[Help] Cheapest way to get married in Disney ??

Dippa

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 21, 2016
Me and my fiancée are wanting to get married at Disney in 2020. We've had a look at the pavilion and tried pricing it up on their website, but it's coming to $15000-$17000!!

We're finding it quite difficult to gather any info directly due to being in the UK.

We are wanting to have our reception in Epcot I believe. Just something small on a nice terrace with a live band. Photos in MK and perhaps Epcot.

If anyone could give us some tips and advice, where to look and who to contact please.

Also, what's the best month to go ? There will be 20-30 of us, wanting the good weather but not too hot. Hoping to go when it's not at its busiest also.


Many Thanks
 
The best source of information I've found is the Passporter's Guide to Disney Weddings. You can just search for it online and it will pop up. They have an e-book and it's really great. It breaks everything down and tells you all the options. I've also been listening to podcast which is great! You can get that on iTunes, and probably other podcast platforms. They just did an overview of the different types of wedding packages. Good luck finding the right fit for your wedding!
 
Welcome! And congratulations!

The absolute cheapest way to get married on Walt Disney World property is to do an elopement-style package at one of the non-Disney resorts, a ceremony on the Characters In Flight balloon, or Disney's Memories Collection for up to 6 people, as long as it's during low Season (Jan-April and July-Aug). But that wouldn't include a reception.

We are wanting to have our reception in Epcot I believe. Just something small on a nice terrace with a live band. Photos in MK and perhaps Epcot.

A live band starts at $7,000 and you would not be able to have one at an outdoor location at Epcot. The best you could do is a few acoustic musicians for $600-$1,600. You could do a live band if your reception were indoors.

Parties inside Epcot start at $1,000 and go up, depending on the number of guests, the food you choose, whether you need transportation and whether your guests have park admission. If you plan them through Disney Catered Events, you may not wear your wedding attire in the park, but you also don't have to pay a $10 IllumiNations viewing fee for everyone but the bridal couple. You would need to plan through Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings to wear your bridal attire in the park, and every guest would be charged a $10 IllumiNations viewing fee.

A bridal portrait session in the Magic Kingdom costs $2,125. To add Epcot brings the total up to $2,425.

The PassPorter has complete pricing details, but here are some Disney Wedding Podcast episodes to get you started with the big picture:


Also, what's the best month to go ? There will be 20-30 of us, wanting the good weather but not too hot. Hoping to go when it's not at its busiest also.

In my experience, late January (after Race weekend) and early February have the ideal combo of mild weather, low crowds, and lower resort rates.
 
The best source of information I've found is the Passporter's Guide to Disney Weddings. You can just search for it online and it will pop up. They have an e-book and it's really great. It breaks everything down and tells you all the options. I've also been listening to podcast which is great! You can get that on iTunes, and probably other podcast platforms. They just did an overview of the different types of wedding packages. Good luck finding the right fit for your wedding!

Thank you for your reply, really helpful :) Did you have to buy you Passporter's Guide to Disney Weddings ??

Welcome! And congratulations!

The absolute cheapest way to get married on Walt Disney World property is to do an elopement-style package at one of the non-Disney resorts, a ceremony on the Characters In Flight balloon, or Disney's Memories Collection for up to 6 people, as long as it's during low Season (Jan-April and July-Aug). But that wouldn't include a reception.



A live band starts at $7,000 and you would not be able to have one at an outdoor location at Epcot. The best you could do is a few acoustic musicians for $600-$1,600. You could do a live band if your reception were indoors.

Parties inside Epcot start at $1,000 and go up, depending on the number of guests, the food you choose, whether you need transportation and whether your guests have park admission. If you plan them through Disney Catered Events, you may not wear your wedding attire in the park, but you also don't have to pay a $10 IllumiNations viewing fee for everyone but the bridal couple. You would need to plan through Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings to wear your bridal attire in the park, and every guest would be charged a $10 IllumiNations viewing fee.

A bridal portrait session in the Magic Kingdom costs $2,125. To add Epcot brings the total up to $2,425.

The PassPorter has complete pricing details, but here are some Disney Wedding Podcast episodes to get you started with the big picture:




In my experience, late January (after Race weekend) and early February have the ideal combo of mild weather, low crowds, and lower resort rates.

Thank you for all your help here, been really useful. I've had a quick look at the links you've sent and they look amazing. We're going to spend a few days reading through everything we can.

What's the easiest way to communicate with Disney and their wedding packages ? I can't seem to find a number at all. My biggest worry would be, not being able to have frequent communication with them.

Also, what do most people do if they wear their wedding attire in the park after the reception ?


Thanks again for all your help, it's most appreciated.
 
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Did you have to buy you Passporter's Guide to Disney Weddings ??

The only way to get an e-book file with free updates is to order directly through PassPorter. I have a BIG update coming soon, and then it's usually updated 2 or 3 times a year after that. The print versions that circulate online (and even on Amazon) are several years out of date, so the minimum expenditures and what's included in the packages have all changed.

What's the easiest way to communicate with Disney and their wedding packages ? I can't seem to find a number at all. My biggest worry would be, not being able to have frequent communication with them.

The phone number is (321) 420-6878. Just be aware that the people who answer that line are not actual sales consultants or event coordinators, and they sometimes give misinformation (to the point that a few brides have ended up in tears because they were told they couldn't do something that they actually could do). Wait until they assign you a sales consultant to ask the big stuff.

As to the frequency of communication, sales consultants are quite responsive. For Wishes, once you have signed the contract and paid the deposit, you will be assigned an event coordinator. They will not have the bandwidth to be super-responsive until you are within about 4 months of your event, but they will answer you as they are able before then. (Remember, they're working on dozens of other, sooner weddings.)

For Escape you do not get a lot of hand-holding, and for Memories it's even less. These are simple packages that are very easy for Disney to assemble, so there's not as much one-on-one planning.

Also, what do most people do if they wear their wedding attire in the park after the reception ?
If your reception is in a park and ends while the park is still open, you and your guests will be escorted out of the park at the end of the event. Whether or not you can then get back into the park through the main gate in your wedding attire is a tricky thing, and it depends mostly on the whims of the cast members at the gate. Epcot is pretty strict about not allowing wedding gowns into the park. We've seen a few more brides be let into Magic Kingdom in the last year or so, probably because there's really not anything explicitly prohibiting wedding attire in the park rules. But some cast members know this and some do not, so your mileage may vary. Most brides change into something else.
 
Consider doing mini wishes during low season which is a 3 hour reception on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday with a 10:00,12:00, or 7:30pm wedding. This way your enhancement minimum is $3000 instead of $5000 and your per person price is $25 lower... $100 brunch, $125 a person lunch, $150 a person for dinner
 
The only way to get an e-book file with free updates is to order directly through PassPorter. I have a BIG update coming soon, and then it's usually updated 2 or 3 times a year after that. The print versions that circulate online (and even on Amazon) are several years out of date, so the minimum expenditures and what's included in the packages have all changed.



The phone number is (321) 420-6878. Just be aware that the people who answer that line are not actual sales consultants or event coordinators, and they sometimes give misinformation (to the point that a few brides have ended up in tears because they were told they couldn't do something that they actually could do). Wait until they assign you a sales consultant to ask the big stuff.

As to the frequency of communication, sales consultants are quite responsive. For Wishes, once you have signed the contract and paid the deposit, you will be assigned an event coordinator. They will not have the bandwidth to be super-responsive until you are within about 4 months of your event, but they will answer you as they are able before then. (Remember, they're working on dozens of other, sooner weddings.)

For Escape you do not get a lot of hand-holding, and for Memories it's even less. These are simple packages that are very easy for Disney to assemble, so there's not as much one-on-one planning.


If your reception is in a park and ends while the park is still open, you and your guests will be escorted out of the park at the end of the event. Whether or not you can then get back into the park through the main gate in your wedding attire is a tricky thing, and it depends mostly on the whims of the cast members at the gate. Epcot is pretty strict about not allowing wedding gowns into the park. We've seen a few more brides be let into Magic Kingdom in the last year or so, probably because there's really not anything explicitly prohibiting wedding attire in the park rules. But some cast members know this and some do not, so your mileage may vary. Most brides change into something else.

Thank you once again for all your help and advice. You seem to be the wedding guru on here.

I'm not sure I like the idea with having the day cut short after the reception, especially if I was to do mini-wishes. What other options are there that will allow us to keep our party together after our ceremony, up until the fireworks and the end ?

Consider doing mini wishes during low season which is a 3 hour reception on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday with a 10:00,12:00, or 7:30pm wedding. This way your enhancement minimum is $3000 instead of $5000 and your per person price is $25 lower... $100 brunch, $125 a person lunch, $150 a person for dinner

Funny you say that, thats what we've been looking at since being on here, as it seems the better option for ourselves.

If I'm right in saying this, with a mini-wishes event we get the flexibility of planning the whole event etc, however, coming from the UK it seems quite difficult to arrange things properly. Are we worth flying over to gain a better insight and arrange meetings with the wedding planners, and try menus etc? Any advice on this would be appreciated
 


We are doing ours at Swan & Dolphin to save money to spend on other things. We are spending close to $16k, but we are getting a much better value and much more than we would've at Disney. F&B minimums are much, much less.
 
Thank you once again for all your help and advice. You seem to be the wedding guru on here.

I'm not sure I like the idea with having the day cut short after the reception, especially if I was to do mini-wishes. What other options are there that will allow us to keep our party together after our ceremony, up until the fireworks and the end ?



Funny you say that, thats what we've been looking at since being on here, as it seems the better option for ourselves.

If I'm right in saying this, with a mini-wishes event we get the flexibility of planning the whole event etc, however, coming from the UK it seems quite difficult to arrange things properly. Are we worth flying over to gain a better insight and arrange meetings with the wedding planners, and try menus etc? Any advice on this would be appreciated

The planning session was really nice to do but you would be ok if you didn't come if you talk over the phone or Skype... unless you really want to try items on the menu. We couldn't do a menu tasting because we are at the Cali Grill.

To include fireworks in our day, we are doing a 7:30pm ceremony with a 3 hour Napa room reception that has a view of Wishes
 
Thank you once again for all your help and advice. You seem to be the wedding guru on here.

I'm not sure I like the idea with having the day cut short after the reception, especially if I was to do mini-wishes. What other options are there that will allow us to keep our party together after our ceremony, up until the fireworks and the end ?

Lots of people extend their day with unofficial events, like meeting up again in Epcot to drink around the World Showcase or going to Jellyrolls or Atlantic Dance Hall together as a group. Some rent a bunch of pontoons boats for a Wishes or an IllumiNations Cruise. Some get food deliverer to a DVC villa and have an informal party.

We actually enjoyed having a break between our afternoon brunch and evening IllumiNations dessert party. Some guests napped or explored the parks. Some went to the outlets. But we all had something to look forward to at the end of the day!


If I'm right in saying this, with a mini-wishes event we get the flexibility of planning the whole event etc, however, coming from the UK it seems quite difficult to arrange things properly. Are we worth flying over to gain a better insight and arrange meetings with the wedding planners, and try menus etc? Any advice on this would be appreciated

Many people plan Wishes events without doing a planning session. I have dozens of interviews with other UK brides, so you can hear how they did it: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/category/uk-brides/
 
As far as breaking up your day I agree with lurkyloo. We had a morning ceremony in Epcot and a brunch reception at Atlantic Dance Hall on the Boardwalk that ended at 3:00. Most of our guests went back to their resorts and either swam or just hung out, as most stayed at the same resort I think they made their own party and also enjoyed getting into more relaxed clothes for our Dessert Party. We stayed with our photographer for about another hours for some pictures of just us. We all met back at Epcot for our IllumiNations Dessert Party at around 7:30. As our ceremony was early, I think everyone enjoyed some time off. I will say, I loved being able to get out of my dress for a bit and relaxing in our room.
 
I'd like to second Lurky's suggestion on the time of year, though as a CFL native, a few things to consider:

1. Temperatures can vary WILDLY from day to day during this period. Sometimes it's in the 40's, sometimes in the 80's, and sometimes it goes from one to the other in the course of a day! Light layers are the name of the game, so if you choose this time period, invest in a pretty wrap or bolero to go over your gown should things get chilly.

2. Be prepared if you have seasonal allergies. If the weather is more consistently warm, it can confuse the heck out of the plants and this means that our oak trees can start blooming their heads off as early as February. Be sure to have some non-drowsy allergy meds with you should you need them.
 

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