Francks Bridal Studio Entertainment/Video/Photo/Transportation/Special Effects
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PEG
(
click here for audio clip)
Lyrics & Music by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
And when you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it
I like your pin shot
I keep it with your letter
Done up in blueprint blue
It sure looks good on you
So won't you smile for the camera
I know I'll love you better
Peg
It will come back to you
Peg
It will come back to you
Then the shutter falls
You see it all in 3-D
It's your favorite foreign movie
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With tummies full of cake, it was time to move on to the next item on my Fairy Tale Weddings Vow Renewal Planning Session Agenda:
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Planning Session Agenda:
12:30pm: Meeting with Ceremony Entertainment Manager
Janet & Friends
Janets Event Manager, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Entertainment, Photography & Videography Sales Manager; Disney Event Group
Entertainment Option at the Wedding Pavilion
Videography
Photography
Special Transportation
Special Effects
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This session would be chock-full of information regarding
entertainment, videography, photography, transportation, and
special effects.
Well, to be perfectly honest, we had covered the topic of
transportation with my Event Manager during the Cake Tasting portion of the Planning Session. That was when I mentioned that I thought
walking from the Grand Floridian to the Wedding Pavilion would be a lovely way to arrive at my ceremony. However, I told my Event Manager that I was afraid the weather would be uncooperative. He agreed that walking could be risky due to
Mother Nature.
My Event Manager asked me how I felt about arriving at the Wedding Pavilion in
Cinderellas coach. I said I thought the coach would be a fun ride for my daughter and my niece, but I would feel awkward in it. He then asked me how I felt about arriving in a limousine. I turned that option down because it wasnt unique enough for me. He went on to present the vintage car and the horse drawn carriage as more unique modes of transportation. I told him that as lovely as they sounded, they still werent quite what I was looking for.
I explained to my Event Manager that after having been married for almost 20 years, I was looking for something a little unconventional. I thought something along the lines of the
big yellow taxi from Who Framed Roger Rabbit would be fun. However, I knew the taxi didnt exist and thus wasnt an option.
The only thing I could think of that was a bit unconventional and funky was a
Grand Floridian trolley (golf cart). Whenever I envisioned the Grand Floridian Resort, I remembered all the times my family had
hitched a ride in one of their trolleys. I sincerely felt a trolley would be the perfect mode of transportation for my vow renewal it was unique, fun, and very personal. My Event Manager told me that it was a most unusual request, but he would look into it for me. I was happy to hear that as crazy as my request sounded, it was being taken seriously.
As we sat in the Merryweather Conference Room finishing the Cake Tasting portion of my Planning Session, in walked the Disney Event Groups Entertainment, Photography & Videography Sales Manager (I will call him the EPV Sales Manager for the rest of my trip report). I had heard good things about this man over the past few years in regards to the Fairy Tale Weddings organization. It was nice to finally associate a
face with a
name.
The EPV Sales Manager began our meeting by asking my Event Manager what we had discussed prior to his arrival. My Event Manager had taken excellent notes and had informed him that I was familiar with Disneys photography service since I had used it twice before for my familys private events (
event #1 and
event #2). My Event Manager also mentioned that I would be submitting a shot list to the photographers in advance, and that my husband and I would be taking our photographs together inside the Grand Floridian Resort prior to our ceremony. My Event Manager added that I already had the
Magic Kingdom Portrait Session booked. As he spoke, the EPV Sales Manager took notes.
With the background information out of the way, the EPV Sales Manager began describing Disneys
videography packages. He mentioned that there was an option to the video packages that was called
Through the Years. If I wanted to add this option, I had to submit 40 still photographs no less than two weeks prior to the date of my ceremony. Those photographs would be turned into a montage on my completed video.
I told the EPV Sales Manager that the
Through the Years option sounded wonderful, but that I would have a hard time finding 40 photographs to use because I literally had thousands and thousands of photographs from my Walt Disney World vacations alone (oh, the joys of owning digital cameras). I knew it would be an impossible task for me to complete so I decided not to choose the option (it would be one less thing to worry about in the time remaining before my vow renewal).
Before we moved on from the subject of videography, I mentioned that in the future I thought it would be wonderful if Disney added video samples of their work to a password-protected website. (Note: For those of you who dont know it, Disney already has a password-protected website for samples of their photographic work.) I stated that if video samples were readily accessible via a website, I could view them at my leisure while I was making my videography decision. The EPV Sales Manager said that he would pass my comments along.
We next began discussing Disneys
photography packages. I was told that proofs of all photos that were taken at my vow renewal would be mine to keep. Those proofs would be 4 x 6 inches in size. I was also told that with any of Disneys
photography packages, photos from my vow renewal would be placed on a password-protected website for viewing and purchasing by my guests. Since I had already used that feature for my Haunted Mansion Movie Set Dinner event and my Summerhouse Dinner Party event, it was reassuring to know that my vow renewal event would be handled in the same professional manner. I was pleased.
The EPV Sales Manager had brought several photo albums with him to the meeting. For the past few years, I had read about those albums. I was especially anxious to see the new artistic photo books that had recently been added to Disneys repertoire. I was salivating at the thought of holding one of those books in my hands.
Before I was handed any photo album samples, the EPV Sales Manager began describing Disneys traditional photo albums:
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The front cover is embossed. There are 16 different color choices for the leather cover. There are 32 different color choices for the lining pages. There are 4 different color choices for the body pages. The wedding couple will choose how many pages to put into their album and what photos to put onto those pages. The couple can even choose the size and placement of their photos.
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For the album that had just been shown to me, the EPV Sales Manager stated that photographs were not included with it but rather a credit would be issued for a specific amount of money. From that credit would be subtracted the price of the photos that were chosen for the album (each photo had a price).
I asked if this album could be designed on a computer because that was how I had designed photo books in the past. I was sad to learn that it was not an option. I was told that a planning kit would be sent to me, and an Album Coordinator would work with me.
What was shown to me next was what I had been waiting for. It was a contemporary photo album that looked more like a book. It was simply stunning. This was the artistic photo book that Disney had recently added to their wedding photography packages. I couldnt wait to get my hot little hands on it.
The EPV Sales Manager began describing this photo book:
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"The book may have either a black or an ivory cover. With the black cover, the interior pages come in either black or pastel colors. With the ivory cover, the interior pages come only in pastel colors. It has been noticed that for daytime events, most couples choose the ivory cover with pastel pages; while for nighttime events, most couples choose the black cover with black pages. With this book, 50 photos are included. The wedding couple will choose which photos to use. Disney will send those photos to the book artist who will design the photos sizing, layout, and format. The book artist will also add a few artistic touches to the book; for example, tear-away pages that may be turned to reveal photographs beneath. If pastel pages are chosen, the book artist will look for colors within the photographs to match the page colors to. The photo book may be upgraded from a 50-image book to an 80- or 100-image book. The cover may be upgraded to either red or black leather. It should be noted that the pages actually contain real photographs that have been laminated (the photos are not printed on the pages).
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I asked if the photo book could be designed on the computer. I was told that it was not an option.
~Drats.~
I should probably stop right here and mention something. For those of you who havent met me, I must admit that I am very passionate about a lot of things. My family. My friends. My job. My vacations. The underdog. Life in general. For the most part, I do a decent job with keeping my passion contained. However, there are subjects that always seem to bring out the spunky side of me. One of those subjects just so happens to revolve around technology.
Maybe I should clarify that a bit. I get very passionate about technology that merges my passion for family, friends, and life. Technology that is capable of capturing a moment in time for all of eternity. In the simplest forms, that technology is photography and videography. If the look of
joy on someones face or the sound of laughter in their voice can be captured and shared with others, the thought of doing so simply brings out the tiger in me.
I must admit that the poor EPV Sales Manager saw that side of my personality as we discussed the videography and photography options for my vow renewal. On several occasions, he was hit full-force with my passion. But he was a real trouper and took it all in stride. Disney had moved into the 21st Century with the stunning photo book that they were offering as part of their photography package. The EPV Sales Manager certainly saw a twinkle in my eye and heard the passion in my voice as I told him that I definitely wanted that photo book as part of my photography package. I was overjoyed with the thought of how I was going to fill the book with the wonderful moments of my 21st Century fairy tale, even if it was a shame that I couldnt design the book on the computer.
As the ladies and I took one final look at the photo album and book samples, Nutz4dzny asked the EPV Sales Manager if he had been involved with the Food Networks recent TV special on Disney weddings:
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Food Network Specials
Episode WDSP01
Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings
You're invited to join host Sandra Pinckney for a special hour of Disney Fairytale Weddings. From choosing the reception menu to constructing the cake, tag along as a celebration filled with Disney delicacies comes together.
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The EPV Sales Manager said he had been involved with the show. WeFullTime, Bonzie1, and I laughed. Nutz4dzny had been asking just about every Cast Member whom we had encountered that day if they had been involved with the show. She finally found someone who had, bless her little heart. We had a real celebrity in our midst. He got a kick out of that.
The topic of which photography package to select came up next. The EPV Sales Manager stated that if we started my photos at 6 PM, and if my party lasted until 2 AM, I would need an 8-hour photography package. That sounded fine to me.
It was at this point that I mentioned that I wanted Mickey Mouse added to my event. Everyone wanted to know if I wanted
only Mickey or if I wanted
both Mickey and Minnie. I said I wasnt sure, but I knew I definitely wanted Mickey.
I was then asked what sort of attire Mickey Mouse should wear to my event. I said I was leaning towards the traditional Mickey costume instead of the formal Mickey costume. The EPV Sales Manager asked me to consider Mickeys sorcerer costume. I asked if I could see samples of all of Mickeys costumes because viewing them would help me make my decision. The EPV Sales Manager said he had a few photos of costumes with him but not all of them.
My passion popped up again (its hard to keep good passion down its kinda like
champagne bubbles). I asked the EPV Sales Manager to relay my wishes to Disney that photographs of Mickey Mouses wardrobe be placed on a password-protected website for future guests to peruse as they were planning their events. Again, he said hed pass my comments along.
I was told that Mickey Mouse could only show up inside the Great Movie Ride in one location the
black box area (that is where the ride vehicles gather together to watch the final sequence of movie clips). Mickey could also show up outside, underneath the Sorcerers Hat icon. I said I wanted to go with the outdoor location, weather permitting.
I decided to ask what costume Minnie Mouse should wear if Mickey Mouse was dressed in his sorcerers costume. The response was that her traditional costume would probably work best. It was also suggested that Mickeys director costume might be another appropriate outfit to consider. My Event Manager stated that he would try to get me photos of several of Mickey's costumes:
Traditional Mickey,
Sorcerer Mickey, and Director Mickey.
The topic came back to the amount of photography coverage that I needed. With 8 hours of coverage, I would receive one main photo book and one smaller family book. If I wished, the images could be completely different in each of the two books. I could also forgo the family book and upgrade the main book from 50 to 80 images. Since I had also mentioned my desire for electronic copies of my images, I had the option of receiving them on a high-resolution CD.
It was at this point in time that my brain
went on overload. It had been a long day and so much information had been shared with me that I was suddenly beginning to have a hard time keeping the photography options straight. I asked the EPV Sales Manager if he could put things in writing for me so that
I could review it later on. He stated that I had already been sent all the information that he had. My mind was drawing a complete blank because I remembered reading what had been sent to me but it wasnt described in much detail.
For some reason I couldnt seem to get my point across that I needed a list in writing of the options that were available to me. I was certain that my sudden communication problems had a lot to do with my current state of mind. Luckily, my Event Manager picked up on my confusion. He simply stated that he understood I would be making a lot of decisions soon and that I was concerned I would forget all the options that had been presented to me. He told me not to worry, that hed trigger my memory when the time came. He knew that photography was an important part of my life because he had become familiar with me while we were planning my Summerhouse Dinner Party event. His words instantly put my mind at ease, and he was able to communicate exactly what I needed to the EPV Sales Manager.
With things better explained, the EPV Sales Manager also told me not to worry. He said that the options that were presented to me today werent the only options that were available. If I could tell him what I ultimately wanted, he could put together a custom proposal for me. I was happy to hear that in case I needed to take that route.
I was also happy when the EPV Sales Manager told me that whatever I decided today, it would not be set in stone. I could change my mind. Boy, that took a load off me. As you folks know, I always try to make my decisions such that I have no regrets in the future. At my Planning Session, I was afraid that whatever decisions I made, they would set me down a path from which I could not return. Both my Event Manger and my EPV Sales Manager assured me that was not the case. My Planning Session was simply a place for me to find out what my options were. When the time came for final decisions and deadlines that set things in stone, Disney would give me plenty of warning. I breathed a
huge sigh of relief.
Before this portion of my Planning Session ended, the topic turned to special effects. I was shown a nighttime photo of fireworks going off behind the Wedding Pavilion. It looked lovely but for some reason didnt
wow me.
That one photo was pretty much the extent of the fireworks discussion. But as they say,
it only takes a moment. I wouldnt give further thought to this unique touch for a few more weeks; but when I did think of it again, it would lead me down a magical path that I would never forget.
And with that, the
Entertainment / Videography / Photography / Transportation / Special Effects portion of my Planning Session had come to an end. The EPV Sales Manager said his goodbyes and was on his way. As you will see as my trip report continues, this wouldnt be the last of him.
), shame on you. You're going to have to go back to 
What a perfect tease that picture is! I want more! Show and tell us more! Pleeeezzzzzeee? 
my awesome, respected, most revered mentor, I apologize for breaking the first law I ever memorized from Spy School: ALWAYS, ALWAYS check with Janet, uh, I mean Jane Bond prior to making any press releases!!! 
Life just won't be the same without your approval!!!
