Wishes Wedding 1/17/11-WP/CG-TR Day 6, Last Day

[Jules~Marie]

Hi all,

I've never done anything like this before, but I've been reading some posts and I've realized there's not much info on people who've had their receptions at the California Grill. My fiance and I are having our reception in the restaurant, not in the smaller party rooms. I thought I might give this a try and post some information for anyone else planning on having their reception at the CG as well.

I'm not really entirely sure what I'm supposed to be writing, but I hope I'm doing this right....

About me~ My name is Julia and I'm 24. I live about 45 minutes away from the happiest place on Earth and my fiance and I try to get to Disney as much as we possibly can. We actually became good friends on a band trip to Disney World in 2003 and started dating shortly after.

My fiance's name is Eddie, also 24. He's wonderful with a camera and is really great at graphic design & photography. And he's into Disney as much as I am.

We got engaged in January 2010. I actually had already tentatively booked the Wedding Pavilion for 2011 before we even got engaged...I knew it was going to be happening soon, so I thought I'd get a head start on the planning. He asked me while we were spending a weekend in Sanibel, FL. We were on the balcony of our hotel room and there was far off lightning lighting up the sky and it was perfect.

I'm going to try my best to put info on here that I think would be helpful to other brides. I tend to stress little details and I'm already stressing things that are out of my control, like who's coming to FL and where they're staying and for how long, and making ADR's for our family members traveling to Disney for our wedding. We're going to our Planning Session on August 2nd, so hopefully I'll receive tons of information then.

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Congratulations and welcome! I am really excited to follow a pj for a CG wedding! I look forward to reading more!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Congratulations and welcome! I am really excited to follow a pj for a CG wedding! I look forward to reading more!

Thank you! I just started on here..I'm reading yours now and everything, I mean EVERYTHING, looks amazing. You seem to be the same way that I am about everything, I keep trying to get stuff done, but everyone keeps telling me that it's too early and I need to wait to do it (like get hair/makeup trial and rent the tux). It's nice to see someone else is on top of things.

 

[Bridie1996]

Congrats and welcome! You're getting married on our 1 year anniversary, so I'll definately be following along.

 

[Jules~Marie]

Congrats and welcome! You're getting married on our 1 year anniversary, so I'll definately be following along.

Thanks! Hopefully I have something interesting to report...right now not much is happening, but I'm expecting things to pick up after the planning session.

 

[pixiegirl]

Congrats and welcome!! Can't wait to hear all of your plans!!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Congrats and welcome!! Can't wait to hear all of your plans!!

Thank you!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Thank you! I just started on here..I'm reading yours now and everything, I mean EVERYTHING, looks amazing. You seem to be the same way that I am about everything, I keep trying to get stuff done, but everyone keeps telling me that it's too early and I need to wait to do it (like get hair/makeup trial and rent the tux). It's nice to see someone else is on top of things.

That is very nice of you to stop by and to have so many nice things to say! It is nice to see someone else like that - most days I am pretty sure it is an illness But I figure the more I get done early, the less I have to stress about later, right?

 

[Jules~Marie]

I thought I'd give some background info before I really start getting into this.

My fiance and I are both from Long Island. We went to the same high school, but hadn't really spoken until we went on our class trip to Disney.We really got along great and when we got back to NY, our relationship pretty much just took off.

I started planning our wedding about 2 months into our relationship. I just knew we'd be spending our lives together, so I figured I'd get a head start on the planning. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I'd be waiting another 7 years before we actually decided to seriously get married, but I guess all of the planning I've been doing has been good practice. We moved down to Florida about 3 years ago, and last November I took Eddie to Disney for his birthday (they were doing the free ticket on your bday promotion last year).

He had been resisting going to Disney since we moved down here, he thought it was too expensive. But I knew that once I got him there, he'd be addicted just as much as I am. And, lucky for me, it worked! We purchased season passes as our Christmas gift to each other, and I got back into planning my "make believe" wedding. (We still weren't engaged) Last summer, I found out how inexpensive a Disney wedding is compared to other options, so I really started getting in on Eddie about proposing. The thing about him being so laid back is that it also means he's extremely lazy. I knew he wanted to get married (he'd talked about it a lot), just the actual event of going to the store and getting a ring was taking a little longer than I wanted. I explained to him that we were getting married in January 2011, ring or no ring. I called Disney and had them tentatively hold the WP for January 17,2011, and lucky for me we got engaged just 3 days later and everything just fell into place.

 

[pixiegirl]

That is really awesome that you took the initiative. I totally would have done the same thing. I was on the verge of telling DF we are doing this on this day so get your tux and be there. LOL!!!

 

[Jules~Marie]

That is really awesome that you took the initiative. I totally would have done the same thing. I was on the verge of telling DF we are doing this on this day so get your tux and be there. LOL!!!

lol i definitely understand...well my thoughts were, "we've been together for 7 years, everyone knows we're going to get married eventually, and I'd rather do it before I turn 25!" So, we're getting married one month before I turn 25...lol

 

[Jules~Marie]

I'm starting to get tired of making plans, but not really accomplishing anything! When we decided to do a Disney wedding, I didn't realize that everything was just up in the air until the last minute.

Most of our family lives in NY. We have 6 months til the wedding, and there's only 3 rooms booked...my sister booked (she lives in FL, and she's my MOH), my brother booked (I just decided to book the room for him, he's more of the "tell me when and where to go, and I'll be there" type of person) and my room is booked. I'm starting to stress. Supposedly we have about 30 people that will be at our wedding. I think we're inviting around 70 or so, with the thought that most wont make it down. But I'm starting to lose it over the thought that some people will surprise us and just come to the wedding. I know a lot of people are seeing our wedding as a mini reunion, which I think is great, I just wish they would let me know what their plans are! My DF thinks I'm crazy and that I just need to relax and wait until our invitations go out (but that's not for another 3+ months!!!!).

Ok, I'm from a family of planners, we plan everything out (well my mom, sister and I plan). Apparently, Eddie's family isn't so much into the planning, and I'm the crazy one for wanting to know who's coming to FL and when and how long they'll be here for. I don't think that's so crazy! We need to start making dining reservations, and figuring out our time line for the wedding weekend....ugh. Oh well, I guess I need to be patient. That seems to be the theme of this wedding...learning patience....lol

I just don't know how anyone else deals with everything that goes into planning these weddings. I can't even keep my thoughts together, this is so not like me. Normally I'm very organized, but with the wedding, I'll have a great idea, and 2 minutes later I'm thinking about something else with the wedding and completely forgetting my great idea....I guess that's why i started this pj, just so I have somewhere to organize my thoughts. Here's hoping..

 

[pixiegirl]

I know what you mean!! I do the same thing I think of something and then I forget I have started carrying around a notebook and pen in my purse so if I think of something I can write it down. I am very much a planner and hate when things are up in the air!!! It will get better!!! Hang in there!!

 

[Jules~Marie]

Ok, so I'm really into the idea of having a groom's cake at the wedding. We're going to be having about 40 people at the wedding, and DF really wants to have a big traditional cake (regardless of the fact that we wont have many people). So now I'm thinking it'd be silly to have a groom's cake...we'll probably have way too much dessert. But honestly, I just really want to surprise him with a cake, so I guess it doesn't really matter about how much dessert we have left over.

I emailed Jen (wedding planners assist.) a picture of this really cool Mets cake that I found. It's the homerun apple coming out of the top hat, and I just really think df would flip if he saw this. He'd be so excited. She emailed me back that the pastry chef said to recreate the cake, it would be "very expensive" and they wanted to know what my budget for the grooms cake is. I have no idea what the budget should be! I was thinking around $300? Does that sound reasonable? It worries me that all they said was it would be "very expensive". What does that mean? Couldn't they just give me a ballpark figure? "Very expensive" just seems very ominous to me...

Also...I haven't booked a photographer for the wedding. Is this something I should have done? I thought you had to go through Disney for the photographer...I'm starting to freak out now. I'm going to our planning session on the 2nd of August, so I guess I'll get more info then...What has everyone else done for photography? I want to have the MK photo session so I thought we needed to have a Disney photographer for that.

Thanks for any help you can give!!! I feel so confused now!

 

[Mydisneywedding]

Hi Julia

Congratulations on your wedding... I totally understand you. My wedding is on 1/6/11 and I am having issues with people booking their plan tickets from NY. We are paying for their hotel stay so all they need to do is book their flights, it's 5 months away and not one has done it.

I am a planner myself so this is driving me insane..

About the cake, if they said VERY EXPENSIVE... count on it being over $1000 and I am being nice. I asked for a price for a simple NY Yankees cake for my little cousin who will be celebrating a birthday during our wedding and a simple cake with the Yankees logo, made from fondant was quoted $850

I know I am not much help but I just wanted you to know that you are not the only one out there who is going insane... If you need to vent feel free to do so

 

[Jules~Marie]

Hi Julia

Congratulations on your wedding... I totally understand you. My wedding is on 1/6/11 and I am having issues with people booking their plan tickets from NY. We are paying for their hotel stay so all they need to do is book their flights, it's 5 months away and not one has done it.

I am a planner myself so this is driving me insane..

About the cake, if they said VERY EXPENSIVE... count on it being over $1000 and I am being nice. I asked for a price for a simple NY Yankees cake for my little cousin who will be celebrating a birthday during our wedding and a simple cake with the Yankees logo, made from fondant was quoted $850

I know I am not much help but I just wanted you to know that you are not the only one out there who is going insane... If you need to vent feel free to do so

Thank you for the response! I can't believe it'd be so much!!! That's so disappointing, but I do appreciate the heads up. I guess I'll just have to figure out something else. I can't believe no one has booked their flights! I guess maybe they just don't understand the fact that yeah, it is 5 months away, but if you don't book now flights will get more expensive and then it's the holidays and no one will even be thinking about the wedding...Oh well, I guess you just can't force these things. And yeah, I'm sure there will be more venting to come lol

 

[Jules~Marie]

Ok, I am so confused!

I haven't booked a photographer because I thought that you had to go through Disney and that they assigned a photographer to you...does anyone know if this is true? I want to do the MK photo session, so I thought you had to use a Disney photographer in order to have that. I'm less than 6 months to the wedding now, and I'm starting to panic that I'm not going to like my photographer (if I even get one now!).

Also, my sister's been begging me to get engagement photos taken. I was thinking that was a good idea being as I'm very shy and uncomfortable being the center of attention, so I figured if we do the engagement shoot, it'd prepare me for the wedding day. So i was looking at Disney, and they do an engagement package for $310.00. Is this a good price? Does anyone know if Disney photographers are good? I guess I'm assuming they're good at what they do since they work for Disney..but now I'm starting to think that I should've put more thought into my photography.

If anyone can help me or maybe has a suggestion for what I should do, I would really really appreciate it! Thanks!

 

[D23Bride]

Hi Jules!
Congrats on your engagement & setting a date. You’re only two days after us. We also thinking of having a MK photo session & a dessert party. I’m actually hoping that we can schedule the MK photo session on the 17th, the day of your wedding I’ve contacted my planner but haven’t heard back yet. Did you schedule your MK session yet? As of now we’ve book our photographer, officiant & hair& makeup. We decided not to use a Disney photographer for the wedding. If you read thru the blogs you’ll see what other brides have to say about Disney photographers. We are going to use Disney’s videographer for the wedding, reception & dessert party. Our planning session is not till November so everything else will have to wait till then. Oh & we’ve also put a request for a DJ we’re still waiting to hear back. I spoke to our WP assistant in regard to the invitations & she said that the RSVP date should be at least 90 before your wedding date. So that puts us at October-ish. Our invitations should be ready in a week or so & as soon as we get them we’re mailing them out. Like you I have lots of family coming from NY (we're also from LI) so I want everyone to have plenty of time to book flights, hotel, & take time off from work if need be. Don’t know if this is of any help to you but if you have any questions please ask away.

Yay for January 2011 brides!!!

 

[D23Bride]

I agree with your sister you should do an engagement photo session. We also doing one in November. I think it's a great way for you to build a relationship with your photographer this way the day of your wedding you'll be more comfortable with them. Plus you'll always have those pictures of you & your DF Our photography package includes the engagement session.

You're right about being assigned a Disney photographer so I wouldn't worry about booking one if thats who you want.

 

[April Elizabeth]

Just joining in here! I love Sanibel Island. I can visualize the balcony scene when he asked you to marry him. Very romantic!

I think the Mets cake would be cool. Hopefully it won't be that expensive because it's such a good idea.

I'm using David and Vicki Arndt for my wedding day, rehearsal dinner/DP at the GF Marina, Engagement pictures, and maybe even Trash the Dress pictures. I love all the pictures and slideshows I've seen here on the boards and on their facebook page and website. I live in Orlando and was able to check out a lot of the local photographers. I fell in love with them and their style. The engagement session is included in their packages.

I'm using DPS for my MK/BP and I'm requesting Regina for that.