What Is It Like to Get Married at Walt Disney World?

As a follow up to my previous article regarding planning a Disney Fairytale Wedding , I thought I would share some insight into the actual day of the event. For some, planning a wedding can be very stressful. The flip side of this is getting to the day of the wedding and enjoying the results of those decisions.



All photos courtesy the author

Disney offers multiple time slot options for the actual wedding ceremony. Each time has a different cost, with the late afternoon and evening spots being the most expensive. To save some cost and plan a full day of celebrating, my-then fiancé and I chose to have a morning ceremony at Seabreeze Point, located on the Boardwalk.

With a destination wedding, planning time to have a rehearsal can be difficult, especially with the actual wedding being early in the morning. Our planner, however, was able to work with us and find a time that fit both the need to go through the events taking place during the ceremony, while still allowing us to have fun in the parks with our family. Many of our family and friends were arriving Friday evening, with our wedding being held on Sunday morning. This left a small window of time on Saturday morning for a rehearsal, followed by breakfast at ‘Ohana. Most of our family showed up on time, the rehearsal was straightforward, and left everyone with a sense of calmness going into the big day.

The day of the wedding flowed smoothly as well. Our Fairytale Wedding planner was very specific on where everyone needed to be and at what time. This helped to make a day which can become somewhat stressful seem very laid back and enjoyable. Throughout our ceremony, reception, and dessert party in the evening, the Fairytale Wedding staff was organized and pleasant.

The ceremony itself was less than a half hour but was beautiful, as it took place right near the water on the Boardwalk. A violinist introduced our wedding party; we exchanged vows, and we conducted a sand ceremony where my wife and I took two separate jars of sand and made them one. Perhaps the best part of the wedding ceremony was my best man. Long before the day of the wedding, my wife and I created a plan to prank my best man. We had our wedding planner in on the prank as well. Shortly before the ceremony, our wedding planner asked my best man if she could borrow our wedding rings for a moment. She never gave them back to him before the ceremony started. Once we arrived at the part of the ceremony where the rings were to be presented, my best man was asked for the rings. Panic took him over as he searched his pockets for the rings. Our reverend then called out for the rings, and a Majordomo entered the pavilion carrying our rings. Everyone at the wedding had a good laugh. The ceremony then continued on and finished without a hitch.

Our reception was held at the Attic, which is located above Jellyrolls on the Boardwalk. The venue itself is small in comparison to the other areas located on Disney property, however it fit the idea we were going for when planning our wedding. We wanted to feel like we were on Disney property without the in-your-face promotion that you oftentimes come across in the parks. The Attic provided a quaint and rustic feel, set with a backdrop of Spaceship Earth against the blue sky. The reception was not without its fair share of surprises. Our first dance was played by a violinist; we had 2 uninvited guests crash our party, and even a few characters such as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Chip and Dale dropped by. With the reception being early, a wide array of breakfast and lunch foods were served, which gave our guests many options to choose from whatever they may be in the mood for.

Since the reception finished by 2 pm, this left plenty of time for me and some other wedding attendees to take in some football at the ESPN Club on the Boardwalk. This provided some time to unwind and take in the events of the day, while getting ready to enjoy the evening.

The day of the wedding ended with a dessert party held in the Italy pavilion at Epcot, taking in Illuminations with all the wedding guests. For my wife and I as well as a couple of friends, the dessert party provided us a glimpse of backstage, as we were taken in through the back of the Italy pavilion. During the dessert party itself and even a few times on the Boardwalk after, my wife had a little girls come up to her asking if she was a princess.

The desserts served at the party were delicious. We had a wide array of food from brownies to donuts and carrot cake. Having attended a fireworks party in the past at the Magic Kingdom, the food served he vastly surpassed my expectations. The fireworks show itself was spectacular. I have seen the Illuminations show before, however the viewing area in Italy provided the best view I have ever taken in.

The party itself was an excellent way to cap off a tremendous day. Even to this day, as we quickly approach our one-year anniversary, people still have nothing but great things to say about the wedding day. The Fairytale Wedding experience was nothing short of perfect. While there may have been a few bumps in the road, with the help of the wedding planners and various other staff, we all succeeded in creating a magical day for me, my wife, and the rest of our family and friends who attended.

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