Where exactly CAN I wear my wedding dress at Disney?

[Kinsley]

I'm looking into booking an Escape package and then having my reception at The Attic. From what I was told, I can only book The Attic as part of the Wishes package and when doing that, my price minimum becomes $12,000... which I don't have. If I book The Attic as a "non wedding" event, the price minimum for the food and beverages becomes $1,000... but I wouldn't be allowed to wear my dress or have a tiered cake.
So my question is, unless I book a Wishes package, am I not allowed to wear my dress anywhere besides where I have the ceremony? What do people do afterwards when they have an Escape or Memories package? What about people who want a "reception only" party through Disney?
I've been searching these threads like crazy and can't find an answer! I would even be open to having a small reception at the Swan and Dolphin if they let me wear my dress! I only have 20 people and don't want a DJ or anything like that. Just dinner! Thanks guys

 

[elphie101]

Did someone at Disney tell you that you couldn't wear your dress at The Attic? I've definitely heard of Escape brides adding a private meal there after their ceremony and I know they didn't have to change their outfit. That being said, I don't know if this is no longer an option for whatever reason (I wouldn't be surprised if Disney changed their policies.)

To my knowledge the only dress restrictions are on wearing your dress in the theme parks, unless you are going into the park for an event you booked through DFTW.

I know of a bride just recently who had a Swan & Dolphin ceremony and a reception at House of Blues!

 

[bigr3ddog]

You can have a reception at the attic and wear your dress there after your escape wedding. You book it through dftw. You are still subject to the attic's food and beverage minimum, which depends on your event's time of day.

 

[Lorelei528]

I was an Escape bride. We had a dinner reception at Jiko in the Wine Room and I wore my dress and consequently got pictures around the resort too. From there we went to a dessert party in Morocco and I wore my dress there as well.

All three segments of our wedding were planned with DFTW, but I know at regular restaurants you can wear your dress even if you don't book through DFTW...The Attic is different however.

 

[wilkeliza]

You can have a reception at the attic and wear your dress there after your escape wedding. You book it through dftw. You are still subject to the attic's food and beverage minimum, which depends on your event's time of day.

From the OP I read it as dftw told her she can not book the attic as a reception location unless she has booked a wishes package.

It gets tricky. If dftw said you can't book it as a reception location with out having a wishes package then that is the new rules I would assume. However, if you are able to book it at the time you want I would imagine you would be able to wear your dress but you would not be able to have the wedding reception decor etc that dftw would provide or the tier cake. You would probably have the the option for whatever special events has available and then the costs of anything over that.

Although you may be able to wear your dress I wonder if there would be issues with photography etc. I believe you have to use a Disney ok'd photographer when you do special events of dftw but I could be wrong. If you do have to use a Disney photographer they may not take photos as if it was a wedding reception but would rather take them as they would if it was a cooperate event etc.

I guess it all really depends on what dftw told you.

 

[aristocatz]

OP: You might want to have a back-up reception venue in mind, in case this does not pan out the way you would prefer.

 

[lurkyloo]

You can wear your wedding gown anywhere at Walt Disney World except inside the parks. Brides who have in-park events arranged through DFTW get a special exception to wear their gowns at their events.

@Kinsley—I am assuming you got this information from the person who answered the phone at DFTW's general number. Unfortunately, they are about as reliable as WDW bus drivers when it comes to policy and pricing info. You won't get any real information until you are assigned an Escape sales coordinator and put down your deposit.

Plenty of Escape brides have added catered receptions to their events through DFTW, as well as dessert parties. The food and beverage minimums at the Attic are the same for Wishes and Escape: $1,000 for events ending before 5pm and $2,500 for those ending after. However, Wishes couples also have to meet an overall minimum expenditure of at least $11,000—the exact price depends on the number of guests, time of day and day of the week.

 

[lurkyloo]

Oh, and you don't have to use Disney Photography anywhere anymore. They allow "outside" photographers to shoot events inside the parks as long as you pay for media guides.

 

[Kinsley]

You can wear your wedding gown anywhere at Walt Disney World except inside the parks. Brides who have in-park events arranged through DFTW get a special exception to wear their gowns at their events.

@Kinsley—I am assuming you got this information from the person who answered the phone at DFTW's general number. Unfortunately, they are about as reliable as WDW bus drivers when it comes to policy and pricing info. You won't get any real information until you are assigned an Escape sales coordinator and put down your deposit.

Plenty of Escape brides have added catered receptions to their events through DFTW, as well as dessert parties. The food and beverage minimums at the Attic are the same for Wishes and Escape: $1,000 for events ending before 5pm and $2,500 for those ending after. However, Wishes couples also have to meet an overall minimum expenditure of at least $11,000—the exact price depends on the number of guests, time of day and day of the week.

My original plan was to get married at the Swan and Dolphin and have my reception at the Attic. I was told that I had to go through catered events for this, because Disney only works with brides who are having their ceremony through DFTW, and when working with the event planners, I wouldn't be able to wear my dress or have a cake. I did call DFTW and was told that I would only be able to have a reception only wedding if I chose the Wishes package... leaving me at the $12,000 minimum again. I decided on the Escape package and really wanted to add on a reception to that, but they told me that wasn't an option.
What happens to brides who want to get married in a church off property and don't have the money or people to fulfill the $12,000 minimum? There has to be a way to have a reception in a wedding dress without breaking the bank.

 

[WDWLover75]

I was an Escape bride around 7 months ago and had a reception at The Attic, but, DFTW didn't call it a reception, it was a catered meal which was 2 hours vs. a 4 hour "reception". Maybe it is just a verbiage thing? I think you should try asking again, good luck!

 

[lurkyloo]

^^ This.

If you have an Escape wedding, you can do a 2-hour catered event planned by DFTW that is a meal only—no DJ/dancing. It's probably the term "reception" that made them tell you you couldn't add anything to the Escape package.

If you have a Wishes event, you can hold the ceremony off-site and then do a full reception planned by DFTW (this is what a lot of Catholic couples do).

What happens to brides who want to get married in a church off property and don't have the money or people to fulfill the $12,000 minimum? There has to be a way to have a reception in a wedding dress without breaking the bank.

• They make a regular dinner reservation at a resort restaurant and wear their dress.
• They plan a Disney Catered Event at a resort (meal only, no DJ/dancing) and wear their dress.
• They plan a dessert party inside Epcot/Hollywood Studios and change into a different dress.
• They have a full reception (with DJ/dancing) at a non-Disney venue, like Fulton's at Downtown Disney, Rix Lounge at Coronado Springs, or the Swan & Dolphin.

 

[lilobelle]

If I am getting married at Shades of Green can I take pictures I'm my dress at the resorts?

 

[lurkyloo]

Yes!