Swan and Dolphin McCullough Adventure 10.10.11 Trip Report

[Silverdocz]

Hello everyone! I'm super excited to finally be putting the last two years of planning into a complete Swan and Dolphin Wedding wrap up. I've been thinking about doing this for so long! After reading everyone's planning journals and lurking for so long, I just couldn't stay away anymore. I'm still in the learning phases, so please bear with me as I post enough to finally get pics onto the board. Up next: Who we are

 

[Silverdocz]

My name is Amanda

and I live in Farmington, MN. It's just south of Minneapolis. My Husband's name is Max.

We met four years ago at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Minneapolis. How romantic I had just moved from Chicago after an icky end to an ever ickier relationship. Max had just moved here from Louisiana to attend Law School. We were both new to town and didn't know anyone. We met on Yahoo Personals and were not looking for anything other than someone to hang out with (thus the Buffalo Wild Wings meeting location). Well, we both admit to this day that we knew we were in trouble when we laid eyes on each other.

 

[Silverdocz]

Max and I were together for one year before he proposed. We knew we were stuck together (too in love to find anyone else to put up with each other lol)so we had bought a house. When we were six months into our relationship we were out on a camping trip. While out to dinner, he slid a Jewelry store business card across the table. I started to tear up with just the thought of marrying my best friend. I was also touched that he knew me well enough to not just pick out a ring and spring the question on me. His gesture of giving me time to think about the whole concept of marriage was one of the sweetest things he could do for me. We went ring shopping, picked one out, and had it sized. He proposed to me about a week after our first anniversary. I wish I could say the proposal was romantic. It was anything but. I had just gotten home from work exhausted. I was in my closet, changing out of work clothes with one leg in a pair of sweat pants. He walked in on me and asked, "Will you marry me? Look what came in today." I was shocked that he was so dumb! I said yes and put the ring on. It was not a special moment, but alas we were officially engaged. Here are a few of our engagement photos:

 

[Silverdocz]

We began planning our wedding for May 1st, 2010. We were all set to have it in Gulf Shores, AL. We had traveled down there and picked out a condo

and put the deposit down for the week where all of our guests would stay. We knew we had to have a destination wedding since I am originally from WI and he is from LA. Well, as I am sure you have figured out, the Gulf Shores wedding did not happen...

 

[msylvester01]

Im a lurker here too! Im excited to read more and Congratulations!!!!

Marie

 

[pixie921]

Welcome!! You guys are a cute couple, and I'm looking forward to hearing more!

 

[minniebride]

Great start! When was your wedding date? Ours was 12/18/11!!

 

[Jilian]

YEAH! I'm so excited to hear all about your S/D wedding. I think I saw your pictures on Randy's FB? Did you use Randy? You look familiar and the names sound familiar.

 

[Silverdocz]

Im a lurker here too! Im excited to read more and Congratulations!!!!

Marie

Gotta love the lurking. I think that it kept me sane when I was overwhelmed while planning. It also gave me some great ideas.

Welcome!! You guys are a cute couple, and I'm looking forward to hearing more!

We're more like brother and sister in the sense that we annoy each other. He's like the big brother I never wanted and I'm the little sister he didn't want.

Great start! When was your wedding date? Ours was 12/18/11!!

We were married on Monday October 10th, 2011.

YEAH! I'm so excited to hear all about your S/D wedding. I think I saw your pictures on Randy's FB? Did you use Randy? You look familiar and the names sound familiar.

Yep. That was us. They were on Randy's FB page, but they're not there anymore. Hmmm? I don't want to be burned at the steak, but I must have had him on an off day. More about that in the reviews.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi sweetie and welcome!!
It's always great to have a member to our little exclusive group of S/D brides!! Really looking forward to hearing all about your big day and seeing your photos!!
You look like such a sweet couple!!

 

[Silverdocz]

Hi sweetie and welcome!!
It's always great to have a member to our little exclusive group of S/D brides!! Really looking forward to hearing all about your big day and seeing your photos!!
You look like such a sweet couple!!

Ah, Tinkerbell. The lovely lady I have to thank for inspiring me to have a Swan and Dolphin wedding! Just let me know if you get board with how many photos I'll be posting. We ended up with thousands. Yes THOUSANDS

 

[Silverdocz]

So the beginning of our engagement and 2009 was off to a fun start. We took a celebratory cruise to the Bahamas. I work retail to every February it's time to escape the mad dash of the holidays and relax! It was so awesome to spend our time together as an engaged couple. I must admit it was my first time taking a vacation with only one person and not a group. I liked it and Max and I both made it back alive without killing each other. We really did have a great time.

Once we were back I went into full blown wedding planning mode. Now remember, we were getting married on May 1st, 2010. That didn't happen so these first pics are my choices from then. I think it's so funny to look at them and think I may have ended up with those choices

As you can see I didn't like the under garments.

I'm always joking around about something. I just happened to get caught on camera on this oneThe seamstress thought this would be nice around my neck since I didn't like my armpit fat going over the dress. Ummm yeah, ok

My bridesmaid Brianna and friend of 22 years came along to help pick out the BM dresses. Well, after only an hour at David's Bridal here is what we came up with:

I look back now and while my choices for my wedding in 2011 weren't drastically different from the previous year, they are opposite. 2010= hair up, but at my wedding it was down. Different dress for myself and patterned for bridesmaids.

Then, it was time for the engagement party!!!

It's amazing how much you grow up in a year. No more of this for Max and I, lol.

 

[Jilian]

LOL, I love the engagement party pics. Reminds me of my college days! I'd love to hear your thoughts on Randy, and I think it is great that your honest.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Ah, Tinkerbell. The lovely lady I have to thank for inspiring me to have a Swan and Dolphin wedding! Just let me know if you get board with how many photos I'll be posting. We ended up with thousands. Yes THOUSANDS

Aww you are so sweet!! I am glad I was some sort of help and that all worked out well for you!!! It would be awful if I had been encouraging brides to have a S/D wedding and they were less than happy with it!!! Not that I think that would ever happen because I am sure all brides would be happy with the JM service!!!
I will never get bored looking at photos!!! I know how many you end up with from the amazing Randy!! We had thousands ourselves!!!

 

[MrsDuck]

YAY another Swan girl! Can't wait to read about your day!

Ps. I'm marrying a "Max"

 

[Silverdocz]

So, where was I in this very long and drawn out adventure? Oh yes, the first round of wedding planning had taken place. We are up to October of 2009 when Max and I found out that someone would be joining our little family. The following pics were taken on our Daughter, Ashella Maggie's, first trip to Walt Disney World when she was just 3 months old:

This pic makes me miss Minnie's house

Ashella's first Candied Apple from Main Street

Ashella Maggie

 

[Silverdocz]

LOL, I love the engagement party pics. Reminds me of my college days! I'd love to hear your thoughts on Randy, and I think it is great that your honest.

Indeed to the college days. We have not had any of those since the arrival of Ashella. They just hurt too bad and sleep is much more awesome at this point in life. In reference to Randy, I just read DoomBuggy0902's review on him. She was spot on! I couldn't believe that I had to ask him to enhance the photos. He gave me the same response that he was busy and he would be more than happy to do that for me. I was confused that I had to ask, but in the end I did get what I wanted and I am very happy with my photo's. If I had to do it again, I don't think I would go with him, but instead Ginger Midget Photography. I have heard great things about her communication and delivery. Oh and Eeeeek! Your wedding is 3 days away!!! So excited for you!

YAY another Swan girl! Can't wait to read about your day!

Ps. I'm marrying a "Max"

Good luck with marrying a "Max" lol. Loving your planning! You are so organized!

 

[Silverdocz]

After we had found out we were pregnant, we called off the wedding. I was super embarrassed because family members had already made plans for our destination wedding in Golf Shores, AL. I had to remind myself that I didn't want to just rush into it to make others happy. Everything just felt off and thrown together. I had not even thought about the wedding for an entire year. Max had surprised me with a quick three day trip to Walt Disney World for my 29th Birthday. I completed the College Program back in 2002, so I still have some friends that work at The World. Max was so sweet to contact them for help with tickets and rooms. I was so excited to be back for the second year with him and for my third time since my internship in 2002. While I was there, I started to have wedding thoughts creep into my mind. I was surprised that Disney was bringing out these thoughts in me. I had always loved Disney, but did I really love it that much? Would my friends and family want to come to Disney? Was I secretly wanting a Disney wedding this whole time? We were only at The World for three days. My thoughts began on the first day while we were staying at POP!

I hopped on the internet that night after we were back to our room and Ashella was asleep. I simply Googled Disney weddings. What?!?! A minimum of $30,000.00 for the type of wedding I wanted? My little excitement had soon been squashed. We could swing it with Credit Cards, but having Ashella put those types of things into perspective. I did another Google search to see what other people had done if they didn't go through DFTW. That is where I found Tinkerbell's Disboard thread and fell in love with her Swan and Dolphin Vow Renewal. I immediately copied and pasted her wedding theme to my computer:

I was so inspired I read her entire planning journal. By the time I was complete it was 4am, I was on my second day of vacation, not slept, and had already emailed Karen at Just Marry! I fell asleep and woke up to a phone call at 8am. It was Karen! I had never expected her to contact me so quickly. I let her know that I was playing with the idea of having a Swan and Dolphin wedding and that I had gotten her info from a current client of hers. She kindly asked if I would like to set up an appointment to see the resort and wedding location. I said that was so nice, but I was only in town for the next 48 hours. She was so sweet and said she could meet me at the Swan and Dolphin at 10am. What Two hours? Was this really happening? I was only toying with the idea of a Disney wedding ten hours ago and now I was going to be touring locations with a potential wedding planner. I took it as a sign we were meant to get married at Disney and ran with it. Of course, by this point Max was very curious as to what I was squealing about. I let him in on our future plans. He was so excited to see me excited for our wedding once again...

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Aww sweetie, it is so nice to see you back on the boards!!! I am deeply honoured that I have helped in a small way in the planning of your wedding!!
Your little princess is just the cutest thing. You have every right to be immensely proud of her!!
Looking forward so much to following the rest of your trip report!!!

 

[hrhamanda]

Ahh, I can't wait to read the rest! Post! Post!