Bryttany & Dave's Enchanted Evening PJ- 1/14/12 WP/Asbury Hall**TR Part 1 w/pics****

[Princess SarahK]

congrats on dropping a size!! i know just what you mean about booking and then being stuck on not having anything that you can really do..it stinks! also yay for cathedral veils!!! i had originally gone with a fingertip and thought it was for me....it was only because i didnt put on a cathedral..its really the only way to go! youve got my vote!! cant wait to read more and see what you come up with in the meantime!

 

[Bippi]

Wow! So its been sooo long since I've posted on my own PJ! I have been all over everything else I dont know where to start!

We returned from our quick planning trip to Disney 10 days ago now! Dave and I, toting his folks along for their first Disney trip, met my folks in Orlando. Its awesome that they all get along so well. This would be so much more complicated!

Mini Trip Report!

Sunday July 10, arrived in Orlando noonish. Got the rental as we were staying off site. Met my folks at the big condo they were able to trade one of their times shares for us. All 6 of us stayed there!
Sunday night we briefly toured his folks around the grounds. Showed them the Wedding Pavilion! His parents loved it! I loved the new windows! Sooo pretty! I didnt think it was possible to make WP more beautiful!
We all went to Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge for Dinner! They were soo awesome! They gave us the "Just Engaged" pins and all of our parents the "We're Celebrating" pins. Our Waitress was cousin sally or something like it! She brought Dave and I strawberrys and champagne and made us announce to the dining room that we are getting married at Disney next year! And then the dining room all together told us Congrats! It was so fun! Then, my poor fiancee also had to enjoy his birthday at Disney! haha. They drug the fathers into the mix and made his dad and my dad sing him happy birthday as loud as they could, with the cha cha cha!!! haha! Video and photos to follow! It was priceless! Perfect way to introduce his parents into the fun and magic of Disney!
After dinner we kinda wandered around. Went to Poly and watched the fireworks from the beach

Monday July 11: E-pics at 10AM at Yacht & Beach club with Randy! Sooo happy we chose him! Love him! i am very anxiously awaiting the pics back! And I am checking FB I think every 30 seconds! haha! It was sooo incredibly hot and sun was sooo bright!
After pics, dave and I grabbed a milkshake and cooled off in Beaches & Cream and waited for the group of parents to meet us. They went out for breakfast at Poly! We toured his parents through the Ballroom space where reception is and were able to see some guest rooms at Yacht Club.

We relaxed afterward before the appointment at Carolyn Allens. Love them as well. I booked the steaming appointment for mine, my girls, and the mothers dresses and the guys were able to be fitted for tuxes and we ordered Daves and the dad's got theirs. Done and Done

We had dinner scheduled at Raglan Road that night. For Dave's birthday and also where he wants the rehearsal dinner! His parents liked it and we were even able to book the reservation so they just have to work out the paperwork stuff! The food was great! They had the irish dancers there so they were able to really experience the restaurant!

Tuesday was the planning session (and Dave's real birthday!)
Dave's parents did not attend the session with us. They went exploring in Epcot and had a ball!

Dave and I met with Rev. Tim before the planning session! He is so sweet! He talked us through the whole ceremony, asked us what we wanted, did we have readings, any questions we had for him he answered! Totally feel at ease and comfortable with him. Again very happy with our decision.

I do have to say! Without these boards, the decisions would have been scary! The feedback, reviews and going with your own heart really help when your arent in florida to plan!

So Dave, my folks and I are wandering around Francks looking at the albums and linens and stuff everywhere waiting for 9am to come around. They attendant in Francks was sweet! Offered beverages and things while we got started. Showed us to our room and got us settled...
...So my planner was Pam Mattack. I heard great things, all was good. I knew she was on Maternity and Jamie was filling in right? So i thought and so was even confirmed 3 days prior! haha.

In walks Christy! Recently promoted and now flying solo as a planner and was assigned to our wedding. I must say I was relieved! I felt a little bounced around at first with who was handling our wedding haha. I had heard great things about her and was very excited.
Through the whole session she was great. She had all the notes and emails I had sent Pam before, my Planning kit, everything! I had some pics and swatches and she totally has the whole feel for how we want the day!
I cant remember the name of my floral planner at the moment but I love her too! She totally understands what I wanted for floral and centerpeices and everything! Understood how involved my fiancee was with the meaning of certain flowers and knew her stuff!
What i loved about both Christy and floral was that neither of them tried to upsell or push anything on us. We said what we liked or wanted and they interpreted it and presented options. Very relaxing and comfortable. Very stress free.
Menu tasting was that afternoon. They do not joke when they tell you to arrive hungry!!!! Our chef, Chef Oscar, at the Yacht Club is amazing. We completely customized our menu (gulp, we are waiting the pricing!!!) He was awesome. The food was amazing. I mean its Disney but this is not "wedding food"! Hhaha!

We are soooo excited to see how everything turns out on January 14! only 174 more days!

Wednesday was our last day. We all kinda got up and headed to the airport. My mom had breakfast for us in the condo.
The trip home was the only flaw of the trip. There were horrible storms at home and we couldnt land. We had to be grounded at the smaller Richmond airport just 2 hours drive time from DC. 45 min flight lol. We had to wait ON THE PLANE for 2 hours before we could get cleared to come home.

Once we finally did it was home sweet home!

I will be sure to post trip pics and epics once i receive them and BEO once back too!

Thanks to anyone still following my rambles

 

[jshora]

Wow! Sounds like a busy, fun, exciting, and wonderful planning session!

I love you plans and you are truly going to have a magical wedding! I can't wait to read more!

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

sounds like a fun trip (except the plane part!)

tell us about your menu choices!!

 

[Bippi]

Here is the menu we submitted to Chef Oscar at Yacht Club for pricing! Fingers crossed that it wont go up too much!

The Glass Coach Buffet (Modified)

Pre-Reception:
·Antipasta Display
·Brie and Strawberry Crostini with lingonberry, drizzled with Balsamic Honey Syrup
·Chilled Scallops on a Half Shell (smaller scallops then tasted)

Dinner:
·Pre-Set: Caprese Salad at each place-setting

Buffet:
·Medley of Field Greens layered with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Carrot Angel Hair with Low-fat Zinfandel, Caesar, and Bacon-Ranch Dressings
·Parmesan-crusted Chicken Breast with Marinara Sauce
·Action Carver: Three Peppercorn and Whole Grain Mustard Rubbed Beef Strip Loin with Caramelized Red Onion Compote and Gorgonzola Cheese Fondue, Creamy Horseradish, Roasted Garlic Mayo, and Creole Mustard
·Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cilantro Salsa
·Grilled Herbed Seasonal Vegetables to include red pepper, portabella mushroom, zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion
·Martini Bar to include: Purple Peruvian Potato Mash, Creamy Parmesan and Champagne Asparagus Risotto, Lobster Mac N Cheese with Toppings to include: White Canadian Cheddar, Chives, Sour Cream, Bacon

Dessert Station:
·White and Milk Chocolate Fondues with Berries, Pinapple, Bananas, Angel Food Cake, Pretzels, Graham Crackers, and Marshmallows
·Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Bars

 

[Bippi]

I think i am most excited about my purple mashed potatoes hahahah!

 

[Bippi]

So I have to post the video of the dads singing to Dave, the fiancee, on his birthday at Whispering Canyon Cafe. My Dad was into it from the beginning, beer helps, and you can see Dave's dad on the right warm up to it. I just find it hilarious! Hope this works!


And some other pics!

 

[Bippi]

We ordered our invitations now! I am soo excited for them to come in!

 

[Chilly]

Subscribing. Do you have photos of Asbury Hall, not heard of anyone using that before?

 

[jshora]

Your food sounds delish!!!

I love your invitations! Everything is looking so wonderful!

 

[Bippi]

Subscribing. Do you have photos of Asbury Hall, not heard of anyone using that before?

Your food sounds delish!!!

I love your invitations! Everything is looking so wonderful!

Chilly! I do! Its a ballroom in Yacht/Beach Club! I will post a few!

jshora, thanks sooo much! I am soo excited about it all!

Gosh! Its really winding down and time is moving faster every day! I have recieved my e-pics back from Randy, a while ago but i have been too much of a slacker to post! Love them! Here is a link to my FB page with just a few of them. I havent even posted the black & white yet!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150333907722279.387374.655932278&l=a4fd2d73b0&type=1

I have also recieved both the big beo and the floral! I was happy with the way it turned out and surprisingly enough my parents were too! The food pricing came back perfect! we werent sure since we completely customized the menu! Our numbers dropping a bit will take care of the little over budget we are now which is awesome since what i was willing to cut my dad wanted to keep! ie uplighting and 3rd entree...and the super max bar package. lol.

In August I sent out one of those "painful to create but i love how they turned out" newsletters. It helped to cut down the number of "i know your planning your wedding but please also be my personal travel agent" phone calls from all of our guests! It also caused my room block to burst at the seams! We have already filled our room block minimum and our deluxe hotel entirely. We had to add another option!

Our invites also came in! Love them even more. They are so sparkly and pretty. I am working on the envelopes for them over the next few weekend. We want to put them in the mail Oct. 1st.

So i have a few more updates to post but i need to go put the blue gel on my sunburn now! hahah!

To be posted soon: a) e-pics & venue pics b) beo's c) newsletter

Thanks to all thats still following! 132 days!

 

[MrsDuck]

Just joining!! Love all your plans!

 

[Bippi]

OK so catching up on my journal and pulling myself away from everyone elses! I love reading them!

Here was the newsletter that I sent out in August

 

[Bippi]

A little back story to the newsletter. It was an idea, something i wished i had time to do for my guests. I didnt think i would. I mentioned it to my parents and the things my dad chooses to fixate on are weird. This was one of them. From the time months ago i said it would be cool to do, turned into weekly, are they done yet phone calls! I finally had one completely fixed and perfect and wonderful on my work computer in Publisher. Well my work computer crashed (probably bc of the newsletter haha! )and it couldnt recover anything. So days before i was planning to send out I makeshift created this one at midnight. I was off the next day and was determined to get to the FedEx office to have them copied. which turned out to be fun....
I show up to fedex with my jump drive. I go to save $.06 per copy by using self serve machine. The machines were all "down" but one. And my file is too big that it freezes it..... ugh.
So the awesome sales guy helps me out by doing it on the main, non self-serve copy machine. He puts in my jump drive only for all my pictures to be warped and my jump drive was corrupt. I was like "i am not meant to print this out!" haha. Thankfully before i left for the store i emailed the file to DF for one last glance-over. I was able to forward the email from my cell phone to the store for the guy to pull up. Fingers crossed! It worked!
For all of my troubles the guy gave me upgraded paper and still the self serve price. Started printing my 75 copies of 3 pages=225 full color sheets!
This whole time i had been the only person in the store. Well at 3:00 when the fedex truck comes for delivery/pickup a bus must have dropped half of town off for copies, packages etc. So my prints are printed and i am standing in a line of 20ppl to pay and pick up. 35min later... the guy hands me my box of pages and tells the cashier that it is 200 pages black and white!!!!!! So my $185 copies only cost me $22.15!!!!
Patience pays off! Always have a backup copy when going to fedex! and the newsletter that was such a headache at times turned out pretty good and the guests loved it!

 

[Bippi]

Wow! Time really starts moving fast! I am soo excited! This time in 89 days i will be on 1-95 South headed down the east coast from VA/DC to Disney during the last road trip before we are engaged! Go down engaged come back married! EEEKKK!

My mom made the BIG payment today. Invites are in the mail! We have already recieved a few rsvps back! Its sooo exciting!

I have to dye my crinoline and make programs... favors are done. I dont know what to do haha. Like most DIS brides I started sooo early. I work in retail so going into holiday when i loose my weekends i guess is a good thing to be done but what does everyone else do now???

When should you start alterations on your gown?

 

[Bippi]

I am pretty sure i have stepped into a time warp! I have nooo idea where the last few weeks and months have disappeared to! I kinda have a lot to update!

Today is the 45 day mark and I was able to confirm our MK bridal portrait session. I requested Regina so fingers crossed!

Our RSVPs were due last week so just waiting on those to trickle in and tally up. We are spot on with our estimate!

Sheesh... my dress could be a whole thread! haha. Davids Bridal and I are not getting along but after a fit, they have fixed everything thus far.
When I purchased my dress they measured me and had me order another size up in case. OK cool. They told me it could be altered blah blah blah.
Weeeellllll i go to my first fitting 2 weeks ago and my dress is huge. Unalterably huge. The top because of the detail and structure cant be taken in even one size. The poor seamstress tried and tried but after all she just mumbled somethin somethin manager... cant do something something and away she scurried. In came the manager to me an escalating basket case. She started asking me questions like have i lost a lot of weight and why is my dress so big?!?!?!!? My reply of this is they size your sales person measured and ordered for me didnt go over well. Well this manager said that there wasnt enough time to order a new but she'd see what she could do. She told me not to panic and she'd be right back. Haha not panic funny. The Tailor said she couldnt do it, the manager said she couldnt order a new one and I am not supposed to panic!
So the manager comes back with the sample size gown in the smaller size and i was able to exhale a little bit. We try it on and its perfect! just a hem but very minimal alterations needed! Cool! Well there were a few touch up places that due to being a sample they needed to fix. Then they tried to charge me for the sample touch ups. I argued that I paid full price, not sample mark down, so i shouldnt have to fix a replacement gown because i was told to order a bigger size! So after debate and having to speak with 2 managers about this issue i only had to pay for my hem. Whew.... exhausting. I am finally calmed down that i will have a gown that fits for my wedding.
The next week is thanksgiving week and I received an email that my special order from Davids Bridal had arrived. HUH???? So a day or two after turkey day I get a phone call to come pick up my dress. So today I went to DB and asked in person. I should have just walked in and picked up my new arrival and in 2 weeks gone for my final fitting and had 2! haha. But i explained the situation and they tried to dismiss me but i asked them to check. Sure enough the sample was in alterations and the new one was ready for pickup. I then told them that since they magically were able to order a new size in under a week that I wanted the new one altered not the sample. That took some negotiating as well but they went with it. They gave me a bra to use, a slip, and shoes to try on the new one. With none of my undergarments and not the same shoes they determined it did not need alterations. I asked to make an alteration appointment because i know my shoes are different but they said it'd be fine. OK.
Now they are steaming the dress and in 2 weeks i go in to verify all is correct and try it on for the final time. lol My mother in law to be will go with me for that!

I did dye my crinnie blue and that turned out awesome! DF helped me with that. I wish we had pictures! I was wearing gloves but he's a man and didnt need them and had smurf blue hands and fingernails for 2 days!

Rehearsal dinner is all set too at Raglan Road, Downtown Disney! Sooo excited!

Now my mother in law to be just needs a dress....

 

[Chilly]

That is terrible service by DB.

 

[virtuous girl]

I also requested regina... i luv her work

 

[Bippi]

That is terrible service by DB.

Yes yes it is. I mean I never had HIGH expectations but it is still horrendous. Its just so dang convenient its a shame cuz they will always get away with it.

I also requested regina... i luv her work

I have not seen anything i have not loved from her! Soo excited and really hope i get her! Amy is a second pic!

 

[Bippi]

Wow! I cant believe. 30 days from today we are on our way to Florida and 34 days away from the wedding. Christmas is 14 days away then it will really fly after that! Sheesh!
Tuesday is my second fitting at DB. Lets hope this will conclude my disgruntled relationship with them...

So much to still do.
Marriage license: We have decided to not do this by mail and hit one of the 5 local courthouses on our drive in Wednesday late morning/early afternoon. Worst case scenario is thursday and then extreme emergency is Friday. But we really think that with no holiday that week if any other major event shuts down Orlando then we arent getting married any way lol!
Hope we are making the right decision.

Programs, need to confirm with officiant before I print and assemble. We are also waiting on one military groomsman who just got back from Iraq to find out if he can make it. We really hope so!

Hangers: I set out on the journey of customizing mine and the girls hangers from etsy. I tried it myself and OMG not as easy as it looks to bend the pretty wire. So i am ordering mine and only painting the girls Pics to come when I get to those lol!!

Guest Bags: Pretty much done thanks to my mom. Water, park maps, Bus schedule, snacks and goodies are all in neat little canvas bags! I want to do door hangers for the bags like the "here for a fairytale wedding" thing!

Otherwise just working on DJ music list and getting through the holidays in retail! Whew!

oh and PS!!! The FMIL FINALLY FOUND A DRESS!!!! Well I brought one home and it worked! Found it at Nordstrom Rack marked down on clearance! Ironically it was the same one that I bought her a year ago at full price and she said "didnt work" and waited 9 months to return it. Pretty sure she never tried it on cuz she doesnt realize its the same one!!! But yay!!!