This week’s “Featured Venue Friday” post was written by Disneymooner Tiffani. Tiffani used Ballrooms C&D  at the Grand Floridian Resort for her wedding reception. Photographs are from Disney Event Photography.

It’s Disney World and there are a thousand possible locations from the exotic to the entertaining.  So why did I end up with a ballroom at the Grand Floridian?

The ballrooms may seem the most safe, and perhaps a traditional choice but when we sat down with our sales person, we went over the things that were important to us.  For us, we wanted killer food, but a plated formal affair over a buffet, which immediately nixed a lot of locations that were buffet only.  We knew that the Wedding Pavilion was our ceremony venue and we wanted something convenient, that we wouldn’t have to worry over how to transport guests to and without leaving them stranded at our location, offering them the option to come or go as they pleased, so we pretty much ruled out in park locations.  We also knew that there was no way we would hit certain guest minimums nor did we want time constraints placed by possible event locations. Although it wasn’t a concern for us at the time, but Disney’s constraints on having outside photographers only allowed at non-theme park venues would be another reason to look at the hotels.

Truthfully, for us, the ambience of the Grand Floridian, which flows of course, so well with the ambiance of the pavilion was the feeling that we were looking to extend so we chose the St. Augustine Ballrooms C&D, based on our guest count of approximately 60 people.  The elegant look of the hotel and the ballroom, while still having that old Florida feel appealed to us.  We also like the blank slate of the ballroom, allowing us to truly customize our event, without having to work around existing decor or furniture.  The ballrooms are an excellent opportunity to free a bride from any restrictions.

Want a giant candy bar that spans the length of the room? Go for it! Want a large dance floor with lots of little nooks for sitting, socializing and drinking? Not a problem!  Looking for a reception that accentuates the “blush and bashful” theme from Steel Magnolia, with pink everywhere? You have the room to do it. Bunting in rich fabrics with twinkle lights can be hung from every inch of the room, ceiling and down.  With the ballrooms, your only limit is your imagination (and, of course, your budget)

Here’s what Disneymooners  are saying about the Grand Floridian Ballrooms on our forums:

Our theme was “Happily Ever After, in blue” with Cinderella’s castle front and center, and when the dimmed lights came on and everything was bathed in blue, I couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.  Or anything more perfectly personalized to us.

– Tiffani