Our Guests Won’t Travel That Far

The Top Three Myths About Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Myth #3 – Our Guests Won’t Travel That Far

by

Carrie Hayward
Author, PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons
www.passporter.com/weddings.asp


We’ve established the fact that Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings can be affordable, and we’ve dispelled the notion that they only offer princess-y weddings. But for many people, the biggest obstacle to a Walt Disney World wedding is the misconception that no one will travel that far to attend it.

The first thing to note is that destination weddings are becoming more and more common—The Knot’s 2009 survey found that one in five couples planned an out-of-town wedding, while one in 10 planned to wed more than 200 miles from where they lived. In the words of another Disney bride, these days nobody lives in the same town as all their friends and family, so every wedding is a destination wedding for someone!

Unlike many destination-wedding locales, Orlando is easily accessible from most cities, offers accommodations at all price points, and is kid-friendly, making it easy for your guests to turn a trip to your wedding into a family vacation. This may be why Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings reports that Walt Disney World weddings draw a greater percentage of the guest list than the 50%–75% typical for a destination wedding.

There are also a number of things you can do to increase the likelihood that those invited will attend and make it easier on the ones who do.

• Hold your event during Disney’s Value Season. Hotel prices (and usually airfare) will be cheaper and crowds will be lighter. If you block a certain number of hotel rooms, Disney offers your guests discounts of up to 30% off rack rates. Alternatively, they may take advantage of any discount they qualify for, including AAA, Annual Passholder, PIN offers, and seasonal discounts like the free Disney Dining Plan frequently available in September.

• Send “save the date” cards with the wedding date and location as soon as you have signed your contract. Wedding invitations are usually sent out only a month or two before the big day, so a save-the-date card will give your guests plenty of time to start planning and saving for a trip.

• Point your guests in the direction of helpful Disney vacation-planning websites or enlist the services of a travel agent to answer their questions and book their trips. You can also keep guests in the loop with a wedding website and/or a newsletter that covers everything they need to know about your event.

• Once guests arrive, show them your gratitude with a casual welcome party or thoughtful welcome bags containing essentials like sunscreen, bottled water, and Disney park maps. It is also helpful to provide transportation to and from wedding-day events.

And for those who are unable to attend your wedding, consider holding a reception in your hometown a few months later. Whether you plan a formal event that mimics a wedding reception or throw together a backyard barbecue, a home reception will let you share your photos, video and memories with a wider circle of family and friends and give them a chance to participate in the celebration.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carrie Hayward is the author of PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons, a guidebook and bridal organizer for weddings, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies and honeymoons at Walt Disney World and on the Disney Cruise Line. She was married in Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion, with a reception at The Attic at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort and an IllumiNations dessert party at Epcot’s United Kingdom Lochside patio.