Fairy Tale Wedding and Honeymoon -- Disney Style

by Linda Holloway, Photography by Holloway Productions

If you are dreaming of a destination wedding that includes a honeymoon, I have found the perfect place. In fact, some say it is the happiest place on earth. Here are a few hints: it is magical, enchanted and comes complete with a castle. Magic wands are in vogue, along with pixie dust and love potions. High profile celebrity couples such as Cinderella and Prince Charming, Minnie and Mickey Mouse, and Aurora and Prince Phillip live happily ever-after here. Of course it is Walt Disney World where dreams really do come true with a little help from Disney’s dream team of romance.

Planning a Walt Disney World Wedding

According to wedding industry experts, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, is recognized as a top-ranked honeymoon destination and wedding destination venue with more than 1,500 couples tying the knot here each year. Since 1991, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings has made dreams come true for more than 30,000. Most recently, Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings was honored with the highest award in the industry, "2007 Modern Bride Top 25 Trendsetter," for their work on continuing to set trends within the industry.

Couples can choose numerous venues including themed weddings from a Cinderella-like wedding in the Magic Kingdom or a Hollywood extravaganza in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yes, there is even a Cinderella’s ball reception. Some choose international themed nuptials at Epcot and a safari-themed reception at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, located near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a popular wedding venue where Cinderella Castle can be seen looming in the distance. If the choices seem daunting, all you have to do is wish upon a star and then go straight to DisneyWeddings.com where you can contact your very own resident fairy godmother for assistance.

To find out how smoothly the Disney wedding team executes a fairy tale wedding, my husband/photographer and I were excited to follow a princess and prince charming around on their wedding day. Amy Sousa and Louie Dickens planned a late November wedding, where the mild Florida climate complimented the occasion by hovering in the low 70’s. Elves were working the night shift, because each morning we would find fresh holiday decorations popping up in the theme parks adding another dimension to the romantic atmosphere. Since Amy and Louie’s families were located in several states, they realized a destination wedding was in order. "I enjoyed dozens of family vacations at Walt Disney World (WDW) with my family, and Louie and I both love spending time here. It just seemed like a logical place to share the beginning of our new family," says Amy. Louie had proposed to Amy 15 months prior to the wedding at Cinderella’s Royal Table in Cinderella Castle. After dinner, a waiter delivered a dessert platter covered with a silver dome where Amy discovered her engagement ring in an engraved glass slipper.

Wedding coordinator, Marion Stewart, was assigned to assist Amy and Louie along their wedding journey. After observing the efficiency of the wedding guru, I am sure that she had a fold-up magic wand in her purse. Marion, with a stack of wedding plans an inch thick, was able to answer everyone’s questions and coordinated a flawless wedding and reception with a smile. Prior to the wedding date, Amy traveled to WDW from Summerville, South Carolina, to plan the wedding. Next to Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, the princess to be, enjoyed a personalized planning session at Franck’s – a re-creation of Franck’s studio from the hit Touchstone movie, "Father of The Bride" that showcases all Disney’s wedding offerings.

At Franck’s, brides-to-be can select all the elements that comprise a storybook wedding: music, entertainment, photography, centerpieces, floral, cuisine, and cakes. Notice the designer gowns by Kirstie Kelly inspired by Cinderella, Snow White and other Disney princesses. Wedding prices began at $4,500 for an Escape Wedding Collection gathering for two, and Wishes Wedding Collection ceremonies start at $10,000. For brides seeking a designer flair, WDW has introduced a new line of celebrity-style wedding – Disney’s Couture Wedding Collection by David Tutera. His high-profile client list includes Jennifer Lopez and the designer also created events for the Grammy’s, royalty and socialites. Tutera offers brides four tailored styles to create the perfect atmosphere for their wedding.

The once-upon-a-time day for Amy & Louie began with a Magic Kingdom Portrait Session before the park opened. We mingled with the wedding party while awaiting the bride and her father at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion where we found Disney touches such as the junior bridesmaid’s fresh flower pomander fashioned into Mickey Mouse heads. Major Domo, Cinderella’s footman, was dressed for the occasion to present the rings which are also in the shape of Mickey heads. Then, just like in a Disney movie, Amy arrived in Cinderella’s Coach with six white horses dressed in a flowing white gown. After the nuptials, the couple exited the pavilion through a line of waving guests donning Mickey Mouse hats and blowing bubbles to board the carriage.

The next stop was the Living Seas Pavilion in Epcot for the reception where the décor comes with a 5.7 million-gallon salt water aquarium. Here, the whimsical Mad Hatter wedding cake took center stage. The first course was served on a pillow—a glowing ice sculpture in the form of a Cinderella slipper with a scoop of raspberry champagne sorbet. After a feast fit for royalty, the couple surprised everyone by a visit from WDW icons to assist in the cutting of the cake—the lovable Minnie and Mickey Mouse dressed in formal attire. It’s not quiet time to say, "They lived happily ever after," because there is more; Amy and Louie would be spending their honeymoon in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa where the romantic world of Disney was just a monorail ride away.

Honeymooning in Grand Style

Naturally, honeymoons are not meant to be shared, so we said goodbye to Amy and Louie, but they did leave us with helpful tips so we could enjoy our own version of romantic WDW. First, you can tell Rapunzal and handsome prince to forget the long hair routine and simply check in the front desk at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for romantic lodging. The Victorian structure with gabled roofs, latticework and turrets, towers and red-shingle roofs offers modern amenities including monorail service.

The breathtaking 5 story-high atrium lobby is capped with light filtering stained glass domes. Massive chandeliers sprinkle just the right amount of ambient lighting onto the space. I imagined the open-cage elevator was a time machine to the Victorian era, (we were in the land of magic), but it safely transported us to the next level where we found upscale shops and restaurants. The honeymoon rooms are the Club Level Deluxe King rooms (Code BP) located in the main building’s second floor, accessible only by a VIP elevator near the marina. Here, you will find king beds, whirlpool tubs and a straight-on view of Cinderella Castle. The BP category also includes the turret rooms on floors 3, 4, and 5.

Be sure to schedule an excursion on the Grand Floridian’s "Grand 1" yacht around Seven Seas Lagoon for a close-up view of "Wishes," the nightly fireworks display complete with Cinderella Castle in the background. Or, enjoy the show from the hotel’s marina. A dazzling lighting spectacle transforms the iconic Cinderella Castle into a glimmering, shimmering ice palace at holiday time. Bathed in more than 200,000 tiny white lights, the castle glows and glistens nightly through December.

Reserve some time for the Grand Floridian’s Spa and Health Club’s relaxing Aromatherapy Couples massage. Also, try the Couples Instructional Massage with step by step instructions in effective massage techniques with educational tips by your therapist as you and your spouse learn together. For fine dining, the hotel’s Citricos features market fresh cuisine from Southern Europe complete with starched white linens and a romantic atmosphere. Make reservations for AAA Five-Diamond Award winning dining at Victoria and Albert’s where dinner is served by your own maid and butler. This romantic haven comes with a harpist playing during the six course meal.

The "World of Disney" is as vast as your imagination, where you can experience the thrills and spills of all 4 theme parks, but there are romantic spots and unique activities as well. Reserve a Sunrise Safari that offers the chance to roam a true African savannah with more than 200 animal species at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, followed by breakfast. The Epcot DiveQuest is where you can dive in a six-million-gallon aquarium and come face to face with 65 species of marine life. When you visit Animal Kingdom, locate the secret path with waterfalls and lush foliage paralleling the main walkway between Asia and Africa. Without leaving WDW, enjoy the Eiffel Tower, watch IllumNations under the stars and enjoy a romantic dinner at the Bistro in France.

For quiet times, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride or a moonlit walk. At Disney’s BoardWalk, you can rent a surrey bike, enjoy nighttime entertainment at the Atlantic Dance Hall or try your singing skills at Jellyrolls. A must-see evening of entertainment featuring high wire and flying trapezes, stunning acro-grymnastic performances can be found at Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba in Downtown Disney. You will want to explore the shopping in Downtown Disney and if you don’t mind dining with a few munchkins (kids) enjoy a Bronto burger in the mist of lifelike dinosaurs, waterfalls and bubbling geysers at the new restaurant, T-Rex.

If you have used up all of your "wishes", WDW has a plan for your honeymoon expenses. Disney’s Honeymoon Registry,is a complimentary online service that allows you to create a gift registry for components of an all-inclusive honeymoon to Walt Disney World Resort, aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship, or select Disney Vacation Club Resorts. It includes gifts such as dining, theme park tickets and resort accommodations to a personal safari, or an after-hours visit to Magic Kingdom. Saying goodbye to WDW was not easy, but I still had my prince charming, and just like Amy and Louie, we are living "happily ever after."

Fast Facts: For WDW wedding information, call 407-566-7633 or www.disneyweddings.com; for honeymoon packages, call 877-566-0969 or visit www.disneyhoneymoons.com.