Aggravations abound!

I think my fiance and I have finally made up our minds between a Wishes and an Escape wedding. We definitely prefer the intimacy of the Escape wedding, especially since there are a few people we wouldn't necessarily mind not having there. Escape weddings are much more simple than Wishes weddings, thus they are also quite a bit cheaper. Of course, the downside is that there is no reception included in the Escape package. That, however, does not bother neither myself nor my fiance. We figure that we can do the wedding, then the cake cutting reception (Disney will have the slices of cake boxed up and ready to be eaten after your lunch or dinner reception, so there's no problem there), and then we can go to a Disney restaurant to enjoy some food after a wonderful ceremony.

However, my fiance has a large family, one which his father does not want to exclude. So he is daintily asking each one if they would like to come and if they'd be able to pay for their airfare and hotel for them, their spouses, and their kids (we will be damned if we are paying for their airfare and hotel). This is slowing the whole process down and driving me insane. The attendance of the non-essential family members will be what bumps the size from Escape wedding to a Wishes wedding. We would have maybe 16-20 guests if these non-essential family members came (20 being the maximum number of guests allowed at the Wedding Pavilion, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk locations). If they all decide to come, the minimum number suddenly jumps to 30-35. This jump basically means that the price increases from roughly $7,500 (including the ceremony, extra photography, reception at a restaurant, service charges, and tax) to a minimum of $13,500 (including service charges, and tax). I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think that non-essential family members are worth $6,000.

To top it off, I have even fewer family members going than I had originally anticipated. My family and friends are dropping off the invitation list like flies, which will result in the ceremony and reception being held for my fiance's family. Personally, I would love to have people I know and cherish to be there to witness such an important event, but as things are.... Argh!