Hey-
Firstly, I am assuming you are an intimate bride. I am not all that familair with the intimate side of the house, but I saw no one replied... I've done the best I can and given you some of my personal opinions. They're just that.. my opinions! Take them or leave them, find what works for you.
For the most part, this is the job of your EM. You will get a BEO that has all the information you need and when you need to be there as long as you are using Disney vendors. If you're using outside talent for photography (ahem, Randy Chapman, ahem), you will probably need to coordinate that and work that into the plans. If you are using an outside vendor for floral, you may have to work on the arrangements. But, for the most part, you would give the vendors the information, call to confirm a week ahead of time, and the rest is up to them. In that area, they should all be somewhat familiar with Disney and the way they deal. It's probably an important thing to touch on when you first start getting in contact with them (if you're using any).
Now for the trickier specific logistics of your day:
- I would keep your rehearsal dinner in place for the night before. You may want to do an earlier dinner so that everyone can get to bed at a reasonable time. For you, it's going to be a very early morning. You don't want black bags under your eyes or so muc make-up under them they look goopy. What about a start time of the dinner between 5 and 6? You could always do the dinner beforehand if you get pushed to a later time than you'd like for the rehearsal itself... reverse it and do the dinner first, then the rehearsal type thing.
- I think the type of reception you want really depends on the type of atmosphere you want to set for your guests and the type of wedding you two have envisioned. Do you want an elegant evening reception? If so, plan accordingly. Do you want a nice afternoon affair followed by a dessert cruise? If so, plan accordingly.
Personally, I hate the weddings that you go to in the mornings and then have to find something to do for 4 or 5 hours until the dinner reception. "If you wanted an evening wedding, why didn't you plan an evening wedding," is often my line of thinking? I do understand that Mass schedules, etc., can get in the way. With Disney, you don't have to worry about that. If you do want an evening reception, why not consider changing your time to just a bit later in the day? A 2 or 4 o'clock start would be much more convenient for your guests if you want an evening and dinner reception. For your guests, it would be a hassle to get up, go to the wedding, go back to their rooms to kill time- a lot of them will want to take advantage of the day they do have there and head to the parks- and then get cleaned and ready to go to a dinner reception.
If you really want the afternoon reception, plan for a brunch following the wedding and the dessert party later on. You could offer a cocktail reception with the dessert party, if you'd like, so you get the best of both worlds. If you are going to do this, you may want to let your guests change into something more comfortable than what they will be wearing to the ceremony and reception earlier in the day. I have heard some of the other girls say that you can't wear your wedding dress on the dessert party cruises. I have a feeling this has more to do with safety than anything. If you want to do a cruise, you, too, will be changing. If you want it in the parks, remember your guests will have to use a valid pass day in the parks for that event.
-After the ceremony, you are going to have altar return photos. That is likely to take between 45 and 60 minutes. If you don't have a time crunch, you may want to get some nice ones in other locations. If you do have a reception to attend (ie, you choose the brunch), you won't have quite as much liesure time. Look into photography options at places like the Leu Gardens or other gorgeous spots in Orlando if you are going to have a lot of time. You could get some fantastic images! May want to look into outside vendors if you want photos outside of Disney.
- For hotels, if you have 25 room nights booked through the wedding, you have a free first night stay on Disney. I don't know if you will meet that or what your guest count is. I am sure they might be willing to work with you on the whole check-in/check-out issue. The other option is that you check into that room the day before. For example, we are a 6:00pm start wedding. Well, we need the bridal suite at the GF for the DAY of the 29th. That meant we had to pay two nights at the resort so that we weren't checking out on the day of the wedding at 11:00am... tough to get ready for a 6:00pm wedding like that!
DFi is checking into our honeymoon suite at the YC the day of the wedding. I am packing a LIGHT overnight bag with what I need for a single night and the next morning. That is being handed off to a parent or one of the groomsmen to get into the room the wedding day. My big, huge suitcase is going with my parents or staying in the room at the GF packed up (since we are checking out the morning of the 30th). Unfortunately, we weren't able to book the additional 2 nights at the YC on the conceirge level, so we will have to check out the monring after the wedding and move into a standard room. Great planning on Disney's part, huh? Wedding reception ends at midnight... after floral and other deliveries to the room, it's going to be 12:30am... and then it's our wedding night... and we have to be up and checked out no later than noon or one? I swear to you if mousekeeping knocks on the door I will be the sleeping not-so-beauty you neever wanted to deal with!
My point is that you could run into something like this. You're better off packing an overnight bag with what you need and leaving the rest with the baggage check for delivery or with a friend; or, checking into the hotel you need for the day of the wedding a day early. You can use it for geting ready even...
Why wouldn't you be allowed to go anywhere in your dress? Maybe on a dessert cruise because of the risk with the wedding dress and drowning if something was to happen, and the parks, but that's about it. Beyond that, it's your weding day. You got married at Disney. They can't fight you on wearing your dress too much. A restaurant cerainly isn't going to question you on it if you're coming in as a large group after a wedding... heck, I don't think they'd question you on it even if it was the two of you.
- If you do want a dinner reception (and keep the 10 am wedding), go back to the room and take a nap or open a bottle of champagne early! See if you can get the make-up/hair person to stick around or come back to fix anything. I would say this is true even if you don't go back to a room and relax... you don't want make-up applied at 6 or 7 am that morning in photos at 10 pm at night... it just won't wear that well that long.
-Hired transportation will make it a lot easier on your guests. Take a look into some of the outside sources for things like the small limo buses... the ones that hold 18-20 people, etc. Consider having them picked up at the hotel, taken to the Wedding Pavilion, returned to the hotel/taken to lunch reception (returned to hotel), and picked up and returned for the dessert party. It will be a lot easier on them. If you're breaking the times up at all, they will appreciate the thought and effort you're going through to make them comfortable. If you're doing photos somewhere outside of Disney or in a few different locations, consider hiring a sedan or limo to fit you, immediate family, bridal party, and the photographer.
Your EM will be the one wo can really help with this... part of the nice thing about doing it at Disney! You have sooo much time... don't worry!
xoxo
