apainterxx44
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
LOVE your pictures! Seriously you look so beautiful.
I love the one of you and your mom!
I love the one of you and your mom!
Lauren & George's Wishes Wedding- 12.01/16- WP/Attic *Updated 11/06: TR Day 6!
- Thread starter Lauren1027
- Start date
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Thank you!!!
Yay!!! Welcome back to the DIS! lol. I totally agree about liking Cricket's photos now more than when she was DFAP. She's got all the creative freedom she wants now and I think that really shines. I'm sure the more Disney weddings she does on her own now will only make her pictures more and more amazing. And thank you so much! Having great details throughout the day were very important to me
I'm glad that they didn't go un-noticed.
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Thank you!
Thanks Amanda!!! You are too sweet <3 I don't have ANY good pictures with my mom since I was a baby so I'm so, so happy to have some great ones with her from the wedding day. I will cherish them forever.
Seia
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2013
Your photos are so beautiful!!! I don't know if I can pick a favorite, but I love the monorail shot and ALL of the AbracadaBar ones. Your bridal portraits are stunning. Your Minnie clutch really stands out, too. Such a nice detail.
I can't wait to see more of your TR!
I can't wait to see more of your TR!
NoOrdinaryPrincess
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
I just read through your entire planning journal. Everything looks fantastic!
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Thank you so much! I'm very, very happy with our pictures <3 Especially now that we have them all. There's no way I could ever pick just one favorite, but the monorail ones are pretty awesome and I love pretty much any of the ones with the Mickey balloons! I'm obsessed with my Minnie clutch and happy that I went with something that wasn't bridal-y so that I can use it again
I have the rest of my pictures in now so I'll start on my TR soon!Thanks so much! Kudos to you for making it to the end! Haha.
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Rehearsal Day- November 30th
Happy New Year, everyone! Well, the time has come and I am finally ready to start my trip report! We got all of our wedding photos from Cricket last Friday and I've had time to gawk over them a few dozen times, so I think I'm ready to begin this trippy! This first installment, which is the day of our rehearsal (the day before the wedding) will sadly have an extreme lack of pictures because I was stressed out and a bad DISer, but don't worry, I'll have a ridiculous amount for our wedding day recap! As all of you know by now, George and I are local, so I don't really need to rehash the days leading up the wedding since they were mostly spent doing household chores and running last-minute wedding-related errands. We checked into Disney the day before our wedding, so that's where I'll start.
Wednesday, November 30th was the day of our wedding rehearsal, as well as the day we checked into the Boardwalk. We woke up early that morning to get my car all packed up and were out the door by 10AM so we could try and get an early check-in. We got to the Boardwalk somewhere around 11:30 and I dropped George off at the lobby to check-in while I waited in the car. It took forever for him to check-in and I was just sitting there in the car for a good 30-40 minutes. When he finally showed up, we got the bellhop to help us take everything out of our car, which was completely packed, and brought to bell services since our room wasn't ready yet. We were getting pretty hungry, but since there are no quick-service restaurants at the Boardwalk, we decided to drive over to Firehouse Subs for lunch. My best friend Meghan had arrived the night before and wanted to meet up for lunch with us so we picked her up (and my sister was with her) and went out to eat. It was so great having my bestie and sister at Disney with me!!! Everything was finally starting to feel real.
By the time we finished up with lunch and dropped Meghan and my sister off at Pop (where they were staying), we got the text that our room was ready so we headed back to the Boardwalk. We were supposed to meet up with our planner, Kristie, at 1:30 to go to the Attic so we could figure out how everything would be set up for the reception so we quickly went up to our room to drop all our bags off, and then meet Kristie at the Attic. Well, turns out the room we got was right NEXT to the Attic. Like literally 10 feet away. It was so nice and convenient, although a super far walk from the lobby. When we walked into our room, I was absolutely floored by how huge it was, but I didn't have time to explore because Kristie was walking up right behind us to show us into the Attic. This was our first time getting back into the Attic since our site visit a whole year back and it was so nice being back in that space. Its seriously gorgeous and we could not have picked a better venue. We went over where we would set up our iPod and speakers (since we brought our own) and where our dances would take place, along with some other wedding-day details. After going over everything, we quickly went back to the room to change and then it was off to our rehearsal at the Wedding Pavilion!
As we drove to the Grand Floridian for our rehearsal, it had started to look very overcast. I was a little panicked, but fine, rain as much as you like the day of the rehearsal, just leave my wedding day alone! When we pulled up to the Pavilion, we were surprisingly the last ones there! I thought for sure tons of people would get lost and be late, but most of our guests had arrived early so that was awesome. Kristie was already going over details with my mom, and when we walked up, everyone started clapping for us. I immediately got super embarrassed. I don't remember much about the rehearsal because it had started to rain and I was pretty much trying not to trip on the slippery pavement (glad I didn't wear heels like I had planned)! I know Kristie went over everything the first time with us and we were all pretty derpy about what we were supposed to do. I wanted to do a quick run-through of the ceremony with our officiant, Jeff, since this was his first time officiating a wedding. He did GREAT and a huge wave of relief washed over me, since I was a little nervous about our last-minute switch in officiants. The second run-through of the rehearsal went a lot smoother, but it was raining a little harder at this point so we rushed through it so we could get into the Wedding Pavilion, where it was nice and dry. Kristie answered any questions we had about the wedding and then she was on her way and I wouldn't see her again until the morning of the wedding! Our group stuck around for a little longer and we took some pictures inside the Pavilion.
Bridesmaids and I
Bridesmaids, moms, and grandmas <3
When the rain let up, we headed out to our cars. We still had a couple of hours before our rehearsal dinner, so we invited everyone back to our hotel room since we have plenty of space and so everyone knew how to get to the Attic the next day. We made it back to the Boardwalk and up to our room and hung out there for a little bit until 4PM when Abracadabar opened, then everyone headed down there for a drink. I needed a few minutes alone to decompress from the rehearsal so I stayed back and had that huge, gorgeous room to myself. I wish I would have taken pictures of the room, but the lighting was bad since it was dark and rainy outside so I settled for a video instead. I'm not sure how to link it here, though, so here's some pictures I stole from the Disney website! We stayed in a one-bedroom villa and it was newly renovated and absolutely beautiful. When you come into the room, there is a small entryway that leads into the main living area/kitchenette. The living room had a couch, several chairs, a huge TV, and balcony. The living room is open to the kitchen, we had a full-size fridge, oven, sink and dishwasher, and all the cooking utensils and dinnerware. We also had a huge split-bathroom, with shower, toilet and sink, and the other half opened up to a jet bathtub, another set of sinks, and a huge walk-in closet. That part of the bathroom opened up to the bedroom, which had the comfiest King bed I've ever slept in and another balcony. I seriously could have lived in that amazing room!
Obsessed with that light fixture!
Also in love with those boardwalk prints above the bed
After making an Instagram story of our room, I decided I did want a drink afterall and went down to the Boardwalk to meet up with the rest of the group at Abracadabar. Holy crap is that place awesome! The details, the theming...just gorgeous. I made a mental note that I really wanted to take pictures there after our reception. I forgot what the name of my drink was called, but it came in two cups and when I mixed the liquor into the drink, it changed colors. It was super delicious.
After our much-needed drinks, it was time to start heading to our rehearsal dinner, which was off-property at an Italian restaurant called Buca di Beppo. Our group consisted of myself and George, my mom, dad, sister, grandma, uncle, and best friend Meghan, George's mom, dad, step mom, 2 brothers, sister, sister-in-law, and grandma. We got a private room in the restaurant and a catered menu that consisted of two kinds of salads, spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo, chicken parmesan, and cheesecake for dessert. It was a super fun night and it was amazing seeing everyone from both sides of our families getting to know each other. I only have one picture because I really just wanted to spend my time enjoying everyone's company.
After dinner, George went back to our house to feed and hang out with our dogs for a bit, while I rode back to the Boardwalk with my sister and Meghan (stopping at Publix on the way to get some breakfast and snacks for the next morning). When I got back to the room, there was a lovely surprise waiting for me from one of my Disney bride friends that I met through Facebook. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture that I teared up. I seriously can't tell you how grateful I am to be part of this amazing community of women.
I relaxed on the balcony in solitude for a little while until George got back and then we exchanged wedding gifts. I forgot to take pictures, but I got him a Death Trooper helmet (he's big into Star Wars collectibles) and he got me a Cinderella Castle Pandora charm and AMAZING Darth Vader Irregular Choice shoes. We then took a short walk on the Boardwalk together to decompress a little before heading to bed. We went to bed around midnight and there ends my last day as a single lady! Stay tuned for the wedding day next! Ahhh!
https://flic.kr/p/QPQomN
Happy New Year, everyone! Well, the time has come and I am finally ready to start my trip report! We got all of our wedding photos from Cricket last Friday and I've had time to gawk over them a few dozen times, so I think I'm ready to begin this trippy! This first installment, which is the day of our rehearsal (the day before the wedding) will sadly have an extreme lack of pictures because I was stressed out and a bad DISer, but don't worry, I'll have a ridiculous amount for our wedding day recap! As all of you know by now, George and I are local, so I don't really need to rehash the days leading up the wedding since they were mostly spent doing household chores and running last-minute wedding-related errands. We checked into Disney the day before our wedding, so that's where I'll start.
Wednesday, November 30th was the day of our wedding rehearsal, as well as the day we checked into the Boardwalk. We woke up early that morning to get my car all packed up and were out the door by 10AM so we could try and get an early check-in. We got to the Boardwalk somewhere around 11:30 and I dropped George off at the lobby to check-in while I waited in the car. It took forever for him to check-in and I was just sitting there in the car for a good 30-40 minutes. When he finally showed up, we got the bellhop to help us take everything out of our car, which was completely packed, and brought to bell services since our room wasn't ready yet. We were getting pretty hungry, but since there are no quick-service restaurants at the Boardwalk, we decided to drive over to Firehouse Subs for lunch. My best friend Meghan had arrived the night before and wanted to meet up for lunch with us so we picked her up (and my sister was with her) and went out to eat. It was so great having my bestie and sister at Disney with me!!! Everything was finally starting to feel real.
By the time we finished up with lunch and dropped Meghan and my sister off at Pop (where they were staying), we got the text that our room was ready so we headed back to the Boardwalk. We were supposed to meet up with our planner, Kristie, at 1:30 to go to the Attic so we could figure out how everything would be set up for the reception so we quickly went up to our room to drop all our bags off, and then meet Kristie at the Attic. Well, turns out the room we got was right NEXT to the Attic. Like literally 10 feet away. It was so nice and convenient, although a super far walk from the lobby. When we walked into our room, I was absolutely floored by how huge it was, but I didn't have time to explore because Kristie was walking up right behind us to show us into the Attic. This was our first time getting back into the Attic since our site visit a whole year back and it was so nice being back in that space. Its seriously gorgeous and we could not have picked a better venue. We went over where we would set up our iPod and speakers (since we brought our own) and where our dances would take place, along with some other wedding-day details. After going over everything, we quickly went back to the room to change and then it was off to our rehearsal at the Wedding Pavilion!
As we drove to the Grand Floridian for our rehearsal, it had started to look very overcast. I was a little panicked, but fine, rain as much as you like the day of the rehearsal, just leave my wedding day alone! When we pulled up to the Pavilion, we were surprisingly the last ones there! I thought for sure tons of people would get lost and be late, but most of our guests had arrived early so that was awesome. Kristie was already going over details with my mom, and when we walked up, everyone started clapping for us. I immediately got super embarrassed. I don't remember much about the rehearsal because it had started to rain and I was pretty much trying not to trip on the slippery pavement (glad I didn't wear heels like I had planned)! I know Kristie went over everything the first time with us and we were all pretty derpy about what we were supposed to do. I wanted to do a quick run-through of the ceremony with our officiant, Jeff, since this was his first time officiating a wedding. He did GREAT and a huge wave of relief washed over me, since I was a little nervous about our last-minute switch in officiants. The second run-through of the rehearsal went a lot smoother, but it was raining a little harder at this point so we rushed through it so we could get into the Wedding Pavilion, where it was nice and dry. Kristie answered any questions we had about the wedding and then she was on her way and I wouldn't see her again until the morning of the wedding! Our group stuck around for a little longer and we took some pictures inside the Pavilion.
Bridesmaids and I
Bridesmaids, moms, and grandmas <3
When the rain let up, we headed out to our cars. We still had a couple of hours before our rehearsal dinner, so we invited everyone back to our hotel room since we have plenty of space and so everyone knew how to get to the Attic the next day. We made it back to the Boardwalk and up to our room and hung out there for a little bit until 4PM when Abracadabar opened, then everyone headed down there for a drink. I needed a few minutes alone to decompress from the rehearsal so I stayed back and had that huge, gorgeous room to myself. I wish I would have taken pictures of the room, but the lighting was bad since it was dark and rainy outside so I settled for a video instead. I'm not sure how to link it here, though, so here's some pictures I stole from the Disney website! We stayed in a one-bedroom villa and it was newly renovated and absolutely beautiful. When you come into the room, there is a small entryway that leads into the main living area/kitchenette. The living room had a couch, several chairs, a huge TV, and balcony. The living room is open to the kitchen, we had a full-size fridge, oven, sink and dishwasher, and all the cooking utensils and dinnerware. We also had a huge split-bathroom, with shower, toilet and sink, and the other half opened up to a jet bathtub, another set of sinks, and a huge walk-in closet. That part of the bathroom opened up to the bedroom, which had the comfiest King bed I've ever slept in and another balcony. I seriously could have lived in that amazing room!
Obsessed with that light fixture!
Also in love with those boardwalk prints above the bed
After making an Instagram story of our room, I decided I did want a drink afterall and went down to the Boardwalk to meet up with the rest of the group at Abracadabar. Holy crap is that place awesome! The details, the theming...just gorgeous. I made a mental note that I really wanted to take pictures there after our reception. I forgot what the name of my drink was called, but it came in two cups and when I mixed the liquor into the drink, it changed colors. It was super delicious.
After our much-needed drinks, it was time to start heading to our rehearsal dinner, which was off-property at an Italian restaurant called Buca di Beppo. Our group consisted of myself and George, my mom, dad, sister, grandma, uncle, and best friend Meghan, George's mom, dad, step mom, 2 brothers, sister, sister-in-law, and grandma. We got a private room in the restaurant and a catered menu that consisted of two kinds of salads, spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo, chicken parmesan, and cheesecake for dessert. It was a super fun night and it was amazing seeing everyone from both sides of our families getting to know each other. I only have one picture because I really just wanted to spend my time enjoying everyone's company.
After dinner, George went back to our house to feed and hang out with our dogs for a bit, while I rode back to the Boardwalk with my sister and Meghan (stopping at Publix on the way to get some breakfast and snacks for the next morning). When I got back to the room, there was a lovely surprise waiting for me from one of my Disney bride friends that I met through Facebook. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture that I teared up. I seriously can't tell you how grateful I am to be part of this amazing community of women.
I relaxed on the balcony in solitude for a little while until George got back and then we exchanged wedding gifts. I forgot to take pictures, but I got him a Death Trooper helmet (he's big into Star Wars collectibles) and he got me a Cinderella Castle Pandora charm and AMAZING Darth Vader Irregular Choice shoes. We then took a short walk on the Boardwalk together to decompress a little before heading to bed. We went to bed around midnight and there ends my last day as a single lady! Stay tuned for the wedding day next! Ahhh!
https://flic.kr/p/QPQomN
elphie101
Left my heart in Tomorrowland
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2008
Yay rehearsal day!! It's always a nice change to see the difference when local brides post about their lead up to the wedding day. That's so awesome that your room was so close to The Attic, and you're seriously making me want to try Abracadabar on our next trip.
Can't wait for the next day!!!
Can't wait for the next day!!!
apainterxx44
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
Omg! I'm so excited you're starting your TR! The boardwalk villa is amazing and I loved the Instagram story. Can't wait to read more.
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
You definitely have to try Abracadabar next time you're here! The drinks are great and so is the atmosphere. Its small, but was not busy at all when we were there. Being so close to the Attic was really convenient on the wedding day, despite it being about a mile walk from the lobby. LOL. Wedding day entries coming right up!
Yay, I'm glad someone caught my Instagram story! That room was seriously amazing and had to be documented.
Oh wow! That must have taken you forever. Haha. Thank you for following along!
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Wedding Day Part 1- Getting Ready
And just like that, the day has finally come. My alarm went off at 6:30AM on Thursday, December 1st and I woke up right away (no snooze button today!) and did a quick email/FB check. I already had quite a few messages on my wall wishing me a happy wedding day from some friends and fellow Disney brides-- it was the perfect start to my morning. After browsing my Facebook for a few minutes, I got my getting-ready clothes ready and hopped in the shower, while George was starting to wake up. When I got out of the shower, George got in and I finished getting cleaned up and then tidied up the hotel room a bit since Anna, my hair and makeup artist, was scheduled to arrive at 7:30. My sister ended up getting to our hotel room around that time, and then Anna got there right at 7:30. She started setting up her makeshift station, while I got some food and drinks out for everyone to enjoy once they arrived. At the same time, George had the bedroom and part of the bathroom quartered off to get ready in. He would be leaving before I really started getting ready and his brothers would be picking him up to hang out at the Grand Floridian until our first look.
Once Anna had everything set up, she started putting my extensions in and then setting them so that the curl would hold for the whole day. Once all my extensions were in and curled, it was my sister's turn to get her hair and makeup done and I was free to relax *HA* while she was doing that. At some point while getting my hair set, both Meghan and Maggie had arrived. They weren't getting their hair and makeup done by Anna, so as soon as George left, they took over the bathroom to do their own hair and makeup. I was just sitting on the couch, trying to concentrate on whatever was on tv, and actually managed to scarf down one tiny croissant. The thought of having a mimosa, which all the other ladies were all over, made me want to barf so I stuck to water. I got on Facebook to take my mind off of my impending nerves and was delighted to see more wedding day wishes. Meghan commented on how calm I seemed and I just laughed. I might have looked calm on the outside, but on the inside, I was pretty nervous. Around 9AM, my mom and grandma arrived. I was really happy to see them and gave my mom her gift...one of those mushy custom handkerchiefs from Etsy and an engraved compact mirror. She cried and I laughed at her. At some point after that, my sister hasd finished her hair and makeup and it was my turn. Anna wanted to have my hair set just a teeny bit longer, so she did my makeup first. I don't really remember what we were talking about, just that about halfway through, I started getting extremely nervous and my hands started shaking. It made me SO happy that I had a friend and not a stranger doing my makeup, because she didn't judge me and told me it would be ok. Once my makeup was finished and Anna started on my hair, my sister brought me over a gift and said it was one more surprise from George. I opened it and it was the Pandora charm of Cinderella's coach. I was so happy to add it to my bracelet. Even though we didn't have the coach at our wedding (wasn't something I wanted or could afford), it still reminds me of the Wedding Pavilion, so its still very meaningful to me.
At 10, Cricket and her husband Sean arrived and started snapping away. My makeup was only about 3/4th of the way done and my hair was still up in curlers so I looked really crazy. Haha. I think they sensed that I didn't want any pictures taken until I was a little more ready, so they went into the bedroom and started gathering all my wedding details and accessories to take pretty pictures of.
You can totally see the nervousness here.
THE DRESS!
Betsey Johnson shoes, Kate Spade X Minnie clutch, and my bridal sash from Montreal <3
Up-close details of my park map bridal bouquet. My mom ended up cutting part of her wedding dress and glued it to the base. The charm was a gift from DFTW and says "Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust."
More details, plus wedding bands
George's cufflinks. He had two sets and wore one on each side. The stormtrooper ones were a gift from me and the ones with the "G" were his grandfathers.
And we're back to getting ready photos. All the ladies were dressed and ready to go.
More dress pics
Our invitations and custom wedding buttons. I'm a little sad that I didn't mention that the other side of our invitations had a special print on the back...it would have made the picture so much better!
Wedding day accessories:
And on to the finishing hair and makeup touches
By 10:20, my hair and makeup was done and I was ready to get into the dress! I went into the bedroom alone (I truly needed that minute alone by this time) and got into my dress. I took a glance in the full-length mirror and was floored. I looked like a bride and I felt the most beautiful that I've ever felt, hands-down. I walked out of the room so that my mom could help me zip up the dress and help me with the finishing touches to complete my look.
Once I had my dress on and all my accessories in place (I must have like 30 photos of me fake putting on my earrings for some reason, so weird), Cricket took my bridal portraits. She really only spent about 5 minutes taking pictures but it felt like an eternity since everyone was just watching. None-the-less, there are still some really nice ones. Though looking at my pictures with George and looking at the ones on my own, I can definitely see the difference. The ones I have alone look very awkward and posed, whereas my pictures with George, you can tell I feel way more comfortable with having my picture taken.
Getting my shoes on
I love how piercing my eyes look in this one. I always get asked if I'm wearing colored contacts (I do not), but the blueness in my eyes don't usually come out in picture.
While I hate the way my arm looks in this picture, it really shows what an amazing job Anna did on my hair.
Cricket really loved my purse. She used it in so many pictures...which I'm glad because it was definitely the biggest splurge when it came to my wedding day accessories (it was only about a hundred dollars less than my wedding dress)!
After we were done taking pictures of all the bridal details, it was time to head down to the lobby for our family portraits and pictures with my bridesmaids, which I had requested we do on the Boardwalk, since its my absolute favorite. We made the loooong trek down our very long hall and down to the lobby, where I met Catherine (our planner's assistant) for the first time! She had all the corsages and boutonnieres set out on a table so I handed them out to my mom and grandma and to my dad. This was also the first time that I saw my dad today and the first time he had seen me in my wedding dress. There were tears, which is very, very rare with my dad so that was so special to me. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of it because Cricket and Sean were getting set up for the family portraits, but I will remember that moment always.
And just like that, the day has finally come. My alarm went off at 6:30AM on Thursday, December 1st and I woke up right away (no snooze button today!) and did a quick email/FB check. I already had quite a few messages on my wall wishing me a happy wedding day from some friends and fellow Disney brides-- it was the perfect start to my morning. After browsing my Facebook for a few minutes, I got my getting-ready clothes ready and hopped in the shower, while George was starting to wake up. When I got out of the shower, George got in and I finished getting cleaned up and then tidied up the hotel room a bit since Anna, my hair and makeup artist, was scheduled to arrive at 7:30. My sister ended up getting to our hotel room around that time, and then Anna got there right at 7:30. She started setting up her makeshift station, while I got some food and drinks out for everyone to enjoy once they arrived. At the same time, George had the bedroom and part of the bathroom quartered off to get ready in. He would be leaving before I really started getting ready and his brothers would be picking him up to hang out at the Grand Floridian until our first look.
Once Anna had everything set up, she started putting my extensions in and then setting them so that the curl would hold for the whole day. Once all my extensions were in and curled, it was my sister's turn to get her hair and makeup done and I was free to relax *HA* while she was doing that. At some point while getting my hair set, both Meghan and Maggie had arrived. They weren't getting their hair and makeup done by Anna, so as soon as George left, they took over the bathroom to do their own hair and makeup. I was just sitting on the couch, trying to concentrate on whatever was on tv, and actually managed to scarf down one tiny croissant. The thought of having a mimosa, which all the other ladies were all over, made me want to barf so I stuck to water. I got on Facebook to take my mind off of my impending nerves and was delighted to see more wedding day wishes. Meghan commented on how calm I seemed and I just laughed. I might have looked calm on the outside, but on the inside, I was pretty nervous. Around 9AM, my mom and grandma arrived. I was really happy to see them and gave my mom her gift...one of those mushy custom handkerchiefs from Etsy and an engraved compact mirror. She cried and I laughed at her. At some point after that, my sister hasd finished her hair and makeup and it was my turn. Anna wanted to have my hair set just a teeny bit longer, so she did my makeup first. I don't really remember what we were talking about, just that about halfway through, I started getting extremely nervous and my hands started shaking. It made me SO happy that I had a friend and not a stranger doing my makeup, because she didn't judge me and told me it would be ok. Once my makeup was finished and Anna started on my hair, my sister brought me over a gift and said it was one more surprise from George. I opened it and it was the Pandora charm of Cinderella's coach. I was so happy to add it to my bracelet. Even though we didn't have the coach at our wedding (wasn't something I wanted or could afford), it still reminds me of the Wedding Pavilion, so its still very meaningful to me.
At 10, Cricket and her husband Sean arrived and started snapping away. My makeup was only about 3/4th of the way done and my hair was still up in curlers so I looked really crazy. Haha. I think they sensed that I didn't want any pictures taken until I was a little more ready, so they went into the bedroom and started gathering all my wedding details and accessories to take pretty pictures of.
You can totally see the nervousness here.
THE DRESS!
Betsey Johnson shoes, Kate Spade X Minnie clutch, and my bridal sash from Montreal <3
Up-close details of my park map bridal bouquet. My mom ended up cutting part of her wedding dress and glued it to the base. The charm was a gift from DFTW and says "Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust."
More details, plus wedding bands
George's cufflinks. He had two sets and wore one on each side. The stormtrooper ones were a gift from me and the ones with the "G" were his grandfathers.
And we're back to getting ready photos. All the ladies were dressed and ready to go.
More dress pics
Our invitations and custom wedding buttons. I'm a little sad that I didn't mention that the other side of our invitations had a special print on the back...it would have made the picture so much better!
Wedding day accessories:
And on to the finishing hair and makeup touches
By 10:20, my hair and makeup was done and I was ready to get into the dress! I went into the bedroom alone (I truly needed that minute alone by this time) and got into my dress. I took a glance in the full-length mirror and was floored. I looked like a bride and I felt the most beautiful that I've ever felt, hands-down. I walked out of the room so that my mom could help me zip up the dress and help me with the finishing touches to complete my look.
Once I had my dress on and all my accessories in place (I must have like 30 photos of me fake putting on my earrings for some reason, so weird), Cricket took my bridal portraits. She really only spent about 5 minutes taking pictures but it felt like an eternity since everyone was just watching. None-the-less, there are still some really nice ones. Though looking at my pictures with George and looking at the ones on my own, I can definitely see the difference. The ones I have alone look very awkward and posed, whereas my pictures with George, you can tell I feel way more comfortable with having my picture taken.
Getting my shoes on
I love how piercing my eyes look in this one. I always get asked if I'm wearing colored contacts (I do not), but the blueness in my eyes don't usually come out in picture.
While I hate the way my arm looks in this picture, it really shows what an amazing job Anna did on my hair.
Cricket really loved my purse. She used it in so many pictures...which I'm glad because it was definitely the biggest splurge when it came to my wedding day accessories (it was only about a hundred dollars less than my wedding dress)!
After we were done taking pictures of all the bridal details, it was time to head down to the lobby for our family portraits and pictures with my bridesmaids, which I had requested we do on the Boardwalk, since its my absolute favorite. We made the loooong trek down our very long hall and down to the lobby, where I met Catherine (our planner's assistant) for the first time! She had all the corsages and boutonnieres set out on a table so I handed them out to my mom and grandma and to my dad. This was also the first time that I saw my dad today and the first time he had seen me in my wedding dress. There were tears, which is very, very rare with my dad so that was so special to me. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of it because Cricket and Sean were getting set up for the family portraits, but I will remember that moment always.
apainterxx44
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
Well, as always I love the update. I know that no matter what you feel what you feel about how you look in pictures but I don't sense awkwardness or nervousness!
The pictures with your mom are just absolutely gorgeous. Even though you didn't get the picture with your dad, I'm sure that memory will be in your head forever.
Your hair looks great, I need some cosmetologist friends lol.
Can not wait to read more!
The pictures with your mom are just absolutely gorgeous. Even though you didn't get the picture with your dad, I'm sure that memory will be in your head forever.
Your hair looks great, I need some cosmetologist friends lol.
Can not wait to read more!
I'm not sure how I came about your planning page....but I'm glad I did! I read the whole thing last night and this morning 
. I loved reading all of your planning details....you're a great writer .
Your Disney wedding makes me want to get married again....you had a most beautiful day, with many personalized touches! Loved the bouquets, and the Star Wars touches. Your hair looked amazing too, and your photos are stunning
.
I love all your inspired pin up dresses too....especially your engagement photo dress, and your rehearsal dinner dress. May I ask where you find them?
Congratulations on your wedding! Look forward to reading more!
Ps. not a creepy stalker....just a Canadian disboards lurker, who can't afford to go to DW often enough
. I loved reading all of your planning details....you're a great writer .Your Disney wedding makes me want to get married again....you had a most beautiful day, with many personalized touches! Loved the bouquets, and the Star Wars touches. Your hair looked amazing too, and your photos are stunning
.I love all your inspired pin up dresses too....especially your engagement photo dress, and your rehearsal dinner dress. May I ask where you find them?
Congratulations on your wedding! Look forward to reading more!
Ps. not a creepy stalker....just a Canadian disboards lurker, who can't afford to go to DW often enough
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Aww thank you! I'm glad I don't look like an awkward fool to others. Haha.
I'm so happy that I got some good pictures with my mom! She absolutely hates having her picture taken and even told me in the weeks leading up to the wedding that she was dreading having her pictures taken, so I'm glad we got some good ones that she approves of.
I wish my hair looked like that everyday! I could always keep the extensions in, but wouldn't be able to curl it for the life of me.
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
I'm not sure how I came about your planning page....but I'm glad I did! I read the whole thing last night and this morning
Your Disney wedding makes me want to get married again....you had a most beautiful day, with many personalized touches! Loved the bouquets, and the Star Wars touches. Your hair looked amazing too, and your photos are stunning
I love all your inspired pin up dresses too....especially your engagement photo dress, and your rehearsal dinner dress. May I ask where you find them?
Congratulations on your wedding! Look forward to reading more!
Ps. not a creepy stalker....just a Canadian disboards lurker, who can't afford to go to DW often enough
Thank you for following along! I'm so glad that all my small, personal touches really showed up to others! All I ever heard when it came to wedding planning was to not sweat the small details because no one would really notice them, but I feel like its what made our day so special and unique. Thank you for noticing!
Both of the dresses from my engagement shoot and my rehearsal dinner dress are from the Lauren Conrad/Minnie Mouse collection from Kohls. Unfortunately, the collection was limited and I got everything in Summer 2015, but I'm almost positive that you can still get some of these pieces from Ebay for not much more than they originally cost. The white dress I wore to my rehearsal was actually purchased from Ebay because I originally had only bought the red ones and loved it so much so that I ordered the white one months later.
I'm Canadian too! Born and raised in Montreal but now living in Orlando
fallonkendra
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2015
I'm all caught up now! What a beautiful start to your day!
You don't look nervous or awkward in your pictures at all, they are stunning!
You don't look nervous or awkward in your pictures at all, they are stunning!
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Wedding Day Part 2- Family and Bridemaids Portraits
After meeting my dad, uncle, and sister's boyfriend in the lobby of the Boardwalk and getting everyone's corsages and boutonnieres on, we went outside to the balcony right off the lobby to take family and bridemaids portraits. I won't bore you too much with pictures of all my family, but here are a few:
Mommy, Daddy, and Sister <3
My Bestie <3<3<3
My new sister
My Grandma <3
My mom posted a picture like this on my Pinterest a few months ago and said she wanted to have one like this--the wedding/engagement rings of me, my mom, and my grandma (3 generations). I love it
And in case you all are wondering after seeing everyone tower over me in these pictures, I am only 5-foot tall. Not only that, but I'm also the only person (other than my sister) who wore flats that day, so I look extra midget-y in all my pictures. Haha.
All my ladies and me <3 I love their dresses so, so much. They truly looked great on everyone.
After the formal family and bridesmaids portraits, I went down to the Boardwalk to take a few fun photos with my bridesmaids. I really love these. The Boardwalk is seriously the most perfect backdrop.
FAAAAAAAAVORITE!
And then we took a few more bridal portraits out in the natural light of the Boardwalk.
Call me vain, but these are probably my favorite pictures of me from the whole wedding day. The lighting was just perfect and my dress looks magical!
And after that, we were off to the limo to take us to the Wedding Pavilion! I was so excited to ride in the limo because how often to you really get to do that? Its such a bummer that every time I've rode in a limo, its only been for 10-15 minutes. This time was no different and now that we were heading to the Wedding Pavilion, I was getting really nervous again so the drive over was a bit of a blur. Before I knew it, we were pulling up to Franck's and I waited in the limo with my bridesmaids until Kristie had come to get us (which is what she had instructed us to do the day before). It was so great to see Kristie because now I would actually know what to do for the rest of the day! She gave me a big hug and told me that George was already there and being positioned for the first look. She brought me and the bridesmaids into the Bride's Vestibule for a few minutes so I could use the bathroom, put on any finishing touches, and wait for Cricket and Sean to get there. About 5 minutes later, Kristie came to get me and said that Cricket and Sean were here and we were ready for the first look. I took a deep breath and followed Kristie to where George would be waiting for me.
After meeting my dad, uncle, and sister's boyfriend in the lobby of the Boardwalk and getting everyone's corsages and boutonnieres on, we went outside to the balcony right off the lobby to take family and bridemaids portraits. I won't bore you too much with pictures of all my family, but here are a few:
Mommy, Daddy, and Sister <3
My Bestie <3<3<3
My new sister
My Grandma <3
My mom posted a picture like this on my Pinterest a few months ago and said she wanted to have one like this--the wedding/engagement rings of me, my mom, and my grandma (3 generations). I love it
And in case you all are wondering after seeing everyone tower over me in these pictures, I am only 5-foot tall. Not only that, but I'm also the only person (other than my sister) who wore flats that day, so I look extra midget-y in all my pictures. Haha.
All my ladies and me <3 I love their dresses so, so much. They truly looked great on everyone.
After the formal family and bridesmaids portraits, I went down to the Boardwalk to take a few fun photos with my bridesmaids. I really love these. The Boardwalk is seriously the most perfect backdrop.
FAAAAAAAAVORITE!
And then we took a few more bridal portraits out in the natural light of the Boardwalk.
Call me vain, but these are probably my favorite pictures of me from the whole wedding day. The lighting was just perfect and my dress looks magical!
And after that, we were off to the limo to take us to the Wedding Pavilion! I was so excited to ride in the limo because how often to you really get to do that? Its such a bummer that every time I've rode in a limo, its only been for 10-15 minutes. This time was no different and now that we were heading to the Wedding Pavilion, I was getting really nervous again so the drive over was a bit of a blur. Before I knew it, we were pulling up to Franck's and I waited in the limo with my bridesmaids until Kristie had come to get us (which is what she had instructed us to do the day before). It was so great to see Kristie because now I would actually know what to do for the rest of the day! She gave me a big hug and told me that George was already there and being positioned for the first look. She brought me and the bridesmaids into the Bride's Vestibule for a few minutes so I could use the bathroom, put on any finishing touches, and wait for Cricket and Sean to get there. About 5 minutes later, Kristie came to get me and said that Cricket and Sean were here and we were ready for the first look. I took a deep breath and followed Kristie to where George would be waiting for me.
Lauren1027
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
Wedding Day Part 3- The First Look
After Kristie came to get me from the bride's vestibule, she walked with me towards the Picture Point area of the Wedding Pavilion. She told me that about 20 minutes ago, a huge flock of birds had just flown over the Pavilion and there had been bird droppings everywhere but that she has the maintenance people who were there hose and sweep everything off so that it wouldn't get all over the bottom of my dress...much appreciated. She also told me that this was our moment for just the two of us and to take as much time as we needed. All arriving guests would be escorted into the Wedding Pavilion so that we could have our privacy, and she, Cricket, and Sean would stand off to the side a little distance away. We then turned the corner and I saw George with his back turned to me so I anxiously started walking towards him. Man needs to learn to stand up straighter!
Here comes the brideeeee!
And the reveal!
I don't remember what exactly was said, but he told me I looked beautiful and that he liked my dress and that it was a lot more vintage than he was expecting (he thought I would pick something more princess). I don't remember what I said, but I appeared to be very giggly...probably to hide any nerves I had.
He then noticed that I had teal highlights in my hair and complimented on those. He was very against me putting extensions in on the wedding day because he was worried that I wouldn't look like myself, but he said everything looked great. Then we had a super awkward first kiss because I had a ton of lipgloss on and he was weirded out kissing me and getting it all over him.
And me laughing at him afterwards.
My FAVORITE one from the first look.
And then we didn't know what to do/say anymore so we turned to Cricket and Sean and they took us over to Picture Point for some pictures on the arches. These actually aren't my favorite pictures, but felt like they needed to be included anyways.
We then started taking some pictures of us on the way to do our portraits. There's nothing super posed or anything about these, but I absolutely love them. They are natural and you can tell how happy we both are to be together.
Sassy face!
And right about where you seeing George taking that last step is when once again, a flock of birds flew over us and George got bird poop on his arm! I panicked because George is a HUGE germophobe and I thought this would put him in such a bad mood and ruin the portraits we were about to take. But Kristie being the goddess that she is, grabbed him, took him to the bathroom to soak it out of his sleeve, then magically pulled out some spot cleaner and a blow dryer to dry his shirt and he was good as new! He didn't even have time to be upset about getting pooped on! Looking at this in hindsight, getting pooped on must be good luck afterall, because our whole day went pretty perfectly after that!
Meanwhile, while George was getting cleaned up with Kristie, Cricket took a few more portraits of just me (are ya'll sick of my face yet?) and my favorite pictures of my bouquet! I'm sure I mentioned this before, but aside from our wedding as a whole, my bouquet was the most complimented thing of our entire day. People seriously flipped over this bouquet...even people I don't know such as my moms co-workers when she showed them pictures.
I know I already mentioned this in my "Glad I Did" post, but doing the first look was one of the best decisions I made for our wedding day. Before the first look, I was nervous and very anxious for the wedding ceremony and being in front of everyone, but the minute I saw George, all my nerves just disappeared and I was totally fine the rest of the day. I think just knowing that I wasn't alone in this made all the difference. We might not have had the most romantic first look, but it was perfectly us
After Kristie came to get me from the bride's vestibule, she walked with me towards the Picture Point area of the Wedding Pavilion. She told me that about 20 minutes ago, a huge flock of birds had just flown over the Pavilion and there had been bird droppings everywhere but that she has the maintenance people who were there hose and sweep everything off so that it wouldn't get all over the bottom of my dress...much appreciated. She also told me that this was our moment for just the two of us and to take as much time as we needed. All arriving guests would be escorted into the Wedding Pavilion so that we could have our privacy, and she, Cricket, and Sean would stand off to the side a little distance away. We then turned the corner and I saw George with his back turned to me so I anxiously started walking towards him. Man needs to learn to stand up straighter!
Here comes the brideeeee!
And the reveal!
I don't remember what exactly was said, but he told me I looked beautiful and that he liked my dress and that it was a lot more vintage than he was expecting (he thought I would pick something more princess). I don't remember what I said, but I appeared to be very giggly...probably to hide any nerves I had.
He then noticed that I had teal highlights in my hair and complimented on those. He was very against me putting extensions in on the wedding day because he was worried that I wouldn't look like myself, but he said everything looked great. Then we had a super awkward first kiss because I had a ton of lipgloss on and he was weirded out kissing me and getting it all over him.
And me laughing at him afterwards.
My FAVORITE one from the first look.
And then we didn't know what to do/say anymore so we turned to Cricket and Sean and they took us over to Picture Point for some pictures on the arches. These actually aren't my favorite pictures, but felt like they needed to be included anyways.
We then started taking some pictures of us on the way to do our portraits. There's nothing super posed or anything about these, but I absolutely love them. They are natural and you can tell how happy we both are to be together.
Sassy face!
And right about where you seeing George taking that last step is when once again, a flock of birds flew over us and George got bird poop on his arm! I panicked because George is a HUGE germophobe and I thought this would put him in such a bad mood and ruin the portraits we were about to take. But Kristie being the goddess that she is, grabbed him, took him to the bathroom to soak it out of his sleeve, then magically pulled out some spot cleaner and a blow dryer to dry his shirt and he was good as new! He didn't even have time to be upset about getting pooped on! Looking at this in hindsight, getting pooped on must be good luck afterall, because our whole day went pretty perfectly after that!
Meanwhile, while George was getting cleaned up with Kristie, Cricket took a few more portraits of just me (are ya'll sick of my face yet?) and my favorite pictures of my bouquet! I'm sure I mentioned this before, but aside from our wedding as a whole, my bouquet was the most complimented thing of our entire day. People seriously flipped over this bouquet...even people I don't know such as my moms co-workers when she showed them pictures.
I know I already mentioned this in my "Glad I Did" post, but doing the first look was one of the best decisions I made for our wedding day. Before the first look, I was nervous and very anxious for the wedding ceremony and being in front of everyone, but the minute I saw George, all my nerves just disappeared and I was totally fine the rest of the day. I think just knowing that I wasn't alone in this made all the difference. We might not have had the most romantic first look, but it was perfectly us
Seia
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2013
Oh, Lauren... what a wonderful start to your wedding TR. You look unbelievably gorgeous. I don't think I could begin to pick a favorite, but the photo of you and your mom is precious. And all of the first look pictures!
You are just glowing in your photos. I can't wait to see the rest of your report.
You are just glowing in your photos. I can't wait to see the rest of your report.
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