WDW wedding before Star Wars Weekends 2016

[wookiee_cookiee]

Hello!

I just got engaged to my boyfriend of 10 years. We met at Star Wars Celebration Indianapolis in 2005 and he proposed at Disneyland after Celebration Anaheim last month! We are not 100% decided on our wedding location, but we have to narrowed down to New Orleans or Orlando.

If we pick Orlando, we would want to get married on the Thursday before one of the Star Wars Weekends in 2016.

Just looking for ideas/advice. Our budget is small- around $5,000 (just a guess, I'm recently unemployed, I can't fathom spending over $10,000 on a wedding) The Disney Wedding website scared me, when I input what I liked it started at $24,000! but my Dis friends say it can be done for less. We have friends in the 501st/Rebel Legion, and I'd like them to be able to wear their costumes at the reception if they wanted to.

My main questions right now are:

Can you just have dessert, and not brunch/lunch/dinner?

The only thing I really want at the reception is dancing- DJ Elliot is one of my faves, can you get him for a wedding?

Thanks!

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

More questions- what resort/restaurant/nearby venue would you recommend for a Star Wars style reception?

 

[Disney_Alli]

While a wedding for $5000 is entirely possible it would be a Escape Wedding and thus wouldn't have a reception with a DJ just a cake cutting, one speech and your first dance. You can add a reception for an additional fee but it's only allowed to be 2 hours and no DJ. If you want a wedding with a reception with a DJ you'll need to spend at least $12,000. I'm not sure if you'd be allowed to bring in your own characters for your reception as Disney contracts for the characters and they use the 501st for their Star Wars events. You might be able to do something at one of the non-Disney owned venues nearby (Swan/Dolphin, B Resort, possibly Fulton's... Several others) that might better fit into your budget and will allow you to have your own characters.

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

Yes, the Wishes wedding is not going to happen. I'm thinking more of a non theme-park wedding and reception, but in a Disney resort/restaurant since 75% of the guests will be staying for Star Wars Weekends in the days after the wedding. I'm thinking 50-75 ppl, too many for an Escape wedding.


I'm going to download Carrie's book to learn about F&B minimums...

Thanks!

 

[Disney_Alli]

If it's at Disney it has to be booked through Disney. Sounds like Swan/Dolphin or B or similar might be your only option.

 

[runner_princess]

Join the Disney Brides Diary Group on facebook and reach out to Lisa Commander-Thomas, the admin - this would be right up her alley to help you with!

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

I sent in my request for DISbrides last night! Thanks! Started reading Carrie's book too!

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

I wish I could afford this, when it opens! Holy moly!

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

I'm really liking what I see at the Orlando Science Center.

 

[Amanda132]

I know for sure that you can get DJ Elliott through Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, because we're having him at our wedding. I would assume he would do weddings outside Disney, but you would have to contact him directly.

 

[wookiee_cookiee]

That's awesome! He's a great guy.


I got the prices for OSC today, I think I'll end up going with them. They have a really cool planet exhibit where we can have the ceremony on the Thursday night before SWW starts. Since most of my guests are going to be at Disney Fri-Sun for SWW, we can get a reservation at the Rebel Hangar: Star Wars Lounge Experience, if they have that in 2016.

I might steal some of these recipe ideas for the reception though!


Food and beverage offerings:

• Pilot's Pomme Frites - fries topped with parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley with a garlic aioli for dipping
• Ensalada Naboo - seared chicken breast, bibb lettuce, grape tomatoes, watermelon radish, almond frica and a parmesan-peppercorn ranch dressing
• Lightsaber Bites – hand-dipped corn-battered knockwurst sausages with house-made chips and mustard dipping sauce
• The Dark Fried – Chicken and Darth Vader waffles served with maple syrup and sweet barbecue sauce
• Trio of Thermal Detonators – spicy pork wings topped with spicy piquillo-pepper sauce and slaw
• Slider Sampler featuring “The Sith” barbecue-braised brisket with cole slaw and “The Jedi” with barbecued pulled chicken with arugula
• Fruit and Cheese “Sabers” featuring Tillamook cheddar, Brie, goat cheese, pickled vegetables, crostini, cheddar crackers, blueberries, raspberries, honeydew melon, strawberry, olives and gherkins
• Chips & Sith – hummus with red pepper coulis, black sesame dust, and corn tortilla chips
• Yoda Key Lime Cake
• Trio of Star Wars mini cupcakes, including Mini Darth Vader (chocolate-peanut butter), Mini Yoda (chocolate-hazelnut), and Mini Jabba the Hutt (salted caramel latte) served in the Han Solo Carbonite Souvenir Box

• Imperial Blue – Maker’s Mark Whisky, Cointreau, Blue Curacao, sweet and sour, topped with Sprite
• Tatooine Sunset – Stoli vanilla, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, pineapple juice with grenadine
• Rebel Red – Grey Goose vodka, Chambord, sour mix and a splash of grenadine
• Dagobah Swamp Juice – Midori, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, sweet and sour, topped with lemon-lime foam
• The Dark Side – Stoli vanilla vodka, Bailey’s liqueur, crème de cocoa and brownie garnish
• Alderaan Ale