Disneyland Paris





Paris




































Last summer I had the opportunity to take a vacation to Paris. In addition to site seeing the many attractions, I wanted to visit Disneyland Paris. It took about an hour by train to get there from where I was staying in Paris. Having been to Disney World in Florida more times than I can count, I thought it would be great to experience it in a different country. I knew that it was going to be much smaller than Disney World.

 

Color Me Rad 5K

Have you ever wanted to do a color run?  If that is something that is on your running "to do" list then you won't want to miss out on the Color Me Rad 5k.

race discount code

Fairytales and Fitness has been chosen to be an ambassador for the Color Me Rad 5K race and because of that, we are able to offer you and your friends 20% off the registration fee, regardless of the price or location. Use the code "radfun" at checkout. You will have to act quickly though because this discount expires on Thursday August 1.

The Color Me Rad 5K is a fun run and is walker friendly, so even if you're not a runner, you can still partake in the fun!   If you want to see what this race is all about, check out the Official Color Me Rad 5k video.  To find a race near you ( or your friends) check out the official Color Me Rad 5K Location Map.


Have you ever done a color run similar to this?  What fun runs have you done?



A Run Through Syracuse, NY

Last night I was in Syracuse,  NY. When I woke up this morning I was excited to go for a run knowing that it would be much cooler in upstate NY. Well, having been used to running in the 80s with humidity. I woke up to find it a little too chilly out. Only in the upper 50s. So I had a good breakfast and waited until it got in the 60s, which didn't take long.


I made my way through a park that led to a housing development. Even passing a yard sale, too bad I didn't have any cash on me! I didn't have a goal in mind of how far I would be running or even where, that is where my gps always becomes helpful.  I just kept running around the huge development passing many beautiful houses. I even ran some steep inclines along the way to mix it up a bit. I ran until my gps showed 5 miles. After that, I thought it was time to find my way out of the development and back to the hotel to get ready for work.

When you run, do you always have a goal in mind?
~L

My Fitness Friday FAIL


 

I had an 18 mile bike ride on the agenda for Friday.   The weather was perfect for a ride so my mom and I loaded the bikes up and drove them to the starting point on our trail. By the time we rode to the park, which was the halfway point, we got a call that my Nana was taken to the hospital.  At this point we turn around and start making our way back down the trail so we can load up the bikes and go to the hospital ourselves.  The nurse told my mom that my Nana would probably be waiting for an hour or two, so we didn’t have to be in a great big hurry.

Well, about mile 11 I had my first bike wipe-out and it was bad!  I don’t even remember going that fast either. We were entering a section of trail that has those yellow caution bars on it.  Quite like the picture below. 
 
The purpose of this is so bikers slow down because they are approaching a crossroads were there may be traffic. It’s probably meant for only one biker to pass at a time, so I went ahead of my mom.  Apparently I wasn’t over as far as I thought. The left handle bar on my bike just grazed the yellow caution bar and literally spun my bike around throwing me to the ground. I remember trying to catch my balance and then thinking “ o my gosh, I’m gonna fall on this pavement”.  And then I was down! I thought I would be able to move, but my whole body was just stinging so I laid on the ground for a moment just to take in the actuality of what had happened.  I knew my mom was really worried. As I laid there I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry at what had happened.  My mom helped me off the pavement and we sat in the grass so I could assess my injuries. I tried to break the fall with my hands, so of course my palms are all scuffed up.   The inside of my left ankle is pretty scratched up, and my right knee was bloody.   She kept asking me if I was okay as she poured what was left in her water bottle over my scrapes. An older couple and their friend must have saw what had happened because they came right over to me and asked if they needed to call 911.   I told them that I would be okay, but thank you. The ironic part was that we were on our way to the hospital anyway!  The gentleman then picked my bike up and noticed that it wasn’t working properly. The break wires had got twisted during my fall.  He fixed it for me and then after assuring them that “yes” we did have a cell phone, and that I would be okay, they went on their way.  Several other people stopped as well.  I was overwhelmed at the generosity and concern that complete strangers gave.

After doing a little maintenance on my bike, we were back riding again, albeit a bit slower.  We stopped at a little shopping center right off the trail. We went into a Sheetz store so I could use the restroom to properly wash my hands and clean my wounds.  We were going to get a bite to eat here too, but this particular Sheetz did not have any tables or chairs and with the way my right leg was feeling, I really needed to be able to sit down.   A lady at Sheetz suggested that we go next door to Weis Markets (which is a grocery store) and sit at one of the tables they have at the deli.  I do remember the Weis near my house has a nice deli section with tables and chairs, so I thought this was a good idea.   We get to the deli and ask where all the chairs are and the lady behind the counter tells us that management recently got rid of them. Well that stinks! The employee wasn’t too happy about this change either. She said that she had regular customers that would come in every day and have lunch there.  We ordered two slices of pizza and the nice employee told us that we could eat in their break room if we wanted to.  What!!! Since when is the general public allowed in someone else’s break room?  We politely declined the invitation to eat in the break room.  However, she did tell us that there was a patio set (couch, chair, and table) sitting out in front of the store and that we should take our slices of pizza and eat out there.  This is too funny, but that is what we did.  Every person that walked by us to go into the store either looked at us funny or made a comments like “what a good idea”, or “that looks comfy”.  No one said anything mean but I’m sure people thought we were a little weird and totally out of line eating on a “display” patio set.  We certainly got an evil look from a little kid about 5 or 6 years old as he walked out with his parents. He was staring at us the whole time he walked by that he almost ran into the side of the wall.  But hey, the employee said people eat out there all the time and really what was our other option?  Sit on the curb outside? 

After we ate, it was time to make the ride back.  I assured my mom I could ride it. It was about four or five more miles back to our car.  Before we got back on our bikes, my mom called her brother to tell him we were going to the hospital to see my Nana.  As luck would have it, he was just driving by the Weis Markets so he came and picked up our bikes and put them in the back of his truck and took us to our car.  I am so glad he did this because during the ride to the hospital my leg was feeling progressively worse.  I just know I’m going to have a massive black and blue mark very soon.


My leg was so sore that I sat with an ice pack on it for the rest of the afternoon.  I really could have used like three more packs!

I really feel that this cross train activity turned out to be a #Fail, which is so disappointing. I’ve rode this 18 miles of trail before with no problem.  I’ve never had to get picked up mid run or mid ride before!  I’m really not a reckless rider, but just to be safe let’s just say that I will refrain from participating in the Five Borough Bike Tour in NY ( ha ha)!
I only completed 11 miles of the 18 that we set out to do.

 

Have you ever had one of your fitness activities turn into a Fail?
~M

 

Healthy Lunch with Kale Chips


Since we talked about some fast food and unhealthy options yesterday, we thought it was only appropriate to talk about some healthier alternatives today.  Here is my take on Burger and chips!
After I got home from running 7 miles today, I was hungry for lunch. Since I ate out a lot this past week, I decided I would go to the store and make meals at home for this week, cheaper and healthier. Today I made a black bean burger with kale chips. Now I am no vegetarian, although I do try to eat that way several times a week, just for health purposes.  After making the burger I put it on a whole wheat bun, topped it off with fat free cheese, fresh tomato, lettuce, and some guacamole. With all the toppings you couldn't even tell it wasn't the real thing(maybe not so much) but I didn't mind it. As for the Kale chips. If you have never tried them you should. They are so easy to make. Kale is very inexpensive. I got a whole bushel of Kale for $1.29.

  
*Preheat oven to 400 degrees


*Place kale on a baking sheet, you will want to rip the leaves off the stems, not too small because they do shrink up quite a bit.

*Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and red pepper flake(you can omit the red pepper flake if you don't like spicy food, but I don't think it becomes too spicy and it gives the kale a nice flavor).

*Bake for about 10-15 minutes, turning leaves over every few minutes.
*Eat directly after they are done for a nice crunch (if not, they do become soggy quickly).

What are some ways you make healthy foods tastier?
~L

We ~Heart~ the East Coast


We ~Heart~ the East Coast

When we were younger we dreamed of living in far away places like California.  When you grow up on the East Coast, California is considered a “far away" place.  Afterall, who wouldn't want to visit Hollywood?  I guess it’s not until you get older that you really appreciate the place that you’re planted.  ( And realize that you can easily go to California just to "visit")

With that said, we love living on the East Coast! Yes, I will agree that sometimes the winters can get cold, but in return the summers get very hot!  ( I think it hit 95 degrees today)
Baylee all bundle up




Drenched 5K : A COOL Giveaway!













It is a scorcher here today so this give away couldn’t have come at a better time!  Many people slow down their runs during this summer heat, decreasing their mileage, and even opting out of races because it is so hot.  If this sounds like you than you won’t want to miss the Drenched 5K! 

Cotton Kills.....Runners Beware




I've always been a runner, that being said, it wasn't until this year that I've become a long distance runner and completed several marathons. There is a difference in going out to do an easy 5 mile jog and completing a training run of 18 miles. Last year when I was training for my first marathon, I kept getting blisters on my feet. I just assumed that it was part of the training and running longer distances than I've done in the past. It wasn't until I was telling my friend in my running group about it, and he said “It's because you are wearing cotton socks”.


From that day on, I stopped wearing cotton socks. Now I'm not here to tell you that you will never get a blister by not wearing cotton socks, but it does make a huge difference. So if you're not wearing cotton socks, what type of socks do you wear? Synthetic. I never liked running in thin socks, that's why I've always chosen a thick cotton sock, but it wasn't until I went to look for synthetic socks that they do come in thick as well. Brands like Thorlo and Smartwool are well padded at heel and toe. If you want a thin sock, brands like Defeet and Patagonia are a great choice. My personal favorite are Asics. Whatever your preference, you will be able to find socks that fit well that are not cotton. In addition to socks, same goes for your workout attire. Try not to wear anything cotton for long distance running, you run the chance of chafing. To help prevent chafing, try applying Bodyglide to areas that may become irritated during your run. One rule to remember.....Cotton Kills!


Am I the only one that didn't know not to run in cotton socks?  
~L


My favorite pair of non cotton running socks.
Label on socks. Notice there is no cotton listed!

Uncork Your Tastebuds....


Uncork Your Taste Buds!

This is the slogan behind Mercer’s Dairy Wine Ice Cream.  We will make a disclaimer right here that this post may not have anything to do with fitness today but sometimes you just need to indulge yourself in something delightful and this wine ice cream certainly does not disappoint!

We discovered this wine ice cream last year around Christmas time. This was a great find as we were able to serve it at our annual Holiday party and even give some as gifts. I have to admit it was the flavors (and the really snazzy packaging) that drew my attention to the product, but it is definitely the taste that keeps this ice cream a favorite of mine.




                                                                             source

Wine ice cream flavors include Cherry Merlot, Chocolate Cabernet, Peach White Zinfandel, Port, Red Raspberry Chardonnay, and Riesling.   I have tasted 4 out of the 6 flavors and have to say that the Chocolate Cabernet is my favorite. It is a smooth chocolate ice cream with pieces of shaved chocolate and a hint of Cabernet.  It is just a delight to the taste buds!  Mercer’s wine ice cream is so good that it has won awards both nationally and internationally.





Mercer’s Dairy is located in New York, but fortunately there are other dairies across the nation ( and now the world) that sell this great treat!   Check out if there is a dairy Near You that sells this product.    If you don’t see your state or city listed, no worries because you can order a pint ( or more) and have it shipped right to your home.  We do not have to have our ice cream shipped but we are only able to buy it by the pint at the store.   If you order it online you have more sizing options. 
 At the dairies a one pint container cost around $7.  This seems expensive for just a pint but if you think about it, one pint offers you four servings ( if you are practicing your portion control).  You probably can’t go to your local ice cream parlor and get 4 servings of gourmet ice cream for $7.

 
Peach white Zinfandel with chunks of real peaches




Keep in mind that because this is wine ice cream ( with 5% alcohol) you must be 21 years old to enjoy this tasty treat!

Okay so who’s thinking that this sounds like a great post run treat?
What flavor would you choose?

 

"Treasure Hunting" in Epcot...A Great Souvenir

(A Great Souvenir for commemorating a Run Disney Event, Wedding, Anniversary, Birthday, or any other special event at Disney)


epcot center
Japan pavilion in Epcot
When we visit Disney parks and resorts we always try to look beyond the “obvious” attractions. That is why my husband and I were so intrigued the first time we discovered the large oyster tank in the Mitsukoshi store in Epcot’s Japan pavilion. This was a “Pick a Pearl” station.  We watched a few people through their process of picking their pearl before we decided to do it too.  This is how it works.

Once you decide you want to purchase a pearl, you will get a number from the nice Japanese lady or gentleman behind the oyster tank.

Once your number is called, you point out the oyster shell that you want.  Since doing this I have heard rumors that the ugliest shells produce the best pearls.  I can’t confirm this because I do believe I got some nice looking pearls and I don’t remember looking for the “ugly” oysters. 

The lady or gentleman behind the tank will pull out the oyster you’ve selected and cut it open. They do this in front of you so you can see the pearl as it is revealed.  The pearls will vary in size and color. The colors range from white to what they call a champagne color and all shades in between.  Some oysters even produce black pearls. I have also heard of people receiving “twin” pearls in their oyster.  That is great luck if you are trying to make a pair of earrings with matching pearls.

My husband and I each picked an oyster. Inside the first one was a cream colored pearl with a pinkish tint.  It was a pretty decent size at 7.5 mm.  When the employee measures the pearl to find out how large it is they will than pound on a drum in celebration of your “treasure”. All the employees behind the counter will clap and cheer!

japan
 
The second oyster that we picked produced a pure white pearl that measured 7mm.  We were told that getting a pure white pearl was pretty rare and that both pearls measured larger than normal.  

After our pearls were cleaned and polished, we had the option of taking them home as is or purchasing a setting for them. We decided to have the pure white pearl set into a ring and the other set in a necklace. We waited about 30 to 40 minutes for our settings to be completed and were told to wait several hours before wearing them and to not get them wet.  This is true for all pearl jewelry whether it is new or old, you should not get it wet.  
 


This is one of our favorite activities in Epcot. I love that my husband enjoys it so much as well. He refers to is as “treasure hunting”. It is exciting not knowing what exactly you are going to get. I’ve done this activity in Epcot about 10 times. I’ve made rings, necklaces, and pendants and I have about a half a dozen loose pearls that I’ve packaged up and brought home.  At some point I thought I would get two pearls that are similar so I could make a pair of earrings.   I haven’t been lucky enough to find “twin” pearls in my oyster yet!

When we first discovered “treasure hunting” for pearls, the cost was $13 an oyster.  It then went up to $17 and now I believe it is $20.  
Although we enjoy the experience at the Japan pavilion, there have also been pick a pearl stations set up near the Beach Club Resort and at Disney Springs.

                   Have you ever done the pick a pearl at any of these locations?

Finding Motivation vs Finding Excuses


Since we've been talking about motivation lately......

Yesterday I work up very early and took a new boot camp class for the first time. We completed the class by 6:30am. I thought that I better get a run in before it gets too hot since I was already up. I was feeling great after getting up to take a workout class and to have completed 3 and half miles all before the weather became too humid. Later that evening, I thought I better get another quick run in since it was supposed to rain the following day and I wouldn’t be able to. So I did another 3 miles. I was feeling very motivated that day.


from google images
I awoke the next morning, and felt anything less than motivated! I slept in much later than I did the day before, so it was already hot out when I woke up. Also, it was not raining, which I wish it would have been, so that could be my excuse for not running today. I was feeling a bit sore after taking boot camp the day before. I thought to myself, well maybe I will just skip today, because yesterday I had a good workout. And besides, my sunglasses had just broke the last time I went for a run. How could I run in the sun without them? In addition to my glasses, my headphones started to become fuzzy on my runs, so I knew I was due for a new pair. Needless to say, I was finding every excuse to use to not go on my run today.

gathering my things to try to get motivated
I thought “how come yesterday I was so motivated to get up so early to go to boot camp and manage to get two runs in, and now I didn’t even want to get my butt up”! I definitely needed some motivation. So I put my workout outfit on. I thought that would be the first step. Next, I found another pair of sunglasses I could use and pair of headphones that would work. I even downloaded a few new songs on my ipod. I usually do not take water with me if I’m not doing long runs, but since it was hot out I thought I better just to be safe. I put a GU inside the front pocket of my water bottle. Since I usually don’t take a water bottle, I just hold my house key during my runs. Today when I decided to take my bottle, I’d put my house key inside the front pocket with my GU. One less thing I’d have to carry. I was finally ready to get my run on! New songs, new glasses, new headphones….motivation was slowing coming.

I ran 3 miles and then I took the GU. It was very hot so I decided to head back home. I arrived back home with a total mileage of about 6 and half. I was happy that I finally got my butt out the door! Just when I was celebrating my accomplishment, I realized that my key I had put in my water bottle pocket must have fell out when I took my GU back at mile 3. Oh no!!! Luckily, my bike was on the porch so I could ride it back to look for the key, instead of run. Unfortunately, after riding all the way back to the spot, the key was not there. Now it was another 3 miles back on my bike to look for my spare key.

When I woke up, like I said I wasn’t feeling very motivated, and now I had already completed 6 and half miles running and biking the same distance. I just needed to get a swim in and it would’ve felt like I’ve completed a triathlon. Needless to say, I feel really good after all I’ve done today.
 

What is your motivation to become more active when you are feeling a bit sluggish?

                     ~L




 

Virtual Races = Motivation


Since our previous posts Why I Run For Boston and Running Mad, Alice and Wonderland Themed Virtual, we've had many questions about our virtual races so we thought we would post this.

Even though we are not extremely new to running/racing we are fairly new to the social media arena and a year ago if you would have asked us what a virtual race was neither of us could probably tell you.  Since becoming involved with FB, Pinterest, and blogging, we’ve seen many mentions of these virtual races. Being the sleuth that I am, I did some research because I wanted to learn more.  Afterall, I couldn’t believe that you would just receive a medal just because you said you were going to do something (run).   So here is what I found out about these races.


 

Running Mad...Alice in wonderland themed virtual with some forrest friends


As a Mother’s Day gift I registered my mom for the Running Mad virtual race that was sponsored by Mom’s Run This Town running club.  Since we do most of our training runs together, I figured this was something we could do together as a mother daughter team.  Also, since the theme was Running Mad, ( Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter), this race was perfect for these Disney fans! There was a 5k, 10k and half marathon option. I committed us to the 10K option. At the time of registration, neither of us had raced that distance before so I thought it would give us something to work towards. The race didn’t start till July, so we had some time.

Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

That use to be the motto for South Carolina, I think it pretty much sums it up!


The other day I was in Greenville, South Carolina and went for an easy 5 mile run. At first I was a bit hesitant because it was already in the high 80's, but decided to stick it out because I have never been downtown and wanted to experience the city while still getting a workout in.
 


 
 
During my run I saw many people walking their dogs in the park and happy children playing in the water. The downtown area had beautiful waterfalls with plenty of boutiques and restaurants. I even saw several people doing yoga on the lawn. It's great when you can take a run and really enjoy all the scenery that surrounds you!  I'm definitely glad that I decided to stick this one out. After my run, I treated myself to some Mexican!

Have you done any runs in a new city lately?
                     ~L

Why I Run For Boston...

The week of June 15th I participate in the Boston Remembrance Run with Fit 4 Life. Proceeds from this run went to the Boston One Fund.  I received my beautiful medal today in the mail. This is my story of why I run for Boston.

My Boston Remembrance medal paired with my
Boston Strong Sweaty Band and my 4-15-13 Runners Unite
pin that I would wear during my 26.2 run.























America was certainly shocked when they heard the news of the Boston Marathon bombing.  I cried. My sister was there running.

My Disney Wedding: As featured on Disneygals.com

Happy July!  I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend.

I was excited to see that I was featured on Disneygals.com this weekend with an article I had written on my own Disney Wedding.   So today I thought I would share that story with you.  If you get a chance, visit the girls at www.disneygals.com.  They have lots of information to share!

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As featured on Disneygals.com

When I was younger I absolutely loved vacationing at Walt Disney World with my family.  I may or may not have remembered passing the Wedding pavilion as the monorail traveled past the Grand Floridian Resort, but it didn’t matter because I never gave it a thought that marrying there would ever become a possibility. 

Fast forward several years and many vacations later.  I was engaged. We had no wedding date or location set, but I was already flipping through travel brochures searching for a honeymoon destination.  I came across a tropical island resort that hosted wedding packages and the thought crossed my mind that we could get married on an island.  I asked my fiancé if he would consider this idea, and he said sure!  We called my sister in law to tell her about the idea and she informed us that kids were not allowed at this particular resort.  She had two small children, so that idea was shot down.  I continued to flip through the travel brochure and I came across this beautiful advertisement for Disney Fairytale Weddings. I had never seen this before. I immediately say to my fiancé  “I’m sure they’ll allow kids here, what do you think?”  And with that statement, my Disney wedding planning began.

 We were married on a very hot Saturday afternoon in September. I believe at one point the temperature was a swarming 98 degrees.  Disney has a variety of beautiful locations to have your ceremony, but we chose the Victorian Wedding Pavilion located on the grounds of the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  One big reason for this decision is that it is an indoor location and it is air conditioned!   Another was that it was so beautiful and in my mind was the most “fairytale-ish” location.  Other resort locations typically include Sunset Point at the Polynesian resort, an outdoor location that overlooks Cinderella’s castle, Sea Breeze Point, also outdoors on the Disney Boardwalk, the outdoor Gazebo at the Yacht Club, and Sunrise Terrace at The Wilderness Lodge. If you want to marry on one  of the resort beaches or gardens, Disney can arrange that as well.    There are also a variety of locations if you want to marry in one of the theme parks.  Of course if you want to have your ceremony in one of the parks, the time of your event will be limited.  

Disney wedding  Options are limitless when it comes to a Disney Wedding.  Disney will literally try to turn your dreams into reality paying very close attention to every detail.  One option is to have Disney cosmetology. We had a professional hairstylist and professional make-up artist come to our suite and do our hair and make-up before the ceremony.  When it was our time to leave, we took the elevator to the Lobby of the GF and were greeted by Disney staff who gave us our bouquets which I was absolutely thrilled with. I told Rosie at Disney floral what colors I wanted and she did an excellent job!  Then almost immediately I heard the jingle jangle of bells and saw the six white ponies attached to Cinderella’s glass coach. I could have cried it was so beautiful. This was a surprise to my mom. My mom and sister rode in the coach with me to the pavilion. My nana and friends waited for the limo to pick them up. Not only was riding in the coach fabulous, but watching all the vacation guest ooh and ahh over it as well made me smile. It’s not everyday that one sees Cinderella’s carriage pull up to their resort. There were many people at the pool area that started whipping out their cameras. So now me and my family will probably be in someone’s vacation pictures!
 Dsineyfairytale wedding 
Before we arrived at the wedding pavilion, Disney had everything in place. They had pink roses passed out to all our guest as they arrived. The roses had little tags tied on them that had our names, date, and a wedding saying on them. Disney did an excellent job staging people in just the right places. My dad was standing right near the marquee at the wedding pavilion waiting for our arrival. He didn’t know we would be coming in Cinderella’s glass carriage, so I knew that was a surprise for him. Seeing him smile as we arrived made me so happy. When we exited the carriage, my dad escorted me to the Bride’s Vestibule until it was time.
When you walk down the isle of the wedding pavilion on your wedding day, the pavilion seems to be more beautiful than any other day you’ve ever seen it, and prettier than in any pictures you’ve seen! I can remember seeing the unity candle arrangement (my candles, Disney’s arrangement) and being so pleased with it!

disney fairytale weddingOne of my favorite parts of the ceremony was when the best man was asked for the rings. He had a blank look on his face because he did not have them. The Reverend then asked the maid of honor and she didn’t have them either. Then all of a sudden, when you wish upon a star was piped in and in walks Cinderella’s footman with a satin pillow and a glass slipper with the rings inside.  As soon as the footman walked in, I started to tear up. To me, this was just one more element that made this day full of “Disney Magic”.

Meranda Steel
After the ceremony our guests were taken to the Grand Floridian by limo while my husband and I had a carriage ride and then dropped off at the Grand Floridian as well. Somewhere along the way we did some post ceremony pictures with a Disney photographer. One bonus to getting married at the wedding pavilion was getting some great wedding pictures on the beach. ( although I don’t know how much of the beach is left after the renovations to GF DVC) Although a smaller reception than we would have had back home, it was perfect for us. Cinderella’s footman announced us as we entered the terrace. We were more than please with our wedding cake from Disney. It was a traditional 2 tiered cake. One tiered filled with white chocolate mousse and the other filled with strawberry mousse all underneath a scrumptious layer of butter cream frosting! This was absolutely the best cake I have ever had! We wished we would have been smart enough to find a way to bring our top layer home with us. If you ask Disney to wrap and save it for you until your departure, they certainly will. It just never crossed our minds to ask. (call it wedding excitement or just a blonde moment!) However, we were smart enough to have a layer of our wedding cake recreated when we returned to the Grand Floridian the following year for our first anniversary!

fairytale wedding
Although some Disney brides choose to use other vendors for certain elements of their wedding, I stuck mostly with Disney. Disney provided my floral, photography, food and beverages, transportation, and cosmetology services.  However, I did use Kyla Feeley from A Cut Above for video service and couldn’t have been more pleased. 

Planning a Disney wedding from a far was easier than I could have ever imagined. Of course I am far from being a Bridezilla and was able to let the reins loose and have faith in Disney and my wedding coordinator. That’s not to say that we didn’t personalize our wedding or have our own ideas, Disney incorporated them as well. They too want every wedding to be unique and magical!

If you are already married and wish you would have had your ceremony at Disney, don’t despair! Disney Fairytale Weddings also specialize in Disney Fairytale Vow Renewals. In fact, they are becoming quite popular at WDW!  In addition to Disney World, Disneyland and Disney Cruise Lines also perform Disney Fairytale Weddings and Vow Renewals!

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The Summer months seem to be popular wedding months. Are you going to a wedding this summer ( or have you already gone to one)?   Please Share!
Would you ever consider a destination wedding?