Disney Journeys

Which venue for your vows?

Once you've realized that a Destination Wedding or Vow Renewal with Disney is absolutely possible, you'll want to explore your venue options.

Is your compass pointing towards marriage on the high seas? Disney Cruise Line can help your dream set sail. Whether you take your vows aboard a Disney ship or at Castaway Cay, it's sure to be a memorable moment.

Are you an outdoor gazebo kind of girl? Consider the gazebo at Disney's Yacht Club or the Rose Court Garden at the Disneyland Hotel.

Do you and your beloved enjoy vacations by the sea? West Coast dreamers may want to try a beachside theme at the Paradise Pier Hotel's Pier Pavilion. Sea Breeze Point between WDW's Boardwalk and Beach Club resorts is another nautical choice.

For brides wishing for classic, tradition and elegance, take a look at Disney's Wedding Pavilion.

After choosing a Disney destination for your special day, you'll want to discover the venue that will help realize your dreams. This can be a bit daunting until you decide the type of ceremony and reception that will meet your budget and dreams.

Those with limitless funds can marry at the Rose Garden near Cinderella's Castle. For a bride looking for an international theme, consider the France Pavilion in Epcot.

Use your imagination and then your bank account as your guide.

Here's what we did:

At first we began our plans to renew our vows in an intimate ceremony on a large outdoor patio at Disney's Grand Floridian. As our dreams grew and we realized we had enough time to save the funds, we set our sights on Disney's Wedding Pavilion.

My heart was at Cinderella's Castle but my budget only allowed for me to LOOK at the castle while exchanging our vows. From Afar. 

It was elegant. And whimsical.

The Wedding Pavilion was the perfect choice. It reflected the grand splendor of the nearby Grand Floridian where we honeymooned.

The white sand beach was playful for pictures. 

 

The palm trees surrounding the area gave a different ambiance than our wedding ten years earlier on a snowy evening in Buffalo, NY.

We could make a grand entrance and exit in Cinderella's Coach. Our son would enjoy walking over the bridge.

 

Our guests would not have far to travel to the reception at the Grand Floridian.

And yes, I could walk down the aisle with Cindy's Castle glimmering behind my husband!

Another important reason for choosing the Wedding Pavilion was that our luck with weather was sometimes questionable. I didn't want to have to worry about an outdoor ceremony on a cold January day or a rain storm drenching my dreams. I had experienced both types of weather on previous January visits to Walt Disney World.

As it turned out, the weather was perfect. Sunny and actually hot. The Wedding Pavilion provided a respite out of the heat. It also provides an elegant, adorable Bride's Room in which to collect your thoughts and things. 

Where would you choose to exchange vows?

Planning a Destination Wedding or Vow Renewal

There are some logistics that can be a bit daunting when planning to celebrate your wedding or vow renewal at a Disney Destination.

First, you may wonder...

1. how do I get information?

2. can I afford it?

3. will my guests travel to a Disney destination or aboard a cruise ship?

4. how will I keep my guests informed?

These are just a few of the questions that may arise during your initial dreaming phase.

I can tell you from experience that a destination celebration can be fun for everyone!

So, let's begin by answering some of those questions:

1. You can get information by contacting your travel agent (or drop me an email at kimberly@enchanteddestinations.net for help from yours truly). In addition, visit Disney's Fairytale Weddings and Honeymoons for an overview of offerings. While there, order a brochure.

2. Well, surprisingly some of the packages are quite reasonable and there are many ways to trim costs. We opted for a smaller family gathering in order to keep not only the atmosphere but the cost intimate. I skipped little things that no one would notice such as an aisle runner, overabundance of floral and fancy invitations.

3. I was skeptical that our family members willingly budget their finances as well as their work and school schedules to travel to Walt Disney World for our vow renewal. What I learned is that when you give family and friends enough time to save, organize and dream that they'll be much more flexible with the idea of traveling to a destination wedding. We allowed nearly two years of planning which began with giving each invited guest a folder of preliminary information as well as a "level of interest" survey. This way we were able to gauge how many would consider traveling to Walt Disney World, where they would be most interested in staying and if our time frame conflicted with any work or school commitments.

4. I kept my guests informed with emails and printed newsletters. I began a Destination Disney newsletter which was sent out at least monthly to potential guests. I included updated information on hotel costs, travel expenses, ticket options and fun tidbits about WDW as some of my guests were first time visitors. As the date grew closer, guests received a schedule of Events and upon arrival there was updated information on how to get to the rehearsal and what time the limo would pick them up for the ceremony. It would be even easier now with the multitude of internet organizational tools such as Google Docs and websites. 

An excerpt from one of our first mailings:

. Your Interest Level can be noted on the return sheet. Remember we will understand if you can not fit this into your schedule. We know it is difficult to arrange vacation times/budgets, however your level of interest will help us plan accordingly with Disney.

So, why wait? Start dreaming about exchanging vows in front of a castle, in a Rose Garden, on a beach or even at sea. All of these enchanted locations are offered by Disney's Wedding Team.

The Experts in Fairy Tales!

Dreams do come true

While honeymooning at the Grand Floridian in 1992, my Prince Charming and I teased each other about renewing our vows some day in Walt Disney World. Recently out of college and living on a small newlywed budget, we merely laughed at the possibility.

Flash forward to January 2000. Our son was born three months premature and we were in survival mode. Medical bills piled up but our son began to thrive. I was now a stay at home Mom and Michael's career was starting to soar. Some time during that first year, we decided that we should strive to take our son on his first trip to WDW at age 2. It gave us something to dream about through the medical appointments and Early Intervention sessions.

Some time during those dream-making talks, we began to wish to renew our vows in Walt Disney World for our Tenth Wedding Anniversary. That anniversary would take place during our son's first visit to WDW. We began planning an intimate ceremony and later began hoping to include our family. It would be a way to renew our vows and share a magical vacation with our family. It would be a chance to thank our family for helping us through the most difficult time of our lives. A time to dream, wish, hope. A place to unite our immediate and extended family while thanking God for giving our son life.

My dream

was to ride in Cinderella's Coach.

My husband's dream

was to celebrate and renew our vows at Disney's Wedding Pavilion.

Notice Cindy's Castle in the window!

Both of us knew

that the Grand Floridian needed to be part of our special day.

Over the next few weeks, I hope you'll follow our journey from planning our Vow Renewal to arriving Orlando and finally experiencing one of the most magical times of our lives.

And the best news is that as a Magic Maker with Enchanted Destinations, I can help your dreams come true too. Email me at kimberly@enchanteddestinations.net to help with your Disney Wedding, Vow Renewal and/or Honeymoon. I can help make magic for your special occasion!