Disney Wedding Podcast

This week, Brian Klose-Koehler shares the story of his wedding ceremony at Paddlefish in Disney Springs and reception at Italy Isola in Epcot. You’ll hear how he and Allen decided to combine a non-Disney ceremony with a Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings reception, what it was like working with two different planners, and their tips for saving money on both events. You’ll also hear advice on having an outdoor reception inside a theme park, how they surprised their guests with a Frozen Ever After ride mix-in, and what happened when their original reception venue became unavailable a month before their big day! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Charlotte Harvey-Butler shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at the Grand Floridian’s Whitehall Room & Patio. She talks about how she planned the event from the UK with no in-person planning session, and what she did to bring UK wedding traditions to the US. Charlotte also shares her favorite menu items, floral and decor tips, and the story of her choreographed first dance—including five different dance styles set to seven different Disney songs! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Amy Shaw shares how she and Mike had the last Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding at Walt Disney World before the resorts closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll hear how they originally cancelled a hold on a local venue to plan an elopement at Luau Pointe for just the two of them, what happened when they found out the Disney parks were closing as they arrived in Orlando, and how they managed to have a magical wedding day despite it all—complete with an extra photo shoot at Animal Kingdom Lodge, a character brunch at Topolino's Terrace, and a wedding photo bomb by Pluto! Click here to see all the photos!

On today’s show, Celia Kucera shares how she and her fiancé had to postpone their March 28 wedding at Walt Disney’s World’s Shades of Green resort due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and how they then decided to elope instead! You’ll hear how they got engaged, what their original wedding plans were, and how they were able to pull together an impromptu wedding in just three days. Celia also shares her plans for their eventual wedding celebration, which was rescheduled for December, and her best advice for anyone whose wedding has been or may be affected by the pandemic. See all the photos here!

This week, Disney bride Michelle Santillan  joins me for an in-depth look at Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings' March 13–14, 2020 Wedding Showcase at Walt Disney World. We cover all the  Showcase Exhibits, the "Happily Ever After" fireworks Welcome Dessert Party, the Self-Guided Venue Tour, the Planning a Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding 101 session and the Menu Planning Experience. We also look at what was new and different this year, what was most valuable, what we wish we'd seen and whether a future bridal showcase would be worth the trip for couples planning weddings and vow renewals in Florida. Click here to see a bazillion photos of all the food, cake, floral, decor, venues and activities at the showcase!

This week, Kaitlyn Divelbiss shares the story of her ceremony at Bonsai Promenade in the Japan Pavilion and reception at GM Lounge. She discusses how she and Christian chose these two venues, what the planning process was like, and her tips on decorating GM Lounge. She also offers great advice on the transportation required for in-park events and a unique tip to guarantee you have a memorable wedding day. Click here to see all the photos + a video!

Today, Shikha Saxena and Anupam Kumar share the story of their ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at the Grand Floridian Ballroom. You’ll hear how they were able to combine traditional elements of an Indian wedding with Disney touches—including Anupam’s ride to the Wedding Pavilion on Rapunzel’s horse for the Baraat procession! They also discuss using outside vendors for food and decor at their “Whole New World”-themed reception. And they share how they hosted a Sangeet welcome party at Italy Isola and American Adventure Rotunda, complete with traditional dances performed by family, friends and the bride and groom. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Tania Castellanos shares the story of her wedding at the Grand Californian at Disneyland, including a ceremony in Brisa Courtyard and a reception in the Wisteria Room. Tania talks about how her plans for a large in-park wedding changed when Sleeping Beauty Castle went under refurbishment at the same time that she and Art decided they wanted to have a second, Catholic ceremony. They ended up using the (now-discontinued) Escape Collection package for a small Disney wedding followed by a large fairy tale-themed wedding at home in Baja California, complete with a giant castle cake suspended from the ceiling! Tania and Art also flew to Florida for bridal portrait sessions in Epcot and Magic Kingdom in order to incorporate a Disney castle into their celebration. Click here to see all the photos! 

Today’s guest is Christen Cunningham, who gave up a deposit on an at-home wedding venue to have a UK Courtyard wedding in Epcot after seeing the one on Season 1 of the Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings TV show. In this episode we discuss some of the differences between what is presented on the show and what is actually available, including the swaps Christen made that ultimately lead to her dream ceremony in Epcot’s UK Courtyard and reception at Ariel’s. She also shares her top menu items and planning advice for anyone interested in a wedding or vow renewal at Walt Disney World. Click here to see all the photos!

It's not déjà vu! Because Disney radically changed the way they price Walt Disney World weddings just days after the release of this year’s “How to Start Planning Your Disney World Wedding ” episode, this week, Disney bride Carissa Redden and I have recorded an all-new episode incorporating the new pricing structure. Whether you’ve been planning your Disney wedding in your head for years or you just discovered that Disney does weddings, today’s show has the steps and tips that will set you on the path to your dream Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding or vow renewal. Today we will help you with the first four crucial steps: Understand how Disney prices weddings now, pick a date, estimate the number of guests, and prepare for your first call to Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. Click here to see all of Carissa's photos! And click these links to hear the other episodes mentioned on today's show: Complete Details on the New Pricing for Disney Weddings How to Have a Small Wedding for the Minimum Expenditure How To Have A Lar

Today, BrieAnn West shares the story of her ceremony at Epcot’s Canada Terrace, pre-reception at Abracadabar and reception at The Attic, with a dessert party at UK Lochside in Epcot. You’ll hear how she incorporated non-traditional choices into their French vintage-themed wedding, including parasols instead of bridesmaids bouquets and a magician instead of a DJ. BrieAnn also shares details of her paleo autoimmune protocol-friendly brunch menu and the distinctly themed margaritas she added to each of her events—including one that changed colors!   Click here to see all the photos!

With the recent elimination of Disney’s Memories package for elopements and vow renewals, you may be wondering if it is possible to have a small wedding at Walt Disney World for the lowest of the new Event Minimum Expenditures. Today, Memories bride Mariela Betancourt joins me to show you exactly how to pull off a small wedding or vow renewal at the lowest possible price, including tips for customizing and enhancing your event while staying within the minimum. Mari shares what she learned during her own planning, what she’d do differently now, and whether she thinks a Disney wedding under the new pricing structure is still worth it. Click here for resources and to see Mari's photos!

Today, Shelby Baird shares the story of her ceremony at Port Orleans Riverside's Oak Manor Lawn and reception at the Grand Floridian's St. Augustine Ballroom. You'll hear how she and Daniel chose this unique ceremony venue and get answers to frequently asked questions about using it. Shelby also shares her top planning tips, best menu items and favorite cake flavors. And you'll learn how she worked with Disney on her elaborate floral and decor.  Click here to see all the photos!

The Disney Wedding Podcast will return with a new episode next week! In the meantime, please enjoy this classic episode full of timeless tips. Wading through Disney’s beverage options and bar packages can be overwhelming and confusing. And if price is a factor, it can be especially difficult trying to estimate how much your guests will drink. On today’s show, I’m joined by Beth Landry, who shares her experience coordinating bars for six private events. Together we break down the three different ways to pay for the bar, compare package vs. bill-on-consumption bars, explain how to BYOB, and offer lots of tips for saving big on beverages.

Yesterday, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings replaced their Wishes, Escape and Memories collections with a new pricing structure that makes every wedding and vow renewal a completely customizable event, with no guest limits or weekday restrictions. Today, Disney bride Shantel Kinzler joins me to discuss everything you need to know about the new way weddings are planned and priced at Walt Disney World. We cover the new flat Event Minimum Expenditure, including what counts toward it and how it is calculated based on the ceremony venue, day and time you choose. We also talk about changes to dessert parties, how to add cake and Champagne to your ceremony-only event, and what happens if you’ve already signed a contract but want to take advantage of the new pricing. Additionally, this episode covers the planning process from start to finish, including a timeline of the major financial milestones: paying the deposit, paying the minimum expenditure, paying the balance, and settling up after the event. And we answer freque

Today, Nonica Tran shares the story of her Christmas Eve wedding at Walt Disney World. Nonica and Jeremy opted for a morning ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and a short brunch at California Grill to give friends and family time to celebrate the holiday that evening. You'll hear how they incorporated Christmas accents into their floral and decor, how they chose their venues, and what their favorite memory is from the day. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Sophie Hewkin shares the story of her Escape Collection ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, cake reception at the Whitehall Room & Patio, meal in the private Moonlight Room at Coronado Springs’ Toledo, and dessert party at Epcot’s Eau de France. Sophie talks about what it was like planning from the UK, how she and Joe chose their locations and package options, and the logistics of planning a group reservation at Toledo when paying with the Disney Dining Plan. Click here to see all the photos!

One of the best-kept secrets of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings is that you may use non-Disney vendors for many aspects of your event. Whether you’re allowed to hire outside vendors depends on your venue and the type of service, but it can be a great way to save money or get more bang for your buck! On today’s show, Disney bride Robin Galry joins me to discuss the types of outside vendors you may hire, where you are allowed to use outside vendors, how much money you can save, and whether Disney charges an outside vendor fee for each type of service. You’ll hear how to save as much as 50% by using outside vendors for chairs, linens, place settings, floral, decor, pipe-and-drape and even a light-up dance floor. We’ll also discuss where you can incorporate DIY projects and dispel the myth that using outside vendors is more complicated than using Disney. Click here to see Robin's photos!

Today, Liz Walter returns to the show to share the story of her Wishes Collection 20th anniversary vow renewal, with ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at GM Conference Center and dessert party at UK Lochside! Liz shares how she and Nick decided to have a vow renewal, how they chose the venues and extensive advice on selecting their "Around the World at Epcot" menu. She also offers tips for planning an event with lots of kids and her best advice for anyone considering a vow renewal at Walt Disney World.  Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Heather Lammardo shares the story of her Memories wedding at Luau Pointe. She discusses how she and Ron decided to switch from the Escape Collection to the Memories Collection, how they chose the venue, and what she did to customize the Memories package—including ordering a cake from Grand Floridian Private Dining and adding a bouquet by outside vendor Lee Forrest. Heather also talks about adding a Magic Kingdom bridal portrait session and gives her top tips for anyone looking to customize a Memories event. Click here to see all the photos!