Tom & Heidi 1/19/09 Italy WD/WP/Narcoossee's/Sago Cay...Sprint to the Finish!!!

[tink774]

I just found your PJ a couple of days ago, and now I'm anxiously awaiting more of your TR! LOVE LOVE LOVE your pictures, by the way!

 

[Disneygrl36]

Beautiful pictures. Can't wait to read all about the couple who got to have 2 Disney weddings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I just found your PJ a couple of days ago, and now I'm anxiously awaiting more of your TR! LOVE LOVE LOVE your pictures, by the way!

Thank you so much...I have a lot more coming!

Beautiful pictures. Can't wait to read all about the couple who got to have 2 Disney weddings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I'm totally spoiled!

 

[KeenHo]

What a beautiful bride and handsome husband. I wish you many years of happiness. It was such a pleasure to meet you both.



Howard

 

[Chilly]

Oh yeah a new TR to read, I shall be reading along with much interest as I hope to have many of the things you had.

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

What a beautiful bride and handsome husband. I wish you many years of happiness. It was such a pleasure to meet you both.



Howard

It was so great to meet you guys too! I loved how proud you were of Cam...ready with the pictures on the cell phone!

Oh yeah a new TR to read, I shall be reading along with much interest as I hope to have many of the things you had.

I hope I can help out!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I know everyone starts by “grading” their different vendors, but the system makes me feel bad for grading honestly (since there are a lot of ++++’s out there! ). I loved ALL our vendors, and given the opportunity, I would choose them all again, but I want to be honest about ways to help others work better with them or know what to expect. So instead of grading, I’m going to try to give a brief impression and then go into all the details.

DFTW-AMAZING! (see...that sums it up!). I am so glad we chose to have a wedding at Disney, and DFTW did not disappoint.

Things I liked: synchronicity (there’s your “word of the day!”). I know some complain that you can’t choose your caterer, you can’t choose your florist (to a certain extent), etc., but I actually liked this, since I think the vendors are GOOD. Frankly, I had enough to worry about planning the details I COULD control, and every time I opened up a wedding “checklist” in the back of a magazine, I was so glad I didn’t have to “finalize menus with my caterer” and then call them every week for the last four weeks to make sure things were on track. I loved that with DFTW, my caterer, florist, musicians, transportation, videography (could’ve been photography if I’d wanted to), linens, entertainment, favors, guest lodging and even stationary was channeled through one person...my DFTW Wedding Planner!

Things I did not like: the room block! I wanted my guests to stay at WDW, and in the end, my guests wanted to stay at WDW, and I know that DFTW wanted my guests to stay at WDW. So, WHY did the room block actually work against this goal? This was the hardest thing to figure out, because I had to delve into 66 guests’ heads and predict which hotel they would like to stay at for how many nights on which specific nights! And then, I had to guarantee 80% of those specific room nights. Since the room block ended a month before the wedding, why couldn’t they allow me to block a number of rooms in a range of nights? In the end, my block was completely filled (with the exception of a couple odd nights) and many guests had to look for lodging elsewhere. Luckily, it was mid-January!

Kristi Davis-one of my favorite people!

Seriously. I know I’m being very exuberant, but I loved Kristi. I started working with her when I was in Iraq, and she was so easy going about all the complicated details with our wedding. When I found out I was coming home at the last minute, she a) worked with my DH to throw together an Escape Wedding in a week (with help of Amy Riendeau) b) argued our case to have it at Sunset Pointe in June c) allowed us to have a planning session before signing the contract d) came up with an awesome “vision” for the wedding, only to be unflappable when I changed everything after having the initial planning session. She. was. great.

Michelle Wenzler-Dorr-singlehandedly (not really, but it seemed that way) executed a beautiful wedding of three separate events without making me have a single “Bridezilla” moment.

Things I liked: Throughout the planning, Michelle was super. Answered emails quickly and thoroughly. Gave me options without pushing an agenda. Remained flexible when I changed things frequently. Nothing bothers this woman. That being said, she doesn’t gush about how wonderful your plans are, so don’t expect a cheerleader through the process.

But, Michelle really shone when we went into “execution” phase. I was a very pro-active bride, so I did most of the “initiating” when it came to discussions, but once we got to WDW, Michelle was contacting us and giving me play-by-plays on how things were going and how they looked. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that.

Things I didn’t like: The day of the wedding, she was checking with me and asking me how I wanted to do this or that. Honestly, I was too happy to care. But, I will say I wish I had discussed the details before hand (do first dance immediately after being announced or after; when do you want to do the father/daughter dance? when do you want to cut the cake?). She even let me know she had my bouquet picked up for the re-fresh, and I said “fine” (again...post wedding blissful oblivion). But we took most of our bridal party shots once Mickey and Minnie got there, so I didn’t have my bouquet for any of them. Kinda a bummer, honestly. The only thing that really did not happen off of the BEO is the presentation of the chocolate slipper dessert. On the BEO, it said to serve them to “Be Our Guest,” but they unceremoniously plopped them down while the band was on a break. I don’t know where Michelle was at this time (I know she can’t be everywhere), but that was supposed to be a big “Disney” moment that never happened.

After the ceremony, she had gone to the reception, and one of her assistants was there for our group shots. I don’t know whose lane this is, but NO one was running the picture order. I don’t know if the assistant should have been assisting, but she wasn’t. So, either work it out to make sure someone from DFTW will be there for picture wrangling, or make sure your photographer does it. Ours was very haphazard, and even though our photographer was great, our group pics weren’t.

See my FIL BETWEEN us!!

Oh, also, she was kind enough to bustle my dress, but I should’ve called Mom. It was a complicated bustle and Mom had the class beforehand. So, it was never up correctly, and the gown got a lot dirtier than it should have.

So, if you get Michelle--be THRILLED. Just put my “lessons learned” in your file and think and talk through all the “what-ifs.”

Rev. Jack Day

We had Rev. Jack in June and loved him. This time, not so much.

Things I liked: In June, he made our ceremony so special and was so sweet. We were glad to be able to include him again. In spite of below, I’m still glad he was there. I just wish he was “on” like he was in June. I like that he does not use “modern” phrases in the ceremony, that IMHO come out sounding forced and awkward. I’m sure he has a ceremony that is more modern, if that’s your style, but I like the more traditional service that he does.

Things I didn’t like: I know everyone loves Rev. Jack (again, we do too), but he was having an off day with us, I guess. He was impossible to get ahold of. If it hadn’t been for Michelle telling me everything was okay, I was about to book a different minister. He didn’t do the rehearsal (but also didn’t contact us to tell us he wouldn’t). I have seen him talk to the brides in the Bride’s room at the WP before the ceremony, but he didn’t come back there at all. DH said he didn’t really say anything to him, either. I really wanted to go over the ceremony before hand since we were never able to confirm that he got our preferences. His service seemed more hurried than it was in June (which was weird since there was just 4 of us in June, and now there was a whole audience). And he forgot our unity candle. Completely. We had to re-do it after the service. Everyone said the service went by too quickly.

I think given the options, I still prefer Rev. Jack (sorry...just my personal opinion. I don’t really like the services given by the other ministers). So, I still recommend using him. Just make sure you get a hold of him and NAIL DOWN the details of when he’s going to be there and when he’s not. Don’t let it slide like we did. I think we were too easy going. Sometimes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. On the flip side...brides who had their weddings right around ours have said he was wonderful...AND he came to their rehearsal.

Grand Floridian Kitchens-capable of ANYTHING.

Things I liked: I did a tasting session in Nov and am so glad. The chef was amazing and it was so helpful. We were able to really narrow down what was good (instead of what sounded good) and the result was a PERFECT (and I mean PERFECT) meal. I love food and am picky (especially what I’m serving for a once in a lifetime meal) and I have no regrets whatsoever. None.

The desserts at the DP were amazing, too. No complaints. Except for the lack of time I had to devour them.

The cakes...unbelievable. I had one for the tea party and one for the wedding, and they both tasted amazing. I gave no guidance other than “Mad Hatter Cake” for the tea party and they came up with this...

Things I didn’t like: The tea party food was ho-hum. It sounded good. It even looked amazing. The taste was mostly bland or ...in the case of the turkey sandwich with pear slices...a little weird. So, my advice is to customize ALL menus. In the end (I think even if you don’t do a tasting session beforehand), you’ll like the product better.


EPCOT Catering-Everyone raved...but skip the tiramisu!

Things I liked: We had our Welcome Dinner at Italy Isola, and just like the tea party, I used a set menu and didn’t really make many changes. Overall, everyone loved the food. The service was great, too!

Things I didn’t like: I did ask for the tiramisu (only change from the set menu), which wasn’t really tiramisu...just some whipped cream trifle stuff. If you’re a tiramisu fan, don’t get your hopes up here...or taste it before hand.

Rose Dizon and Disney Floral-easy to work with and beautiful results

Things I liked: I love flowers, so I was pretty picky about how things would look for the wedding. And I gave it a lot of thought (unlike my guest book and a few other details I should have spent a little more time on). Rose and her gang decorated the tables for the tea party, the Welcome Dinner, the ceremony, the reception and the dessert party. So, there was a lot going on. The visual impact was spot-on for each event. I also loved working with Rose. The PS was so much fun with her, because she had so many great ideas and it really helped bring out what I was imagining.

Things I didn’t like: some of the flowers in the bouquets looked a little tired. The flowers around the centerpieces at the tea party weren’t in water or floral foam, so some faded quickly. While I loved the overall look of my bouquet, the arrangement was weird. My colors were PURPLE and they gathered the pink roses into the middle and left the purple ones on the edges. That really ticked me! If I had it to do again, I would send in pictures and insist that your floral coordinator send it to the florist, instead of just going off of the verbiage.

The Grand Floridian Resort-the amenities here made our wedding SO much easier.

Things I liked: bell services. These guys were a life-saver when we were carting things around (welcome bag items). We forgot to drop off the penguins for the tea party at Franck’s, so we called Bell Services and had them delivered to the Whitehall Room. Since most of our wedding events were centered around the GF, it was a dream staying there! I know some people find the resort stuffy or the decor not that glamourous, but we really loved the overall effect. And I didn’t expect to love the resort that much!

Things I didn’t like: it IS a conference hotel, which means it can book out during low tourist seasons (like ours). When we checked in, DH was LITERALLY just off the plane from Iraq, and the CM TRIED to get us into concierge the whole time (we were in Boca Chica for the first few days and then switched), but they couldn’t swing it. I understood that, but then when we got to our room, we actually had the smaller (size-wise) dormer rooms. It was cute, but we could’ve used the space. And I thought it was strange that they were trying to upgrade us, but essentially down-graded us. 

Secondly, I found the room types confusing when I made our reservations. We were in a Honeymoon concierge and my parents were in a deluxe concierge. I thought they would be similar. Had I known that theirs was twice the size (literally) and our spa-tub (the only thing that made it different from a regular room) didn’t fit two people, I would have gone with the deluxe. I had my maids get ready in the room with me, and we could have used the extra space! But, the view was nice from ours!

Lastly, the CMs there did not go out of their way to play up the whole honeymoon thing. When we stayed at VWL for our wedding in June, there was a card from a princess or a balloon or some chocolate almost every day congratulating us. This time, we were in a pricier room having a much pricier wedding...and we got nothing! I thought that was weird, particularly since we were in a “honeymoon” room. You would think that would clue them in.

The Grand Floridian Spa-my pedicure is still going strong over a month and a half later!

Things I liked: the whole experience is really nice. You really should go early and take advantage of the whirlpool, steam room, etc. Yes, the mani/pedi is expensive, but it is not your average strip-mall nail salon. Plus, my french-look pedicure is still lovely over a month later. DH and I also had a Couple’s Instructional Massage here, and it was very nice and very instructional.

Things I didn’t like: I could say the price, but again, I think you get what you pay for.

The Roots-you decide!!

Things I liked: their pictures! Okay, seriously. I love their detail shots, the close ups of DH and I, the “fun” pics, the expressions they caught...I could go on and on.

Things I didn’t like-okay, here it is...the HARDEST part is telling what you actually didn’t like about a photographer you LOVE. I say this not as a regret against the Roots, but to let future brides know about potential pitfalls. These are more “I wish I had...” instead of things I didn’t like. I wish I ...

...had given them a list. I didn’t do this, because I thought it would seem weird, and I think the pictures that would have been on my list aren’t the ones I regretted not getting.

...had them take more pictures of us in the EPCOT pavilions during the Welcome Dinner. I didn’t think of it and they didn’t suggest it, but the pics they took of the pavilions themselves are gorgeous!

...had them take pictures of EACH table name. I put a lot of thought into those, and they took a picture of one table name at each event.

...had them take more pictures of the cocktail hour food. I know they were with us taking photos while the guests were at the cocktail hour, so the spread was already destroyed, but I would have liked to have seen it. I only got one pic!
...had them take a picture of the “overall” look inside Narcoossee’s. The one problem with this site is that the cocktail hour and reception are in the same place, so by the time we (and the Roots) got there, people were already milling, so it definitely inhibited that fresh, “here’s your reception” look. That being said, I’d still take a pic if I could have it.

...had them take a picture of me with each bridesmaid. We were rushed before the ceremony and didn’t do any pics with the maids, so it was all at the reception. It was fun, but we were too giddy to be thinking about which pictures we needed.

...had designated someone (or get my WP’s assistant) to help wrangle people during the group shots. The Roots just let us wander up there the way we wanted, and with our unruly group, some of them look weird. In the bridal party pic, one of my bridesmaids is behind the others. SOMEONE should have told her to move!

...had asked for more pics with my guests at the reception. They really stayed out of our way, which was great, but I wouldn’t have minded more pictures.

...HAD A GROUP SHOT! I meant to do this, but forgot the list!

...had them photograph the tea party. I love the details from the tea party, but have ho-hum pictures.

Disney Videography-haven’t seen the product yet, but BOY am I excited!!

Things I liked-They were everywhere. They were SUPER-cool. We had two videographers take some “B-roll” footage the day of the Welcome Dinner and film an interview. Then, they were at the Welcome Dinner. The day of the wedding, they were in our room at 7:30! (and hour and a half before we had to be ready). They were everywhere all day. I absolutely LOVED how serious they took their job. Everytime I get bummed about a shot that was missed in the pictures, I realize the videographers probably caught it, since they can do a sweeping shot and catch a million details.

Things I didn’t like-really, nothing. I guess the price is steep, but after looking at comparable packages from other videographers, I don’t think so. But, I’ll update after getting the final product.

Kathryn Flocken-everyone should have her!

Things I liked- the “old-fashioned” feel it lent the wedding. The guests’ comments. The extra silhouettes we got to keep! The price.

Things I didn’t like-nothing.

The Dapper Dans-best entertainment at the wedding (okay, it’s a toss-up with the Mice)!

Things I liked-these guys were great! By nature, their songs make them interact with the guests, and everyone got into it. They were so much fun and different...and they even recognized us in the park days later, which was cool!

Things I didn’t like-zip, zilch. Loved them.

The Jazz Trio-DFTW outdid themselves to get the instruments/sound style I wanted

Things I liked-I wanted “ragtime” to fit with our “turn-of-the-century” feel. I had asked for a clarinet and possibly a banjo (because DFIL plays banjo). I had also asked about a player piano, which, believe it or not, IS possible...just not at Narcoossee’s because of the transport. At first Michelle said they didn’t have a clarinetist that made their cut, but in the end, we had one (doubled on sax, too). Pretty cool.

Things I didn’t like-with a band, you don’t really get that “it’s our song” feel, so for our first dance we had them play “whatever.” That’s okay, but it kinda made me wish I had sprang for the ipod, too. Particularly when the servers brought out the dessert and the band was on break. It was supposed to be served to “Be Our Guest.” With an iPod, we could have cued it easily.

Major Domo-he is great for the “flow” of things...and a special Disney touch.

Things I liked-the surprised look on people’s faces when he came in at the ceremony. That he orchestrated things into the “first dance.”

Things I didn’t like-since Narcoossee’s doesn’t have that “you are now entering the reception” thing, we came into Narcoossee’s and then later were announced. Which was fine. But, I was bummed he didn’t also announce our wedding party. I should have worked that out with Michelle, but I just assumed she would have them all come to the front of the restaurant and be announced.

Patricia LeJeune-loved my hair in June; loved it even more in January!

Things I liked-Patricia has a way of making me like my hair and makeup that no one else has. She, frankly, makes me look beautiful. And she’s fun and super cool and professional!

Things I didn’t like-frankly, some girls have more hair than others (I’m the more!). We were running late due to the amount of hair we all had, so I didn’t get any shots with my maids before the ceremony. That is a big bummer. It was also partly due to the fact that we were on concierge, and she wasn’t able to get up there for about 20 minutes. I think we would have been okay if it wasn’t for that. Use Patricia (seriously...all my girls loved their hair...and that’s hard to get six different women to do!), but factor in some fudge-time...no matter how early it is.

Ty at Disney Photography (MK and EPCOT shoots)-I may be partial (okay, I am), but OVERALL I think mine are great.

Things I liked-again, my pictures! I love the “different” shots. The unique poses. The creative angles. The photoshopping.

Things I didn’t like (wish I had done)- It was freezing, so I wasn’t in a very demanding mood, but I wish I had gone with a couple “picture examples” of shots I would have liked to have. I LOVE my pictures, but it would have been easy to say “I want to sit at this cafe table and take a shot” or “can we get a shot from this side of the castle” I didn’t, so learn from my mistake. Don’t overdo it, as I think it can inhibit creativity, but a few shots would have been easy. I did request Eiffel tower shots and got this one, which I love...

Shelley LaMarre from Impressions--Shelley brought to life the “details” I imagined.

Things I liked-her creativity, her attention to detail, and the “synchronicity” (there’s that word again which means “lets brides relax!”) she provided with getting my “details” to the events. If you’re able to, meet her during your Planning Session, as it was so easy to sit down and go over all the ideas I had for the wedding.

Things I didn’t like-I got a little freaked out about responsiveness due to things I had heard on the boards. So, I actually had DFTW put pressure on her, since they recommended her. In retrospect, that was probably unnecessary, but as I said...I was freaked out. In the end, Shelley was a joy to work with. I do wish I had cut a few items, because it all adds up (due to the Disney licensing, mostly.) So, be honest about your budget, and she will work within that.

1900 Park Fare-great place for a casual “come if you want” farewell brunch.

Things I liked-the food (it was really good! And this was after having amazing food at the reception...I apologize for no pictures!!) and the characters. Plus, the proximity to the rest of the “wedding events” was a big plus.

Things I didn’t like-our whole party had to be there before they would seat us even though the restaurant was basically empty (we had the last seating). That was annoying!

Whew...okay...that was a lot! I hope no one is offended by honesty and frankness. I am serious about being happy with ALL our vendor choices. I have no regrets about them. I just think a little forethought would have made things so much better.

Now that that is out of the way, I can start on the day-by-day trip report!

 

[lov2b@disney]

That was one of the best vendor reviews to date!!!!!

 

[padisneyfour]

Thank you for sharing ....

 

[adisneygal]

Whew...okay...that was a lot! I hope no one is offended by honesty and frankness. I am serious about being happy with ALL our vendor choices. I have no regrets about them. I just think a little forethought would have made things so much better.

I love your reviews. Very helpful and I don't see how anyone could be offended. It's constructed critism and I am sure the vendors would want to know what they can improve, as well as what you liked. Thanks for sharing so honestly!

 

[Wazzo]

Awesome report! Thank you so much for sharing!!

Would you mind sharing how much the Dapper Dans cost? And how long you had them for?

Alright, I'm ready for the TR!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

That was one of the best vendor reviews to date!!!!!

I started so late, I had plenty of time to deliberate! Plus, I'm a bit OCD

Thank you for sharing ....

Thanks for reading!!

I love your reviews. Very helpful and I don't see how anyone could be offended. It's constructed critism and I am sure the vendors would want to know what they can improve, as well as what you liked. Thanks for sharing so honestly!

I think you're right. It's sometimes tough to be honest, because I think one "bad" review can really sway public interest on the boards. Especially since it's your WEDDING we're talking about. But, it never ends up "perfect" even though we want it to!

Awesome report! Thank you so much for sharing!!

Would you mind sharing how much the Dapper Dans cost? And how long you had them for?

Alright, I'm ready for the TR!

They were $1550 (less than the jazz trio!) and they were on the BEO from 11:00-2:00. I think that's about right. They were there when the guests arrived for the pre-reception and entertained throughout lunch. Honestly, since we had a lunch reception followed by a DP later that night, people didn't stay much beyond that anyway. They were going to hit the parks in between or put the kids down for a nap!

 

[Chilly]

Great vendor reviews. Looking foward to the TR.

 

[Pinkerbell1983]

I'm so glad you started your TR. I love your pics, everything looks so pretty! Can't wait to read more!

 

[29apr00]

That was an AWESOME review Heidi!! very helpful!

Can't wait to hear more!

 

[Disneygrl36]

Wonderful review of all your services..........wow alot goes into a Disney wedding doesn't it?

Can't wait for the day by day trip report........especially excited to read about your tea party as I am a huge Mary Poppins fan!

 

[figmentfan814]

Heidi~ I think its fantastic that you shared straightforward and honest reviews with suggestions. I know these types of tips were the best advice I got during my planning process. Little tidbits can make all the difference (one for me was about the lighting at my reception site).

I love the entire feel of your day. The little touches like the silhouette artist and even Dapper Dans add such a great ambiance to everything. My cousin is a musician for Disney and plays in a Jazz trio, but he is usually at corporate events, so it was cool to see someone using a similar group.

I'm really excited to see more about your wedding!

 

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

Thank you for your vendor reviews! They are very helpful. I can't wait to see more!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I'm so glad you started your TR. I love your pics, everything looks so pretty! Can't wait to read more!

Now I actually have to write more!

That was an AWESOME review Heidi!! very helpful!

Can't wait to hear more!

I'm really glad you think it's helpful!

Wonderful review of all your services..........wow alot goes into a Disney wedding doesn't it?

Can't wait for the day by day trip report........especially excited to read about your tea party as I am a huge Mary Poppins fan!

Yes, there is! I think it's much more simplified having so many "vendors" under your planner, but there's still a lot going on. I couldn't imagine doing it all on my own!

Heidi~ I think its fantastic that you shared straightforward and honest reviews with suggestions. I know these types of tips were the best advice I got during my planning process. Little tidbits can make all the difference (one for me was about the lighting at my reception site).

I love the entire feel of your day. The little touches like the silhouette artist and even Dapper Dans add such a great ambiance to everything. My cousin is a musician for Disney and plays in a Jazz trio, but he is usually at corporate events, so it was cool to see someone using a similar group.

I'm really excited to see more about your wedding!

Thank you! I totally agree with you about the little pieces of advice. All of the music was great, but I was so impressed with how they actually found the instruments I wanted!

Thank you for your vendor reviews! They are very helpful. I can't wait to see more!

You're very welcome!

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

I love love love your Disney park photos in Epcot and the Magic Kingdom! They are gorgeous, you had a great photographer. I was wondering which package you got, the one with the 4x6 photo portfolio or the 8x10s? I was just curious about what the price is if you got the larger photo package? Thanks and Congrats!!