How to incorporate Disney touches for non-WDW wedding? and other ??

[ironz]

Hi, everyone!
Basic question is as in the title...
But the background is this: I'm an older (51) first time bride (but not old, per se....I'm athletic and young at heart and no one thinks I am over 50--that avatar pic is just a few years ago). I got engaged at Christmas...yay!
Some part of me has always wanted a DFTW since I saw a wedding at Sunset Point at the Poly several years ago...it was a small wedding (what I now know to be an Escape) and Minnie and Mickey stopped by...it was adorable! I was just sitting on the beach and then all that unfolded, without fanfare, a few hundred yards away. I was mesmerized. And then, a few years ago, I read the Carrie/lurkiloo blog of awesomeness.

BUT...there are at least a couple of reasons I don't think a DFTW is in the cards for me: 1) big families on both sides, and I really want all my family there (I have 5 sibs, their spouses, 8 nieces and nephews and at least half of them have significant others) and at least my groom's closer family members--so we would be in the "Wishes" category right off the bat--I think our close family total is about 45-50 people;
2) my dear mom has mild cognitive impairment, and her status has been on an overall decline...not fast, but it's happening...over the last couple of years. For her to travel is sort of a big deal, just because of the disruption in routines, someone needing to be with her most of the time, etc. I mean, she's travelled a lot in her life, but being somewhere new is often disconcerting to her; and
3) Budget: as above, to have all my family, we're in Wishes category, not Escape. And I was unemployed a good part of last year, so I am in catch-up mode financially. Which is going to turn out fine, and I could have a great wedding as soon as this coming winter or early next year....but then reason #2 comes up....I just don't know how long I have to where mom can really have a meaningful experience that is not going to be stressful for her and those of us attending to her issues. I just don't think I can wait super long, so my groom and I are aiming for late summer/fall/early winter at the latest.

Also...I'm not sure how to ask people to go on a destination wedding, if by chance we can swing it...I think I worry too much about asking people to cough up airfare and hotel just for me. Is that weird?


So...I think the real answer is that we are going to marry locally, but I want to incorporate some Disney touches, while still keeping it elegant. Like have a Disney cake topper, and some hidden Mickeys on the cake and in the bouquets, but not over the top.

And then my other question is: if I get married locally and all that....can my honey and I go back to WDW at another time and use the Escape package for a vow renewal? Is that weird to have what is sort of 2 weddings? The practical side of me argues against it.

ugh...
sorry for the venting and stuff. I know I had a dream wedding in my head when I was younger, and then my life just went to the independent career woman side and I just didn't think about it for so long (nor had I met my Prince Charming). And now all that stuff is percolating back up through my brain and I want "the wedding" but then I have to be practical...which is sort of hard!

We did get some great unofficial engagement photos at WDW this month when we were out there for the Dopey/marathon weekend. So there's that...

Anyway...if anyone has advice, thoughts, words of encouragement, etc...I would really appreciate it!
Thanks!

 

[mb187143]

Hi, everyone! Basic question is as in the title... But the background is this: I'm an older (51) first time bride (but not old, per se....I'm athletic and young at heart and no one thinks I am over 50--that avatar pic is just a few years ago). I got engaged at Christmas...yay! Some part of me has always wanted a DFTW since I saw a wedding at Sunset Point at the Poly several years ago...it was a small wedding (what I now know to be an Escape) and Minnie and Mickey stopped by...it was adorable! I was just sitting on the beach and then all that unfolded, without fanfare, a few hundred yards away. I was mesmerized. And then, a few years ago, I read the Carrie/lurkiloo blog of awesomeness. BUT...there are at least a couple of reasons I don't think a DFTW is in the cards for me: 1) big families on both sides, and I really want all my family there (I have 5 sibs, their spouses, 8 nieces and nephews and at least half of them have significant others) and at least my groom's closer family members--so we would be in the "Wishes" category right off the bat--I think our close family total is about 45-50 people; 2) my dear mom has mild cognitive impairment, and her status has been on an overall decline...not fast, but it's happening...over the last couple of years. For her to travel is sort of a big deal, just because of the disruption in routines, someone needing to be with her most of the time, etc. I mean, she's travelled a lot in her life, but being somewhere new is often disconcerting to her; and 3) Budget: as above, to have all my family, we're in Wishes category, not Escape. And I was unemployed a good part of last year, so I am in catch-up mode financially. Which is going to turn out fine, and I could have a great wedding as soon as this coming winter or early next year....but then reason #2 comes up....I just don't know how long I have to where mom can really have a meaningful experience that is not going to be stressful for her and those of us attending to her issues. I just don't think I can wait super long, so my groom and I are aiming for late summer/fall/early winter at the latest. Also...I'm not sure how to ask people to go on a destination wedding, if by chance we can swing it...I think I worry too much about asking people to cough up airfare and hotel just for me. Is that weird? So...I think the real answer is that we are going to marry locally, but I want to incorporate some Disney touches, while still keeping it elegant. Like have a Disney cake topper, and some hidden Mickeys on the cake and in the bouquets, but not over the top. And then my other question is: if I get married locally and all that....can my honey and I go back to WDW at another time and use the Escape package for a vow renewal? Is that weird to have what is sort of 2 weddings? The practical side of me argues against it. ugh... sorry for the venting and stuff. I know I had a dream wedding in my head when I was younger, and then my life just went to the independent career woman side and I just didn't think about it for so long (nor had I met my Prince Charming). And now all that stuff is percolating back up through my brain and I want "the wedding" but then I have to be practical...which is sort of hard! We did get some great unofficial engagement photos at WDW this month when we were out there for the Dopey/marathon weekend. So there's that... Anyway...if anyone has advice, thoughts, words of encouragement, etc...I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

... So it sounds like you're pretty set on a local wedding, with some Disney touches, which is awesome. There's lots of stuff you can do - we used a precious moments cake topper for our cake, which was about $60, so very affordable. If you want the white chocolate castle cake topper like you see on lots of DFTW cakes, you can order it from impressions by Shelley - she makes them and will ship them frozen.

Decor is actually not too hard either - you could go very subtle, thinks like a Mickey head charm in your bouquet or some castle shaped confetti on your tables as part of your centerpieces. I've seen that at michaels and other craft stores.

Music - there's an entire instrumental album I disney love songs available on iTunes that you could use as part of your ceremony or cocktail hour. You could do a Disney song for some of your dances (first dance, father/daughter, mother/son, etc).

There are lots of cake pictures here that could have design elements that local bakeries could replicate.

There's also a whole host of weddig stationary available online through michaels that is Disney related.

You can absolutely come to Disney and do an escape or memories collection vow renewal for just the two of you or a small group of family. There are also lots of options at the swan and dolphin. You can't go wrong any which way really.

 

[lurkyloo]

We've had many stories here of people who had at-home weddings and then did vow renewals at Disney—either right after, or years later. Sometimes it's just them re-eloping ("reloping"?) to WDW, and sometimes their friends and family come too!

A home wedding with Disney touches will be fabulous, but I don't think you should feel weird about inviting people to a destination wedding. Unless everyone in both families lives in the same town, every wedding's a destination wedding for somebody! I'd just hate for you to feel like you were giving up on your dream.

 

[aristocatz]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!!!

I think, by browsing around on this board, you are going to find tons of ideas on things to incorporate into your wedding to give it that Disney touch.

What you should do is browse around the planning journals & trip reports and get some ideas for cakes & cake toppers, table numbers (we used vintage WDW poster attractions), music, maybe some hidden Mickeys for your hair &/or flowers, programs, menus, Save the Date cards, Invites, etc....you are going to find tons of ideas that can certainly be incorporated into any wedding.

You might want to also consider posting a planning journal of your own. People on here are very helpful in giving ideas and advice.

Good luck!!!

 

[ironz]

We've had many stories here of people who had at-home weddings and then did vow renewals at Disney—either right after, or years later. Sometimes it's just them re-eloping ("reloping"?) to WDW, and sometimes their friends and family come too!

A home wedding with Disney touches will be fabulous, but I don't think you should feel weird about inviting people to a destination wedding. Unless everyone in both families lives in the same town, every wedding's a destination wedding for somebody! I'd just hate for you to feel like you were giving up on your dream.

Thanks, everyone!!!

most of my family and a good part of my grooms, and most of our friends are local. Just a few friends and a few members of his family would be travelling.

I think, if for some reason we can pull off the DFTW, then we could let guests know that their presence is their gift, so that helps any financial pressure.
I'll keep crunching numbers.... and finish reading Carrie's book!

MB187143, I do have that Disney album... Forgot about it, but that is perfect!

 

[aristocatz]

Thanks, everyone!!!

most of my family and a good part of my grooms, and most of our friends are local. Just a few friends and a few members of his family would be travelling.

I think, if for some reason we can pull off the DFTW, then we could let guests know that their presence is their gift, so that helps any financial pressure.
I'll keep crunching numbers.... and finish reading Carrie's book!

MB187143, I do have that Disney album... Forgot about it, but that is perfect!

If you are reconsidering a wedding in WDW, you should look into the non-DFTW options, that might be much more affordable for you-Swan weddings, weddings in DTD, wedding at the Coronado Springs resort.

 

[Disney_Alli]

A year or two ago I read an EXCELLENT PJ about an at home wedding with lots of Disney touches... the bride and groom were a young couple (19 & 21 maybe) but they had tons of awesome ideas. Let me see if I can find the PJ and figure out how to post a link.

ETA:

So I can't find the same one I read a couple of years ago maybe it has been deleted but anyway in going through 15 pages of PJs I saw lots of at home weddings that should hopefully have some great ideas for you. HTH

 

[justlook3]

Congratulations! Lots of people (including myself) have had vow renewals at Disney World, so that's certainly an option if you wanted to look into that for the future.
Chip and Co had an article today about adding Disney touches to your wedding. It's pretty broad but maybe it'll give you some ideas.

 

[ironz]

Thank you, everyone....
The person in me who believes in magic really thought, with crunching numbers and having all that worked out would make it work. And budget isn't as much an issue as time.

But then I talked to the future MIL yesterday and she is wary of flying because of some personal issues that have come up for her related to travel in the last year or so. And my mom is having a more confused day. I just can't make these two travel, and I want my moms at my wedding.

So...I WILL read through the PJs and find the best way to make it a Disney wedding and then I'll see if my honey will go back (maybe with some family members who would be more able to go and get a kick out of it) and have a vow renewal. At least it feels better to have that option.

Thanks....I needed a place to sort this out with objective (albeit pro-WDW) people. My sisters are sort of helpful, and I don't have a best girlfriend to talk to. All my friends have been married for years or in a few cases, are divorced....they're not too interested in wedding talk.

 

[cheerbearsmiles]

Hubby and I eloped to Disney without any family members (we were in the same boat as you--if we wanted everyone to be there, we'd be up in a Wishes category wedding and we just couldn't afford that or ask the families to travel) and then had an at-home Disney wedding three months later. We wanted there to be Disney touches, but didn't want to be all up-in-your-face Disney, so we mainly used a lot of colors and Mickey heads. Here's a link to an album of pictures from the wedding: http://imgur.com/a/DfZA5

We used Mickey Mouse colors (red, yellow, black, and white), had little Mickey heads on our cake (which is basically a condensed Swiss dot pattern--very easy). We had bride and groom ear hats as decoration on our guest book table, we used custom-painted Vinylmations as our cake topper, and I reused the Swarovski Mickey crystals from my Disney bouquet.

It's very easy to have a simple, understated Disney wedding, if that's what you're going for

 

[ironz]

Amy, thanks!
Nice photos!

I think we are going to do the opposite: our real wedding for the family and friends at home, then go do a vow renewal later.
But with Disney touches at both.

I like the red/yellow...very clever!
There will be some crystal Mickeys somewhere around. And probably something on the cake...either castle-y or hidden Mickeys.
I don't even know colors or anything yet. Finding the right venue and date (it's getting narrowed down!) and going from there....

It's all good. I appreciate this board for letting me vent/be confused for a bit. I think it helped to at least get some of that out, rather than turning it over and over in my head and trying to fix something that is not fixable.

 

[melissalee]

I got married at home in New Orleans. But we had to bring a little Disney!

[/URL][/IMG] Can you find the hidden Mickey?
Also all my bridesmaids had the Disney Maiden dress.

[/URL][/IMG] I had the Jasmine dress.