Amanda & Jeff 12/7/15 - YCG/Marina/Ariel's/France - Update 10/25: Napa Rose Chefs Counter!

Amanda132

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Ahhhhh, I've been lurking on these boards for years, and now it's finally my turn to start a planning journal! :woohoo: We're hoping to get married in December of next year, so I've just started getting into contact with a wedding consultant! With all this wedding planning on the brain, and ideas to get out into the open, I think it's finally an appropriate time to start one of these! :yay:

Wedding Basics:
Date: Monday, December 7, 2015
Size: 40 guests including us
Ceremony: Yacht Club Gazebo, 2:30 pm
Pre-Reception: Yacht Club Marina, 3:00 pm
Reception: Ariel's, Beach Club, 4:00 pm
Dessert Party: Eau de France, Epcot, 8:30 pm
Photography: Root Photography
Videography: Trinity Wedding Cinema
Hair and Makeup: LeJeune Artistry

Table of Contents:

Planning Journal:

Who We Are and Our Engagement Story
General Planning Ideas
Site Visit and Reception Confusion
Bridesmaids Boxes
Dress Shopping
Locations, The Dress, and Engagement Photos
It's Official, Possible Dessert Party, and Videography Concerns
Dessert Party Location and Save the Dates
Officiant and Unity Ceremonies
Wedding Showcase and Pre-Wedding Details
Bridesmaid Dresses and Invitations
Planning and Menu Tasting Kits, plus Booking Video
Tasting Selections, Decor Ideas, and Possible Floral Bouquets
Rehearsal Dinner and Wedding Registries
Menu Tasting
Planning Session
BEO, Budget, and Floral Proposal
Favors, Table Names, Groom's Outfit, and Accessories
BEO Review
Honeymoon Update and Bridal Shower
Hair and Makeup Trial
Mini Update: Invitations and Little Ceremony Cuts
Ceremony and First Dance Music
Table Names and Honeymoon Reservations
Bridesmaid Dress and Wedding Rings
Bridesmaid and Groomsman Gifts
Timeline and Disney Bachelorette Party
Last Minute Tasks and Additions
Final Pre-Wedding Update!

Wedding Recap/Honeymoon Trip Report:
We're Married! Glad I Did/Wish I Had
Vendor Reviews
Wedding Video
December 3rd & December 4th - Last Minute Wedding Changes
December 5th - Our Guests Arrive
December 6th - Rehearsal Day: Part 1 - Beach Club and Breakfast
December 6th - Rehearsal Day: Part 2 - Rehearsal and Full Gallery from the Roots!
December 6th - Rehearsal Day: Part 3 - Rehearsal Dinner and Informal Welcome Hangout
December 7th - Wedding Day:
December 8th - Post-Wedding/Pre-Honeymoon
December 9th - First Day at Disneyland!
December 10th: Part 1 - Early Morning at Disneyland
December 10th: Part 2 - Lunch at Club 33 and Evening in the Parks
December 11th: DCA - Carthay Circle and World of Color
December 12th: VIP Tour at Disneyland and DCA!
December 13th: The Fantasmic Dinner Package That Wasn't
December 14th: Napa Rose Chefs Counter
 
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Who we are:



This is us! Me, Amanda (22) and my fiance, Jeff (26). Oh, and Mickey Mouse (86).

We met through mutual friends, and we live in the Orlando area. We're both huge Disney fans, so we're always at the parks. (I'm also quickly turning him into a Disney Cruise addict, as you can see in the above picture.)

Our engagement story:
Our engagement story probably isn't as exciting as some other couple's, but it's perfect for us. We had talked about marriage quite a bit before getting engaged, since we live together, and Jeff was well aware that I did not want a public proposal. I don't particularly like being the center of attention, so the idea of getting engaged in front of the castle or something was sort of terrifying to me. So on September 2, 2014, we were walking from the Polynesian to the Grand Floridian after breakfast at Ohana, when Jeff proposed on the walk there. I was shaking, and my brain's first response was, "Are you serious?" Spoiler alert: he was. We spent the rest of the day at Magic Kingdom and Epcot, basking in the glow of my sparkly new ring and our "Just Engaged" buttons.

A photobooth picture we took in the Tomorrowland Arcade, about an hour after getting engaged:



Ring and Just Engaged button!



We knew basically right away that we would want a Disney wedding!
 
General Planning:
There are a few things that we knew right off the bat that we (I) wanted to do. I knew I wanted a weekday in the first two weeks of December, because of the lower minimums and because I've always imagined a winter themed wedding. I knew I wanted the Yacht Club Gazebo for the ceremony. I knew I wanted the Roots. Those were the three things on my list, pretty much ever since I found out that Disney FTWs exist.

The guest list was a little tricky. It seems like for every person you add, you have to add two more people because you can't invite Person A without the chance that Person B will find out and get upset. As a result, we originally had a crazy big guest list. I was getting really overwhelmed/scared at the idea of how much it would cost us, so we sat down and wrote out who we couldn't imagine getting married without. The list came to about 30. So right now, that's our plan, with a little wiggle room just in case.

As far as the reception, we're not quite sure what our plans are. I've started speaking a little bit to a wedding consultant, and she suggested for our relatively small group size, we look at the Napa Room at the California Grill. I like this idea because of the view of the castle and potentially Wishes if we have an evening reception (built in dessert party!). But I'm not crazy about the decor there (specifically the rug) and that you're stuck with their specific menu. Also with CG, we'd have to transport everyone from the Yacht Club to the CG and then back, which could add up.

On the other hand, the consultant mentioned that there is a convention at the Yacht and Beach on our tentative date. They don't have the smaller ballrooms booked, but I'm not sure how I feel about my small wedding being right in the middle of a big convention. I do prefer the Yacht and Beach ballrooms to the Boardwalk though, so Y&B is our other potential choice.

The consultant did email me pictures of the Attic, which would be the other option in the Y&B/Boardwalk area that would fit our group, but the decor just doesn't match our vision. Plus we want a DJ, which you can't have in the Attic.

One other thing the consultant mentioned, which I love, is having the pre-reception at the marina across from the gazebo. I've seen photos of weddings at the marina, and they look amazing. However, I would be too paranoid about weather to host the full reception there, especially worrying about whether or not it would be too cold in December. But having the pre-reception there is like the best of both worlds! I wouldn't be as worried about it getting moved due to weather, since it's only an hour. I'll just have to see how the cost would work out with having to put tables and decor out there.

So that's a lot of planning thoughts all crammed together, but we have basically decided that we'd like to see the Napa Room and a smaller ballroom at the Y&B convention center during our site visit. I also want to bring my mom (who is also local) along with us, so we can get her 100% on board with DFTW. I've been emailing with the consultant a bit, but I think I might call her in the next few days to ask her about scheduling a site visit. :thumbsup2
 
Good luck with everything! I've also been a lurker for awhile, but have no reason to make a PJ of my own...yet. Your ring is gorgeous! Disney Cruises are easy to get addicted to so I can how it might be pretty easy to turn someone else into an addict! Can't wait to read more!
 


Good luck with everything! I've also been a lurker for awhile, but have no reason to make a PJ of my own...yet. Your ring is gorgeous! Disney Cruises are easy to get addicted to so I can how it might be pretty easy to turn someone else into an addict! Can't wait to read more!

Thanks so much! Thanks for following along!:goodvibes
 
Yay a new PJ! I love you guys so far and that your engagement seemed to fit you perfectly. And of course, got to love another Root bride (or Root-bride-to-be!) :goodvibes

Have you considered Ariel's at all, or is it not available? For a group your size if you're unable to get California Grill that might be a nice substitute, and everyone could walk over from the gazebo. So exciting to see people just at the beginning of planning!
 
We had our site visit today, which was awesome. It was really nice to sit down with me, Jeff, our parents, and the consultant, especially so my parents could hear about all the different minimums and requirements. Also, Franck's is awesome inside. We've walked by so many times, and it was so cool to finally see what was in there!

We went in trying to decide between the Napa Room and the Yacht & Beach Convention Center, and while we were there, our consultant mentioned the Whitehall Room. She showed us pictures, and they were beautiful. I love the outside area where people can relax if they want to get away from the party for a few minutes.

We couldn't actually go visit the Whitehall Room, since there was a convention going on there, but we were able to see the Napa Room. I didn't take any pictures (I'm the worst at that!), but I did like the space a lot. I love the floor to ceiling windows, and since we want to do an evening reception in December, I'm sure everyone will love the view of the castle with the Christmas lights. Plus you can see Wishes, and they pipe the music in - built-in dessert party!

The next step is to decide on a reception location, so we can be penciled in. But I'm so conflicted! There's not a space that I'm so in love with that I feel like I NEED, like I feel with the Yacht Club Gazebo. There are pros and cons to each space...

The Napa Room location is great, but it doesn't exactly fit my vision of the wedding. The carpet doesn't exactly go with our colors (purple and silver, possibly with blue accents). Plus we would be stuck with the pre-set California Grill menu, which I'm sure would be delicious, but I was sort of hoping for a buffet. However, you've got to give a lot of credit to the floor to ceiling windows and the awesome view of the castle and Wishes. It's definitely an unforgettable, very Disney location, unlike anyone else I know's wedding!

Although we didn't see the Whitehall Room in person, the photos our consultant showed us were beautiful. I love that the room is octoganal, since I'm hoping to try to be able to swing the cost of the tulle ceiling treatment, and I think that would look awesome in that shaped room. I also, again, really like giving the guests the option of stepping outside if they'd like. Plus the Grand Floridian in particular has a classic wedding feel that I sort of think the other convention centers are lacking. The fact that you can pipe in Wishes music is also really cool, although Jeff is concerned about the obstructed view with the monorail beam. However, it would probably be cheaper than having a dessert party as a separate event. Another thing that made me nervous about this location is that our consultant said it's one of the most popular, and sometimes it's hard to book because so many brides want it for a reception or a pre-reception. But we're a little flexible with our date, so hopefully we could work it out if we choose this location.

Our other choice is the Yacht & Beach Convention Center. We didn't have time to go see this in person today either, but I've seen lots of pictures. The rooms are sort of a blank slate, which would probably mean we'd need extra to decorate. However, we would save money on transportation cost, since the guests could just walk from the Gazebo to the reception. The other two locations would require us to transport the guests to the reception and back. There is obviously no fireworks view from this location, but my parents don't love the idea of having a separate dessert party after the reception. They don't think that our guests would want to travel all the way to Epcot for an hour to see fireworks at the end of a long day.

So basically, in conclusion, I'm even more conflicted about what reception location I want after the site visit than before. If anyone has any tips or input, I'd be happy to hear it. Any additional information that could help us make a decision would be appreciated!:thumbsup2

We still have a little over two months to decide, so I guess that's the bright side! :)
 


Yay a new PJ! I love you guys so far and that your engagement seemed to fit you perfectly. And of course, got to love another Root bride (or Root-bride-to-be!) :goodvibes

Have you considered Ariel's at all, or is it not available? For a group your size if you're unable to get California Grill that might be a nice substitute, and everyone could walk over from the gazebo. So exciting to see people just at the beginning of planning!

We weren't really looking at Ariel's because I sort of felt like the aquatic theme didn't go well with the winter/Christmas theme I was envisioning. The colors would definitely work, but I sort of feel like the ideas clash? I'm just personally not a big fan I guess. :confused3 The location is awesome though.
 
Amanda! I'm sooooo happy for you and Jeff.

You have a pretty tough decision. We also loved the yacht club gazebo, but we didn't want to spend a lot on decorations, thereby eliminating the ballrooms from consideration for us. In the end, cost ended up being a significant factor, so we were lucky that we found places that suited us.

Something to consider on the transportation piece: see if you can gather some pricing on items you'd consider to fulfill the enhancement. That may help you decide on how feasible those magic kingdom resort venues would be.
 
Yay you started! I have an attachment to the Yacht Club Gazebo for obvious reasons (haha) and while I totally understand your concerns about your wedding being swallowed up by a convention I don't think you'd really have to worry. They keep stuff pretty well separated over there. If you can't go for another site visit: next time you're at Epcot wander over to check out the spaces. I love that resort!
 
Yay you started! I have an attachment to the Yacht Club Gazebo for obvious reasons (haha) and while I totally understand your concerns about your wedding being swallowed up by a convention I don't think you'd really have to worry. They keep stuff pretty well separated over there. If you can't go for another site visit: next time you're at Epcot wander over to check out the spaces. I love that resort!

Most of the time... But I do distinctly remember a few guests with suitcases wandering through our cake cutting, don't you?
 
Vaguely... now that you mention it you're right. I'm pretty sure that was a little out of the norm though. And were we really in a 'room'? It felt like a wide point in the hallway...
 
Amanda! I'm sooooo happy for you and Jeff.

You have a pretty tough decision. We also loved the yacht club gazebo, but we didn't want to spend a lot on decorations, thereby eliminating the ballrooms from consideration for us. In the end, cost ended up being a significant factor, so we were lucky that we found places that suited us.

Something to consider on the transportation piece: see if you can gather some pricing on items you'd consider to fulfill the enhancement. That may help you decide on how feasible those magic kingdom resort venues would be.

Thank you! Also great advice! One issue with a ballroom is that I would want the tulle ceiling treatment which is crazy expensive. :worried:

Yay you started! I have an attachment to the Yacht Club Gazebo for obvious reasons (haha) and while I totally understand your concerns about your wedding being swallowed up by a convention I don't think you'd really have to worry. They keep stuff pretty well separated over there. If you can't go for another site visit: next time you're at Epcot wander over to check out the spaces. I love that resort!

We did go check out all the different reception locations at basically every resort! I'm nothing if not thorough. We figured might as well take advantage of our proximity to Disney!
 
Jeff and I have discussed our wedding party since before we even got engaged, and I had been very conflicted about the whole thing. On one hand, having a wedding party is great support and an awesome way to make my favorite people feel included. On the other hand, it's expensive for both them (dresses, shoes, etc) and us (gifts, bouquets). Plus there was the added issue that with such a small wedding, everyone was important to us! How could we decide who to honor?

So I went back and forth for a while, first saying that we would have no bridal party, then saying that we would just have my sister and his brother. But I felt like we were leaving out our best friends (and personally, my best friend has been my go-to for everything wedding related for the last month). So we decided to each have two attendants. My sister Samantha will be my maid of honor, and my best friend Haley will be my bridesmaid. Jeff's brother will be his best man, and his best friend will be a groomsman. But now, of course, we have to ask them.

So apparently bridesmaid boxes are a thing? But we're on a budget, and I didn't want to include a lot of trinkets that would never get used. Plus lots of bridesmaids boxes on Pinterest included wine glasses, and my sister is under 21. So I decided to make a budget version of bridesmaid boxes, with just a t-shirt instead of all the different things inside. My first DIY project!

First I found these shirts from Etsy seller AnchorAvenueDesigns:

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I loved the font and the price, but they didn't have the color shirt I wanted in the v-neck style. Lucky for me, the seller is super friendly and helpful, and she told me that she does an alternate brand of shirt that comes in different colors. After sending me lots of options, I decided on a white shirt with black writing for me and black shirts with white font for the bridesmaids. All 3 would have a purple glitter heart.

Then I went to Michael's and found some pretty, relatively small boxes. I also bought some glitter scrapbook letters. They came out awesome, in my humble opinion...





Then I put some tissue paper in the bottom of the box to make it look more full, and I put the shirts on top.



I love the way they came out. It was an inexpensive way to do what could have been an expensive project. Plus I figure the girls could wear the shirts at the rehearsal, etc. I gave the one to my sister a few days ago, and hopefully I'll see Haley soon and give hers! :goodvibes I know being a bridesmaid is expensive (especially for us broke people), so I will be honored if Haley accepts, in addition to my sister! :)
 
Yay for another December 2015 bride! Welcome! What dates are you looking at? My husband and I didn't get to have a wedding, so we are planning a Wishes vow renewal through DFTW for December 2015 and are treating it as our wedding. :)
 
Your bridesmaid's boxes are very cute. :banana:

Thank you! :goodvibes

Yay for another December 2015 bride! Welcome! What dates are you looking at? My husband and I didn't get to have a wedding, so we are planning a Wishes vow renewal through DFTW for December 2015 and are treating it as our wedding. :)

Yay December! I don't think we're going to share our exact date. Maybe I'll change my mind as it gets closer, but the privacy thing is kind of on my mind. A weekday in December though! Lower minimums! :cool1:
 
So even though the wedding isn't for 13 months, I wanted to go dress shopping before the busy holiday season. I had an idea of what I wanted, but I had heard so many stories (and, let's be honest, seen so many episodes of Say Yes to the Dress) that I knew that I should be open to lots of different styles.

My "vision" was an Allure dress that I had found online, but apparently wasn't carried in any stores around me.



Granted this was before I had actually tried any dresses on, but I loved everything about the dress. The ruching, the tulle ballgown skirt, how simple and elegant it was. But I wasn't going to buy it without trying it on, so it was out of the running on the pure fact that no one had it.

A few weeks ago, my bridesmaid Haley and I were at the mall and stopped by David's Bridal to try on a couple dresses. There was one favorite from that store, but the skirt was just way too poofy for me. I haven't uploaded any of the pictures of me in dresses, but I got some pictures off of the various websites. The David's Bridal dress:



The beading was way more beautiful in person than in the photo, and I felt like Cinderella in it. But the skirt was just too much, and it felt sort of like a costume more than a wedding dress.

Then, yesterday, I went to a smaller local boutique with my mom, sister, and Haley. They didn't have a huge selection, which was disappointing, but they did suggest a beaded Allure ballgown that I probably wouldn't have tried on just from seeing it in the bag.



This one had beading over lace on the bodice and a layer of tulle (or was it organza?) over satin in the skirt. I was preferring dresses where the skirt was more clearly defined from the top, but I couldn't get over how beautiful the beading was. There was also beautiful detailing on the train. However, I couldn't commit. I loved the dress, but I didn't have that crying feeling that I thought I was supposed to get. Also, it was a little more than I was hoping to spend on a dress (I think it was around $1600?). I was willing to go a little bit over if it was "the dress," but the skepticism I was feeling on the price made me not so sure.

So, we made a call to Alfred Angelo and scheduled an appointment there for an hour later. We drove over, and I immediately knew one specific dress I needed to try...



The Cinderella 205 Disney Fairy Tale wedding dress. This was one of the first dresses I had pinned on my wedding Pinterest after getting engaged. It was also, honestly, the only dress from the Alfred Angelo website that I felt like I really wanted to try.

Our consultant was awesome and pulled a bunch of gowns. I showed her the picture of the Allure dress, so she could pull similar ones. I didn't feel pressured at all, which was nice. I was a little worried about feeling pressured by the salespeople at the different stores, but not one store we visited made me feel that way. :goodvibes

We tried that Cinderella 205 first. The consultant asked me if I wanted to try with or without the glitter in the skirt. At first I said no because I thought it would look costume-y and over-the-top. But after seeing it on, I realized it needed a little something more, and she brought out the same gown with the glitter skirt. It was very fairy tale and not "too much" at all! She also put a belt on at the waistline, to add a little extra beading, which I liked the idea of (but I wasn't sure about that specific belt).

She put me in several more dresses (including a mermaid style, just so I wouldn't have any doubts about not having tried one on), but I kept going back to the Cinderella. The problem was, I couldn't pick between the Allure with the lace beading and the Cinderella dress! I didn't have the aha moment that some girls talk about having, although honestly, I wasn't necessarily expecting to. I knew I would be indecisive because I'm that way about everything.

To see if it would help make a decision, the consultant at AA put a veil on me, gave me shoes, and handed me a fake bouquet. I was absolutely in love with the veil, and it pulled the look together. I could imagine myself getting married in that dress. The Allure is so elegant, but the AA is just more "me."

That being said, I still haven't committed to the AA dress. The more I look at the pictures of myself in the Allure, the more it seems like the dress is wearing me, instead of the other way around. And I don't want to go to any more stores and try on any more dresses. I think I've basically decided on the AA dress, but I'm scared of making the wrong choice. Am I the only one who's felt this way? Should I have had that teary moment like on TV? :confused3 I guess either way, trying on dresses was fun! I was very glad to have found a day when we were all free together!
 
Those dresses are beautiful! When we went dress shopping, I went in knowing I'm too practical of a person to count on an aha moment, and I was. There are a lot of pretty dresses out there, but what I found was important was making sure the dress was comfortable for me to be in and move in, fit our venue, and within budget. I knew if I wasn't comfortable in the dress, it would show in my face and behavior all day.

There is so much emphasis on THE dress, it is hard to keep perspective and think about how you feel in it. There will always be many more dresses you can try on and will likely look gorgeous. Try not to worry about having the "appropriate" reaction and focus on what makes you feel beautiful inside and out :)
 
The emotional teary "the dress" moment is something that's become marketed by the wedding industry. Sure some girls probably have it, but you don't need to break down into tears in order to find a wedding dress. I tried on about 40 dresses (also "too many dresses" according to the industry) and I chose my dress without a single tear. In fact, it was more of "well, I think this is the one", and I didn't get excited about it until AFTER I decided it was my dress.

If you would like my opinion, I would say keep trying dresses on but keep the AA in mind as your front runner, but that is just my opinion - no one knows you better than you :goodvibes
 

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