Hiya Ellie,
Welcome to planDisney! How exciting for your sister! I’m sending her wishes for an incredible day as she begins this new chapter with her Happily Ever After. Thank you so much for bringing your question here today.
I love the idea of bringing a little Disney into the day, even if she isn’t planning to get married on-site. The great news is that I reached out to a friendly Cast Member named Buffy, and she said that your sister will be permitted to wear her wedding dress for table-service dining at Walt Disney World Resort Collection Hotels. If, for some reason, your sister wants to dine at a location inside the theme parks, she will need to adhere to the
Guest Courtesy and Attire Policy for Walt Disney World Resort. The policy specifically states that clothing cannot drag on the ground, so she may not be able to wear her wedding dress there.
I hope this was helpful, Ellie. Before I let you go, I know you mentioned that your sister was considering the
Grand Floridian Café (one of my favorites) as a location, and I personally think the
Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is picture-perfect. Since it is so close to the Wedding Pavilion, I often see brides in their dresses there, and the theming lends itself perfectly for that. Along with all the brides, there are many wedding photos taken throughout the resort, so I wanted to remind you about the professional photography policy in case your sister is looking to take photos with her spouse there. Currently, the property rules prohibit photography for unapproved commercial purposes, so if she wants to use a professional photographer to take her photos, she will need to ensure that they sign an agreement in advance. If she just wants to take a few photos with her mobile device, that should be okay, but it is ultimately up to the Cast Members at the resort hotel. Another idea I had was to have your sister head to the second floor of the resort, near the monorail entrance. Depending on the time of day, there is usually a PhotoPass photographer set up in the little alcove, taking photos with a backdrop and props. I just did photos of my daughter there after her Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique transformation, and they were stunning. This might be a perfect way for her to get some beautiful photos (note that she will either have to purchase these photos individually or have
Memory Maker). I hope your sister has the most magical day ever. Please come back and see us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.