Escape & DCL VR without an Officiate?

[*Nessa*]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has had an escape VR or DCL VR and did not have not have an officiate present?

Brie our planner has said it happens all the time as we are responsible for organising the officiate (for an escape, I don't really know much about DCL) and we can just not do this and have just a cake/champagne celebration instead.

This is what I think we will might do as our Disney celebration will take place about 4 weeks after our “official” wedding back home. But I just wondered if anyone else had done this? and how it really worked? Do you think it would be ok?

thanks

 

[Tink&PirateMama]

I don't have the answer on if you are 'allowed' to do it, but I have a bit of feedback for you. We had been thinking of not using an officiant with the escape package, and now are using a different venue for the ceremony, and are still not planning on it. I looked at the various ones, and none of them felt 'right' to me. I probably would have had a friend do it for us (you can get ordained to do it really easy online), if we had guests coming! Being that it was just us an our kids, I really felt it was so personal, and something I didn't want a stranger involved in. For us, as a VR, it's obviously also not needed for legal reasons, so I'm just writing up the ceremony myself and we'll say what we need to say. I'm probably a person that questions authority way too much, LOL!, but I felt that what we said and wrote was more important than what any other person could write up. It also feels much more romantic, but that's just me

I did ask a few people close to me about what they thought of this idea. Most people, because it was such a small group, agreed with us. However, one person did make a good point, if we were having a lot of guests, the officiant really does the 'crowd' work- you know, leads and can let you relax about it. And i think if you had a big group, it would be very useful. So honestly, if we were having a group of ten or twenty people, I think it's quite possible I would have gone with an officiant, it's hard for me to say not being in that situation.

Anyway, you are not the only one that feels this way certainly, but make sure you get a definite answer from DFTW. It seems they are quite picky about their VR's being legit (like having a copy of that marriage license! I don't believe most places do that), so it very well might be a requirement.

Good luck sorting it out!

 

[CinderelliT]

On DCL, the officiant is the ship's captain or an officer of the ship. You don't have to bring one with you, and it is included in the package. You can't customize your service as much though.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Funny that you should post this because I was just wondering the same thing myself this weekend!!! I want to do an informal VR for our anniversary next year. I'm pretty sure that we won't be able to spring for an Escape package so I'm looking into alternatives and was wondering if we could just go to someplace picturesque off-property and have our own ceremony without an oficiant. It'd be just us an a photographer.

 

[DLR2WDW]

I don't think DFTW cares so much about having the license...It's the officiant that would care. Since DFTW wants the event to run smoothly, they probably put more of an emphasis on it so you are not stuck at the last minute with an officiant that won't do the ceremony. I think it changed when they started allowing Commitment Ceremonies.

 

[*Nessa*]

One person did make a good point, if we were having a lot of guests, the officiant really does the 'crowd' work- you know, leads and can let you relax about it. And i think if you had a big group, it would be very useful

That's a really good point

I have been thinking and thinking about it for the last week and considering we only have a few people coming I think it makes more sense for us to have a DCL VR. As (for us) I don't think the value is in the Escape anymore (even though I did have my heart set on it ) and maybe we could put the extra $$$ we save into a MK photo session (If it's allowed )

 

[Tink&PirateMama]

Ok, I could be wrong here, because I didn't look into the cruise VR's, but I'm nearly positive I've seen brides on the boards with DCL weddings that did the MK photo shoot- so I think you could do it!! I hope so!!