Help me decide where to have my Vow Renewal!

[Crazyredheads]

Hi guys!

My husband and I decided to renew our vows a few years ago to celebrate all the amazing years we spent together as a married couple. We started dating 21 years ago and just celebrated our 15th year of marriage this summer. We have two amazing boys (12 and 9 y.o.) and want to share this special day with them.

We decided on a destination vow renewal but I can't make up my mind on where to have it or if I should invite my close relatives.

Honestly, we tried planning a vow renewal a few years back. I originally wanted to have our renewal at Disney after looking at Disney prices and ceremony locations I was not convinced. We're Canadian so we had to add the terrible exchange rate onto the already inflated price of a Memories or Escape package. I think the main thing was that we were not ready financially to invest that much on the vow renewal.

We then almost renewed our vows on our trip to Hawaii in 2017. I even bought my dress a day before leaving for Hawaii. It was so last minute that I was looking for a photographer and florist while in Hawaii. In the end, it just felt too rushed and I did not want to settle on something that I wasn't that happy with so I just dropped the whole idea of a vow renewal. I think deep down, I kind of felt sad that our close family would not be there to share our day with us. I felt like the ceremony would feel uneventful without them.

I decided to just take a break from the whole vow renewal idea for a while. I needed a mental break. I don't know how the subject came back up but we just started talking about it again and we both felt ready to make this thing happen. This time we were going to do it right. We made a budget and decided that we want to keep the whole thing under $8,000 USD which is $10,500 CAD not including the travel costs. That is just for the event itself.

The problem is that I can't decide if I want to do an intimate vow renewal just us and the boys or if I should invite the family. My husband is very private and kind of shy so he prefers it if it's just us, but he is willing to invite the family to make me happy. Of course I would only invite our closes family members: my parents, my parents-in-law, my sister and brother in law, my nephew and niece and maybe my aunt and cousin whom I'm really close to. They are such a big part of my life; of our lives, I feel like its only right that they share our special day with us! But as much as I love them, organizing a trip with family is complicated and they are all very opinionated. So I feel torn.

Now deciding if the family is coming is the first step because it will determine the location of the vow renewal.If it's just us, it will definitely be in Hawaii because we both fell in love with Hawaii and the natural beauty of the place is unbeatable for a vow renewal. But since Hawaii is really far from where we live (it's a 12 hour flight), asking our guests to travel to such a remote destination and spend a small fortune just to be there for a vow renewal is just too much.

If we decide to invite the family, Orlando is our destination of choice. My husband and I love the Disney and Universal theme parks and its just an easy travel destination for us Canadians since its only a 3 hour flight. It's also a simpler trip to organize for a larger group. Now since we want to keep with the Polynesian theme for our vow renewal, we have a few options in Orlando. Our favourite resort is the Polynesian Resort so we are still considering that as a wedding venue but the price is still high and can't customize it the way I like. We are also looking at Universal Resorts. They have great wedding packages for much cheaper and can they can be customized. We can also go into the Universal parks afterwards in our wedding attire to take pictures unlike Disney who charges and has lots of restrictions. And the last venue we are considering is Paradise Cove. It is basically a wedding venue close to the Disney Parks. We could all stay at Disney and then the day of the event taxi over there for the vow renewal.

Ok, so here is the list of venues we are considering:

1. On the beach in Hawaii: A vow renewal for just us and the kids. I found an amazing vendor called Simple Oahu Weddings who offers amazing wedding packages on the beach including photography and floral for around $3,000 - $4,000. I have lots left in my budget to customize the package and to pay ourselves a nice dinner somewhere. Check out weddings they have done in Oahu here: https://simpleoahuwedding.com/oahu-wedding-photography

2. Disney World: Escape package at Luau Point with my family. Includes bouquet, photography, cake and champagne for $7,500. The downside is that I'm at the top of my budget and I can't really afford to add any extras. I really wanted to add a dessert party/ Plus it doesn't include a reception dinner for my guests. The other negative is that I can't really customize the package. I am stuck with a Disney Photographer and choosing between Disney's selection of bouquets and cake styles. To check out the location check out this wedding at the Polynesian Resort, it is totally in my style: http://bystephanievelez.com/blog/2019/5/2/alex-erics-wedding.

3. Universal Resorts: Either at the Hard Rock Hotel or the Royal Pacific Resort. Includes Ceremony location, cake and reception dinner for $3000. I can select my own photographer and florist. So for $7,500 I can get the equivalent to Disney's Escape package as well as a whole reception dinner for the same price. Plus I get to customize it the way I like. Check out this wedding at The Hard Rock. The pictures in Harry Potter's Wizarding World are pretty awesome:
https://www.thirtythreeanda3rd.com/universal-studios-wedding-photography-kellyjosh/

4. Paradise Cove: The venue looks like a private tropical island. Here it is $2,100 for the rental of the whole venue space. It does not include a package so I would have to hire different vendors for my photography, flowers and catering. The place is beautiful but I'm not sure I want to do all that work. I am sure that I could keep the cost down to under $8,000 and could really customize the whole thing but its like having another wedding. This is a vow renewal. Simple is key. Here is a wedding that made me fall in love with the place: https://www.rudyandmarta.com/2017/10/australian-wedding-at-lake-bryan/

Ok guys let me know what you think. Which should I pick for my vow renewal?

 

[mdcpr]

I think at the beach in Hawaii sounds intimate, lovely, special and not complicated.

 

[Janir]

Hi guys!

My husband and I decided to renew our vows a few years ago to celebrate all the amazing years we spent together as a married couple. We started dating 21 years ago and just celebrated our 15th year of marriage this summer. We have two amazing boys (12 and 9 y.o.) and want to share this special day with them.

We decided on a destination vow renewal but I can't make up my mind on where to have it or if I should invite my close relatives.

Honestly, we tried planning a vow renewal a few years back. I originally wanted to have our renewal at Disney after looking at Disney prices and ceremony locations I was not convinced. We're Canadian so we had to add the terrible exchange rate onto the already inflated price of a Memories or Escape package. I think the main thing was that we were not ready financially to invest that much on the vow renewal.

We then almost renewed our vows on our trip to Hawaii in 2017. I even bought my dress a day before leaving for Hawaii. It was so last minute that I was looking for a photographer and florist while in Hawaii. In the end, it just felt too rushed and I did not want to settle on something that I wasn't that happy with so I just dropped the whole idea of a vow renewal. I think deep down, I kind of felt sad that our close family would not be there to share our day with us. I felt like the ceremony would feel uneventful without them.

I decided to just take a break from the whole vow renewal idea for a while. I needed a mental break. I don't know how the subject came back up but we just started talking about it again and we both felt ready to make this thing happen. This time we were going to do it right. We made a budget and decided that we want to keep the whole thing under $8,000 USD which is $10,500 CAD not including the travel costs. That is just for the event itself.

The problem is that I can't decide if I want to do an intimate vow renewal just us and the boys or if I should invite the family. My husband is very private and kind of shy so he prefers it if it's just us, but he is willing to invite the family to make me happy. Of course I would only invite our closes family members: my parents, my parents-in-law, my sister and brother in law, my nephew and niece and maybe my aunt and cousin whom I'm really close to. They are such a big part of my life; of our lives, I feel like its only right that they share our special day with us! But as much as I love them, organizing a trip with family is complicated and they are all very opinionated. So I feel torn.

Now deciding if the family is coming is the first step because it will determine the location of the vow renewal.If it's just us, it will definitely be in Hawaii because we both fell in love with Hawaii and the natural beauty of the place is unbeatable for a vow renewal. But since Hawaii is really far from where we live (it's a 12 hour flight), asking our guests to travel to such a remote destination and spend a small fortune just to be there for a vow renewal is just too much.

If we decide to invite the family, Orlando is our destination of choice. My husband and I love the Disney and Universal theme parks and its just an easy travel destination for us Canadians since its only a 3 hour flight. It's also a simpler trip to organize for a larger group. Now since we want to keep with the Polynesian theme for our vow renewal, we have a few options in Orlando. Our favourite resort is the Polynesian Resort so we are still considering that as a wedding venue but the price is still high and can't customize it the way I like. We are also looking at Universal Resorts. They have great wedding packages for much cheaper and can they can be customized. We can also go into the Universal parks afterwards in our wedding attire to take pictures unlike Disney who charges and has lots of restrictions. And the last venue we are considering is Paradise Cove. It is basically a wedding venue close to the Disney Parks. We could all stay at Disney and then the day of the event taxi over there for the vow renewal.

Ok, so here is the list of venues we are considering:

1. On the beach in Hawaii: A vow renewal for just us and the kids. I found an amazing vendor called Simple Oahu Weddings who offers amazing wedding packages on the beach including photography and floral for around $3,000 - $4,000. I have lots left in my budget to customize the package and to pay ourselves a nice dinner somewhere. Check out weddings they have done in Oahu here: https://simpleoahuwedding.com/oahu-wedding-photography

2. Disney World: Escape package at Luau Point with my family. Includes bouquet, photography, cake and champagne for $7,500. The downside is that I'm at the top of my budget and I can't really afford to add any extras. I really wanted to add a dessert party/ Plus it doesn't include a reception dinner for my guests. The other negative is that I can't really customize the package. I am stuck with a Disney Photographer and choosing between Disney's selection of bouquets and cake styles. To check out the location check out this wedding at the Polynesian Resort, it is totally in my style: http://bystephanievelez.com/blog/2019/5/2/alex-erics-wedding.

3. Universal Resorts: Either at the Hard Rock Hotel or the Royal Pacific Resort. Includes Ceremony location, cake and reception dinner for $3000. I can select my own photographer and florist. So for $7,500 I can get the equivalent to Disney's Escape package as well as a whole reception dinner for the same price. Plus I get to customize it the way I like. Check out this wedding at The Hard Rock. The pictures in Harry Potter's Wizarding World are pretty awesome:
https://www.thirtythreeanda3rd.com/universal-studios-wedding-photography-kellyjosh/

4. Paradise Cove: The venue looks like a private tropical island. Here it is $2,100 for the rental of the whole venue space. It does not include a package so I would have to hire different vendors for my photography, flowers and catering. The place is beautiful but I'm not sure I want to do all that work. I am sure that I could keep the cost down to under $8,000 and could really customize the whole thing but its like having another wedding. This is a vow renewal. Simple is key. Here is a wedding that made me fall in love with the place: https://www.rudyandmarta.com/2017/10/australian-wedding-at-lake-bryan/

Ok guys let me know what you think. Which should I pick for my vow renewal?

Having done full on Disney Wedding, you will get great value for every penny you spend. The Disney photographers for the Weddings group is fantastic to work with and they do a fantastic job. The WEddings group overall do a fantastic job and make sure to take care of all the little details. Depending on your overall guest count (no higher than 20 including the couple if I remember correctly) you could just to a ADR for a nice resturant somewhere on property after everything is "done". If everyone has a ticket/pass they already used for the day then you could book something like Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria and get a bunch of decent pizza's for a group, or head to the Boardwalk and do similar with Trattoria al Forno. YOu could do it at Blaze Pizza but while good pizza, its more of a counter service fast food place.
For our wedding rehearsal dinner I was feeling the penny pinch leading up to the wedding and planned a pool pizza party at the Grand Floridian since the DW to be was staying there for the night b/4 the wedding. SO we had people come over, swim in the GF pool, and we ordered pizza after pizza from Gasperilla's with my closest friends and family around and it turned out to be a great time. I had some reservations once I got to the pool area and Gasperilla's but just having the friends and family around was a great time and easily made up for the lack of finer dining for a rehearsal dinner. The kids that were a part of the wedding were thrilled at having the pool and the parents were happy they could dump kids int he pool and leave them with adults that were in the pool themselves.
If you do decide on a Disney renewal and decide to go with Disney Weddings for a reception dinner, chances are you will probably be working with the events kitchens that do catering for Disney events all around WDW, regardless of where you are eating. The operate out of kitchens in the back of EPCOT World Showcase roughly the France area. Don't have any reservations about their food quality, the WDW Catering group is top notch and I wish they had some restaurant of their own to showcase. Sometimes they can get recipes from other WDW restaurants to recreate for you. They did for us, the Jiko braised shortribs are to die for and they made us a huge batch for our wedding guests, and maybe twice as much for me.

Just my 2 cents if its even worth that much.

 

[Crazyredheads]

Having done full on Disney Wedding, you will get great value for every penny you spend. The Disney photographers for the Weddings group is fantastic to work with and they do a fantastic job. The WEddings group overall do a fantastic job and make sure to take care of all the little details. Depending on your overall guest count (no higher than 20 including the couple if I remember correctly) you could just to a ADR for a nice resturant somewhere on property after everything is "done". If everyone has a ticket/pass they already used for the day then you could book something like Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria and get a bunch of decent pizza's for a group, or head to the Boardwalk and do similar with Trattoria al Forno. YOu could do it at Blaze Pizza but while good pizza, its more of a counter service fast food place.
For our wedding rehearsal dinner I was feeling the penny pinch leading up to the wedding and planned a pool pizza party at the Grand Floridian since the DW to be was staying there for the night b/4 the wedding. SO we had people come over, swim in the GF pool, and we ordered pizza after pizza from Gasperilla's with my closest friends and family around and it turned out to be a great time. I had some reservations once I got to the pool area and Gasperilla's but just having the friends and family around was a great time and easily made up for the lack of finer dining for a rehearsal dinner. The kids that were a part of the wedding were thrilled at having the pool and the parents were happy they could dump kids int he pool and leave them with adults that were in the pool themselves.
If you do decide on a Disney renewal and decide to go with Disney Weddings for a reception dinner, chances are you will probably be working with the events kitchens that do catering for Disney events all around WDW, regardless of where you are eating. The operate out of kitchens in the back of EPCOT World Showcase roughly the France area. Don't have any reservations about their food quality, the WDW Catering group is top notch and I wish they had some restaurant of their own to showcase. Sometimes they can get recipes from other WDW restaurants to recreate for you. They did for us, the Jiko braised shortribs are to die for and they made us a huge batch for our wedding guests, and maybe twice as much for me.

Just my 2 cents if its even worth that much.

I'm not worried about the quality of a Disney Weddings. I think they do a great job and have seen many beautiful weddings. That is why it is even still on my list. I love that it is an all inclusive package and makes it easy to plan from a distance. It's so wonderful that you got to experience such an amazing wedding at Disney. And the pool party sounded like was a lot of fun.

I would love to do it at Disney. Honestly the only thing stopping me is the price compared to the other places on my list. Since I have 16 guests coming, the cheapest available package is the Escape package at $7,500 USD. That means it is costing me $10,000 Canadian which is at the top of my budget. Look, if this was my wedding, I wouldn't mind spending more money but since I already had a wedding, I feel like I should be reasonable for our vow renewal. If money was no object I would just do the Wishes package and get exactly what I wanted.

I know there are many dining options that my guest and myself can go to after the ceremony but it is an extra expense that I would have to add to the already expensive cost of the ceremony. Being from Canada, we will all be spending at least a week in Florida to make the price of the flights worth it. Since my guests are already spending so much just to attend, I feel like the least I can do is offer them a nice meal after the ceremony. I calculated that it would cost us a min. of $1,000 - $2000 USD for food/alcohol for 18 people. And if we do pick Disney, I am totally going to pay the extra money to do this. I can live with that! It is Disney after all, and we are paying to be onsite. I just find this is the kind of thinking that will get me in trouble. If I start adding little expenses here and there, it is so easy to blow the budget. That is why my husband gave me a budget to begin with, to keep me in check.

No but seriously! This is why I am so torn. The other thing that bothers me about Disney is that I would have liked to add more photography to our package. I wish I could just swap the limo service for a couple more hours of photography but Disney doesn't really allow you to swap anything.

Anyway, you gave me a lot to think about. Thanks for your input. Is there anywhere that I can see pictures of your wedding? I love looking at Disney Wedding Pictures.

 

[Crazyredheads]

I think at the beach in Hawaii sounds intimate, lovely, special and not complicated.

You sound like my husband! LOL
I know you're right of course!

 

[Janir]

Anyway, you gave me a lot to think about. Thanks for your input. Is there anywhere that I can see pictures of your wedding? I love looking at Disney Wedding Pictures.

I don't have any social media with it posted but maybe I can mange a thread for some pictures here as to now threadjack. I'll leave you a teaser, my favorite picture. Wife had it turned into a 'painting' on a cloth frame that we hung in the living room.

 

[Crazyredheads]

I don't have any social media with it posted but maybe I can mange a thread for some pictures here as to now threadjack. I'll leave you a teaser, my favorite picture. Wife had it turned into a 'painting' on a cloth frame that we hung in the living room. View attachment 408778

Wow! Beautiful!
What an amazing location to have a wedding. Love it! thanks so much for sharing

 

[DryerLintFan]

I vote Universal. Less expensive, you get what you want, and you can still spend the rest of your week at Disney. Plus who wouldn't want wedding photos at Hogwarts!!

My top choice (for me) would be Hawaii with nobody else, BUT you specifically mentioned you wanted your people around you. And it's a vow renewal, so they should be there. Those are the people that walked this journey with you. It sounds to me like you're going to get a lot more out of this experience by having it somewhere they are invited.

 

[Crazyredheads]

I vote Universal. Less expensive, you get what you want, and you can still spend the rest of your week at Disney. Plus who wouldn't want wedding photos at Hogwarts!!

My top choice (for me) would be Hawaii with nobody else, BUT you specifically mentioned you wanted your people around you. And it's a vow renewal, so they should be there. Those are the people that walked this journey with you. It sounds to me like you're going to get a lot more out of this experience by having it somewhere they are invited.

You are so right! I think I am definitely going for Universal if I do end up having this vow renewal in Orlando. As much as I love Disney World, I think it is just a better value. My boys are also huge Harry Potter fans so it will be more fun for them than Disney.

However I am still pretty torn between Hawaii or Orlando! I am having trouble deciding if it is even worth the hassle to invite the family.
My husband would definitely prefer Hawaii but he's open to both ideas. I think he just wants to make me happy in the end.
Now I'm as confused as ever!