Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust! Jenn & Kevin 10/12/14 Italy/ADH/France - The End (7/2016 New TR Link!)

elphie101

elphie101

Left my heart in Tomorrowland
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
****Wedding Trip Report Starts on Page 21****

The time has finally come........after YEARS of stalking these boards, reading of other Disney brides, I FINALLY get to start one of my own! :cheer2: So let's get this wagon train a'rollin, shall we?

The Basics
Wedding Date: Sunday, October 12th 2014
Ceremony: 9:00am at the Italy Pavilion, Epcot
Pre-reception/Reception: 10:00am-3:00pm at Atlantic Dance Hall
Dessert Party: Eau de France, Epcot
Welcome Event/Rehearsal Dinner: 5:30pm on Saturday October 11th at Ariel's, Beach Club
Photography: Root Photography
Videography: Trinity Wedding Cinema
Hair & Makeup: Patricia LeJeune
Officiant: Bride's Brother
Florist: Petals By Design (personals only) & Disney

Planning Journal Table of Contents
Who Are These Clowns? The Intro Post
The Proposal
Colors, BM Dresses, and Officiant
Our Date and Venues - CONFIRMED!
The Bridal Party & Gifts
LOA & Photography
Room Block, Planning Session, DIY & Dresses
Dress Shopping Take #1
Engagement Pictures
The Dress!!
Brooches & Videography Search
Planning Session Schedule
Save the Dates, Wedding Website, & Updates
Video & Bridesmaids Look
Pinterest Spam: Attire & Accessories
Wedding Rings, MOB & Bridesmaid Dress Shopping
Registry, Brooch Bouquet, & Accessories
Menu Tasting Picks & Final PS Schedule
Wedding Trip ADRs, Bridal Headband, and At-Home Venues
MOB Dresses and At-Home Venue Pick
Leaving On A Jet Plane - Off To The Planning Session!

Planning Session Trip Report
Odds & Ends, Mothers Dresses, Bridal Shoes
Planning Session Trip Cost
BEO & Budget
Shoes & MOB Dress
First Alterations Appointment
Menswear and Someone Else's Shower
Invitations & Bridesmaid Jewelry
MOH Dress & Brooch Bouquet
Suits, Dress, and RSVPs
Brooch Bouquet Update & Ties
Bridesmaid Gifts
RSVP Update, BM Jewelry, Color Matching & Bridal Shower
Ties, Gifts, Rings & Perfume
Bridesmaids in color, Ring Box, Ceremony, Groom's Gift & Honeymoon
Swatches, Ring Box & Wine Box
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Our Bridal Shower
To-Do List, Music & Favors
Favors, First Dance & Bachelorette Party
Gifts Galore & Final Fitting
Misc Odds & Ends - Hanger, Shoes, Nails, Bouquet
Parent Gifts, Wine Box, Misc Accessories and BUTTONS!
Buttons, Programs and Table Numbers
The time is now, the day is here - WE'RE OFF!!


Wedding & Honeymoon Trip Report
Glad I Had/Wish I Had
Day 0: Beautification and Travel
Day 1: Travel, Patricia LeJeune, Checking in and EPCOT!
Day 1: Epcot, BCV and Wedding Errands
Day 2: Crystal Palace Breakfast and Tomorrowland
Day 2: MK, Drinking Around the World, Stormalong Bay
Day 3: Beach Club, Carolyn Allen's, Welcome Bags
Day 3: The Wedding Rehearsal & Gift Giving
Day 3: The Welcome Party/Rehearsal Dinner
Day 5: Stormalong Bay, MNSSHP & Be Our Guest
Day 6: AK, Studios & Epcot - A Wild Birthday Adventure!
Day 7: Campground Breakfast and a Magical Morning at MK
Day 7: Festival of Fantasy, MK and Ohana
Day 8: Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and Yachtsman Steakhouse
Day 9: Lazy Epcot Day
Day 10: Captain's Grille and the DISNEY FANTASY
Day 10: Sail Away Party, Animator's Palate Dinner
Day 11: A Day at Sea - Eating, Kids Clubs and Baby Racing
Day 11: Mixology, Formal Portraits, Enchanted Garden Dinner
Day 12: Food, Trivia and More, Champagne Tasting and Exploring the Ship
Day 12: Booze, Royal Court, and the Fantasy After Dark
Day 13: A Day in St Maarten
Day 13: Rainforest Room, Pirate Night & Fireworks
Day 14: St John and Honeymoon Beach
Day 14: Return to St Thomas, Cabanas Lunch, Prince & Princess Dinner
Day 15: Final Sea Day - Palo Brunch, Even More Food, and Buckets N' Boards
Day 16: Castaway Cay & Animator's Magic Meal
Day 17: One More MK Day and A Less Than Magical Homecoming
 
Last edited:
**Who We Are**



DF is Kevin (25), the bearded one. He works in IT at a publishing company. He loves Disney, and has made a trip to WDW almost every year since before he could remember. The only thing probably greater than his love for Disney is his love for comic books! On the side he reviews comic books and occasionally movies (which he started doing in college) and loves writing!

And I'm Jenn (24), your ghost host, your bride, the non-bearded one, what have you. I work in undergrad admissions at our alma mater (and hopefully starting my Masters in Higher Ed. Administration soon!) and am an alumni of the Disney College Program :sad1: Besides the obvious Disney love, I fill my days with musical theater and a huge television obsession (especially sci-fi/fantasy - and ESPECIALLY Joss Whedon shows!) Kevin & I live just north of Boston, MA, and we've been together for 3 years.

**How We Met**

72716_1509804345282_2889607_n.jpg

(With my MOH/best friend Vanessa about one month after we started dating)

Kevin and I went to the same university (Suffolk University). Unbeknownst to us, we managed to get together 5 or 6 mutual friends, which led to a series of near-misses throughout our undergrad lives. (For example, I was a new student orientation leader for a summer and spent almost every night hanging out with the group at one guy's apartment - the same apartment Kevin would move into a month later!) We even recently found out we had the same childhood dentist! :faint: But I digress.....

Senior year came around and a few friends of mine (and Kevin's) were turning 21 the same weekend, so they had a big going-out at a bar/club in Boston to celebrate. Kevin arrived earlier than most of his friends, who ended up being shut out of the bar because it reached capacity. Since his main social group wasn't able to get in that night, he started looking for people he knew - and found a group on the dance floor with some people he recognized. One of those people was me!

Many, MANY drinks and dancing later, we ended up talking and found out we lived only half an hour away from each other back home. I decided to leave, since it was getting late, and he said I couldn't POSSIBLY leave without giving him my number........to which I agreed, as long as he Facebook-friend-ed me first :crazy2: (Yeah.......I still have a hard time believing I said that. Let me repeat that we had both had several adult beverages at this point!)

I walked home and we ended up texting each other till about 3:00am. The next morning I woke up to a text from him apologizing profusely for what he insisted was the rude behavior of intoxicated Kevin the night before, which spawned another text-versation until we decided to go to a movie that afternoon. While we were at the theater I learned he had had a WDW annual pass pretty much his whole life, that we both loved Firefly (best. tv show. ever) and that we actually hit it off pretty well. I didn't remember a second of the movie. We had some crazy clear chemistry. :goodvibes

After a few more chance run-ins on campus that week (including one lunch date where we discovered neither of us liked/could eat chocolate - and I just knew he would be around for awhile) we decided to go out for drinks one night, and by the end of the night we decided to make it "official".

So to recap: we met on a Saturday night, and by the following Thursday we were in boyfriend-girlfriend mode. How often does "I met a guy at a bar the other night" turn out like that?!
 
**The Proposal**

Once I returned from working at Disney (January 2012) we both agreed that as soon as we got full time, steady jobs we would start apartment hunting. By the time that day actually came, it was May 2013, and we both knew that marriage would 100% be the next step in our lives - I had shared my "secret" Disney wedding plans with Kevin (and he didn't run away!) and spent the last holiday season peppering the idea of a Disney wedding with our closest family members ("As long as I can stay at the Beach Club, I'm there!"). So once Kevin got his IT job, he asked me for pictures of rings that I liked - he said if I have to wear it, he wanted me to like it!

Fast-forward to September 13th, 2013. Kevin's parents spend 2 weeks in WDW every fall, and we were planning on joining them for 3 nights over the weekend. His parents wanted to meet us at Magic Kingdom after we landed, so we got checked in to Pop Century and headed over. They found us almost as soon as we went through the turnstiles and his mom gave me a huge tackle hug, and asked that since we were all now finally here, could we go get some pictures done down by the castle? And off we went down main Street, with her telling me all about their trip so far - later I found out this was all a ploy to distract me from the handing off of the ring!

As we crossed the Hub area towards the Rose Garden, Kevin caught up to us. "Do you really want to be wearing your Magic Band in the pictures?" he said.

I don't think I'll ever forget that moment - him wanting me to take off the magic band made NO sense, except for one, very specific reason, that he had sworn up and down recently we couldn't afford yet.......I actually felt light-headed for a moment and thought I might pass out (though I tried to say to myself it was because it was 95 degrees out and we had last ate 5 hours ago).

His parents led us to this spot just past the Photopass photographer on the path to the Swan Boats, and we took their pictures. Then they wanted photos of us. We got up to take pictures, and Kevin said "Do you really want to be wearing your purse in these pictures?" And I just knew. We took aout 2 photos and then -



Kevin was able to get out "Will y-" before I started screeching "YESSSSSS" and tackled him. (He later told my mom he felt like he was on the 40-yard line.) His parents we able to video the whole thing, as well as get plenty of photos. We spent the next 2-hours calling all the immediate friends/family back home, including my parents, who shouldn't find out via Facebook and wandering around the park in a happy, cloud nine daze.

The End. Or is it?

That night we had tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. We went to dinner at Tony's, and then walked around the park, deciding to hit up a ride or two before the night's big festivities like the parade and fireworks started.

We were walking out of New Fantasyland after a ride on Ariel, when I heard "Hello!!!"

There, on a bench in Magic Kingdom, were my parents







They had made the decision to fly down and surprise me in the park (my dad works for USAirways so they fly for free). We got dinner for them and spent the night watching Boo to You and HalloWishes. Needless to say, it was the best day ever.

**The Wedding**
I've always had my heart set on an October Disney wedding - MNSSHP & Food & Wine are my two favorite Disney events, and I love the fall up north. October is far enough away from our birthdays and other gift-giving holidays to not make them fall on top of each other, which is another plus. Finally, all our relationship milestones happened in September - we met/started dating/got engaged all in the month of September, so keeping our wedding in the fall feels right. Disney has always been a huge part of our lives, really the third wheel in our relationship (between our mutual love and surviving my College Program) and I couldn't imagine holding my wedding anywhere else.

We're currently penciled in for Sunday, October 12th 2014 with an Italy ceremony and Atlantic Dance Hall reception (pending a lottery in 2-ish weeks :headache:.........but that's for another post), with hopefully a dessert party that evening - though that'll depend on our (still being finalized) budget. Since we're inviting 96 people at the moment, and 90% of them live within an hour from us up in Massachusetts, I want to show them exactly WHY they are traveling so far to be with us!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand that's my (long) introduction! Yes, I clearly like the sound of my own words a little too much, but I can't wait to start planning and sharing our wedding with this amazing community I finally get to be a part of! Between this and the fabled DISBrides Facebook group (which I'm still waiting to be accepted into - it's been 2 weeks!) I can't wait to start meeting you all!
 
Well my first non-intro post on the PJ isn't about my colors, or inspiration, or dress...........it's about the %$@# lottery. I guess it's my own fault, for picking a holiday weekend in October......but I guess you never think it'll happen to you in the blissful day-dreaming stages of it all.

The good news is nobody wants our ceremony location - Italy @ 9:00am. The bad news is that we're in a lottery for our reception AND for an Epcot dessert party location. According to our consultant, a lot of corporate people have already booked many of the DP locations, and "quite a few" brides want DPs on the same night, so we're all in competition :guilty: I could live with our second choice venues, but the thought of losing the DP makes me sick to my stomach (even though we're still not 100% certain we could afford it in the first place).

The next two weeks are going to be the longest!! Trying to keep my fingers crossed and stay hopeful - but it's so hard not to stress! Here's hoping I survive the lottery....
 


If you don't get the illuminations DP, maybe you could have a wishes DP and pipe in the music?? I know it wouldn't be your first choice but it could still be awesome!!!
 
andeesings said:
If you don't get the illuminations DP, maybe you could have a wishes DP and pipe in the music?? I know it wouldn't be your first choice but it could still be awesome!!!
Click to expand...

We may look into that if the Epcot DP falls through: we are both more excited about the idea of Illuminations, DF because he doesn't really care for Wishes (sacrilege!) and me because I love the chance to wear my dress in the park. We also intend to stay at/room block Beach Club so the convenience would also be a plus.

It's really out of our hands at this point, all we can do is wait and hope for the best.
 


I'm loving your PJ already! You two are so cute, and I really enjoyed reading your story. Your proposal was so romantic. Did your parents decide to fly in when they heard the news or were they already in on it too?

Sorry to hear you have to deal with the lottery. It's so stressful to think all your plans are going to be left to chance like that. My fingers are crossed for you that you get everything you want!
 
Good luck! I hope you get the spot you want! Have you considered having the Dessert Party as your welcome event? You wouldn't be able to wear your dress but it would still be special for you and your guests.
 
wiigirl said:
Following along! :)
Click to expand...

:wave2: Hi there! Nice to see you!

LittleKittyMarie said:
I'm loving your PJ already! You two are so cute, and I really enjoyed reading your story. Your proposal was so romantic. Did your parents decide to fly in when they heard the news or were they already in on it too?

Sorry to hear you have to deal with the lottery. It's so stressful to think all your plans are going to be left to chance like that. My fingers are crossed for you that you get everything you want!
Click to expand...

Hi there!! My parents made the decision to fly down the night before (Kevin had told them what he would be doing this trip earlier in the week). Kevin and his parents were in on it - his mom was actually texting mine the whole time we were riding Little Mermaid (I thought his mom was just taking photos!)

The lottery is very stinky indeed. I'm just glad I only have to wait a few weeks - I couldn't imagine sitting on this lottery for 4 months like some brides!

WDWLover75 said:
Good luck! I hope you get the spot you want! Have you considered having the Dessert Party as your welcome event? You wouldn't be able to wear your dress but it would still be special for you and your guests.
Click to expand...

I did think about it, but if we get our 1st choice Sunday date that's not an option (at least not in Epcot) - my consultant said they don't do DPs on Fridays/Saturdays during Food & Wine because the crowds are so great. Curses.
 
Hi!

Looking forward to reading along... even though I'm no longer a bride-to-be.. would love to see how your plans come together! :lovestruc


Emma princess: x
 
I have my fingers crossed for you to win the lottery for your DP! Your wedding is going to be amazing there! I didn't get the chance to do my wedding in Disney :(, but when we do our renewal vows I told my husband it has to be Disney and he agreed! Can't wait to hear more about your wedding plans!
 
I've had a wedding inspiration folder for over a year now that I've been saving photos to (mostly from other brides PJs, so some of this might look familiar!) for easy reference when the time actually came!

I always dreamed of having a green and blue wedding (my two favorite colors), which Kevin was completely on board with as blue is his favorite color! I always saw green BM dresses in my head, until I watched the Emmys a few weeks ago, and saw Tina Fey:

rs_634x1024-130922171145-634.Tina-Fey-Emmys.ms.092213.jpg

(Thank you google!)

And it hit me like a sledge hammer: cobalt blue bridesmaids dresses.

My MOH has insisted I finally create a Pinterest if I'm going to be planning my wedding, so I searched for cobalt blue bridesmaids and.....

8a0477719ef4905826adc324d87bdb2e.jpg


Oh yes, I'm hooked. So right now we're having a cobalt blue & lime green wedding, with eggplant accents (because I just think the eggplant looks so good with both colors! Probably will only be in the flowers though.)

Colors_zps2024f9ad.jpg

Or, as I'm calling them, our colors are Punch You In The Face Blue, Faded Sour Apple Green (though this swatch is a little more pastel-y than I would like), and Eggplant (because some things you just don't change :lmao:)

I also love the idea of a brooch bouquet for me, with deep blue and silver brooches (or maybe some blue or white fake flowers), kind of like these:

brooch_bouquet_7_0.jpg


2n7eeed.jpg


I just love the fact that it will last forever, and the idea of bold blue against my white dress makes me giddy!

In other news, we FINALLY got our quest list down to ~100 invites, after convincing my mom that we really didn't need to invite the cousins we haven't seen since 2005. Oddly enough, it was all of my dad's extended family she was having a hard time cutting - and he didn't even want them there! While all four of our parents have been extremely generous with the attitude of "your wedding, your call" even though they're footing the bill, my mother has been hanging onto tradition the most. She is convinced that if we invite one of my dad's cousins (who lives 15 minutes away, and we see for holidays and pool parties, who's children went to school with my brothers) that we have to invite ALL the cousins (like the ones who stopped talking to the family 15 years ago after a family business went sour). :sad2: That was not a fun couple of days. Thankfully though, we've gotten it down, and are fairly confident that we'll end up with a max of 70 people.

We also saw my brothers last weekend for parents weekend (they both go to Boston College) and Kevin formally asked my youngest brother Chris to be a groomsman, while we asked my middle brother Greg to officiate for us! We'll be going the Universal Life Church route, and the three of us are through the roof excited. Since neither Kevin or I feel tied to the churches we were raised in (or any faith for that matter) we thought it would be more meaningful to have someone close to us, who knew and loved us to officiate our ceremony.

6 days until our lottery!!! We're in several different lotteries at this point; for an ADH reception and UK Lochside DP (our planner said Lochside and UK Upper were our only available options due to our party size/corporate bookings) and the same choices on our 2nd choice date of Monday the 13th. Thankfully the 12th and the 13th are on the weekend this year, so both lotteries will happen next Monday. I also found out that one of the brides on the Facebook group is in the ADH lottery with me, which would definitely make it a bittersweet win :worried: I can't imagine you ladies who wait MONTHS to be confirmed for your locations - I've only had a few weeks and it was more than enough worrying for me! Thankfully I have a lot to distract me this month - I'm in a community theater production of Les Miserables that opens in 2 1/2 weeks, so that's taking up a HUGE chunk of my time and headspace! (11 hours a week!)

Talk to you all soon! Hopefully with some LOTTERY RESULTS!!
 
MrsHurd said:
I have my fingers crossed for you to win the lottery for your DP! Your wedding is going to be amazing there! I didn't get the chance to do my wedding in Disney :(, but when we do our renewal vows I told my husband it has to be Disney and he agreed! Can't wait to hear more about your wedding plans!
Click to expand...

Thank you! I'm honestly more worried about not getting the DP than a reception venue, since there are so few locations available what with Food & Wine. Yay for a Disney vow renewal!! Start planning now, it's all fun! :thumbsup2
 
I love your colour choices! Especially that blue, it is so regal and gorgeous! I love the broach bouquet idea too, if I ever do a vow renewal (haha!) I am so using that idea, because it really is sad to have to throw away your flowers at the end of the wedding trip.

I luckily never to had to deal with the lottery, but it was still a real drag to have to wait like 6 months or longer to be confirmed for dates and locations. My fingers are still crossed you get your date/locations!
 
MrsHurd said:
I love the bouquet idea especially since it will last forever!
Click to expand...

Thanks! It's slightly daunting since I've never been much of a DYI person myself, but I don't want to pay for the extra labor of someone else making it/real flowers that I'm not 100% crazy about anyway. My MOH is a graphic designer and pretty crafty in general so she's already volunteered to help!

LittleKittyMarie said:
I love your colour choices! Especially that blue, it is so regal and gorgeous! I love the broach bouquet idea too, if I ever do a vow renewal (haha!) I am so using that idea, because it really is sad to have to throw away your flowers at the end of the wedding trip.

I luckily never to had to deal with the lottery, but it was still a real drag to have to wait like 6 months or longer to be confirmed for dates and locations. My fingers are still crossed you get your date/locations!
Click to expand...

You're so sweet! :flower3: I couldn't imagine brides like you who start planning 2+ years ahead to time! You have wills of steel, I know I would drive myself crazy.
 
Hi, Jenn! I often browse the wedding board here and live vicariously through others' reports as I dream of one day having a DFTVR. I came across your report and am now hooked! I so have my fingers crossed for you on the lottery and hope that you're able to post some good news soon!

I think your color choices are fabulous. Blue was my main color in my wedding, too! And I absolutely LOVE the picture of the second bouquet that you posted...that is amazingly gorgeous!
 
elphie101 said:

So to recap: we met on a Saturday night, and by the following Thursday we were in boyfriend-girlfriend mode. How often does "I met a guy at a bar the other night" turn out like that?!
Click to expand...

This reminds me of DH and I...we met in a bar on a Saturday morning (watching soccer from Europe) and by Wednesday he wanted to know if he could introduce me as his gf! LOL..it was too cute.

Love your plans so far! I wouldn't deal well with the stress and not knowing of the lottery at all!! Good luck! I hope you get exactly what you want! :goodvibes

We'll be doing our 10 yr. VR in OCT, so I totally agree with you about what a great month for a wedding! (I didn't get to have our DFTW in Oct as I had wanted).

You guys are adorable together! I love the proposal and the fact that your parents flew down to surprise you!

Where's the ring pic?!?!?!?

Have you started looking at dresses yet? That's my favorite part! :goodvibes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page


GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!


New DISboards Threads

L
Centrico doing soft openings DTD
Replies
0
Views
1
longboard55
L
M
WDW in Walking Boot?
Replies
4
Views
5
Mango7100
M
C
Polynesian construction
Replies
0
Views
6
CocoDole
C
slp87
Food & Wine dates announced!
Replies
3
Views
15
rockpiece
R
jennab
Lounges and Teens
Replies
2
Views
22
jennab
jennab
L
Castaway water temps - Mid Nov vs Late Feb
Replies
4
Views
22
cvjw
cvjw
NEWS & UPDATES



Latest posts







facebook twitter
Top