Vow Renewal Surprise on the Dream

[Fivepin]

Need some advice, ideas.

So, I have booked a vow renewal on our November Dream cruise. I didn't start out on this cruise planning on doing a vow renewal. We booked this cruise July of last year. Now our group has grown where our close friends and my mom and brother will be joining us on this cruise. The friends had never cruised Disney before either. I thought to myself, when would all of us be together like this on the ship again. So, on a whim I called and spoke to Shanda and lo and behold the date was available. So, I booked it, but no one knows and I'm 4 months out.

I would love to surprise the guests with this. What I was originally planning on doing was doing a passport style invite and leave that with an embarkation gift bag. I would deliver right when cabins are ready-there's only 6 families besides my own. What do you guys think about doing it that way? The only thing with that is trying to make sure they are on the ship. I'm scheduled for the day in Nassau and won't know the time until around 45 days out. I would have loved to do Castaway, but since this is their first Disney experience, didn't want to take time away from Castaway. I know a couple of the families will be staying on the ship.

Next, how do I tell my DH and how far in advance? The spontaneous side of me would love for him to find out when the guests do. Don't know how that would go over. I know he would be happy, but maybe a tad bid upset he didn't know about it ahead of time. Decisions, decisions.

Our anniversary is Sept 23rd, so I could tell him then as well, but how?

Any ideas, input would be greatly appreciated. I need to get working on this VR as well. Have the shirts for DH and DS's-got DH shirt while in Hawaii on Disney cruise. Think I've decided on my dress, not much to do regarding choices for vr since choices are pretty limited for the cruises. Biggest thing is the invitation-how to fill the passport. What info, besides wedding info, would you include in there that would be helpful for first time cruisers? Need to think about favors and such. Having a disigner working on designs for magnets, program, and items to put in invite.

Love looking at the boards and reading everyone's stories, but now time is running out and need to start taking some action.

 

[jtlover]

We are renewing our vows in September and we are hoping to hear today what time etc.

My first thought of you surprising them with it is whether they would want to have a special outfit for your ceremony, in which case they wouldn't if you didn't give them notice.

Also what if they make plans in Nassau for the whole day?

If it was me I would tell them to keep the calendar free for some time on that day for a surprise plus an outfit

Have fun with your planning

 

[Fivepin]

We are renewing our vows in September and we are hoping to hear today what time etc.

My first thought of you surprising them with it is whether they would want to have a special outfit for your ceremony, in which case they wouldn't if you didn't give them notice.

Also what if they make plans in Nassau for the whole day?

If it was me I would tell them to keep the calendar free for some time on that day for a surprise plus an outfit

Have fun with your planning

I had already told them to have an outfit. They listened to me since they have never cruised Disney before.. I told them it would be for Palo.

Do you know usually what time block they do the cermonies?

Which ship will you be on?

 

[jtlover]

We are on the Dream but I don't know what time they block out for renewals and weddings, but will be able to tell you soon what time I get

 

[jtlover]

Our renewal is at 4.00pm at Palo on the outside deck. Another is on the same day at 5.30pm at the outlook area. Both of these are on Nassau day

 

[Fivepin]

Our renewal is at 4.00pm at Palo on the outside deck. Another is on the same day at 5.30pm at the outlook area. Both of these are on Nassau day

Thanks for the info. I didn't know they did something outside of Palo. Excited for you!

 

[cruisecrasher]

Cool!

 

[Fivepin]

Wanted to give you guys an update and some photos. Got off our anniversary cruise on the 23rd and did do the reveal on the ship with the help of some great cast members (Ann Marie and Chris) from Vista Galleries. I had met them on my research cruise in August. I was originally going to do the reveal on our anniversary weekend at home-we were going to a nice hotel on the beach. Came off the August cruise and saw they had released FL res rates for our anniv weekend. Well, it was cheaper to do the cruise than the hotel for the weekend with food expenses and such. What better way to do the reveal than on the ship Disney style. My best friend was on the ship the week before I was and went to go make sure they were going to be there and to run the idea by them. The reveal happened on the 2nd nite at 10:30pm during pirate night fireworks and show so I knew there would be less traffic then.
They turned one of the walls in the gallery to our wall and put what Cinderella artwork they had on one wall since I love Cinderella. I brought on the banner and 5 8x10's which they matted and framed so it would look nice on the wall.
Chris even drew a picture for me with Cinderella proposing to Prince Charming. They put our champagne and flutes into the glass display case and decorated the whole case as well. The flutes are the ones I'm using for the VR, so it already has the date on there.
Now for some pics:

Funny thing about the banner-it was a last minute thing-had a coupon for Walgreens and they did same day service. I thought I had changed the text back to Happy Anniversary, but it still said Will you marry me again? I didn't want that to be the first thing Ray saw, saw Chris had covered it up with the cardstock I had brought for the photos, thinking he would just put them on there to hang. No, he went above and beyond!!

 

[Queenie122]

That looks like great fun, congratulations! The cruise cast did an amazing job and you had a nice collection of items there. How did your hubby react?