My Disney Wedding

Another year has come and is almost done. 2012 was a life changing year for me – I left one job, started another, made the decision to go back to school and got married. While all of those things had their importance, I believe that getting married was the most significant for me. It also had the most Disney elements, including a perfect honeymoon aboard a Disney cruise ship.

 

When it came to my wedding, I knew I wanted to have some Disney elements to it. At the same time, I didn't want to go overboard.  My husband Scott and I were able to to find settle but noticeable ways to incorporate Disney into a variety of elements.

 

To start things off, my wonderful mother organized a wedding shower for us.  She had a cake done up which had a picture of Mickey and Minnie in wedding attire.  It was a nice highlight to a lovely afternoon and it tasted great!

 

My wedding shower cake
Photo from personal collection

Leading up to the wedding, I knew that I wanted my main colour to be red and since my favourite flowers are roses, it made perfect sense to have red roses for my wedding flowers.  It was also another way to add a Disney element.  As I've said before, my favourite movie of all time is Beauty and the Beast and the rose is such an important symbol of it.  So by adding it as a part of our wedding, I was adding a little more Disney, but in a settle way.  My sister-in-law made all the flower arrangements for us using crafted flowers, which looked incredible.  She did up four bouquets; one for me, one for her, one for my sister Mary as well as a throw-away one for the bouquet toss.  She also personalized all of them with unique decorations, including a picture of my late grandfather in mine.  As well, she did up two corsages our mothers, seven boutonnieres for my groom, the groomsmen, the fathers, and the ring bearer as well as a flower girl wand. 

 

My sister's, mine and my sister-in-law's bouquets

Photo Courtesy of Jenn Slauenwhite

 

When people began to arrive at our beautiful outdoor ceremony location, they received programs designed by mother.  I love that she put a Disney item on every page.  On the cover and back, she used wedding Mickey and Minnie pictures.  On the second page, she used a rose, similar to the one seen in Beauty and the Beast.  On the third page, she included a picture of the cruise ship we were going to be sailing on for our honeymoon.  It turned out really great and I'm lucky my mother knew just what to include, especially with the Disney elements.

 

An early draft of our wedding program designed by my mother

Photo from personal collection

 

After the ceremony ended, it was time for our reception.  We had it at my former university's pub - not the first place you might think to have a wedding reception but it was a perfect size for the amount of guests and it was a casual, comfortable environment for everyone.  Our tastiest Disney element was right here and it was our cake.  It was designed by a local cake decorator, Claire Arenburg, who did an incredible job, both with the appearance and the taste.  Along with the cake, which layers were chocolate and vanilla with Oreo cookies mixed in, she also did up some very tasty cupcakes, including some that were dairy free.  The Disney element for this wonderful creation came with our cake topper, which is one that Scott and I picked out.  Not only was it great for keeping with the theme, it was very us - I knew the first time I saw it, that it was meant for our wedding cake.

 

Our Disney Wedding Cake Made by Claire Arenburg

Photo Courtesy of Jenn Slauenwhite

 

At the reception, I shared two very important dances with the two most important men in my life - my new husband and my father.  Both songs were performed live by singer and musician, as well as one of my dad's best friends, Mike.  My first dance was with my husband and we danced to Johnny Reid's Dance With Me, which is our song.  My second dance (the Father/Daughter one), was a classic Disney song, You'll Be In My Heart, from the movie Tarzan.  I was struggling for months to find the perfect father/daughter song and the only ones I had even considered were just not right.  Then one day, I was listening to this song and I knew this was it.  I looked over the lyrics and listened to it a few more times and I could really feel it speaking to me.  Although the song is sung by a mother to her son, it works well for any parent to their child, no matter what their age.

 

Dancing with my father, as Mike sings in the background

Photo taken by Mary Belliveau

 

So those are the simple ways I had a Disney wedding.  However, the biggest Disney element wasn't something you could see, it was the feeling I experienced the entire day.  I felt like a princess, all dressed up in a beautiful dress, having all of my family and friends there to witness one of the most important events of my life.  But the most important thing was being able to marry my Prince Charming.  Scott is everything I could ever want in a husband.  He is kind, hard working, funny and most importantly, he loves me for me.  He is without a doubt the most important person in my life and I am proud to be able to call him my husband.  Now that is a dream come true. 

 

Scott and I on our wedding day

Photo Courtesy of Jenn Slauenwhite



 

In addition to my husband, I would like to thank everyone who made our wedding day as special as it was.  Without you, things wouldn't have looked as beautiful or meant as much.  You all have a special place in our hearts and we are truly lucky to have all of you in our lives.  Thank you for making our day truly magical.   

 

A wedding gift from my Aunt Rose Marie

Photo Courtesy of Jenn Slauenwhite



Top 5 Ways to Celebrate The Holidays Disney Style

Merry Christmas Disney fans!! It's that time of year of year again and although it seems the holidays are always changing, at least for me, there are some things I enjoy keeping the same.  One of those would be making sure that I can enjoy some Disney no matter where I am.  Here some simple ways that I enjoy a fun Disney Christmas and Holiday Season.

Top 5 Ways to Celebrate Christmas Disney Style

1) Watch Disney Movies - This is the perfect way to get into a cheerful mood, no matter what time of year.  However, this is especially true during the holiday season.  While any Disney movie will do, it is nice to enjoy some Christmas ones.  There are a couple Disney ones based on the classic Charles Dickens' novel, A Christmas Carol, that are real classics.  A Muppet Christmas Carol and Mickey's Christmas Carol are two of the best retellings of the story.  I grew up with both of these as a child and they're both entertaining and present the story with a nice touch of Disney magic. 

Other animated Christmas movies worth checking out would be The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas.  However, my favourite Disney Christmas movies are the live action ones, most notably The Santa Clause 1 through 3.  Tim Allen as Santa Claus works well and I always try to catch all three every holiday season.  I also enjoy I'll Be Home For Christmas, starring a couple of my favourite 90s stars, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jessica Biel.  So as you can see there are plenty of choices.

2. Use Disney Christmas Ornaments - Now that you're in the Christmas mood, it's time to set up the tree.  And why not add a little Disney to it?  I have a growing collection of beautiful Disney ornaments on mine.  There are so many different types that you can get, from simple ones to highly detailed ones and for every price range. 

Here are some of my favourites from my personal collection:
- A Snow White Ball
- A Mickey and Minnie Frame that says 2009 with a picture of my husband and I in it - it was from our first Christmas together
- Pocahontas and John Smith sitting together
- Disney Princess Balls
- Magician Mickey
- Beauty and the Beast - from their ballroom scene, it's one I actually keep out year round
- Disney Fantasy Cruise Ship - as a reminder of the cruise my husband and I took this past summer

3. Give Disney Gifts - So now that we're in the spirit and we've got our tree up, it's time to get some gifts to put under it.  There are perfect gifts you can get for people of all ages that have a little Disney touch.  And best of all, you can get them anytime of year.  For example, when my husband and I took our Disney Cruise, we picked up a couple unique gifts for our loved ones.  Gifts that will not only show some Disney spirit, but also ones that will be unique since they came from a very specific place.  However, anything with a nice Disney touch can put a smile on someone's face.  T-shirts and mugs are great ideas and I've given a few out over the years.  In fact, one year I gave my Dad and future husband the same Goofy t-shirt, since they both really like Goofy.  In fact, my husband likes Goofy so much, that my mother gave him an old framed picture of her with Goofy from her trip to Disney World in the 80s.

Another way to go is add some Disney to your Secret Santa gifts.  For the past two years, the people who've had my name have both picked out some great Disney gifts for me - including classic Mickey and Minnie plush dolls, as well as pens and a nice glass.  Those are just a couple of great ideas that can work well for any Disney fan. 


4. Watch the Disney Christmas Parade on Christmas Day - This is something I look forward to every year!  There is no parade like a Disney parade and they go all out to make it magical.  During my two trips to Disney World, I was able to watch a few parades and they were great - all of my favourite characters were there; dancing, singing, waving to the crowd.  It's a happiness that is so contagious that if it could be bottled up it could cheer up even the most miserable Scrooge.

This year the parade will air from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. in my time zone of Atlantic, or 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. EST on ABC or at 12:10 P.M on CBC in Canada, no matter what your time zone.  Nick Cannon, Maria Menounos and Mario Lopez will be hosting the event, featuring headlining musical act Lady Antebellum, as well as other performers such as Phillip Phillips, Colbie Caillat, Backstreet Boys and many more.  Plus Mickey and the gang will be there, ready to celebrate with the best Christmas cheer.  So gather your friends and family and don't miss out on this wonderful annual parade.

5. Cook and Bake Disney Style - This one is great to do all year long, but especially during the holidays.  By adding a little Disney touch, you can also add a whole lot of magic.  There are a couple ways you can cook and bake Disney style.  The first would be to shape your food into the classic Mickey head shape.  This can be done with cookies, pancakes, cakes, eggs, fruits, vegetables, just about anything you can think of, really.  It's something that you can do as simple or as fancy as you would like.

This year I'm going to try something new, along with the help of my husband, who is a chef.  While on our Disney Fantasy Cruise this past summer, we purchased a cookbook titled Cooking With Mickey and the Disney Chefs, which feature actual recipes that are used by real Disney chefs in Disney World, Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line.  By making things that we would get if we were actually in the happiest places on earth, it will help re-create that special environment.  However, you don't have to go on a Disney vacation to find the recipes used by Disney Chefs.  You can find the books online, as well as individual recipes.

And when it comes to the food that Disney prepares, Lumiere says, "Our dinner here is never second best." And he is right, I have yet to experience anything from a Disney kitchen that isn't mouth watering and has a perfect appearance, taste and texture.  It's making me hungry just thinking about it. 

Bonus:

Spending Christmas in Disney World - this one is a bonus because I have done the other 5 but have yet to achieve this one. It's always a great day to be in Disney world or Disneyland or even on a Disney cruise but the magic you would get at Christmas time would be extra special. So for now this will be on my to-do list. However if anyone wants to send me to Disney world for Christmas, I certainly wouldn't object ;)

Those are my simple ways to enjoy a Disney holiday season.  No matter what your traditions, you can always find a way to work some Disney magic in.  The most important thing is to appreciate all the love that is right around you.  It's everywhere and it really is the season and the time to look at all that you have and be thankful for what the year has brought you. 

So from my family to yours, have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!

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New Fantasyland

On December 6, 2012 the new Fantasyland expansions opened at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World.  While I would have given just about anything to be there, I was able to watch the progress of its development online.  Let me tell you, those imagineers at Disney can do anything and they can do in a way that will blow your mind!  There are four main attractions, including two new restaurants that I can't wait to see for myself on my next visit.

1) Enchanted Tales With Belle

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This is the interactive storytelling experience that I dreamed about as a kid.  From a YouTube video courtesy of Inside the Magic showing the full preview (which you can watch here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROaMrXqenfU), it shows how groups of guests start off in Maurice's cottage, which is complete with every detail you can think of.  You can see a photo of a young Belle and her mother, the book from the movie right on the page that has the corner that the sheep bit off in the song "Belle" and so much more.  You are led by a tour guide to Maurice's workshop and are magically transported to the Beast's castle, where with the help of the Wardrobe and Lumiere, guests help tell the story to a very beautiful Belle.  The animatronics of the Wardrobe and Lumiere are a great element and are going to help really bring the story to life for every guest that gets to enjoy it.  This is going to be the ultimate character experience for any Disney fan.


2) Gaston's Tavern

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Like Enchanted Tales With Belle, this place will put you right in Beauty and the Beast.  Outside the tavern is a large statue of the one and only Gaston, with his sidekick Le Fou.  Walk inside and you'll see a tavern similar to the one in the movie.  From the antlers that are around the walls to the large painting of Gaston, the feeling that this is his place, his home will be everywhere.  It is set up to be a quick service style restaurant with food items such as a variety of fruit and vegetables, portable roasted pork shanks and what will be my favourite, warm gooey cinnamon rolls, along with other pastries.  For drinks, there will be plenty of non-alcoholic options, including a concoction called Le Fou's Brew which is made with apple juice and toasted marshmallows.

3) Be Our Guest Restaurant

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The second new eating establishment in New Fantasyland is the appropriately titled Be Our Guest Restaurant.  Named after the hit song in Beauty and the Beast, this is the place where you can enjoy either a quick service lunch or a traditional sit down dinner.  It features three themed rooms - the West Wing, the Rose Gallery (only for lunch) and the Ballroom.  I am most looking forward to being able to dine in the Ballroom.  The scene where Belle and Beast have their iconic dance as Mrs. Potts sings the movie's title track is nothing short of movie magic.  This is one of my favourite romantic scenes from any movie and the look and feel of that ballroom that they danced in was something I never thought I would get the chance to experience.  From the images and videos I've seen, they go all out to re-create it in the most perfect way. 

The menu is inspired by French cuisine, featuring salads, sandwiches and other lighter items for lunch and more traditional dinners in the evening.  Some of those main courses can include grilled strip steak with pomme frites, sauteed shrimp and scallops and other various meats.  There is also a selection of beer and wine to accompany each.  For desserts, they have a selection of creme puffs and cupcakes - perfect for any sweet tooth! 

And be sure to check out the grey stuff, Lumiere says it's delicious!

4) Under The Sea: Journey Of The Little Mermaid

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In 2006, I received a special edition DVD of The Little Mermaid.  One of the special features included a segment on a Little Mermaid themed ride that was never built and I thought what a shame because this could be a really great thing for Disney to do.  Well, a few years later, we have it.  I don't think it's quite the same thing but the concept and a lot of the ideas appear to be similar.  Travel in a clam shell vehicle into Ariel's world and experience not only her story, but also the music that helped tell her story.  Throughout the ride, guests will hear songs such as "Part Of Your World," "Under The Sea" and Kiss The Girl."  The visuals also look incredible for this, typical for what you might see in a Disney indoor slow ride featuring animatronics.  Although I have to say they continue to get better and better.  It amazes me the way they can continue to take guests into these worlds, such as Ariel's, through Disney magic.  Another cool thing thing to point out here, after guests finish the ride, they can go to Ariel's Grotto nearby to meet Ariel.  Reminds me of when my dad, sister and I were in Disney world in 2005 and we got to meet Ariel at her former grotto.  Seems like her new home at Eric's castle is going to be a great one and I can't wait to check out.


So those are the main attractions of the New Fantasyland.  There are more things to come in the future, including a Princess Fairytale Hall and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  I can't wait to experience all of these things and more on my future visits to the happiest place on earth!!

My dad, sister and I with Ariel, 2005

Growing Up Disney

Greetings fellow Disney addicts, my name is Katie Mealey.  I am a happy newlywed who is currently taking Public Relations while working part time as a Starbucks Barista.  Oh and I've grown up Disney.  I have always had Disney around me for as long as I can remember.  My parents always made sure I had the movies and merchandise.  I can still remember the Ariel themed bedroom I had as a toddler and having various Disney plush toys, books and VHS tapes.  Yes this was the life!!

Considering I was born in the late 80s, it should be no surprise that my two favorite Disney Princess movies and let's be honest, my favorite movies overall, are Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid.  They were both released shortly after I was born and have always been a part of my life.  To me, these are the classic Disney Princess fairytales.  Yes I realize that there were three other Disney Princess movies before them, but they don't have that same magic.  More on that later.

Growing up Disney isn't just something I decided to be, it's part of who I am as a person.  It affects various aspects of my life and all for the better.  It has helped me become a believer, a dreamer and a doer.  It may seem weird to attribute qualities like that soley on one company and I agree, but I would say that this one company has influenced me through their various methods.  I believe they do it mostly through film and music but they also do it by showing how successful a company can be and how much they can do.  Disney does movies, television, theme parks, cruises, other travel vacations, merchandising of all kind and more.  It's incredible all that they do.  Disney has always been one to inspire people of every age. 

So to sum up, this blog will be about my life and how Disney fits into it.  Some stories will involve my family, some will involve my husband, some will be just me but they will all have a touch of Disney magic.