Is it possible to have an Escape wedding under $10,000?

[EllaDisney]

I am FREAKING out here!!!!!

 

[orangetiggs]

i thought escape weddings start at about $4000 or something like that for nearly everything you need except a meal, I'm planning a wishes wedding and I know the min is $10k for that one

 

[purplegirl247]

If you kept it very basic, and didn't go over the top with add-ons, then yes, you definitely can. We got married in April (when the intimate weddings started at $3k, by the way), had the MK photo shoot in front of the castle ($800), an outside photographer ($700, I think?), and came out a little bit over $5k. There's a few threads that talk about wedding budgets and stuff: do a search for "cost" and see what comes up.

GL!

 

[EllaDisney]

Well we're getting the 2007 deal for an intimate which starts at $2950, but I keep reading about people saying '$10,000 minimum' and I keep getting worried

 

[B2B-2008]

I was going to do a Escape wedding but with all the extras we wanted we were hitting the $10,000 mark without any food or a firework cruise so we have decided the change it to a custom and make it a little bit more personal.

 

[Maggimus]

Well we're getting the 2007 deal for an intimate which starts at $2950, but I keep reading about people saying '$10,000 minimum' and I keep getting worried

10,000 minimum is for custom weddings-- the bigger ones. You are doing the smaller intimate (escape) wedding which is $3,000.... you can get by with spending just that.

We paid the regular fee for intimate... and had mickey and minnie there (another $1,000) and an outside photographer ($700) and that was it! At the time that ran us just over $4,000.... but you dont have to have all of that stuff either. (that price isnt including airfare, park tickets, or your lodging).

DEFINITELY 100% doable... as a matter of fact if you go over $10,000 you need to probobly switch to the custom. I think you just had the two confused!

 

[EllaDisney]

I'm feeling alot better. Because even with our travel expenses, we're coming out at $3500. I was getting scared about what expenses were going to be 'thrown' at me after the contract was signed and sent, know what I mean?

 

[luv4mylittleones]

Right now we're estimating that the WP with floral, Mickey, and a dessert party will run us about $7,000. After we add our videography, photography, tea, welcome dinner, and reception dinner we'll be just over the $10,000 mark. With attire, accessories, gifts, travel, and hotel/tickets we're looking at closer to $18,00. The number keeps getting bigger and bigger...I'm just hoping I can keep it under that...ugh!

 

[Ember]

It should be possible. I did a custom wedding for under $11 k (including the dessert party and Magic Kingdom photos). You just have to go into planning with a budget and stick to it.

 

[lurkyloo]

This is the problem we're having right now. Once you figure in all the non-Disney stuff that goes with any wedding, I'm not sure it's possible to do an Escape for less than $10,000. Sure, your bill to Disney may be $4,000 or $5,000 with extras, but when you figure the dinner, your dress, tuxes, the officiant, the license, rooms and travel expenses (if you don't live in Florida)...it really adds up! And then you start saying to yourself, "Well, gee, I could have a Wishes wedding for this price....!"

 

[imnotaprincess]

It should be possible. I did a custom wedding for under $11 k (including the dessert party and Magic Kingdom photos). You just have to go into planning with a budget and stick to it.

I give you credit for that! Care to tell us how you did it?

 

[EllaDisney]

I know I can do it for under $5,000! Crossing my fingers!

 

[Ember]

I give you credit for that! Care to tell us how you did it?

Well, that didn't include travel - just the cheque we wrote to Disney Weddings. We kept things small (25 people total including us), I cut and cut when I got the BEO, I didn't have corsages or bouts, I used my bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces, there were only three tables to have to decorate which helped save $$, we only spent the minimum food and drink on each guest (which included the pre-reception of fruit, the reception afternoon tea and the dessert party)... Our big splurge was having the string quartet, but they did the ceremony and reception and it really made everything seem elegant. When the final BEO came we were actually under the $10 k minimum and I had to add my favors to meet it. (Because the minimum doesn't include the MK photos.)

Oh! And that's not including Karla Fountain for photography - so technically the wedding was about $14 k. (I always forget about that because she was the only outside vendor we used! Sorry!! )

 

[orangetiggs]

ember- you are my inspiration now, we want to keep our wedding to the min and we have around 25 as well. did you have a full meal?? how much was your food min?? we are looking at ariels and then the dessert party. Was your cake expensive??

Are you going to do a trip report about it all?

 

[jodeeluvsdisney]

This is the problem we're having right now. Once you figure in all the non-Disney stuff that goes with any wedding, I'm not sure it's possible to do an Escape for less than $10,000. Sure, your bill to Disney may be $4,000 or $5,000 with extras, but when you figure the dinner, your dress, tuxes, the officiant, the license, rooms and travel expenses (if you don't live in Florida)...it really adds up! And then you start saying to yourself, "Well, gee, I could have a Wishes wedding for this price....!"

You said exactly what I was thinking! For us Escape brides for '08, it is 4k just for the bare minimum and then everything else that is adding up...especially lodging...etc. And we're not doing a dessert party at this point and we're not doing an MK photo shoot, and we're not having Mickey and Minnie...we cannot afford it! Yet, with everything we still have to buy, I am sure we will be right around 10K. I guess it can be done, but Good Luck!

 

[EllaDisney]

Wow! I really, really, really gotta keep it under my budget because my parents are paying and I think my dad would DIE if I would spend that much!

 

[Ember]

ember- you are my inspiration now, we want to keep our wedding to the min and we have around 25 as well. did you have a full meal?? how much was your food min?? we are looking at ariels and then the dessert party. Was your cake expensive??

Are you going to do a trip report about it all?

I don't think I'm a trip report kind of girl.... But if you PM me your email I can track down my BEO and send it to you so you can have a look at what I got and what I paid for it. Also keep in mind my contract was signed in 2006 so I was paying those prices.

 

[TinkerFairy]

Right now we're sitting at just under 6k for our Escape, that is with the MK photos.

Everyone is on the dining plan, and we're just doing a lunch down there as a group afterwards.

Having a huge reception back home, to the tune of close to 300 people, I didn't really mind not doing a big deal meal down there. That's us though, we're pretty laid back, and didn't want a big deal, the Disney atmosphere was enough for us.