The holiday season is upon us once again, and a wonderful side effect of the holidays is often lots of proposals and newly engaged couples. I’m looking forward to hearing about all the new engagements as we head into the end of the year…but in the meantime, knowing that we will have some new brides and grooms entering in the mix got me thinking about wedding planning, and one of the questions I’m hearing more often these days:
Could a Disney Cruise Wedding be Right for Me?
In today’s fast past world of WAY TOO BUSY to breathe, let alone plan a wedding, a Disney Cruise Wedding may in fact be the perfect solution for many couples who are wanting a Disney Fairy Tale Wedding, but aren’t really wanting to do much planning or coordinating.
I just added a pretty detailed article to the Disney Weddings & Proposals section of the site about Disney Cruise Weddings, you can check it out here if you are looking for details and pricing. I go into this topic in lots of depth there, but here are some brief highlights:
Potential Positives:
- Disney Cruise Line is consistently rated one of the top large cruise lines in the world.
- The Disney Cruise Line Wedding package is just that–a package, with most details pre-planned. There are a few categories where you make a few choices, and that’s all you need to do. Everything else is taken care of.
- You are assigned an onboard wedding coordinator that you will meet with on Embarkation Day and they will work with you to ensure your wedding goes smoothly.
- This is a great way to combine your wedding (or vow renewal) and your honeymoon and/or family vacation into one trip and one budget.
- Of all the Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, this is one of Disney’s most affordable Wedding packages, so if a “Disney” wedding is important to you, this might be an avenue worth exploring if budget is an issue. Of course, a cruise reservation is required.
- A Disney Cruise Line wedding is classic, elegant, simple and a little glamorous–without breaking the bank or costing you your sanity as you try to plan lots of details.
- There’s no real “reception” in a Cruise Line wedding. You have a cake and champagne celebration, and then everyone goes back to enjoying their cruise. No first dance, no uncomfortably standing around wishing you could get back to the beach.
- You can get married on the beach or dock on Castaway Cay, or on the ship in a few different locations. (Getting married on Castaway Cay is more expensive than getting married on the ship).
- You are a “Disney Fairy Tale Wedding” couple, and can book a Disney Fairy Tale Wedding Bridal Portrait shoot in one (or more) of the parks within one year of your wedding (for an extra fee).
Potential Negatives:
- Photography is NOT included in the base price.
- While photography packages are available for additional fees, the services themselves are not provided by Disney Fine Art Photography–they are provided by Cruise Line Photographers.
- There is no real “reception” in a Cruise Line wedding. There is a cake and champagne celebration following the ceremony; however, it’s not a long event–time enough for toasts, cake cutting, some pictures and enjoying some cake and then it’s over. I have this as both a pro and a con—where it falls for you will be a matter of your personal preference and priorities.
- Disney Cruise Line is a high end cruise line, and priced accordingly.
- If you are someone who likes to plan every detail and be in constant contact with your planner, a cruise line wedding will not be a good fit for you.
- Your onboard ceremony is not actually legal, so you are married in a civil ceremony in Port before the ship departs on your cruise.
- Every guest you want to attend your wedding will need a cruise reservation and a passport.
I think Disney Cruise Weddings are actually perfect for a lot of couples, and even more perfect as a vow renewal. If you would like more information, please check out my more detailed article on Disney Cruise Weddings in the Disney Weddings and Proposals section of the site.
Happy Dreaming!
Brooke