MermaidFantasia
Future Disney FTW Bride
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2017
You look absolutely beautiful!
You look absolutely beautiful!
Loving all your pictures and reading about the wedding details. Is there a fee for the planning session? Just curious - my dd would like a Disney wedding. Started reading/browsing. Of course, we know we have the expense of going down for it - but did not know if this was a separate charge.........so many details. TIA
You look absolutely beautiful!
There is no charge for the planning session itself! You get to choose 8 menu items for your menu tasting and 4 cake flavors and fillings. Definitely be sure to block off most of the day for the planning session and menu tasting.. mine took around 6 hours.
Life Update
It feels like FOREVER since my last update.. I honestly haven't done much with the wedding since. We've been sooo busy trying to get into our house and we FINALLY finished the renovations and moved in on New Years Eve!! Hopefully I can share some before and after pictures when I get time. I'm so proud of what we did (even though it almost caused us to get a divorce before we even got married ) Seriously if you can make it through a whole home renovation with your spouse you can make it through anything.
We got our BEO the day before Thanksgiving which wasn't such a nice way to start the holiday LOL I mean I knew it was going to be expensive because I used the planning session to let them know anything and everything I was interested in... but holy cow let's just say the estimated budget was double what I expect to spend
So I've spent a couple of hours crunching numbers and figuring out what to cut to get this budget cut in half. Right now it's looking like we are going to cut the open bar which will save us almost $3000 (and it's a brunch reception anyway so the alcohol isn't a big deal), a Deluxe greens package at the reception ($3125), Bloody Mary's and Mimosas at the prereception ($1000), and possibly Cinderella's coach
I really do want the glass coach sooo bad but it's gone up to $3200 (thought it was under $3000 before my planning session) and I just don't think I can justify a 10 minute or less experience for $3200. My fiancé would probably rather ride in a vintage car anyway and I do like that classic look, so we will probably have to switch to that.
Most of the rest of the money saved is going to hopefully come from our decrease in guest count. We have a 50 guest count limit but it's looking like we are going to have MAYBE 30 people at the most. Which is fine with me because each person is so expensive by the time you add in transportation, reception meal cost, dessert party cost, fireworks viewing view, etc.
Future brides: Just know that this stuff they suggest and mention during your planning session adds up extremely fast!!
And I just received news today that my planner has taken a new role in the Disney company so now I have a new planner Which honestly sucks since I already had my planning session with my old planner. Hopefully the transition is smooth and everything goes well on the wedding day...
Anyway, I'm catching back up on all this wedding stuff and refreshing myself of what still needs to be done so I'll be updating more frequently as these things get done!
When you did your planning session would they tell you the cost of anything? I don't really know flowers and stuff and would like something pretty, but I have expensive taste and know I'll end up picking the most expensive if they don't tell me. Can I ask them for only the least expensive flowers? I don't really want to be surprised when we get the final numbers and if they could give me estimated costs on things it would help.
I'm in the beginning stages of planning, you might have noticed me asking a million questions on the wedding board. Reading through your planning is very helpful.
Congratulations on your house and moving in!!!
When yo pick/choose what you want - you do have a price list there and then, Yes?
If you have a dessert party = is this in a park? & if so, do your guest have to have a park admission ticket? (silly question?).
We are hoping to have a plated dinner (later time 7:30 pm) - cake and some desserts and maybe no need to have an extra dessert party????
I don't know just thoughts going through our head.
Bummer you have a new planner now - hope it all goes well
Looking forward to more of your updates too!!
They don't provide a price list during the planning session. They advise you to use the planning session as the "blue sky session" where you talk about anything you might be even remotely interested in. I took this approach to the session and I'm not sure I would recommend it. I had some major sticker shock when I got my BEO and began cutting things immediately.. for example I thought a watercolor artist would be cool.. but not for $1300!! So that was cut immediately. If you do some research you can find the price of some items before the planning session, just so you have an idea.
They are currently offering dessert parties in Epcot and Hollywood Studios (during Illuminations in Epcot and Fantasmic in Hollywood Studios). In Epcot you can rent certain areas in some Pavilions where your group can enjoy a buffet menu of your choosing and watch the fireworks. In HS you rent the area at the back of the Fantasmic stadium.
You nor your guests need a park ticket to attend the dessert party, but there is a $10/person "fireworks viewing fee"
One cool idea I've read about is some brides using the "dessert party" as their prereception (works best for a 7:30 PM ceremony time I think). Or you can have the dessert party as a welcome reception the day before the wedding!
A lot of my guests have never been to Disney or haven't been in over 15 years, so the dessert party is about giving my guests the full experience knowing a lot of them might not be back for a while.
Let me know if you have any other questions!!
Thank you so much - all really helpful.
My dd and I definitely have an idea of the prices for 2017. We saw the website and another poster here (lurkyloo - thank you) has been very helpful also directing me to more pricing, etc.
I did mention to my dd that say the brides bouquet starts at $250 - she/we have no idea what they are giving you for that price. She might want something she likes and it's $500 - so prices can start adding up fast. As of now - if we have a choice, we were thinking of a ceremony say 5:30 with a plated dinner at 7:30 - I would think the reception is at least four hours so no need for a dessert party but maybe throw in extra desserts besides the cake? Things add up so fast. I know we would want the open bar also for the during of the reception.
You listed transportation - and I saw this also - I am guessing everyone hires a bus to pick up their guests at their respective resorts? (3 of them? value, mod and Deluxe if that is where they are staying?) is this only a one way to the ceremony? and do they take you also to the reception if not near by? It seems that you tell them everything that you think you want and when you get your BEO (exactly what does this stand for?) - 12 months before, you decide if you want it all or starting cutting like you are doing. Once you are satisfied - you sign the agreement? Sorry for all the questions. I/we want to be prepared as much as possible so we are not in complete shock or surprise.
You have been very helpful. Thank you.
My bouquet was quoted at $450 for this inspiration picture. I told my florist I wanted it to be full and less structured than a traditional bouquet of roses. The floral prices definitely add up faster than I thought. I originally wanted floral topped candelabras for the ceremony, but was quoted $3600 for 6 candelabras with flowers on top. I almost had a heart attack LOL. So I decided to go with 8 floral and greenery wrapped candelabras which comes up to $1200. I will most likely have these moved to the reception as decor instead of paying $3500 for a deluxe greens package (10 7'-9' ficus trees with twinkle lights). I was quoted $1000 for a custom aisle runner for the ceremony, which I will most likely cut as well because even though I love the look, $1000 is a lot for a piece of cloth LOL. I will most likely post my original BEO (Banquet Event Order) and the revised one once I get the changes sent to my planner (waiting for the phone call tomorrow with my new planner) so that everyone can see the prices.
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Transportation really depends on how many guest you have and where your ceremony and reception are located. If you are having a reception in a park you HAVE to hire backstage transportation (since your guests aren't required to have park tickets). This is usually in the form of a chartered bus (like a Magical Express or Disney Cruise Line bus). I'm using a chartered bus to pick my guests up at POFQ and the BC, transport them to the ceremony, transport them backstage Epcot for the reception, and take them back to their resorts after the reception. The bus will also be available for early departures at the top of each hour. This adds up to 8 hours and will cost $924 (I think there is a 5 hour minimum for bus charters). The transportation can get confusing, but your planner will handle making sure you have the right amount of transportation. It is your responsibility to communicate the transportation schedule to your guests (i.e. what time to be where).
You won't get your first BEO until after your planning session, which cannot be held any earlier than 6 months prior to the wedding date (I had mine 6 months to the day LOL). So if you want more time to decide what to cut or add, ask for a planning session that is as close as possible to the 6 month mark. Your BEO can be revised as many times as you want. From what I understand you send your planner the revisions you want made, she sends a revised copy, and you have to send a signed copy of the BEO no later than 30 days prior to your wedding (30 days is also when the final payment is due).
This is all so helpful......you have no idea $1,000 for the runner........crazy!!!!! Definitely looking forward to all your pictures and expenses (even private if you don't want to post here). We are looking/thinking 11/5 or 6/2019. So May 5/6/2019 for the planning session would be perfect (which is when DH and I were planning going down) - dd and Fiance can come same time and we can all be there - (or can we, the parents attend?). I need to write all this stuff down!!!!!