We have hosted many surprise ceremonies - mainly surprises to the bride, but also to the groom, as well. How does it work? Sometimes the proposal is part of the surprise. We know grooms who have gotten down on one knee in the aisle of the airplane on the way to Florida. We have worked with a couple of grooms who had the pilot propose for them! We had a most ingenious bride who snuck down to the restroom of her resort & dressed in her bridal gown. She then called the room and told the unsuspecting groom to open the bag hidden in the closet, put on the clothes, and meet her in the hotel lobby. Our limo was waiting! Mostly, however, grooms will propose a few days before the wedding, and then present his bride with the wedding plans.
If this your plan, we will help you with the details. When you book your surprise wedding with us, we will provide you with a game plan, i.e. a guideline to everything you'll need to know to triumphantly pull off the surprise!
One thing that you WILL need before the ceremony is the marriage license. If you are not a Florida resident, then you can get the marriage license and be married the same day (Monday-Friday except for holidays when the court house is closed). HOWEVER - BOTH OF YOU MUST BE PRESENT to get the license. Hence, if you propose to her (or him!) before the big day, you can show her your wedding plans (we're assuming she'll say "yes!"). Going to the court house together will be part of the wedding preparation. If you wait until the day of the wedding, you'll have to tell her what you're doing by the time you get to the court house. WE RECOMMEND GIVING HER A FEW DAYS NOTICE - SHE'LL LOVE YOU FOR IT! However, if you plan to propose on the court house steps, that will work, too. (Although she might be wondering why you grabbed her passport on the way to Disney World!)
No matter how you plan to break the news, we will be glad to help with the details. We'll provide you with a list of things you must do, things you might want to do, and things you can do if time and money aren't an issue.
If you are planning a surprise wedding or vow renewal ceremony, be sure to let us know that it's top secret as soon as you contact us. Also, please provide us with alternative contact information instead of home phone, address, and email, so we don't accidentally spoil the surprise when we send your confirmation.
Your secret is safe with us!
Copyright 2002-2008, A Royal Wedding Chapel / Central Florida Wedding Chapel
"Where Every Bride is a Princess,
and Every Couple is Treated Like Royalty!"