Brownell & Sabrina's Magical and Geeky WDW Wedding 11-1-13

[marvelgirl2010]

Hi,
My fiance and I have been together for six years as of tomorrow and are getting married at Walt Disney's Wedding Pavilion on November 1st, 2013 at 10am. Our brunch reception will be at the California Grill. And after, we plan to go to the last Halloween Party of the year in a group costume. We expect 60-80 people, including kids.

We are Disneyphiles and big geeks, so we are really hoping to have a lot of fun with our wedding. We had considered Dragon*Con in Atlanta as a wedding option at first, but since we are DVC members and go to Disney 1-2 times a year (and will probably take a break from Dragon*Con when we have kids) this seemed like a more family oriented option. Plus, how awesome is it that we will be able to have our anniversary each year at the place we got married!!!

We love Disney, we love Star Wars and I am a huge Marvel Comics fan (my Fiance also likes DC, but he is weird) so we want to incorporate all those things into our wedding, since they are all Disney now!

A friend of ours, Eva Hopkins, is the co-creator of Dawn Comics and was kind enough to draw our Save The Dates for us. They really capture the glory of a Star Wars, Disney Princessy, comic book wedding, lol! I'll post them as soon as I've made enough posts to be allowed to!

Planning a wedding is stressful, and I've joined this board to share what I'm doing and to see what other people are doing and have done. There are so many things to think about! I've never really used a message board before, so I apologize in advance for being a newb

 

[FairytaleBelle]

Hey, Found your journal

When you say Halloween party in costume are you thinking of going in in your dress? I totally considered that!

Your save the dates are going to look amazing I'm so jealous! Can't wait for photos

It's cool you get your anniversary spot every year, I think ill get away with every three years if I'm lucky haha.
Think you'll incorporate universal for the marvel? I love that place!

Proposal story please
Anyway I shall be following along, looking forward to more x

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Here is my Save the Date! I don't think my bad iphone photography really does it justice. They are printed on a thick bright white recycled card stock.


photo(1) by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr

 

[marvelgirl2010]

When you say Halloween party in costume are you thinking of going in in your dress? I totally considered that!

Hi! I think it is an awesome idea! I thought about it, too.

My dress is a bit huge and we have a morning wedding, so I think I will be sick of it by the time the party starts. Instead, I'm thinking about having us and all the people in our wedding party make Disney prince/princess and Jedi mashup costumes to wear to the party! We have 7 bridesmaids and 7 groomsman so it should be a good size group! Of course, if 4PM roles around and I am still loving my wedding dress than I shall just strap on a light saber and go in that!

Think you'll incorporate universal for the marvel? I love that place!
x

I love it, too! But other than taking my younger sister to see Harry Potter land and the Halloween Party before guests arrive, its not really going to be a part of the wedding. Mostly because transporting 60+ people is painful. I'm finding little ways to incorporate it in our wedding attire and always looking for ideas!

Thanks for following me, I'd love to read your thread, too! Super excited to talk to someone getting married the same time as me! If you have a journal up please send me a link. I tried to find it but I am new to the whole message board thing and failed.

 

[FairytaleBelle]

I love your save the dates, the way you've incorporated you and your fi into the disney theme, they're great!
Hah gosh your photos will be nice to see what with the mash up theme! A wedding dress with a light saber is one ive never seen- but yeah if the dress is that big you may be sick of it by then ha.

Good point, 60+ people to universal would be a transport nightmare!!
Looking forward to more details and photos

Ohh I'm not until october 2015 long long way aways I'm such a planner though Im constantly running ideas through my mind! So I've not started a pj yet, Not really sure when its viable to start one! X

 

[CinderALLIE]

Congratulations. Can't wait to read more.

 

[Summer Daydream]

I love the STD...it's so creative and I love how it incorporates your interests.

 

[LittleKittyMarie]

Congratulations and welcome! Your save the dates are fantasic! I love how it incorporates so many elements! Looking forward to reading all about your geeky wedding plans!

 

[marvelgirl2010]

My DF and I met six years ago, today. So, this might be a good time to write about how we met and got engaged!

How We Met:
We met six years ago on E-harmony. I had been trying to meet someone online for a few months, but after exhausting the only three matches I got in the state of Oklahoma, where I was living at the time, I decided to widen my parameters to include the rest of the country. I got 20 more matches(yeah, my personality is that weird) and one extremely persistent guy who wanted to skip the normal back and forth questions you answer before E-harmony decides you are ok to actually email one another. I did not let this persistent person do that, but I guess it got my attention and when we got to the Email stage he informed me he would be in Oklahoma for his Grandmother's 90th birthday party and that he would like to meet me. I agreed thinking nothing would come of it and met him for lunch. I had come back the day before from a snowboarding trip with Pneumonia, and my plan was to meet him to be polite, have a quick lunch and go home. I mean, why would I want to date a guy who lives in Washington DC? That would be crazy! Our lunch ended up lasting 5 hours

The next day I bought my first webcam and a year and a half later, I moved from Oklahoma City to his house in DC. I, of course, assumed that I would be getting married pretty soon after that....Nope, not even close. I proceeded to spend several years being what I always dreaded being; a shack up honey.

How We Got Engaged:
Finally, last April, after a trip to WDW that ended in me crying and being not nice because while he pointed out the Wedding Pavilion as he always does every time we ride the monorail, he didn't propose AGAIN, I informed him I was done waiting. He told me to hold on just a little longer and we made plans to visit Franks during our fall trip to WDW. Now, we were not engaged at this point, and we hadn't told anybody, but we went ahead and planned our wedding. It was really fun! But I felt weird about it. I had no ring. He hadn't asked me. And he didn't want me to tell anybody. Not even my family. I soooo wanted to tell my family, and his Grandmother who was the reason we met and who I had become very close to over the years.

Finally, in early November we got our date confirmed and we told our families! It was official! Realizing his Grandmother at 96 would not be able to make our wedding in Florida, we arranged an Engagement party in Oklahoma for our families to meet.

I was a little disappointed that we didn’t have a ring for me, yet, and that my DF had never actually asked me to marry him. I told him I really wanted a ring, so about a week before we left for OK to go to the party, he took me to Tiffany’s and we tried on some rings. I found a ring I liked, but it wasn’t very traditional so we decided to shop around a little. Unfortunately, his Dad got sick and he had to make an emergency trip to Florida before our trip to Oklahoma. We never got to look at rings again. Instead, since I was now getting to OK before he was, he had me visit some stores. Sadly, there wasn’t a Tiffany’s in Oklahoma and I never found anything I liked as much.

Our engagement party was held in the banquet room at the Senior Citizen home my DF’s Grandmother lives in. The room was decorated in Black Damask and roses for a beautiful elegant look. Johnny Carino's catered and Sweet Memories OKC made a gorgeous cake. Before dinner was served, my DF's Grandmother rolled up in a wheelchair and gave me an engagement present in a Tiffany Bag. I wasn’t surprised she got me something, since they told me beforehand that she had, but I was really surprised it was from Tiffany’s. I stared at for a minute thinking “could it…no it couldn’t be.” Then I sat down and started opening the bag. It was kind of hard to open and when I looked up from my struggle, I realized everyone had stopped and was staring at me. “Why is everyone staring at me?” I asked. “Because it’s your party,” my sister answered. ‘Oh right, then.’ And I continued struggling to open the bag. That’s when my DF suavely got down on one knee and asked if he could help me with that. He then opened the bag and revealed the gift was really the engagement ring from Tiffany’s and proposed. I body blushed and started crying before saying yes, with both our families cheering us on. It was very romantic, and he gets mad props for managing to surprise me by popping the question at our own engagement party.

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Here are a few pics from our December Engagement Party!

This one shoes the table decor

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/57918907@N05/8590894062/] Engagement Party 008 by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr[/URL]

Here was our tasty cake:

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/57918907@N05/8589796039/] Engagement Party 064 by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr[/URL]

And here is us looking really happy

[/url] EP-105-4 by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Ohh I'm not until october 2015 long long way aways I'm such a planner though Im constantly running ideas through my mind! So I've not started a pj yet, Not really sure when its viable to start one! X

That is a ways off, but you are so smart to start planning now. I wish I had found this board a year ago!

Congratulations. Can't wait to read more.

I love the STD...it's so creative and I love how it incorporates your interests.

Congratulations and welcome! Your save the dates are fantasic! I love how it incorporates so many elements! Looking forward to reading all about your geeky wedding plans!

Thank you so much for you kind comments!

 

[LittleKittyMarie]

Aww, that is such a sweet proposal story! And you got engaged at your engagement party, I love that! I bet there aren't too many people who can claim that one!

 

[ncp17]

Just catching up! I love your story- very unique! And your save the dates are great! Love how you incorporated both of you can't wait to keep reading!

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Since I just posted this on the E-ring board, I might as well post it here, too!
Here is the Engagement ring I fell in love with:

ring by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr

Its not very traditional and is actually considered a band. However, since I work with my hands a lot, this is way more practical. That and I talk with my hands. Almost every peice of jewelry I have ever owned I have managed to break with my flailing about, lol

I'm planning on getting this knife edge band to go with it. It is more narrow and the height compliments the ring nicely:


ring band by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Thanks to this board, I finally have a rehearsal dinner figured out!! We are going to do our Rehearsal Thursday (Halloween) evening at the Grand Floridian or the WP if its available. Then we are going to treat our wedding party to a counter service dinner at the Gasparilla Island Grill. Then we are going to chill at one of the bars at the Grand Floridian until 9PM. We will buy dinner, but people are on their own for drinks.

From there we are going to our Sago Cay Pointe Fireworks Dessert Party! The Halloween Fireworks show is our favorite and watching it on Halloween while eating lots of tasty dessert will be awesome! Its going to be a bit of a late night, since the fireworks are at 10 or 10:30pm, but I doubt I will be able to sleep much anyways. Plus, I'm using our free room to stay with my maid of honor at the Grand Floridian that night, so I just go to my room and crash after. My DF will have to take the monorail back to Bay Lake Towers.

 

[Bewitch324]

I love your story, I think it is so terrific that the internet and services like eHarmony are bringing people together from all over. I like to think that someday there will be many less lonely people in the world!!

I hear ya on the being disappointed that you ended up a shack-up honey for awhile...He moved in with me after a year and I thought we'd be engaged relatively quickly after that, but it took about 6 more years!!!!

BUT it sounds like your honey redeemed himself with a really amazing surprise and I love that he involved your grandma! Very special and very romantic!! Your rings are really pretty and it sounds like perfect for the two of you.

Your party looked really elegant, I love the decor.

I love your save-the-dates and I think it is so cool that you are incorporating your love of comics and Star Wars and Disney into your wedding plans. Your fireworks dessert party will be great...the Hallowishes fireworks are my favorites, I think.

Can't wait to hear more about your plans!

Brooke

 

[Mochi2013]

Yay another geek bride! I am incorporating Little Big Planet and maybe Star Wars into our wedding in June. I can't wait to see all your ideas.

 

[marvelgirl2010]

Thanks, LittleKittyMarie and ncp17! Is it bad that I wish there was a like button like on Facebook so I can like peoples posts?

I hear ya on the being disappointed that you ended up a shack-up honey for awhile...He moved in with me after a year and I thought we'd be engaged relatively quickly after that, but it took about 6 more years!!!!

Brooke, I guess we are the lucky ones, because I can't tell you how many people (especially in OK) would tell me the 'why buy the cow' analogy and how someone they know lived with a guy for __input #__ of years and then they broke up and she was left old and alone, lol. That being said, I certainly don't regret the last 6 years, and I know that we have what it takes to last forever. I hope you have the same warm fuzzy feeling

Yay another geek bride! I am incorporating Little Big Planet and maybe Star Wars into our wedding in June. I can't wait to see all your ideas.

Yay! Geek brides rule!

 

[marvelgirl2010]

So I forgot to mention that just as soon as we confirmed our wedding date, I ran out and got my wedding dress!

Once I finally had an excuse to buy wedding magazines and surf The Knot, I went nuts! And quickly realized that I loved everything made by Pronovias. The problem was that I had really only budgeted about $1000 and everything I was looking at was starting at twice that. While surfing and drooling over their site I came across an add for a sample sale in New York. It must have been providence. I had never been to New York and this seemed like an amazing reason to go.

It was November and we still hadn't announced our wedding plans to our friends, but one of my best friends knew something was up and I grabbed her to go with me. We got on a day-tripper bus from DC at 8am on a Sunday and rode the 4 hours up to New York. I think at one point we fell asleep leaning on each other. <3 Friends! Then we took the subway to the Pronovias Flagship store between 5th and Madison, barely making our appointment. I might have gotten us lost a few times on the way.

We entered the beautiful store, where we signed in for our appt. and were escorted onto an elevator. The ride up, I worried if we were under dressed, what kind of etiquette is required... Then the doors opened and we were introduced into Pronovias pandemonium! It was like a day after Thanksgiving sale! Racks of dresses were lined up with women filing through them as fast as humanly possible. Girls with large wedding parties were using them as an army to amass greater piles of dresses to try and once you had a spot to try dresses on you had to guard it with your life. I was grateful I had at least one friend with me. We found a spot in a room, near a mirror that was only shared with 3 other people and took turns scouting for dresses.

Then the trying on madness began! I tried on at least 20 dresses that day in the space of two hours. We made friends with the girls next to us who were a similar size as me, and started swapping and critiquing dresses with them. One girl in our dressing room was stuck on a dress and wore it the whole 2 hours talking the whole time in Spanish to her mother in Cuba who she had on her iphone on facetime. It was beautiful and I hope she bought it, she still hadn't decided when we left. At the end of our appt. I was giving up hope that I would find my dress. I had tried on so many gorgeous dresses, but none of them were right on me. Finally, just as I had given up, my friend ran into the dressing room with a dress they had just hung up. I put it on and sure enough, it was the one!


photo(2) by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr
Don't mind the bar maid expression, or the half naked woman in the mirror I had to blur out!

I texted a pic to my family to be sure and they all agreed it was perfect It was marked down to $900 from $2300 and it fit my budget. I think I will end up going over on the tailoring, but thats ok. Its the one I want.

Here's a few more pics:

photo(3) by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr

photo(1) by marvelgirl2010, on Flickr
I bought the dress and was met with a bit of a challenge: if you buy a sample, you have to take the dress with you. What? So, I had three hours to see New York for the first time, carrying a REALLY heavy dress. We made the best of it and I discovered a wedding dress is a great way to part the crowds! We went to Rockerfeller Center and saw the Christmas tree, had dinner at a pub and made it back to our bus at 5PM. We met some awesome ladies going home from a girls shopping trip to New York on the bus and chatted with them on the ride home. My poor dress was squished into the luggage compartment, but since it will have to take at least two trips with me to Orlando it was good practice!

All in all, it was an amazing trip! The friend who went with me was supposed to be one of my bridesmaids, but she got pregnant a few months later and her due date is too close to my wedding for her to attend. So I'm really glad she got to be part of my wedding this way!

Now its time to start accessorizing! Veil or no veil? Tiara? Undergarments? Lots still to do!

 

[Summer Daydream]

I love your dress! What a bargain, although I don't know if I could've carried a dress through NYC all day. I'm tired after just carrying myself around lol. Looking forward to more plans.