newbie with questions

[DFTWbride2013]

Hi! I'm new to the boards, as well as just starting the planning process. We're set on a DFTW at WDW, aiming for March of 2013. I already got the Passporter's Disney Weddings and Honeymoons, which has been more help than I ever thought I would find! I stayed up all night reading almost all of it- I skipped the section on Couture weddings, I may be dreaming big but that's too far of a stretch!

Anyway, we have a site viewing appointment next week, but I'm too excited to wait that "long" to get answers to some of my questions! I'm hoping you guys would know a few of these.

1. We want to do a Wishes wedding, and we want to stay as close to the 20-person minimum as possible. Do small children count towards our guest count? I know they don't count to the $100/$125/$150 food minimum, but can they still count as guests? Like, would we be able to have 16 adults and 4 toddlers and still be considered a 20 person group required for a Wishes wedding?

2. Would we be able to do our ceremony in the morning, but not have our reception until the evening? I have my heart set on Japan at Epcot, but that's only available at 9am, and I really wanted to do a dinner reception. I'm hoping they'll let us do a morning ceremony, then be able to rent a space for a casual ~1hr breakfast/brunch buffet, and have our guests meet up again in the evening for a formal plated dinner with dancing, followed by a dessert party to end the night! If the reception has to follow right after the ceremony, I'm going to have to re-think everything.

3. We're doing a dessert party, and we don't feel we need to serve cake AND dessert. Does anyone know if we would be able to do a dessert tasting instead of a cake tasting?

4. Are MK photo sessions available after park closing as well, or only in the morning? If you do a two-park photo session, can you do both of them in the same morning or do they only do them on separate days? We want to do MK and either AK or Epcot, but I don't want to pay a cosmetologist 2-3 separate times if I can help it.

5. When you sign your contract, what exactly does it guarantee? Is it the date only, or do they guarantee your ceremony venue, reception venue, dessert party venue? All of the above? I know we'd get moved indoors if it rains, but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable signing a contract giving them the rights to change my ceremony space 30 days out if a Couture bride decides she wants my spot!

6. As far as transportation goes, does a "round trip" have to be an immediate Point A to Point B and back to Point A, or will they drop you off and pick you back up a few hours later? Or can you do two one-way trips? I'm trying to avoid having to rent two charters in one day.

I'm pretty sure I have more questions, but think is all I could remember for now. It seems like a good place to start. I think this forum seems like a more reliable place to ask than calling Disney themself. When we called to schedule a site viewing appointment, they put us on hold for nearly 10 minutes to find out the answer to our super-complicated question of "How many sites will you show us during our appointment?" I don't want to know how long we would be on hold or how many hoops we would have to jump through to get answers for some of these other questions!

 

[lurkyloo]

Hi!

1. We want to do a Wishes wedding, and we want to stay as close to the 20-person minimum as possible. Do small children count towards our guest count? I know they don't count to the $100/$125/$150 food minimum, but can they still count as guests? Like, would we be able to have 16 adults and 4 toddlers and still be considered a 20 person group required for a Wishes wedding?

I think you'll be fine.

2. Would we be able to do our ceremony in the morning, but not have our reception until the evening? I have my heart set on Japan at Epcot, but that's only available at 9am, and I really wanted to do a dinner reception. I'm hoping they'll let us do a morning ceremony, then be able to rent a space for a casual ~1hr breakfast/brunch buffet, and have our guests meet up again in the evening for a formal plated dinner with dancing, followed by a dessert party to end the night! If the reception has to follow right after the ceremony, I'm going to have to re-think everything.

It doesn't have to, but they will strongly encourage you to schedule them together. However, your idea of having a casual brunch directly after the ceremony alleviates one of the most common problems, which is guests expecting to be fed directly after the ceremony. One thing to consider is that, depending on which fireworks show you're interested in and what time of year it will be, your dinner reception may have to start in the late afternoon if you want it to end in time to get your guests out to a fireworks dessert party.

3. We're doing a dessert party, and we don't feel we need to serve cake AND dessert. Does anyone know if we would be able to do a dessert tasting instead of a cake tasting?

The cake tasting is a pre-made tray that is sent over to Franck's from the Grand Floridian during the planning session. To taste desserts you would have to do a menu tasting with a chef at the resort/theme park that is making your meal.

4. Are MK photo sessions available after park closing as well, or only in the morning?

Morning only

If you do a two-park photo session, can you do both of them in the same morning or do they only do them on separate days?

They only offer them consecutively.

5. When you sign your contract, what exactly does it guarantee? Is it the date only, or do they guarantee your ceremony venue, reception venue, dessert party venue? All of the above?

They guarantee the date, ceremony venue and reception venue. Dessert party venues can't be confirmed til 6 months out.

6. As far as transportation goes, does a "round trip" have to be an immediate Point A to Point B and back to Point A, or will they drop you off and pick you back up a few hours later? Or can you do two one-way trips? I'm trying to avoid having to rent two charters in one day.

A round trip is Point A to Point B and back to Point A. Your guests would have to all meet the transportation at Point A. A charter is unlimited stops within the specified time frame, with a 3-hour or 5-hour minimum time frame, depending on which vehicle you need (sounds like you don't need a motorcoach!). So it really boils down to how many pickups and drop-offs you need.

 

[sambycat]

ppsssssttt

the PP wrote this book (available as in immediate download that UPDATES!!! or paperback) all about everything DFTW. it is an INVALUABLE resource!

you might also dig her weekly podcast (free) found here that has lots of info as well.

lurkyloo is my own personal oprah when it comes to weddings!

 

[DFTWbride2013]

I feel honored to get a response from the Disney Wedding Queen herself!

Thanks so much, there's only one question I'm still left unclear on. If I wanted everyone to meet at the GF, take a bus to Epcot for the ceremony, and then back to the GF afterwards, would that be considered a round trip? I'm basically wondering if they'll wait for you with the round trip option, or if you want them to take you back after your event is over you're forced into getting a charter. I wouldn't put anything sneaky like that past Disney, so I'm trying to be prepared for anything.

 

[DFTWbride2013]

ppsssssttt

the PP wrote this book (available as in immediate download that UPDATES!!! or paperback) all about everything DFTW. it is an INVALUABLE resource!

you might also dig her weekly podcast (free) found here that has lots of info as well.

lurkyloo is my own personal oprah when it comes to weddings!

Haha, I believe if you re-read my opening statement, I've mentioned that I already have the book. Which I found from listening to the podcast, and I've also read all about her wedding day! I was glued to the computer all night reading and listening to her work. It drove DF crazy! She was also my inspiration for deciding to leave a gap in the middle of the day to allow us time for a nap.

Oh, the things we can find with a little bit of Google searching! I would like to say how thankful I am for the existence of that book. We were talking about having a DFTW for a while, but I didn't think it was a realistic dream until I read that! Now I'm confident that we'll be able to have our special day the way we want to!