Alex & Conner’s morning micro wedding at Walt Disney World’s Swan Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, FL

Recent WeddingsKellyMichael K
Written By Amy Kuo

Walt Disney World Swan Hotel Outdoor Micro Wedding in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, FL | Orlando Wedding Photographer & Videographer

Author Made creative lead and co-owner Michael (on photo) with team photographer Kelly captured this romantic micro wedding at Walt Disney World’s Swan Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Orlando, FL.

Alex & Conner chose a romantic, mid-morning micro wedding at Walt Disney World’s Swan Hotel as the perfect backdrop to start their new life together. The two met in school as lab partners, and the self-described “nerds”, both naturally a little quiet, celebrated their marriage surrounded by their closest family and friends. With around 30 guests, their romantic yet minimalist outdoor wedding at the Swan Hotel felt polished without feeling formal.

A Disney wedding without being a “Disney wedding”: getting married at Walt Disney World’s Swan Hotel

Disney has been part of groom Conner’s family history for years, making the Walt Disney World Swan a particularly meaningful choice for their wedding. His family has stayed on Disney property multiple times, with the nearby Dolphin Hotel being a particular family favorite, so the resort already felt familiar before he and bride Alex ever began planning their wedding day.

Their outdoor ceremony at the Swan’s Crescent Terrace offered exactly what they were looking for: a quiet, intimate setting that still felt connected to the larger Disney resort experience. A long walkway leads toward the ceremony terrace, with the neighboring Dolphin Hotel providing an impressive architectural backdrop. Afterward, guests moved inside to Il Mulino New York Trattoria for a post-wedding brunch, keeping the entire celebration moving easily.

Many couples, whether local or out of state (or abroad), love the idea of getting married at Disney, but not everyone wants a “Disney wedding”. If mouse ears, Cinderella coaches, and pixie dust aren’t on your wedding inspo board, there are still plenty of ways to start your happily ever after at the happiest place on earth!

Offering romantic options for full-size weddings, receptions only, or micro weddings, Walt Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin hotels provide couples with all the convenience, atmosphere, and professionalism of a Disney property wedding yet with their own style. From sweeping resort views on The Vue atop the Swan Reserve hotel to the tucked-away terraces for outdoor ceremonies (like Alex & Conner’s wedding), you can tie the knot within the heart of the theme parks and continue the celebration at one of the hotel’s top-tier restaurants or elsewhere on Disney property.

A warm Florida morning

We started the morning about 10am, taking the groomsmen photos first (accompanied by lots of goofiness and laughter between Conner and his guys), then bridal portraits of the stunning Alex and her bridesmaids before guests began arriving.

There wasn’t a traditional first look between the couple, but they had plenty of time together after the ceremony. And actually, that suited their personalities perfectly. Alex & Conner weren’t the kind of couple who needed a huge emotional spectacle to show how much they cared about each other, it was apparent in their joy together once the wedding day nerves had settled after saying “I do”!

Their bridal photo session after the ceremony gave them a chance to step away from their guests and simply enjoy being married for a few minutes. The heat was already intense for the morning, with temperatures around 92°F and plenty of Florida’s usual humidity, so we kept the portraits relatively close to the restaurant rather than wandering too far around the resort. Alex was beyond ready to go back inside (as we were all!), but groom Conner insisted on one last dramatic shot with the towering Dolphin hotel in the backdrop. Worth it? We think so.

Photographer’s pro tips for a Disney Swan wedding

As a wedding photographer, we found that the property around the Swan and Dolphin hotels gives you plenty to work with even if you’re short on time for photos. The architecture of both the Swan and Dolphin hotels creates a dramatic, elegant backdrop and the two hotels are close enough together that you can move between them without turning a photo session into a major production.

The front of the Dolphin is particularly photogenic, with its large fountain and towering architecture, while the pathways between the hotels provide opportunities for more relaxed portraits. The Swan’s lobby is another option worth scouting if you have extra time.

For Alex & Conner, the nearby Dolphin was especially meaningful because of their family’s history with the property, making it more than simply a pretty backdrop. We photographed them around the Dolphin, along the pathways between the resorts, and back near their ceremony site. The ceremony location was naturally backlit during their portrait time, which worked beautifully for softer, more atmospheric images.

Photographer’s pro tip: If you’re photographing a morning wedding at Disney’s Swan, pay attention to where the sun is coming from at the ceremony site. For this particular location, the sun rises behind and to the right of the ceremony area on a diagonal, so that direction can affect how you position the couple for portraits.

The heat was the biggest consideration on this particular day. With a short portrait window and temperatures in the 90s, staying close to the restaurant meant the couple could get beautiful images without spending unnecessary time walking around the property in the Florida sun.

Post-wedding brunch

After portraits, the couple and their guests moved into brunch. A blessing was given before everyone sat down for dinner, and the rest of the celebration was intentionally simple. There was no dance floor, DJ, or traditional reception entertainment, just good food and time with the people closest to them.

And apparently, the food did not disappoint. The restaurant had beignets and an omelet bar, which were both memorable highlights of the meal. Candidly, we’ve never regretted turning down the option for a vendor meal for ourselves as much as we did this day….

Even the little details carried personal meaning. Conner’s outfits had subtle Lord of the Rings inspiration, while Alex’s bouquet included a special memento honoring her grandmother. Those touches made the otherwise classic, minimalist wedding feel distinctly theirs.

It was a polished and easygoing intimate Disney wedding, not because everything needed to be elaborate, but because Alex & Conner clearly didn’t need much more than each other, their families, and a beautiful place to celebrate becoming husband and wife. If you’re considering a Disney Swan wedding, this is exactly the kind of celebration that shows how beautiful a smaller guest list can be: meaningful, relaxed, personal, and still unmistakably Disney.

Congratulations again, Alex & Conner! Wishing you both a bright and beautiful happily-ever-after together.

Special note: We do not share images that feature children in our public portfolio to protect their privacy. Some images and moments from this wedding do not appear in the selected gallery seen here.

Hi, we’re Author Made, a wedding photography & videography studio based in Orlando, FL & Columbus, OH. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer or wedding videographer who believes weddings of all sizes and budgets deserve stunning images to cherish forever, we’d love to have the honor of capturing your wedding day.

If you’re interested in capturing your wedding photography or videography with us, please contact us - we would love to help your special day be all it can be!

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Amy Kuo http://www.authorbrand.studio
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