be just one step away from each other!

 

[melanieewr]

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Forgive me if this does not work. It has been so long since I have posted pics, so I am playing a bit with it from my photoexpress account. If it works, then I will try to post the Tamu Tamu pic.

Sorry...I have tried saving it to a file and copying and pasting...just cannot get it here!

I did talk to the GMR entertainment directors today, so I will post on that a bit later. They really gave me a lot of information and it was done in a very theatrical way. It was actually fun to listen to their enthusiasm about the event. Mark went on to tell me in the same "director" tone about the option of doing dinner on the Narnia Set. It sounded beautiful and so interesting...maybe another time!

LOL LOL....Boy this is a BIG pic. This is from last October at the Boardwalk..me with my "adopted" daughter Ashley. We took all the kids and grandkids. Adults ONLY this October. But...YAY...I finally got a pic to post. Now, I will try the Tamu pic! Thanks Belle. I finally did use Photobucket!

 

[Candace]

Melanie, your trip sounds as if it will be wonderful! How lucky for your many friends! I am also a DVC member from Arkansas - what town are you from? I think there are not many DVC members from our state, or they don't post on here a lot. Congratulations on finishing your treatments!

 

[melanieewr]

Candace; Hello and Thanks! I am imagining that you are correct that there are not very many of us from Arkansas. I live in Morrilton, but I am very familiar with your corner of the state. When I was younger, I participated in horse shows in that region.


I asked today if it would be possible to arrange for the Boardwalk bikes to be at MGM to return to our villa. A definite NO...oh well, never know unless you ask! They are looking into a large van for our small group.

I also found out that I can have a Disney photographer at the events. I would want minimal intrusion and just a few photos. So far I have been given a price of $100 per hour...2 hour minimum or there is another 2 hour package that includes a CD, delivered the next day...$375. All I need is maybe 30 minutes at each event, so I don't know if we can work through this issue.

I am still working on the entertainment issues with GMR and the France breakfast. The GMR entertainment seems a bit elaborate for my little group, but they really don't want to budge on that except in the Western scene. They feel the way it is works best for the overall effect. I would have to agree, but I am still looking for ways to cut those costs.

I will continue to try to post the pics!