Q: You're Engaged! What are you going to do next?

A: I'm going to Disney World!

 (Personal photo)

We didn't actually go to Disney World after we got engaged. We didn't become engaged there either (I'll post our engagement story in another post). But no one was surprised to find out that we were going to be getting married in Disney World. I'm a Disney World fanatic after all. And Mr. Disney Groom (bless his heart) plays into my obsession/hobby because he knows it makes me happy.

To be honest, we didn't really sit down and discuss our wedding destination options after we became engaged.  We didn't even attempt to research any venues or costs up here in New Jersey. My hubby-to-be knew going into this engagement that a Disney wedding was in the cards. Ever since I found out you could get married in Disney - I knew I had to do it. I'm ashamed that as a lifelong Disney fan I hadn't done research into a Disney wedding until a year into my relationship with Mr. DG (Disney Groom). I like to think that I just couldn't ever imagine myself marrying anyone until we met (aww). Disney wedding research became kind of a closet hobby of mine for a year and half or so, until we got engaged and I came out of the Disney Wedding planning closet.

The When and Where
Since we knew it would be in Disney - now it was time to figure out when and where exactly this shindig would go down. We got engaged in July 2010, and I initially was hoping for a November 2011 wedding. November is a great time in Disney - the Epcot Food and Wine Festival is wrapping up, the Christmas decorations are going up, the crowds are low in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, and the weather is divine (not too hot and hurricane season is over). Unfortunately, reality caught up with us, and we knew we needed more time to save for the wedding we really wanted. Go big or go home! That brought us to 2012.

(Source)

February was another option, that is until Mr. DG's Dad (who is a self-employed accountant) said he could not travel during tax season. January through April were out.  I don't fare well in the heat - so June through September were out. That left May, October, November, or December. Since I had my heart set on November, I figured waiting a few more months into 2012 wouldn't be a big deal, right? Famous last words.


Coming up next: Venue selection and site visit!