Everything you need for a California wedding

Maria Bailey4 said:Looking for some intel on these spots! If anyone could drop some deets on the food quality and prices, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks a tonnnnnn! 😍

Dolis -
Phoenix -
Ino -
Velum -
Aria -
Bolero -
Castle -
robot - stone - lion
robot - stone - lion
robot - stone - lion

definitely pricey

Out of all those options, I've only been to Dolis and Bolero if I remember correctly... and honestly, both the food and the service were spot on.
I really loved the vibe at Bolero, though.
I went to check out Aria and the space is beautiful, but you have to consider the capacity... if you're hosting closer to 180 guests...

Maria Bailey4 said:Looking for some intel on these spots! If anyone could drop some deets on the food quality and prices, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks a tonnnnnn! 😍

Dolis -
Phoenix -
Ino -
Velum -
Aria -
Bolero -
Castle -
robot - stone - lion
robot - stone - lion
robot - stone - lion

Castle was about 36
Bolero - last time we checked, it was closer to 40
Lion - probably sitting around 50 or 55

Phoenix—the venue was fantastic and the service was top-notch, but honestly, the food was an absolute disaster.

Maria Bailey4, last year I was torn between Aria and Velum, and they were charging 40€...
Now my friend is scouting venues for next year, and they told her Aria would do 38€. Not sure if the rates actually dropped or if she just misheard someone (the girl told me it was 38€ for a Friday wedding, 40€ for a Saturday, and you gotta hit a 130-person minimum—basically, you pay for 130 seats regardless of who shows up).
We ended up going with Velum in the end. We just didn't have a guest list big enough for that 130-person requirement, plus I'd heard decent things about the service and the food. I can give you the real scoop after October 26th... 😍
I checked out Phoenix, and yeah, it’s dirt cheap, but the food is honestly terrible.
Nirs isn't half bad though... decent hall, okay food.

Honestly, my biggest worry is what happens when we hit 250 people or more, especially since all the big convention centers are pretty much booked up on our dates 🙂

I can't make sense of that specific string of characters—it looks like a typo or perhaps some internal shorthand. If you were trying to convey a specific thought or react to a previous discussion, please clarify so I can address it properly. As David King72 says:
If this is the caliber of talent they’re showcasing on local news stations out of California or maybe some small-town outlet in San Francisco, then we’re in serious trouble. It sounds absolutely dreadful. At least this singer actually looks like a professional—you know, someone who doesn't look like they just rolled out of bed.

I honestly think they are, though the audio quality on that local cable station is absolutely abysmal. If you actually want to hear them properly, you really ought to catch a live set at a venue like the Fillmore.

When it comes to finding a decent setup, I honestly don't think anyone is going to top... www.barbary.com.hrAnd if we could somehow find a way to keep the price tag under $1,800—especially considering there are five people in the band—that would be the dream.

Aaron Brown7 said:Castle was about 36
Bolero - last time we checked, it was closer to 40
Lion - probably sitting around 50 or 55

Robot TTTS- 35 E www.robot.com
The Executor of the TTTS- 31/32 E—everything included, except for the dessert. www.imenjak.com

Paul King5 said:Maria Bailey4, last year I was torn between Aria and Velum, and they were charging 40€...
Now my friend is scouting venues for next year, and they told her Aria would do 38€. Not sure if the rates actually dropped or if she just misheard someone (the girl told me it was 38€ for a Friday wedding, 40€ for a Saturday, and you gotta hit a 130-person minimum—basically, you pay for 130 seats regardless of who shows up).
We ended up going with Velum in the end. We just didn't have a guest list big enough for that 130-person requirement, plus I'd heard decent things about the service and the food. I can give you the real scoop after October 26th... 😍
I checked out Phoenix, and yeah, it’s dirt cheap, but the food is honestly terrible.
Nirs isn't half bad though... decent hall, okay food.

The food over at Phoenix has honestly become an absolute disaster lately. 😢

Betty Davis93 said: definitely pricey

Out of all those options, I've only been to Dolis and Bolero if I remember correctly... and honestly, both the food and the service were spot on.
I really loved the vibe at Bolero, though.
I went to check out Aria and the space is beautiful, but you have to consider the capacity... if you're hosting closer to 180 guests...

I'm not sure when you last stepped foot in a Castle, but I can tell you from experience that their menu just isn't what it used to be...

Maria Bailey4 said:Honestly, my biggest worry is what happens when we hit 250 people or more, especially since all the big convention centers are pretty much booked up on our dates 🙂

Have you checked in with Dolis - Phoenix? They have a few more venues available... or is everything fully booked there too?

When is your date?

Maria Bailey4 said:Honestly, my biggest worry is what happens when we hit 250 people or more, especially since all the big convention centers are pretty much booked up on our dates 🙂

We’re actually hanging out at Sky... over at Jiker... I stopped by this past weekend right after they finished the renovations, and honestly, I was pretty blown away. If you're thinking about heading there, it'll run you about $40, though that doesn't include wine or dessert.

Aaron Brown7 said:We’re actually hanging out at Sky... over at Jiker... I stopped by this past weekend right after they finished the renovations, and honestly, I was pretty blown away. If you're thinking about heading there, it'll run you about $40, though that doesn't include wine or dessert.

Sky really is quite stunning 🙂

Hey everyone, does anyone have a solid recommendation for a florist who can handle both a custom bouquet and full venue decor?

Jesse Barnes8 said:Hey everyone, does anyone have a solid recommendation for a florist who can handle both a custom bouquet and full venue decor?

Bloom & Vine

Betty Davis93 said:Have you checked in with Dolis - Phoenix? They have a few more venues available... or is everything fully booked there too?

When is your date?

all full, Dolis and Lesnina... May 3rd, 2014.

and Phoenix has terrible food, right?

I find myself staring at the screen again, wondering if anyone else feels this creeping sense of exhaustion with the way everything seems to be trending lately. It’s that heavy, low-level cynicism that settles in when you realize the patterns are repeating themselves, almost predictably. I was looking over some of the recent discussions, and honestly, it feels like we're all just circling the same drain, waiting for a shift that never actually comes. I saw what Aaron Brown7 was mentioning earlier, and while there's a certain logic to it, I can't help but feel it misses the broader, more systemic fatigue we're all experiencing. It's easy to point to a single cause, but the reality is much more layered and, frankly, much more draining. Even Maria Bailey4 seemed to touch on this, suggesting that perhaps we're looking for solutions where none exist, which is a grim thought, but one I can't entirely dismiss. There's a specific kind of weariness that comes from watching these cycles play out—the same arguments, the same misplaced optimism, the same inevitable letdowns. It makes you want to just step back and observe the chaos from a distance rather than getting caught up in the fray. We keep expecting a breakthrough, a moment of clarity, but most days it just feels like more of the same, slightly more expensive and significantly more complicated than it was last time. Aaron Brown7 says:
Maria Bailey4Last year, I found myself torn between choosing Aria or Velum—I remember the price tag was right around $40.
A friend of mine is already scouting out venues for next year, and she mentioned that they quoted her $38 per person over at Aria. Honestly, I can't tell if rates have actually dropped or if she just completely misheard the numbers. She told me the deal was $38 for a Friday wedding and $40 if you want a Saturday, but there’s a catch: they require a minimum of 130 guests. Even if fewer people actually show up, you're still on the hook for the full 130 seats.
We finally pulled the trigger on Velum. Ultimately, the deciding factor was that we just don't have a guest list of 130 people to work with, and honestly, I’ve heard enough glowing reviews about their service and catering to feel confident in the choice. I'll be able to give you my full, unfiltered take on how everything actually turned out after October 26th. 😍
I’ve spent some time over at Phoenix, and while I'm fully aware that their prices are practically bottom-of-the-barrel, let me tell you—the food is absolutely abysmal.
The NIRS isn't actually all that bad—it’s decent enough, I guess. The jokes land okay, and the food is alright too.

My birthday falls on October 26th as well. 🙂

Maria Bailey4 said:all full, Dolis and Lesnina... May 3rd, 2014.

and Phoenix has terrible food, right?

May and June were completely packed for us too, we only managed to snag June 21st

But why didn't you find a venue first? Did you have your heart set on that specific date? We actually secured our hall first and then just worked everything else around that one day...

Betty Davis93 said:May and June were completely packed for us too, we only managed to snag June 21st

But why didn't you find a venue first? Did you have your heart set on that specific date? We actually secured our hall first and then just worked everything else around that one day...

we were dead set on that date and planned it way before I even got engaged... honestly, I didn't want to look at anything or book stuff early because I was drowning in my senior thesis, and now I'm stuck without a date🙂 also, does anyone know how many people usually show up to these things?

Aaron Brown7 said:Bloom & Vine

Thanks 🙂 I actually stopped by her shop, but honestly, the pricing felt a bit excessive for my budget...

Maria Bailey4 said:we were dead set on that date and planned it way before I even got engaged... honestly, I didn't want to look at anything or book stuff early because I was drowning in my senior thesis, and now I'm stuck without a date🙂 also, does anyone know how many people usually show up to these things?

NIRS holds about 200 guests, while the Robot center can fit around 250...

pupacica said:NIRS has maybe 200 people, while Robotics has about 250...

So what's the deal with Robotics?

Maria Bailey4 said:So what's the deal with Robotics?

I haven't actually been there myself—but people say it feels more like a college dining hall... or maybe that's just what the lawyer thinks... 😕

It's probably best if you just go check it out for yourself

Did you call the manager over in San Francisco? They have those 35E units—they can hold up to 300 people

Anyone got the number for San Diego? Just tried calling and some random kid picked up 😕

Betty Davis93 said:I haven't actually been there myself—but people say it feels more like a college dining hall... or maybe that's just what the lawyer thinks... 😕

It's probably best if you just go check it out for yourself

Did you call the manager over in San Francisco? They have those 35E units—they can hold up to 300 people

R2-D2 is... well, let's just say "disappointing" is an understatement. The service and the food are honestly abysmal. Mid-evening, they actually ran out of sparkling water and had to go begging the unknown for some... It's a mess. There are hardly any servers on the floor. Personally, I think www.unknown.com is a hundred times better than R2-D2; the food is finger-licking good and the service is seamless—you don't even have to flag down a waiter, because as soon as they see your bottle is getting low, a fresh one is already headed your way. And don't even get me started on the portions—to put it mildly, they are absolutely massive... unfortunately, though, their capacity tops out at 220 people.