By Brandie Piper
O’FALLON, Mo. – A local couple’s wedding photos are going viral.
Jamie and Christopher Chandler of O’Fallon, Missouri were married in September 2011 and hosted a Disney-themed wedding. But their photos are just now gaining popularity.
The wedding theme featured characters from many Disney movies.The Little Mermaid was the primary movie highlighted at the wedding, with Jamie dressing as Ariel, Christopher wearing a Prince Eric costume, and Jamie’s father walking her down the aisle dressed as King Triton!
Jamie says her bridesmaids were very excited about dressing as other Disney princesses and heroines and divvied the costumes up according to each girl’s favorite. They were sketched by one of Jamie’s friends and sewed by another.
The groomsmen were originally going to dress in tuxedos, but one of the men came up with the idea for them to dress as villains, which was a bit hit at the ceremony.
Disney is something both Jamie and Chris are passionate about and not only part of their childhood, but also represented dreams, family, and a world where anything is possible.
“Disney films and sing-alongs were something Christopher shared with his family, and they also took a trip to Walt Disney World when he was younger. The films were also a large part of my home life as a child, and we went to Disney World almost every year. We wanted our wedding to be a whimsical, fun filled day where everyone remembered what it was like to play,” said Jamie.
The Disney wedding theme started with the proposal. Christopher and Jamie took a trip to Disney World with Jamie’s parents. They attended Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and he proposed with a ring inside of a glass slipper as they watched fireworks in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
From Mickey Mouse-shaped fans to the invitations, everything at the wedding was designed to blend in with the theme.
The Chandlers created their own invitations using a do-it-yourself kit, with Jamie’s father coming up with the wording. Guests knew about the theme from the moment they received the invitation and were encouraged to dress up in Disney-inspired costumes, which many did.
Crossword puzzles were printed on the back of the programs, and crayons were handed out to guests so everyone would be entertained while waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Disney music was also a big part of the Chandlers big day. All of the music at the ceremony was Disney, with the wedding party walking down the aisle to “Under the Sea,” Jamie walking down the aisle to “Part of Your World,” the Unity Candle lighting to “So This is Love,” the couple’s first kiss to “Kiss the Girl,” and the entire wedding party processed out to “The Mickey Mouse Club March.”
The reception featured Disney music along with contemporary and traditional wedding dance music. Jamie says they named the tables the guests were seat at names from Disney films.
A Mickey-themed wedding cake and mermaid ice sculpture were also featured at the reception.
“The entire day was a dream come true. Everyone was smiling, dancing, and letting go of their cares for the day, which is exactly what we wanted,” said Jamie. “I got to marry the love of my life…someone loves me despite my every flaw, who has been with me through many of life’s ups, downs, and milestones, and who makes me feel beautiful and loved every single day.”
Jamie and Christopher took their honeymoon to Walt Disney World for about two weeks, using Disney Vacation Club points from Jamie’s parents. They also spent their one year anniversary visiting Disneyland in California for the first time.
As for all of the attention her wedding has been getting these days, she says it has been extremely exciting and unexpected. The photos have been on Pinterest for about a year, but attention didn’t ramp up until The Knot posted a story about them on their website.
The Chandlers chose Shari Photography to capture every moment of their big day. We’ve posted some of the photographer’s pictures of the wedding in the gallery above, but if that’s not enough for you, the photographer has posted about 180 photos of the wedding on her website, ShariPhotography.com.
Brandie Piper 