Disney Cruise Brides!!! Part Deux!!

[dclwonderprincess]

Ok Meredith emailed me back and it appears that historically the wonder has it's ceremonies on the day that we are in Key West. So it looks like my ceremony will be on Friday, May 3rd. She still gave me the 45 day routine but I'm glad I hadn't planned any activities for Key West yet.

[1EvilQueenfan]

Does anyone know if the ceremonies for the 4 day cruise are held on the Nassau day like the 3 day cruise? For the Dream? Thanks ladies.

[dclwonderprincess]

She said that only Disney dream holds their ceremony on Nassau day.

[1EvilQueenfan]

Ok thanks!

[lescal79]

Originally Posted by AllisonK315

Hi Everyone!

Well, it seems as though my DF and I are finally going to tie the knot!! We will be getting married on-board the Disney Dream, in February of 2014. My immediate family lives in Indiana and his in New Hampshire, so I thought the best thing to do for our families would be to assemble a newsletter. I have started doing some research and looked at some of the other brides' newsletters to get ideas, but the font is so small on most of them that you cannot tell what people have included. I am lost and overwhelmed at the same time as to format/layout as well as what information to include for our families and friends. PLEASE HELP! Thanks so much

Hello,
I did create a newsletter and included it in my invitations. I thought it was helpful for my guests as no one has been on a cruise before. I think it's a personal preference as if you do one or don't. I did not create an online website, but that was, again, personal preference. I have a picture in my PJ, but you won't be able to read much as it was intended that way for privacy. I did a lot of research on bestdestinationwedding.com and you should also check out this PJ - even though it is not a Disney Cruise Wedding, she had an amazing newsletter!

Congratulations to you on your engagement!

[tellemarie]

I know some brides in the old thread were able to get some color added on to the standard cakes and wanted to see if any more recent brides were able to get the same done! I love the Touch of Whimsy cake but it's SO BORING in just white!

[JBeanBunny]

Originally Posted by tellemarie

I have to do a quick celebration dance with you ladies because I just got the confirmation email from Meredith with our planning guide and that our wedding with be on Nassau day (2/7/14)!!!!

We just put down the deposit last night after continually going back and forth between an Escape and DCL wedding, but I felt that it would be easier for the people that (actually) come to just get on a cruise and enjoy.

However now I actually have to start working on welcome bags, figuring out if we can do Palo private dining room (is it bad that I'm hoping we will only be a group of 14 total?? ), and finding a dress (which has been the nemesis planning item so far).

YAY!!

Welcome!

Congrats on booking your DCL wedding!!! I was an onboard bride married at Nassau! (When I see commercials for Atlantis on Paradise Island, I always say... I got married near that!!!) I honestly think that being on a cruise is an easy way for your guests to be in one place- and it costs a lot, but you have to remember that a cruise is your hotel, your food, your entertainment, your transportation... It's all-in-one! I got great feedback from my guests and it was a very memorable occasion!

I worked on my welcome bags for MONTHS! I have tons of posts about what I put into my bags, a lot of which was homemade (I'm a crafting nerd) and I also found a TON of nautical themed items from the Dollar Spot at Target last year! Here's a list of what I put in my bags- a clear zip baggie that had 2 Disney band-aids, 1-time use polysporin, 2 individually wrapped hand wipes, and 1-time use sunscreen. I made two types of Mickey soaps- one in the silhouette shape of Mickey, and one that had a Mickey face embedded into an oval soap. (Some of the DIS brides were envious and I wound up making soaps as favors for 2 other events, too!), I got post-it notes and made a post-it note cover with shimmery cardstock paper and a custom logo made by a DISigner. I made personalized magnetic Disney character nametags for each of my guests doors as well as an "I'm here for Jillian & Michael's Wedding" from another DISigner. I put in WDW pens (I have a gazillion accumulated from over the years!) and some nautical pens and a nautical themed pad of paper, I made vials of Pixie Dust, I ordered personalized matchbooks (theknot.com), Ring-pop candies, chapstick/lip balm...

I think that's about everything... I had tons of other ideas, but you can only do so much, right? I wish I'd spent more time on a welcome letter to put in the favor bags with a personalized itinerary on when our group planned to meet in which places. I also wish I'd spent more time working on an index of our guests with their room numbers for easy access for the Wave Phones.

As for newsletters (and more welcome favor bags) check out Ginger's PJ- her newsletter that she posted was GORGEOUS! I only sent out text only e-mails to all of my guests with information that I thought would be useful and relevant. I also started a wedding blog (which I did not update NEARLY as often as my PJ!) and I made a page on facebook for our wedding cruise. We used those 3 forms of communication to spread the news around!

Anyways, CONGRATS again! My wedding was onboard (although in the D-Lounge b/c of my large group) and I posted about all sorts of subjects in my planning journal and there's tons of photos in the trip report at the end. Check it out if you get the time! Good luck in your planning!!!

[AllisonK315]

Tellemarie, Congratulations on your engagement as well as your wedding on the Disney Dream. Are you getting married Feb 2014 or Feb 2013?

I had planned on sending the newsletters out with the save the dates and 'follow-up' one in between invitations just to see where everyone is at with planning and maybe a pre-rsvp. Thanks for the help, btw.

[1EvilQueenfan]

Has anyone brought their own aisle runner for onboard ceremonies? Is this even possible? Thanks ladies!

[DisneyWillow1975]

Hi ladies! I was a regular reader of the original thread, but never had the courage to actually join the DIS and chat. I was married on the Magic in January, 2011 and had an absolutely marvelous experience. I know that things have changed a lot since my experience, so I'm going to enjoy reading through this thread. I hope that you all have fun planning and wonderful weddings. :-)

[Evi]

Welcome back Willow. Its always nice to hear from experienced cruise brides.

Evilqueen, I'm not sure about an aisle runner. Its my understanding that the aisle is very short. I think an experienced cruise bride or your planner maybe able to answer that though.

[1EvilQueenfan]

Originally Posted by Evi

Evilqueen, I'm not sure about an aisle runner. Its my understanding that the aisle is very short. I think an experienced cruise bride or your planner maybe able to answer that though.

Evi, thanks for the advice

[DisneyWillow1975]

Originally Posted by AllisonK315

Hi Everyone!

Well, it seems as though my DF and I are finally going to tie the knot!! We will be getting married on-board the Disney Dream, in February of 2014. My immediate family lives in Indiana and his in New Hampshire, so I thought the best thing to do for our families would be to assemble a newsletter. I have started doing some research and looked at some of the other brides' newsletters to get ideas, but the font is so small on most of them that you cannot tell what people have included. I am lost and overwhelmed at the same time as to format/layout as well as what information to include for our families and friends. PLEASE HELP! Thanks so much

Hi! I did both a newsletter and a website for our wedding. I tried to include basic information on the newsletter for cruise and WDW newbies. I focused on transportation (to/from MCO, WDW, and DCL), the advantages of staying onsite at WDW (we did a welcome dinner at California Grill the night before the cruise), WDW tickets, cruise FAQs(dress code, tipping, pre-booking Palo, spa,and shore excursions, dining rotations, etc.), the cruise itinerary, and offered a few suggestions on possible group activities. I can try to find a copy and scan it, if you are interested. To be honest, I didn't feel like our guests really paid attention to anything in the newsletter or in subsequent informational packets, either. Everyone kind of did their own thing, which worked out for the most part. We had issues with some of DH's family, because they didn't want to read anything I prepared or talk about things, but then expected us to be their tour guides for the entire vacation. They were pretty frustrated that they weren't included in our group Palo reservations, even though we'd asked them repeatedly and they just never replied. Same with the basic dining rotation/events. We provided copies of the dining rotation and events like formal night, pirate night, and semi-formal night, but they didn't pay any attention to it. On formal night, DH's dad and stepmom were upset that they didn't pack any nice clothing and blamed us for not telling them. We didn't let it get to us and just rolled with it. Even with the family drama (and there was more of it than I had expected), it was still an amazing vacation and wedding, and I wouldn't change a thing.

[tellemarie]

Originally Posted by AllisonK315

Tellemarie, Congratulations on your engagement as well as your wedding on the Disney Dream. Are you getting married Feb 2014 or Feb 2013?

I had planned on sending the newsletters out with the save the dates and 'follow-up' one in between invitations just to see where everyone is at with planning and maybe a pre-rsvp. Thanks for the help, btw.

I'm getting married Feb 2014! We'll be on the 6-9th sailing

That sounds like a really good idea, trying to keep everyone on track! I'm going to be sending out our save the dates Feb 6th and after that...I have no idea. I've seen people sending out invites at such differing times I don't know what to do!

[tellemarie]

Originally Posted by JBeanBunny

Welcome!

Congrats on booking your DCL wedding!!! I was an onboard bride married at Nassau! (When I see commercials for Atlantis on Paradise Island, I always say... I got married near that!!!) I honestly think that being on a cruise is an easy way for your guests to be in one place- and it costs a lot, but you have to remember that a cruise is your hotel, your food, your entertainment, your transportation... It's all-in-one! I got great feedback from my guests and it was a very memorable occasion!

I worked on my welcome bags for MONTHS! I have tons of posts about what I put into my bags, a lot of which was homemade (I'm a crafting nerd) and I also found a TON of nautical themed items from the Dollar Spot at Target last year! Here's a list of what I put in my bags- a clear zip baggie that had 2 Disney band-aids, 1-time use polysporin, 2 individually wrapped hand wipes, and 1-time use sunscreen. I made two types of Mickey soaps- one in the silhouette shape of Mickey, and one that had a Mickey face embedded into an oval soap. (Some of the DIS brides were envious and I wound up making soaps as favors for 2 other events, too!), I got post-it notes and made a post-it note cover with shimmery cardstock paper and a custom logo made by a DISigner. I made personalized magnetic Disney character nametags for each of my guests doors as well as an "I'm here for Jillian & Michael's Wedding" from another DISigner. I put in WDW pens (I have a gazillion accumulated from over the years!) and some nautical pens and a nautical themed pad of paper, I made vials of Pixie Dust, I ordered personalized matchbooks (theknot.com), Ring-pop candies, chapstick/lip balm...

I think that's about everything... I had tons of other ideas, but you can only do so much, right? I wish I'd spent more time on a welcome letter to put in the favor bags with a personalized itinerary on when our group planned to meet in which places. I also wish I'd spent more time working on an index of our guests with their room numbers for easy access for the Wave Phones.

As for newsletters (and more welcome favor bags) check out Ginger's PJ- her newsletter that she posted was GORGEOUS! I only sent out text only e-mails to all of my guests with information that I thought would be useful and relevant. I also started a wedding blog (which I did not update NEARLY as often as my PJ!) and I made a page on facebook for our wedding cruise. We used those 3 forms of communication to spread the news around!

Anyways, CONGRATS again! My wedding was onboard (although in the D-Lounge b/c of my large group) and I posted about all sorts of subjects in my planning journal and there's tons of photos in the trip report at the end. Check it out if you get the time! Good luck in your planning!!!

I've been reading your PJ!! I actually am really thinking of including things like a magnet for the door (I need to figure out how to make it/how I want it to look) and I reeeeally loved the idea for doing soaps in wedding colors, I may try to make some of my own (however, if it pans out like I think it will you might be getting a PM from me soon ).

I probably have TOO MANY spreadsheets. I've got spaces already for confirmation numbers AND room numbers, plus I have separate sheets for the budget, to do, ideas, a detailed to do...so many sheets!!

I will definitely be keeping some of your photos in mind for my photographer, you had some amazing shots!!