Disneymooner Pixie Sarah, and her husband Pat, were married on July 15th, 2006 at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion. They hosted their reception at Living Seas Salon inside Epcot followed by an Illuminations Dessert Party at Italy Isola

Disneymooners: Tell us a little about yourselves!

Sarah:100% Disneyphiles. If it deals with Disney we need to be apart of it and know about it. As DVC members we always have a trip (or two planned.

Disneymooners: What made you decide to have a Disney wedding and why?

Sarah: We both grew up on Disney. Our families both took trips each year and so when we met we continued building on that number of trips together. I don’t think there was ever a doubt in our minds when we got engaged that we would be returning to say I do. We actually had no other locations in consideration; it was Disney wedding or bust. We knew having a wedding in Walt Disney World meant it got that Disney seal of quality and magic.

Disneymooners: How did your friends and family respond when they found out you were having a Disney wedding?

Sarah: I don’t think many people were shocked when they heard the news. We had gotten engaged there and as soon as we decided on a wedding there we began telling people to save up for a destination wedding. We were lucky and were not met with much resistance on the traveling. Our families were very supportive and they are all Disney fans themselves.

Disneymooners: Was there any particular reason why you chose your venue locations?

Sarah: The wedding and reception venues were givens for us. We were getting married in the heat of a Floridian summer so we needed an indoor location. I always dreamed of having a wedding at the Wedding Pavilion, with every monorail ride overhead. The Living Seas decision was made 2 years prior on the Behind the Scenes Tour at Epcot. Part of the tour shows you this private room in the Living Seas. As soon as our tour guide mentioned couples could have their receptions there, our eyes met and the decision was done.

Disneymooners: Planning a wedding, especially long distance, can be stressful for a couple. They wonder how it will all look in the end. How did it feel for you when you saw it all come together on your wedding day?

Sarah: Planning the wedding from a distance was a touch stressful at times, but the planning session and constant communication with my wedding planner really helped ease all the anxiety for me. I think it was a really surprise for us to see everything come together. You see it all piece by piece for so long, that it’s hard to see the grand picture of how the centerpieces will look on those tables under that lighting. We were really blown away by how well Disney took our ideas and brought them to life. I remember the biggest moment for us was seeing our reception for the first time.

Disneymooners: Was there anything that surprised you? Maybe something that you didn’t expect to have such a huge impact on the day?

Sarah: I think I was really surprised at how the adults reacted to our three characters at the reception. We had Mickey, Minnie and Stitch at our reception and the look of excitement and awe really captured us. To see these giant smiles on the faces of grown men and women dancing with Mickey was priceless.

Disneymooners: Part of the excitement for a lot of couples is to see their guests react to the magic of a Disney wedding. What aspect of your wedding do you think your guests loved the most?

Sarah: It’s really hard for me to name just one aspect that our guests loved. There are a few things that they still talk about. I think the guests were really taken back by the Dessert Party at Italy Isola and the private area for Illuminations. They really felt like they were celebrities that night being escorted back stage to a private area just for them.

Disneymooners: What was the #1 splurge you had that you couldn’t imagine not having on your wedding day?

Sarah: Our Illuminations Dessert Party. Looking back I don’t think our wedding would have been the same if we didn’t have that event after the reception. It was a final farewell to our guests who traveled so far for us. It was the perfect ending to an amazing day.

Disneymooners: Tell our members about the top 3 things that you’re glad you did for your wedding.

Sarah:

1. Had characters at our reception. The look of pure exhilaration on the faces of the youngest to the oldest as they danced with Mickey Mouse and Stitch at our reception was priceless.
2. Had a few group events prior to the wedding. We had our rehearsal dinner and a night out at Pleasure Island a few days before. I was so thankful for those special moments with our friends and family. I found myself wanting more of those moments during the trip.
3. Surprised our guests twice. We hired Major Domo to play a prank on our guests during the ceremony. No one knew what was going on and really thought our best man had lost the rings. The story is still told to this day with big laughs. We also surprised everyone with the lighted slipper sorbet at our reception. Everyone thought that was the greatest addition.

Disneymooners: Was there anything that you wish you had done? Or wish you had done differently?

Sarah: Looking back in the weeks and months after the wedding there wasn’t really anything I would have done differently. We were so happy with the event from start to finish, I can’t imagine changing anything. Now that almost 6 years have passed I think there are so new trends and additions I could have added had they been an option. I think if given the chance now I would have done an Epcot photo shoot after the wedding.

Disneymooners: Photography is very important to all brides. Was there a particular shot that you knew you absolutely had to have to document your day?

Sarah: There were a ton of photos I had on my must list. I even made a detailed list of top 20 pictures that MUST be taken and handed it to my photographer. He was great and carried it around all day to make sure he got all of them. If I had to pick one…they were the fireworks shots from our dessert party. Those are still some of my favorites. However, I did find that some of my more cherished ones were the unexpected ones taken.

Disneymooners: Do you have any words of wisdom to our future brides?

Sarah: Plan the wedding you both want, not the wedding you think other people want. We really did plan the wedding we both envisioned. Sure we took others into consideration but the wedding venues, style, theming, music, ceremony, etc were all us. And for those brides ready to walk down the aisle, my advice to every bride that I have seen off over the years. Take a mental picture. At some point on your wedding day stand off to the side and look around at everything around you. Take in the sights and sounds and the people around you. The day goes by lightning fast and you will be happy you took a few precious moments to be in the moments, once its all over.

You can read all about Sarah’s wedding here

Sarah, on behalf of Disneymooners, thank you for taking the time to share a little about your wedding planning and day. You are a great member of our community and we look forward to following along in your Happily Ever After! All the best ~ the Disneymooners