Kaitlyn & Christian Wishes Japan/GM Lounge- 12/1/2019

Majority of the excess on my original list was due to my dad insisting on inviting "relatives" (the family you call family but aren't actually family) which I felt like I couldn't argue since he's the one footing majority of the bill. Talking to my mom today there are already a few people that I assumed would totally come who actually aren't sounding like they will come now, so that's a little sad, but also a relief. Because of my date I KNOW a lot of people will probably say no, it's not cheap in GENERAL to fly across the country, not including it being a holiday weekend essentially, so that will probably whittle down the number too. I FIGURED the 80 would include us, which makes it a little more stressful, especially since I don't think plated in an option for the Brunch. And if I am going to reach max capacity, I doubt a dance floor will even be an option at that point :guilty:
BUT WHO KNOWS! It's still early in the process!
Ask them if that max number is including a dance floor and a buffet. I have a dinner so I'm not sure if brunch can only do buffet or not. You'll be surprised closer to who says no to coming, I definitely was.

The Dreaded Room Block... Isn't It A Bit Early For That?
So, now that we've got out tentative date, I've gotten an email from Kristi, stating that I cannot get my Letter of Agreement until I send in a room block? Which is due December 17th. Isn't that like EARLY?? I know I'm only required to block out a minimum of 10 nights between three resorts.
I've chosen the following: Pop Century, Port Orleans- French Quarters, and Beach Club
But I mean, WHY IS THIS REQUIRED SO SOON?
I want to see a BOC before I commit to these hotel rooms! Is that how it works?
Can Someone tell me like the sequence of order of how their planning went?o_O
Its been a while for me now since the beginning of the planning process so I don't remember exactly, but I think I had to turn in the roomblock info really soon after everything was set. I lowballed the number. If numbers haven't changed, you're allowed to lower by 25 nights. I figured that some people would want to stay offsite for cheaper rates, that some of my guest count wouldn't come. So I didn't want to get stuck with rooms I couldn't fill. So I had 50 nights for my 80 guests. When people booked early and wanted more than the two nights I reserved (I had Saturday night and Sunday night and my wedding was on a Sunday) the roomblock number was able to help them book additional nights at the same hotel. When people did this it helped with my final numbers because it added nights. Most of my guests were only staying for the weekend not turning it into a full trip. Another thing, if people book another Disney hotel or DVC room you can get their reservation number to help fill the nights. I would also think about where most people would want to stay. I had Contemporary, Port Orleans Riverside and Pop Century. I originally had only a few nights at the Contemporary, but a lot of family actually wanted to stay there and I had to add nights. Very few booked the middle hotel and the majority of my guests booked at Pop Century since it was the cheapest. People don't need to book the rooms right away, it just locks in these rooms so your guests will have them as an option. Especially since your wedding is during a busy time and rooms will fill up. Many of my guests didn't book until a little before the wedding, but the hotels were all sold out outside of my roomblock when they did.
 


Hey BFF! I'm so excited you got your date and choices! :jumping1: I also did not realize how soon the room block would need to be turned in. That's crazy! I hope you have an amazing Christmas, can't wait for the next update. P.S. I'm loving your headings for your posts. They make my soul happy.
 
The Longer you wait for something, the more you Appreciate it when you get it... I guess.
HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL! It's been a little bit since the last time I posted, honestly there was just nothing to really talk about, still really isn't... I've come to the conclusion that I need to get used to WAITING for everything that goes on with the planning, I'm finally seeing a pattern. HA
Now that the room block was handled (I got over the "suddenness" of the due date) I just had to wait until I was sent my LOA. Which I finally got sent to me when I was back home in California for Christmas. Once I read it over once, and then my dad read it over :rolleyes: we had to WAIT to hear back from Amanda (Kristi's assistant) so we could get some clarification and adjustments to a few minor things, but weren't supposed to sign until then, so more days passed, and finally the LOA was completed and signed by ALL parties (this whole process almost took 2 weekso_O) SIGH.

YESTERDAY I was sent an email providing info for my ACTUAL "Dream Team": YAY
Wedding Event Manager: Carol Mikles
Wedding Event Assistant: Ashley Zirfas
Weddings Room Specialist: Marie Hallberg
(I had no idea Kristi & Ashley weren't involved in any of the actual planning :rolleyes2)

So now I wait for them to contact me to move forward... MORE WAITING OMG I CANNOT.

A FUN SIDE STORY TO PASS THE TIME.
So I've begun searching for photography & videography vendors (am I looking too early? too late? idk.)
I know that I don't want to use Disney's Fine Arts Photography, because frankly, it's just not my vibe. I cannot say this enough: I AM NOT A PRINCESSY DISNEY BRIDE. I do not think there is anything wrong with those who DO like that, but it's just not me and I have a certain feel I like in photos that I just plan on finding elsewhere, and prefer to find a vendor that does both photo AND video.
My Hairy God Mother/coworker/friend has tried to describe my vibe as this as of late:
jaded princess with a love of black velvet/ Maleficent fell in love and decided to get married & likes balloons.


I feel like I'm getting offtrack, ANYWAYS this is a story, LOL
So back in October when we first got engaged, the t-shirt company I order all my amazing Disney shirts from
(shoutout to @thelostbros check them out on insta, and thank me later!) reposted our photo and it went semi-viral for a minute (it showed up in the explore page of two friends so it wasn't that big of a deal honestly lol) OKAY now I end up getting this DM from this guy @disneydadswag congratulating us, and then telling me he has a company in orlando that does photo/video. Didn't really think anything of it, just followed their account @theportos (check them out if you're confused AF about what vibe I'm trying to explain :confused:) and moved on. Fast forward to like a week ago, I had just gotten off a phone consultation with another company that does photo/video and their quote was VERY reasonably priced... I'm talking 8 hours photo/video, two shooters, free engagement shoot, all for under $4k, which I'll be honest, I didn't know if that WAS a good deal, or not.
IDK WHAT IS CONSIDERED REASONABLE FOR WEDDING PHOTO/VIDEO YOU GUYS, HELP!
That same day, Christian had posted one of our engagement photos on insta and that SAME guy comments:
"FIRE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER, I WANT TO SHOOT YOUR WEDDING!" we laughed about it, and he told me I should just email him to see what his rates were... you guys, I have NEVER had someone email me back so fast, also I almost died when I saw his quote- NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS for HIM to shoot our wedding. (he had people who worked under him that ranged from $6.5k-$8.5k) with the same package deal as the other company's quote.:rotfl:
I replied "thank you for getting back to me but unfortunately you're a bit outside my budget (by thousands) and I'll just have to admire your work from afar." Thought that was the end of it, I THOUGHT WRONG.
He gets back to me and after asking a few questions about what our budget was and what we were looking for, he came back and offered to shoot it himself for the low low price of FIVE THOUSAND, the man offered me a FOUR THOUSAND dollar discount.
:earseek:
The only thing I can think of is that:
a. he wants a Disney wedding for his portfolio
b. he's a hardcore disney fan (he told me he has a DVC and an AP)
c. see a and b
He also made a very good point: for how much we spend on this Disney wedding, to go with another company that I'm not in love with just for the deal is like eating at Taco Bell: it seems like a good value/deal and is pretty good, then later all you have is REGRET.:laughing:
I truly do like his work, much more than the other company that I got the lesser quote from, so I'm just thinking bite the bullet and pay the extra thousand dollars? Is that high? I don't want to regret not investing in photo/video because THAT IS FOREVER, THOSE ARE YOUR MEMORIES. Basically I told him I would talk to Christian, and we honestly just needed more info from Disney about everything before booking any outside vendors. Since then he has reached out MANY times, to make sure I haven't "forgotten about him" so I know he is VERY interested, VERY. lol

that's my little story, not that exciting, but more so I would love some opinions on pricing, or just like people's experience if they've used outside vendors for photo/video.
I LOVE EVERYONE'S INPUT IT IS FOREVER HELPFUL.:lovestruc

(ALSO, I completely cannot remember how to insert a photo from flickr so there's that...lol help):confused3
 


Manifestation at It's Finest Ladies & Gentlemen.
All that whining I did on Saturday paid off because I got an email this morning with my Planning Session date and all the planning kit info I need! party:
We get to go to Franck's Studio and meet with Carol on MAY 2nd! WOOH I could honestly, cry I'm so excited!!!
But of course I'm going to take advantage of going to the planning session, and make it a mini trip, so we will probably go from April 30th- May 4th so we can enjoy the parks.
(Christian has yet to see Pandora, so I'll be excited to do that with him, I've also never seen it at night *sigh* so yay for me too!)
I've started looking through the planning kit, and checking out the menus to look over, music, etc.
The Cake Tasting is honestly going to be the most difficult, like how can you even begin to choose only 4 from the cake and fillings sections??
SUGGESTIONS are appreciated! leaning towards lemon, marble, almond, and churro, and have no idea where to begin with the fillings...
I was also looking at the Brunch buffet menu, and I'm not totally in love with the full choices, so I'm hoping that there is wiggle room with changes, and what not. I just have a ton of questions for her when we have our introduction phone call on the 28th :P

With the utmost regret I will NOT be staying on property this trip, to be "monetarily responsible" which frankly is killing me inside. we Typically stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and buy timeshare points through DVCRequest, but since we aren't staying a full week+, it's not really worth it, THIS TIME. :confused3
I'm going to try an get us some DR, but since we aren't staying on property, I know that it will be slim pickings. Any Recommendations?
We Love O'hana, Beaches & Cream, Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater... to name a few off the top of my head.
It is my GOAL for the wedding to get us a breakfast reservation at Be Our Guest, since last time we had a PRIME reservations at 8:30, and Chris ended up getting a RANDOM fever the night before and we had to cancel. :sick:


That's all for now, I just addressed 65 save the dates, and two dozen thank you cards from our engagement party so, my hands are down for the count.
BRIDE OUT *drops mic*:smooth:
 
Don't compromise on photography! We spent double our original budget and haven't regretted it for one second (still spent less then your low quote :( 3000 Euro for 2 shooters, only photography,including a big book for us and two smaller versions of the same book for our parents)
https://www.trouwdaginbeeld.nl/blogs/bruidsfotografie/trouwreportage-kasteel-heeswijk-andrea-olaf/ here are our shots

That's so glad to hear, and honestly what I've been hearing from many other brides, so even though the price HURTS lol I think we will pull the trigger!:flower1:
 
FOOD: How does one even begin to decide what to taste...???
I started scrolling through the pages of menus to look at all the options, and as many of you know, there are SO MANY CHOICES OMG. :scared: I have started compiling a list of questions I have for my coordinator about what I can do/move around/get rid of/etc.

Looking at the brunch buffet options I am already beginning to want to change things. There is honestly one thing I have to have: Mickey Waffle bar.
Everything else I could take it or leave it... but like do I ALSO want brioche french toast? Will people take advantage of the egg cookery station and make it worth the price? Can I PLEASE have cheeseburger egg rolls and something else for the cocktail hour appetizers? What are my other options for the non-breakfast foods in the buffet? If I didn't want to serve cake for dessert is that when I can add on dessert enhancements? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.


I've got plenty of time to decide on WHAT I want, but I'd like to have a better idea of what I can choose from, change, etc.

When it comes to CAKE, I've got a slightly better idea of what I plan on putting down for the tasting:
(from listening to Carrie's podcast on cakes, I absolutely must try:
amaretto with almond crunch, dark chocolate crisp pearl, strawberry mousse, and my most anticipated: CHURRO.
for cake flavors probably:
almond, yellow, marble, and CHURRO obviously.
I love things with crunch in them, so I'm looking forward to all the fillings, and honestly I'm not a huge cake person to begin with so cake is cake, is cake is cake, to me. I ALMOST want to ask if it's even necessary to HAVE a cake to serve to guests, or if we could just do a single tier 6'' for ourselves to cut & save for the anniversary, is that weird?:cake:

I just keep scrolling through the many menus and taking note of things I think sound good, and waiting to get some answers for clarity to make better decisions-
WHAT DID YOU TASTE/DO/LIKE/HATE? I WOULD AS ALWAYS LOVE ALL THE INPUT:love:
 
We're just going to miss each other at Disney :rotfl: I arrive May 5. I have heard so many amazing things about the cheeseburger egg rolls, I don't know how I've never tried them before! I would also do the brioche French toast because who doesn't love French toast?!
 
For the cake I loved our lemon and raspberry jam layer. We also had red velvet and buttercream, but I preferred the other and kind of sad the top layer we have is the red velvet. I loved our cocktail hour food. We had pigs in a blanket, chicken satay with peanut sauce and another sauce don't remember, brie and apple quesadillas and crab cakes that were amazing.
 
Hello SA neighbor! I'm excited to keep hearing about your planning! I'm not a Disbride yet (or engaged but been together 9 years!) but love to read about other's fairy tale weddings!!
 
We're just going to miss each other at Disney :rotfl: I arrive May 5. I have heard so many amazing things about the cheeseburger egg rolls, I don't know how I've never tried them before! I would also do the brioche French toast because who doesn't love French toast?!

OMG how funny, and also sad because that would have been great LOL
totally added the springrolls on and I am so stoked, just for all the food in general. And it's not like i don't know what french toast tastes like but i added that too :teeth:
 
For the cake I loved our lemon and raspberry jam layer. We also had red velvet and buttercream, but I preferred the other and kind of sad the top layer we have is the red velvet. I loved our cocktail hour food. We had pigs in a blanket, chicken satay with peanut sauce and another sauce don't remember, brie and apple quesadillas and crab cakes that were amazing.

Omg i never thought to make sure my favorite flavor would be the top! I need to write that down, lol the lemon and raspberry sounds delicious!
 
Hello SA neighbor! I'm excited to keep hearing about your planning! I'm not a Disbride yet (or engaged but been together 9 years!) but love to read about other's fairy tale weddings!!

OMG HI NEIGHBOR HOW COOL, thanks for coming along on my rants lol! :flower:
 
Pre-Planning Session Prep
(yah girl likes her alliterations)
Hello All! It's been a hot minute since the last time I've hopped on here, and A LOT has transpired since January.
I'll give you the Cliff Notes:
  • I have a completely new "dream team" due to the fact my original coordinator's niece is now getting married the same day as me and she wouldn't be available:scared:
  • I ended up booking The Porto's for photo/video for the wedding and I AM BEYOND STOKED:tongue:
  • I'm already over the 50 room nights needed for TWO free nights, so that's surprising & exciting
  • I have over 40 RSVP's on our wedding website already just from the Save The Dates sent out
  • I just sent in my tasting menu & planning kit last week (which was way more stressful that necessary, more on that later)
  • I got my wedding dress in (that's a whole other story in itself...>:()
  • all my bridesmaids & my mother have their dresses for the wedding (they look amazing, I want to cry):love:
So yeah, a lot has happened in the past few months, which has made time FLY BY, which is exciting and also terrifying. We leave in about three weeks for our planning session, I cannot wait. I could use a couple days at Disney truly, lol
We decided that we would spend our one full Disney day at AK, which honestly I am so happy about because it's my favorite park (don't @ me) and Christian hasn't been to Pandora yet, so you bet your bottom dollar I'm making him do rope drop to get there first thing :teeth:
The day we fly in, we get to meet with The Porto's and do our engagement shoot (2nd engagement shoot lol) this I am very relieved by because I really wanted to be able to meet up with them and get to know them in person before the wedding, which will make things so much easier on the Big Day.


So it's: PHOTOS ---> AK ---> PLANNING SESSION ---> FLY HOME
Fastest Disney trip ever, which I'm honestly trying not to think about since we are missing going to Epcot during F&G but OH WELL.
What else.... OH YEA, MY DRESS.:rolleyes2
I'll try to keep this brief, because I could rant about how annoying this was for like a long time, but I won't do that to y'all.
When I ordered my dress back in October, (I wouldn't say I was SIGNIFICANTLY larger, but I've lost a considerable amount from Oct-Mar, WOOH) the sample size I tried on was a bridal 12, and THAT was big on me and had to be clamped tighter to just try it on, when I finally cried my butt off and 'said yes to the dress' and the alterations lady came to measure me for my order, she told me I was in between a 12 and 14.*PAUSES WITH CONFUSION*

And honestly, idk if anyone has ever said this about dress fittings/purchases/etc the experience was EXHAUSTING, like buying a car exhausting, emotionally, and physically, at least for me, because I HATE trying clothes on to begin with, and I was just being super EMO because my mom and MOH and MatronOH were all not able to come, and it wasn't even expected to be a purchase day, but anyways I'm getting off track.
I SORT OF questioned her like, "can't I order a 12, since I don't plan on being this size by next December..." (because I have goals y'all) and she came back with "I highly recommend you don't do that, it's easier to let something out than to take it in, in the case of weight gain..." *EXCUSE ME:mad:* But I was tired, and had been ugly crying, so I just took her advice, since she IS supposed to be the professional, signed my soul away like Ariel, and put half down *$$$$$$$$*
So flash forward about 5 months, my MatronOH and my mother flew in for the weekend, since my dress was scheduled to arrive sometime early February. We scheduled an appointment to come see it as well as have my mom try on dresses in her SIZE 4 TINY ASIAN BODY :rolleyes2
We get there, the consultant who helped my find my dress brings me to my dress, it still sparkled like a million diamonds & I Still loved it, which was honestly a HUGE relief because I felt like it was a VERY impulsive buy. We go to put it on... and what do you know... THE SIZE 14 WAS WAY TOO FREAKING BIG ON ME! *I AM NOT SHOOKETH BY THIS AT ALL
Now, I knew this was going to happen, but like I feel like Joe did not. I couldn't lift my arms at all (it's strapless) or else it would literally drop to the floor.
"OMG you've lost like significant weight since you ordered this..." which ANY girl would LOVE to hear in any other circumstance, had I NOT already known it was too big to begin with- like if a 12 is too big- how am i "in between" a 12 and 14, that's not LOGICAL MATH YOU GUYS:headache:.
to wrap this up- it's a total scam, I truly believe that the seamstress made me order too big so I would HAVE to pay for alterations there, and spend even more money, so out of spite I'm getting it altered somewhere else. lol end of dress story.

That's about all I've got for you today folks, thanks for reading along, sorry not sorry for the constant rants :rolleyes:
I'll make sure to post all of the fun things when I'm back from the planning session :lovestruc

 
Omg i never thought to make sure my favorite flavor would be the top! I need to write that down, lol the lemon and raspberry sounds delicious!
Yes it's important to have that one be your favorite if you're saving the top layer for your one year anniversary.

I'm already over the 50 room nights needed for TWO free nights, so that's surprising & exciting
That's awesome! Where are you using the nights at?

How annoying about the dress! And rude to say you would be gaining weight and not losing! If they had said that to me I would have walked out the door. Stories like this make me happy I didn't get a custom gown and got one from David's Bridal so when I went for my fitting a month before my wedding and I'd lost weight they just ordered in a smaller size that got there in two weeks lol. With the dress being so big was there no way they could order another smaller size and exchange for you? It's still a ways until December.
 
Yes it's important to have that one be your favorite if you're saving the top layer for your one year anniversary.


That's awesome! Where are you using the nights at?

How annoying about the dress! And rude to say you would be gaining weight and not losing! If they had said that to me I would have walked out the door. Stories like this make me happy I didn't get a custom gown and got one from David's Bridal so when I went for my fitting a month before my wedding and I'd lost weight they just ordered in a smaller size that got there in two weeks lol. With the dress being so big was there no way they could order another smaller size and exchange for you? It's still a ways until December.

I'll definitely remember to tell them that!! and They didn't seem to worried about the alterations so i assume it's just going to cost me an arm and a leg, but it will get done. I went to Impressions Bridal and they made me sign so much paperwork and they're basically made to order by the designer I'm sure that I am SOL. It was literally thousands under my budget when I got it, so either way I think I'll be fine, it's just the hassle that annoys me :rolleyes2 wish I had that option like you though!
 
Fastest Planning Session EVER, I Think...
We are back! we survived, we thrived, #BLESSED. Quite possibly the shortest Disney trip I have ever been on, but MAN did we get a lot done!
(first of all, if someone can like walk me through how to post photos on here again, I cannot for the life of me remember, and can't figure it out!):scratchin

Basically, we flew in around noon Tuesday and got to our hotel for lunch.

We stayed off property at this place called Liki Tiki Village, and honestly it was really nice for the price, I was able to book our flights & hotel on Orbitz for ONLY $865, can't beat that. It was a timeshare resort, but luckily when we checked in, and told them why we were there, and that it was a short trip, we got out of the sales pitch. If I had the time though, I probably would have sat through it for the free five day cruise LOL, we love cruises...
After lunch at the pool and some mini golf, we took a short nap, then got ready for photos at The Boardwalk with our photographer Phil. Y'all let me tell you, I get SO nervous for photos, like it was a BEAUTIFUL day, we got so lucky with the weather the entire trip, like an amazing BREEZE was a blowin' the entire time, and I was still sweating like CRAZY. Thankfully, you'd never know by the pictures, but man I was in a panic. BUT- I LOVE OUR PHOTOGRAPHER SO SO SO SO MUCH. It's literally a perfect match, I've never felt so confident in a choice in all my life, I mean besides saying YES to Chris, lol. :rotfl:
He was even nice enough to send us this complimentary video from the shoot, which was AMAZING,
I'll leave the link here:
(warning: there's A LOT of PDA lol)
Also we went to Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue for Dinner for the first time when our shoot was over, we were right up front next to the piano and it was FANTASTIC, I highly recommend doing it at least once if you've never been, it's definitely worth the money. We are also contemplating doing that for our rehearsal dinner, but more on that later...
We went to Animal Kingdom Wednesday at rope drop, it was DEAD that day, which was so nice and surprising since WORLDS for cheer were going on at ESPN.
Thursday was the BIG DAY- we got to Franck's and it was just as amazing as I imagined it, and have seen in photos. Diane, our planner was fantastic, and I felt VERY comfortable knowing we were in her hands. Our session was booked from 9-1 and then the tasting at 2, but I got done by 11:30, because I apparently know EXACTLY what I want. The thing that took the longest was the cake LOL

(we went with all yellow cake and churro filling and the buttercream frosting- we are doing a two tiered cake & a half sheet cake to supplement)
We killed time by riding the monorail a couple times around, and falling asleep for 45 min. in the lobby of the Polynesian, (it had been a long three days lol)
Another planner, Elise, was the one who took us to our tasting and that BY FAR was the best part of the entire session. Going backstage in general, is insane. I wanted to videotape everything, but felt like I couldn't/shouldn't so I didn't. The food was amazing, everything was literal perfection, and our chef was so great, I wish I got a photo with him, he reminded me of silver fox Steve Carrell. lol :lovestruc
I guarantee we will end up cutting down our menu, because there is just way too much food, WAY TOO MUCH. Like we don't need a chicken, pork, AND fish option, along with everything else we wanted- omelette station, mickey waffles AND banana foster brioche french toast, along with what seems like a million sides, but we will get there later.
We absolutely without a doubt recommend getting the cheeseburger spring rolls, like everyone else on here says THEY ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD.
We also discussed what we wanted at our dessert welcome party on Saturday, which again, we will need to cut down because, I feel like we chose too many items:
fondue station, lemon blueberry cheesecakes bites, classic cheesecake bites, mickey beignets, churros, popcorn machine, chicken & waffle fritters, and beef teriyaki skewers... :cloud9:
Due to all that food though that we added to the dessert party, we are considering skipping HDR for rehearsal dinner, we were SO full I couldn't imagine going to the welcome party after eating all of that. IDK, everything is up in the air until we get that first BEO *gulp*

that's all for now, it's Self Care Monday, and I've got a facial/back facial in an hour. ta-ta!:upsidedow
 

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