Our Magical New York Wedding-- a Pixie Dusted Wedding and Honeymoon Report! About This Page:

[chezp]

Congratulations Rob and Melissa! I can't wait to hear all about it.

[MyRapunzal]

Originally Posted by rescuesk

Congratulations, Melissa and Rob! Can't wait to read all about your wedding plans!!!

Thanks you so much!! I can't believe I am getting married!!!!

Originally Posted by sparks74

Congratulations! I am very excited for you and can't wait to hear about your wedding plans.

Thanks, I am working on another update now! I am hoping to get up to date with where the planning is at this moment by the end of the week so I can start writing things as they come up!

Originally Posted by fourdrawfs

congrats, can't wait to hear all about it!

I can't wait to tell you guys all about it!

Originally Posted by mcc0313

I was so excited to see the Wedding PTR started Mel...
Your PTR's are great and this will be even better as this is such a wonderful celebration to be looking forward too...and you are sharing it with us
Loved your intro...can't wait to hear more....

Thanks! I think there will be alot of good party-planning tips in here too-- my mom is so amazing at this stuff! She does everything from cooking to favor making to cake decorating for all of our littler parties-- I cant wait to tell you guys about the engagement party!

Originally Posted by iamgrumpy

Great Start! Sounds Magical Already!
Oh and Congrats

Thanks to you! I must say it is magical already!

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

Congrats! As the fairy says in one of the Disney parades...I LOVE LOVE!!!!!!

OMG! I Love love toooo!!!!!!!! ;-)

Originally Posted by MickeyMAC

Congratulations, thanks for sharing the excitment with us.

Thanks for reading along!!

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

Great start Melissa!!

You are always here to listen to my rambles!

Originally Posted by DrDolphin

Congrats Rob and Melissa!!! Can't wait to read all of the details!

Thanks! I am working on another update now!

Originally Posted by jimmymac

Congratulations. You're off to a great start - looking forward to the next installment

I'm so glad you guys liked the intro I felt like I had written similar things about 2 dozen times last year with all my PTR reincarnations!

Originally Posted by ariel14

Great start!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!

Thanks! and !

Originally Posted by omd

Congratulations Rob and Melissa!

Thanks for the toast!

Originally Posted by RobDVC

Congrats! Looking forward to reading more as things progress!

I have to get you guys up to speed on all we've done so far! Hopefully I can crank out a few decent updates over the next week or so!

Originally Posted by DyanKJ130

I've been looking forward to this!! Great start, Melissa! Can't wait to follow you along on your latest journey!!

That was super sweet! I think this will be the best journey of all!

Originally Posted by chezp

Congratulations Rob and Melissa! I can't wait to hear all about it.

And I can't wait to tell you guys all about it! Thanks!

[MyRapunzal]

So, I guess that the best place to start it how the questions was popped!

Rob and I took our dog to a local park-- one of the many Vanderbilt estates scattered around the country-- for a walk one Saturday. When we began walking around Rob suggested we take a walk through the gardens there! This was one of the first places we had ever went to together-- one of our very first dates 7 some odd years ago! As Rob, Li, and I were walking through the gardens we stopped in an alcove and I could tell Rob was nervous. I thought it might be the time but I wasn't sure if I was thinking presumptiously so I tried to act normal.

Minutes later he was down on one knee asking me to be his wife! Yay! Of course I carry my camera with at almost all times so I had to capture the moment on film... well... on memory stick!!


And of course, my ring... though the picture doesn't do it justice if you ask me! You just cant see the sparkle and the twinkle in the pic! Sometimes I just stare at it during the day!


After returning home, calling our parents, visiting our parents, calling my grandparents and just basking in the glory of the day Rob told me that we had reservations at a local restaurant called Aroma Osteria (known to be beautiful, fancy, and have the best food around). Apparently when the forecast called for rain Rob felt he may need a back up plan! Here's a pic of us before we left for dinner--


Well, after our fabulous engagement day we went to my parents house for a big chunk of the day on Sunday. I must say, we got a lot of stuff done in that first couple weeks. My parents and I made appointments to see places for the reception, and on our first day of looking at our last visit we put down a deposit! This is the place my sister was married at AND had her reception and I had avoided it at first because I wanted my wedding to be my own. However, he has renovated almost everything and its such a convienent drive from the Church! In any case, here is a pic of it:

Its called Christo's catering! And Chris, the owner, recommended a DJ and Photographer that we ended up booking! He also recommended a Priest at our Church to talk to since Rob has never made his confirmation and I was nervous he would have issues getting married in the church. We met with the Priest, loved him, met with the photographer, who seems to offer everything I always think is missing at other people's weddings, and the DJ who told me he keeps a mickey mouse shaped disco ball ornament under his station for good luck!!!!! When he said that I said "Where do we sign??" LOL!

Cermony site
Officiant
Reception site
DJ
Photographer

And we were only 1 week into wedding planning!
My parents told Rob and I that we would only have to pay for 3 things:
1-- The Church
2-- The Photographer
3-- The Honeymoon

So of course we started to budget according to the prices we had been given.

1. Church
Pre Cana classes $380
Ceremony $400

2. Photographer
Package $3650
Thank Yous $150

3. Honeymoon
Cruise Quote $2600
Flights $400 total
Spending Money $500

Our original estimate was a couple thousand for the Photog, couple hundred for the church and around 25k for the Honeymoon. Our budget has now reached a whopping $8100. That is a far stretch from the $5000ish number we'd guesstimated.

Fortunately for us we should be able to combine our tax returns and pay for the photographer, I am working on an Advanced Certificate in Technoloy through my school which would entail and $2500 stipend to go towards our honeymoon, and if all goes well we might only be looking at saving around $3000 out of pocket. This is our hope and it makes us both nervous to "HOPE" the money will be there if in the crunch we have to give up things like organic salad, or protien shakes, or ordering pizza on the weekends, or birthday presents- we will do what we need to do! Any wedding budget tips??

So, we've met the people, put down deposits, crunched the numbers, and still have over 270 days to go!! xoxo

Next Up: Flowers, Fantasic Finds, and Finalizing the Engagement Party details!

[DrDolphin]

WOW You made great progress in your planning!!! Can't wait to read more about it!

[Colexis Mom]

Sounds like things are coming along nicely!! More please

[skateycat]

wow, girlfriend, you are getting so much done....it's almost like you have all of us there with you...he he he. i am really enjoying reading all of your updates....give li kisses for me....

[ariel14]

Wow! You have made loads of progress!!!!!!! You are truly a planning pro!!!!

[amandal]

Yay!! As a wedding planner this is the best thread ever!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't forget that you will get "cash" for your engagement and bridal shower gifts, so that can help cover some of your out of pocket expenses . . . . . . And remember I'm here if ya need me. Can't wait for more

[Magicdreamer287]

CONGRATS GUYS!!! I'm sure the wedding will be perfect and beautiful!

[scdisneyfan]

I'm so glad I've made my way over to this! I'm so psyched to read all this process and hoping to steal a few tips for my own eventually*L*
The mickey mouse shapped disco ball...now i gotta see what that looks like There are little disney fans everywhere where you least expect it huh?
cant wait for more....great start!

[KandJluvdisney]

great start
oh do I remember those days
good luck on the remaining aspects
pixies to the budget you need
hurry back with more plase

[chezp]

Wow - that's an impressive amount of planning in a short space of time.

[karyntay07]

I'm so excited I found your post! Congratulations on your engagement!!! I just got engaged myself - it's always nice to hear others' experiences! Your ring is gorgeous! I'm not sure if I missed this in your posts, but how long ago did you get engaged? I can't wait to read more!!!

[Marcel]

Congratulations! We just got our son married off last July 26th at WDW Yacht Club and took them on a Disney cruise for their Honeymoon. What cruise are y'all planing?

[ilovedisney247]

Oh Mel! It sounds like you've gotten so much done! As for saving money . . . try figuring out how many weeks before you need the money and dividing to figure out how much you need to put away per week. Then put that amount in your savings account when you get paid before you do anything else.