Shaun,
I love the wedding and vow renewal questions!
I have been lucky enough to get invited to a few weddings at Walt Disney World (thanks Samantha & Allison!) and an amazing vow renewal party for my good friends Kay and Ron. What I find fantastic about hosting such important life milestones at Walt Disney World is that they can range from large, elaborate affairs down to very small, intimate encounters. It is all about capturing you as a couple.
The best starting point is to visit the
Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons site. This group at Disney can help you plan your vow renewal, including the where, the when, the how and the what. They have venues around the resort that range from traditional altar-like settings at
Disney's Wedding Pavilion, to 50 or more other sites that can create more unique experiences. They can arrange any and all other aspects for you along the way as well.
Another consideration is capturing the moment. If you want some great pictures of the event, the
Disney Fine Art Photography & Video group can arrange that for you as well.
All of this can appear to be expensive at first, but if you dig in to it all, you will find that they can accommodate a range of wishes and budgets alike. Their sites also will serve up some great inspiration for your planning.
Finally, never forget that you can also do it all on your own. I proposed to my wife (successfully!) on a secluded porch at the
Atlantic Dance Hall, as the
EPCOT fireworks launched off in the distance. The real challenge with doing it yourself is finding the right venue that captures who you both are, and doing it in a way that keeps it personal, without a crowd invading your special moment.
But let me begin by offering you a few suggestions that might work as good venues for a vow renewal if you are going to do it on your own. Also, write me back directly with more information about what you are hoping to do, and I would be more than glad to dive deeper into some suggested locations and planning tips.
- Magic Kingdom Park: Nothing beats getting your picture taken with Cinderella Castle as the backdrop. If you position yourself on the bridge that heads from the Central Plaza towards the Mad Tea Party attraction, you can get a great, up close backdrop of the castle with fewer or no park guests in the background.
- EPCOT: The different national pavilions of the World Showcase have scenic, secluded areas if you explore a bit. I find the grounds in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Morocco often offer the best backdrops with smaller crowds.
- Resorts: With resorts that have such specific, well articulated themes, one of these could match your mood and goal. A personal favorite is the exotic grounds of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.
Write me back if you want more suggestions!
Have a Magical Vacation!
Doug