alisonbestford
<font color=990066>Can cope with the dentist after
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2002
- Messages
- 4,048
I'm taking a deep breath here and going to write a quick report on our vow re-newal (ok Mandy? 
)
When DH and I got married (second time for both of us) we always said that we'd re-new our vows after 5 years
.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, ill health, surgery and cash flow hiccups always stood in the way so we never made it
Knowing that you can get married / re-new your vows etc in Vegas I decided to look into what Florida might offer
After lurking around on the Weddings and Honeymoon board I discovered two chapels (we later found a third whilst we were over there) the 'Royal Chapel', on ID, and the 'Love Wedding Chapel', in Kissimmee.
A WDW re-newal proved to be far beyond our budget.
I e-mailed with a date, time and our details, also requesting a stretch limo for the transfer (DD's dream
), and was e-mailed almost straight back with confirmation 
We arrived in Orlando on the Thursday prior to the re-newal on the Monday afternoon and spent the first two days catching up with friends over there and visiting Universal and Seaworld.
On the Sunday morning I decided that I really should try on the dress I'd taken for the ceremony (not bought new, as I detest shopping, but worn only once for MIL's wedding last year)
Hmm, must be all those glasses of wine but it 'didn't feel right'
Luckily, at Phil's insistance, I'd taken along a smart trouser suit too but none of the tops I'd taken 'felt right' either!
We went out for the day, with friends, and, at midnight on Sunday, I could be found trekking around Walmart desperately looking for a top.........which I eventually found (after a few minor tantrums of course ) 
The limo was picking us up at 1pm so, in the morning, Eve and I chilled by the pool and then started getting ready.
We had friends holidaying in Clearwater who planned to drive over to the villa but they got caught up in road works so we arranged to meet them at the chapel instead
The journey took around 45 mins.
We were met by Jay and Barb, the minister and wedding planner, and proceeded through the ceremony with lots of photos and a DVD which, thankfully, we haven't yet seen...
I'd been concerned that the 7 of us would all be 'rattling' around in some huge room but it was all perfect and would have 'worked' had there been only the three of us too.
Heres a link to the photos, if anyone's brave enough to look
http://www.royalchapel.com
You need to click on the link to 'Phil and Alison from Sheffield' on the home page
Eve sat with her fingers in her ears for part of the vows as it was all too 'soppy' for her liking and was most disgusted at the photos of Mum and Dad kissing
After even more photos we had a ride back to the villa, got changed, called for a coffee at 'The Loop' (a new shopping centre off John Young Parkway) before driving our friends back to their car which was parked at the chapel.
We'd decided on 'The Hard Rock Cafe' for dinner in the evening.
Not exactly romantic (as was pointed out to me by someone ) but we're not exactly a 'romantic' family and it's one of our favourite places 
Following a link I'd found on the boards,
, I pre-arranged seating for 7pm.
https://www.hardrock.com/px/px/register.asp?selLocation=Orlando
We met up with everyone again and continued to have fun.
If ever you go to the Hard Rock Cafe you should ask for the back stage tour
We knew nothing about it, until the waitress suggested, it but it's free and you get to see all the memorabilia behind the scenes and where they hold the concerts
So, all in all, we had a great day - disregarding the minor 'what to wear' crisis
Course, once DH started criticising my driving I started wondering whether it was as easy to get a divorce in Florida as it is in Reno.............but that's another story 
)When DH and I got married (second time for both of us) we always said that we'd re-new our vows after 5 years
.Anyway, to cut a long story short, ill health, surgery and cash flow hiccups always stood in the way so we never made it
Knowing that you can get married / re-new your vows etc in Vegas I decided to look into what Florida might offer
After lurking around on the Weddings and Honeymoon board I discovered two chapels (we later found a third whilst we were over there) the 'Royal Chapel', on ID, and the 'Love Wedding Chapel', in Kissimmee.
A WDW re-newal proved to be far beyond our budget.
I e-mailed with a date, time and our details, also requesting a stretch limo for the transfer (DD's dream
), and was e-mailed almost straight back with confirmation We arrived in Orlando on the Thursday prior to the re-newal on the Monday afternoon and spent the first two days catching up with friends over there and visiting Universal and Seaworld.
On the Sunday morning I decided that I really should try on the dress I'd taken for the ceremony (not bought new, as I detest shopping, but worn only once for MIL's wedding last year)
Hmm, must be all those glasses of wine but it 'didn't feel right'
Luckily, at Phil's insistance, I'd taken along a smart trouser suit too but none of the tops I'd taken 'felt right' either!
We went out for the day, with friends, and, at midnight on Sunday, I could be found trekking around Walmart desperately looking for a top.........which I eventually found (after a few minor tantrums of course
) The limo was picking us up at 1pm so, in the morning, Eve and I chilled by the pool and then started getting ready.
We had friends holidaying in Clearwater who planned to drive over to the villa but they got caught up in road works so we arranged to meet them at the chapel instead
The journey took around 45 mins.
We were met by Jay and Barb, the minister and wedding planner, and proceeded through the ceremony with lots of photos and a DVD which, thankfully, we haven't yet seen...
I'd been concerned that the 7 of us would all be 'rattling' around in some huge room but it was all perfect and would have 'worked' had there been only the three of us too.
Heres a link to the photos, if anyone's brave enough to look
http://www.royalchapel.com
You need to click on the link to 'Phil and Alison from Sheffield' on the home page
Eve sat with her fingers in her ears for part of the vows as it was all too 'soppy' for her liking and was most disgusted at the photos of Mum and Dad kissing
After even more photos we had a ride back to the villa, got changed, called for a coffee at 'The Loop' (a new shopping centre off John Young Parkway) before driving our friends back to their car which was parked at the chapel.
We'd decided on 'The Hard Rock Cafe' for dinner in the evening.
Not exactly romantic (as was pointed out to me by someone
) but we're not exactly a 'romantic' family and it's one of our favourite places Following a link I'd found on the boards,
, I pre-arranged seating for 7pm.https://www.hardrock.com/px/px/register.asp?selLocation=Orlando
We met up with everyone again and continued to have fun.
If ever you go to the Hard Rock Cafe you should ask for the back stage tour
We knew nothing about it, until the waitress suggested, it but it's free and you get to see all the memorabilia behind the scenes and where they hold the concerts
So, all in all, we had a great day - disregarding the minor 'what to wear' crisis
Course, once DH started criticising my driving I started wondering whether it was as easy to get a divorce in Florida as it is in Reno.............but that's another story
so now after reading about your special day, i may look into doing it myself as a surprise for Ian!
Your photos are lovely 
just thinking about it!
