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

[girli565]

So this morning I called DFTW people to just get an idea of somethings and they took my info down and hopefully I will be assigned a planner today or tomorrow. I'm excited!

[girli565]

Saving space

[snow.white]

I love all the Disney touches you are going to use for your wedding, I have seen so many pictures of weddings at Disney and a lot of them lack that disney touch. Props to you! Oh and your invitations are adorable!!!

[girli565]

Originally Posted by snow.white

I love all the Disney touches you are going to use for your wedding, I have seen so many pictures of weddings at Disney and a lot of them lack that disney touch. Props to you! Oh and your invitations are adorable!!!

Thank you! Yes, I love the disney touches too! I wanted a Mickey theme instead of a fairy tale theme, no cinderella carraige or anything cinderella/prince charming.

I wanted Mickey only, lol!

[girli565]

So, I was browsing around at wedding bands for Danny a while ago but never found anything that was "him".

Then I found it... We have a thing we say to each other all the time, comparing our love to infinity. He even went as far as to get his first tattoo and it was the infinity symbol. I'll be going for my tattoo in Sept once summer is over. His is just the infinity symbol on his back between his shoulder blades mine is going to be a little more subtle. I want a japanese cherry blossom on the top of my foot and inside the flower I will have the infinity symbol. So the symbol is very important to us. I also was not going to get him a very expensive wedding band because he is a paramedic and could easily lose the ring (he's that kind of guy, lol).

I was looking at stainless steel rings and found the perfect ring for him

I know he'll love it.

Now my wedding band is a bit more complicated. I am going to have to have it made because my e-ring is a custom made ring. The jeweler who made it doesn't have a matching band for it but has a picture of what it will look like so that's what I am attaching...

It's the match to my side stones, it's dainty looking so I'll probably be buying two bands to sandwich my e-ring to make it look more substantial.

[girli565]

So, my mom asked me to look for candy molds so we could give that as a favor. Edible favors always go over well, lol.

I bought 2 of these molds...


They are perfect and actually look like Mickey and Minnie and not an imitation, lol.

[girli565]

So yesterday I finally spoke to Stacy, liked her right off the bat! She didn't try to upsell me but just answered all my questions. And she answered them all honestly without trying to suggest something more grand or something I didn't want or couldn't afford.

At the end of our convo she promised to email me a ton of info on pricing structures for both an Escape and Wishes Wedding. She planned a, Escape package with a small reception and broke down all pricing for me and then did the same with a Wishes wedding package. It was funny how the Escape package break down was exactly what I would have planned or myself. I just balked at the price, I mean close to $10k for an escape package and we couldn't even dance or enjoy the reception like I would want to. Then I looked over the Wishes breakdown (we all know the 12k minimum for 2010) and it was close to 18k but there was so much I could cut out like photography/videography, transportation, bridesmaid bouquets, ect... and the price dropped from 18k to close to the 12 minimum.

So, Danny, my mom and I sat down yesterday and discussed the situation. We could have an Escape Wedding that would cost 10k but skimp on some of the things that are important to us or pay a bit more and get everything we want plus be able to invite the full list of 35 people we actually started out with.

We decided that a Wishes Wedding was for us... now we just have to keep it at the 12k minimum. I'm a budget queen, I mean I saved close to half my pay last year while still paying for a car and all utilities in my house... I can do this!

So, I guess we just moved to a Wishes wedding!

[MainStMandy]

Yay for Wishes brides!! We went back and forth for a while and ultimately decided the same thing. We would end up spending just as much but the Wishes wedding would give us a bit more. Congratulations!!

[girli565]

Originally Posted by MainStMandy

Yay for Wishes brides!! We went back and forth for a while and ultimately decided the same thing. We would end up spending just as much but the Wishes wedding would give us a bit more. Congratulations!!

Thanks! We're excited at the possibilities!

[girli565]

So Thursday morning we left the house at 10am to make our 2pm appointment with Stacy.

We were driving up for vacation with 20+ family members for my baby nephews' first disney trip. So when I finally decided that I was going with a Wishes wedding I asked for a site visit so I could see a few places and make a choice so I can get penciled in.

We made it to Franck's at 2 exactly and were greeted by Stacy. She was so kind and very informative. And she was willing to see and walk with us to everything I wanted see even in 98 degree weather.

We first went to see the wedding pavilion because she said we had to see it even if we want to be married at SBP. We saw the pavilion, loved it and asked where a small reception for 35 would take place at the Grand Floridian so we could see it. She took us to the Whitehall Room and patio and we loved it, it has a view of the castle and we can even see fireworks from the patio. I mean, come on, that sold it for me but I still wanted to see SBP and the St. James room.

We got back in the towncar and drove to the Boardwalk Inn. We walked in, looked around the lobby and started the walk to SBP. And kept walkin, and walking, and walking... see a pattern there? It was hot and the walk was so long. Strike one against SBP. I asked if there was another exit closer for me to walk out of and was told no. Then we made the long walk back to the convention center and to the St. James room. The room is gorgeous and large for a small wedding like mine but it would have been perfect once tables and a dance floor were involved. They were setting up for a wedding while we went to look at it, it had a cake table and a long dinner table in it whe we went. The planner pointed out the new carpet and asked if we like it. I had to admit that it was loud and maybe even tacky but it did go with the theme of the hotel. I just thought it was a bit much.

We left the boardwalk Inn and went back to Franck's. We spoke about photography and a little about $$ and what I expected from the wedding. We also talked theme, colors, and how I wanted a more Mickey theme than cinderella/princess theme.

So now to get to the pictures, there's a lot of them so I'll warn you now...

Wedding Pavilion






Whitehall room and Patio





SBP



St. James Room



So between the two places I saw I decided on the Weding pavilion and the whitehall room/patio. Stacy penciled us in and now we just need to wait and talk to her in November and then again a week before our year out date so we can confirm the dates. I'm looking forward to this because this trip made me very excited! The best part was when we were on the monorail going to our car after our Magic Kingdom day we saw a reception going on at the whitehall patio and it looked lovely!

[pezaddict231]

Yay for a wishes wedding! I think it will definitely work out better for what you want since you want a reception with dancing.

You know, I always thought I wanted SBP too, I wasn't crazy about the WP, but when we were there in June we stopped in to look at it and I wanted to cry it was so beautiful. That's when I knew I had to get married there and nowhere else. I love the WHR, I wish we had gone to see some of the rooms in person! We have too many people for WHR but we're going to use it for our pre-reception, so I'm very excited about that.

Good luck with the rest of your planning!

[puente0629]

Hi,

First off congrats and can't wait to hear more about you plan's and see more pic's. Your wedding dress looks great on you and cute theme for your wedding.

I'm also a South Florida bride and we are still debating if we should have an escape or wishes wedding. For the amount of enhancements I would like the wedding cost close to $12K, so we figure why not just do a wishes...but that might bump us up to $14-16K. Just like your family, my family are party animals and we love to dance and drink (latino'....go figure, lol). We are planning to have our wedding June 29 (the day we were married in a civil union) but as Floridian's we try to stay away from the heat. I'm hoping by reading your experiences I can make the right decision for myself.

If you don't mind me asking...can you PM the breakdown for your wishes budget and the wishes packet (once they send it)?

Congrat's again!!!

Thanks,

[CassIS300]

I am in love with your invitations! Those are awesome!

[ChocoKat]

1_ LOVE your invites!!! So cute!

2_ Yay! For Wishes Wedding!!!

3_ Awesome site visits photos!

Everything is coming along nicely!!

[girli565]

Originally Posted by pezaddict231

Yay for a wishes wedding! I think it will definitely work out better for what you want since you want a reception with dancing.

You know, I always thought I wanted SBP too, I wasn't crazy about the WP, but when we were there in June we stopped in to look at it and I wanted to cry it was so beautiful. That's when I knew I had to get married there and nowhere else. I love the WHR, I wish we had gone to see some of the rooms in person! We have too many people for WHR but we're going to use it for our pre-reception, so I'm very excited about that.

Good luck with the rest of your planning!

I loved the WHR when we saw it, the patio made it all worth it!

Originally Posted by puente0629

Hi,

First off congrats and can't wait to hear more about you plan's and see more pic's. Your wedding dress looks great on you and cute theme for your wedding.

I'm also a South Florida bride and we are still debating if we should have an escape or wishes wedding. For the amount of enhancements I would like the wedding cost close to $12K, so we figure why not just do a wishes...but that might bump us up to $14-16K. Just like your family, my family are party animals and we love to dance and drink (latino'....go figure, lol). We are planning to have our wedding June 29 (the day we were married in a civil union) but as Floridian's we try to stay away from the heat. I'm hoping by reading your experiences I can make the right decision for myself.

If you don't mind me asking...can you PM the breakdown for your wishes budget and the wishes packet (once they send it)?

Congrat's again!!!

Thanks,

Once I get everything I'll probably post the info here in my PJ. I know people are curious how I am going to be able to stick to the 12k budget and I would love to show them how I did it. I know that my Cuban/Puerto Rican family needed a PARTY, and only a Wishes Wedding would allow for that. I discussed it with Danny and we agreed that a party was also important for us, especially the food and dancing aspect. Wishes was the only way to go. And Stacy really did a great job in showing us how much the extras on an Escape package would end up costing and that really solidified our decision to go with a Wishes wedding.

Originally Posted by CassIS300

I am in love with your invitations! Those are awesome!

I love them too but they aren't as customizable as the site leads me to believe so I may be changing my mind.

Originally Posted by ChocoKat

1_ LOVE your invites!!! So cute!

2_ Yay! For Wishes Wedding!!!

3_ Awesome site visits photos!

Everything is coming along nicely!!

Thanks!!