Caitlyn & Steven Wishes Wedding WP/LSS 09/09/2014

[WingsofThread]

Hi! It's been quite the journey, but now that my agreement is being written I thought I would share my story and share our journey to be married in Walt Disney World

My name is Caitlyn and my fiance is Steve. We met at an anime convention (Japanese convention of art, music, movies, and cartoons) in Baltimore back in July of 2009. He had asked me to dance during one of the nightly dances that were going on. The convention had over 30k people attending and when we got to talking we realized that we only lived 25 minutes away from each other! This sparked a friendship that became a formal relationship on September 9, 2009.



On May 23, 2012 we went to the beach for a one-day getaway and on the balcony of the hotel he surprised me with he proposed! I wasn't really *that* surprised by it, but it was still special. I didn't know WHEN he'd propose, but I knew it was coming in the some-time near future









Although we both have NEVER been to Disney together, and neither of us personally have been in the past 5-7, we still felt that Disney was the perfect place to tie the knot and start of lives officially together. It's been a long time coming, but now we've got our agreement being made up and on its way back to us! We've been confirmed for our Tuesday September 9, 2014 wedding! It will be a 10AM ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and a brunch reception to follow at the Living Seas Salon!

Our current budget for Disney is $15k. We are hoping to keep our guest list under 55 people, but are inviting a total of 63!

I'm very excited to share this journey with you!

Caitlyn <3

 

[WingsofThread]

I finally jumped the gun and put down our deposits for our wedding photographers and officiant

Photography was not really a difficult choice for us! From the moment I saw their portfolio I KNEW that David and Vicki Arndt would be our wedding photographers! Everything they have posted poured love and laughs! You can see their facebook here with links to their online website and other information regarding them (https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoWeddings). Once I was able to get in touch with Vicki about our wedding I was so overcome and warmed with Vicki's radiance and passion for photography. I'm so happy we are going to have them for our wedding and cannot wait to meet them!

Our officiant was not difficult per say to choose, but I really didn't know what to look for in a wedding officiant. It took some online research, but once I spoke with Reverend Kevin Knox and his wife I felt at home. Kevin is so professional and his voice is so smooth and warming. I'm very excited to meet Kevin and get to know them a bit more.

 

[charliegirl76]

Welcome and Congratulations!! You're such a cute couple! Your ring is beautiful!!!

DF and I have never been to WDW together either....he's never been! But we have gone to DL together. We both love Disney, and since his family would have to travel where ever we got married, it was a no brainer for us too!

We are also using Rev. Kevin Knox! We got to meet him during our planning session and he's a really great guy.

I look forward to seeing your plans!

 

[wiigirl]

Congratulations!

 

[WingsofThread]

We are also using Rev. Kevin Knox! We got to meet him during our planning session and he's a really great guy.

I haven't had the chance to even speak to him yet! I have spoken via e-mail to his wife and she seems very sweet~ I can't wait to meet him and his wife personally! Or really to get started on our ceremony! I've heard such wonderful things about him and how he will do a very customized ceremony, so I hope I don't scare him away with my customization! hehe!

 

[WingsofThread]

Congratulations!

Thank you!!

 

[goteamSy]

Congrats! Pretty ring

 

[elphie101]

Congrats!!! I'm here and following along!

 

[WingsofThread]

I finally got around to ordering our save-the-date magnets and special envelopes!! I wanted to wait until we knew we had gotten out date and location before printing them.

I bought a template from a seller on Etsy called "Beetle and Quill". She was super amazing to work with! Once we received our finals I was able to order them on a 5x5 magnet. I can't wait to get them in the mail to send out with of course- Disney Stamps. Since this was such a big mailing piece and we wanted Tiffany Blue envelopes, we had them custom made for order at a great rate over at Paper Presentations!! I really just can't wait until they both arrive in the mail (hopefully next week!).

 

[er3465]

Hello hello! Wanted to say hi over here on the boards, and that we have the same ring! Don't you just love it, it distracts me all the time lol! As I said on the fb group love the save the dates! Can't wait to hear more of your plans!!

 

[WingsofThread]

I am happy to say that we finally got our wedding planners about 2 days ago SO Far, I cannot say ENOUGH great things about Carol and her assistant Lacee!!! They are FANTASTIC!

We were also able to plan our planning session for November this year. We were going down early November for our engagement shoot with David and Vicki Arndt as well as our site visit. Unfortunately we are unable to go down again until the wedding due to my fiances work schedule and our finances so we are very lucky to be able to hold our planning session while down there. The only thing we won't have is our menu tasted because Epcot is booked one day and unavailable the next. I'm a littttttle (ok, a lot) bummed by this, but it should be fine.

ANYWAY, very exciting that things are rolling on!!

 

[MichiganMinnieMouse]

Congratulations on your upcoming DFTW! Your ring is absolutely gorgeous! Great pick with the date by the way (its my birthday!)


On a side note: I was wondering how difficult it was for you to schedule your planning session earlier than the six month window? DF and I are heading down in December and will be unable to make another trip down until the wedding (11/3/14). I would love to do the planning session then, but I wasn't sure it was possible.

 

[Charminique121314]

Congratulations!! Your ring is beautiful!!

I just noticed you are from Baltimore, I'm from Glen Burnie!! Go Maryland DFTW Brides!

 

[WingsofThread]

Congratulations on your upcoming DFTW! Your ring is absolutely gorgeous! Great pick with the date by the way (its my birthday!)


On a side note: I was wondering how difficult it was for you to schedule your planning session earlier than the six month window? DF and I are heading down in December and will be unable to make another trip down until the wedding (11/3/14). I would love to do the planning session then, but I wasn't sure it was possible.

Ha Love it! It was not difficult at ALL to schedule our planning session outside the 6 month window. All I did was once I had my planner I called and made the appointment and they were super accommodating I'll be making a post about my PS soon so keep an eye out!!

 

[WingsofThread]

Congratulations!! Your ring is beautiful!!

I just noticed you are from Baltimore, I'm from Glen Burnie!! Go Maryland DFTW Brides!

Really? We should plan a meet-up or something! I haven't met someone *that* close! Glen Burnie is about 45 minutes-hour away from me!

 

[asunnysideup]

Hey fellow Bioshock fan! Excited to follow along on your PJ!

 

[Charminique121314]

Lol. Sounds like a plan. And now that my date is FINALLY official I can truly say we are both 2014 DFTW brides

 

[WingsofThread]

I am *SO* behind!!

Our planning session and site visit was this past November (2013) and it was such a fun trip! It was our first time going to Florida together and "seeing" Disney World as a couple

Our planning session with Carol went amazingly! She really listened to what our concerns were money wise and really helped us pick out what our dream was! She is so incredibly patient and is just a total sweetheart. I ask so many questions (and still do e-mail her asking her things) and she hands me all the information I need and asks me if there is anything else before moving on. We are truly blessed with such a fantastic planner!

Our planning session went by pretty quickly...Steve and I already knew what we wanted as far as our wedding and I had crunched so many numbers and written down mock BEO's, it was very straightforward. I did add the Cinderella Coach and Dapper Dans to my BEO, but there is a high possibility they will be cut as the wedding gets closer. Really trying to save my money, but with us moving in the Spring and whatnot it's been difficult.

Unfortunately, we were unable to schedule/have a menu tasting. Since our reception is located in Epcot the chefs were all very busy with Food & Wine which was going on that weekend. I'm pretty confident our brunch food will taste divine, but still really sad I missed out on that experience!

Our floral planner Elizabeth also met with us and she immediately got our "vision" for our floral and centerpieces. I felt bad because at the current time we are unsure if we are even having any floral except the toss petals for our staged exit so her job was pretty simple otherwise

Here I am with the giant cake in Francks! Carol actually mentioned to us that she's had people order that cake and 98% of it gets thrown away! That's so sad, but it is really beautiful!



We also had our site visit that weekend to see the Wedding Pavilion and the Living Seas Salon, our locations! Let me tell you something...both of those venues do not do pictures ANY sort of justice. They are STUNNING in person! Have some photos



































So yeah! Both places were a little difficult for my old point and shoot to capture as well as others may have gotten it, but you got the point

I also recently got our Engagement Pictures back from David and Vicki Arndt that I'll share with you soon<3

Until next time!

 

[elphie101]

Hooray planning session! I think it's so funny that most PJs have posts along the line of "I'm so behind" - because of all the wedding planning!!

We won't be doing a site visit when we go down for our PS, though we'll probably try to peek into Atlantic Dance Hall on our own. Can't wait to see your engagement shoot!

 

[purplegirl1818]

Love your e-pics I saw on FB! We haven't met D&V yet, I guess we will the morning of our wedding!

Any new updates?