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Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Wedding: Daniella & TJ's Three-Date Love Story
Daniella and TJ's Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace wedding took place on October 22 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, with 150 guests who flew in from Michigan and upstate New York. It was their third wedding date. As their Orlando wedding planner, I can tell you that every one of those changes was worth it, because the day they finally had was the one they were meant to have.
This is the story of how we got there, and what I learned along the way about planning a wedding when nothing goes according to plan.
Why did Daniella and TJ change their wedding date three times?
COVID moved their wedding twice before October 22 finally stuck.
Their first date was their birthday. Daniella and TJ share the same birthday, and they wanted to get married on it. COVID took that date away. We moved the wedding, and then travel restrictions made it impossible for most of their guests to leave their home states. So we moved it again.
As the planner for this wedding, I worked with the venue and every vendor on the team to move all three dates. Not one of those changes cost Daniella and TJ anything extra. I never charged her a fee to change her date, and I made sure no one else did either. When a couple is already carrying that much disappointment, the last thing they need is a bill for it.
Why we chose October for an Orlando wedding
October is one of the best months for an Orlando wedding, especially when most of your guests are flying in.
When we picked the third date, I walked Daniella and TJ through why October made sense for them:
The weather cools down. Florida heat eases up by late October, which matters for guests in suits and dresses.
The rain is more predictable. Afternoon storms are easier to plan around than in the summer months.
Flights are more reliable. Daniella and TJ were living in Michigan, and Daniella is originally from upstate New York. Most of their guests were coming from those two areas. An October date meant no winter storms canceling or delaying flights.
Daniella told me afterward how thankful she was that we landed on that date. It turned out to be the one that brought everyone together.
A Disney bride, down to her shoes
Daniella was a Disney bride through and through, and Belle from Beauty and the Beast was her favorite character.
She wanted a Disney wedding, and we built that feeling into every part of the day at a hotel just steps from Disney Springs. Guests were welcomed to the ceremony by a "Be Our Guest" sign in an ornate gold frame, a nod to Belle. Her ceremony shoes were painted on the soles with "I Do" in Disney-style lettering. And Daniella asked every one of her vendors to wear Mickey ears, so I did too, from the first setup to the last dance.
That's my favorite kind of wedding to plan. The theme isn't a costume. It's the couple, showing up in a hundred small details their guests will recognize instantly.
Getting two wedding dresses safely to Florida
The bride shipped both of her wedding dresses to me, and I had them waiting when she arrived.
Daniella was panicked about flying with her dresses and having them lost. Driving them down from Michigan meant three days in a car, which she didn't want either. So I offered a simple solution: send everything to me by FedEx overnight.
She shipped her ceremony dress, her reception dress, both pairs of shoes, her undergarments, and her veil. I received all of it, kept it safe, and handed both dresses back to her when she got to Orlando just before the wedding. As her planner, I could see the relief on her face the moment she had them in her hands. That one decision took her biggest worry off the table.
Honoring the groom's mother on the wedding day
TJ lost his mother two weeks before the wedding, and we made sure she had a place in the ceremony.
TJ is one of four children. I wanted every one of them to feel their mom's presence that day, so I asked our florist, Raining Roses, to make four individual bouquets of yellow roses, one for each child, including TJ. Each sibling carried a bouquet down the aisle, and the four bouquets rested together on the chair we reserved for her.
It was a quiet moment, and it meant a great deal to TJ and his family. Grief doesn't take a day off for a wedding. The kindest thing a planner can do is make room for it.
The ceremony and reception at Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
The day moved through three spaces at the hotel: the ceremony at the white gazebo on the lawn beside the lake, cocktail hour outside on the patio, and the reception inside the ballroom.
The colors were bold and warm: red, orange, hot pink, and yellow. Raining Roses filled the gazebo with cascading arrangements of roses, gerbera daisies, and lilies, and Daniella carried a bouquet in the same bright mix. A family member officiated the ceremony, and yes, he wore his Mickey ears too.
Daniella and TJ booked Blue Diamond, my full service planning and design, so I designed the whole day and ran it. In the ballroom, white tables were set with hot pink napkins tied into bows with pearl napkin rings, floating candles, and white chiavari chairs, all washed in pink and red uplighting. It's the room Daniella still talks about.
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace handled the catering. White Rose Entertainment kept the dance floor full, and Sugar Sugar created the cake.
Here's what Daniella said after her wedding:
"On the day of my wedding, I was absolutely blown away by what Taren did with our reception room. Without bias, it was the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. It went far beyond my expectations. I'm a high-anxiety bride, and admittedly a lot to handle, and she handled me beautifully. I highly recommend Taren as your wedding planner. You won't be disappointed!" Daniella & TJ
The vendor team behind this wedding
Venue and catering: Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
Event planning and design: Diamond Receptions
Officiant: a family member of the couple
Florist: Raining Roses
Cake: Sugar Sugar
DJ: White Rose Entertainment
Photography and videography: Castaldo Studio
Makeup: Samaglam
Hair: Jennifer Monzon
What this wedding taught me
Plans change, and a good planner changes with you without making you pay for it. Daniella and TJ lost their birthday date, lost their second date, and lost TJ's mother two weeks before the wedding. They still had a beautiful day with the people they love, because they had someone in their corner holding every detail.
If you're planning a wedding at Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, or anywhere in the Orlando area, and want to know what having that kind of support looks like, I'd love to hear about your plans. Book a consultation with me here.
You can also see what Orlando wedding planning costs, with my real prices, in How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost in Orlando?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is October a good month for an Orlando wedding?
Yes. October brings cooler temperatures, more predictable rain than the summer months, and fewer weather-related flight problems for out-of-town guests. It's one of my favorite months to recommend.
Can you have a Disney-themed wedding outside a Disney resort?
Yes. Daniella and TJ married at Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace, near Disney Springs, and brought Disney into the day through a "Be Our Guest" welcome sign, painted "I Do" shoes, and Mickey ears on every vendor.
What happens if you have to change your wedding date?
Your planner works with the venue and every vendor to move the date and keep your plans intact. For Daniella and TJ, I moved their wedding three times during COVID, and the date changes didn't cost them anything extra.
How do brides get their wedding dress to Orlando without flying with it?
One option is to ship it ahead to someone you trust. Daniella sent both of her dresses, shoes, and veil to me by FedEx overnight, and I had everything ready when she arrived.
How can you honor a parent who has passed away at your wedding?
A reserved chair with flowers is a simple, meaningful way to do it. For TJ's mother, our florist made four yellow rose bouquets, one for each of her children, and they rested on her chair during the ceremony.
Do I need a wedding planner if most of my guests are from out of state?
It helps a great deal. When you and your guests are traveling in, you need someone local who can choose the right date, receive deliveries, and manage the venue and vendors before you arrive.
