trying to organise a wedding help needed.

[macca77]

Hi so me (ross) and my fiancee (debbie) have decided we are going to get married in disney world in april 2009. Already we are getting stressed trying to sort things out and get rough ideas of prices so i need some help please.

Ok there should be about 25 of us going over for the wedding now im unsure if its best to book a wedding from a travel agent here in england or do it through disney myself.

I think the doing it through disney myself is the best idea, but we are unsure on a few things. Now we know we have to spend $10,000 minnimum on the wedding which at the minute we have and it comes to just over 13,000 with the wedding pavillion cinderella's carrige, a disc jockey, the ballroom at the yacht club, and other bits and bobs.
Now with us having the reception at the yacht club it is $100 dollars ahead, but as some of the guests will be children will this amount come down for them, or is it a set price?
Also in the $100 a head does this include drink or is it just for a meal?
How long do we get the yacht club room for?

If we book through a travel agent would it be easier as their is so many people going or better through disney it's self?
If we just book through a travel agent will we be able to book a reception room at a bar somewhere near so we can have a party after the wedding?
also if we plan to go the travel agent way, we would like to go the olive garden for dinner before heading to the reception is this possible?

Im sure i have loads more questions but need help and putting my mind at ease, as i know its going to cost people alot of money to come with us and i want to get it cheap enough for them also thanks.

 

[marywdw]

I'm not sure about all of your questions, but I know there are a bunch of UK brides that can probably help w/ those. As far as your $100 per person dinner goes: depending on the time of day, you have to meet a minimum - I'm assuming you're doing a dinner since you said it would be $100 a head? That can include food and beverage. Depending on the menu you select, the cost could be more. But (hopefully) to answer your question, food (including wedding cake) and beverages (including alcohol) can be used to meet the minimum food and beverage expenditure.
Hope this helps!!
And congratulations on your upcoming Disney wedding! Welcome to the group!

 

[orangetiggs]

I'm a uk bride but you cant book a wedding for that many people through a travel agent, you have to have a custom wedding which can only be booked through disney.

We have 30 going out with us as we have booked the holiday through a travel agent and the wedding is going to be booked through disney themsleves, we are already in contact with them for our seo 2008 wedding

 

[macca77]

Thanks for your replys,
Orangetiggs, is there a reason why you cant book for that many to go the wedding through a travel agent, also do you know what the maximum you can book through a travel agent that can go to your wedding at disney.

If we book the direct route what would you suggest for the booking off all the other people, Are you all staying on disney property? Or staying off site?
Is your function afterwards at disney or elsewhere?

Thank you im getting stressed already.

 

[macca77]

Ok what im now thinking is booking direct and spending my 10,000$ minnimum then, having are dinner at the olive garden and a reception back at the holiday inn international, as that should work out roughly cheaper than it all being at disney and should be easier to book for everyone to stay on idrive and some of us others on the 25nites accomodation on disney property?

Does this sound ok or am i not thinking right, every one to their own and stuff.

 

[orangetiggs]

have you been to disney weddings website?? I would go there and it answers alot of your questions.
an escape wedding is what you can book through a travel agent and its for 18 or less guests, a wishes wedding is a custom one for 10 or more guests and includes ceremony and reception sited on disney property.

http://www.disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp

this will show you all the reception and ceremony venues for both weddings.
When you book a custom (wishes)wedding you have to guarentee a certain number of nights depending on how many guests you have with you. we have aruond 30 and have to guarantee 25 nights on disney property. We are staying 14 nights and so is family so we have over our nights and the rest are staying in villas or on idrive.

I would def visit the website and maybe do a wishbook, this gives you an idea of how much it will cost even though the prices are a little out of date it will show you an estimate of priceing

 

[orangetiggs]

the $10k min is for the reception as well! if you are looking to have the reception and meal else where then it seems silly booking a disney wedding and not having the disney reception.

We are having a ceremony and reception and dessert party in epcot and we are just spending our $10k min so you will be hard pushed to just spend that on the ceremony alone

 

[dee slack]

we're having an Escape so can't help, but for general info for macca77, could anyone confirm if the minimum is then PLUS tax??? Also, is the minimum $10K EVERY day or is it more certain days?

 

[Skylarr29]

we're having an Escape so can't help, but for general info for macca77, could anyone confirm if the minimum is then PLUS tax??? Also, is the minimum $10K EVERY day or is it more certain days?

10K is only Mon-thurs, sat and sun are higher depending on the time of year. The 10K minimum has to be met PLUS tax so really around 11K - 12K depending.


I don't understand the Olive garden thing lol, why would you want to have 2 receptions or go off site? The 10K includes a full reception.

Also your guests recieve a discount on rooms and tickets when having a custom wedding so I think it is best to book through Disney.

 

[hiwaygal]

One other thing to consider is that the cost may change by 2009. I don't imagine it will go up that much, but specific elements will most certainly change.

I would definitely recommend visiting the Disney Wedding Website to get more ideas of what is included in both packages and what the minimums are for each.

 

[macca77]

thank you so far for all your help and replys.

I think we have decided that it will be a wishes package we get as we have about 30 people wanting to come so we will be having the reception at the yacht club.

At the minute on our wish list i have
Wedding pavillion
decorations at wedding pavillion
limiousine hire
yacht club for 30 people (does anyone know what the menu will be like and if i will be able to feed 30 people and get a wedding cake out of it or will i have to pay more per head to do this and get some drink aswell?)

disc jockey (is this worth the price?)
dance floor (again is this a must have with a dj or just dance on the carpet?)
2 disney charachters (bit of a special gift for ourselves and guests).
wedding photographer
dvd for wedding

Think thats it, we are happy with this so far but didnt know if we needed to change anything or put in anything we have missed?

Thanks again for all your help so far sorry if being a pain.

 

[orangetiggs]

have you called disney to speak to a planner? they will be able to let you know specifics. When i emailed mine i was told that at certain places the cake is not taken into account for the food and drink mins.

It all sounds good so far