My Planning

[DWSummerBride]

Hi everyone, I’m new to this board and have been reading it for the past week. Like most of the other new comers, I found this board very useful and full of nice people. My fiancé and I are planning to get marry this summer; I know it’s not much time away. I have contacted Disney last week and was able to start a little planning this Monday over the phone. We are now considering end of June because the kids are off from school (our nieces & nephews) and it’s not as hot as July and August (I believe?). At first we were just considering doing a reception in NY, and we also had visited a few venues. Somehow we thought about DW as an option, and started looking into it recently. I spoke to the contract/planner coordinator briefly over the phone, as I already got some background from the Disney website and this board.

My overall plan would be to have the wedding ceremony inside Epcot in the morning (haven’t decided on which country yet) and a cocktail & dinner reception at night. Originally I was thinking about doing an outdoor dinner at France with the fireworks show (it sounds very exciting to me), but my coordinator suggested I do an indoor dinner and then follow with a dessert with the fireworks show because he thinks it might a little hot for having an outdoor dinner. I think an outdoor dinner really sounds very cool, especially with fireworks as the entertainment. I saw the pictures with the table settings, they look very nice. And the other reason is combining both would save some cost and especially I think the dinner menu already comes with dessert. What’re your thoughts? I would have only about 25 guests, so it’s going to be a small wedding.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions!

 

[PrincessBride07]

Congrats and The outdoor dinner does sound really good, but I do have to agree with the planner that it may be too hot. You might want to consider serving cold/chilled food if you have it outdoors, and if it's an option. Anyways, have fun with all the planning, and I look forward to hearing more.

 

[DWSummerBride]

Thank you and thanks for your advice. It’s always good to hear opinion from more people, this way, if I need to persuade my DF, I can have more solid reason.

 

[Maggimus]

Congratulations!! No worries on being new-- we love having people come here. The more the merrier!!

Isnt DFTW such a great idea in itself?

You will find this a good resource, especially on vendors.
Photography
Videography
Hair & Makeup
Dress Steaming
Decorations, etc

My personal opinion
You should consider Randy Chapman for outside photography!! (a link to the photos he took of me in my signature)

Major Congrats!

 

[DWSummerBride]

Thank you very much!!!

Yea, I actually looked into it too and saw the pricing. There’s a good chance that we might go with him, unless we needed to fill the minimum expenditure requirement while doesn’t wanna to just fill it with unnecessary costs. Just wondering, what if I take the whole day package, is it a custom to invite him as a guest to the party too?

The other thing is the video the SV(?), I originally didn’t consider having a video person, but saw a post saying that it is highly suggested…hmmm….

 

[Sparkles9306]

Welcome and happy planning!! Looks like you have some good plans in place!

 

[DWSummerBride]

I'm also very happy to find so many Disney fans here too. Not too many people that I know of are into it as much as me.

 

[orangetiggs]

congrats!

I'm the same none of my friends like disney and they laughed when we said we wanted a disney wedding! Theya re coming becauses we are getting married but i doubt they will stay long and enjoy what disney is. I keep telling them its not what you expect but they wont listen

 

[Maggimus]

Thank you very much!!!

Yea, I actually looked into it too and saw the pricing. There’s a good chance that we might go with him, unless we needed to fill the minimum expenditure requirement while doesn’t wanna to just fill it with unnecessary costs. Just wondering, what if I take the whole day package, is it a custom to invite him as a guest to the party too?

The other thing is the video the SV(?), I originally didn’t consider having a video person, but saw a post saying that it is highly suggested…hmmm….

Stan from STVS weddings
www.stvsweddings.com

We didnt use him but I regret the decision!! HE is so tallented. Look at Happylalagirl's TR and she has her entire video on there-- its awesome and so beautifully captured!!

GL Happy Planning

 

[DisneyFairy19]

CONGRATULATIONS... Happy planning... We cant wait to hear details

 

[DWSummerBride]

Thanks all for the friendly and warm greeting and the helpful info.

Another question I’m wondering, since I’m planning to hold the morning ceremony and dinner and possibly dessert reception all at the Epcot. Do the guests need to buy park tix in order to get in? I know for sure some of them are planning to visit the park anyway, but not all of them would. So, hopefully it’s not needed to participate my wedding. Thanks.

 

[PrincessBride07]

The only fee that I know of is a $12.50 fee per guest for viewing illuminations. If your guest are using park passes that day, they can use them for the show and you don't have to pay the $12.50. I am running into the situation of how do you ask your guest if they are going into the parks that day or not . We are having a small group, so I think that I will just pay the extra money rather than commit a faux-pas. As for your daytime event, I have not seen anything that requires extra charge for guests to go in the park. I am not positive on this. Sorry.

 

[Gina Loves Disney]

The only fee that I know of is a $12.50 fee per guest for viewing illuminations. If your guest are using park passes that day, they can use them for the show and you don't have to pay the $12.50. I am running into the situation of how do you ask your guest if they are going into the parks that day or not . We are having a small group, so I think that I will just pay the extra money rather than commit a faux-pas. As for your daytime event, I have not seen anything that requires extra charge for guests to go in the park. I am not positive on this. Sorry.

Well are your guests staying on site??? If they are I would venture to say that they will be making a vacation out of it, and might even have park hoppers.....

 

[disprincessatheart]

I'm doing the EPCOT French ISland dinner reception, but in april, so heat's not as much of a concern. Another idea though for June would be to start the reception at 8 with cocktails and apps, then illuminations goes until about 9:20 and start dinner at 9:30. You'd be able to stay in the park until 1am then and do dessert, cake and dancing after dinner. I think it'd be really cool to be the only people in the park after 10! For ours we'll be staying until 11pm as we're starting at 6pm. If you do this option though, you might want to consider a different ceremony option as getting up early enough for an EPCOT weddign and then staying up until 1am at the reception might be too long of a day for you and your guests.

Just an idea.

 

[sarah_n_brian2006]

Also, you need 50 guests for a French Island. You could do a UK Island however. Im doing a French Idland reception as well

 

[disprincessatheart]

That 50 person min must be new - we're only having about 35 ppl total.

 

[hisprincess]

I am begining to do a little bit of planning before I call DFTW, and I figured someone on here would know the answer to this question that I have. About how much to the officeints (sp) usually charge?