How & Why You Chose Your Ceremony/Reception Locations

[lock3130]

Hi Everyone:

My fiance and I are having a hard time deciding on a site for our ceremony. (We are having a Wishes ceremony). We are thinking that we should probably do a site visit but I wanted to know how you chose your locations.


What was your favorite thing about your choice?
Are you happy w/ your choice?
What was your least favorite thing?

Thanks!

 

[KStarfish82]

We are having ours this July at the Yacht Club Gazebo.

I knew it was the location because...

1. It was $1000 cheaper than the WP
2. It was outside
3. It was closest to my reception site (Ariel)
4. It just felt right when I stood there

I'm happy with it as of now...I'll have to let you know after the ceremony if I was pleased

The only thing that I foresee being an issues is the heat because it will be July!

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

We actually had a tough time with this, too. Our sales coordinator originally suggested a wedding in Germany (where we met), a reception in France (our first official "date") and a DP in Italy (one of the places we've visited together). I love the sentimentality of the idea, but when we did our site visit, I walked into the WP and was instantly sad! I LOVED it and knew that by saying "yes" to the World theme, I was saying "no" to this beautiful location.

So, we changed our mind. The next issue was the reception site. I don't like ballrooms (I admit they can be beautiful, but you have to do a lot to spruce them up), and our SC showed us the Whitehall Room and Patio, so we went with that.

In the end, we outgrew that location, so we had another decision. We considered all the other options, but in the end went with Narcoossee's.

So, in summary:

Ceremony: Wedding Pavilion
Why: iconic for a Disney Wedding. Beautiful setting. Love the castle view!
Likes: natural beauty (no need to dress it up), AV setup (easy for video and music), location next to GF (makes it easy to get ready there, plenty of reception choices, easy access to monorail), NO RAIN/COLD WEATHER BACKUP REQUIRED (it was beautiful the day of the wedding, but a couple days before was FREEZING, so this is really important)
Dislikes: I guess the only thing I could say is that so many people do it...but my guests didn't realize that.

Reception: Narcoossee's
Why: Location at GF, beautiful view, not a ballroom
Likes: the setting across from the MK is gorgeous, and having to move through the GF to get to it sets up a nice ambience. Also (and didn't know this), Cindy's coach took us ALL the way up to the front door, which I don't think is possible with all reception sites. The lighting outside and the views from the docks made for great pictures.
Dislikes: must use restaurant tables and chairs (the tables were no problem, because I covered them and arranged them like squares, but the chairs aren't as pretty as slip covered chairs). Not much space for dancing (this was not a big deal for us, because we had an early wedding and lots of families with kiddos that needed naps, but there definitely was room to dance on the upper level, so it would have worked)

 

[PrincessTakesAPrince]

Thank you for posting this, we are in the same boat and are so confused on where to have the ceremony! I feel like we have everything all set except for the ceremony (the most important part!) I'm look forward to reading more responses. Just found this board and it's GREAT!

 

[MegKate]

Ceremony

We decided on Seabreeze Point. We really want a New England vibe to the wedding and a gazebo on the waterway is extremely New England. (As to why we want New England.. I was born in Massachusetts, he was born in New Hampshire and we live in Maine. How much more NE can you get?! LOL). I know that the Yacht Club is technically the New England themed resort, but I didn't like where their gazebo was located. I felt like I was on display with all the porches over me.

Reception

We originally did Boardwalk Ballroom for our reception. We only chose it for its proximity to our ceremony location. Then, another DISBride, Linda had her reception at the Atlantic Dance Hall. The pictures were just amazing!! So we were lucky enough to be able to switch to ADH from the ballroom. My favorite things about ADH are the ambience, the size, and the ability to get there by boat! (How cool will that be?!) Something Heidi touched on is that in the ADH (or similar locations), you really don't have to spend much to jazz it up. You've got a lot to decorate in a ballroom.

I'll let you know what I don't like if anything..

 

[ColeV]

The first decision that was made for me was that it wasn't going to be in the parks because we wanted an outside photographer. For the ceremony location we choose SBP. It was open and airy and has a gorgeous view. Neither of us was fond of the chapel look and we're having more than 30 people, so choices were limited anyway!
The reception started out as ADH, but we weren't going to have enough people to "fill" the space and the food/drink minimum was going to be too much for us. We didn't want the guests to have to travel too far, so it was either the Boardwalk Ballrooms or Ariels. We wanted a place with some built-in character, so we choose Ariels.
Once you've decided on one of the locations, logistics can be a good way to think about the other. I didn't want to load everyone on a bus or have them sitting in a hotel for two hours waiting. The Boardwalk offers plenty of entertainment while they wait, but the walk is short!

 

[adisneygal]

We chose Italy Courtyard because I love World Showcase and we thought it was the most suited for my dress....LOL Well that or France which we had first until Df said that he didn't like it. Which is fine because I liked Italy better anyways.

We were gonna have the reception at Italy Isola but we couldn't have our own music so we went with the Attic cause it's adorable. At my PS we got to go up there and the view is amazing so it sealed the deal.

 

[Bride-to-be]

I think tiggerrifficheidi did it the easiest way. If you can get down for a site visit and just look a number of options and see what feels right - I think thats the best.

Considering how undecided we are I don't think I should be giving any advice. We are hoping to get down for a site visit soon and hopefully after everything will fall into place.

If you can't get down for a site visit then I would just start looking through everyones TRs and see which pictures you like the most.

 

[not_Joanna_eggs]

Ceremony

For us, potential weather was the biggest factor. Though we're from the "Frozen Tundra" and used to the cold, for whatever reason when we go to Florida in the winter time we tend to bring record low temps with us

I really did not like the idea of the WP, and wanted my wedding in France at the WS. However, a 9 am ceremony just woudn't have been good for us, since neither of us are morning people. So I started looking at the other locations, and just couldn't get over the outside factor. I am a total planning freak so a last minute change would just throw me, and I don't like the concept of a ball-room wedding (though they can be pretty - just not for me) So that narrowed or choice down to basically the WP.

When we went to the site visit (I agree with some of the above, if you can get down there to look at the sites - do so, cuz the pictures don't do them justice.) I really came to peace with the WP. It is quite beautiful. It is more expensive, but it comes with the sound and organist - which would be extras at other locations...

Reception -

Again I said no to a ballroom, which narrowed our choices down. We were looking originally for something in Epcot - WS, but we were really left with outdoor choices, which I just couldn't bring myself to do. I liked the LSS, but it didn't seem to go with our "funky elegance" theme. Plus I kinda wanted an outside photographer and I didn't want to subject my guests to a long bus ride between reception and ceremony. So I started looking in the MK area and decided on the CG. We're using both rooms, one for pre-reception, one for reception. We really settled on this because of the view and the menu. I know many people don't like the CG menus becuase you can't change them, but that actually worked well for us, as we both really liked the menus offered.

And as an added benefit of this situation, we might be able to eliminate the bus I was worried about and treat our guests to a boat-ride accross the lagoon.

I think in the end the way that worked for me was deciding what I didn't want (ballrooms, outdoor locations) and what was important to me (treating our guests to a unique experience, the 'feel' of the location) and that helped me narrow down to be best choices for me.

Happy planning!

 

[lurkyloo]

For us, there was no point in traveling across the country to get married at WDW unless it was in a park, since in most cities you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a ballroom, a gazebo, or a chapel.

We felt the Morocco Pavilion was the most beautiful Epcot location and the most striking in pictures, and we loved that it is unique. (I mean, unless you get married standing in the middle of a crowded street in real Morocco).

I wasn't sure we were going to like the Attic b/c it is often described as "cottage-y" and "shabby chic," but when we saw it, it was filled with light, had a great indoor/outdoor feel, and had that amazing view.

 

[PirateBride08]

We were married in the Wedding Pavilion. I liked Sea Breeze Pointe but wasn't sure how many guests we were going to end up with and didn't want to be squished. I also didn't want to risk the rain.

Reception was a little harder. We originally had the Atlantic Dance Hall booked but just before we went to contract, ESPN rented it out for 2 weeks so we were bumped. I was really upset about this because I did NOT want a ballroom reception. I didn't want to leave the Boardwalk area though so we ended up with a ballroom and it was perfect! The staff was great and the room was gorgeous.

 

[kcampbell]

I was fortunate in that I knew from the get-go if I was to be married in WDW it'd be @ the BW and SBP. It's just our taste, style, and I'm a BW girl. Owned DVC there since the resort opened and just adore the architecture, decor, and atmosphere. And (NO offense to ANYONE) I personally don't care at all for the WP-- it's too cliche for me. (Even though they do beautiful weddings there) So even though I was set with SBP for the ceremony and wanted The Attic for the Farewell Brunch; I was clueless about the Rehearsal Dinner and reception. Then we went on a site visit with my mom, DH's mom, and my 2 MOH's.....

For the Rehearsal Dinner I LOVED Italy, but DH thought we'd be "on display" and he didn't like that. (Italy was out) Then I saw the Dish Room on the 3rd floor of American Adventure and LOVED that, but you can't see Illuminations from there and I didn't want everyone shlepping (?sp) out to try and "grab a viewing locale". (I crossed that off the list) DH's mom adored BC, Ariel's and Martha's Vineyard Lounge (it's adjacent to Ariel's and reminded her of her deceased mom b/c of all the stained glass Tiffany-esque lamps since she was a reknowned stain glass artist)--But DH's mom loved Ariel's too-- I mean wanted to get a Jimmy Buffet-esque guitarist/singer, have a champagne toast on the beach and the whole nine yards, but DH and I aren't beach people. We live 5 minutes from one and NEVER go. DH's mom was kinda set, but Heidi (my WC) saw how unhappy I was with her choice and how much I didn't want it and decided we should go look at The Attic again and promised we could find somewhere else for the Brunch. The Attic was an absolute hit and DH's mom could still get her Champagne toast with Illuminations. That's what we went with and I will never regret it! Our entire guest list was invited to the dinner (we only had 50 people) so the Attic was cozy, laid back, and we all had a spectacular view of the aerial Fireworks of Illuminations. (I also compromised w/ DH's mom about the BC and had a "Welcome Cocktail hour" on Thursday evening for those who were in town at Martha's Vineyard Lounge as an homage to DH's grandma) Everything worked out in the end.

For the cocktail hour and reception, I opted to go with the St. James Room and patio (for cocktails) and the West Promenade Ballroom @ the BW. I loved that everything that day took place at the BW b/c the majority of our guests stayed there. And since it was an "Adults Only" reception parents could take the kids to the babysitters in their rooms (Kids Night Out) and not miss much of cocktail hour. We had asked about ADH initially, but our guest list was too small. If I was having 200 people then I'd have gone with that, but for only 50 it would've been ridiculous!

Heidi did point us in the right direction for our Farewell Brunch. Since everything with the wedding up to Sunday had been BW and "non-Disney" we decided the brunch should be "Distinctly Disney" and used Whitehall room and patio @ GF. It was awesome because it was what we wanted! The Castle is in the background, the monorail goes right by the patio, and we decked out the room in Disney decor. Mickey balloons from MK, Mickey confetti all over, bright colored linens, beanies, and old family pics of DH and I from WDW when we were growing up. And yes, even though I had originally said no b/c I thought the $$ was ridiculous, my mom and Ken (our WP) totally surprised me by having Goofy show up. (They kept it off ALL the contracts, BEO's, and budgets--sneaky, sneaky!) I think Goofy was there for the adults just as much as the kids! It was everything I wanted and could've asked for.

Sorry this got so long, but those are my reasons for our choices. Most importantly for your wedding, try to do a site visit if you can b/c it gives you a whole different perspective on the locations and select what feels the best for YOU and your DF. After all, it's YOUR Day!!
Good Luck and have fun...it all goes by so much faster than you imagine.

 

[dhay]

We knew we wanted to get married outside and while SBP looks like a gazebo you can find anywhere, the views of the Boardwalk and the energy it has it what we love. The Boardwalk and Epcot have always been our fav, and SBP is where DH proposed so it had a nice circlular feel. I was surprised I actually wanted a wedding so I refused to have an indoor wedding and anythign that resembled a ballroom in any way shape or form. I feel that unless you can afford thousands and thousands in lighting and drapery, a ballroom is a ballroom is a ballroom, so why get married at Disney then. It just was not my taste.

We had an escape wedding so we just rented the private room at Victoria and Albert's. It had a fireplace and a really private feel, and the china and linens are not my taste, the food is excellent and it was where we ate the night we were engaged. A lot of family was flying in so we wanted to thank everyone by treating them to a fancy nice meal. That was our one big splurge. And the meal did not disappoint!

We wanted a wedding at Disney, but we did not want a Disney wedding if that makes sense. And even though we did a basic escape, every guest said it was one of the nices most extravagant weddings and ceremonies they had ever been to so no matter what you choose, Disney does it right!

 

[dhay]

PS- we had a "welcome dinner" (since we had 18 guests there was not much to rehearse!) at Citricos. We paid for our wedding and were not going to do one, but my father wanted everyone to meet before so he treated for this.

The meal there was really good so I would reccomend them as well!

 

[Janell]

Our ceremony was at the WP. I originally wanted Sea Breeze Point, but with the wedding in May, we did want our guest to melt. lol So we went with the WP and I was glad we did. I sweating like a stuff pig during a photo shoot at the GF, before the wedding. But with some quick blotting I was ready to walk down the isle in no time. lol Just don't let them rush you, they said okay lets go and my friend said no, she's not ready yet. I was just so excited I wanted to go. lol Glad she stopped me, because the photos came out better.

Reception was at Living Seas. My husband wanted a room that was just us and our guest, no one walking by and I didn't want a ballroom. We choose LS over any other sites, because our first date was at an Aquarium and we though it was fitting. Glad we choose that location, it was great.

 

[kcampbell]

Our ceremony was at the WP. I originally wanted Sea Breeze Point, but with the wedding in May, we did want our guest to melt. lol So we went with the WP and I was glad we did. I sweating like a stuff pig during a photo shoot at the GF, before the wedding. But with some quick blotting I was ready to walk down the isle in no time. lol Just don't let them rush you, they said okay lets go and my friend said no, she's not ready yet. I was just so excited I wanted to go. lol Glad she stopped me, because the photos came out better.

Reception was at Living Seas. My husband wanted a room that was just us and our guest, no one walking by and I didn't want a ballroom. We choose LS over any other sites, because our first date was at an Aquarium and we though it was fitting. Glad we choose that location, it was great.

I bet your DH, the groomsmen, and guests were happy about being indoors @ WP and not out on the BW! After all, it gets HOT, sticky, and sweaty down here from like April- October, so you definitely were smart!

 

[KSchwagg86]

subscribing

 

[Janell]

I bet your DH, the groomsmen, and guests were happy about being indoors @ WP and not out on the BW! After all, it gets HOT, sticky, and sweaty down here from like April- October, so you definitely were smart!

Oh yeah and I was too. Sea Breeze is the only site I saw before the wedding, which is why I think I was leaning towards it. lol But was thankful the day of the wedding that we were at WP for the AC. Now looking back, I love the WP, because it is just so beautiful. Photos don't do it justice.

 

[OceanGdss]

We chose SBP for our ceremony right from the start. We never even considered other locations. DH and I are Epcot/BW people, so SBP was always where we said we wanted to get married. It was a beautiful location, beautiful atmostphere, and private enough for us. (Plus it had views of the Swan/Dolphin, which I personally have never liked, but DH is a huge fan of lol).


For the reception we originally were going to use a ballroom at the BW, and I was set on it. For some reason though, everytime we walked through the BC I would stop at the gates of Ariel's and just marvel at the interior and decor, never dreaming we could have our wedding reception there. Then one day, after we started planning a ballroom reception, DH and I were at the BC and sure enough, we walked by Ariel's (on our way to our favorite restaurant Beaches n Cream!) and as I stopped to admire it, DH said to me 'Why don't we have our reception here?', and the rest is history It is a beautiful location and has so much character. We loved it!

 

[KSchwagg86]

any others?