Disneyaddict1973/Swan wedding TR

[Disneyaddict1973]

Hello, all! I have recieved lots of P.M's from future Brides thirsty for Swan Wedding info (Am I even posting in the right place? Mods, pls move me if I'm not )Everyone was so helpful to me, here on the boards that I feel a trip report is the least I can do to help out future Brides
First things first....I am Amie (34 divorced 2 girls), my Husband lovestruc ) is Michael (28,1 girl) and we are from Boston. We got engaged in March, 2008 and shortly after, I found the boards!!!! We chose to get married in Florida b/c we took a trip to WDW in Nov/Dec. 2007 during a rough patch in our relationship. We had such a great time during that trip that we came home closer, and more in love than ever....Must have been the pixie dust Originally, we were planning to book an escape DFTW. Our families were so hot and cold ont eh Disney Wedding that we couldn't nail down a guest list and feared we would end up with a Wishes wedding budget rather than an escape. That said, I pushed Michael into the Swan Wedding idea....An idea I came to regret MANY times sadly.
Moving forward to August....
Hurrican Fay is charging through the Atlantic headed straight for Orlando!
8/16 I call Just Marry, the company that books and plans the Swan Weddings. I leave a message for my WP that I am not sure if we will even make it out of Boston. What is plan B? Never calls me back. I send an email an hour later. NOTHING. The weekend comes and goes and I never hear from JM (just marry) I am TOTALLY panicking. Thankfully, my hairstylist calls from Orlando to give me weather updates and offers any help she can. My photographer, from FIXED FOCUS does the same. NOTHING from JM.

8/19 We were scheduled to depart from Boston on a late morning flight. Delta miraculously puts us on a 7:30 AM one instead that again, miraculously doesn't get cancelled. I take that as great karma and a good Omen
As we cruise through Logan, I see the later flight listed on the moniter CANCELLED. I sigh with relief
We make the flight and it takes off!!!
My girls, on the plane. Please note, THE GUM!

The flight was smooth and uneventful untill Ava, my youngest (5) manages to chew 4 peices of hubba bubba while I am in the ladies room. These 4 pieces wind up stuck directly to her head on the left side, and tangled in her hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No problem, the Wedding is tomorrow.....

 

[Keira1387]

Great start! So glad you made your flight! Can't wait to read more!

 

[XmasPixie]

I am so glad that you have started this. I am also so sorry to hear that it appears your wedding was not all you've dreamed of .

I cannot believe that you WP did not call or email you back.

Your advice, tips and experience will be very helpful for any future Swan brides (or those considering).

I am looking forward to the rest of your report as I am holding out hope you had some wonderful & lovely things happen during your trip - hurricane and all. Hang in there girl - we are here for you

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

Well, with gum in hair, Ava, Lilli, Michael our families and I land in Orlando at 10ish, and make our way to the Wilderness Lodge. Tropicana transport, our trusty livery service grabs our bags and we head for WDW . I have now called my WP at JM more than 13 times since the week before and haven;t heard a word from them! I even sent emails and called other staff members! FINALLY, at 11am I call my WP again, and she answers! She contends that she had an auto response set on her email indicating that she was to be out of the office for a couple of days. THIS doesn't explain the weeks prior that I had been trying to get in touch I am in the car with my future in laws so, I keep it light and ask her all of the questions I had. She indicated that b/c of the heavy rains, we will most likely move the ceremony indoors to a BANQUET HALL or BALLROOM. Ok, whatever, I am there, the wedding WILL take place. All is good.
12PM- We arrive at the WL..it is sooooooooooo beautiful! I am not the SLIGHTEST bit rugged, but even I appreciate the rustic beauty of it.

Our room isn't ready but they are giving us a deluxe view upgrade and a few more "surprises" The staff was so so kind and nice to all of us! Pixie dust galore! While we wait, we go to Roaring Forks and DF determines that he just had the 2nd best sandwich he has ever had lol. When the room is ready we drop off the bags, Grab scissors from the concierge, CUT THE GUM FROM Ava's HAIR, and tuck in Nana who is tired, and head to MAGIC KINGDOM! Who cares if it's absolutely pouring????

 

[lurkyloo]

Great start - I cannot wait to hear what happens!

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

Great start! So glad you made your flight! Can't wait to read more!

We were so glad too

I am so glad that you have started this. I am also so sorry to hear that it appears your wedding was not all you've dreamed of .

I cannot believe that you WP did not call or email you back.

Your advice, tips and experience will be very helpful for any future Swan brides (or those considering).

I am looking forward to the rest of your report as I am holding out hope you had some wonderful & lovely things happen during your trip - hurricane and all. Hang in there girl - we are here for you

Awwwwwwwwwwwww t/y. Don't worry, we had a wonderful time anyway

Great start - I cannot wait to hear what happens!

Workin' on it

 

[29apr00]

wow, gum in the hair the day before the wedding!! Can't wait to hear what happens next!

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

wow, gum in the hair the day before the wedding!! Can't wait to hear what happens next!

Yes.....the chunk out of the hair on the side of her head is REALLY something, and was so nice for the wedding....

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

We spend the whole evening at MK untill the storm starts to really roll in. It just suddenly became SO dark that we just bailed. We went back to the hotel to get to bed for the next day. Everyone was so ramped up it was hard to sleep.....I stayed up and put together favor bags, and gathered all of my gear so that I would be ready when Heather Brinkman came to do my hair. I had some major HAIR issues, since I A-cut my hair too short 2 weeks prior. And B- got a last minute dye job that didn't take well. Ugh, this is why they say to have your hairstyle determined waaaaaaay before the wedding and color your hair early? After talking with Heather a few days before I left, she suggested hair extentions so, I had my "hair" ready and all of my basic make-up like my beloved Model in a bottle ready. I finally went to bed at 12.

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

We got up at 6, since Heather was coming at 7ish, I had time to relax and get myself together. Mike just wouldn't get up! The kids came to the room, and I got their dresses and things out for them and they took them back to their room. I drank at least 6 Diet Cokes and waited for Heather. She got to my MOH's room at 7:30 and we got right to work.

Then she did My MOH

While all of this beautifying was going on, the kids were having their pics taken....

We had to hurry it up b/c the limo arrived early!!!!
We took a few pics at the WL then we left for the Swan!

 

[pixiemama3]

first off congrats and wow you and the girls look so beautiful..

waiting patiently for more...

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

With the limo actually early ( I was stressing that it was going to be LATE) we hopped in and got to the Swan a bit ahead of schedule

My Nana and I. My Parents are both gone ( My Mom when I was 9 and my Dad when I was 22) so, she and I are very close...

The photographers from Fixed Focus were waiting there for us.
I don't have all of the pics yet, but these are a few I do have....

luckily, a friend of mine who was at the wedding is a photographer too. She got some great pics as well so I alternate between them

So, we are here. My JM WP says hello, and gives me my flowers which look EXACTLY as I wanted them too. I once saw the same bouquet at the wedding of a famous hockey star that I casually knew and I swore I would have that same unassuming screamingly PINK bouqet someday And I did She took us to the indoor wedding space and THAT is when everything went horribly wrong!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

first off congrats and wow you and the girls look so beautiful..

waiting patiently for more...

awwwww thanks so much

 

[lurkyloo]

Your daughters are adorable!

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

Your daughters are adorable!

Thank you! My oldest watches me read the boards, and when we come across a post of yours, she always says "OmiGod Mum, she looked like, completely amazing". "I loooooooov her feathers"! So, you have a little fan

 

[lurkyloo]

Hi Lilli!

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

Yes, it was raining that day. That I knew. I also knew that JM reserved the right to move the wedding indoors to a reasonable place, THIS IS NOT A REASONABLE PLACE!
This is a pic of me explaining this.....

THIS IS THE SPACE!

[

What doesn't show up in the pics, is that they wanted me to walk "down the aisle from a closet....OR the BATHROOM! The room was filthy, the arch undecorated and the Swan, overbooked with conventions. They swore up and down that there was no other place. Just as I picked up my cell to call my Lawyer (seriously) Rev. Tim literally, came to the rescue and proposed that we move everything to an atrium he recalled was on the property. At that point I was so upset and SO ANGRY that I would have gotten married in the lobby.....this is what the atrium was like...

Rev. Tim took me aside and told me that if all of the ballrooms and banquet rooms were booked, this would be his best suggestion so.....I took his advice. I was really REALLY upset, and my WP didn't seem to care one bit and basically wouldn't help at all. Her mantra was "well, there isn't anything I can do". Thankfully Rev. Tim, and Cory, from Fixed Focus backed me up. I carefully explained that I didn't care what Just Marry could or couldn't do, I wanted the wedding moved from this room. I resigned myself to the atrium, and we went back downstairs to prepare.

I was upset and Mike looked nervous...at least he looks it in the pics. Nobody was even there yet, and he looked really worried. He told me later he was just so sad and disappointed with how everything was turning out....."We should have booked an Escape" became the thought running endlessly through both of our minds.

Thankfully, it got a bit better

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

It was time to walk down the aisle....The guitairst began to play Born to be my baby by Bon Jovi....

"Charming" little Ava, threatening her Sister on the way down the aisle.

And then I hear Seat next to you, by..Bon Jovi And I am not the slightest bit nervous anymore. I just walk.

Then, we say "I do". Truly, a happy happy moment in all the chaos of the last few days.

 

[Disneyaddict1973]

It's OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lurkyloo]

Oh my GOODNESS! I can't believe they wanted you to enter from the closet/bathroom in the original room!!!

But I have to say, Rev. Tim has a good eye - I think the atrium looked great! I really love the colors of the room and the art on the walls with your bouquet - it made for some very nice pictures.

And in the end, you were married!