At a Glance
- Amanda Robertson realized a Disney wedding cost about the same as a Miami ceremony
- She spent $120,000 on the full Disney experience, including Mickey and Minnie appearances
- Facebook groups helped her cut costs and plan the event
- Why it matters: Shows how a childhood dream can become a reality with smart budgeting
Amanda Robertson always dreamed of getting married at Disney. As a toddler riding the monorail with her mom, she pointed at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and declared, “I’m gonna get married there one day.” Nearly three decades later, she made that dream come true.
The Price Discovery
When Robertson, 33, began researching venues, she discovered the price of a wedding in Miami was about the same as a Disney wedding.
“The price of a wedding in Miami was pretty much equivalent to a Disney wedding,” she told News Of Los Angeles.
A former wedding coordinator herself, Robertson hired a planner who specialized in Disney weddings and joined online groups of brides who also married at Disney.
“I went to Facebook and found a few different Facebook groups, and they post in there all day, every day, and it’s such great information,” she said. “I was able to save a good chunk of money on my final budget just based off of the Facebook page alone.”
Changing Guest Perceptions
While Robertson believed a Disney wedding would be the perfect start to her fairytale love story, she had to convince some guests.
“When we first said we’re having a Disney wedding, some of our guests were like, ‘Oh, you’re getting married at a theme park? Isn’t that kind of childish?'” she said. “That was the perspective that we had to change for our guests.”
Robertson emphasized that Disney venues can be paired with unique experiences like rides or character appearances.
“If I’m spending all this money, I want my guests to have a really cool experience and go outside to watch the fireworks with 120 of my family and friends,” she said.
The $120K Breakdown
The entire wedding cost around $120,000.
| Wedding Element | Cost |
|---|---|
| Two welcome parties | $18,000 |
| Ceremony | $10,000 |
| Reception | $50,000 |
| Characters and extras | $3,000+ |
“We had two different welcome parties. The ceremony was $10,000. The dessert party, which is their version of a welcome party, was about $9,000,” she shared. “My second welcome party was about $9,000, and then my reception was about $50,000. The cake, the characters, everybody went on Guardians of the Galaxy, so that was a separate fee. It was around $120,000.”
Mickey and Minnie’s Star Turn
The couple paid an extra $3,000 for Mickey and Minnie Mouse to appear at their wedding in two 30-minute sets.
“The first one, I was in my wedding dress… and I had my wedding party and my guests huddled, we were pretending to take a group photo, and then the DJ said, ‘Oh, we’re missing two people,'” she recalled. “Mickey and Minnie came out.”
The characters cut the cake with the couple and danced. Later, after fireworks in Epcot’s Mexico, Robertson changed into her party dress and Mickey and Minnie returned for more party scenes.
When Robertson posted about her Disney wedding on TikTok, many were shocked to see Minnie wearing a wedding dress. Robertson had approved the mascot’s outfit.
“We were able to take obviously individual photos with Mickey and Minnie, and Mickey got down on one knee in front of me and, like, pretended to propose. So my husband did the same,” she said. “And everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, Minnie’s stealing the show.’ I’m like, ‘Let her steal the show. We paid enough.'”
A Groom on Board
Robertson’s husband had never been to Disney before they started dating. Now they’re vacation club members and annual passholders.
“He was really like, ‘I know this is part of my day, but this is her dream. She’s been wanting to have this Disney wedding since she was a kid, so whatever she wants and however she wants to have it, I’m totally on board,'” she said.
His only request was that they ride the Guardians of the Galaxy ride with the bridal party.
Guests Embrace the Magic
When sending invitations, Robertson expected many guests to decline due to travel. Surprisingly, about 90% of guests stayed at the Grand Floridian in the room block, and most friends extended their trips into vacations.
“It’s an experience,” Robertson said. “I just really wanted that experience, and my guests got it. I’m super happy with how it all turned out.”
Through her TikTok content, she hopes to share her experience and demystify what a Disney wedding entails.
“It was amazing to have a wedding in Disney World,” she said. “People think it’s a theme park. They can do so much with their venues and transform them into literally everything you want. People are so hesitant, and they don’t really understand what a Disney wedding is. I think if anybody even has an inkling to do it, they need to just look into it and see if that’s something they wanna do.”
Key Takeaways
- A Disney wedding can cost about the same as a traditional wedding in major cities
- Online communities can provide valuable cost-saving tips
- Disney venues offer more than just theme park settings
- Guest experiences can be customized with characters and attractions
- Childhood dreams can become reality with proper planning and budgeting
