Swan & Dolphin Weddings FAQ

[KristiLyn]

Hi S&D brides!!

I had a quick hair question for you guys. My hair/makeup is included in the package we booked. What company does the hair/makeup for JustMarry? Karen is our wedding coordinator and I was just curious

P.S. Sorry if this is a silly question. I just have no idea And I'm so impatient!! The wedding is not until September and I want everything planned/done now!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I don't know the answer to your question, but e-mail Karen and ask her - she will be only too happy to oblige you with the name of the beautician. She really is so helpful. I arranged my hair and make-up session myself. I am using Patricia LeJeune who seems to come highly recommended on here!!
Don't fell this is a silly question!! There is no such thing as a silly question!! On these boards, we all know what it is like to be anxious, and want to have everything planned and finalized. We are only too happy to help. I just wish I knew the answer to your question.

 

[bonjoe]

Hi ladies! I am also a S&D bride, Feb 15th 2011!!!! I cant believe that after 13 years together we are finally getting married! (until 2 weeks ago it was just going to be a family vacation....but we have decided to "take the plunge" lol)

Tinkerbell 766 you have been a HUGE help to me and you are totally unaware! lol
I read through your entire pj last night, and you have helped me with so much. I have no help doing any of this, so you with all your beautiful and imaginative ideas have been a godsend. I am only borrowing a few of your ideas, but you brought to mind so many things.
The main dream I had was to have a harpist, and you made that possible. I could not afford the price at the S&D, but I emailed Christine and she is going to be there for us.
I am also a "maggie bride" I got her "treasure" in ivory last month, and I LOVE it. (glad it came up and I decided to get it for "later")
I have to run for now, but I just wanted to post and say thank you, and congratulations to us all!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Bonjoe - You made my day with your post!!!
Thank you so much for you kind words!!
It is really great that us S/D brides can help each other out. As I have said before, we have to stick together!!
I am so happy that you have Christine doing your music for you!! Although I haven't met her yet, she seems like the nicest person and, from her sample music, so talented.
During my planning I feel I have made so many friends. Not only my fellow brides here on the boards, but also people such as my planner Karen, Randy my photographer, Christine and Rev Tim. I feel I know them already through their e-mails etc, but can't wait to meet them all in person!!!
You borrow any ideas that you like and if I can help in any way at all, please let me know. I'd be honoured to help!!
Your wedding is so close!! Much love and happy planning. I would LOVE to hear all about your big day.

 

[mismako]

Looks like our daughter would love to have her wedding at Disney. Do you recommend a Disney theme Wedding?

 

[bonjoe]

My planning is still sort of all over the place LOL. I have the date, the place and the time. I have also chosen the sand ceremony with floral display and rose petals in the isle.
I couldnt put it together when trying to plan a little memories wedding on the beach, and df didnt really want to "stand in the sand" as he puts it...lol
Then I found out about the S&D weddings and everything "romantic" has just been falling into place
I have hired Christine for our harpist, df will take photos with this tripod & camera after the service, so I am looking at having the service video taped. I dont really want to pay 375 for someone to tape it and edit it and all that.....I am sort of a DIY girl. I would be happy with someone just holding my camcorder and getting it all on tape, then I can pick throug it myself! KWIM? LOL
SO, I am still up in the air about a videographer, where to go for dinner/cake, and weather or not I am going to splurge on hair & makeup for myself.
Dinner does not have to be fancy, but fun. But without making me look like a weirdo for being in a wedding dress LOL.
I want a photo of us in front of the castle, but I dont know where to go to get it.....since we cant go in the park dressed up.
I also wanted to get some character photos, but I have no real ideas on that yet either.
We are going to be in Disney for 12 days just relaxing and enjoying the parks.
We are going to be buying the bride & groom ears hats and t-shirts to wear on valentines day (day before), and I was thinking of making a button bouquet to have handy for photos. I dont know what is allowed though.
Oh I have to sign off, Im exhausted, and df got his wisdom teeth pulled today so I am playing nursemaid!
Sorry I am just babbling on!! Have a great night/day!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

It all sounds great!!
Here are a few things I picked up from your post. Hope they help.
If you have dinner after your wedding at say Chef Mickey's or 1900 Park Fare, you will be allowed to wear your wedding dress and get photos of the characters. Many a bride has done this, so I am sure that you will not look like a 'weirdo in a wedding dress'!!
There is no way you can get a photo in your dress in front of the castle without booking a MK shoot (which is reserved only for DFTW brides). Consider dinner at California Grill as their balcony gives good views over the castle and this is about as close as you will get in your dress. We are doing a TTD later in the week at the Poly to get the distant castle in the background of the photos.
You need to think about booking your dinner. Your wedding is coming up fast and ADRs at the most popular restaurants fill really quickly!!! I would hate you to be disappointed.
Keep me posted with all your plans, or better yet start a PJ

 

[bonjoe]

Thank you for your suggestions! I have been trying for Cheif Mickeys, but they have nothing open as far as the Disney site says.
I may check it out on the day though. We were in Disney in November when we went with family, and I really wanted to take ds to hollywood & vine. We walked in and the place was mostly empty, and yet we were not able to book online.
Im not sure what we are going to do for dinner yet.

I forgot to say I also have Karen as my planner and she has been super!
I LOVE your shoes!!! I have shoe envy!

I will try to start a pj, but Im a babbler...lol I also have a 3 year old glued to my side and I am planning my neices wedding in Sept as I am her maid of honor

I feel like my head is going to fly off (but good stress though) lol

 

[KristiLyn]

Hi all of you lovely swan brides!
Quick question for you. Do you think it's that big of a deal not to have music at your ceremony? It just seems really expensive to have a violinist or harpist for a very quick ceremony. But the more I think about it, I don't want it to seem awkward if there's no music at all.
Thanks in advance!!

 

[bonjoe]

Hello everyone,
Plans have all fallen into place and things are moving forward smoothly!!
Im SO very excited!

Mismako, yes I love Disney and am bringing in little Mickey elements wherever I can. I think if your daughter loves it, let her run with it.

Krisitlyn, I know they are small services, but it is still your big day. If you want music, I say you should have music. You will be there for an hour, and if you have cake, or photos, music will be so nice in the background.
If you wish to cut some costs, you can hire in your own music choices.
I wanted a harpist so badly, but did not want to pay 400$. Thanks to Tinkerbell 766, I saw a lady listed on her post, and I have hired her for much less.
Now I get my dream, and the lady is SO SO talented.
Just remember, it is your wedding day...no matter how small. Make your dreams come true

 

[edytharceo]

This post is so helpful, thank you so much! I love the breakdown of all of the prices.

---------------
roulette reaper

 

[KristiLyn]

This post is so helpful, thank you so much! I love the breakdown of all of the prices.

No problem!! There's not many swan brides here that I'm coming across lately

 

[irishthemeparkfan]

Hi Tinkerbell,

hows things going. It seems your planning is way ahead of mine even though your wedding is the day before. Probably because I'm a laid back man.

Hopefully I will sort a lot more out this weekend. We still need to pick the music for the musician, cake flavours, the suits, the officiant.

I better get a move on. Slowly getting there.

 

[bellaminnie]

Hello all, i'm planning on having a wedding at Crescent Terrace in May. I'm trying to decide on the time of the ceremony so i wanted to see what your opinions where. I really wanted a gazebo setup with lights so i was figuring something later in the evening say around 6:45 or 7pm. i contacted Randy to see what he thought and he suggested a first look say around 5:30 to get pics on the boardwalk while we still have sunlight but i really don't want a first look before the actually ceremony. So i'm debating on whether i should just move the ceremony time up a bit and loose the lighted gazebo or what. i really want to get things moving but i'm stuck on this. what do you all think?

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi girls and boys!! Good to see all your plans are progressing nicely!!

Kristi - It all depends on what is important to you and what you really want out of your big day. For me, the important things for our VR (apart, of course, from re-newing our commitmant to each other) was photography, flowers and music. For others it may be, for example, a party with DJ and dancing or having a horse and carriage. We are all different with different dreams about our perfect day. You must stick with what is important to you. That said, it is difficult to imagine a ceremony with no music at all, but perhaps your planner can arrange an i-pod set up so as you can bring your own recorded music. I don't know if this is possible at S/D as I never explored this option, but I know some DFTW brides have done it. It may be a cheaper option if it is possible

irishthemeparkfan - Are you Irish? Where are you from? I meant to ask you this before and forgot!!!
Believe me, I am not as organized as you think!! Sometimes when I think of all the things I still need to do, I go into a real panic!! I am currently working on the official invitations, information booklets and the rest of the labels for the welcome bag contents. I still need to buy DD (aged 11)'s suit, the men's ties, favour boxes..... the list just goes on and on I suppose I have everything booked that needs booking and this is a weight off my mind!!!
Good luck, and be sure to keep us posted.


bellaminnie - Hi and welcome to our small (but extremely distinguished) group of S/D brides and grooms!!!
Your plans sound lovely!!! Timings are always a bit of a dilemma!!!
I think if I were you (and this is just my humble opinion), I would let go of the idea of the lighted gazeebo and have a late afternoon ceremony. This would mean that you could have some pictures at the Boardwalk afterwards in daylight, and some when all the lights are on. The Boardwalk looks beautiful with all the lights on and with the reflections of them in the water!!!
Where is your reception/meal? Would you want pictures taken there too? If so, you will need to consider timings for them too. Evening ceremonies are so beautiful, but do have an impact on the style of your photographs.
Good luck with all your planning and be sure to keep us all posted. When in May is your big day? There are a few of us with weddings/VRs in May!!
If you have any questions, or can help in any way, please don't hesitate to ask. We are a friendly bunch and will be honoured to help!!!

 

[bellaminnie]

KristiLyn - when i was planning my swan wedding in Nov which is now happening in may Karen told me to contact S&D directly for a mp3 player hookup.
This women actually emailed me a quote:
Shae Brummitt-Edwards
Administrative Assistant, PSAV® Presentation Services
Hotel Services Division, Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin
Direct:407.939.5786/ Fax: 407.939.5799 / KBrummittEdwards@PSAV.COM

Audio - 2 Powered Speaker System Packa
1 Tripod Speaker Stand
1 25' 1/4 Inch Speaker Cable
1 Passive Direct Box
1 15" 2-Way Powered Speaker
1 5 Channel Mixer (4 Mic 1 Line)

Subtotal$200.00
Discount$50.00
Service Charge* $48.30
Tax$12.88
Total Estimate $211.18

I was having a very small ceremony only a few people so they only put in for one speaker and i said i would bring my own mp3 player. Now that i'm planning for May i think i'm just going to buy some portable mp3 player speakers and bring my mp3 player. I think $211 is alot of $$ just for a speaker setup.

 

[KristiLyn]

That is ridiculously expensive for that!! Even just for one speaker it was $211?? If that's the cost, I might as well just go ahead with the violinist! It just seems weird not having any music, but I'm having trouble justifying paying that much for an extremely short ceremony!

 

[bellaminnie]

yeah i thought that was outrageous, you can always go with justmarry's
Pre-recorded music - $35 rental fee. i just really wanted to be able to pick my own music.

 

[KristiLyn]

yeah i thought that was outrageous, you can always go with justmarry's
Pre-recorded music - $35 rental fee. i just really wanted to be able to pick my own music.

I didn't even know they offered this!! Thank you so much!! I'll have to look into it.
Do you have any idea what kind of music they use?

 

[Jilian]

I didn't even know they offered this!! Thank you so much!! I'll have to look into it.
Do you have any idea what kind of music they use?

I didn't know about this either! What does the $35 rental fee include? There seem to be a lot of ways to save money that aren't openly advertised, thanks for the info!