The Top Three Myths About Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings

I have got good stuff for you today, people. Welcome to the first post in a three part series by Carrie Hayward, known to many of you as lurkyloo. Carrie is a bonified expert on Disney weddings and is the author of PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons. I'm actually planning to do a full review and giveaway of her fabulous book, but since I'm unexpectedly in California for the next couple of weeks, we're going to do some guest posts instead. Carrie has been a major source of information and inspiration for me and I'm so glad she's my first guest author!


The Top Three Myths About Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings


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

If you’re reading this blog, you already know it’s possible to get married at Walt Disney World. But if you’re like me, your first reaction was probably, “Yeah, if you’re rich! …And totally princess-crazy! …And live in Florida!”

As I found out when I eventually became a Disney bride, these are the three biggest myths about Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings—that it’s super-expensive, that Disney only offers fairy tales and frippery, and that no one will travel that far to see you get married—and nothing could be further from the truth!

First, let’s tackle Myth #1: “Disney weddings are too expensive.”

Like many people, when I found out it was possible to get married at Walt Disney World, I just assumed that the cost would be astronomical. After all, this is the place where a bottle of water will set you back four bucks.

However, after a few weeks of researching wedding venues in my hometown, I realized that it was possible to have an entire Escape Collection wedding at Walt Disney World—including the site, the cake, the limo, the bouquet, photography and music—for less than it costs to rent an empty reception site near me in Los Angeles.

According to industry analyst The Wedding Report, the average cost of a wedding in 2009 was $20,000. This year, Disney’s Escape Collection wedding starts at $4,750, including tax, service charge and all the elements previously listed, plus theme park annual passes for the bride and groom—a $1,041 value. Even Disney’s completely customizable Wishes Collection has a minimum expenditure of just $10,000. (And, yes, it is possible to keep your costs at the minimum—but that’s a post for another day!) Plus, Disney has started running specials, like the current offer of two free hotel nights for the bride and groom if they book a Wishes Collection event before April 15, 2010 and hold it before December 15, 2010.

Of course, it is possible to have a wedding for a lot less than $10,000 or even $4,750 if, say, you follow a City Hall ceremony with dinner out for a few friends or you get married in your parents’ backyard (and you don’t rent a party tent and they don’t live in The Hamptons). Regional differences can also have a big effect on wedding costs—couples in small Midwestern and Southern towns will pay half or even a third as much as those in big cities on either coast.

But if you have your heart set on most of the elements of a traditional wedding reception—a ballroom, a catered meal, dancing—a Walt Disney World wedding might save you money and will definitely give you more bang for your buck!

For example, hiring a wedding planner may cost as much as 20% of your total wedding budget. All Disney weddings include the services of a planner at no extra charge. Even if you do hire a wedding planner, arranging a traditional wedding still requires you to run all over town scouting venues and meeting with vendors. Disney weddings require only a few phone consultations or a single on-site planning session, at which you get to make decisions on fun stuff like colors and cake flavors instead of boring stuff like outdoor heaters and cutlery rental.

A Disney Fairy Tale Wedding also offers the opportunity for magical touches that would cost a fortune anywhere else – like holding a cocktail hour, rehearsal dinner or dessert party in front of a dazzling fireworks show. And while there are plenty of pricey extras to drive up the cost of a Walt Disney World wedding, you could forego all of them and still enjoy the world-class quality and service that set Disney events apart from typical reception hall weddings.

Up Next: Myth #2 – All Disney Weddings Are Princess-y
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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.