5 Shocking Things You CAN’T Have at Your Disney World Wedding

In 2022, I got married in Disney World, and it was the most magical experience of my life.

I am obviously a huge Disney fan, and getting married in Disney World was a dream come true. We were married at 7AM at the UK Pavilion in EPCOT. We were surrounded by friends and family and even got congratulated by the Mad Hatter. It was wonderful. We were able to have tons of details and aspects in our wedding that we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. However, through the planning process, we learned that there were many things that we could NOT have as part of our wedding. So, if you’re considering a Disney wedding, be prepared to be told no to these inquiries.

Star Wars Characters

A lot of the Star Wars franchise is off-limits to Disney weddings. That’s because of the agreements between Lucasfilm and Disney about how the intellectual property will be used.

You can have certain Star Wars details, just not some things like the characters. For example, my husband walked into the ceremony to the Imperial March! We also could have had lightsabers for an exit if we had chosen to do so. You can get Star Wars-inspired desserts or add Star Wars centerpieces at your reception. It never hurts to ask! And if you want an item and Disney isn’t able to provide it for you, you can usually bring your own! Little Star Wars details are always a fun touch.

Ceremony at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

Another Star Wars thing you can’t have is your ceremony at Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios. As of now, the Star Wars land is off-limits to events like wedding ceremonies.

As AMAZING as it would be to get married in front of the Millennium Falcon, it’s not an option. However, there are tons of other great options at each of the parks, including in front of the castle, at one of EPCOT’s pavilions, or in front of the Tree of Life. You can also get portrait sessions done at the parks, including Hollywood Studios, so a photo of you and your partner at Star Tours is always an option!

Photographer without $2 Million Insurance

Disney’s photography can be a bit expensive, and if you want to save a little money on your Disney World wedding, finding an outside photographer can be a way to do that.

If you want to use a different photographer, Disney will totally let you. But you have to make sure they have the required $2 million minimum insurance coverage! We were shocked by this, and it certainly took away our option of having a friend do our photos since they didn’t have that kind of coverage. An outside photographer will also be required to have a Disney media guide, who you will pay a fee for. In the end, we LOVED our wedding photographers and were so happy we chose them.

Characters During Park Hours

Having the Mad Hatter show up after our ceremony was one of the most exciting parts of our day! He was so much fun and interacted with our guests while we were busy taking more pictures.

However, we almost didn’t get to have him come to the wedding! We first asked for a character to be at our dessert party, but since that was going to be taking place in the park during regular park hours, he was not allowed there. So we asked for him to show up right after our ceremony (which was before the park opened), and with a little Disney magic, that got approved. It was so great! But if you want to have a character, there are certain stipulations that go into having them at your wedding and gatherings.

Park Ceremony During Regular Park Hours

Now, I won’t say it will never happen, but MOST of the time, weddings at the parks take place outside of normal park hours. That means it’ll either be an early morning or late night ceremony.

You can have your wedding at several times throughout the day if you get married at a hotel or other location. But ceremonies in the parks will generally be early or late. We were up at 2AM to get ready for our 7AM ceremony!

Getting married at Disney World is a dream come true for many of us Disney fans! If it’s something that interests you, never count it out. It may surprise you how accessible and easy it is!

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Have you ever thought of getting married in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

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