A Dream is a Wish...An At Home Disney Themed Wedding 9.1.18 - Updated 4.30.18

Woth2982

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Helloooo Humans!

I am so excited to be starting this PJ. We are NOT having an At Disney wedding, but our wedding will have a Disney theme, and my bachelorette party and honeymoon phase 1 will be at Disney! The main reason for the at home wedding is we both have huge families, a good number of which will be traveling to come, and we have the type of family where if you leave anyone out it will cause mega drama. Yes I know a wedding is all about US, but I also don’t want to deal with the headaches that would come with it. Our estimated guest count is also about 250 (venue limit) with 268 invited. So I am sweating that out right now. So based on this alone a Disney wedding is just not financially possible.

But I digress….who are we?

Bride: Katie – The Disney World Fan! I love running, Disney and 9/10 times I cannot take a normal photo Exhibit A
Me1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

OK here is a semi real one
Marathon by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Groom: Andrew – The Disney Movie fan! He enjoys video games, lifting weights, and watching tv.
Andrew1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

How we met:

We met back in 2015 at Alumni weekend at the college we both attended. We were both involved in Greek Life, but did not know each other as I graduated when he was a freshman. Yes I am older! Anyway, my friend Jen really wanted to go to Alumni weekend and I did not, but she promised me it would be fun and there would be day drinking. OK twist my arm. We went from the local pizza place to the local dive bar and that is where we met up with Chris. We were hanging with Chris for a while when Andrew showed up. I was about 6 beers deep at this point and my memory is a little hazy. I remember Jen getting all excited saying “ANDY! I know you!” He didn’t remember her. Then Jen wanted to dance so we moved from the “quiet room” to the “dance room”. I got another beer. We started talking and Andrew made a comment about the necklace I was wearing “Is that an Elsa Peretti?” “I don’t know it’s from Tiffany’s” “Yeah it is an Elsa Peretti” “How do you know that are you gay?” “No I work there” “Oh you should have opened with that”. Yes that is our shameful meeting. Anyway we hit it off and the rest is History!
Here is me and Jen at the Pizza place!
KatieJen1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

The Proposal:

I knew it was coming. We picked out the ring together, but did not buy it that day. He said if he was spending that much on a ring he wanted me to like it. Smart man. We had two trips planned, one a weekend away over his birthday to Moody Beach Maine, and another to Universal, Disney Cruise and WDW. I was also running the Boston Marathon and the Finish at the 50 5K at Gillette Stadium (where the New England Patriots Play) on July 3rd. So there were a few big opportunities ahead of us where he could propose. My first choice would have been Disney, my second on the 50 yard line at Gillette on my favorite holiday (I am a sucker for the 4th of July). However it was neither of those. We were walking on the beach Friday night in Maine, he gave me a very sweet spiel about how it was his grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. His grandfather was not doing well, they were very close, and he said he told his grandpa he wanted to make that day special for years to come, so he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I think I said yes like 3 times! He did a great job, so great I forgot all about wanting to get engaged on the 4th of July (well 3rd) or in Disney!

All Events leading up to the proposal:
The Marathon:
Marathon1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr
The Finish at the 50:
Finishat50 by Katie Worth, on Flickr
Then Finally - The Proposal
Engaged1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Ring1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Have to get back to work but I hope to add more later! I just have so much I want to share and can't for various reasons in a public forum like facebook! Thanks for reading!
 
Nice to have an at home PJ. I was contemplating doing the same. Our planing is nearly done and I want to share! But we're Dutch, so a lot of things will be different

That would be a really cool PJ! I love seeing how other cultures have their weddings! I went to my cousins in England a couple years back and the traditional English wedding was so neat! I had no idea it was a full day affair!
 
The wedding:

Our wedding date is September 1, 2018. We will be getting married at a local church (his idea), with a reception at a family owned place called the Canoe Club Ballroom. When I realized that Disney wasn’t even an option, we went hunting for locations. We walked into this place and it just took my breath away!

Canoe Club1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Canoe Club2 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Canoe Club3 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Canoe Club4 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Now how did we come up with the date of September 1st? Story time!

Once upon a time in 2005 my friend and I were discussing our future weddings. We were both single, but we had a mutual friend getting married so we liked to play pretend. I randomly decided my wedding day was going to be June 7, 2008. Why? Because June is my favorite month, 7 my favorite number, and 2008 because it was the next time it would fall on a Saturday.

Well June 7th came and went and I was still very much single. No worries, I can move my day to June 7, 2014. Well same old song and dance, June 7th came and went.

Fast forward to June 5th 2015. I was at work and I get a phone call from my dad. Grandma is probably not going to make it through the day. I start texting with my friend Anne and say it is kinda weird because June 3rd, was Grandpa’s birthday, June 4th was my dad’s birthday and now June 5th could be the day she dies! Spoiler alert. She didn’t die on June 5th. My friend asks me is there any other special day coming up? I was like Father’s day, but I doubt she goes another two weeks. So June 6th rolls around, Grandma is still kicking. I get up on June 7th and go to work at my part time job teaching swimming lessons. I teach my lessons and check my phone at 10:47. No messages. Grandma is still hanging in there (if anyone wants to know where I get my stubbornness it is clearly from her). I get changed and start to head to my friend Brooke’s house. She, Anne and I are hanging out at the pool to give me something to keep my mind off my grandma. I get in the car and start the drive. Phone rings. It is my dad. Grandma has passed. She died at the EXACT minute I looked at my phone! She had suffered a 25 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease so we were all finally at peace with her death. As I am driving to my friend’s house it hits me. It is June 7th. The day I arbitrarily picked out for my wedding day 10 years prior! Well crap. Thanks Grandma!

So fast forward to July 2017. We need to pick a venue. We fall in love with the Canoe Club. This is it, it is perfect. My dad says Grandma would love it. I had always said if I don’t get married on June 7th, I want to get married in September. Our first choice was Sept 15th, my parents wedding anniversary. I thought it would be kinda cool to have the same date. Booked. OK how about the 22nd? Booked. 29th is out because my friend is getting married that day. How about the 8th? Booked. All Saturdays are booked until the second week of November. Well now we are coming up on two problems, it is COLD and right before Thanksgiving. We have Fridays and Sundays available! Nope has to be a Saturday. OK August is open! Eh I really don’t want August. On a whim we said how about September 1st. We thought this was not possible due to it being a holiday weekend so we initially didn’t even ask. September 1st was wide open! No one had picked that day at all! The venue does two weddings per day, and is spaced out enough so you never see another bride! Done! Wrap it up, here is my deposit let’s go!

So that is how September 1st became my wedding day. Process of elimination!
 


Following along! I hope you do a TR for your bachelorette party and disneymoon! Well, at least what you are able to remember from it!
 
Following along! I hope you do a TR for your bachelorette party and disneymoon! Well, at least what you are able to remember from it!
Yes! I will be! I am going to add it to this thread to try and keep it all in one place! I have some fun stuff planned for the Bachelorette that I know about, and then a whole lot of mystery stuff the girls have planned!
 
The Wedding Party:

My Side:

Choosing my bridesmaids was rather strategic. I am one of those people who has quite a few groups of friends, and choosing one person from each group would be hard because someone may have their feelings hurt. My MOH is my sister, and the other four girls are people I absolutely want with me on my big day, and are people that no one would even bat an eye at me asking to be in the bridal party.

MOH: My sister Stephanie. This is pretty self-explanatory. I have no good photos of the two of us together, so here is one from the Xmas eve Patriots game from 2016. It was 35 degrees and raining and I had worked until 3 am, slept until 9 am, then went tailgating!

Steph1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

BM1: Sarah – Andrew’s sister. She and I are close and get along better than my own sister and I do. This is her and her husband John.

Sarah1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

BM2: Brianne – My best friend from college. Everyone knows we are inseparable and her husband and my DF know that the other comes before either of them. They knew going in they were stuck with us when they asked to marry us. We both are obsessed with Disney and have made plans to go on future family vacations to Disney together. We can go on rides while Andrew watches the kids and bags.

Brianne1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

However this is far more typical Katie/Brie behavior.

Brianne2 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

Brianne3 by Katie Worth, on Flickr


BM3: Kristin – Cousin. Kristin and I have had a special relationship ever since she was born. I was her mother’s flower girl when she got married, and I always knew I wanted Kristin in my wedding. She had cancer when she was 5 and I have run the Boston Marathon twice in her honor for the hospital that treated her. I cannot find a photo of just her and I so here is one of her and my dad!

Kristin1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr

BM4: Liz – Childhood friend. Liz was my first friend. Our mothers have been best friends since 2nd grade. Liz and I do not hang out, but have always been in each other’s lives and always will be. This was very important to me with my bridal party. I know most people have a bridesmaid they someday no longer speak with, but I know this won’t be the case with this group.

Liz1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr


His Side:

Best Man: Reza – His best friend and fraternity brother. He is the big brother Andrew never had. Reza definitely takes care of him and took him under his wing in College. Reza and his wife Beth go to my gym so I see them all the time these days.

Reza by Katie Worth

GM1: Mike – My brother. This one really was at my request. I asked Andrew to ask him because it would mean a lot to me. They do get along great and my brother is always telling me Andrew is a great guy. The two of them constantly conspire against me to get Andrew a puppy.

Mike1 by Katie Worth

GM2: Chris – His Big from his Fraternity. Hartford, as we call him, introduced the two of us and Andrew was in his wedding almost 3 years ago. I have known Hartford for about 20 minutes longer than I have known Andrew.

Hartford2 by Katie Worth

GM3: Andrew aka Goose – Andrew’s Little from his fraternity (seeing a pattern here?). Goose is a crazy goof with a heart of gold. He recently broke up with his GF and is determined to get my sister to go out with him after the wedding. I have told him he has a 0% chance of this happening, but I am interested to watch it go down. Poor guy doesn’t stand a chance, but at least I warned him. I first met Goose on New Years Eve. I had told Andrew if he wanted to go out he needed to make plans, so he made plans with Goose.

Goose1 by Katie Worth

GM4: Juan – I have met him once, he is Andrew’s other little from his frat, and that is really all I know. He is currently trying to get into Med school so he isn’t around much. Juan is in the Yellow shirt, and you get a bonus photo of Hartford and Andrew. I can’t remember the guy who is on the left so you get a mystery man too!

Hartford1 by Katie Worth, on Flickr
 


26921560168_65a19133fd_n.jpg
Love your NKOTB socks LOL

she promised me it would be fun and there would be day drinking. OK twist my arm.
Day drinking!? I'm so in.

BEAUTIFUL!

I just have so much I want to share and can't for various reasons in a public forum like facebook!
So thankful for the DIS :) No one in my regular life cares to read about my Disney-ing!

She had suffered a 25 year battle with Alzheimer’s disease so we were all finally at peace with her death.
We lost my Grandma to Alzheimer's, too :( 25 years is an awfully long time to suffer. It is a simply horrible thing to watch someone you love go through it, and even worse because you just feel like you're losing pieces of them all along. Sending a hug your way!
 
OK now that intros are out of the way we can get into the nitty gritty! Back when I planned my imaginary wedding I always thought that I would have a purple/lilac theme. It is one of my three favorite colors and it could easily be spring or fall. Then one day last spring I was shopping with some girlfriends and we went into this tiny odds and ends shop in Boston and I saw a purse. Now I am NOT a shoe girl. I don’t care about shoes at all. Cheap and comfy is my shoe thing. I am a runner so mostly I like sneakers. But I AM a purse girl! I love Dooney, Vera, Coach, you name it I love it. So I saw this purse, it was so cute, and to this day I regret not buying it, but it was white, navy blue and pink (think pepto bismal color pink). Then it hit me, THESE are my wedding colors! I was smitten! So I started a pinterest board and started looking at Navy Blue and pink stuff. I am never quite sure how pinterest works, so I am doing the best I can with it.



So now that colors were established we could start all the other fun stuff! I decided I wanted to do Navy Blue Bridesmaids dresses with pink accessories and pink flowers. My sister was home in September to attend a wedding of a family friend so we decided to go shopping while she was here. We went to a semi-local bridal shop Alexandra’s. It was about an hours drive from my house and I was skeptical, but had a couple people who were unaffiliated with each other recommend this place. Well it did not disappoint! Our consultant Sierra was beyond amazing. She was bubbly and fun and totally got my vision. My sister was a good sport and tried on about 30 dresses. We narrowed it down to 5 styles and the girls could pick what they wanted. We picked a designer that was common nationwide so that the girls who all lived in different parts of the country could try them on and then order through our shop.

Brianne picked this one



Liz and Kristin both picked this one



Sarah picked this one

[URL='https://flic.kr/p/24NtWRk']

Stephanie picked this one – She had originally picked something else, but when we went back she completely changed her mind.



In October we went shopping for my dress at the same shop. Before we left Sierra made us an appointment for a Thursday afternoon with Anthony. She and he are like a power team at the store so I was so excited to work with him. Anthony did not disappoint. My mom, my Auntie Peggie and my friend Jen came shopping with me. This shop has a policy where you cannot take photos of the dress until you decide.

When we got there Anthony asked what our budget was. My mom and aunt started talking about everything BUT the budget. I finally stopped them and said MOM that is NOT what he asked! So she gave him a budget in the “low ball” range thinking maybe we could find something Id love on the cheap (this was more me than her since I was having a difficult time with the price tag on a dress I would only wear once).

I tried on so many. Some were a maybe and some were an oh HECK NO! I initially thought maybe I wanted a ballgown, however those dresses made me look like a moose. Nothing really felt right. I found one I “liked” but it didn’t sparkle. So we said up the budget and switched to A-Line. FINALLY we were getting somewhere. It came down to two dresses, and I was having a very hard time. The problem was, one I liked was in a shade of maple, and the other I liked was in the traditional ivory. I kept thinking about the maple one, but I had a hard time envisioning what it would look like in Ivory. I literally sat there torn and my people were of NO help since they wanted ME to decide (so annoying). So after much hemming and hawing…….I decided on the maple one in Ivory and prayed when it came in it would be perfect.

So without further adu here she is!



My Crew of unhelpful people





And my wonderful consultant Anthony



I am happy to report the dress is in and looked JUST like I had hope it to. Better actually. You can actually see the sparkle in the Ivory. I bought a vail as well, but my mom has the photos of the new dress and the vail. Have to be careful since I live with Andrew. The dress is actually at my moms best friends house, I guess they absorb scent and my brother is a chain smoker and lives with my paretns, and like I said before, Andrew and I live together so I cant store it here.
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Love your NKOTB socks LOL
Hahaha nice catch! I am pretty sure Donnie Wahlberg and Jennie McCarthy were sitting about 10 feet from me when I decided to dress up.

Day drinking!? I'm so in.
Right? Who doesn't love day drinking?

BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you! Picking this ring out was easy, the wedding band not as easy!

So thankful for the DIS :) No one in my regular life cares to read about my Disney-ing!
I know! I don't know why regular life people have no appreciation for Disney Love! Thanks for joining in! I loved your vow renewal report!

We lost my Grandma to Alzheimer's, too :( 25 years is an awfully long time to suffer. It is a simply horrible thing to watch someone you love go through it, and even worse because you just feel like you're losing pieces of them all along. Sending a hug your way!

Ugh I am so sorry to hear that. It really is a horrible thing to watch. It felt like we lost her twice. Once when she lost all memories and once when she finally passed.
 
My grandma loved flowers. My mom loves flowers. Me I think they are ok, but I am very fortunate in that my parents are picking up the tab of this event, which is slowly turning into a weekend affair, so flowers it is. I am very simple when it comes to flowers. I don’t like a lot of “green” in my floral, I feel like it looks like weeds (no offense if that is what you like, as I know everyone has different tastes). So most of my floral is very basic.

This is my prime inspiration. I love roses and baby’s breath and this color is perfect.




My Bridesmads boquets will look like this, only with pink ribbon instead of burlap


[url=https://flic.kr/p/23pJuBh]

Then I saw this and loved it, thinking it is a great way for the girls to put their bouquet’s on the head table. Again no burlap, they will probably just be plain vases.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/J2P28U]

My bouquet will be a combo of these two – heavier on the roses, but more pink and more of those little tendril things over the extra green. My sisters will be a mini version of mine

[url=https://flic.kr/p/J2P22G]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Gvr6MV]

For table décor
The head table will have this garland


[url=https://flic.kr/p/23pJuzo]

Now I know what you are thinking. GREEN! I actually do like it in this case because I don’t think it looks like weeds.

For centerpieces we will be doing this type of arrangement, but in a small square vase instead of a martini glass. The second one will also be in a small vase.


[url=https://flic.kr/p/J2P1Y5]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/23pJuCE]

Now I actually love the martini glass, but I ordered one at Christmas for my mom to see how it would look, and it was very tall and we want short centerpieces so people can see over it to talk to the other side of the table.

And simply because we cannot forget the boys


[url=https://flic.kr/p/J2P23U]

I have an appointment with my florist in May. She is going to make some samples of my choices so I am super excited to see what she comes up with! Photos to follow! We have our food tasting on Thursday and I leave 4 weeks from TODAY for my Disney Bachelorette! I cannot wait, but at the same time everything is happening so fast!
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I'm slowly catching up on your plans! You are glowing in your dress!!! It is absolutely gorgeous on you! :flower1: And I LOVE your flower inspiration pictures :lovestruc I'm a big flower person so I'm excited to hear about your meeting with the florist!!!
 
I really love the choices you made for your flowers! Simple, but sophisticated, and nothing too over the top! We went to a wedding in Hilton Head on the beach, and all of their tables had a garland of flowers down the middle. It was just beautiful! I really like your idea of putting the vases on the head table and using your bouquets as part of the decor (we did that at my wedding, too!)

Your color scheme of Navy and pink sounds just beautiful! I love a pop of color :)

Love the open back on your dress and the one that Brianne chose, as well. Things are really coming together from the sound of it!
 
It's been fun reading your plans so far. I understand the family drama with a Disney wedding. We only avoided drama with my huge family by having an at-home reception a few months after our wedding. I love your venue; it is beautiful! Picking a date can be difficult. Our dating anniversary was Leap Day, but that was a Friday which was too expensive for us; March 1 is my grandpa's birthday which I would've loved but was Saturday that year, so we ended up with March since that was the closet weekday to both dates and was more affordable as a Monday which isn't really true anymore. I also love the details on your dress; I can't wait to read more.
 
I'm slowly catching up on your plans! You are glowing in your dress!!! It is absolutely gorgeous on you! :flower1: And I LOVE your flower inspiration pictures :lovestruc I'm a big flower person so I'm excited to hear about your meeting with the florist!!!

Thank you so much! I was so torn but I am so glad I got it! I will definitely be posting about my next floral appointment! I am getting excited for it.

I really love the choices you made for your flowers! Simple, but sophisticated, and nothing too over the top! We went to a wedding in Hilton Head on the beach, and all of their tables had a garland of flowers down the middle. It was just beautiful! I really like your idea of putting the vases on the head table and using your bouquets as part of the decor (we did that at my wedding, too!)

Your color scheme of Navy and pink sounds just beautiful! I love a pop of color :)

Love the open back on your dress and the one that Brianne chose, as well. Things are really coming together from the sound of it!

Thank you! I love the flowers too. My goal for the day is simple, but elegant and do nothing that will make me think "What was I thinking??"

Yeah when I saw that purse I KNEW that pink and Navy were my colors! So funny where inspiration can come from!

I am very insecure about my back, and I love how this dress doesn't make my back "flaws" obvious! I am excited to start alterations on ther actual dress!

It's been fun reading your plans so far. I understand the family drama with a Disney wedding. We only avoided drama with my huge family by having an at-home reception a few months after our wedding. I love your venue; it is beautiful! Picking a date can be difficult. Our dating anniversary was Leap Day, but that was a Friday which was too expensive for us; March 1 is my grandpa's birthday which I would've loved but was Saturday that year, so we ended up with March since that was the closet weekday to both dates and was more affordable as a Monday which isn't really true anymore. I also love the details on your dress; I can't wait to read more.

Thank you! I have been reading your wedding trip report from the beginning! I love it is an older one where the photos actually work! (Stupid photobucket). If we were to have gone the Disney route it would have been just one big day. Andrew and I did say though we could have gotten away with not inviting certain relatives we are obligated to invite since it is local lol. I will forever blame my dad for this......and maybe my aunt and uncle and his grandparents who wouldn't have traveled lol. I had no idea wedding dates filled up so far in the future. Truth be told I booked the venue before I had the ring, I knew it was purchased but didn't know when he was popping the question. Had the 1st not been the ONLY day available I would have waited.
 
Hi all! I hope you are all still out there! I have been trying to get a post together, but DF was off all weekend for the first time in forever! We had our food tasting on the 19th so I have photos I need to upload from that. I normally update at lunch at work, but Monday I was in meetings from 10 am to 5 pm, and yesterday my laptop decided to stop working! Im hoping to get an update up by the end of the week! Thanks for hanging in there with me!
 
Hi Katie! I loved reading this - we are kindred spirits. I am getting married 9/2/18 on the north shore of Boston and bought one of my dresses at Alexandria's (it is amazing isn't it???). When is your bachelorette?
 
Thank you! I have been reading your wedding trip report from the beginning! I love it is an older one where the photos actually work! (Stupid photobucket). If we were to have gone the Disney route it would have been just one big day. Andrew and I did say though we could have gotten away with not inviting certain relatives we are obligated to invite since it is local lol. I will forever blame my dad for this......and maybe my aunt and uncle and his grandparents who wouldn't have traveled lol. I had no idea wedding dates filled up so far in the future. Truth be told I booked the venue before I had the ring, I knew it was purchased but didn't know when he was popping the question. Had the 1st not been the ONLY day available I would have waited.

That is so awesome to hear that you have read through some of mine too :love: I am so glad my photos somehow survived the Photobucket crisis. I really like some of your flower ideas; especially the garland down the center of the table. :daisy: Looking forward to reading more!
 
Hi Katie! I loved reading this - we are kindred spirits. I am getting married 9/2/18 on the north shore of Boston and bought one of my dresses at Alexandria's (it is amazing isn't it???). When is your bachelorette?

Oh so fun! Hi almost wedding twin! Where on the North shore are you getting married? My cousins live in Swampscott so I go up that way a lot! Alexandra's was so amazing! I am so glad I didn't have to go to a hundred places, esp given how indecisive I can be! Bachelorette is May 12-16! I cannot wait to be down at Disney. Work is gonna draaaaag these next two weeks!

That is so awesome to hear that you have read through some of mine too :love: I am so glad my photos somehow survived the Photobucket crisis. I really like some of your flower ideas; especially the garland down the center of the table. :daisy: Looking forward to reading more!

Well I am really glad they survived! I am enjoying the report! Cannot wait to get to your renewal! Thank you! I love the garland too! I hope it comes out as good as I am imagining it!
 

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