Lunch reception and dessert reception

[Cinderellabride]

Hi everyone,

I appologize if this is already on the boards I can never get the search to find what I am looking for.

I would like to do an epcot ceremony in the morning (obviously) followed by a lunch at the Living Seas . I also really like the idea of the dessert reception at Fantasmic or Illuminations, but I don't want to do just that because I want to have a food reception too.

I have seen on here that people have done both, but I have not seen my specific questions answered (again I appologize if I have not looked hard enough).

1) Does anyone know the added cost for having both? (roughly I know it depends) wish book won't do both. (I am having approximately 30 people).

2) Is the cake served at the lunch reception or the dessert reception (this may seem like a silly question, but other desserts could be served), or is it up to me?

3) Is is possible to do the first dance and father daughter dance at the dessert reception, it would be really cool to dance under the fireworks?

Also a couple of other legistical questions:

How does the dancing work as the Living Seas? Is there a dance floor? It doesn't really seem like there is.

I assume there is a place to do the first dance and father daughter dance (if we don't do it at the dessert reception, but what about other dancing , is it worth getting a DJ if we are having it at the Living Seas?

Also would it be possible to bring a cd player or something to play the songs for the first dance and father daughter dance rather than hiring entertainment as long as we have met our minimum? (just thinking of ways to cut costs in order to have both receptions)

Any other info that you could provide about doing both receptions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all very much for you time. I appologize for the length and amount of questions, but I can't get them answered from Disney until we go down in January and they will eat at me until then. Thanks!

Cinderellabride

"If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus one day so I never have to live without you." ~Winnie the Pooh~

 

[JonetteA]

1) Does anyone know the added cost for having both? (roughly I know it depends) wish book won't do both. (I am having approximately 30 people).

2) Is the cake served at the lunch reception or the dessert reception (this may seem like a silly question, but other desserts could be served), or is it up to me?

3) Is is possible to do the first dance and father daughter dance at the dessert reception, it would be really cool to dance under the fireworks?

I was an Epcot bride but had my reception at the California Grill. I don't necessarily recommend the California Grill for a reception after all I went through for a view. The view was worth it the day of, but it was a real hassel. I LOVED the way we were treated by Epcot. They really cared and went out of their way to help us make our event special.

1) Both can be counted in your F&B min. I think we 60 people my Illuminations for viewing fees and food was about 3k. The reception, I am not sure...It just depends on what you want to eat at dinner and cake, and drink and desserts. ( I am guessing that you are a custom and this would apply to you.)

2) Cake is served normally at the reception instead of the dessert party. Check with your EM to see if you can serve cake there. I don't think that you can serve leftover cake at the dessert party. Disney has "standard" dessert menus that you can use, or you can customize them for an extra cost.


3) At Illuminations, you are going to be soooo busy taking pictures with your photographers, that you are not going to really have time to dance or even visit that much with people. At least that was my experience. I didn't even get a chance to eat cake at my reception or desserts at the dessert party!

HTH

Jonette

 

[dsnyfan6/18]

In response to the question about the wedding cake:

I was told by my sales manager that it is possible to hold off on the wedding cake until illuminations. They presented that as an option to us, but then we decided to do Illuminations for our rehearsal dinner.

HTH

 

[stitch626_in_time]

Hi everyone,


How does the dancing work as the Living Seas? Is there a dance floor? It doesn't really seem like there is.

I assume there is a place to do the first dance and father daughter dance (if we don't do it at the dessert reception, but what about other dancing , is it worth getting a DJ if we are having it at the Living Seas?

I can only provide help with this guestion. We are planning on using Living Seas for our reception. There isn't a dance floor, but an area where dancing can be done. There is a very low pile capret in there and according to our Wedding Coordinator, many couples just dance on the capet. (we are planning on doing that) But if you really want a dance floor you can rent one. I hope this helps!

I have some photos but I can't seem to post them.

 

[Gabby&Sean]

Ill try to help if I can

1) Does anyone know the added cost for having both? (roughly I know it depends) wish book won't do both. (I am having approximately 30 people

We are having approx 30 guests, & i think it works out around $1,500, but this varies on what desserts u choose & where u have ur DP.

2) Cake is served normally at the reception instead of the dessert party. Check with your EM to see if you can serve cake there. I don't think that you can serve leftover cake at the dessert party. Disney has "standard" dessert menus that you can use, or you can customize them for an extra cost.

This is what we plan to do, Have our wedding cake served at our brunch reception & then for our DP we will serve a few desserts plus Sean's Texas Grooms cake

3) Is is possible to do the first dance and father daughter dance at the dessert reception, it would be really cool to dance under the fireworks?

We thought about doing this too as were still unsure about hiring a dj for our brunch reception. I know we will be very busy with photos thats why were starting our DP a little earlier than normal.

For a long time I couldnt make up my mind between Ariels & Living Seas as there both so beautiful, but whats swaying me to Ariels is theres no rental fee, so I have more money to put into other areas.

Happy Planning

 

[Cinderellabride]

Thank you all for your responses they are very helpful. It looks like we will be too busy to do the dancing at the DP, so we will do it at the reception.

Maybe we will do the cake at the reception and have those individual wedding cakes that I saw on "Unwrapped: Walt Disney World" on the Food Network as part of our DP if that would be possible.

Now of course some of your responses have raised more questions:

dsnyfan6/18 I did not know that you could do illuminations for the rehersal dinner, that might be a good option. Could you tell me how that works? Is there an actual dinner too or just the DP? Also does it count towards your f&b min if you have it for the rehersal? BTW is 6/18 your wedding date? I'm wondering because that's my birthday!

JonetteA were you still in your wedding dress at the DP for pictures, or did you take it off and put it back on, or were you wearing something else? if you were still wearing it, what did you do for all the time between the reception and the DP so it didn't get dirty?

Gabby&Sean Ariels is not on the wish book, so I did not know that the reception could be there. Do you have pictures that you could possibly post so I can see what it looks like? We would like to look at it as an option especially since you said that it does not have site rental fee.

stitch626_in_time if you have time, would you please possibly be able to PM me the files for the photos somehow or links to them (maybe it would work that way), so that I can compare the Living Seas and Ariels.

Thank you all again, i really appreciate the help. Extra thanks for taking the time to post pictures if you have them.

Please keep the responses coming.

Thank you

Cinderellabride

 

[juligrl]

Ariels is in the wishbook. I just looked last night. Check again.

 

[Cinderellabride]

You are correct, I am sorry, I did not see it there before. I found it though, thank you. I would still like pictures of it if anyone has any. Thank you.

Cinderellabride

 

[dsnyfan6/18]

dsnyfan6/18 I did not know that you could do illuminations for the rehersal dinner, that might be a good option. Could you tell me how that works? Is there an actual dinner too or just the DP? Also does it count towards your f&b min if you have it for the rehersal? BTW is 6/18 your wedding date? I'm wondering because that's my birthday!

Cinderellabride

Cinderellabride -

Yes! are wedding is the 18th - happy birthday I'm getting so excited for the wedding I just started packing EVERYTHING

We actually booked the actual dinner there followed by desserts. We wanted to do both, so we figured what better way than to do that!! So we booked the rehearsal dinner for 7:30-9:30 and that way our guests will definately get to see the fireworks - and let me tell you how excited they are about it! And yes, it definately counts towards your minimum.

 

[Gabby&Sean]

Im sorry i was tring to post some pictures, but they dont seem to be working

If u click on this link it will take u to beautiful pics of Mary626 wonderful reception ar Ariels
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1106848&page=15&pp=15
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1106848&page=16&pp=15
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1106848&page=17&pp=15

 

[stitch626_in_time]

I have pictures to the living seas and ariel's grotto. PM me and I will send you the link. I don't have enough posts to put the link here.

 

[stitch626_in_time]

Ok so I can't even PM links or photos. Sorry!

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

Cinderellabride -

Yes! are wedding is the 18th - happy birthday I'm getting so excited for the wedding I just started packing EVERYTHING

We actually booked the actual dinner there followed by desserts. We wanted to do both, so we figured what better way than to do that!! So we booked the rehearsal dinner for 7:30-9:30 and that way our guests will definately get to see the fireworks - and let me tell you how excited they are about it! And yes, it definately counts towards your minimum.

I'd like a clarification about minimums as I have read here over and over that to count toward your minimums, it has to happen on the day of your wedding?