Escape Wedding

[Barb_Bride2Be]

Hey everyone! My first post. Ok, I am full of questions. I apologize in advance! I am planning a Disney Wedding and this is more complicated than I thought it would be.

First off, I am planning on having about 15 people, including my fiance and me.

Here are some things I am totally lost with:

Photography. I don't want to deal with finding my own. Since photography is a passion of mine, what are your thoughts on Disney's photography service? And can you get more than 20 photos? If so, what is the price of the upgrade and how many can you get? Do you own the rights to the photos? In other words, am I able to make my own prints?

With the photography service...will they take us around Disney (especially the castle) for a photo shoot? Or is it just ceremony pictures?

The Escape package. That's what I'd be getting. Is it too simple? Is it worth the money? What are your thoughts? I'm flying from Ohio, and won't be able to check out the area beforehand. The only places I've been to before were the main parks. Never been anywhere else in the resort. My main concern is I would basically be getting the basic package with barely any upgrades if any. Will my wedding still look special? Or will it be extremely basic?

After the vows what exactly happens, do we just eat cake and leave? Do they help us plan the night, or are we pretty much on our own? Does the wedding stop there? Is there any special activity that goes on for the couple? Can someone do a run-down of a typical Escape wedding day?

Characters: Where do they come into play and how much do they cost?

Wedding License: How does this work? Do they take care of this for me? If not, am I able to obtain a license here in Ohio for use in Florida?

Restaurant. We aren't looking for a reception, as we are doing that here where the rest of my family can be included. I am looking for something classy and elegant but on the cheaper side. Something that may incorporate Disney into the environment. Some members of my family don't have much money and we're only covering the costs of the two of us.

Again, I am sooo sorry for all the questions, but I am totally lost. I REALLY want to do this, but I want to make sure. With being out of the area and totally clueless, I want to make sure this is really the way to go. One thing is for sure...I am NOT getting married around here...so it's either Disney or the beach, and I'd much rather do Disney.

THANK YOU!

 

[JaxTeach]

Hey everyone! My first post. Ok, I am full of questions. I apologize in advance! I am planning a Disney Wedding and this is more complicated than I thought it would be.

First off, I am planning on having about 15 people, including my fiance and me.

Here are some things I am totally lost with:

Photography. I don't want to deal with finding my own. Since photography is a passion of mine, what are your thoughts on Disney's photography service? And can you get more than 20 photos? If so, what is the price of the upgrade and how many can you get? Do you own the rights to the photos? In other words, am I able to make my own prints?

I have seen some Disney photography that is nice. We are going with an outside person because Disney is a bit pricey, IMHO. We are getting an Epcot Honeymoon shoot in place of Disney taking our ceremony photos. You do not own the rights to the prints if you use Disney photography. Hopefully someone else can verify how many photos you get, etc.

With the photography service...will they take us around Disney (especially the castle) for a photo shoot? Or is it just ceremony pictures?
The Escape package includes ceremony photos only. You can add the MK Bridal Portraits package. Right now, that package is $1000. You will get pics at the castle with that one.

The Escape package. That's what I'd be getting. Is it too simple? Is it worth the money? What are your thoughts? I'm flying from Ohio, and won't be able to check out the area beforehand. The only places I've been to before were the main parks. Never been anywhere else in the resort. My main concern is I would basically be getting the basic package with barely any upgrades if any. Will my wedding still look special? Or will it be extremely basic?
I think the basic Escape wedding will look wonderful. It sounds like you are wanting to do as little planning as possible which is what the Escape weddings are sort of designed to do. You will have all of the elements of a "regular" wedding. I think the Escape package is the way to go, no matter what... unless you have 50+ people attending.

After the vows what exactly happens, do we just eat cake and leave? Do they help us plan the night, or are we pretty much on our own? Does the wedding stop there? Is there any special activity that goes on for the couple? Can someone do a run-down of a typical Escape wedding day?
After the vows you have a cake cutting, first dance, toast, and pictures. Unless you pay for upgrades (such as a wedding dinner or dessert party), you are on your own after the wedding. Many people have lunch or dinner somewhere after the wedding.

Characters: Where do they come into play and how much do they cost?
You can upgrade to characters. They are not included in the wedding. I believe it is $800 for 1 character for 30 minutes. $1200 for 2 characters. From what I understand, their time begins as soon as they leave the backstage area, not when they get to your wedding. They cannot participate in the ceremony, only the cake cutting.

Wedding License: How does this work? Do they take care of this for me? If not, am I able to obtain a license here in Ohio for use in Florida?
You must get your own marriage license AND wedding officiant. Disney does not supply or pay for either of these. You can get a marriage license through the mail or get one once you arrive in FL.

Restaurant. We aren't looking for a reception, as we are doing that here where the rest of my family can be included. I am looking for something classy and elegant but on the cheaper side. Something that may incorporate Disney into the environment. Some members of my family don't have much money and we're only covering the costs of the two of us.
There are plenty of restaurants you can have an after wedding dinner at. Many people like the Yachstman Steakhouse (kinda pricey). The Downtown Disney restaurants seem to be reasonably priced, though. You may want to start there.

Again, I am sooo sorry for all the questions, but I am totally lost. I REALLY want to do this, but I want to make sure. With being out of the area and totally clueless, I want to make sure this is really the way to go. One thing is for sure...I am NOT getting married around here...so it's either Disney or the beach, and I'd much rather do Disney.
Ask all the questions you need answers to! There are many current and veteran brides here to help. You can choose from several locations to have your wedding. There is the Wedding Pavillion (which is more than the others), Sunset Point (at the Polynesian), Sunrise Terrace (Wilderness Lodge), Yacht Club Gazebo (Yacht & Beach Club), or Sea Breeze Point (Boardwalk Inn).

THANK YOU!

I answered your questions above in blue. Take a look at people's trip reports and see what looks interesting to you. That's how I started my planning. Disney does a very nice job with the Escape weddings! I can't wait to have mine! Good luck!

 

[Barb_Bride2Be]

Thank you! I may have to make some upgrades and changes I see.

 

[Janet2k]

Hey everyone! My first post.

Barb_Bride2Be, welcome to the Dis! And congratulations on your upcoming wedding. How exciting it is that you are thinking of holding it in Walt Disney World!

I see that JaxTeach has already answered a lot of your questions. I'll throw out my answers, too.

Ok, I am full of questions. I apologize in advance! I am planning a Disney Wedding and this is more complicated than I thought it would be.

Never be afraid to ask your questions here. But more importantly, never be afraid to ask them of the Fairy Tale Weddings (FTW) folks. They are truly the only ones who can answer your questions definitively. All that the rest of us can hope to do is share with you what was done for our own FTW events. Disney has the final say in anything and everything. Remember that.

Photography. I don't want to deal with finding my own. Since photography is a passion of mine, what are your thoughts on Disney's photography service?

I have hosted several private events in Walt Disney World, including my FTW custom vow renewal three years ago. I've always hired Disney's photo folks and have never been disappointed. But that is me. You need to ask for photo samples from Disney and the other photographers in the Orlando area. Once you've viewed everyone's work, you can make the decision that is right for you.

Before I drop this subject, I'll share a link to my main on-line photo album: click here. In there you will find some of Disney's work (primarily in my Private Events and Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings collections). Please note that I have shared raw images -- all of them are unretouched. And I have down-rev'ed the resolutions drastically for file storage reasons. I'm not sure what Disney's cameras are up to this year, but I think that all of my original photos were taken with 12 megapixel cameras. Please ask them what equipment they're using now.

With the photography service...will they take us around Disney (especially the castle) for a photo shoot? Or is it just ceremony pictures?

Primarily just ceremony and cake-cutting photos. But there are photography package options that may be purchased for additional fees. The Magic Kingdom Portrait Session is just one. Ask the FTW folks about the photography options that are available for an Escape wedding.

The Escape package. That's what I'd be getting. Is it too simple? Is it worth the money? What are your thoughts?

That is entirely up to you. It's a personal decision that honestly only you and your significant other can make.

For example, when I was planning my vow renewal three years ago, I started out as an "Intimate" -- what is called an "Escape" today. But as I began planning, my needs changed and I moved into the "Custom" category -- what is called a "Wishes" today. It worked out beautifully for me, but it might not have worked out that way for someone else since everyone's wants & needs are different. If you want to see what I went through, consider reading my old trip report: click here.

I'm flying from Ohio, and won't be able to check out the area beforehand. The only places I've been to before were the main parks. Never been anywhere else in the resort.

The FTW folks can share photos with you of the various locations that are available for an Escape wedding. Do not hesitate to ask them for that sort of information. And don't hesitate to ask for it here on the Dis website, too. There are lots of current & past wedding / vow renewal couples hanging around who love to help their fellow Dis'ers out whenever they can.

My main concern is I would basically be getting the basic package with barely any upgrades if any. Will my wedding still look special? Or will it be extremely basic?

For the most part, you will be getting a basic package. But there are some options that you can add to it in order to enhance it. Definitely ask the FTW folks about it. Their job is to help you plan a wonderful event. But they can't help you if you don't discuss with them your wants & needs. The better job you can do of communicating what's in you heart, the better job they can do of helping you make your dreams a reality. Don't ever be afraid to ask them for help.

After the vows what exactly happens, do we just eat cake and leave?

You have your wedding ceremony followed by your cake-cutting ceremony. Some couples have even squeezed in a little dancing. I've seen many, many really lovely photos of Escape (a.k.a., Intimate) events over the years. The wedding couples all looked so happy.

Do they help us plan the night, or are we pretty much on our own?

You're pretty much on your own. However, depending upon your relationship with your planner, he/she may help you out a little bit. It's a very personal thing, though, so please don't count on it. If you ask for help and they're able to provide it, great. But if they can't, they' can't. And then you can turn to your fellow Dis'ers to see what they did. There are lots of folks here who can offer all sorts of wonderful suggestions to help make your honeymoon memorable.

Characters: Where do they come into play and how much do they cost?

They arrive for the cake-cutting ceremony. The cost is dependent upon how many you hire. You can have just one or multiple characters. It's entirely up to you and your budget.

Wedding License: How does this work?

I can't help since I had a vow renewal (I had been married for 20 years).

Restaurant. We aren't looking for a reception, as we are doing that here where the rest of my family can be included. I am looking for something classy and elegant but on the cheaper side. Something that may incorporate Disney into the environment. Some members of my family don't have much money and we're only covering the costs of the two of us.

In the resort restaurants, you can usually dine in your wedding attire. You cannot, however, dine in your wedding attire in any of the theme park restaurants (wedding attire is not allowed in a theme park). I don't know if that matters to you, but I thought I would mention it.

Disney's resorts have restaurants with varying levels of service: food court, counter-service, buffet, and sit-down. Please go to the official WDW website and look through the resort restaurant options. Find a couple that appeal to you and then run them by your guests. When you have a group consensus, call WDW-DINE and book a group dining reservation for the winning restaurant.

For example, at the Grand Floridian Resort, the following restaurants are available for either breakfast, lunch or dinner (or some combination): Grand Floridian Cafe, 1900 Park Fare, Citricos, Narcoossees, and Victoria & Albert's. Each of those restaurants offers a different sort of menu & ambience and the pricing is adjusted accordingly. The same holds true for the rest of the Disney resort restaurants. You'll find a wide variety with something to suit just about everyone's taste & budget.

By the way, I thought I'd mention that some wedding couples book a character meal for after their event. The following resorts have such a meal: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Beach Club, and Contemporary. There are probably other resorts with character meals, but those ones immediately came to mind (you can find this information on the official WDW website and also on the Dis website). Character meals are usually buffet meals and thus appeal on two different levels to the guests -- they'll get a wide-variety of good food to eat, plus they'll get to interact with a wide-variety of characters (and I'm not talking about just you & your significant other, either).

Again, I am sooo sorry for all the questions, but I am totally lost.

Don't worry about asking questions. In my book, you can never ask too many questions. I am finding myself starting to ask questions, too, as I begin planning a vow renewal for my 25th anniversary. I'm not sure yet where we'll have it, but Disneyland and Walt Disney World are definitely both in the running.

Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. Have fun planning it!

 

[Janet2k]

Just thought I'd post some info from the official FTW website (click here):

- - - - - - -
The Disney Escape Wedding Package includes these Magical Amenities:

Magical Amenities

* Elegantly simple ceremonies on Monday through Fridays at 10:00 am, 12:00, 2:30 pm, 5:00 pm (except for Disney's Wedding Pavilion, which is only available Monday through Thursday)

* A fresh floral bouquet for the bride and a fresh flower boutonniere for the groom.

* An elegant two tiered wedding cake with keepsake cake topper and one bottle of Fairy Tale Cuvee for your champagne toast. (Approximately 6 glasses per bottle.)

* A Violinist for your ceremony and reception.

* A four (4) consecutive hour limousine charter for transportation on your wedding day for you and your guests.

* A professional Disney Photographer to capture your ceremony and reception.

* Up to two (2) hours of photography coverage which includes an album of twenty (20) images chosen by you. Along with the album Disney will also provide you with a contact sheet of all the images taken during your event.

* Two half-hour telephone planning consultations with a Disney Wedding Coordinator prior to your wedding

* A personalized wedding website.

* Two (2) Walt Disney World® Annual Passes for the bride and groom (beginning January 1, 2008)

* Online planning kit

* Additionally, you may choose to add special features to enhance your wedding celebration.

* Disney's Escape Weddings packages require a minimum of a four night stay at an owned and operated Walt Disney World Resort. For additional guests, up to 18 maximum additional elements are at an additional cost (note: some ceremony locations have a maximum occupancy of 10 guests.)

All prices and other terms are subject to change without notice. Ask about our rates, Resorts and dates available throughout the year. Ceremony locations are subject to availability. Advance reservations required and subject to availability.
- - - - - - -

 

[Barb_Bride2Be]

Thank you Janet, you answered my questions perfectly! And yes, I am happy with the photos you have from Disney on your Flickr account!

I think I shall call them this week to find out more details. I probably won't get into serious planning for another 6-8 months. We are thinking winter/spring 2009. I want next fall, but he says 2009. lol

 

[Janet2k]

Thank you Janet, you answered my questions perfectly! ...I think I shall call them this week to find out more details. I probably won't get into serious planning for another 6-8 months. We are thinking winter/spring 2009. I want next fall, but he says 2009.

Barb_Bride2Be, I'm glad I could help. I hope I didn't lead you astray with anything that I said, but since you're going to talk to Disney directly, I'm sure they'll tell you exactly how things will work for your event.

My vow renewal will be at the end of 2009, so it looks like we're both going to begin planning seriously at some point next year. Right now, I'm kinda in fact-finding mode. As I turn over the rocks, I'm going to take a good look at what I find lying there. I'm hopeful that I'll find something that will appeal to my husband & me. Of course, I could find some creepy-crawlies, too, but I'm always up for a good challenge.