Like just about all brides, I feel like my wedding was as close to perfect as possible, and despite a snag or two that day, the memory is of a wonderful day. I like the idea of listing “glad I did/wish I’d done” ideas as shorthand for future brides. But I have to confess, my memories are so fond that my “Glad I Did” list got kinda out of hand. I mean, of course I’m glad I chose the Roots, picked our three locations, took a boat to the reception, bought my dress for half price on eBay, etc. So I’ve tried to get it down to mostly things that some people might be on the fence about. Also, I sneaked in a list of Honeymoon pointers just because everything went so smoothly and DH kept remarking on how cost-effective yet fun-packed the trip was.
GLAD I DID (or DIDN’T DO)
Wedding
Shipped the dress: I can’t tell you how nice it was to travel with just a few suitcases and not worry about where my dress was going to be stored on the plane. FedEx-Kinko’s was reasonably priced, and Carolyn Allen did all the packing/unpacking and transportation.
No welcome bags: I wanted to, really I did! I liked the idea of the project. But I was SO glad not to have to buy all the items, stuff the bags, transport the bags, distribute the bags and then agonize over who didn’t get a bag from the hotel. Plus, I’ve heard that a lot of the stuff in them gets tossed out...
No bridesmaids = no dresses, no hair and makeup, no flowers, and no gifts to pay for. And no stress over who to ask, hurt feelings, slackers, hubbub in the room on the wedding day, etc.
No newsletters: OK, we sent one two-page letter at the last minute when we decided to have a meet ‘n’ greet and wanted to explain transportation. But I’ve heard so many brides say that no one reads these and just ends up asking you questions about all the same stuff in the lovingly designed newsletter you slaved over.
Use part of the reception menu for the pre-reception: This was actually suggested by my WP, and it saved money and saved wasting food. The reception menus have way too much food on them as it is!
Ice cream with the wedding cake: I guess a lot of times people don't eat the wedding cake, but ours disappeared quickly. It may be because the flavors were all variations on chocolate, but I think the ice cream made it.
Dessert Party: If you can swing it, do it! I’d recommend this over a rehearsal dinner, even. It is unique to a Disney wedding and the thing your guests will be talking about for years.
Honeymoon
No family on the honeymoon: We let people know that the honeymoon was just for us, and I’m pretty sure they understood. It was so nice not to be obligated to be anywhere or meet anyone, or to have to try to coordinate a big group with a bazillion different agendas. For almost two weeks we got to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted to – bliss!
Rent Disney Vacation Club points: I can’t recommend this enough – we stayed in two different Deluxe resorts for less than our guests paid for a Moderate with the low-season wedding discount! Plus we had a kitchenette in both places, which was great for corralling leftover desserts.
Costco waters: We ordered cases of water bottles from Costco.com and shipped them to our resorts. Each case cost less than $8 – including shipping – and saved us paying $2/bottle all over the resort for two weeks.
Disney’s Honeymoon Registry/Sunshine Rewards/Disney Visa Rewards: We were so surprised by how many people used our Disney Honeymoon Registry, and it allowed us to do things we never would have been able to afford, like parasailing and the Lunch With an Imagineer program. I also did a LOT of surveys and offers on Sunshine Rewards in the months before our trip and cashed out for Disney gift cards. Along with our Disney Visa Rewards, these things paid for our entire honeymoon!
WISH I'D DONE
Only offer guests 2 of the 4 blocked hotels: I loved the idea of blocking 4 hotels so that a discount would be available to us at all of them for our honeymoon stay. But if I’d known about one-way buses and the time savings of transporting guests from fewer hotels, I would only have given mine 2 choices. As it is, most of them only stayed at 2 of the 4 – the Value and the Moderate.
Vintage Rolls: I hate limos; I just saw ours as Point A-to-Point B transportation, but I forgot it would be in all our pictures and our video – ugh! Caryn has made me feel a lot better about this by pointing out that I am too tall for the Rolls! However, I’ve always loved the idea of creative wedding transport, and if I’d been thinking about it, I would have found something as an alternative – maybe a Vespa?
More specificity about cake colors: I was SO specific with multiple pictures of everything else at my planning session, I’m not sure why it didn’t occur to me to include multiple samples of the cake colors. Oh yeah – because I thought they do what was in the picture I gave them! Still, I can’t complain too much – the designs were all spot on.
Wax at home before I left: Depending on the kind of bikini wax you want, you may not be able to find it inside WDW or close by. After my horrible experience at Mandara Spa, I think I would have been much better off getting this over with before I left (and getting to eat free brownies and lemonade at Bliss!).
Up Next: Best First Day of a Honeymoon EVER and Magic Kingdom Photo Shoot
It's almost like "cookie cutter" stuff. One size fits all. It's kinda sad.
Thanks!
Can't wait for the next trip report!
] But I've always been more drawn to the scooters!! Could you imagine if we had rode off on bikes?!? That would require some serious wardrob considerations! Actually the Rolls would have themed really well into our wedding... but like you, the budget was the budget and it was just a way to get people from point A to B.
I tell you what, your TR reads so well, I feel like I was there! Oh and like Caryn, I'll comment on specifics soon. I have like 5 updates worth of comments all stored up! 
Here is my list:
The "Muppets" really have a special place in my heart (long story). And you made me laugh with the "Pirates" music. My DH is the biggest Pirates fan, he has dressed up as Jack Sparrow for Halloween 3 years in a row, yes, and he is almost 40! 
So, I'll conclude now. I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! GREAT JOB & CONGRATS! 
