If You Can Dream it, You Can Do It! Part 5 of a Disney Vow Renewal

This series can also be found at thedisneydrivenlife.com

Photo Credit: Meija Eller

There is something unfathomable about the fulfillment of a dream.

I have spent so many years dreaming of wearing a real wedding gown; of standing on the beach of Disney’s Polynesian Resort sharing vows, that when the time was close at hand, I almost couldn’t comprehend it.  Why do dreams seem as unattainable as the stars?

Briar Rose once said, “If you dream a dream more than once it’s sure to come true!”

Maybe for me it takes dreaming a dream 400 times before it comes true, but that’s ok.  I will dream my dreams and work hard at them if it means realizing them!

Hair-do's

My girls and I started our day with a visit to the Ivy Trellis Salon at the Grand Floridian where each of us received our very first professional up-dos!

Photo Credit: Meija Eller

The Vow Renewal began in a similar way to my original wedding.  It had been raining.  Suddenly, just in the nick of time, the droplets stopped and the sun came out! Our ceremony was short, sweet and… officiated by our fifteen year old.  Really.  Our pastor could not make it and we didn’t want a stranger playing such an important role in our big day!  Since there was nothing legal about our ceremony, we figured, “Why not make it exactly as we wanted?”  She did a beautiful job and it made the whole thing that much more meaningful.  Ok, so she read vows off of a smartphone because I was not able to print out the document.  That just goes to show how high tech we are these days.  We saved 1/100 of a tree, thank you very much!  Still, I will always hold dear the memory of my daughter uttering the words, “Daddy, do you take Mama…”

The day was better than I even dreamed!  The attention from being all dressed up was surprisingly a bit uncomfortable, but you know, I managed to work through that!  One little girl even stated that I was Cinderella and spoke to me for quite a while.  It made me feel like a Disney Princess; a moment I will never forget!  Standing on that beach, sand in our toes, violin music playing and my daughters excitedly standing by, the ceremony carried on.  My husband surprised me with some personal vows he wrote himself, touching on the challenges we’ve faced and the renewed spirit of our marriage.  It was beautiful.

Photo Credit: Meija Eller

After the ceremony we had an amazing dinner at Victoria and Albert’s.  Yes, we took all three of our daughters to this establishment!  Admittedly, I was a little nervous that one of them, aged 10, 12 and 15, wouldn’t be able to hold it together.  I was delighted to find that they were on their best behavior the entire evening!  They were adventurous in trying new and different looking

Photo Credit: Meija Eller

foods as well.  I love the way this place manages to be so elegant, yet so down to earth at the same time.  Because with my kids, you just never know what kind of mischief they may cook up!

By the end of the day, I was happy to take off the dress, put on jammies, sit on our Polynesian Lanai and gaze at the castle with my “new again” husband.

XO, Ami