Matthew & Sarah E's Fairy Tale Wedding - 09.16.2011 - GF WP & Whitehall Room/Patio

[sarahe125]

About Us:
We have two super sweet kiddos, Madison (7) and Logan (4), and a cutie patootie dog, Simba. Madison and Logan are the light of our lives and always keeping us on our toes. Madison is super bright, charming, funny and outgoing. Logan is inquisitive, determined, caring, and becoming more and more independent by the day. We often say we wish we could hit the “pause button” so they will stop growing. We are always taking pictures so we can go back and remember!

The whole family can’t get enough of anything related to games, sports or music. Everything from Wii / board games to baseball (go Cards, go Cubs!) / football games (go MIZ-ZOU!) to rocking out in the car to our favorite songs (anyone heard of Tick Tok and Dynamite?!?).

Our Story:
Simply stated… an audit at work (Sarah’s firm auditing Matt’s company), blue moon (dinner with lots of these delicious beers), and crossing paths in Walt Disney World (which allowed us to share our first few amazing days together as a family).

Matthew worked at a baseball company in St. Louis... He is a HUGE Cardinals fan. Sarah E (living in Chicago at the time and a Cubs fan) was auditing the company Matt worked at. We became fast friends.

Matthew had put the birdie in Sarah E's ear that taking his daughter Madison to Disney during the fall of 2008 was one of the best decisions of his life. Sarah E took it to heart and planned a trip for Fall 2009 for herself and her son Logan. We found out via a random email that both would be in Disney during September 2009 with our kids. Our vacations overlapped by a weekend. Sarah and Logan were eating their first meal in Crystal Palace at the Magic Kingdom when Matthew and Maddie came in and gave them their "ears". That's where the kids first met... where we just knew... it's all history. There was a spark!

A full year later Sarah and Logan had moved to St. Louis and we took our first "family trip" to WDW during September 2010. It was honestly the most magical, amazing week. The kids still talk about the night of the Halloween Party. Maddie and Matt were Ariel and King Triton and Logan and Sarah were Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The photos are priceless.

 

[mebbradley]

Welcome! That proposal sounds so sweet. Are you getting married on 9.16.2011? That's so soon!

 

[sarahe125]

The Proposal (December 2010):
We decided at the end of our trip in September that we HAD to go back without the kiddos so we could ride the big kid rides (and spend some time in EPCOT "around the world")! So, we had a few vacation days left and we squeezed in a last minute trip. Day One we always hit the MK for a signature photo on Main Street with the castle. So, we executed on the plan and "ran into" a photographer who took our family photo shoot when were at WDW during September. He said he was in the park waiting to do another shoot and offered to take a couple castle shots of us in Rose Garden. Sarah E loves photos (Matthew too) so she jumped at the offer. The next moment... Matthew was one one knee. And the whole thing is captured on film. Simply magical. Matthew had it all planned. He had schemed with our photographer from the Fall and planned to "run into" him. We ended the evening with a fantastic dinner at Citrico's.

Here are some shots of the proposal:

 

[sarahe125]

Welcome! That proposal sounds so sweet. Are you getting married on 9.16.2011? That's so soon!

Yes! 9.16.11! One week from tonight. I've wanted to do a planning journal for SO LONG but I haven't made the time. When Matt and I were packing a box to send with his Mom via her car down to Florida last weekend I photographed all the little details and promised myself I was going to share it all. Everyone on these boards have been so amazing to us... with little ideas and tips. It's time to start giving back!

 

[sarahe125]

Engagement Photos:
We took engagement photos later in the week during our trip to WDW in December 2010 when we got engaged. They are outside the Yacht Club.

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Session visit to WDW (May 2011):
Matthew & Sarah visited WDW for a long weekend in May for our planning session. We almost didn't do the planning session in person. However, after having the experience we can't even imagine not having attended. The morning at Franc's was actually fun. Matthew even says so! Cake tasting was yummy and we got to go inside the WP with Jamie and the organist. Sarah E can still remember the moment the organ played the "chiming of the hour". It all hit home that we were getting married here! It instantly became real. The food tasting was another FANTASTIC experience. We were so full that we still aren't sure how we made it over to the MK via the monorail afterwards!

Here are some photos from our planning session and our long weekend at WDW!

(a touch sad that the WP doesn't look like this any longer)

(the tasting was by FAR the best part!)

(first sneak peek into the Whitehall Room & Patio)

 

[sarahe125]

Family Vacation (September 2011... the 5 days before our wedding):
We leave on September 11th (two sleeps as we are telling our kiddos!) and have a few days planned for just the four of us, on family vacation, prior to our family and friends arriving. The four of us can't wait for this year's Halloween Party. The kids picked out our costumes... Madison is Tink. Matthew, Peter Pan. Sarah E, Wendy. and Logan... The Crocodile!

 

[sarahe125]

Wedding Details!

Wishes Wedding September 16, 2011

Wedding Party: Sarah E, bride; Matthew, groom; Madison (Matthew's daughter, age 7), flower girl; Logan (Sarah E's son, age 4), ring bearer

Location/Time: Grand Floridian Wedding Pavilion at 5:00pm

Reception: Whitehall Room & Patio at the Grand Floridian Convention Center following the ceremony at 6:00pm

Theme: Subtle Ariel/Little Mermaid theme because of my dress (Ariel from the Disney Fairy Tale Wedding line by Alfred Angelo)... our cake is Under the Sea themed, completed with a white chocolate Sebastian Cake Topper! We also asked our guests to add a touch of pink to their outfit for the celebration... we wanted every single guest to feel as if they are part of our wedding party.

Photography: Disney Fine Art Photography & Videography, Regina (& Cassie), Enchanted Rose Package (includes Magic Kingdom shoot + we added EPCOT)

Videography: Disney Fine Art Photography & Videography, Celebration Package + Custom 3-5 minute Arrival/Ceremony/Departure Montage (song TBD... fingers crossed for Taylor Swift "Today Was a Fairytale) to become available + Bridal Spotlight in EPCOT (montage song = Hey Soul Sister).

Officiant: Matthew's brother, Michael.

Planner: Pamela Mattack - simply fantastic. We were really concerned when she went on maternity leave. Jamie Betz was assigned to us when she was out and did a great job filling in for Pamela. Jamie even did our planning session! Honestly though, Pamela rocks. She has been very supportive and has helped us become even more excited than we already are (which is hard to believe).

Makeup/Hair: Janet Mednick, On Site Beauty

Steaming/Dress Preservation: Loftis Production Services

Wedding Size: 35, including us (27 adults, 8 kiddos)

Resort Stay: Grand Floridian (the week of and for our bonus night which we are using the day of our wedding) It’s family vacation week too!

At Home Reception: November 19, 2011 in St. Louis, MO at the Mad Art Gallery

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Rings:

Diamonds on the Web (engagement ring) and Jared (bands).

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Dress:

"Ariel" by Alfred Angelo (Disney Fairy Tale Wedding Collection)

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Shoes

Bride:
This is one of my most favorite little touches... I have two different... one sexy/stylish and one a touch more practical.

1) Custom-made Sam Edelman's! Matthew works at a shoe company and a super sweet co-worker hooked me up! They pink so I too am wearing something "pink"!

2) Sseko Designs - Checkout the website... I'm a fan.

Flower girl:
Pink Ballet Flats, Chasing Fireflies

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Flower Girl Dress

Chasing Fireflies

(heart the custom hanger!)

(matching shoes!)

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Groom's Cufflinks:

Shhhh.... Matthew's Wedding Present!

Paloma Picasso®
Love & Kisses cuff links (Tiffany's)

xoxo is just our thing!

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Invitations:

We started using Impressions (Shelly) to design these amazing invites. However, they honestly started taking forever (like we are talking 3+ months) and we really wanted to get our invites out. So, at the last minute we decided to go a less expensive route and ended up loving what we picked. We added an extra reception card to ask our guests to incorporate pink into their outfits and “please no gifts”. Our guests gave rave reviews. We used our deposit to have Impressions make fantastic table cards for us.

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Table Cards:

Impressions - Five tables... Magic Kingdom (our family sweetheart table), EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney

 

[sarahe125]

Ring Bearer Outfit -

Ebay (inexpensive). Pink shirt from Nordstrom's. Cutie patootie shoes from Shoes.com

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Flowers

Disney Florist (Laura Kidd) – Laura has been nothing short of amazing.

Bridal Bouquet -
Initially I fell in love with Peonies but they are out of season for September so I showed Laura this as inspiration and gave her full creative license with it. Our colors are pink and orange.
BEO Floral description: French, teardrop shaped bouquet of color blocked floral in pinks and oranges. To include orange unique roses, cherry brandy roses, raspberry pink hydrangea, pink and orange mokara and cymbidium orchids and pink and orange gladiola blooms. Lightly frame the bouquet with off-white ostrich "poofs". 75% ribbon wrap the faux stems in antique white satin. Single Swarovski crystal Mickey closure on stems. Accent throughout the bouquet with rhinestone spray accents.
Bride Hair – Still not 100% sure…. I think a flower for the ceremony/reception and the tiara for the MK/EPCOT photoshoot with hair down but still a little unsure.

(This photo is the inspiration for my bouquet. I can't wait to see what Laura designed!)

(love the color contrast)

Groom –
Light pink mini cymbidium orchid, lily grass, antique white satin wrap stem. Swarovski crystal Mickey closure.

Flower Girl –
This is our inspiration photo for the “flower girl wand”. She is also going to have a petal basket.
BEO Floral description: Cherry brandy rose wand, framed with light pink ostrich poofs, sheer light pink ribbon accents. SILK pink rose wand, framed with light pink ostrich poofs, sheer light pink ribbon accents.

Ring Bearer –
Smallest light pink mini cymbidium orchid, lily grass, antique white satin wrap stem. Design on a safety pin. Age 4. Swarovski crystal Mickey closure.

A Mickey Pillow (of course!)

Mom’s –
Wrist corsage of cherry brandy rose, medium pink spray roses, lily grass, sheer white ribbons.

Dad’s –
Cherry brandy rose, lily grass, antique white satin wrap stem.

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal -

I'm still a bit undecided here but these are some of my inspiration photos and hair accessories! For the wedding day I'm going to pull my hair back but for the MK/EPCOT Shoot the following am I'm going to wear my hair down and curled with the tiara I think.

Hair Inspiration:

Fresh Flower - White Cymbidium orchid

Starfish – Esty Find: http://www.etsy.com/transaction/55039304

Tiara – A gift.

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Welcome Bags:

Disney Florist, Laura Kidd. Reusable bags including our custom designed "Times Guide", DIY door hanger, reusable water bottles (with our names and wedding date in Disney font), T-shirts (tagline on the back of shirt says "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" - Cinderella... front of shirt has Ta-Dah Mickey small in left breast area and our names and wedding date small on sleeve)

 

[sarahe125]

Planning Journal - Welcome "Times Guide"

Designed by a fellow DIS board member (many thanks) and printed by WHCC (photo lab). On the back of the Times Guide we wrote up some Photopass tips for our guests.