Help-How to get started

[TexasCourt]

Hi Y'all,
I know this is a big and broad question, but I am wondering how to get started with all of this. I realize there is the intimate wedding and the bigger wedding, but after that, Disney kind of lost me....I know you have the actual ceremony and then a reception, and you can pick both places out, but the pricing is really confusing me.... Also, does anyone know how much more it would be to have a wedding in December? The site said something about increased prices during the holidays.....Thanks so much! All help is welcome!

Courtney

 

[Equidae]

Well, what sort of wedding are you planning and when are you hoping to have it? If you are within a year, give Disney a call and get the process going with them.

That being said, I am having a custom wedding and can give you some info there. The intimates I know are getting changed up a bit. It used to be 8 guests, now I think maybe up to 20? I really should pay more attention to that.

For a custom, as of now, it is 10,000 for M-Th, 15,000 Friday and Sunday, and 20,000 for Saturday. These numbers are miniums and apply to anything you get through Disney on your wedding day -- venues, catering, floral, video, photos, entertainment, etc. I don't know about other pricing in December, but I would imagine they are referring to those days around Christmas and New Years. Several popular places for a ceromony include the Wedding Pavilion, Sunset Pointe, Seabreaze Pointe, and several locations in EPCOT (mainly the world showcase -- before park opening). A great place to start looking is the Disney Fairytale Wedding official site. THere you can see photos and get basic pricing.

I hope this gives you a start for info. If you have any more questions, please feel free to post!

 

[TexasCourt]

Thanks Equidae!

I am looking to have the wedding in December 2006, probably mid December sometime as I am still in school. I have checked out some of the Disney wedding websites, but am confused on the whole issue of prices increasing due to the reception....

For instance this is a direct quote from the Disney website:

"For all locations except Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa, a minimum of $75.00 per person, plus 20% service charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to functions beginning prior to 2:00pm and a minimum expenditure of $100.00 per person and plus 20% service charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to functions beginning after to 2:00pm.
Disney's Grand Floridian & Spa has a minimum food & beverage expenditure of $100.00 per person, plus 20% service charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to functions beginning prior to 2:00pm and a Minimum expenditure of $125.00 per person and plus 20% service charge and 6.5% sales tax will apply to functions beginning after to 2:00pm."

Now does this go towards the $10,000 minimum? Also, I see that if you have 10-40 guests you are required to have 25 room nights....what exactly does that mean?

Also, do you know what the deposit is for a custom wedding?

Thanks so much y'all!
Courtney

 

[Equidae]

The fees you are talking about referrs to the reception catering. There is a minimum for the food and beverage and this does count towards your minimum. I haven't really found it to be hard to meet it at all.

Room night refer to the total number of nights booked at Disney hotels for you and your guests. Each night per room counts as one. This adds up really quick.

As of now, the deposit is $1,000 due when you sign your contract (which is no more than one year out for theme park receptions or weddings and one eight months for resort wedding/reception.)

Does this make sense? It can be a bit confusing!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

What else can we help you with Courtney?

 

[TexasCourt]

Well, one thing I was wondering about is the Disney wedding cakes:
-are they yummy (and good quality)
-are they pretty ( I cannot find any pics on the Disney website)
-who makes them
-what is the price range?

Thanks so much y'all!
Courtney

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Firstly OMG Courtney is that you in that picture - you are gorgeous, what a smile !!!

are they yummy (and good quality)
-are they pretty ( I cannot find any pics on the Disney website)
-who makes them
-what is the price range?

Oh gosh Courtney the cakes are indeed yummy and VERY good quality. I think that there is a thread somewhere on here if you use the search facility and type in cake and you'll see plenty of them - if not we can start one for you. The Disney bakery makes the cakes and they come in a vast array of flavours:

Cake Flavors:

Yellow
Chocolate
Marble
Carrot
Red Velvet
Lemon
Orange
Almond

Fillings:

White Chocolate Mousse
Dark Chocolate Mousse
Raspberry Mousse
Orange Mousse
Amaretto Mousse
Strawberry Mousse
Passion Fruit Mousse
German Chocolate
Cream Cheese
Bavarian Cream


Or what about these combos:

White Chocolate Mousse with Fresh Strawberries or Raspberries
Bavarian Cream with Fresh Strawberries
Passion Fruit Mousse with Fresh Raspberries
Dark Chocolate Mousse with Fresh Raspberries
Strawberry Mousse with Fresh Strawberries
Raspberry Mousse with Fresh Raspberries


Prices hmm I think they start at $8.00 per person for a custom wedding

Hope that helps

 

[uktigger]

hi sam
can you pick the flavours from that list if you are having an intimate wedding?i would love to have the carrot cake

eve

 

[TexasCourt]

Fantasia Sam,
Yes, that is me, thanks so much for the compliment I must say you look quite stunning in your wedding dress....where did you get married in DisneyWorld? Ceremony? Reception? I did find the link to the cakes, but it seems as though it was from 2002....I was wondering if there is anything more current?

Also, I see a lot of people on the boards talking about "pre-reception" cocktails...what is this?

Also, does anyone know about getting married in the Grand Floridian chapel? Are there any links to this?

Thanks for all the help y'all!!!!

Courtney

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Hi Courtney - we got married at the Yacht Club Gazebo with our reception at Ariels and then we had a private Illuminations Dessert Party at Epcot.

The Pre-reception cocktail hour is the hour before the reception - where you may serve drinks, a punch maybe or a special cocktail with perhaps passed hors d'oevres or fruit and cheese platters. Some bride & grooms may not be there for the whole time because they're having photos taken of just the two of them or it maybe that they'll have their photos taken before the ceremony and then spend their whole time at the Cocktail Hour. However you really do not have to have the Cocktail Hour at all if you are watching costs. I think though it's a nice way to string out the day

You mean the Wedding Pavilion at The Grand Floridian - I really suggest that you go take a look at two sites:

http://www.yourfairytale.com/

and the Official Disney Wedding site:

http://www.disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp

Both of these will really help get you started

 

[SRUAlmn]

Hi Courtney! I just got engaged 2 weeks ago, and I am just beginning this planning process too. We were also thinking about December of 2006, but since myself and most of my family are teachers we decided to wait until Summer of 2007 so that we could have lots of time off to go and have fun and not feel rushed I'm glad you're asking these questions because I have them too. Maybe they can talk us through it together


Here is another question:
As long as you meet your minimum, can you have outside people do some of the things. My fiance has a couple friends who are professional photographers, we know we like them, we love their work, we'd love to be able to have them instead. Are we allowed to do that??

 

[twojo21]

fyi intimate weddings do not include a reception meal, just a cake cutting & champagne toast.

as for outside vendors you can use outside photographers like you mention sruaimn but for custom weddings you are charged an escort fee $90 for 3 hours & intimate weddings as they include the photography can sometimes get a credit for a honeymoon session instead but no money off the intimate price.

 

[gradtchr]

The cakes are delicious!! We had an almond cake with raspberry mousse and it was melt in your mouth delicious!

Love the Aggie shirt!! What part of the great state are you in?

 

[uktigger]

hi
does anyone know if you can pick those cake flavours (listed above)for an intimate wedding as well,i am asking because i have some papers sent through and it only lists 4 cake flavours fo the itimates please help i would love to have the carrot cake

eve

 

[TexasCourt]

Ok, here is a question....how much is an intimate wedding at WDW? Does the price change depending on your ceremony location? Also, where is the cake cutting and champagne toast? At the actual place where you have your ceremony? Additionally, I have read about many people here that have the intimate wedding having "receptions" at various locations....how much do these cost, and where can I find more info about these (such as all the locations offered). Thanks so much y'all!

Grdtchr, I am actually in College Station right now finishing up my master's degree (I graduate this May!!! GIG 'EM, AGGIES! WHOOP!!! ). I actually JUST got beck from the game at Kyle today...we beat SMU 66-8 Did you go to A&M?? What part of Texas are you from?

 

[gradtchr]

Thanks for reminding me I need to make hotel reservations for May for graduation. My little Aggie brother would be very very upset if I missed it. I'm not an actual Aggie, my uncle is, my big bro is, and my little bro is. I went to the original sister school of ATM so at least I went where there was aggie history. We watched the game today and WOW yall did great!! I live in the Dallas Metroplex.

For our intimate ceremony we did an add on as we got a better deal on a room and package that fit our needs. The cost was $2,350 for the add on but I think I have heard that the price is going up for 2006. They have also changed the package so that it does not include the officiant, and a couple of other things are different as well but I can't remember what. There are different prices for different locations the Wedding Pavillion is about $1000 more than the outdoor locations. As for the cake cutting reception it depends on what your location is as to where they will hold it. We got married at Sunset Pointe at the Polynesian and the cake cutting ceremony was right there. We did a mock cake cutting ceremony as we had dinner reservations (what we considered our actual reception) at O'Hanas right after the ceremony. Then we continued with a Wishes Cruise on the Grand One Yacht. Disney is big on if you can dream it and pay for it they can do their best to help.

If you want to have a more formal sit down dining reception I am not sure of your options but I know that it can be a possibility and your Event Manager/coordinator/whatever they are called now can help direct you in the right direction. They do not handle that but they can help you make plans for it and point you where you need to go.

 

[TexasCourt]

Does anyone know if you have an intimate reception if you can buy another cake from Disney besides the one they give you? Also, can you bring in a groom's cake from an outside source?


On another issue.....does anyone know how much a pre-cocktail runs per person? Where can you have this? Also, how much is an Illuminations Dessert Party?

Thanks Y'all,
Courtney

 

[Moonbeams]

Courtney --

Hi! I'm in the Dallas Metroplex.

Check out the Wedding Trip Reports and Wedding photo links on the first page of the Wedding & Honeymoon Forum page. That will give you an idea of the type of weddings other couples have had -- both custom and intimate. You'll get to see all the possibilities for what you can do.

Jennifer

 

[FutureAshleyDukes]

Does anyone know if you have an intimate reception if you can buy another cake from Disney besides the one they give you? Also, can you bring in a groom's cake from an outside source?


On another issue.....does anyone know how much a pre-cocktail runs per person? Where can you have this? Also, how much is an Illuminations Dessert Party?

Thanks Y'all,
Courtney

There have been brides before who have been able to upgrade their cakes, but when I was planning my intimate last May I was told no, but I think if I was to have pushed more my EM would have decided to give. Also as for the grooms cake, if you are thinking about an outside source as in outside of Disney I read in my wedding guide that Disney will say no due to health safety issues. But you could always contact a bakery on the grounds and I'm sure they'd be willing to work with you. Have fun planning!

 

[TexasCourt]

Thanks Guys,

Does anyone know how much the Illuminations dessert party would be for about 20 people?

Thanks!!
Courtney