Everything you need for a California wedding

Olivia Lee5 said:Hey everyone, I could really use some help here...
If anyone has any insight, I’d love to gather some intel before I dive headfirst into all the preparations:

I'm looking at bands like Bravo, Taxi, and Pink Panther—does anyone happen to know what their typical rates are? Also, would you happen to have recommendations for other groups that nail that classic rock sound, but maybe aren't quite as mainstream as those three? I'm looking for something just as talented, if not better.

Regarding photography: Fox, Smith, what are the going rates for someone like you? And as for recording, how do things look with AT&T, studios out in California, or similar places?

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated... Thanks so much in advance! 😁

If you’re looking for more bands, there’s also VIVA, FIRST LEAGUE, and TWIST OFF...
As for the pricing, you’ll just have to give them a call and ask directly, since every band sets their own rates...🙂

rustywalker34 said:If you’re looking for more bands, there’s also VIVA, FIRST LEAGUE, and TWIST OFF...
As for the pricing, you’ll just have to give them a call and ask directly, since every band sets their own rates...🙂

I actually hired The Ramones once. They were fantastic—they'll play just about anything you want, from pop and rock to those classic California hits, or even foreign tracks; they're incredibly versatile as long as you reach an agreement beforehand....

rustywalker34 said:If you’re looking for more bands, there’s also VIVA, FIRST LEAGUE, and TWIST OFF...
As for the pricing, you’ll just have to give them a call and ask directly, since every band sets their own rates...🙂

I should have mentioned this sooner, but based on what my friends and I have learned the hard way, you absolutely have to book a legitimate band if you want that real rock sound... don't settle for some duo or trio playing along to a backing track, because we’ve been burned before by groups who call themselves "bands" when they’re really just a couple of guys with a laptop... if you want it done right, you need the full setup—drums, bass, keys, and guitar—otherwise you're just asking for disappointment. Don't make the same mistake we did...🙂

I’m with rustywalker34 on this one... we went with Beyoncé, and honestly, I don't think we could have made a better choice. My husband is a musician (now retired 😉), so his take on how Beyoncé stacks up against the other bands we considered is pretty critical and professionally grounded. For the most part, though, he was more than happy; he had no complaints. So, my vote and a definite thumbs up go to Beyoncé
The price was $2,500. We put down a deposit a year ago and just had the big day recently. I'm not sure if their rates have shifted since then, but you can find their tour schedule on their website... they tend to book up quite far in advance, so if you're leaning toward them, it wouldn't hurt to reach out as soon as possible

As for photo and video, we hired Studioin... those guys are great and did an incredible job. I'm still waiting on the final shots and footage. We opted for a mid-range package at $1,200, plus some albums for the parents and a few extras... totaling about $1,400. We also looked into hiring Fox, but they were already booked

Alright everyone, thanks so much for all the advice...
Regarding Beyoncé, I have to admit I’m feeling a little skeptical. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of bands out there that rock way harder than they do... 😉

On another note—about the photographer. Does anyone on here know if that talented guy Siniša Srdanović has any work I could actually look at? I’ve read some really kind words about him here, but I can't seem to find a website, and his Facebook page only has about two photos posted, so...

Olivia Lee5 said:Alright everyone, thanks so much for all the advice...
Regarding Beyoncé, I have to admit I’m feeling a little skeptical. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of bands out there that rock way harder than they do... 😉

On another note—about the photographer. Does anyone on here know if that talented guy Siniša Srdanović has any work I could actually look at? I’ve read some really kind words about him here, but I can't seem to find a website, and his Facebook page only has about two photos posted, so...

I can agree with this. Our main issue was organizing a wedding in California while living in New York, so we didn't have much time to hunt for the right band. But regardless... my husband used to play weddings for much lower rates and did a fantastic job, so if you actually have the time and the drive, I believe you can find a decent band at a reasonable price. Good luck. 😉

Thanks, Bryan Gomez90... I have a feeling I'm really going to need this once I start getting everything ready for the big party! 😉

rustywalker34 said:I should have mentioned this sooner, but based on what my friends and I have learned the hard way, you absolutely have to book a legitimate band if you want that real rock sound... don't settle for some duo or trio playing along to a backing track, because we’ve been burned before by groups who call themselves "bands" when they’re really just a couple of guys with a laptop... if you want it done right, you need the full setup—drums, bass, keys, and guitar—otherwise you're just asking for disappointment. Don't make the same mistake we did...🙂

Thank God I actually lived long enough to write this... I’ve been fighting this same losing battle with the choir for years now. A few times already, they've basically let another group steal my spotlight—even though I always figured we were supposed to be a duo...
I'm totally on board with that post—not just because the quality is there, but because the price actually makes sense...
From what I've gathered, some duos are pulling in up to $1,300—and most five-piece bands are hitting the $2,200 mark... which means a duo is basically $650 per head, while a full band comes out to about $440 per person.
Bend has more gear—way more—and they put in a hell of a lot more work during practice. They’ve got to haul a van or maybe four or five cars around... so that $400 isn't actually $400 anymore. It's less than that...
Look, let's be clear—it’s a lot of money. But personally? For that pair, there’s just no way I’m handing over that kind of cash...

Hey girls!
Does anyone have a contact for someone who rents out tents for
weddings?
I need them for San Francisco

Thanks so much!

Does anyone have any updates on Smith?? I was actually planning on booking him, but then I realized his website and Facebook page have both completely vanished?? Does anyone know what’s going on?

Thomas Martinez said:Does anyone have any updates on Smith?? I was actually planning on booking him, but then I realized his website and Facebook page have both completely vanished?? Does anyone know what’s going on?

😕
Just checked, there's still a group up, but nobody's been running it for a while now 🤷 http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...1859146&v=info

Hey ladies, anyone here dealt with bend Vice or Vilma from San Francisco? Looking for some real talk on them.

Thanks 🙂

Help!!! I'm looking for a band that can actually play some West Coast classics, some country hits, and solid rock too!!! 🙂Does even a group like that exist in this country??? 😁 Every single band out there is mediocre at best—just that cheap, cheesy synthesizer sound and nothing else. 😵
The thing is, we aren't trying to throw a massive stadium concert, but we definitely want a killer party!

Gosh, what on earth is going on with Smith? There's no gallery updates, and I can't seem to get a hold of him. Does anyone know how I might reach him? 🤷
I've already managed to touch base with Papaja, people out in California, IN, and Sinclair... I even reached out to lisjak, so now I'm just missing Smith...
And then it's just one studio after another... I feel like this process is going to be the death of me. 😁

Olivia Lee5 said:Gosh, what on earth is going on with Smith? There's no gallery updates, and I can't seem to get a hold of him. Does anyone know how I might reach him? 🤷
I've already managed to touch base with Papaja, people out in California, IN, and Sinclair... I even reached out to lisjak, so now I'm just missing Smith...
And then it's just one studio after another... I feel like this process is going to be the death of me. 😁

Smith has gone MIA 😕

Charles Gomez4 said:Smith has gone MIA 😕

I sent him an email—he just gave me this short reply saying he's busy. I actually asked him about the summer of 2012, too. I've heard whispers from a few sources that his studio was shut down, though I'm honestly not sure if there's any truth to that.

Which email address did you send that to? I was thinking maybe I should try sending him one too. I've been waiting on a response from Fox, but I haven't heard a single thing yet...

Thomas Martinez said:I sent him an email—he just gave me this short reply saying he's busy. I actually asked him about the summer of 2012, too. I've heard whispers from a few sources that his studio was shut down, though I'm honestly not sure if there's any truth to that.

It’s more than just weird that he wiped everything from his site and deleted his Meta page, especially since it had such a huge following. I really hope they didn't close his studio down.😢

Anyone know a dance instructor who could swing by my place to show me some basic steps?

Hi everyone! I’m actually on the hunt for a wedding photographer myself right now, which is what brought me over to this forum. After seeing some of the posts regarding Matika, I thought I should jump in and share a little heads-up with all of you too...
A friend of mine works at a local photo studio, and she’s heard some pretty unsettling news from a reliable source: the main inspection authorities are breathing down everyone's necks right now. What’s even more concerning is that it isn't just one person being targeted. Apparently, Matic, Lisjak, and their son are in a massive amount of trouble—they're supposedly operating without any official business licenses or proper corporate filings... which is a huge red flag. I actually saw the three of them shutting down their websites and deleting everything from Facebook recently. I can't tell if the inspectors forced them to close shop or if they're just pretending to be out of business to stay under the radar... Anyway, my friend was the first one to warn me. She suggested it might be a bad idea to hire any of them, because who knows if they'll even be legally allowed to work by next year? I'm also worried about whether the materials I get from them might end up being subpar or problematic later on... I'm just not entirely sure. Honestly, I really don't want to spend the next year living in this kind of uncertainty. None of them will be honest enough to say, "Look, things aren't going well, you should probably find someone else." It's a bit intimidating, to be honest... who knows how this is all going to play out...
I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed myself right now because I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place... My current setup just isn't cutting it since things have become so difficult, so I'm urgently looking for someone who might be able to step in and help me out...
I really hope everything works out for everyone involved, regardless of who ends up being chosen... Anyway, ladies, if any of you happen to come across more information, please let us know!