Christmas Along the Waters of Walt Disney World

                                    

Our first full day was exactly that, full! After our fabulous breakfast at Boma, our goal was to see as many resort decorations as possible, then head to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We would visit the Epcot hotels and try to see at least one Magic Kingdom resort. A hotel is referred to "Magic Kingdom" if it borders the lake that sits in front of the Magic Kingdom park. From our hotel we caught a bus to Disney's Hollywood Studios. Above is the tree just outside that park's main entrance. We loved all the tinsel used to represent the obvious, Tinsel Town! 

For those that haven't visited Walt Disney World, there is a lengthy trail that connects Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios. It was a beautiful day for a long walk. 

The first hotel we explored was The Boardwalk. This hotel has a lot of the time share type rooms, but I do hope to one day stay here. We love the New England shoreline theme. I would say all the hotels along this body of water, apart from the Swan & Dolphin, share a similar theme. Their holiday decor was just as interesting. Don't believe me? This Christmas tree made Eric so happy, he flew right off the pavement! Peter Pan doesn't have anything on him. 

In the Boardwalk's lobby, between these two trees was a concession stand made mostly from gingerbread and candy. Cotton candy was being made fresh. And, one could of course buy gingerbread, some snacks, and I believe lemonade. I ask myself now why we didn't buy anything, but I am certain we were too full from breakfast. 

                                 

Even without this Christmas overlay, the buildings and furnishings set a specific tone. We felt ourselves slide into the past where seaside carnivals evoked a sense of fantasy and sinister characters. Speaking of oddities, check out these two chairs we found. Would you want to take a rest on these two antiquities? 

Eric and I found something a little more full of comfort. We rocked in those seats for a bit, sat back and enjoyed this view. What a day! 

This hotel, Disney's Yacht Club, would be the next stop on our walking tour of Christmas decor. 

Look at Eric! Man......so lucky I married this man. This morning/afternoon was perfection. The two of us weren't in any hurry. We took in the colors of the sky, the colors of the decor, and the sounds of the land. "BICYCLE coming through the boardwalk!!!" 

Ok so we were in the way of a few bicyclist, but I think you get the idea of our day so far. 

I'm a sucker for photographs where our wedding bands are shown. But my goodness! Our walking shoes are massive!!! As you have seen so far, we had a long walk, and a lot more walking ahead of us. 

The Yacht Club had a traditional feel to its overall decor and holiday additions. Lighthouses and sail boats were a running theme. There was a fun train set and town that we watched for a bit. As we watched the trains go around and around, I thought of Gomez Addams, a lover and wrecker of train sets. And, of course Walt Disney came to mind. I bet Walt's largest train set is circling Disneyland 365 days a year. 

                           

We have seen a boardwalk and a harbor, but now it was time to visit a hotel on the beach. Disney's Beach Club color scheme reminds me of the house we rented for a while in Newport Beach, CA. Our place was the same color and trim, until it was painted. But, that is besides the point isn't it? Or, maybe I just wanted to insert that so you'd know we lived in a cool beach house for 5 years! 

Your eyes are not deceiving you. 

                        

Inside this hotel we encountered a lot of chocolate made into unexpected creations. There was a fascinating carousel rotating as if to tease the senses. Well I regressed to my 4 year old self and was ready to climb through the poinsettias, and take the biggest bite out of it! But you know, people were watching and this was a classy hotel. 

We even found an underwater castle, Atantica, where Ariel the mermaid once lived with King Triton. CHOCOLATE again!

The designers even included some information as to what ingredients were used for the carousel. I would have even eaten this list!

                          

Eric and I had seen what these three hotels had to offer for Christmas, but time was slipping away. Our goal was to start for Magic Kingdom park by 3 PM and it was nearing 1:30 PM. In order to stay with our goals of the day we needed to head straight into Epcot via the park's rear entry, maybe see one attraction, and then exit at the parks front entrance to catch the Monorail to Magic Kingdom. There are so many ways to get around Walt Disney World. In one day you could use all forms of transportation. 

In the next phase of the blog you'll hear about how we were almost late for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party. This day was jam packed with Christmas and we loved it! Keep in mind, not one attraction had been ridden this day, so far. 

                           

Honeymooning at Walt Disney World

For mine and Eric's honeymoon we were lucky enough to visit Disney World. Our generous family and friends sent us to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Our experience was more than amazing. Stepping into the hotel and standing in the lobby brought an overwhelming feeling of excitement. As we took all this in Eric said he was about to cry. I don't know if he actually cried, but for drama we will just say that he did.

I'm glad we have many photos because my words can't do the hotel justice. Besides this grand sight, there was an aroma of wood burning in an exotic stove mixed with earthy spices. We noticed this smell came from Boma, the restaurant very near the lobby. The music piped in was filled with African drums and chanting, perfection! I wish all of you now could hear the beautiful sounds that filled that lobby. 

This link might work..it's the soundtrack on YouTube. 

http://youtu.be/f3tKD0kELYA

Throughout the lobby are displays of various crafts and masks. The hallways and small alcoves leading to the rooms also show highlights of similar artwork. One might think they wouldn't

want to "stay in a museum", but great information was passed onto us via these displays. 

Some of you may know that most rooms or all were designed to face an animal habitat. Ours overlooked a savanna that was home to zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, and other various animals. Entering the room for the first time was full of excitement. We both knew what we were in for, and couldn't wait to see what stood outside our balcony. Here was our first glimpse. 

"WHOMP WAAAAAH!"

At that moment we didn't see any animals, but were confident that they would make themselves known.  

The rest of the room was a nice surprise as well. The entry was bigger than we had seen at other WDW hotels. That fact probably stems from usually staying at Value resorts. 

Finally a double vanity, a couple's dream!! The shower curtain was a fun, colorful touch. The coloring reminded me of the African art that is pictured above. 

Our cast discount only allowed us to book a room with a bunk bed in it, so here is Eric being silly. I think if that was not there, the space would've made a little sitting area. That is just a guess. 

We also had our own comfortable bed. To "toot our own horns", Eric and I must've had the easiest room to clean. We only had the essentials that we brought with us and I didn't want to leave a daily mess. The surrounding rooms had many people crammed into them with kids. Who knows what the housekeepers dealt with in those rooms?

Our first morning we ate breakfast at the restaurant Boma. It's an all you can eat buffet, with a heavy influence of African flavors. A nice surprise was a delivery of sparkling wine and flutes to our table. The front desk sent this over for our Honeymoon. So nice!

BOMA from above

As you see here, Eric and I had a few beverage choices. I think in the end, we were full of more liquids than food. The jungle juice, shady name, was a blend of orange and a mango.....delicious! Eric doesn't normally drink juice, but he was enjoying this. 

The food was also delicious, to say the least. For the first time I tried something called Chakalaka. The Chakalaka was a mashed/diced tomato mixed with a little spicy flavor. This side dish, along with a dish called Pap was my breakfast for a few mornings. It was an easy solution for a vegetarian breakfast. 

After breakfast we had a few visitors. And, we were able to take some great photos throughout the trip. 

The hotel grounds are so relaxing. The designers really created a place where we could unwind during the day or after visiting a busy theme park. And again, the sounds added so much to the atmosphere. 

Eric gets an award for his calves!

Outside the main lobby is a fire pit for talk and relaxation. At night there is a storyteller that shares folk stories from his native land. We didn't get a chance to see this because it usually took place while we were at a theme park. It was still nice to lounge there, when the chairs were free. In this photo, I think I'm in a child size chair. I felt massive in it!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge also has the Vacation Villas called Kidani Village, which we didn't visit. They are Disney's version of a time share resort. They all have kitchenettes and sleep approximately 6 people per room. A drawback is that housekeeping visits less. You'd need to make up your own bed for a few days. 

Check out that wedding ring people! 

How can I describe this hotel without using the word "relaxing"? I don't think I can. It is gorgeous and needs to be experienced. The unknown of the jungle or savanna brings about a mysterious feeling. What's around the corner or asleep among the trees? The references of safaris from the past even suggest an old Hollywood genre of romance. Even after being back home for almost a month, it is this hotel that we day dream about. But, it was our reality for 9 days. 

We Say "I Do"

Since the wedding location is about 45 minutes away from our home, we only had a short time to prepare. We had that Sunday, November 10th, plus Saturday the 16th to accomplish most of our tasks. Ricky's apartment would serve as a location for both ceremony and reception. Chairs would be set up for the ceremony and be moved after. Between the ceremony and dinner, Eric and I would have photos taken while family set up the Chipotle buffet and eating areas. As you can see, it takes more than just the wedding couple to make it happen.

While thinking about the chunk of time between the ceremony and eating, I was stressed. How would we get the guests out of Ricky's apartment and down to the lobby for light snacks? There had to be a nice way of saying, "Okay people. We need to bring in the tables. Go hangout in the lobby until someone calls you all up." We'd figure that out later. 

On the same night Eric would finish the Wedding alter, Karla flew in from Northern California. Karla and Eric have a friendship that stretches far back through the web of time. When I met her in 2003, a friendship between her and I began to blossom. She's been "an ear", a person of knowledge, and a source of infectious laughter. Soon after Eric and I became engaged in 2009, we asked Karla to be our officiant.  

Let us fast forward to the Saturday before the wedding. I had to work. Off to Disneyland, at 4 AM I went. Eric had a few more hours sleep and headed back to Hollywood. Karla, Ricky, and Eric went at it all day. And then I waltzed in after work, around 4:30 PM. It was quite a long day. By the time I arrived they had a vast amount of set up complete and the place was glistening. Later Eric's mom Mary arrived with his aunt, Cecilia. They had the center pieces ready and were about to set up the Candy Bar. 

Once the candy was set up in their glass display jars and the navy blue ribbon was thoughtout the space, it felt like this was all coming together. Eric and I were so worried about logistics, we still didn't have that "OMG, WE ARE GETTING MARRIED" moment. But, I think under the surface it was slowly starting to sink into our brains. 

That night I had an awful experience where I was up every hour. I'm sure most people can relate to an annoying night such as that. The one thing I didn't want was to appear completely exhausted. We were taking lots of photos the next day and we both wanted a refreshed look!

    View from Ricky's place

Eric and I weren't awake too early. We finally got up around 7:15 for our big day. The set up was mostly complete so there was no need for a rushed morning. And once we set out to LA, it was a stress free ride. 

Once we arrived we added some last minute touches and waited for the cake delivery. There was a hole on the counter for our cake, so this would complete our spread. Too bad the delivery man was all business. I don't think he looked one person in the eye. 

We got over the weird delivery man quickly. Cassie and Ryan, great friends and photography duo, arrived to snap some shots of the place beforehand. At that point Eric and I decided it was time to get ready! In Ricky's bedroom, as we changed clothes, we strategically avoided the five tables we had stored there. I kept thinking, "oh poor Ricky. We've turned his world upside down". Soon, the guests would start to arrive. 

    Nephews taking in the view of  the Hollywood Hills

I'm not sure if anyone realized, but we had pop music as background, performed by a string quartet (recorded). To name a few, kudos to those of you that recognized Lady Gaga, Foo Fighters or The Beatles!! We had one or two guests arrive, then it seemed as though most all guests arrived at once. 

I told Eric, "At the moment it feels as though we are hosting a nice cocktail party. But, we are getting married in about 15 minutes!" It was nice to see how excited everyone was and people's reaction to the decor was great!

Karla delivered a deeply emotional introduction tailored to Eric and  myself. She touched on our vacations, love for collecting, and even Cirque du Soleil. Karla said that although we love these hobbies/places, it isn't as deep as the commitment we have for each other. There was even a moment where she surveyed our guests "Who has known the couple for 15 years......" and so on. It was nice she included them as well. 

    "15 years? Raise your hands!"

"Do you take Eric to be your husband?"

"I do."

Those words will resonate within my memory forever. He and I stood there in front of our family and friends while admitting to one another we were in it until the end. Although I knew that  two feet from me were our guests, I felt like Eric and I were the only ones in that room. I can't explain how special it was and still is. 

The ceremony felt as thought it lasted a few minutes, but I am told it was around 20 minutes. Karla graciously led the seated guests to join her for a light refreshment in the lobby. After a few quick family photos and hugs, Eric and I followed Cassie and Ryan for our wedding photos. We were heading to the streets of Hollywood and the location of our first date, The Pantages theater. 

     Eric and Kelly(our close friend and roomie for many years)

As I said, The Pantages was our first date on April 19, 2002. We watched The Lion King. As it turns out, the same show was back in Hollywood again!! It was meant to happen!! Well, most of us think it's pretty cool. 

    Where it all began.

We took a few shots standing underneath the marquee. Cassie and Ryan stopped traffic to get the shot!! It was insanely hilarious. But there we were trying to only smile and not laugh. The Russeks are hardcore! 

    Cassie and Ryan! Love the sock bun Cassie!!

    Martin (my best man) and Jason (our friend and Martin's boyfriend) came along for the fun. Too bad they didn't get a photo of Cassie in the street, stopping traffic. 

When we headed back, Eric and I found the place ready for food! It was a relief that the wedding was happening smoothly. When we throw a party I like to oversee the event, but I had to let go of the reigns this time. 

So far everyone was loving Chipotle!! Based on this wedding meal, our friend Angie decided to use the same catering service for work. I dug into my meal with a little wine! After all, it is mine and Eric's favorite place to dine. I probably should've taken a photo of the food. Well, it was a taco bar with burrito bowl options. 

 

A short while later we gathered for the toasts. Both Ricky and Martin delivered some wonderful words and wished us well. The drink of choice for the toasts was Moscato Champagne. It was delicious and I'm glad we still have one bottle left!

I had never cut a cake "with" someone before so we tried to make it look as natural as possible. If you were there, did it work? As we knew from already tasting it, the cake would be fabulous. I'm pretty sure I ate 2 1/2 slices. Another big thank you to my cousin for taking care of the cake's cost! 

As a matter of fact, there are many people to acknowledge! It feels like we can't thank our family and friends enough. Our Mom's made a big contribution to the day and helped us bring this to life. They gave us a day Eric and I will never forget. It's been almost two weeks and I'm still reliving it in my head. But, that was only the beginning. In two days we have our Disney World Honeymoon! After that there is life. I don't know what we will go through together, but I'm glad I will be with Eric. 

How to Plan a Gay Wedding in 2 Months

We looked around the room. Eric and I could see the left over Chipotle, tasty left over cake, wine, "empty chairs and empty tables", and a few guests that had stayed behind. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, our wedding day was drawing to a close. So much time and creative energy was spent to bring about our cherished day. Did we feel satisfied? We sure did! 

Planning only began in mid September. With the wedding day on November 17th, we heard many say we were crazy. Eric and I, being a little stubborn, were determined to carry out our wedding prior to our upcoming Disney World trip, December 2nd. It did cross our level headed minds to wait one more week December 1st, but that is Thanksgiving weekend. So, that was a "No". 

Eric and I had an idea of what we wanted, but budget, location, and timing would play a huge role. And, when I say we knew what we wanted, I meant we had about four ideas between us. Did that cause some arguments along the way? Of course it did! Do you all think a smaller wedding made planning any easier? No, not at all. Later, when the decor fell into place, it felt perfect.  

A hard subject when one has a small wedding or event is the Guest List. When we decided to keep it at 50 and under, I assumed that was a good amount. Well, when we started listing names the slots filled quickly. Hard decisions were made and looking back, I don't think we even disagreed about the list. Once a number was decided, it definitely was understood between us that we had to be strict. 

Right away we had some family members that stepped up, without hesitation. My cousin Albert and wife Clara really wanted to purchase the cake. We were blown away by the gesture. Then, his sister and my cousin, Francesca, offered food money, and to create our "card receiving" box. We also had both Mothers offer to lend a huge hand in many different ways. Ricky, Eric's best man, allowed us to hold the wedding at his place. And, our great friend Cassie would be our photographer for both our wedding guest book, and the event itself. I can honestly say without our family and friends' generosity, this wouldn't have happened.

One item we quickly crossed off our list was the cake. Eric, my mom, and myself headed to Glendale for the cake tasting at the bakery Portos. They had about 12-16 different combinations for us. The red velvet was tempting, but lately it's almost too expected. We made up our own cake combination of white and chocolate cake, layered with vanilla custard. Eric and I couldn't wait for everyone to taste it!

During October, the details changed, shapes evolved and themes came and went . Would we have round tables or rectangular?  Something that drove me insane was that even though I could envision the space, I wanted to see the final product and experience it. Thank goodness the catering company was a "no brainer" for the both of us. We chose to go with Chipotle catering because it's our favorite. The spread we went with was the three meat taco bar. They would also throw in a few different salsas and chips with guacamole.

Suddenly time was creeping toward October 17th. This meant we absolutely had to send out the invitations. We just needed to decide on the style we liked. I have to be honest, the idea of sending out a massive text message did cross our minds. Don't worry, we got rid of that idea.

After invitations, the first photo shoot was upon us. As I mentioned before, our great friend Cassie would take our photos. She went with us to Disneyland and California Adventure in the wee hours of a Monday morning. Eric and I would be posing for our Guest Book. Eric had the idea to have photos where our guests could sign the borders, and write short messages. It was such a fun morning in the parks. Cassie is amazing at what she does. Check out Russek Photography on Facebook! 

(I don't rely on mirrors alone...they're deceiving)

It was an experience trying on suits for the big day. To be frank, we did encounter frustration as we shopped. Since we loved the first suits we tried on, it was hard to settle on anything else. Maybe a guy would usually think, "Hey it's no biggie." But for us it was really important. There was no wedding dress to be featured at this wedding ceremony. Eric and I were it and we wanted to look as good as possible. Once we finalized the suits, I felt stress levels slightly lower. 

 With exactly two weeks left, Eric, his parents, Ricky, Greg, and I got to work. Poor Ricky was "losing" his living room. We cleared it all out in that one afternoon. The sofa, tables, lamps, and shelf all ended up in his spare room. Ricky was left with the floor to sit on, and a TV. So when I say we couldn't have done it without Ricky, it's the truth. 

The plan was to then return to the following Sunday, which was a week from the wedding, to get even more prepared. When that day came, Eric then brought the backdrop for our ceremony. He made it that week from plywood, chalkboard paint, and of course chalk. He spent almost five hours getting this piece just right. 

Whoa, what a blog post, right? I want to keep all of your interest so I'll be back soon with a heck of a lot more photos and the wedding details. I can't give it all at once! And, if you were there, then I guess you know all the secrets. I will add that our daydream was becoming a reality. See all back soon!