2014 Disney Wedding - What Can I Do Now?

[Loves Disney]

My fiance and I got engaged about 5 months ago and we've agreed that a Disney wedding is an absolute MUST. The only catch with our situation is that despite not wanting a long engagement, financially and realistically it makes sense for us to wait another 2 years. By that time, DF will be out of grad school and we will have been able to save up the necessary money.

I'm absolutely ready to start planning (and I have been!) and I'm ready to really get going with this. I'm that girl who grew up dreaming of a Disney wedding and having to wait so long is KILLING me! lol.

My question is this - what can I do now to get the ball rolling? I know Disney requires you to wait a year out before setting a date and I know that without a date, there isn't much that can be done officially. What can we do with Disney 2 years out? We know we want a summer wedding and I will be down in Disney soon with my family. While we are there, is there anyone we can talk to?

I know it's still far away, but I'm just SO eager and excited!

 

[daisygirl902]

Unfortunately, besides going and taking a peek at the WP and Franc's there isn't much you can do this far out. That is one of the most frustrating things about the planning!!

Congrats though, and great choice on the Disney Wedding...mine was the best day of my life!

 

[lurkyloo]

Disney won't let you start the ball rolling with them until 16 months out from your date, so now is a good time to begin gathering ideas and learning as much as you can about Disney weddings so you'll be prepared. Reading trip reports and planning journals on this board will give you lots of great ideas and let you know what to expect. There is also a Facebook group for DIS Boards Disney brides, plus a few private message boards for Disney brides, and there maaaaaay be a book and a podcast devoted to Disney weddings too...

 

[CinderALLIE]

Yes, buy lurkyloo's book with passporters. It is a wealth of information.

I am not yet engaged but my partner and I are planning on 2015 or 2016 depending on finances. B*stard wants to get a house first. I have been spending this time reading other PJs and getting ideas on floral, locations, budget, etc. So RESEARCH like crazy in this time.

Also I'm sure both your families would like the heads up so they can get their finances in order to make the wedding trip.

 

[DFTWbride2013]

Disney won't let you start the ball rolling with them until 16 months out from your date, so now is a good time to begin gathering ideas and learning as much as you can about Disney weddings so you'll be prepared. Reading trip reports and planning journals on this board will give you lots of great ideas and let you know what to expect. There is also a Facebook group for DIS Boards Disney brides, plus a few private message boards for Disney brides, and there maaaaaay be a book and a podcast devoted to Disney weddings too...

I think this is Carrie's hint for someone to advertise for her.

First thing you wanna do is buy this book!

That site also has a link at the top to Carrie's Podcast, which is amazing as well! You can also browse around the site for all kinds of pictures and just great information in general.

At 16 months, you can do a site visit. You make an appointment with a consultant and they'll take you to visit 3 or 4 sites you want to see as possibilities for your wedding events. So one thing you can start doing now is narrowing down the locations you'd like to visit. You'll also want to have an idea of about how many people you want at the wedding, since a lot of the places have specific minimum and maximum numbers of guests that are allowed. Oh, and the numbers for some of those on Disney's virtual tour part of their site aren't totally accurate, so you might want to double check with the consultant to make sure their current minimums and maximums will work for you.

The first thing you really need to think about is deciding on which collection you want. Escape, Wishes, etc. If you want more than 20 people, you're looking at a Wishes wedding, which will cost you $12k absolute minimum. After you decide that, then start looking at everything else. (Of course I should have mentioned this first, sorry.)

If you have questions or just want to talk about anything, you've come to the right place!

 

[2010_Bride]

Dream...

 

[Loves Disney]

Thanks for the replies! I will definitely check out that podcast and the book - they look like really good resources

It's good to know that we can do a site visit 16 months before! That is definitely better than waiting until 12 months out lol. I am not foreign to Disney by any means, but I am unfamiliar with the DFTW and my DF has only been once (when he was little) - so a site visit would be really helpful.

Does Disney need an exact number of guests when we book at 12 months? Because I know we won't get that number until the invitations are mailed. We have two growing lists - one of those who will get an invite and one of those who we think would attend a destination wedding. The number is very foggy for us and will continue to be until we can get official confirmation.

 

[DFTWbride2013]

Thanks for the replies! I will definitely check out that podcast and the book - they look like really good resources

It's good to know that we can do a site visit 16 months before! That is definitely better than waiting until 12 months out lol. I am not foreign to Disney by any means, but I am unfamiliar with the DFTW and my DF has only been once (when he was little) - so a site visit would be really helpful.

Does Disney need an exact number of guests when we book at 12 months? Because I know we won't get that number until the invitations are mailed. We have two growing lists - one of those who will get an invite and one of those who we think would attend a destination wedding. The number is very foggy for us and will continue to be until we can get official confirmation.

Yeah, it's one thing to know the parks. I think it's a totally different thing to be able to see all their other places (like reception rooms in the resorts) that you may not have ever seen before. Just keep in mind that it would still be based on availability, of course. Plan to not have to change venues but know you're able to if it's absolutely necessary.

No. They'll ask for an estimate when you do your site visit, but they don't need exact numbers. I guess you can either give them an estimate of how many people you're inviting or how many you realistically expect to show up. I think they just like having numbers. Even once your LoA is signed, I'm told you can still change your venue- so if you have a lot more or a lot less guests RSVP than you expect, you should be able to find a space that better suits your needs. Just keep in mind that it would still be based on availability, of course. Plan to not have to change venues but know you're able to if it's absolutely necessary.

 

[Loves Disney]

Yeah, it's one thing to know the parks. I think it's a totally different thing to be able to see all their other places (like reception rooms in the resorts) that you may not have ever seen before. Just keep in mind that it would still be based on availability, of course. Plan to not have to change venues but know you're able to if it's absolutely necessary.

No. They'll ask for an estimate when you do your site visit, but they don't need exact numbers. I guess you can either give them an estimate of how many people you're inviting or how many you realistically expect to show up. I think they just like having numbers. Even once your LoA is signed, I'm told you can still change your venue- so if you have a lot more or a lot less guests RSVP than you expect, you should be able to find a space that better suits your needs. Just keep in mind that it would still be based on availability, of course. Plan to not have to change venues but know you're able to if it's absolutely necessary.

Thanks! I will go into this with my mind wide-open. It's good to know exact numbers aren't needed! I don't think I could have that number that soon even if I called each guest up personally haha.

 

[BanditsMommy]

It's good to know there's someone else like me out there! We got engaged last October and are looking at a 2014 wedding because we want to be able to finish law school first.
I think I've settled on a Swan and Dolphin wedding after reading through a lot of this forum. It has definitely been helpful.
Since I can't book anything for a while, I've been just doing research to figure out what my options are for each facet of the wedding and trying to figure out what looks good and what are the best deals. It's not much, but it's something to do

 

[MrsDuck]

Firsts things first- buy Carrie's book! It's a life saver and will let you have access to all the information for 2012/2013 right now!! You can at least start looking.

Next, browse the boards! There are so many Planning Journals and Trip Reports to go through!

Lastly, come join our Facebook group! Link in my siggy!