DisneyDMBNut FINALLY got her dream wedding!! VR Trip Report

[DisneyDmbNut]

Ok..so it is time I start this VR Report!!
(I know..you are all just DYING to read my blabber!!)

Players -
DH - Rick, Fire Division Chief and Deep Down Romantic
ME - Betsy, Construction Proj. Mgr and Disney Nut and Wedding Addict!
DD - Kate, Student and all around good daughter
WB - RonnieJo, aka from previous posts: Walt Bridesmaid
RB - SoccerMom Cheri - aka : Roy Bridesmaid
Ophie - wife of Tzman , photographer and bridal shop planner
Tzman - husband of above..Cameraman
Beano - DH of WB and..well..BEANO!



To be continued….

 

[Goldeelox9]

I am in.....

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Ok..so some background. Dh and I met in 1989 when I was in high school and he was a paramedic with the local fire department. We broke up but got back together in 1997. Had DD in 1998 and have lived together since 2002.

We finally (as my mother would say) got married on August 3, 2007. I had already convinced DH to go on my next Disney Cruise with several friends. WB suggested that we have a vow renewal on the ship. I never thought DH would go for this as he isn’t THAT into Disney but surprisingly…he agreed!! WOO HOO!! We did a simple courthouse ceremony and the planning began:

We had a back to back (B2B) booked for July 20th and July 24th on the Wonder.. I contacted Disney Fairy Tale Weddings to see if the VR would be available. I was estatic when Cathy told me July 25th, a Friday was available and booked it!!

SO…..11 months to go..so much planning!! Oh..I neglected to mention that in April 2007, I started my first SERIOUS diet. I will just admit it..after DD and many abdominal surgeries, I had ballooned to over 225.

I decided that I didn’t want to be like that anymore..By our wedding date in August, I had lost about 20lbs. I had tried on the dress that would eventually be my VR dress and the size 16 would not even ZIP!! I knew that I wanted that dress so I made it my goal..to fit into that dress!!

Coming up...

more surgery!!!!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

The months ticked by and planning was slow. DFTW’s really don’t need to contact you till about 90 days before your sail date. In January 2008 I had yet another surgery..I had lost about 50lbs at this point and was scared that this surgery would make me fall off track. Luckily, everything went great and I stayed on the plan!

February came and I ordered my dress!! I tried on the 16 that didn’t zip the previous summer and it zipped!! Not only that..it was a perfect fit!! I wanted to order the size 14 knowing that I was doing so good with my diet, but it made me nervous..what if I didn’t continue to lose..or (horrors!!) I gained!!!

By March, Cathy sent me the VR packet for me to make my selections..what to do?? I knew I wanted to have the ceremony on the “Secret” Deck 7 Aft instead of inside the Cadillac Lounge

(I mean..I was on a CRUISE!! I wanted to be outdoors!!) and to try and get “The Palo Room” for dinner immediately after the VR. Cathy wasn’t sure about the number of people. They have a limit on the number of people on deck. She also had to try and get the Palo Room..many hours were sweated over that..I had to have a minimum of 12 but a max of 14!! THHENN..I threw a big wrench in the mix by asking for….

The CAKE IN PALO!!!!


Coming up….THE DRESS IS IN!!!

 

[pjstevens]

Yea, it's about time Betsy!!! I cannot believe that is you in those pics. You look fantastic.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

April came and Alfred Angelo called..the dress was in!! WOOHOO!! I had also ordered a dress for DD..that was not in. My favorite color is green so my bridesmaids got dresses that were “grass green” and my friend Ophie (who got married in June 2007, went with me to all my bridal appointments) and we thought a pale mint green would set DD apart from the other girls and make her special. Her dress was also tiered like mine.
My Dress!!

I had continued to lose weight, so the dress was little loose when I tried it on! My biggest problem at this point was shoes…I could not find a pair that looked right with the dress..the pair here were ordered from Target but not only were they ‘off white’ compared to the dress..they just didn’t GO with the dress!! Oh!! The power of SHOES!!!

Back to my Palo Room request. Cathy got the room for us and I was estatic..this would allow all my friend to sit down together at one table and have a “reception”. Since the VR was at 5:30pm in Nassau, we would be sitting in Palo with a perfect view of our sail out of Nassau..I imagined it would be very romantic and very beautiful!
Cake problems... VR’s are usually done with a cake and champagne toast immediately afterwards. Since I wanted to have dinner in Palo after the VR it seemed silly to have cake and a toast on deck and then take the cake down and move it. Cathy informed me that they could not move the cake after cutting for some health reason. They would just cut the cake in the kitchen and bring it out…UMMM NO!!! I have been waiting for a cake cutting for 38 years..I wanted that!!
Hhhmmm..this seemed really dumb. This is also where I learned, never be afraid to ASK!! Between many emails with the Palo Manager and Cathy..I finally got approval to have the cake set up and cut in the Palo Room!!

Let them eat CAKE!!

In May, I had my first fitting. At this point I was 60lbs less..she took 2” in under each arm and down the waist. I also purchased a fingertip veil from Michaels to attach to the comb that I purchased at Michaels for our original wedding..it matched the dress perfect! Still no shoes..I even debated those beaded thongs for my feet..but I was afraid the deck would be too hot to walk on…

I had to make a heavy decision ..I would not be using the Photographer. I could not see spending $399 for pictures when I was going to have so many friends with high end cameras and HD video recorders. I also picked my music..Disney songs A dream is a wish, So this is love…but I felt like we needed something else.

June swept in and I got many emails from Cathy every week…I had request Palo add something “almond” to the cake and the chocolate sauce to drizzle over the cut cake..and was it possible to get pale green icing?
Rapid request and response flew over the internet…then..an odd request..if I got some sheet music..could the pianist learn it for our VR??


When we return….The Luckiest”

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

wow..this is more of a planning/recap report..guess I got long winded last night!
(and poor spelling and grammar when I am tired!)

 

[pjstevens]

wow..this is more of a planning/recap report..guess I got long winded last night!
(and poor spelling and grammar when I am tired!)

That's ok Betsy, we like reliving it with you!

 

[Goldeelox9]

Yeah we are loving it...Keep it coming! I like long winded!

 

[29apr00]

Yeah!! loving it!! Glad you were able to get everything you wanted so far!! Can't wait to follow along!

 

[Risnsun]

WOW you look so beautiful.

 

[Glampire31]

You looked really beautiful.... Please post the rest.. We are loving every minute of reading it. ^_^

 

[MadamMim]

1. Having seen the nose licking, I can't wait to hear more about the VR!

2. What was your weight loss plan because you look AMAZING!

 

[chepic]

It's living it all over again!!!

che

 

[29apr00]

More more more!!!

 

[pjstevens]

Betsy,

where are you???? We want to hear each and every detail!!!!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I have a few minutes..I will add!:


THe Luckiest!!


When last we left..our bride was asking for special cakes and now she had found a song by Ben Fold's called "the luckiest"


I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here

And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know

That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest
Because DH was in a very bad first marriage, the words seemed so great..the song itself is wonderful. I knew that if I brought a CD to the ship, they could play it for me..but if I gave the pianist sheet music, could he play it?? Cathy forwarded the music to the ship and I crossed my fingers!

At this point, I really needed to get my act together!! I was 30 days from sailing and had SOO many things to do! Program cards, dress finals..ugh!

A UPGRADE!!!
I got a call from my Travel Agent one Sunday a few weeks before we left..would I be interested in changing rooms?? While we had planned on staying in our Secret Porthole Room for both cruises, I could not resist going from a Cat 10 to a Cat 7 AND getting money back for the Florida Resident Rate..I took it..when I logged in to see the room..it was a Secret Veranda Room!!!
How romantic!!! A veranda..all to ourselves on our VR portion!! WOO HOO!!!

Our Room!

With the help of a Ophie, I made our programs for the VR..started as a watermark..morphed into a picture of the ship at Castaway with info printed on vellum:

This is where the story gets GOOD!! Ha ha ha!

Initally, we did not have a photo package because I couldn't see spending that amount on pictures! Cathy sent me an email that a new "Vow Renewal Package" was available for $175!! SOLD!! I had many people taking picture of the ceremony (as it turns out..thank GOD i did..but i digress) but really wanted some photos around the ship too!

THE shoes!!

I still had not found THE shoes for the dress..i had something that would "work" but not happy..then one night while DH was trying on shoes at Penny's..I found THEM!! PERFECT!! Love!! (Dh complained that he couldn't even go shoe shopping without me getting something!!)

(little did I know, they matched almost exactly with the style my bridesmaids had ordered!!)

ok..i need to get back to work!!

Next time..: WE SAIL!!!

 

[Goldeelox9]

Yay an update! Can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[pjstevens]

YEA!!!! An update! MORE!!!!!

 

[29apr00]

Love the shoes!