What's your best advice?

[monana]

Hi Everyone,

For those that are planning or have fullfilled your disney wedding dreams, please help us new disney wedding planners out.

What is your best tips for planning a wedding at disneyworld?

Tips on any and everything will be just what us newbie planners need.

Thanks so much!

 

[lurkyloo]

There are sooooo many things I learned from reading this board, but the thing I wish I'd known at the beginning is (for Wishes Weddings): Make all your guests stay at 2 resorts or fewer - you will save a bundle on transportation.

Transportation is almost our biggest expense and the one that we have the least interest in. Because we have 4 resorts, we're required to hire an expensive charter bus for more hours than we actually need it. If we'd only had 2 resorts, we could have hired a cheaper "one-way" bus.

2) Do brunch instead of dinner. The pre-2:00pm minimums are lower and the menus are cheaper.

OK, so far mine are all about saving money.... guess that's the biggest deal to me

3) Ship your dress to Carolyn Allen's instead of carrying it on the plane. They will deliver it, steam it, pick it back up, and ship it home for you.

4) Ask for what you want - and keep asking. Some things aren't worth going to the mat for, but if it's really important that you have something a certain way, let them know. You don't have to have a cookie-cutter wedding just because it's easier for DFTW.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

don't stress! disney is there to do almost everything for you. at least you don't have to worry about chasing around entertainment, venue providers, caterers, florists etc...

my theory is that disney isn't going to let anything look bad!

 

[sunsh1ne]

my avice hmmm : relax and enjoy getting married. but other then that - dont assume that what is in your mind is what the vendors or disney sees.make sure to be specific and be organized. but again enjoy it all! you make the day as happy of an occasion as you want it to be!!!

happy planning

 

[monana]

Thank you ladies, i will definitely remember that, i do have a question again...

In your invitations, did you include information regarding hotels, or pick up times for the transportation for the wedding?

 

[Swmhc]

Be faithful to the Dis. Any question you have, someone has probably encountered it. If you can't find the info you need, post a question. We are all here for you ! Remember that sometimes it depends who you ask and on what day. I think the WP must dread the Dis because we have been known to band together for change.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

Thank you ladies, i will definitely remember that, i do have a question again...

In your invitations, did you include information regarding hotels, or pick up times for the transportation for the wedding?

i included a card that told everyone that rooms were reserved for them in the following resorts, when the room block ended and gave the phone number to dftw and our website!

 

[helloirishkitty]

The best piece of advice I have is clearly one you already have: the DIS is the best source for information ever! I luckily found this site a few months before I got engaged, and I can't imagine planning my wedding without it. DFTW can be so cookie cutter with their responses, but if you push and push for what you want (and you know another dis bride has gotten it ), you'll get much further with Disney.

I agree with Caryn when she says "Disney won't make anything look bad." Being a Disney bride is a lot easier than being a non-Disney bride (with regards to lack of caterer, dealing with a florist, etc), if you can dream it, they can probably do it.

 

[Ember]

My advice:

1. Set your budget and stick to it. You hear all the time, "it's one ONE day." The response to which is, "Yes, but it's a VERY IMPORTANT day that will only happen ONCE." And both statements are true.

Set the amount you can afford and don't go above it. The day isn't worth years of debt. You should enjoy your wedding, but you should be planning for a marriage.

2. Relax. Seriously, I don't think I've seen women cry quite as much as when they are planning a wedding! Disney takes most of the planning stress off your hands - if you let them. Weddings are expensive and time consuming. If all it brings you is stress and unhappiness then it's a real waste of both time and money! Planning your wedding should be enjoyable, and on your wedding day refuse to care about things - just enjoy it!

 

[lurkyloo]

In your invitations, did you include information regarding hotels, or pick up times for the transportation for the wedding?

The Save the Date that Disney sent had all the hotel info I thought my guests needed. In the invitation I sent a card with the transportation schedule, but it has since changed because guests didn't book before the deadline and my hotels sold out. Guess I should have mailed the booking deadline like Caryn instead of sending it by email....

 

[stitchlet]

What a great idea for a thread - subscribing!

 

[Janet2k]

What is your best tips for planning a wedding at disneyworld?

Monana, I have two tips and they apply to both the planning of a FTW and to life in general:

1) Never be afraid to ask questions.
2) Take time to stop & smell the roses.

I wish you every happiness in the world -- and hope you have fun planning your event.

 

[DisBride2007]

My advice:

1. Set your budget and stick to it. You hear all the time, "it's one ONE day." The response to which is, "Yes, but it's a VERY IMPORTANT day that will only happen ONCE." And both statements are true.

Set the amount you can afford and don't go above it. The day isn't worth years of debt. You should enjoy your wedding, but you should be planning for a marriage.

This is good advice... BUT my advice would be to not be TOO Scrooge-like in your planning. It's one thing to cut out the centerpieces that are each $200 to RENT, but if it's really important to you to, for example, have Mickey & Minnie at your reception, you should. It's easy to regret wasting money, but it's also impossible to go back in time and add the one thing you really wanted. It's all about balance.

I wish that I had purchased 1 day tickets for my immediate family members, or at least my parents. They didn't want to pay the money for the tickets, and I could have bought them the tickets and then enjoyed the parks with them. I know they'll never make another trip there.

 

[PrincessBride07]

My advice to any bride would be:

1. Enjoy the planning time. I know most brides can't wait until there wedding day, but enjoy that excitment.

2. Have fun with your photos. Do lots of fun poses.

3. Enjoy the day. You worked hard to make it happen. Also relax, there is no wedding that is absolutely perfect. Don't stress about things going wrong on the day.

Finally

4. Be you. Don't worry about having things in (or out for that matter) the wedding just because tradition, or trends, dictates. If you want a Halloween themed wedding, do it.

 

[monana]

you guys are so awesome. I dont remember how i found this board, but thank goodness I did.

Thank you Thank you Thank you!