Disney Wedding Podcast

This week, Jamie Younger-Esteves shares the story of her ceremony in Pandora: World of Avatar and reception at Germany Promenade, with a dessert party later that night at the Grand Floridian Marina. You’ll hear how she was able to keep her wedding to the Event Minimum Expenditure by foregoing unnecessary floral and décor in a venue as highly themed as Pandora—while still enhancing guest experience with ride mix-ins on Na’vi River Journey and Flight of Passage! Jamie also discusses the planning process and her tips for future couples. Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Dani Marentette shares the story of her ceremony at Port Orleans Riverside’s Oak Manor Lawn and reception at Italy Isola in EPCOT. Two of her top priorities were photography and Cinderella’s Glass Coach. Today she talks about how she carefully picked the season and time of day for her wedding—and even shortened the ceremony—to be able to get as many “golden hour” photos with the coach as possible! She also shares how she was able to incorporate Harmonious photos by holding her reception outdoors at EPCOT—and cleverly scheduled a ride mix-in on Soarin’ to kill time before her DJ was allowed to start! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Marissa Martin shares the story of her Magic Kingdom After Hours wedding, including a ceremony in the Hub, a Greatest Showman-themed reception at Storybook Circus, and a dessert party at EPCOT’s Eau de France.  You’ll hear how she and Michael chose these venues, customized their menus, and worked within Magic Kingdom’s many restrictions and requirements. Marissa also discusses where she saved (décor!) and splurged (fireworks during the first kiss!), andshe offers lots of great tips for anyone interested in an After Hours event at Magic Kingdom. Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Lily Alicea shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at Whitehall Room & Patio, and dessert party at UK Lochside. You’ll hear how she was able to achieve her top priority—gorgeous floral and décor—by assembling a team of outside vendors and hiring a day-of coordinator to execute her vision for a Beauty and the Beast-themed event. Lily also shares how she added a welcome party at Tamu Tamu Courtyard, including a ride mix-in on Flight of Passage. Plus she shares her top menu items and cake flavors. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Katie Sconce shares the story of her ceremony at Coronado Springs’ Destino  Plaza and reception at Casitas Courtyard. When COVID cancelled their original wedding plans, Katie and Daniel were married in their living room. But they were able to celebrate with friends and family in 2021 with a fairy tale vow renewal at Walt Disney World! Katie chose Coronado Springs for both the ceremony and reception because she loved the Deluxe amenities at Moderate prices and the Disney theming that isn’t “too in your face.” Today you’ll hear how she customized the wedding, why she chose an outside vendor for photography, and where she saved and splurged.  Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Lauren Fox Griffith shares the story of her ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, cocktail hour at Italy Isola, and reception at EPCOT’s American Adventure Rotunda. She discusses how she and Rob chose these venues, gives detailed menu recommendations, and covers their top priorities while planning. You’ll also hear how Lauren chose Disney’s Landau Coach over Cinderella’s Glass Coach, plus her advice on a non-traditional approach to the first look that became the highlight of her day. Click here to see all the photos!

Whether you’ve been planning your Walt Disney World wedding in your head for years or you just discovered that Disney does weddings, today’s show has the steps and tips that will set you on the path to your dream Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding or vow renewal. Disney bride Sam Hacker and I will cover how pricing works—including how to stick to the lowest Event Minimum Expenditure—how to book your event, and how the planning process works. Sam also shares details and advice from her own ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, with a reception at California Grill and a fireworks dessert party at Sago Cay! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Raechel Devine shares the story of her 2019 ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, reception at California Grill’s Napa Room, and welcome party at EPCOT’s UK Lochside. She and Brit also added Premier Portrait Sessions at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, allowing them to get Christmastime photos in all four parks! Today Raechel discusses how she was able to customize California Grill’s menus to accommodate many different dietary restrictions, how she decided to use pipe and drape to cover the walls of the Napa Room, and all the surprises she arranged for her guests, from a ride on Soarin’ to an appearance by Mickey and Minnie! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Sara and Jeff Mott share the story of their ceremony and celebration at Tamu Tamu Courtyard in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When the cemetery where they were going to be married stopped holding events due to COVID, they decided to add a Haunted Mansion-themed wedding to their upcoming vacation at Walt Disney World. They loved the dramatic lighting and artful decay of Tamu Tamu Courtyard so much, they became the first couple to hold a ceremony and a celebration there. Today you’ll hear how they transformed the venue to fit their theme, how Sara found her unique wedding gown, and what it was like to have a 6 am Magic Kingdom Premier Portrait Session the same day as their 10 pm wedding! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Sophia and Kevin Regan share the story of their Wedding Pavilion ceremony, Grand Floridian Convention Center reception, Italy Isola dessert party and Luau Beach welcome party. They were planning a 350-person at-home wedding for 2022 when COVID hit and caused them to reexamine their priorities. At the end of a trip to Walt Disney World, they were waiting to board a plane home when they decided to switch to a 2021 Disney wedding! Today you'll hear how they chose their venues, which menu items were their favorites, and what each of their favorite memories were. Sophia also offers surprising advice for anyone considering Cinderella's Glass Coach for their wedding! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Lola Calderon Monfeldt shares the story of her 10pm ceremony at Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life, followed by brunch at Rainforest Cafe at Disney Springs the next morning. You'll hear how she and Bryan scrapped their plans for a large wedding at home in Puerto Rico due to COVID-19, then chose Walt Disney World for a smaller event after watching the Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings TV show. Lola discusses the requirements and restrictions of the Tree of Life venue, whether the lighting package and the Awakenings show are worth their extra costs, and how she was able to order a wedding cake from Grand Floridian Private Dining for delivery to brunch. Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Kelci Marsee shares the story of her Wedding Pavilion ceremony and Narcoossee's reception! After pricing out a local wedding and realizing they'd be able to get married and have a vacation for less at Walt Disney World, she and Austin planned their Disney wedding in less than four months. Kelci discusses how she was reluctant to give up the idea of an evening wedding but ended up loving the brunch event they had (two words: Mickey waffles)! Plus, she shares how Disney made it up to them after the reception was bumped from the original venue at the last minute (two more words: Mickey and Minnie)! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Kimberly Bade shares the story of her 2019 ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at GM Lounge at EPCOT, complete with a ride mix-in on Soarin'! You'll hear how she and Luke chose these venues, where they splurged and saved, and Kimberly's top tips for menu and party planning (hint: get an extra bartender!). You'll also hear about her epic pre-getting-ready photo session with her bridesmaids around the Polynesian Village Resort, including a hilarious mishap that ended up being Kimberly's favorite memory of the day!  Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Alesha DeCample shares the story of her ceremony at Tower of Terror and celebration at Italy Isola, with bridal portrait sessions at Magic Kingdom and the Grand Floridian. Alesha shares how she and Dilin chose their venues, including how they worked within the restrictions and requirements of an after-hours event in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. She also discusses menus items and cake flavors, the timeline for an after-hours event, and her favorite splurge: the aisle petal swirl seen at Sleeping Beauty Castle in Season 2 of the Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings TV show! Click here to see all the photos!

Today on the 500th episode of the Disney Wedding Podcast, Disney bride Bailey Dowling shares the story of her ceremony at Italy Isola, reception at California Grill and dessert party at Living Seas Salon and UK Lochside, with a ride mix-in on Soarin’! Bailey’s top priority was getting bridal portraits with the Harmonious fireworks show, and today she discusses what the view is like from the UK and how much her guests loved the experience. She also shares how she customized California Grill’s brunch menu to a specific price point and added vegan and vegetarian options for her guests. And you’ll hear how an ill-timed announcement on EPCOT’s loudspeakers ended up becoming one of Bailey’s favorite memories of the day! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Chris Dildey shares the story of his ceremony at the Signature Island and reception at the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria at Walt Disney World. Although he had initially wanted a Yacht Club Disney wedding with a Swan & Dolphin reception, he knew by the way Bayley lit up when they toured the Waldorf that this was the venue for them! Today Chris shares his top tips for finding vendors and incorporating Disney touches into your wedding, as well as his best planning advice for anyone considering an alternative to Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. Plus, you’ll hear how he was able to fulfill his dream of arriving at the ceremony like Prince Charming in his very own pumpkin coach! Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Vanessa Gallagher shares the story of her March 2020 ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion, cake and Champagne celebration at the Grand Floridian’s Grand Terrace, and reception at Paddlefish. You’ll hear how she and Sam plussed their event with bridal portrait sessions at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, followed by informal photos with Disney characters at Chef Mickey’s. Plus, Vanessa shares lots of great advice for those planning events at Paddlefish, including top menu items and the one part of the contract you don’t want to miss! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Allison Antich shares the story of her June 2021 ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at Animal Kingdom's Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Originally, Allison chose Expedition Everest for her reception based on a photo in Carrie Hayward's Fairytale Weddings Guide. Although rain forced the party to move to Yak & Yeti, it didn't stop guests from enjoying Allison and Grady's surprise gift to them: a buyout of Expedition Everest so that they could ride it any time they wanted throughout the event! Today Allison shares her top tips for planning an Animal Kingdom wedding, including how she decided to serve the entire Ohana menu for dinner and how she was able to have getting-ready photos by moving to a non-Disney resort. Click here to see all the photos!

Today, Nicole Patterson shares the story of her ceremony at Italy Isola, pre-reception at Germany Promenade, reception at Atlantic Dance Hall and dessert party at Terrace des Fleurs. Although she’d dreamed of a wedding at BoardWalk Inn’s Croquet Court since the age of 9, Nicole ended up loving her Italy ceremony after Disney’s mask restrictions led her and Joe to switch venues. Adding a pre-reception inside the park allowed them to treat their guests like VIPs who had all of World Showcase to themselves—and feed them Gaston’s Tavern-inspired cinnamon rolls that were “as big as your face”! But Nicole’s favorite part of the whole day was seeing her guests’ surprise and delight when she and Joe surprised them with a Soarin’ ride mix in after the dessert party! Click here to see all the photos!

This week, Lauren Rotuno shares the story of her February 2020 ceremony at the Wedding Pavilion and reception at the Grand Floridian Convention Center’s St. Augustine Ballroom.  Lauren is a lifelong Disney fan who converted Matthew on his first trip, so it was natural for them to hold their wedding at Walt Disney World. On today’s show, you’ll hear how she saved big by using outside vendors for floral and décor, which menu items her guests are still raving about, and her best tips for anyone planning a Disney wedding! Click here to see all the photos!