Disney Wedding Podcast

Today, Katie Petrozzino shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at Grand Floridian Ballroom Salon 6, and Luminous The Story of Us dessert party at EPCOT’s Germany Promenade. You’ll hear how she and Jordan were able to focus on guest experience while saving money via DIYs and reusing floral and décor. Plus, she discusses the meetings they requested with chefs at the Grand Floridian and EPCOT to ensure their reception and dessert party menus offered plenty of options for guests with food allergies, from the vegan mac ‘n’ cheese bar to the gluten- and dairy-free wedding cake! Click here to see ALL the photos!

This week, Sharli and Shane Gulley return to the show to share the story of their 10-year vow renewal ceremony at Oak Manor Lawn, with a pre-reception at Animal Kingdom’s Harambe Train Station, a ride mix-in  on Flight of Passage, and a reception at Festival of the Lion King. Because color was such an important part of their wedding, for their vow renewal they juxtaposed colorful venues and lush greenery with a Black & White theme for décor and guest attire. Today you’ll hear how they worked within the constraints of the Festival of the Lion King venue to achieve their vision, plus the story of their Fantasmic! welcome party and why Disney’s pre-park-opening portrait sessions are worth every  penny! Click here to see all the photos, and click here to listen to the story of their Disney wedding!

Today, Kaitlyn Niland shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at GM Lounge, and welcome party at Terrace des Fleurs. As a professional project manager, Kaitlyn did considerable planning for her wedding, from creating a detailed estimate of where guests might stay in the room block to working closely with Disney on a gluten-free menu and cake after a disappointing experience at the menu-tasting event. In this episode, she shares her top planning tips, plus the things she would change if she were to do it all over again.  Click here to listen and see all the photos!

This week, Stephanie and Sal Izelle share the story of their Wedding Pavilion ceremony, Italy Isola cocktail hour, and American Adventure Rotunda reception. They offer their favorite menu items and cake flavors, tips for saving money on floral and décor, and advice for those who worry that guests won't be able to handle the late-night timing for American Adventure receptions. Plus, you'll hear all about their welcome party at  Fantasmic! the night before. Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Karen Hooper shares the story of her wedding at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. Because she and John couldn’t fit all the Disney wedding events they wanted into a single day, they decided to  hold theirs over two days, in two parks. They started with a ceremony at GM Lounge to give them a great view of Spaceship Earth, followed by a  short celebration in the same venue, complete with food, dancing and a visit by Mickey and Minnie! Then they took guests to Mexico Vista for a dessert party in front of the fireworks, followed by a ride mix-in on Soarin’. The next day, they treated guests to mix-ins at Kilimanjaro Safaris and The Festival of the Lion King, then got escorted to Tamu Tamu  Courtyard by Disney’s Uninvited Guests, a pair of actors posing as wedding crashers. There they had dinner, more dancing, a cake cutting, and an appearance by Safari Goofy! In this episode, Karen talks about the logistics of a multiday wedding, including why she now recommends it to everyone! Click here to see ALL the photos!

This week, Disney bride Alyssa Tapia shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at the Grand Floridian Ballroom Salons VI–IX. You’ll hear how she worked with myriad outside vendors to bring her entertainment and décor vision to life, including a light-up dance floor, full draping, and a flower wall, plus dancers, drummers, stilt walkers and, of course, Mickey and Minnie! Alyssa also discusses her welcome party at Tamu Tamu Courtyard, complete with an appearance by Safari Daisy and Donald and the Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe. Click here to see all the photos!

Whether you’ve been planning your Walt Disney World 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. Disney bride Kelly Magrath and I cover how 2024 pricing works—including how to stick to the lowest Event Minimum Expenditure—how to book your event, and how the planning process works. Kelly also shares details and advice from her own ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, with a pre-reception at the Whitehall Room, fireworks at Italy Isola, and a reception at American Adventure Rotunda—plus a welcome party at the Marina Patio & Terrace! Here are some other episodes to get you started planning your Walt Disney World wedding or vow renewal: How to Set Up a Room Block Disney Park Portrait Session FAQ How to Save a Bundle on the Bar Menu-Planning Tips How to Get Your Marriage License How to Get the Floral & Décor You Want at a Price You Can Afford How to U

Today, Mary Stump shares the story of her ceremony at Oak Manor Lawn, reception at Citricos, and dessert party at Terrace des Fleurs. You'll hear how she and Jason chose these locations and how they prioritized guest experience with surprises like an appearance by Mickey and Minnie and a ride mix-in on Remy's Ratatouille Adventure. You'll also hear how Mary worked with Disney on gluten-free menu items and was able to add a gluten-free tier to their wedding cake.  Click here to see all the photos! 

This week, Laura Iaconiani shares the story of her vow renewal aboard the Disney Wish, with a ceremony in the Atrium and a reception at The Bayou. You’ll hear how they chose the Wish, which upgrades they made to the standard package, and why they decided to use their own photographers and makeup artist on the cruise. Laura also shares how they customized the ceremony  with a comedic vocal performance by her sisters!  Click here to listen and see all the photos!

Today, Kaitlyn Chelkis shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at American Adventure Rotunda, and dessert party at Italy Isola. Guest experience was one of her and Michael’s top priorities, and in this episode Kaitlyn shares how they treated guests to fireworks, a Pittsburgh cookie table, and a rehearsal dinner at Animal Kingdom’s Harambe Station, complete with a Kilimanjaro Safaris ride mix-in. You’ll also hear about one of Kaitlyn’s favorite memories of the day: riding in Cinderella’s Glass Coach! Click here to see ALL the photos!

This week, Kari Schultz shares the story of her Christmas-themed ceremony at Italy Plaza and reception at California Grill—plus a welcome party with Safari ride mix-in at Tamu Tamu Courtyard and a dessert party at Germany Promenade, complete with an Ugly Sweater contest and Soarin’ ride mix-in! Kari shares how she incorporated her “elegant Christmas with a touch of Disney” theme by choosing the most lavishly decorated EPCOT pavilion and incorporating greenery, berries, and candles in the décor. You’ll also hear how Disney surprised her and Matthew with brand-new Christmas outfits for Mickey and Minnie that had just arrived from Hong Kong Disneyland! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Carly Manuel shares the story of her Grand Floridian Marina ceremony, Citricos celebration, and Germany Promenade dessert party in EPCOT. You’ll hear how she and Aldy were able to prioritize guest experience and photography by making money-saving choices like using resort venues that required no transportation and DIYing personal floral. Carly also discusses their decision to do a pre-park-opening portrait session in Magic Kingdom the same day as the wedding, which meant getting up at 2:30 am and having their first look before heading to the park! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Kimberly Newberry and Rich Lowe share the story of their ceremony at Sea Breeze Point, cocktail hour at Germany Promenade, and reception at UK Courtyard. You’ll hear how they incorporated their Mary Poppins theme into the ceremony and  reception, including the restrictions surrounding Mary’s appearance and how they got the most bang for their décor buck. They also share details of their welcome party at Harambe Train Station with Flight of Passage ride mix-in and their farewell party at The Attic with a surprise visit from Mickey! Plus, you’ll get their best tips for requesting specific rain backup locations and how not to fall asleep during your pre-park-opening portrait session! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Juliana Pónce shares the story of her ceremony at BoardWalk Inn's Croquet Lawn and reception at Atlantic Dance Hall. You'll hear how she and Nick saved money by choosing venues that need little decoration, renting silk bouquets, and forgoing transportation. This allowed them to incorporate one of their top priorities—Disney fireworks—in the form of a guest-pleasing EPCOT welcome party at UK Lochside, complete with a custom menu featuring dishes that honored the couple's Hispanic heritage. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Allison Borden shares the story of her vow renewal ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel’s Rose Court Garden and reception at the Sleeping Beauty Pavilion. Guest experience was one of her top priorities, and today she talks about how she and Frank added a surprise appearance by Mickey and Minnie, plus a viewing of World of Color at Disney California Adventure, to make theirs an unforgettable event. Allison also shares how she cut her floral and décor budget, what it was like to do a pre-park-opening portrait session inside Disneyland the next day, and why sleep should be a top pre-wedding priority! Click here to see ALL the photos!

Today, Jenn Riley shares the story of her Haunted Mansion-themed Disney wedding, with a ceremony at the Grand Floridian Marina and a reception at the Grand Floridian Convention Center's St. Augustine D Ballroom. Because Haunted Mansion is her favorite ride, one of Jenn's top priorities was incorporating it into as many aspects of her wedding as possible, from her bouquet and accessories to the music and reception décor. In this episode, she shares how she accomplished that, including surprising guests with a visit from Mickey and Minnie in their Halloween attire! Plus, you'll hear all about the Fantasmic! welcome party she and Bill planned for their guests. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Lyndsey Dangerfield shares the story of her ceremony at Sea Breeze Point and reception at the Grand Floridian's Citricos. Lyndsey and Vincent's priority was creating an elegant event that wasn't stuffy, and in this episode she shares how they achieved this, including working within the restrictions at Citricos by choosing a specific layout, adding greenery to compensate for the no-linens policy, and even coordinating the colors of the entire wedding (down to the bridesmaids' gowns) with the restaurant's décor. You'll also hear how they made time for a private moment and great photo op aboard the Skyliner by having a first look, and why surprising their guests with Mickey and Minnie was worth every penny! Click here to see all the photos! 

Today, Chelsea Marquis shares the story of her Oak Manor Lawn ceremony, GM Lounge reception, and Germany Promenade dessert party. Guest experience was one of Chelsea's top priorities, and today she talks about how adding experiences like the fireworks dessert party, a Remy's Ratatouille Adventure ride mix-in, and an appearance by Mickey and Goofy made her wedding a unique experience for the friends and family who traveled all the way to Orlando for it. Chelsea also shares how she dealt with the lack of ideas presented by Disney by doing her own research in the Fairytale Weddings Guide and Disney wedding-focused Facebook groups! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Mercedez Dunn-Gallier and Jereme' Gallier share the story of their Tree of Life ceremony, Harambe Marketplace cocktail hour, Asbury Hall A & B reception at the Yacht Club, and EPCOT Eau de France dessert party. Guest experience and food were among their top priorities, and today they share how they added a surprise Kilimanjaro Safaris ride mix-in and worked with a chef at their group menu tasting to ensure these aspects wowed. You'll also hear how they used outside vendors to incorporate elements of the African diaspora into their ceremony and reception. Click here to see ALL the photos!

Today, Jen Hanzel shares the story of her Wedding Pavilion ceremony, Italy Isola West Plaza pre-reception, and American Adventure Rotunda reception. You'll hear how she and Chris decided to follow their pandemic-era microwedding with a large event at Walt Disney World, how they chose their date and locations, and what their top priorities were. And, since Jen is a professional project manager, she shares great tips on how she planned—and stayed within her budget! Click here to see ALL the photos!