Question for Wishes couples (current or recent)

[twinkybel81]

Did any of you book your wedding after the 12 month mark? (Like between 8-11 months out) If so, how successful were you at getting your first or second choices for both ceremony and reception venues?

Thank you in advance!

(We are looking to do a Wishes wedding on a weekday morning (likely a Tuesday) during the first full week of December 2015. Somewhere in Epcot for the ceremony and we haven't decided on the reception location yet.)

 

[lurkyloo]

We booked 5 months out and had no trouble getting our first choices (Morocco Pavilion and the Attic). Well, except for UK Lochside, but it eventually opened up closer to our date and we grabbed it.

Even though December is a popular month, I don't think you'll have any trouble getting an Epcot ceremony spot on a weekday. It's really only the Wedding Pavilion that's in high demand most of the time.

 

[TiffinyKaye]

We booked 12-months out because I'm too paranoid to not. It's very possible that Carrie's experience would be echoed by you. I find it amazing that the Epcot destinations aren't as popular as others...but I guess the WP is really, really popular.

For me, the peace of mind of KNOWING I had it all booked, and no one would take it away from me, was super important. That was one of the big things that got me to book a Wishes wedding, instead of saving money on a more economical Escape package (because trust me, Escape was extremely tempting).

My question is...if you're booking a Wishes wedding anyway, why not book at the 12 month mark?

At any rate, good luck!

 

[twinkybel81]

We booked 12-months out because I'm too paranoid to not. It's very possible that Carrie's experience would be echoed by you. I find it amazing that the Epcot destinations aren't as popular as others...but I guess the WP is really, really popular.

For me, the peace of mind of KNOWING I had it all booked, and no one would take it away from me, was super important. That was one of the big things that got me to book a Wishes wedding, instead of saving money on a more economical Escape package (because trust me, Escape was extremely tempting).

My question is...if you're booking a Wishes wedding anyway, why not book at the 12 month mark?

At any rate, good luck!

Thanks for your feedback Tiffiny!

It would definitely be my preference to book at the 12 month mark to guarantee everything we want, but we are trying to be smart with our money and refuse to go into debt for the entire cost of the wedding. Waiting til say, February, to book would give us a little more time to come up with the deposit to be able to pay in cash rather than putting it on the credit card (quite possibly we'll be able to use our tax refund to cover all or part of the initial deposit). We already have some credit card debt, so it's a balancing act. We are paying for everything on our own, plus added expenses of paying for all travel related expenses for my parents and my sister and brother in law out there. My Dad has been unemployed for over a year, and my sister and brother in law are both unemployed at the moment, and my Mom's salary isn't enough for them to live on, let alone save for a WDW destination wedding.

We are working on our budget, and I think everything will work out to make things happen for 2015. If not, we will plan for 2016.

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Thanks for your feedback Tiffiny!

It would definitely be my preference to book at the 12 month mark to guarantee everything we want, but we are trying to be smart with our money and refuse to go into debt for the entire cost of the wedding. Waiting til say, February, to book would give us a little more time to come up with the deposit to be able to pay in cash rather than putting it on the credit card (quite possibly we'll be able to use our tax refund to cover all or part of the initial deposit). We already have some credit card debt, so it's a balancing act. We are paying for everything on our own, plus added expenses of paying for all travel related expenses for my parents and my sister and brother in law out there. My Dad has been unemployed for over a year, and my sister and brother in law are both unemployed at the moment, and my Mom's salary isn't enough for them to live on, let alone save for a WDW destination wedding.

We are working on our budget, and I think everything will work out to make things happen for 2015. If not, we will plan for 2016.

That makes COMPLETE sense, and I'm sorry that you're having to deal with that situation. I think it's great that you're willing to wait until circumstances are 100% within your favor, or at least greatly improved so that your family can come.

You're better than me. I want my family to be there--but for me, the Disney wedding is all I wanted. If they weren't able to come, I would have booked Memories and just done that. DF and I would get married, say hi to Mickey, and whatever! Would have saved an insane amount of money. We would have still done some event at home for everyone else...but the elopement would have been what we would have done. I had immediate family members freaking out on me at that suggestion though. So...meh. It'll be pretty anyway.

I really, really, really hope that it works out for you. I understand saving for it. DF and I had the EXACT same considerations with our wedding. We did get a little money from his parents and from mine--but certainly not enough to cover the wedding. We're paying for the majority of it out-of-pocket. We got engaged two years ago--and that's how long we've been saving specifically for this event. We refused to go into debt over it too!

Tiffiny

 

[twinkybel81]

That makes COMPLETE sense, and I'm sorry that you're having to deal with that situation. I think it's great that you're willing to wait until circumstances are 100% within your favor, or at least greatly improved so that your family can come.

You're better than me. I want my family to be there--but for me, the Disney wedding is all I wanted. If they weren't able to come, I would have booked Memories and just done that. DF and I would get married, say hi to Mickey, and whatever! Would have saved an insane amount of money. We would have still done some event at home for everyone else...but the elopement would have been what we would have done. I had immediate family members freaking out on me at that suggestion though. So...meh. It'll be pretty anyway.

I really, really, really hope that it works out for you. I understand saving for it. DF and I had the EXACT same considerations with our wedding. We did get a little money from his parents and from mine--but certainly not enough to cover the wedding. We're paying for the majority of it out-of-pocket. We got engaged two years ago--and that's how long we've been saving specifically for this event. We refused to go into debt over it too!

Tiffiny

Thank you for the support.

We are kind of in the opposite boat from you. We actually eloped on Christmas Eve last year at the courthouse, and didn't tell anyone for awhile. We want the Disney wedding experience, but it is important to us that our families are able to be there for it to, since we already did the legal side of things. ;-P

 

[asunnysideup]

I think you should be fine! I've mainly heard of the lotto for the WP. Epcot should be fine! It may help to have a few options just in case, but I think you'll be good!

 

[bigr3ddog]

Rank order in popularity for ceremony venues, according to our wedding consultant:
1. Wedding pavilion
2. Sea breeze point
3. Yacht club gazebo
4. All of Epcot combined.

Considering that Monday through Wednesday is also not a popular time, your chances of getting what you want when you want it are fairly good. That being said, we didn't get our first choice despite an Epcot ceremony. Instead, we had to move up a day due to our reception spot not being available on our desired date.

 

[twinkybel81]

Rank order in popularity for ceremony venues, according to our wedding consultant:
1. Wedding pavilion
2. Sea breeze point
3. Yacht club gazebo
4. All of Epcot combined.

Considering that Monday through Wednesday is also not a popular time, your chances of getting what you want when you want it are fairly good. That being said, we didn't get our first choice despite an Epcot ceremony. Instead, we had to move up a day due to our reception spot not being available on our desired date.

Good info! We are also flexible (within a day or two) on our date, so that should help.