Renewing vows cheaply @ WDW

[JenDisFan02]

Hi All,

I about choked on my coffee when I saw what WDW wants for a vow renewal. Can I pick your brains to see if anyone else had done this, affordably?

TIA!

 

[scottmel]

I just looked into this as well over the weekend. I saw the 3500 pkg but wish you were able to do that at the YC wedding gazebo vs. the other locations. And I figured ordering a cake was WAY cheaper than their 5k pkg which made no sense I guess if you had more people coming...

To answer your question, no I have not looked at a more affordable option...I wish there was something different than the limo vs. in room surprise offered....I really like the idea though...

 

[JenDisFan02]

I agree!!! It's too much to pay, to just have an intimate ceremony with our kids there too.

 

[Bob Gnuheart]

We stayed at Bonnet Creek and did a vow renewal there in 2012.

They have a little amphitheatre looking out over the lake, we hired a very nice couple who perform weddings/vow renewals (vowsareforever dot com).

The husband is a minsiter and she the photographer. Got beautiful pictures and then headed over to Shula's for dinner.

Just us and the kids. Dinner cost more than the service

 

[bumbershoot]

You have to decide what you really want from the ceremony.

Disney's services provide a nice space, a person to do the ceremony, etc.

You can do what the other poster did, and use a space elsewhere with a non-disney provided person.

Or you could just pick a spot, stand with each other and speak the words you want to speak, and not pay a dime. You don't need any sort of officiant to renew vows; they don't have to be licensed or a minister or anything. There is no legality involved. So it could just be YOU.


In our personal case, when talking about a renewal (discussion started at our wedding, which was created for my husband and had very little to do with ME b/c I wanted Vegas), we wanted the whole thing again...the flowers and dress and CAKE...but way fewer people with no obligatory invitations and not having to worry about possibly offending various family members with what we REALLY wanted to do.

While some of the spaces Disney has are nice, I tend to love the spaces they reserve for the BIG weddings/renewals. Alas you can't book those for teensy events.

But...Dis'er lurkyloo has a great blog in which she gives details on lots and lots of things, including how to plan a small private event at WDW. While you probably couldn't also have a minister come in and be obvious about a renewal, it might make for a nice space to say your words to each other, and maybe have some food afterwards.

 

[ozziejen2000]

We actually did it at sunset on a cruise. It was just the two of at the time. We wrote our own vows and videotaped it with our phone at the time. We then had a nice dinner as we were invited to the Captain's Table for dinner. It did not cost us a dime. Next year, we plan to do the same thing, a different location though with our daughter as we celebrate our 15th.

 

[auger]

All depends in what you want.
For our 25th anniversary, we had our then, 12-yr-old dd, our two adult daughters, and our two grandchildren at WDW with us.
We booked a pre-park-opening ADR at the castle for breakfast.
Went in early, giving ourselves time to stop in front of the castle for a vow renewal "ceremony".
I had written up an officiant's script, typical of what a pastor would say.
Our youngest proudly served as our officiant, and the others were there beside us.
We renewed our vows in front of the castle that morning, and it was probably more meaningful and special to us than our actual wedding, because our kids were able to share it with us.

This isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for us it was perfect!!!

 

[purplegirl1818]

The cheapest package is memories and they start at $2,500.

The Swan/Dolphin has a lot of options that usually run cheaper than Disney Fairy Tale Weddings.

 

[JenDisFan02]

Thanks everyone. DH said no. Butthead.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I love these ideas. DH and I have talked about renewing our vows at WDW on our next trip for our anniversary. We may also have both grandmas join us on our next Disney trip so that would be a great time to do a little ceremony. I am going to look more into the Bonnet Creek option since we've looked into staying there before. I am also interested in what the Swan/Dolphin has to offer.

 

[arihillfarm]

All depends in what you want.
For our 25th anniversary, we had our then, 12-yr-old dd, our two adult daughters, and our two grandchildren at WDW with us.
We booked a pre-park-opening ADR at the castle for breakfast.
Went in early, giving ourselves time to stop in front of the castle for a vow renewal "ceremony".
I had written up an officiant's script, typical of what a pastor would say.
Our youngest proudly served as our officiant, and the others were there beside us.
We renewed our vows in front of the castle that morning, and it was probably more meaningful and special to us than our actual wedding, because our kids were able to share it with us.

This isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for us it was perfect!!!

What a wonderful idea!! I also like the idea of doing something similar on the Italy side of the WS Lagoon, with Spaceship Earth in the background, maybe even an early breakfast in Norway at Akershus? Our 15 year is coming up, so I'm starting to think about this.

-Astrid

 

[Marionnette]

Thanks everyone. DH said no. Butthead.

Did he say no the whole vow renewal idea or just to doing it in Disney?

 

[Jajone]

Did this through gifts of a lifetime at the wishing well. Kind of a secluded spot near the castle. We actually did a double vow renewal with my BIL and his wife. All of our children and MIL were there as well. No official officiant, but fun.

 

[auger]

What a wonderful idea!! I also like the idea of doing something similar on the Italy side of the WS Lagoon, with Spaceship Earth in the background, maybe even an early breakfast in Norway at Akershus? Our 15 year is coming up, so I'm starting to think about this.

-Astrid

Sounds like a winner!!

We had talked about a total redo of our wedding, since we were not really involved the first time.
We were in the military, and family planned everything for us.
We pretty much just showed up a few days prior to the wedding!
As much as we appreciated everything they did, our wedding ended up being what they wanted, rather than what we wanted.

So we always thought we would do it again for our 25th.
Instead, we chose to celebrate by going to WDW and having our private little ceremony in front of the castle.
Best idea we ever had!!

Just remember that whatever you choose to do, all that really matters is that it is meaningful to you.
Happy planning!!!

 

[scottmel]

Did this through gifts of a lifetime at the wishing well. Kind of a secluded spot near the castle. We actually did a double vow renewal with my BIL and his wife. All of our children and MIL were there as well. No official officiant, but fun.

Can you tell me WHAT they did for you? We have a 20 year approaching this summer and I am intrigued with all of this! thanks!

 

[Flamingeaux]

Did this through gifts of a lifetime at the wishing well. Kind of a secluded spot near the castle. We actually did a double vow renewal with my BIL and his wife. All of our children and MIL were there as well. No official officiant, but fun.

I re-proposed to DW by the wishing well. She was surprised!!! I would love to do a vow renewal there for our upcoming 25th anniversary.

Disney would be swamped with orders if they ever offered a simple vow renewal for a couple hundred bucks.

 

[bsusanmb]

My husband and I were married on the DCL in June. We were both married previously and are in our early 60's. He proposed to me on May 1 and somehow I was able to book a wedding on the cruise we had planned already on June 1. Vow renewal and weddings cost the same $3000. It was a lot of money, but worth every cent. No one was there but the two of us in the Mediterranean. The cake, the pianist, dinner, flowers, all was PERFECTION. Nothing to plan except to pick from a list of things. I was a Disney bride at 63! What a memory. I think that we will copy one of your ideas here to do a private vow renewal every year. We have the autumn of our lives together, and I finally found my prince. Never been happier. I hope all of you find a way to renew your vows that fits your budget. That castle idea is just lovely.
Susan

 

[LisaInNc]

I wanted to be a Disney bride, it was difficult to make happen and I realized that we were not getting married because of that. We eloped. It was perfect.

Now we are going to be a vow renewal and when I honestly asked myself do I really want to spend THAT much money on Disney's wedding lavishness awesomeness or on a nicer Disney trip? The answer was easy. I know that having Disney do it would be perfection, I know that I would feel bridal. I also know that we love Disney and just being there with the 2 people that I love the most will be enough.

When I asked myself what really mattered to me it was this. The words, the man, my daughter and a killer dress.

So now that my little one is finally old enough for Victoria and Alberts we are going to have a few quiet minutes somewhere at the Grand Floridian saying those words and then a knock out dinner after. V&A is fancy enough that I can wear the killer dress. My DD is a budding foodie that had been really wanting to go to V&A. Everyone is excited by this plan.

We don't have a date for this yet because scheduling it is difficult right now but just knowing it's probably a year away makes me smile!

Lisa

 

[Desnik]

DH & I got married at the court house. It was a dream to have a Disney wedding so we had a Disney vow renewal instead in 2009. It was not cheap! lol We did a whole wedding though. Had the ceremony at the wedding pavilion and reception at the GF Whithall room. We had Mickey there too! 50 of our family and friends joined us. It was exspensive but we don't regret a dime that we spent. It was well worth the cost and no one does a wedding like Disney!! You can see pics and read about it in my TR link in my siggy.