Okay... can I wear my dress or not?

[myadventurebook]

We are very close to settling on a S/D wedding. The flexibility factor alone makes it worth it, even though I have always envisioned saying my vows at SBP. I'm a little dismayed at how much their prices have gone up since I started researching them a year or so ago, plus the fact that I read yesterday that they no longer offer a hospitality suite, but we really can't do a Wishes wedding with our guests' schedules and our budget.

Before we proceed though, I'd really like to get a deifnitive answer about where I can wear my dress. I have seen so many mixed answers on this. I have seen pictures of recent S/D brides who wore their dresses to "receptions" at Disney-owned hotels and dessert parties, but I have also asked this question before and been told that it's a definite no unless I go through DFTW.

I have a cousin who has worked for Disney since the late '90s, and she recently moved to the DFTW department. Unfortunately, she is a bit standoffish and did not want to help us plan our wedding (when we were thinking about DFTW), but she was willing to answer this question for my mom. Her answer was that, other than the theme parks, it would be fine for me to wear my dress anywhere on property. This is another answer I have heard.

We would do cake and champagne immediately following our ceremony, so that wouldn't really be a concern. But I really want pictures in my dress on the Boardwalk (will this even be allowed?) and having my wedding dinner. I don't want to spend a ton of money on a dress and only be allowed to wear it for an hour or so.

I want to believe my cousin's answer is the right one, but you never know. I know CMs can sometimes have different information. If anyone has been married at S/D recently and had a dinner at a Disney-owned restaurant and/or a dessert party, I'd love to know how that went.

TIA!

PS- I know this question has been asked multiple times, but I don't believe I've ever seen it in its own thread so I wanted to gather answers in one place for reference.

 

[wilkeliza]

You can wear your dress anywhere except inside the parks.

 

[lurkyloo]

^^THIS. The only places on property that they can physically stop you from entering via gates are the theme parks. And some of them are more loosey-goosey about letting in wedding gowns than others (Epcot is the most strict). There is no prohibition on wearing your gown on the BoaradWalk, at the resorts or in any restaurants outside the parks. Nobody is going to know whether you are a DFTW bride anyway!

 

[myadventurebook]

Thanks guys! I definitely wouldn't try to wear my dress into the parks. If we had a dessert party it'd be Wishes at GF, so no worries there. We might even opt to do that as a Welcome Party.

My follow -up question, though is this: how do you go about planning a dinner/dessert party on Disney property without raising any red flags that it is a wedding dinner? Wouldn't they think it's odd if I don't mention that and then show up in a wedding dress? Just trying to get every last detail before I decide on something.

 

[lurkyloo]

Well, it really depends on you DCE planner. Some of them are totally cool about it, while others tell brides they cannot wear their dresses (even though there is no way to stop a bride from wearing one as long as she isn't going through a park security check/gate). Here's an interview I did with a bride who planned a post-wedding Disney Catered Event within their restrictions: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2016/01/13/maitland-art-center-spotlight-lisa-will/

 

[myadventurebook]

Thanks so much Carrie. I will check that out. Thanks for always having an answer for my (and everyone else's) questions!