Wedding Coordinator

[TexasCourt]

Ok, so whenever I call (which will be in the month of this May to set up my May 2007 wedding) Disney to get my intimate wedding plans underway, can I request a certain individual for a my wedding coordinator (is that what they are called?), or do you have no choice and/or say in who you get? If you do get a say, can any of y'all recommend/discourage wedding coordinators? Thank y'all!

 

[allisonswonderland]

You will actually talk to a sales manager first. Then once your contract is signed you will be assigned to an event manager (wedding coordinator - is what I call them). I am a custom so I guess that would be the same as an intimate. Hope that helps

 

[Janet2k]

TexasCourt, I’m not sure if you can request a specific Sales Manager or Event Manager. I didn't request anyone and yet was very pleased with who was assigned to me.

Like Allisonswonderland mentioned, you will be assigned a Sales Manger first, then an Event Manager (a.k.a., Wedding Coordinator). Disney will assign their Cast Members to you based upon the category of your event – “intimate” wedding/vow renewal or “custom” wedding/vow renewal. Since Disney is the only one who really knows the schedules of their Cast Members, it is fitting that they are the ones who assign them (for example, some Cast Members might be swamped with events while others have more breathing room, and then there are Cast Members who are scheduled for leaves of absence and so on).

I have found that Disney tries very hard to make everyone’s dreams come true. If you can establish a good line of communication with your Sales Manager and Event Manager from the start, it will be easier for them to help make your dreams come true.

Have fun planning your wedding and make sure to share your plans here on the Dis.

 

[hmgolden]

I think the current DFTW terminology is that Sales Managers are now known as Wedding Coordinators, and Event Managers are now Wedding Planners. It changed after my wedding though, so I'm not positive, and I do constantly mix them up.

As far as requesting a certain person, I know some people have put in requests, but I don't know how often they are actually honored. Like Janet2k said there are a lot of factors that go into who gets assigned to who.

 

[princesslisa]

Just to add on to the list of questions (since I have another "decade" before I can make the call, I am a little anxious )

What do you actually accomplish with your Sales Manager before you sign the contract and get the ball rolling so to speak. Do they send you pics, menus, guidlines, etc? Is it just the same info as is on the website??

 

[hiwaygal]

What do you actually accomplish with your Sales Manager before you sign the contract and get the ball rolling so to speak. Do they send you pics, menus, guidlines, etc? Is it just the same info as is on the website??

A simple answer is..."not much" or "the money part". At least for intimates, all your sales manager will do is mark your dates and locations and "coordinate" with your reservations, and collect your deposit. You will not speak to your EM until about 2 weeks after you have paid your deposit. Then your EM will contact you and send all the info.

It's probably a little different for custom brides...

 

[JandJ]

A simple answer is..."not much" or "the money part". At least for intimates, all your sales manager will do is mark your dates and locations and "coordinate" with your reservations, and collect your deposit. You will not speak to your EM until about 2 weeks after you have paid your deposit. Then your EM will contact you and send all the info.

It's probably a little different for custom brides...

Yup, that's exactly how it was for our Intimate. I spoke to the sales manager to get it initially set up and give her our resort reservation number. This may have changed but last year when I booked your resort deposit was your Intimate deposit. I only spoke to her one more time because I never got an EM to contact me. I hadn't heard from anyone more than a month after the initial set up, and we only had 8 months to plan. I called my sales manager on my lunch hour and by 1:00 pm I had an e-mail from my EM with all of my details - sometimes you have to go to the "top" to get things done

 

[hmgolden]

Just to add on to the list of questions (since I have another "decade" before I can make the call, I am a little anxious )

What do you actually accomplish with your Sales Manager before you sign the contract and get the ball rolling so to speak. Do they send you pics, menus, guidlines, etc? Is it just the same info as is on the website??

We were a custom wedding. Our Sales Manager took us on our site visit and prepared estimated budgets based on the venues we selected. She also handled our contract signing and the mailing of the STD's. She sent us photos of venues if we requested them, and a sample menu was included in our proposed budget, but anything beyond that was considered a 'detail' that would be discussed with our event manager once we were assigned one. Working with a sales manager can be kind of a tease. You are so close, but still so far away from planning all the little details of your wedding day.

 

[hfehr1s]

Hi, just thought I would let you know how mine went. I called DFTW and spoke to a sales manager who took my information and phone number, then I was contacted later that day by Jennifer O'Leary who is my intimate wedding planner. I have only spoken to her since and paid my deposit through her after she sent me my contract. I don't know if this is the way it works now or if it just accidentally happened that way to me, but it has been really nice to be in contact with my planner right from the beginning!! HTH

 

[princessblueeyzes]

Hi, just thought I would let you know how mine went. I called DFTW and spoke to a sales manager who took my information and phone number, then I was contacted later that day by Jennifer O'Leary who is my intimate wedding planner. I have only spoken to her since and paid my deposit through her after she sent me my contract. I don't know if this is the way it works now or if it just accidentally happened that way to me, but it has been really nice to be in contact with my planner right from the beginning!! HTH

Mine has worked the same way. When I called to book the Intimate wedding they told me that my Wedding Coordinator is the one who is on call for that day. It makes things so much easier talking to my WC, with questions or just info that I need.

 

[sajetto]

Mine has worked the same way. When I called to book the Intimate wedding they told me that my Wedding Coordinator is the one who is on call for that day. It makes things so much easier talking to my WC, with questions or just info that I need.

Same here! I've had a wedding coordinator from day one

 

[FutureAshleyDukes]

I was told that they re-vamped it (again ) to where you only have contact with your wedding co-ordinator now. I guess they now longer have SM's.

Courtney - the policy might change by then, but for 2007 weddings Intimate brides can only book 8 months in advance for the wedding pavilion. Who knows it might change by then though.