Disney’s Fairytale Wedding Pavilion – A Photo Tour

March 16, 2010 MK 7 comments

Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding Pavilion is located on an exclusive island, surrounded by the Seven Seas Lagoon, just south of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It is the dream wedding destination of many guests who glide by on the monorail each day, yet only a handful of those will ever have their dream come true and get married here.

The first wedding at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion was televised live June 18, 1995, on Lifetime Television as part of its “Weddings of a Lifetime” series.

The non-denominational Wedding Pavilion can host up to six weddings each day at peak times, the busiest months running from May to October. The weddings and rehearsals for each day are listed on the board at the front of the pavilion.

As the bride arrives by her chosen method of transport, be it limo, horse-drawn carriage, or the ultimate princess ride – Cinderella’s glass coach – this is the walk that lies ahead of her into the Pavilion, down a pathway lined with beautiful roses.

The amazing staff at Disney’s Fairytale Weddings do their best to ensure that the bride and her bridal party aren’t seen by the guests before the ceremony begins, and as soon as they arrive they are whisked away into the Bride’s Vestibule.

Inside are two separate rooms, the Rose Room and the Orchid Room. Here, brides have a selection of mirrors, a restroom, water cooler, and can touch up their make-up, make any last minute dress adjustments, and reflect on what they’re about to do. The music that is playing in the Pavilion is piped into the vestibule so the bride and her party know what stage the proceedings are at, and when it’s time to make the short walk to the main pavilion entrance.

Between the Bride’s Vestibule and the main Pavilion entrance is a covered seating area where guests can wait prior to the ceremony beginning.

Of course, the groom doesn’t get forgotten and has his own room in which to ponder what he’s about to let himself in for! This is located on the right as you enter the Pavilion through the main doors.

Either side of the entrance lobby are large, ornate mirrors which face each other, allowing for a lovely photo opportunity. This is also where the guest restrooms are.

The wedding party each enter through the large white doors at the rear of the chapel. First it’s the turn of the bride’s and groom’s parents, then the groom and his groomsmen, followed by bridesmaids and flower girls, and last but not least, the bride!

As they enter, they’ll hear the music coming from the organ on the right, being played here by a cheerful Bill the organist. The organ is amazing, and can play many, many different sounds, so you’re not limited to a traditional organ sound.

As she enters through the white doors, all of the guests turn around to see their first glimpse of the radiant bride as she spots her groom waiting patiently at the altar for her.

A short walk, that feels much longer than it actually is, and she’s stood at the altar, which was designed to have an unobstructed view of Cinderella Castle in the distance.

Soon, they are husband and wife, and can now relax and take in the beauty and intricate detail of this wonderful building.

Here’s a hidden Mickey.

Some couples choose to spend money on decorating the Pavilion, whether it’s floral arrangements, aisle runners, or petals strewn on the floor, but many don’t as the Pavilion is beautiful just as it is.
Here on the right of the picture you can see one of the built-in video cameras. These cameras are used by Disney Videographers to capture the ceremony without intruding, and are capable of zooming in and out to capture every detail of the ceremony.

The chapel can seat up to 300 guests on comfortable cushioned benches.

After the ceremony the bride & groom walk round to “Picture Point” a beautiful covered archway that frames a distant Cinderella Castle.

Right next to the Wedding Pavilion is Franck’s, a re-creation of Franck’s studio from the Touchstone movie “Father of the Bride.” This exclusive planning studio is a showcase for all manner of Disney wedding elements, including cakes, table settings, linens and much more. It is also where the bride & groom will meet with their wedding planner prior to their big day.

Once the ceremony is over and the photos complete, the happy couple will go on to wherever they are holding their reception, be it an intimate affair on Commander’s Terrace or full-blown reception at one of the many locations throughout the Resort. And they live happily ever after…!

Lots more photos of Disney’s Fairytale Wedding Pavilion can be found here.

Click here for more details of weddings at Walt Disney World.