Everything you need for a California wedding

Does anyone have a direct contact or a phone number for Fable? Please shoot me a DM. I’m hitting a total dead end... their email and website are both down, and nobody is picking up the phone. Are they even still in business?? Thanks!

Peter Collins90 said:Hey everyone... I'm curious about how you went about selecting your photography studio—specifically, how you chose the people behind the lens? Did you judge them based on their portfolio, their pricing, or maybe just word-of-mouth recommendations? What was your main deciding factor, and what kind of price range should I be looking at? I don't want to spend hours scrolling through everything from the beginning 🙂 and if anyone has a solid recommendation to share...

I made my choice based on their workflow, a heavy-duty recommendation, and the price felt right ($1,600 for a mid-range package), but honestly, once I actually sat down and talked to them, I just clicked with them...........

Paul King5 said:We passed on Aria. 😢Honestly, I don't think I'll ever regret it. The venue is gorgeous—both my guy and I fell in love with it instantly.
The only issue is it’s just too big for our wedding. We’re looking at about 120 guests, and that number might even drop, but this place holds over 200. I don't want a half-empty room feeling awkward...
The owner is awesome and the deal is solid. It's $40 for Saturdays, then $38 for Fridays and Sundays, and kids under 10 are $20. On Saturdays, there's a 130-person minimum; if 10 people flake, you still pay for 130. For Friday and Saturday, the headcount doesn't matter as much. They provide their own decor, including lavender and champagne linens, plus cool lighting effects throughout the hall. There's plenty of parking, smoking is allowed, and they don't have a curfew.
The food menu includes: prosciutto, cheese, French style, fish pâté, black or white risotto (you can swap one for shrimp pasta), beef stew, chicken in gorgonzola sauce, roasted lamb (which can be mixed with pork or veal from the oven), and dessert (a mix of store-bought and homemade).

We checked out Amigos too, but it felt way too small for us. It's perfect for maybe 80 people, but my 120 guests would be tripping over each other. Price is $40 (same for kids), and the newlyweds get a free night stay. Great spot for a summer wedding...

Now we're headed to check out Fable. I went there for a wedding a few years back. It's decent, though it feels a bit sterile, but you could probably fix that with some good decor...

I actually think Fable doesn't even host weddings anymore.

Since you were already checking out Amigos, shouldn't you have looked at Dioklecijan too?
And what about the others??

Take a look at the Castelli hall😉>

Peter Collins90 said:Hey Windy and Ivo, what kind of experiences have you guys had?

The energy is incredible; these guys just don't quit!

gentlewolf69 said:Hey guys, I wanted to pick your brains on something. Are you all planning on DIYing your own invitations, or are you just going to outsource the whole thing? Also, does anyone happen to know where I could track down some decent heavy cardstock for them, and maybe a local print shop that wouldn't mind doing some custom die-cutting for specific shapes...

There’s a shop right downtown, just across from the post office... if you take the stairs to the right of the Traffic Light cafe, you'll find a place with all kinds of paper. You can buy it in A3 sheets, but they should be able to cut it down to A4 for you—then you can print the invites normally. They can even handle the final cutting once everything is printed.🙂

Sophia Phillips3 said:So, how much are Matthew and Bryan actually asking for?

Matthew and Bryan play for us—their rate is $2,200.!

Betty Hernandez4 said:There’s a shop right downtown, just across from the post office... if you take the stairs to the right of the Traffic Light cafe, you'll find a place with all kinds of paper. You can buy it in A3 sheets, but they should be able to cut it down to A4 for you—then you can print the invites normally. They can even handle the final cutting once everything is printed.🙂

Does anyone know what kind of prices we're looking at here?

Thanks for all the restaurant tips, guys!! Still hunting for the right spot 😉

David King72 said:Does anyone know what kind of prices we're looking at here?

I realized I was wrong—you can't actually buy paper in A3; it comes in A1 or A2... so you’re looking at roughly 6 or 8 sheets of A4 per page. You could probably squeeze 2—maybe even 3—invitations out of a single A4 sheet, depending on the size and shape you're going for. If I recall correctly, they were around $20 or $10, depending on what you pick... pearl finish or standard—there are honestly so many options out there.🙂

Paul King5 said:Does anyone have a direct contact or a phone number for Fable? Please shoot me a DM. I’m hitting a total dead end... their email and website are both down, and nobody is picking up the phone. Are they even still in business?? Thanks!

Fable is closed... you'll find plenty of people on this forum who were screwed over by piracy—paid their deposits and then these guys just vanished into thin air.
It’s a shame because it was actually a top-tier venue for parties... they had three rooms total (two large, one small), their own parking, and a prime downtown location.
Truly a waste...

Walter Nelson56 said:Wait, Studio In is doing the photography???
How on earth did you guys settle on them???😉

Honestly, we just scoured the web, saw a ton of solid reviews, and checked out their website. Their videography looked killer, so we reached out. We weren't even really hunting for anyone specific, we just went with the vibe.
The owner mentioned they've got three weddings booked that same day, so they'll probably be developing our shots back at the studio instead of doing them right there in the ballroom....

Sophia Phillips3 said:Honestly, we just scoured the web, saw a ton of solid reviews, and checked out their website. Their videography looked killer, so we reached out. We weren't even really hunting for anyone specific, we just went with the vibe.
The owner mentioned they've got three weddings booked that same day, so they'll probably be developing our shots back at the studio instead of doing them right there in the ballroom....

Why would he develop photos right there in the studio? I had no idea that was even an option.
Whatever happens, I just hope we made the right call😉 even though I'm feeling a bit shaky about it 😕!!!!
I can't help it if some photographers were already booked up for my wedding🙂

Walter Nelson56 said:Why would he develop photos right there in the studio? I had no idea that was even an option.
Whatever happens, I just hope we made the right call😉 even though I'm feeling a bit shaky about it 😕!!!!
I can't help it if some photographers were already booked up for my wedding🙂

The exact same thing happened to me—I missed out on exactly what I was aiming for, even though I had plenty of time to lock it in. But honestly, whether I do it today or tomorrow, does it even matter? I can't say I'm losing any sleep over the choice I made...

What exactly are we looking for here—a cure for everything? Is there some magical remedy floating around out there that’s going to solve all our problems in one fell swoop, or are we just tossing ideas into the void to see what sticks? I was just sitting here wondering if anyone else has been feeling that sudden, inexplicable urge to go out and rent a studio space? It’s one of those things that hits you out of nowhere, isn't it? One minute you're perfectly content in your living room, and the next, you're convinced that you absolutely need a dedicated creative sanctuary to finally get anything done. Is it just me, or does having a separate room somehow magically transform your productivity levels from zero to sixty? I mean, how can anyone be expected to find their flow when they're staring at a pile of laundry or a half-finished crossword puzzle instead of focusing on their craft? Does anyone actually have experience navigating the madness of finding an affordable spot in a city like Chicago or maybe even somewhere a bit more laid back like Austin? I'm curious to hear if anyone has successfully managed to strike that elusive balance between a workspace that inspires you and a monthly rent check that doesn't leave you eating instant noodles for the rest of the month. Just a little piece of advice:
Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of guests tend to make a quick exit right after the cake and flowers are served, so you might want to keep an eye on that timing if you actually want people to stick around? It’s a bit of a shame because the photography is absolutely top-tier, and you really don't want to miss out on those shots just because everyone decided to head for the exits early.

David King72 said:The exact same thing happened to me—I missed out on exactly what I was aiming for, even though I had plenty of time to lock it in. But honestly, whether I do it today or tomorrow, does it even matter? I can't say I'm losing any sleep over the choice I made...

What exactly are we looking for here—a cure for everything? Is there some magical remedy floating around out there that’s going to solve all our problems in one fell swoop, or are we just tossing ideas into the void to see what sticks? I was just sitting here wondering if anyone else has been feeling that sudden, inexplicable urge to go out and rent a studio space? It’s one of those things that hits you out of nowhere, isn't it? One minute you're perfectly content in your living room, and the next, you're convinced that you absolutely need a dedicated creative sanctuary to finally get anything done. Is it just me, or does having a separate room somehow magically transform your productivity levels from zero to sixty? I mean, how can anyone be expected to find their flow when they're staring at a pile of laundry or a half-finished crossword puzzle instead of focusing on their craft? Does anyone actually have experience navigating the madness of finding an affordable spot in a city like Chicago or maybe even somewhere a bit more laid back like Austin? I'm curious to hear if anyone has successfully managed to strike that elusive balance between a workspace that inspires you and a monthly rent check that doesn't leave you eating instant noodles for the rest of the month. Just a little piece of advice:
Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of guests tend to make a quick exit right after the cake and flowers are served, so you might want to keep an eye on that timing if you actually want people to stick around? It’s a bit of a shame because the photography is absolutely top-tier, and you really don't want to miss out on those shots just because everyone decided to head for the exits early.

So you're looking at Studio In?
I have no idea, but I really hope I'll be happy with them!!!🤷

Walter Nelson56 said:So you're looking at Studio In?
I have no idea, but I really hope I'll be happy with them!!!🤷

Actually, I finally pulled the trigger and booked Photo Marino.
You'll be happy with them, provided you play hardball—maybe try "threatening" them with the idea that they'll never see you again if they don't deliver perfectly!

David King72 said:Actually, I finally pulled the trigger and booked Photo Marino.
You'll be happy with them, provided you play hardball—maybe try "threatening" them with the idea that they'll never see you again if they don't deliver perfectly!

I absolutely have to, since I'm planning on bringing the bluegrass band in for about two hours! That definitely needs to be documented!!!😉

where's the band from?

Jack Murphy7 said:where's the band from?

They're from the Midwest, though I can't recall the exact city. I'll check with my partner and let you know...
They call themselves the Horse-drawn carriages!!!👋

Walter Nelson56 said:They're from the Midwest, though I can't recall the exact city. I'll check with my partner and let you know...
They call themselves the Horse-drawn carriages!!!👋

Actually, now I remember—Horse-drawn carriages from Little Rock. They show up around here quite often...