Everything you need for a California wedding

Daniel Smith8 said:Priests aren't allowed to perform ceremonies outdoors, just keep that in mind.

Are you for real? I honestly had no clue about that little rule myself since I'm not exactly an expert on church protocol. And man, even the local officials charge you a fortune if you're dreaming of an outdoor wedding. A close friend of mine from NYC was getting married recently, and she had to pay the officiant an insane amount $2000 just to step out into nature maybe fifty yards away from the actual government office to say their vows 😲...it’s honestly wild how they operate

casualviper36 said:Hey everyone! So, I’ve been daydreaming about doing something a bit more modern—you know, that classic American vibe with a guest list of maybe 100 people... does anyone have any advice or maybe some experience with a wedding like that?? I’m really leaning towards getting married outdoors, like just a beautiful ceremony out in a meadow or a field—totally inspired by those dreamy American weddings where you bring a minister out to the site and everything is just perfectly styled with ribbons, flowers, and all that aesthetic goodness. Now, the big question is, how much does it actually cost to have an officiant come out to a remote spot? And what kind of locations should I even be looking at? The only thing popping into my head right now is somewhere like Manhattan 😕
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Also, can anyone suggest some venues or restaurants that can host up to 100 people and have either a pool or just a gorgeous garden without a pool?
A few girlfriends were telling me about the President in Atlanta, right near the pool—it sounds like it has a killer atmosphere and scenery, but I’m wondering how much they charge per seat... I’m guessing it’s pretty pricey 😲??

The price per person at the President in Atlanta is 50 Euro. They have both indoor and outdoor pools...

feralsurfer3 said:I booked kocka for October 5th. I've heard nothing but good things about them, and I actually caught one of their gigs once and they were awesome. The guy we coordinated with for the band details was totally chill and easy to work with. Honestly, it's so hard to snag a date with them. We didn't even reach out until early December, and they were already busy scheduling someone for September 28th. They must be in high demand...🤷

Could you do me a huge favor and tell me about that party where they played? Did they manage to keep the energy up all night long, or were there those inevitable highs and lows? I'm dying to know if the vibe was truly great.

Susan Rodriguez3 said:Sorry if I'm repeating myself here, but I feel like I've scoured every corner of the internet and still haven't found what I'm looking for. Does anyone happen to have a photo of the registrar's office over in that small town near San Francisco? I'm really curious about what the actual hall looks like, though if anyone has a shot of the building itself, that would be even better! Thanks a million!

Huge thanks to casualwolf22 and chunky for hitting me up in my DMs. It seriously means the world to me!

You can definitely hold a wedding at Michelangelo's estate—I've been there myself. Now, look, a priest isn't going to trek out to some random field for you, but if there’s a venue nearby that functions like those little chapels you see on Marin or Catalina Island (I've seen a few couples pull that off), then sure, it's doable. Just make sure you ask ahead of time. Also, heads up: the officiants charge a fortune for off-site ceremonies. You're looking at a base fee just for them to show up, plus travel fees per mile, and then it gets even pricier depending on whether it's a weekend or if you're booking outside of standard business hours. That's the deal. 😉

placideagle10 said:Could you do me a huge favor and tell me about that party where they played? Did they manage to keep the energy up all night long, or were there those inevitable highs and lows? I'm dying to know if the vibe was truly great.

They really pay attention to the type of crowd attending, so they look for ways to really level up the experience. 😁 They play until the very end—they don't just pack up early like some other bands do. People genuinely love them... 🤷 They stick to the newer hits quite a bit, which is great, but they also sing foreign songs too. I don't think it's too laid back, but honestly, it's all about what you agree on. We’ll probably meet with them again about a week before the big event to go over our specific requests and wishes—and they are always willing to work with us. I even asked if my guests could join in on the singing, since I have a few people who usually kill it and sing in other bands, etc., and they told me it was totally fine... as long as everyone stays respectful and doesn't go stumbling around with drinks near their equipment.😂

So, my partner and I actually booked out the Margarita room over in San Diego and lined up the band Bud Light for September 21st, 2013, but unfortunately, we won't be able to host our party anymore because of some family stuff coming up. Does anyone happen to be looking for a venue on that specific date? If so, please reach out to me... thanks!

Hey guys, I could use a little help here—does anyone know where I can find the cheapest cellophane sheets for wrapping cookies?

feralsurfer3 said:They really pay attention to the type of crowd attending, so they look for ways to really level up the experience. 😁 They play until the very end—they don't just pack up early like some other bands do. People genuinely love them... 🤷 They stick to the newer hits quite a bit, which is great, but they also sing foreign songs too. I don't think it's too laid back, but honestly, it's all about what you agree on. We’ll probably meet with them again about a week before the big event to go over our specific requests and wishes—and they are always willing to work with us. I even asked if my guests could join in on the singing, since I have a few people who usually kill it and sing in other bands, etc., and they told me it was totally fine... as long as everyone stays respectful and doesn't go stumbling around with drinks near their equipment.😂

Thanks for getting back to me... Oh man, I ran into a friend yesterday who mentioned she was at a party recently where Kocka was playing, and she said they were actually pretty rough—she wouldn't recommend them at all... It seems like even with the best bands, they aren't always at the top of their game every single weekend. 🤷 Now I'm feeling completely torn, and this is making my decision about the band even harder to make!

William Chavez10 said:Hey guys, I could use a little help here—does anyone know where I can find the cheapest cellophane sheets for wrapping cookies?

good luck

👋

I'm scouting out wedding venues in New Orleans—so if there's anyone out there with good taste, please drop some venue recommendations! We're looking at a guest list of about 100 to 120 people.
I've already reached out to the President, the Excelsior, the Palace, and Neptune.

Thanks!! 😁

Hey everyone! 🙂

I was wondering if anyone here has had any experience working with the Smile photo studio, Julia, California, Zumba, or Tony? Also, if you don't mind me asking, how much were you all willing to set aside for photo and video services? We're having a bit of a hard time deciding because we've received quotes ranging from $2333 up to $4333, and a few of them seem to be right around $3667 (most people seem to be hovering near that mark, maybe $100 more or less).

I'd really appreciate some help! 🙂

Hey everyone, switching things up on the wedding forum—writing here not as a photographer this time, but as a groom-to-be! :-) We’ve set our date for May 24th, 2014, and since we have a decent amount of time to figure out our vision, my fiancée put me in charge of all the research. So, I'm coming to you guys for some advice... To kick things off, I know there was some talk about catering costs before, but does anyone have updated info on what they're charging at Benedict's over in Ben's area?🤷

Has anyone here actually attended a wedding where Matthew and Bryan were performing? I'm curious to hear some first-hand accounts—what was the vibe like? Did they really bring the energy everyone says they do?

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some good catering recommendations here in San Francisco (for a home thing). Thanks so much 🙂

Hey, so I picked up that Tonia set—the one from the promenade over by the pier, though I'm not sure if it's the exact same version they have down in San Diego... anyway, the photos I saw were absolutely stunning, just perfect. And honestly? Trust me, the price is a total steal compared to anything else out there for what you actually get. You really don't even need to second-guess it.

Greetings, everyone.
I am inquiring about reserving the church in Manhattan for a wedding next year. Is it actually true that bookings for the following year don't even open until December of this year? Additionally, what are the current fees... 😉

So, does anyone have any advice? Like, has anyone dealt with a wedding like this before?? I’m really dreaming of getting married abroad (just the ceremony itself), you know, out in a field or something—exactly like those weddings you see in movies here in the States. Basically, I want to bring a priest out to marry us outdoors, everything all fancy with bows, flowers, and all that jazz. But now I'm wondering, how much does it actually cost to pay a priest to come out to a location like that? And what kind of spots could we even use? The only thing popping into my head right now is somewhere like Manhattan.

I just stumbled onto this online... looks like it's in Manhattan and honestly, it looks straight out of a movie🙂

http://instagram.com/p/blXlpCAJhw/

Hey everyone,

Has anyone here pulled off a wedding in San Diego lately? I’m looking for some real-world advice on venues, what a decent photo/video package should cost these days, booking a band, and basically everything else involved in putting together a massive feast.

I'm currently torn between keeping it intimate with maybe 100 people or just going all out with a crowd of 200. Honestly, the bigger guest list feels more practical to me—seems like you get way more bang for your buck when you scale up like that.

Greetings. My partner and I have officially booked the venue, but now we’ve hit our first major roadblock... we are completely stuck when it comes to picking a band. I’ve been leaning toward Krivi Smjer after catching their set back in San Diego, so I’m curious if anyone here has seen them live or has any solid recommendations. On top of that, we are struggling with photographers. We’ve sent out several inquiries, and in most cases, the standard package only includes one photographer and one videographer. Apparently, adding an extra specialist costs $1000 :/ :/ I honestly don't see how that would even work logistically. Would the photographer be with me while the videographer stays with him? xD
I should mention that I have zero interest in those cookie-cutter, cliché wedding photos; I want something truly unique and artistic. So, if anyone knows a talented pro, please drop their info 🙂 🙂