Brittany & Ryan 10/22/11 Wishes Wedding-Photos are in and reviews posted!!!

[DisneyBrittany]

Hello!

I want to start a planning journal right now while I'm at the beginning stages!

I got engaged on 12/5/10 ( I will post that story later). I always wanted a Disney wedding but assumed it was way out of budget. I guess I always looked at the price to have it at the castle, sighed, and then closed out the website!

After pricing LOTS of places around my hometown of Austin and where I currently live in Houston, and not finding anything that we absolutely loved, I looked at Disney again. I realized that people locally had quoted us two and three times more than a Disney Wishes Wedding would cost!

So began our Disney planning...

 

[DisneyBrittany]

I called Disney during my lunch hour on a Thursday and spoke with a lovely young man named (steven? Don't remember). Anyway, he was mainly there to answer any questions and tell me how it worked. I didn't really have any questions because I had already done so much research and really just wanted to be referred to a consultant.

So he asked me my info, my groom's info as well as what types of venues I was thinking and my ideal date. He said that a Disney wedding coordinator would get back to me by the middle of the next week.

So I waited....

 

[DisneyBrittany]

My coordinator, Pam Pearce, called back on that next Tuesday. I was at work though so I couldn't answer.

She also emailed me some more information. I work so much that I had to email her several times before we could work out a planned phone conference to talk about things. (She wouldn't let me tell her what I wanted through email, it had to be on the phone).

So we finally got to talk and I was pretty set on the ideas I had so I shared those. She suggested places when I asked for suggestions and checked availability on everything. We got lucky, everything that we wanted was available! We had multiple options for everything. (Which is not necessarily a good thing because although I already chose, I am second guessing everything and weighing options. So we are "penciled in" but still need to make our final choices and send back the roomblock choices. After that we will receive our contract.

 

[DisneyBrittany]

Here are our venue choices: (Feel free to weigh in on the ones that I am still struggling with!)


Ceremony: Italy courtyard at Epcot
(Pam also offered us the Italy Isola which is the little island by Italy). We discussed but decided that we had chosen Italy for the tuscan style elemants to begin with and we wouldn't really have too much of that out by the water, although it is beautiful.

Brunch Reception immidiately following:
Summer House at Grand Floridian OR California Grill. At first I had chosen California Grill but I am now leaning towards the summer house. The Summer house has a lower minimum and is outside, which we like. It is very relaxed and we can walk down on the beach for some beach photos. I'm excited about the brunch and really just want the mickey mouse waffles!
Any opinions on those two locations? The backup in case of rain would be Citricos or Narcoosees. I'm leaning towards Narcoosees as the backup.

Dessert Party:
Frace lower terrace. (Eau de France?). I absolutely love this location. The only thing I am worried about is that it is not wheelchair accessible. There will be two grandmas at our event that use scooters intermittently, but what if that night they feel that they need them? Also, what if someone randomly breaks a leg and is in a wheelchair that week? Ahh! We think we can have the grandmas ride their scooters all the way to the location and then just help them walk down the stairs and it should be fine.

I'm thrilled!

 

[KristiLyn]

I think you're plans sound great Welcome, and congrats!!!

 

[DisneyBrittany]

Just to help other brides that might be going through the same thing, I wanted to share the fact that not everyone thought having a Disney wedding was a great idea.

Both families expressed concerns about extended family not being able to afford to go. I completely understand that and for that reason have considered multiple times just changing my mind and having it locally. However, this is what Ryan and I really want. I think I would regret looking back ten years from now and knowing that I passed on something that I could never have again.

Both families also initially feared that the price was going to be wayyyy over the top. I had to sit down with my mom last night and go through every little thing that we will need and we were wayyy lower than she was expecting. Considering we had a place in Austin quote us $32,000 for a wedding and then at Disney we should stay at around $12,000. I just can't even fathom how the other place can get away with trying to charge that much. I would rather pay for the place I love!

 

[DisneyBrittany]

Mom and I went shopping for a wedding gown today! Of course I chose one that I never thought I would like!

I always liked the more fitted, A-line type dresses and that was what I brought the dress shop a picture of. Thank goodness we had a gown consultant because she definitely made all the best dress pulls!

I ended up choosing one that is very "princessy" on the bottom. It reminds me of Belle's dress. It seemed to be missing something on the top and so she suggested a crystal "belt" to go around it. She put that on me and it made the dress! It was beautiful. Although the belt cost $400 alone. We agreed that it made the dress though so we bought it. I love my dress! We bought it at the first store we went to! (Pictures are coming!)

 

[sw33t_angel]

Love all of your ideas so far! Those locations you have picked sound beautiful! If I was going to get married IN a Disney Park I would definitely pick Italy or Japan in Epcot!

and Congrats!!

 

[DisneyBrittany]

I have like six more posts until I can post pictures. So here goes...

 

[DisneyBrittany]

I was wrong. Only four. So here is 3

 

[DisneyBrittany]

2...

 

[DisneyBrittany]

111

 

[DisneyBrittany]

Wedding Dress Pictures!

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[sw33t_angel]

Your dress is gorgeous!!

 

[KristiLyn]

Beautiful dress!!

 

[irishwishes]

Your dress is beautiful and congrats on getting your Disney wedding! I'm getting married in Epcot in June and I'm excited to see another Epcot bride We're also having a brunch reception but ours is at the LSS...Mickey waffles included!!

I can relate to the whole family thing and going back and forth about having a Disney wedding instead of a local one. We almost chickened out when we were signing the contract but we knew this was what we wanted. We didn't want to have any regrets the day of our wedding and I think if we were getting married locally I would have been wishing to be in Disney on my wedding day. We talked a lot about it and came to the conclusion that the people that are upset about the wedding being in Disney aren't crying about not seeing us exchange our vows...they're upset about missing the party. Breaking down the cost of a wedding it was going to be either spending the same amount or more on a huge wedding at home or getting our dream and having a small wedding in Disney. So of course Disney it is!!!

Congrats again!

 

[Princess SarahK]

Hi Brittany!!

First, yay for getting your Disney wedding! We went back and forth for almost a YEAR between an at home wedding, Disney wedding, or true destination(caribbean) wedding. In the end obviously Disney won. I do not want to have any regrets about my day or have any resentment towards anyone who may have swayed me away from my dreams. So good for you for getting your dreams!!

I LOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE your gown. Stunning, gorgeous, everything a wedding gown should be..seriously I am in love with it!! Great choice!

Im in Houston too! (Well, Katy really but same thing I guess) What part of town are you in? Or are you in Austin? Im a little confused.

Cant wait to read more!

 

[Groom Mickey]

My coordinator, Pam Pearce, called back on that next Tuesday. I was at work though so I couldn't answer.

I had Pam as our coordinator and she was great to work with. Working with her was a great way to start our wedding planning.

 

[DisneyBrittany]

IrishWishes: Your post just made me feel so much better. Thanks so much for your advice! We were just debating AGAIN whether or not this is the right thing. My Mom will be happy in one moment and then suggest an at home wedding in the next breath. It's frustrating! It's also hard when everyone's first reaction is "but what if extended family can't come?" I love them and I would love for them to be there but I agree with you, I don't want to be wishing that I was at Disney on my wedding day.


Princess Sarah K: I'm glad to know that other people struggled with these decisions as well! I know I'm going to be really struggling until I sign the contract and then I will probably be hoping I didn't hurt anyone's feelings until long after the wedding. I hate being such a people pleaser! I am living in Houston and have been for about a year and a half. I am originally from Austin and that's where my family still lives. I went to Austin to go dress shopping so my Mom and I could share that experience together It will be the one thing I drive to Austin for to have mother/daughter time for the fittings etc. Yay another Disney bride in Houston!! I'm so excited!!

 

[KitKat5]

Gorgeous dress!! I love your location choices too! I think the Summer House is a great choice!! Cant wait to follow along in your planning!