Timing issues.

[MinnieMOH]

Did anyone have a break in between the ceremony and the cocktail hour with a wedding that was *later* in the day, and if so, how did you navigate it in regards to guests' comfort and transportation? We have potentially a 2-2.5 hour gap between the end of the ceremony and the start of the cocktail hour.

 

[sambycat]

i didn’t, but i’m sure people have! can you volunteer a little more info about your plan overall thus far and how you figure the gap? perhaps it isn’t as much as you think? generally, as a guest, i’d rather a long gap if any at all (i could go back to my room and rest or something) but maybe the spacing is not as long as you think? what are you doing during this gap? is there a change in venue that they might want to change clothes for anyway?

 

[MinnieMOH]

I'm a little confused by your question.
I figure the gap because the cocktail hour starts three hours after the start of the ceremony. The venues are set, the time is set. I will be taking photos during that time. I was just wondering if anyone had a similar arrangement and how it worked out for them, and if they did anything other than telling their guests to be to a certain place by x time.

 

[sambycat]

so your ceremony is at 3 lets say. then your cocktail hour/immediately followed by dinner or what have you starts at 6?

i’m sure whatever you have is fine - i would put it everywhere on your invites/emails/whatever that there is a gap and thats that. others have done this and i’m sure you can find some trip reports etc (or already have!) of folks reporting what they’ve done

the reason i asked, is that sometimes pictures really don’t take that long and perhaps the cocktail hour could go on while you were doing extended pics, thus entertaining your guests. we didn’t have that big of a gap, but our ceremony was at 10 (i think!) and brunch at 12. our ceremony was about 45” including group pictures, then we took pics (but just really the two of us), guests made their way to brunch/cocktail hour ~1130 it opened, food and “brunch” proper at noon. so on paper it was almost 2 hour gap but in reality there really wasn’t a gap. the pre-brunch was about 2/3 done when we got there. they had danish, coffee and juice. and theoretically a giant closed bar (for mimosas/champagne/bloody marys) that wasn’t available but was right there in their faces because i didn’t understand it was all set up in one place!

i suppose theoretically, one would want to provide transport and “entertainment” or refreshment or some suggestion of somewhere for folks to go during a three hour break, but i imagine people would go back to their rooms? i’m sure it will work out great! sorry to not be a help!

 

[MinnieMOH]

No, I appreciate the reply.

I'm concerned that the gap is too short to go back to their rooms (accounting for the length of the ceremony, exit, etc) but too long to just be hanging around. Ideally something could be offered in the interim, as you said, but I am having a really hard time finding what, if anything, that might be. Someone must have done something like this in all the hundreds of weddings they have at disney!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

 

[sambycat]

would you mind sharing hypothetical times and locations and transport (if pertinent) - might help in the suggestion department!

maybe the gap isn’t as big as you think! or maybe we can brainstorm so weird activities to toss in there!

 

[MinnieMOH]

The ceremony is at the WP and the cocktail hour is at Epcot, three hours later.

 

[WDWLover75]

The ceremony is at the WP and the cocktail hour is at Epcot, three hours later.

Last pieces of info required before we can give you suggestions - 1. Are you providing transportation to/from the WP or EPCOT and 2. Is yore reception formal? Or are you planning on people to change into 'park' clothes?

 

[Giniapup]

If the cocktail hour is in Epcot, I think you have to provided your own transportation. I'm just guessing here but if you are having a cocktail hour in Epcot I'm thinking it's during illumination? In that case you must be having a late night reception at either Animal Kingdom or in Epcot.

I am having the same issue my ceremony is in the WB at 5pm and my cocktail hour is at 8pm in Epcot. So I figure if everything starts on time the (ceremony and stage exit ect) should wrap up around 6pm. Assuming Disney transportation picks up the guests at 7:30pm to bring them to Epcot there will be about an hour and half gap. I was just thinking the guest could wonder around the Grand Floridian and grab a little something at it's café to hold them over till cocktail hour. I was looking for a better alternative but no one seems to have one.

Don't feel alone we are in the same boat

 

[lurkyloo]

Talk to your wedding planners about the timing and have them explain the reasoning. Disney has this down to a science, and they usually try to discourage couples from having a gap between the ceremony and reception, so I'm pretty sure they are not purposely having you strand your guests with nothing to do for an hour or two between the ceremony and cocktail hour. Maybe there's a misunderstanding, or maybe they think you want more time for photos than you actually need. Doing a first look and getting your couples' photos out of the way before the ceremony would solve this problem completely because then you could have a later ceremony or move your cocktail hour forward.

 

[Giniapup]

I know for myself first look photos are out of the question DF doesn't want to see me before the ceremony.

I can relate MinnieMOH because from what I understand in your post you must be having cocktail hour in Epcot to have it during illumations so just like me moving it up is a NO WAY.

IDK about you but they tried to push a 7:30pm Ceremony on me and told me it was better to not have the stage exit and to do the first look to save on timing to make it to the firework. I don't know about you but I sure don't want to be rushed on my wedding day! As for DF he doesn't want to be cheated out of seeing me for the first time when the doors open at the wedding pavilion. As well as he didn't want to pay for Cinderella's carriage for no one to see us get in it.

My planner didn't really give me any type of solution ( besides having a 7:30 ceremony)I just ask to move the cocktail hour up from 8:30pm to 8Pm to cut down the gap by a little.

I guess we are the only two who have ever had a gap oh well its our day the guests can wait or not come!

 

[MinnieMOH]

No first look here either. We think it's bad luck.

 

[GiaShmia]

@LurkyLoo


Do you know where on this forum I could find more information regarding theme park wedding ceremonies after regular park hours? So far I've only found one couple that did that in 2007 (sarah and fred). I'm really interested in doing something similar but can't seem to find anyone else who's had a similar arrangement since 2007. I know Disney changes rules all the time.

 

[lurkyloo]

No first look here either. We think it's bad luck.

You might be interested to hear the experiences of some real grooms and brides who found that having a first look was actually more special and intimate and ended up being their favorite moment of the day: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2013/08/21/adding-first-look-photos-to-your-wedding-day/

@LurkyLoo


Do you know where on this forum I could find more information regarding theme park wedding ceremonies after regular park hours? So far I've only found one couple that did that in 2007 (sarah and fred). I'm really interested in doing something similar but can't seem to find anyone else who's had a similar arrangement since 2007. I know Disney changes rules all the time.

Are you interested specifically in the Magic Kingdom? Because people have after-hours weddings inside Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios all the time. There should be numerous planning journals and trip reports in the "Planning Our Happily Ever After" subforum of this board. I have interviewed many of these brides on my two podcasts.

The Magic Kingdom is not open to evening after-hours wedding ceremonies and receptions due to restrictions placed by park management and a lack of catering facilities within the park. However you can get married there if you have an early-morning ceremony that starts before the park opens. I have a show on that too!

 

[MinnieMOH]

Lurkyloo, I am familiar with first looks and I am glad that those who have them liked them, but they are not for us.

 

[GiaShmia]

Are you interested specifically in the Magic Kingdom? Because people have after-hours weddings inside Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios all the time. There should be numerous planning journals and trip reports in the "Planning Our Happily Ever After" subforum of this board. I have interviewed many of these brides on my two podcasts.

The Magic Kingdom is not open to evening after-hours wedding ceremonies and receptions due to restrictions placed by park management and a lack of catering facilities within the park. However you can get married there if you have an early-morning ceremony that starts before the park opens. I have a on that too!

Yes I am specifically interested in MK. My Ideal Wedding would go as follows:
- After Hours ceremony in front of the castle @ MK
- Reception Dinner @ GMR
- Fantasmic Fireworks to end the night
- Farewell brunch @ the attic the next morning.

I know this sounds like an impossible dream but I'm willing to work with Disney and be flexible as far as dates & budget goes to make this happen. I really want to feel like we're part of the attractions.

Thank you for your help. If you have any extra info I would love to know where I can find it!

recommend me some more podcasts episodes too!

 

[bigr3ddog]

I believe magic kingdom ceremonies are 8 am only. You can still have your reception at great movie ride, but it would have to be two hours after park closing, which makes fantasmic fireworks afterwards nearly impossible to do. However, you could do fantasmic as a cocktail hour before your reception at great movie ride.

Attic the next day shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck.

 

[lurkyloo]

^^ What bigr3ddog said! Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings has to work around the park schedules, so the only way you could do all these would be as suggested above.

There are a few reception locations inside Hollywood Studios that you can use while the park is open, but even if you did that after a morning Magic Kingdom wedding (the only kind there is), there'd be a gap between the reception and Fantasmic. Some people don't mind. We had a gap between our brunch and our IllumiNations dessert party, but no one objected to having the free time to nap, explore the parks or paddle around the pool.