Bride from San Francisco - need help choosing bet DL / DW

[MeeshKapeesh]

Hello Everyone!!!

I'm Meesha, long time reader - noobie poster.

I love all the ideas here on the board and everything gets me VERY excited!!!

A little background about me and my family. . .

We're from the Bay Area (San Francisco, CA) and both my family and DF's family are all DISNEY FANS!! =) of course, we would like to be the first with a DFTW (is that right?) We're planning to have a Winter 2009 Wedding

Our main concern is location location location!

We're planning to invite about 150 people (50% might be able to come) - I'd love to just have it at Disneyland, but I really want DW!!

I figured that if we had it at DL, we can rent a TOUR BUS or everyone can have their own 'road trip'.

If we had it at DW, they would need to at least have 3 days off, book a flight & find accomodations. . . . .

In all honesty, I want DW - Although I have never been to DW (SHAME!) I've heard that its the best place to take pictures, there's a lot more to see and there's plenty of OUTSIDE accomodations.

My questions:

• 
  *Is anyone from the West Coast and decided to go w/ WDW rather than DL?
  * We're catholic and it's VERY IMPORTANT to have a church wedding, are there any beautiful churches around?
  * I have no idea how winter is like in FL, so if any floridians can give me an insight - that would be GREAT HELP!!
  
  Thank you all so much!

 

[JonetteA]

How many people do you want to come. If you hold it at DL, you can prob expect way more people to come that WDW. We invited 78 people and had around 50 come. There is something about a Disney wedding that brings out way more people that you ever thought. There are beautiful cathederals in Orlando from what I understand. As for the winters, it really varies. It is cooler in the morning (sweatshirt weather for dec/jan) and the evening is sweatshirt weather. Are you planning anything to be outside? Oct has varied weather as well. I guess it really depends on what you are looking for!!

 

[Kashmir104]

Hi MeeshKapeesh!

It's a great question and I hope I can help you...

In all reality, it's up to you. I'd look at it as your wedding is the one of the times when you want all of your closest friends and family around you. If that means that most won't be able to go if it's in WDW, then go for DL. At the same time, I see weddings as once in a lifetime opportunities and if WDW is the place of your dreams- go for it!!!

My DF was born and raised in the Bay Area and I went to college there. Most of his friends and family all live there (in fact, we currently live in Morgan Hill.) However, my family (and some friends) are in Connecticut, where I was born and raised. I LOVE WDW more so than DL, but that's only because I've been going there since I was a kid and I think there is a ton more to do over an extended period of time like a destination wedding. WDW worked well for us because we were equal opportunity inconveniencers- our wedding is not in either family's backyards! Actually, I'm sure if we had our wedding in DL, we'd have DF's entire extended family show up- most of which we don't know names or exact relation! We knew that even if we had it in WDW, the most important people in our lives would be there. Don't get me wrong, I was engaged in Disneyland, so that also has a special place in my heart.

Maybe if you really want to get married in WDW, but still want to do something in DL, you can have your bachelorette party there! Take one of the hopper planes down to LAX for the weekend and split the room cost with your best girls. Between the parks and downtown Disney, you'd probably have an awesome time!!

Also, our wedding is January 3, 2009. I wonder if we're planning around the same time! That would be awesome!

DF and I are also Catholic. There are nice Catholic churches in and around Orlando (or so I hear), but we are actually getting our Disney marriage (having the closest Catholic-like ceremony we can get in the Wedding Pavilion) blessed by a Jesuit priest friend from our college. He also gave us the option to have him perform a small, official Catholic wedding after our Disney Wedding if we rather (which I might take him up on just so I can wear my dress twice!!!)

I wish you a lot of luck with your decisions! Just remember, it's your special day!!

 

[cryssi]

Hi Meesha and welcome!

I was actually a disneyland bride. We opted for DL instead of WDW because we wanted our families to be able to attend. Most of my family is from the Central Coast, and some of DH's family is in the Bay Area. We still couldn't invite our entire extended family because there are just too many. Our guest list was about 130 invited...

We were initially going to have a WDW WP/MK wedding, and actually met with FTW coordinators twice. It would have been difficult for the people we wanted to be at our wedding to get to FL, though, so we switched to DL.

We had a really kick-butt wedding, with our reception after hours at DCA. The only thing I regret not having a WDW wedding for is the MK photo shoot, but it's been mentioned here that if you have any kind of Disney FTW, you can get that shoot anytime after...so...maybe not all is lost! LOL

In the end, it is what YOU want and can make work! Good luck and keep us posted on your decision!

c

 

[MeeshKapeesh]

Thanks JonetteA, Kashmir104, cryssi for all your wonderful ideas!! I feel so loved and welcomed here!!

I love those ideas!!

DF and I were raised by a REALLY close Filipino Family - bounded by memories and FOOD!! To us - we really want family to be there . . . and flying to Orlando might not be a good bet (costs too much) . . . but it's really what I want so I'm pretty much caught between a rock and a hard plate *not really*

I didn't know you can take MK photos even if you're a DL bride! MK photos were really what I was after - since DL doesn't allow that no more. That would be really cool. DL wedding with a WDWmoon. hmm. . . .

I can even have a WDW bachlorette PARTY! *if i can't make a WDW wedding* =)

So, I would need to cut down the guest list if we get married at DL that would be tough. . . Kashmir104 - I TOTALLY Feel you when you talk about extended family. I'm gonna keep this as small as possible - coz It's gonna come from our pockets. I just turned 21, and already have mortgage (live in Daly City )

BTW, Kashmir104 - that would so totally rock. . PLANNING buddies!! It's a far time away, but hey it's better now than never!!

Thank you again so much for everyone's opinion!!

 

[Moonpie]

I'm from the Bay Area too!

We opted for an at home wedding, and a WDW honeymoon.

 

[MeeshKapeesh]

Moonpie!! Congrats!!

Thats so cool!! May I ask you where you had your wedding?? I'm trying to look for 'something different' around our area . . which is why I wanted a DL/WDW wedding, but with family bonds, I think I'm inclined to having it at home.

I love your POPPY!! I just want to wear red slippers and take pictures!! =)

 

[Moonpie]

Moonpie!! Congrats!!

Thats so cool!! May I ask you where you had your wedding?? I'm trying to look for 'something different' around our area . . which is why I wanted a DL/WDW wedding, but with family bonds, I think I'm inclined to having it at home.

I love your POPPY!! I just want to wear red slippers and take pictures!! =)

Thanks! We had our wedding at Mission Santa Clara. There are quite a few historical Missions in our area that make a beautiful place to get married!

 

[Kashmir104]

I hear you about the $$!! DF and I are also paying for our wedding ourselves. It makes it hard when you are starting out your lives together, trying to find a home, and planning a wedding! That's why we need to limit the # of people that we invite down to those that we've actually know and talk to on a regular basis.

DF and I attended Santa Clara University! The mission is GORGEOUS!!!!!! If we do a small Catholic ceremony then we will probably have it done in that mission or in Carmel. I think you need to be somehow affiliated with the college to have a ceremony there (Moonpie was a grad student, I was undergrad.)

One of my favorites is the Carmel Mission. If DF and I weren't having a Disney Wedding, we were going to get married at the Carmel Mission and have the reception at Pebble Beach or somewhere in Monterey or Carmel

However, I'm sure there are Missions in SoCal around Disneyland. How awesome to have a Catholic ceremony in one of the missions there and then have a Disneyland reception!!!!! And like you said you could have a WDW bachellorette party or maybe even honeymoon (even if it was a few months down the road to save $)

I am excited to be your planning buddy!!! When I think about it... my wedding is 1 year and 4 months away. I started planning it when it was 2.5 years away, so time sure does fly by quickly!!!

 

[RangerPooh]

Another former bay area (Gilroy) DL bride here. We wanted a Disneyland wedding and were glad that we had one, however to apease complaining family members we looked at locations within 3 hours of Gilroy. We narrowed our search down to 3 locations, 1. Ironstone Vineyard in Murphy's (HWY 4 in the gold country), 2. Brookdale Lodge in Brookdale (HWY 9 in the Santa Cruz mtns), and 3. a ranch in the Sonora area. We also considered Moneterey (both the aquairum and Plaza Hotel). But we were glad that we went with DL as that's where we wanted to be, besides it was the location of our first BIG date.

All of our family/guests were living in northern Ca at the time so almost everyone either caravaned down there or flew on the same flight. This worked out really well.

Here are some pros and cons that I posted in a recent thread that was about deciding between DL and WDW. I hope this helps.
~*~*~*~*~

WDW weddings:
Intimate (up to 18 guests max) for 2008 start around $4000 (could be more), This price doesn't include a reception or an officiant. But does include photgraphy, cake, champaign, 4 hrs of limo, and a violinist

Custom start at $10,000 for a M-TH weddings. Fri-Sun have higher minimums to meet. Obviously the mimimums for inpark weddinsg can be more.

Pros:
WDW has more options regarding transportation, locations, characters to appear,
MK/EPCOT in park in weding attire portrait sessions available for extra fee
larger parks,more to see/do
more lodging available both onsite and off


Cons:
Higher number of room nights to meet, minimum is 25 for 50 guests (?)

Disneyland
Monday-Thursday minimum pricing starts at ~$7500, Fri-Sun start at $10,000. Obviously in park would be more.

Pros:
Fewer number of room nights to meet, 10 I believe
easier location choices as not too many available
Lower cost
guests can stay off site or on site, off site is obviously cheaper and actually closer at times
Cinderella's coach is cheaper to rent and much more elaborate looking
2 parks so guests stay close, other attractions in the area include beaches, Hollywood, Knott's

Cons:
fewer location options
they discontinued the inpark photo sessions in wedding attire

Keep in mind that when planning our wedding that we planned our DL wedding from a distance (nothern Ca at the time) and didn't have any problems. Many of our guests stayed offsite and it wasn't an issue. DL felt very intimate and we loved our wedding. We had a Monday wedding so the minimums to meet were lower and that's always nice.

 

[theantibride]

I'm a WDW passholder as is my fiance but we have been to DL once for the 50th anniversary (what fun!). I love both parks but since we spend all our time at WDW and most of our families are on the east coast we decided to definitely do a WDW wedding. I think it just matters on which place is nearest and dearest to your heart and, of ocurse, who can accomodate what you are looking for. There is a Catholic Church just minutes from WDW property -- Mary, Queen of the Universe. I was raised Catholic but am no longer practicing but all my friends from school are still practicing Catholics. They have gone to church there while at Disney with us and said it was very beautiful so if you are looking at Florida and need a Catholic Church you can probably look up more info on that one at the web. It's literally maybe 5 minutes from Downtown Disney (no traffic). Hope this can help you a little with your decision making! Good luck!

 

[JonetteA]

Ok just one other idea....what about ceremony at DL, and then an escape ceremony at WDW just the two of you! I know a pain to organize two at once...but think of the possibilities.

 

[lurkyloo]

Ack! I think I'm too late to offer my opinion, but I just LOVE to offer opinions, so here goes:

I live one hour from Disneyland but I'm getting married in Walt Disney World. We really wanted to have our wedding in DL's New Orleans Square, but they told us we could only have 20 people and it would cost $25,000 - just for the ceremony! No reception, no photos, nothing...

Our priority is the ability to get married inside one of the parks, so we're doing Epcot, where we can have our ceremony, reception, and a dessert party during the fireworks -- all for way less than half the cost of the DL ceremony.

I don't mean to be down on DL - it's my favorite park! I just felt that they've WAY over-valued the cost of their in-park weddings. The Magic Kingdom in Florida also costs $25,000, but at least you can have 40 people!

At any rate, it sounds like you're going to have a lovely Bay Area wedding!

 

[Kashmir104]

The Magic Kingdom in Florida also costs $25,000, but at least you can have 40 people!

You can actually have 52 including the bride and the groom. I really wanted a Magic Kingdom ceremony and I begged and begged them to let me have more, but they said no.

52 or even 40 compared to 20 is a heck of a lot better!

 

[MeeshKapeesh]

Thanks again for everyone's opinion!! It's never to late for a post =) I'm probably the one of the last ones to know what's going on. . .

That's so true!! I'd love to get married in park, but in this point of life - I think practicality is swaying me. $25,000 for 20 whoa. . . that's $1250 a person + food & bev . . . at least WDW is somewhat better =)

MK is gonna wait until VR's. . AFTER I finish Pharmacy School

Who said being a princess was cheap anyways?!?

 

[Kim10110]

Hi from Northern Cali here.

 

[Kashmir104]

MK is gonna wait until VR's. . AFTER I finish Pharmacy School

One of my best friends is starting at the UCSF Pharmacy School in Sept! My other friend just started at UofP's pharmacy school! It's a small world

 

[MeeshKapeesh]

One of my best friends is starting at the UCSF Pharmacy School in Sept! My other friend just started at UofP's pharmacy school! It's a small world

What a small world - I've been a tech for 3 years and finally had the guts to apply - I was accepted at both schools - I'm working on a WJ - and I'll share there. . .



Thanks for all the posts everyone!! I'm going through a ROLLERCOASTER - One minute I want it at home - then I want it at WDW . . . So indecisive!