Jennifer & Daniel's PJ-WP/Ariels/SCP-6/14/10- DP &MK Pics,album,HM TR - updated 1/25

[girli565]

So, I figured I could start this seeing that I have already bought a dress, shoes, and booked Randy.

So let's meet the players...



My name is Jennifer and I am marrying Daniel.
We are Disney enthusiasts, and try to go to Disney at least once a season. Being from Miami really helps us in that endeavor, lol. We usually go in February, sometime in the summer, October (for my b-day) and always in December.



Danny and I met in high school... heck we dated our senior year but I was flighty and he was crude so we didn't work out. Then we bumped into each other at our local Target when I was a Junior in college. He was working there and I was shopping, my favorite past time . I was iffy about dating him, especially because he just broke up with someone but we gave it a shot and look at us now... getting married.



He proposed on a cruise we took

we had friends with us and got a great video of it, even if it is blurry.

My ring is a 1.5 carat totalweight with a 1.36 carat center square brilliant cut stone.

he did a very good job

[girli565]

So onto wedding stuff...

Once he proposed we both had no other thought than this was going to be a Disney wedding. We both love it there and he'd never let me have it anywhere else.

I'm a teacher for emotionally handicapped students and he is a paramedic. Now as a teacher we all know I am sorely underpaid but because I live at home with my mom, aunt and uncle I really get to save a lot of $$. So I have a nice savings account but the fiance does not. So we are doing this on a budget. He gave me a number, we negotiated and came to a compromise (or really the # I wanted ).

So we decided an Escape Wedding was perfect for us. Now all we needed was a date and time. We wafted between summer (easy for me because of the job) or my dream time of year Christmas. We originally decided on June because we could honeymoon right after. Then June came this year and the 100 degree weather started. So we changed it to December.

Our agreed upon date is now 12/20/2010!


Once we got that settled we started planning. Now we all know we can't book anything with Disney until possibly December of this year but most likely even later than that so I can't get into anything official but I will tell you what I have booked.


On May 31st I went dress shopping, I know it's early but I didn't go in with the intention of buying, lol. I had 2 appointments that day, one at Alfred Angelo and the other at David's Bridal. AA was first. We went in, my mom, aunt, two cousins and older cousin's son. Tried on 5 dresses and fell in love with one. It just so happens that the dresses were on sale and this dress that was originally $600 was now $425. Not a bad discount. But this was only my first dress store so I must go to another one. We went to the DB store, had a beyond rude woman helping us and left after only trying on 2 dresses. It just so happens that AA and DB are on the same street in Coral Gables, FL so we just walked back to AA and I paid for my dress. I loved it, yes, but the fact that it fit into my budget was even better!


The Dress



My mom crying at me in the dress


And just for cuteness my baby cousin playing in the rack of veils

[girli565]

So I picked out a dress, no veil yet, the one in the pic is not the one I want. I'm leaning towards a mantilla veil to honor my hispanic roots.

But I have known what shoes I wanted since even before I bought the dress. I'm not a traditional personal at all, and I want to dye my crinolin but my dress does not have a separate layer of it so I figured the only funky I will have is my shoes.

I own a pair of white/black/red shoes (which many will recognize from Target). They are my most comfy heels and are relatively new. They will be my something old. My zebra print and patent red peep toe heels.



Pictures
I have been following the weddings board for a while now and have been looking at Randy Chapman's pictures forever. I thought I would be fine with disney photography services but after comparing both I knew I wouldn't be completely happy with only disney's pictures. SO I discussed it with Danny and then he did the comparison. He even agreed that we needed to go with Randy.

So I contacted Randy, got the prices, and then flipped at how cheap it was. Even with an extra hour added in we kept it at under $1000. I was so happy that this extra expense was so affordable.

So that is what I have done up to now. I have a few ideas for welcome baskets, favors and of course reception locations in a planning folder. Once I get to it, I'll post again.

[Ann117]

Everything looks great so far I love your dress and yes he did a really good job picking out the ring

[girli565]

Originally Posted by Ann117

Everything looks great so far I love your dress and yes he did a really good job picking out the ring

Thank you! he actually listened, so I was very pleased, lol.

[MainStMandy]

Congratulations!! I love your dress...mine is from David's too!! And those shoes....

[snow.white]

Yay!!! You started! Sounds like a great start, you have the dress so it's downhill from now LOL. I got married in December too, I think that is such a beautiful time of year to get married. Oh and I love the shoes, too cute!!!

[TinkLoverSam]

So happy your neck is feeling better and I'll be following along from work during your trip.

[Petals & Pixie Dust]

[amyy]

Glad you are feeling better. We miss each other at POFQ by just a few days.

[Mickeefan]

Originally Posted by girli565

Friday I will be at MK but probably for the extra hours. But we could totes do lunch Friday afternoon. I'm staying at POFQ, want to meet there? Say 1pm? I'll text you when we arrive in WDW.

Charmizane will be there Friday i think, I'll ask her then land et you know when I text you Can't wait to see you!!

POFQ @ 1pm will be great. I'll just take a bus from the MK and see you in the food court. Give me a text to confirm. I'm looking forward to meeting you. See you tomorrow @ POFQ! Yay

[figmentfan814]

So, glad you're feeling better. I still have neck and back problems from a serious car accident almost 3 years ago, so I definitely can imagine what you are going through. Enjoy your wedding and time at WDW, we can't wait to hear about it once you get back

[girli565]

So today we got up, had delicious Mickey waffles and then started tackling the how and when of where the welcome bags go.

We sat down with the bags and started separating them by which hotel they go to. I had made labels that included the name on the reservation, reservation number, & date of check in.

We had 3 hotels to make deliveries to. Pop Century, All Star Movies, and All Star Music. The bulk of our bags went to Pop so we stopped there first. We had a huge box to deliver of 5 full to brim bags. We waited in the check in line, and as we got towards the front a woman stopped us, asked if we were checking in and when we explained what we were doing she happily took the box and reassured us she'd take care of it.

Next was All Star Music, we walked in and only had two bags to deliver, the moment we walked in a very nice greeter welcomed us and we explained what we were doing. He walked us right up to a check in desk and had the woman note everything on the guest's reservations and put the bag away for safe keeping.

Last was All Star Movies... They were not quite that helpful but we did finally end up getting the two bags where they needed to be when our guests check in on Sunday.

As of 6pm this evening our first 3 bags were delivered at check in at Pop!!

My cousin and her family are staying off site, so they met up with us at POFQ, had a late night snack and picked up their bags. I have some great pictures of the kids digging through their bag and freaking at what was in it !!!

For dinner tonight we ate at Kouzzina. Delicious!!! I love Kat Cora's food, Greek/Mediterranian food is one of my faves. We had a pitcher of sangria that left us feeling very good and went back to our hotel to hang atthe pool before my cousin (I mentioned above) came with the kids to meet up with us and get their bags too.

All in all a very good day!!

[Disney9.9.10]

I am so impressed that you are writing a live report!! Things are sounding great so far, and I can't wait to see your pictures! Did you get any of the kids opening their welcome bags? It sounds like it would be a priceless picture. You must be so excited to be there - your day is almost here!!

[girli565]

Originally Posted by Disney9.9.10

I am so impressed that you are writing a live report!! Things are sounding great so far, and I can't wait to see your pictures! Did you get any of the kids opening their welcome bags? It sounds like it would be a priceless picture. You must be so excited to be there - your day is almost here!!

I did get tons of pics of the kids opening their bags. It was hilarious! They'd have something in their hands and then see something else and drop the last thing for something new. It was so much fun!!

I love doing this live. I'm usually up very early or am in bed awake while everyone else is sleeping so it's the perfect time to do it. Plus I have my iPhone that makes going on the boards very easy.