More questions...Planning Sessions for Intimates?

[mermaidbride1108]

Hey Everyone, Thanks so much for answering my questions in my other posts, I'd thank you there but know I can't find them! I'll definitely be asking you guys a ton more questions, but I just can't help it. I'm such a planner person and you guys all seem nice and genuinely helpful.

Ok here's the first

Do you get a planning session at all at Disney for Intimates? I know there's not that much to plan for an intimate, but I'm a planner person and my wedding only happens one day and I'll remember it for the rest of my life!

So what I mean is do you get to have a cake tasting and visit site locations when you are planning an intimate? I mean I could walk around myself and look at all the locations but do we get to have a cake tasting like a custom? I know it might not seem important to other people but I guess it is to me. So I'm if me and my fiance are willing to go down there will they meet with us for a little while?

I'm also not crazy about the flowers available for an intimate, I could bring some pictures and bring samples myself but i just wanted to make sure they would work with me for the flowers I want.

I'm really, really interested in having a DFTW, but I just can't justify having a custom when we also want a fun reception at home (because we know alot of people won't travel)

ok, and i apologize if advance for the TONS of questions, I'll be having, but the website really isn't much help.

 

[hiwaygal]

Hi mermaidbride1108,

This is probably the most challenging part of an intimate. Even more so for someone who is a real planner type. While you may talk to friends who have done so much for their wedding months and months in advance...you will feel like something is "wrong" because for an intimate wedding at Disney there really is very little for you to plan.

I have two words for you...TRUST DISNEY! I know that is easier said than done, but they have this intimate wedding stuff down pat!

Intimate brides do not get a planning session, there is no cake testing, and I'm not sure about whether or not they will meet with you if you decide to go down before your wedding. They might, but they might not.

I know that seems odd, or strange...but I also know that Disney planned my intimate wedding in about 5 months through phone calls and emails. I had never been to WDW before, so I knew nothing!

The flowers part is easy though! Find pictures of what you want and email them to your EM. You will most likely work with Rosie in Disney Floral and she is amazing!!! They will look at what you want (actually, I just described what I wanted to Rosie and my bouquet was just what I wanted) and they will get back to you about the cost and if it's any "extra" over and above the normal intimate bouquet cost.

I do understand how you feel...all of us felt the same way. And I am willing to bet we all had some trepidation about the seeming lack of planning. But, when it was all said and done, our weddings were just what we wanted...beautiful and magical and exclusivley Disney!

Good luck and congratulations!

 

[JandJ]

Just like Hiwaygal said - Trust Disney!! I am a completely neurotic planner and I am sure I drove my EM crazy, but in the end it was the most perfect day I could have ever imagined I dealt with my EM and Rosie in Disney Floral over the phone and through e-mail and everything was exactly how I wanted it to be. I did have the advantage of living in Orlando at the time so I was able to see our site several times before the wedding, but you don't have to do that even. I did not miss a planning session, or a formal rehearsal (we did a "run-through" the night before but your EM will be there the day of your wedding and will walk you through everything). Your EM will give you all of the information and choices you need and you'll work with them to get it all exactly how you want it.

I didn't like the flowers either, so I found a picture of a bouquet I wanted, just in different colors, e-mailed it to Rosie, she called me to clarify one thing, and my bouquet was exactly what I wanted - it was like Rosie peaked into my head and saw what I was envisioning!

I had an upgraded custom cake too, and again I found a picture of it, with a few modifications, e-mailed it to my EM and my cake was completely perfect!

Disney really is amazing and as a bride you will of course stress over everything, but in the end they will do it so well, you will just be amazed

 

[Icats]

We took a short trip to Disney about 6 months before our intimate wedding and asked our planner if we could meet with her while we were there. Fortunately, she had some time in her schedule and was able to meet with us. So it never hurts to ask. I thought it was helpful meeting with our planner in person, but if she hadn't been available we could have just as easily discussed everything over the phone and the wedding would have been just the same.

Hope that helps.

 

[jasnal]

I am making a short trip up there (I am having an intimate wedding) I ordered a custom cake and so my EM made an exception and let me have a cake tasting but no planning session

 

[mermaidbride1108]

Thanks guys! Your input is so helpful! I'm still thinking it over whether to suck it up and do a small custom or just do a large intimate...

 

[TinkBride]

I am a planner as well, and this planning has been an up and down roller coaster for me emotionally. I felt like things had to be done constantly, but in all reality they didn't.

Look at my countdown, I am just now feeling the push to plan and make lists and start kicking it into full gear. But, I would rather this, than the stress of a custom. I love planning, I really do, but I wouldn't have had time to plan a more elaborate affair from Indy. Even with a planning session.

Anywho, you had mentioned flowers?

I did not use any of the pre-determined bouquets for intimates, I e-mailed Rosie Carabbia picture of what I wanted and she created it, i did have to pay more for the upgrade, but it will be worth it.

Just remember this:

Intimate brides can have fun too! You can have the basic package or upgrade everything. If you want to change something, just ask, they will be more than happy to work with you, especially if it means more money being spent!

 

[hisprincess]

This may be the wrong place to ask, but everyone seems so helpful and you all seem to have had the intimate weddings or are in the process so here it goes. Is it true that you have to call ahead exactly down to the day one year ahead of when you want your wedding? I'm so nervous about this and feel like I'm not going to get even close to the day we want if I don't call right now. Does anybody know what the chances of me getting my choice of day in the first week of march 2008?

Also, anybody who has had Randy for photos, should I book him first? How far ahead should I plan on contacting him? AHHHH! I havn't even officially started planning and I'm already freaking out! haha

 

[hiwaygal]

Don't freak out yet! There will be plenty of time for that later

I booked my September 2005 intimate wedding in April 2005. Just about 5 months before the day.

With an intimate, I think you can actually book as late as 90 days out. The thing is, though, you need to be a bit more flexible if you wait that long .

It certainly won't hurt to call Disney exactly one year out and ask them about scheduling your wedding. I think it used to be that you couldn't book an intimate that far ahead, but that has probably changed. I think intimates are only available Monday thru Thursday (and even that might have changed by now, someone will correct me if that is wrong).

Remember that there are, on average, 4 times a day and 5 locations you can have your intimate. If you are at all flexible about the time and location, chances are you will definitely get your date. If you have your heart set on a specific location, being flexible with your time will help you get the date...know what I mean?

As for booking Randy...You might want to call and check his availability that first week in March, and maybe try to coordinate his availabilty with the date/time/location you want at Disney.

Good luck and happy planning!!

 

[ForKeeps]

Randy books super early. I booked him 2 months before I could call about my date. He's really flexible...if you wind up not getting that date and he's already booked for the date you eventually get, he refunds your deposit.

So there's no problem with booking him before you know your date. Originally we had wanted an intimate wedding in early May 2007, I booked Randy in June 2006, and waited for the 8 month mark to come to book the Wedding pavilion.

When we decided to push up the wedding I called Randy to see if he was free that day and changed everything accordingly. It wasn't a problem at all.

 

[TinkBride]

I booked my March 2007 wedding in August of 2006 so only about 7 months out and they had the schedule pretty much wide open at that time. I booked Randy only about a month ago, but go lucky. He just so happened to have a cancellation that day and was able to book us. But I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND WAITING THAT LONG to book him! He is very popular and in high demand it seems.

I say book Randy and most likely if you call asap you will be able to get your day with Disney, if not, Randy may possibly be able to switch days depeneding on his schedule.

Good Luck!

P.S. The first weeks of march does not seem to be very popular, end of march is a different story.......

 

[D&R love Disney]

I booked my intimate wedding about 7 months prior. I did have a short meeting with my EM since I was already planning on being in Disney for a vacation with friends and then my Mom. I gave her a picture of the flowers I wanted and my bouquet came pretty close (was an extra charge though).

I did book Randy and Rev. Jack right away and I was so glad I did. Both were fantastic to work with.

 

[hisprincess]

Thank you everybody. Your input has helped me a lot!

 

[Maggimus]

I booked Randy... oh about 3-4 months before the wedding. I hadnt even heard about him until then... it was a good thing he was available too . I wouldnt call TOO awful early but I would definately give more notice than what I did!! GL

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I think intimates are only available Monday thru Thursday (and even that might have changed by now, someone will correct me if that is wrong).

Monday through Friday, actually, except in the Wedding Pavillion. Before the new Escape wedding, it was Monday through Saturday! It says it right on their web site, but I got confused and misread it when I first started planning. I didn't realize Fridays and Saturdays were allowed until I was too deep into my planning and my guests had already made travel arrangements. It didn't help that my initial wedding sales consultant misled me to think I had to choose a day between Monday and Thursday, so I chose Thursday.

As for booking ahead, I booked with less than 4 months lead time and almost all of my potential dates were available. I called last month for a May wedding. They would've let me book with even less lead time, but I felt I needed four months to get ready. It turns out four months isn't quite enough time and I'm scrambling a little bit to get everything done in time.

Disney performs half a dozen ceremonies per day or so (more in high season, less in low season), but they have many locations and many time slots. If they needed, they have enough locations to perform 30+ ceremonies in a day.

 

[dee slack]

I booked Randy... oh about 3-4 months before the wedding. I hadnt even heard about him until then... it was a good thing he was available too . I wouldnt call TOO awful early but I would definately give more notice than what I did!! GL

how about 15 months out! I wanted Randy so bad that I paid him a deposit and gave him our 1st and 2nd choice dates in Sept '06 for our VR in Dec '07. Just hope we get one of those 2 dates!

 

[Maggimus]

Its probobly a good thing though Dee-- because you cant ever be too sure when hes going to fill up and you dont ever know when another bride might want that same day as you..

 

[hisprincess]

I plan on having our wedding at sunset pt. For those of you have have actually seen sunset pt. I'm hoping you can tell me what the view of the castle is like from the beach area? What is the beach area actually even like? I can't seem to find many good pics of the beach at sunset pt. and was actually thinkin of asking Disney if the ceremony could take place on it and positioned so that the castle would still be in the background.

 

[Icats]

We stayed at the Poly for our wedding in December. We didn't get married at Sunset Point, but I did take a few pictures.

Sunset Point:

I don't have a picture of the castle from the beach, but this is the castle from Sunset Point:

And this is the beach next to Sunset Point:

Hope those helped.

 

[hisprincess]

Yes, that does help, thank you so much!