Newbie Bride needing help!

[TwoMrsToBe]

Hey everyone! I'm so glad to have found this site! So right now FI and are needing to make some serious decisions and fast! We have decided to get married on our 5th year anniversary, which is in June. I have also decided that I would like to be a Disney bride. I've been going back and forth between the SD and DFTW. This is where I am hung up and could use some opinions...

1. I am really, really wanting to have a bridal shoot in the MK. This is only possible through DTFW. The biggest selling points for me about DFTW is the bridal shoot and not having to worry about a photographer. The obvious downside is the cost.

I've thought about SD and in theory it sounds great, but does it end up being cheaper than an escape package?

Both you have to figure out your own reception, so there's that. Is there anyone else that struggled with similar issues? Do you regret your choice with what you decided?

 

[Chilly]

Hey everyone! I'm so glad to have found this site! So right now FI and are needing to make some serious decisions and fast! We have decided to get married on our 5th year anniversary, which is in June. I have also decided that I would like to be a Disney bride. I've been going back and forth between the SD and DFTW. This is where I am hung up and could use some opinions...

1. I am really, really wanting to have a bridal shoot in the MK. This is only possible through DTFW. The biggest selling points for me about DFTW is the bridal shoot and not having to worry about a photographer. The obvious downside is the cost.

I've thought about SD and in theory it sounds great, but does it end up being cheaper than an escape package?

Both you have to figure out your own reception, so there's that. Is there anyone else that struggled with similar issues? Do you regret your choice with what you decided?

SD weddings would likely be cheaper than an Escape package.

Now where you say you don't have to worry about a photographer, its true Disney can provide them but the truth is some of them are not the best and you don't know who you'll get. Many DFTW brides provide their own photographer even when one is provided in the package and we can help with names of great vendors.

 

[WDWLover75]

Hi there - I'm having an Escape wedding in December. I never considered a SD wedding for a few reasons.....1. I never consider staying there for a normal trip, it doesn't have any special meaning for me and it doesn't feel as Disney, 2. The quality at Disney is fantastic. Some people I have talked with don't understand why I am having my destination wedding at Disney versus some other location in the country or Caribbean, other than loving Disney, the reason is simple, I don't have to worry..I don't have to investigate locations, find a planner, find a florist, find a baker, find a caterer, etc, etc. it is all done for me and I know everything will be really well taken care of because of Disney quality and the large amount of weddings they coordinate a year, I would NOT feel so assured at SD. 3. I really wanted to do a dessert party, I think it is possible to book one of these through Group Events even if you don't have a DFTW, but then that is just another person I need to deal with...with my Escape wedding, my coordinator took care of that for me.

In the end, will my escape wedding be more than a SD wedding, probably some, but, it's my wedding, we've waited a long time to get married and I'm willing to make some sacrifices by shopping less, going out to eat less often etc. to pay the extra money.

I also want to mention something that not everyone seems to know - while Escape weddings do not require you to set up a room block and meet a minimum number of room nights, you can still set up a block if your guests will be visiting from out of town. This provided us with a pretty nice room discount!

 

[Summer Daydream]

The MK photo shoot was a big point for me, however it is blacked out the entire two weeks we are there for our wedding and honeymoon. I am kind of bummed about that, but that being said we still went with DFTW. For us, the guest limit was a help. We had a lot of family bash our decision, so we went with escape, and now suddenly people want to come. It was nice to just point at the guest limit in the contract. We also know that it is going to be more expensive than SD, but my fiancé and I liked the simplicity of just choosing from a few options. It has made things stress free. There are many people on here who have had beautiful SD weddings for a low cost, even with booking their own vendors.

We have just booked a large group reservation for our favorite restaurant as our reception

 

[1EvilQueenfan]

Another option you might consider is getting married on the Disney cruise line! This is what we are doing and we are still able to do the MK bridal shoot ! The onboard package is $3000 and for castaway cay it's $4000 on top of the price of your cruise!

Hope this helps
Jodi

 

[MrsDuck]

I had a S/D wedding and was absolutely 100% thrilled with our day and their service. Feel free to check out my PJ or ask me any questions.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

What Faith (MrsDuck) said!!!!
Please do not assume that a S/D wedding will be any less professional, well organised or 'Disney' than a DFTW event would be!!!
In fact, it has been suggested that S/D planners are quicker to respond to questions and enquiries than are DFTW planners. I could not possibly comment........
The link to my PJ/TR is also in my siggie. Feel free to take a look.
Congratulations and happy planning!! Xxx

 

[mb187143]

...In fact, it has been suggested that S/D planners are quicker to respond to questions and enquiries than are DFTW planners. I could not possibly comment........... Xxx

1- I know this is intended to be helpful... But how would a S/D bride be able to compare the efficiency of Just Marry (S/D) planners to the Disney planners, considering to have a planner with Disney you need to have signed a contract (something that would very likely prevent you or impose a heavy penalty to cancel to have a S/D wedding)? Some can compare S/D planners to the DFTW consultants, maybe, as while you're going through the process before you've booked your events, that's who you're working with. But there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that many DFTW brides have plenty of communication with their planners and the planners assistants and are completely satisfied. Yes there are those who had bad experiences... On both sides of that debate. But just as I can't compare my experience with a Disney planner to someone who got married at S/D, no one else can really say either, unless they went through both companies for the same event and broke one of those contracts fairly far into the process.


2 - I had lightning quick and excellent communication with my planner from the very beginning. Not because I went through DFTW and that somehow made her better, but because our personalities gelled immediately and I never went more than 24 hours after asking a question without getting an answer from either her or her assistant. You could have that same experience with DFTW, or not. Or you could have that with just marry, or not. You can't really control that. Which is true of any company - all employees are different and personalities mesh and clash based on lots of things. The people who work for both companies are professionals. Both put on beautiful weddings. It doesn't matter which you choose, both offer their own benefits and come with their own detractions. If you want the MK shoot though, your decision is made for you.