Everything you need for a California wedding

Terry Howard7 said:Anyone here been to a wedding at the Grand Hyatt lately? I'm trying to get the scoop on the food, the service, and everything else

I'll be on vacation in two weeks, so I'll let you know then.🙂>

Terry Howard7 said:Anyone here been to a wedding at the Grand Hyatt lately? I'm trying to get the scoop on the food, the service, and everything else

So, I was there for about a year or so. Honestly, I don't even know what to tell you... to my mind, Honey is a notch above the Hilton, but that’s just saying they’re in the same general ballpark when it comes to luxury and how fancy things are.
At first glance, the whole place felt a little... I don't know, budget? A bit low-rent? But I guess you could probably fix the vibe with some decent lighting or maybe a fresh coat of paint on the walls or something.
The service was solid though—fast and actually fun. They were always smiling, nothing seemed like too much trouble, and they were constantly cracking jokes. As for the food, it was alright.
Nothing totally sucked, but nothing blew my mind either. I'd probably give it a middle-of-the-road rating.
There's really no point in me trying to describe the food specifically, because it's one of those things where, like, I might absolutely love a risotto while someone else finds it gross, or vice versa. It's so subjective. 🙂 Let's just say the food was generally better than what you'd get at Phoenix, but definitely not as good as what they serve at Pirate or Grase.
They have this big, long, narrow terrace that's perfect for welcome cocktails. Most people seemed to dig it, especially since it's right by the ocean and close to the rooms. Since most of the guests weren't from San Francisco, they just crashed there after the party.

casualwolf22 said:So, I was there for about a year or so. Honestly, I don't even know what to tell you... to my mind, Honey is a notch above the Hilton, but that’s just saying they’re in the same general ballpark when it comes to luxury and how fancy things are.
At first glance, the whole place felt a little... I don't know, budget? A bit low-rent? But I guess you could probably fix the vibe with some decent lighting or maybe a fresh coat of paint on the walls or something.
The service was solid though—fast and actually fun. They were always smiling, nothing seemed like too much trouble, and they were constantly cracking jokes. As for the food, it was alright.
Nothing totally sucked, but nothing blew my mind either. I'd probably give it a middle-of-the-road rating.
There's really no point in me trying to describe the food specifically, because it's one of those things where, like, I might absolutely love a risotto while someone else finds it gross, or vice versa. It's so subjective. 🙂 Let's just say the food was generally better than what you'd get at Phoenix, but definitely not as good as what they serve at Pirate or Grase.
They have this big, long, narrow terrace that's perfect for welcome cocktails. Most people seemed to dig it, especially since it's right by the ocean and close to the rooms. Since most of the guests weren't from San Francisco, they just crashed there after the party.

I don't know—looking at the photos, I guess the vibe seems totally fine to me. They just don't strike me as particularly social, if that makes sense.🤷 I think I’ll just head over and check it out in person—the pricing looks solid, and since I’m expecting a decent crowd of guests to be hanging around, the accommodations should work out fine for me. I still need to poke around and ask some questions about the catering, though. As of right now, I don't really have a strong feeling either way—it's all pretty neutral to me. 😁

Noah Wright4 said:I'll be on vacation in two weeks, so I'll let you know then.🙂>

Come on, please—I'd really appreciate it.

cosmiclynx18 said:Has anyone here actually worked with the catering at the Medena Hotel?

I’m currently looking into them primarily because of their guest accommodations... I have a group of about 20 to 30 people I need to house for a single night, so having the lodging in close proximity to the ballroom is a huge plus for me. That said, if anyone has a better suggestion regarding venue selection, I’m all ears. Thanks in advance! 😉

I can actually pull some strings and coordinate both the venue and the rooms for you, provided you can tell me which date you're looking at.

Thomas Cruz9 said:URGENT HELP NEEDED!
Does anyone know of any decent, budget-friendly places to stay near the Aria wedding venue by Walmart? I'm looking for some rooms to rent for guests who need a place to crash after the reception.
Thanks so much!

The Hilton is right there and the rates aren't bad.

gentlewolf69 said:Girls, I really can't help you much with finding a photographer because that’s such a personal thing... everyone has their own specific taste.
Regarding the dress itself, bridal salons always seem to run these big sales around Christmas that last until January 31st, where they’ll drop prices by 30%, or they might tell you that you'll get $333 off if you put down a deposit on the day of your first fitting. I don't know if it's just a marketing tactic to rush people along—maybe they do that all year round—but my wedding was in August, and I hadn't even planned on looking for a dress before the five or six-month mark. However, once I saw those sales, I decided to go check out what was available just for the sake of information. I was actually shocked to find out at one shop that 6 out of the 10 dresses I liked were already reserved for my date, so it ended up happening that I had my dress booked within the very first month. The earlier you start hunting, the better your selection will be...
As for the shops, here is what I experienced: I looked around Appalachia, Boise, and San Francisco. Appalachia is definitely cheaper than San Francisco, but if you manage to snag one of those holiday sales, the price ends up being about the same.
If you’re looking for something modern, lacey, or just a simple flowy style, stay far away from Jelena in Boise, because she only carries old-fashioned satin and tulle ballgowns. Mila in Boise has designer brands, but honestly, she’s just so incredibly provincial. If you’re on the taller side, you probably won't find anything that works because her seamstress doesn't actually tailor the dresses to fit; she just cuts them based on the height of whatever bride reserved it. Also, if you're short like me, you'll probably feel pretty insulted because—and I am quoting her here—“she isn't going to cut her dresses for someone so small.” She only stocks lace and tulle because, again, her words, “nobody asks for a simple chiffon dress!!!” And please, steer clear of Annmarie in Boise; the woman keeps five dresses in a room inside her own house.
In San Francisco, Lipoto has some decent options, but their lace looks pretty cheap compared to New York City or Vogue Bride. Plus, my maid of honor tried on a dress that had never been worn before and noticed a hole in it right away. So, there's that level of quality for you. As for New York City, I have nothing but praise; it was the most professional and helpful salon I've ever stepped foot in, and the dresses are stunning. Now, Vogue Bride—the dresses are lovely, and that's where I booked mine since it was perfect for me. The agreement was that they would alter it to fit me perfectly since it was an older gown they weren't using anymore. But then, four days before the wedding, I went in for a fitting and was absolutely floored. There was no tailoring done at all; the seamstress was just trying to tighten and hem it. The more she worked on it, the worse it looked. I had to go back for three different fittings that single day. After the third attempt, the owner offered me two other dresses from their stock to choose from because it was obvious I had to give up on my original choice. I picked one that was beautiful, though not quite what I originally envisioned, they took my measurements, and told me to come back in two days. I showed up on Thursday, just two days before the wedding, with a million things to do, and they still hadn't finished the alterations properly. I ended up going back to the salon three times that day alone. I lost an entire day because of them. The owner told me it was the first time they'd ever had someone come in for so many fittings. When my maid of honor got married three weeks later, the exact same thing happened to her. Granted, she didn't have to change her dress, but she also had to deal with three or four fittings. On the actual wedding day, the seam of her dress split open (the photographer caught it during the photo session), so we had to sew it shut right before heading to the church. Despite all that drama, I still think it's one of the best shops alongside New York City.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone out. Arm yourselves with patience, visit every shop in the area, and don't go as a pack—just bring one person, maybe two at most. Once you find "the one," you'll just know (I told my maid of honor immediately that it was "the one," but unfortunately, fate didn't have the same plan for me 😁 ). If you want a good laugh, go see Jelena in Boise. Tell her you want a simple, flowing dress, and she’ll probably assume you mean "Roman style," and you'll see exactly what she offers you. 😁

In the end, it usually turns out to be nothing like what she envisioned. La Perla 🙂 I’m definitely not driving all the way to Nevada just to deal with that headache; I don't want to be stuck thinking, "Well, I wasted all that gas for nothing."
It might be best to hit up La Perla right after the holidays. That puts us about five months before the big event, so hopefully, it isn't too late. 😁
P.S. I was browsing eBay and noticed they have replicas of designer dresses that look exactly like the ones some local boutiques carry here. I’ve heard rumors that certain salons actually source from eBay to rent them out at a lower price. My advice to any bride: be careful, especially with lace. There is nothing worse than showing up in a dress that looks cheap. We’re supposed to be the best-dressed people in the room that day, after all. 😁 😁

Merry Christmas to everyone! 😍

Hey everyone, I’m officially joining the club 🙂.

I'm planning a smaller wedding, maybe around 70-75 guests. I really love Velum, but I'm worried they might already be fully booked. Can anyone recommend some smaller, highly-rated restaurants in San Francisco that can accommodate a group that size?
I'm hoping to start touring venues around January.

My budget is pretty tight—I'd really like to stay around $45 per person.

The wedding itself will be in late September or early October 2014.

Also, what's the standard workflow here? Do you pick the venue first and then hunt for the church, photographer, and band?

You should definitely head over to Veluma as soon as you can. Most of the larger banquet halls are already booked up for next summer, and honestly, I’m not too sure about the smaller venues... What do you think about Little Forest? They really only take small parties, and while we had such a wonderful time there ourselves, they turned us down because our guest list hit 130 and their capacity tops out at around 80.
My best advice is to lock down a venue first, because once you have that set, everything else—the band, the photographer, picking out a church—basically falls into place around that date. You really need to jump on this quickly because most places are already filling up for next year. It’s funny, I actually have my own wedding coming up next summer too, and I was genuinely surprised by how much planning you have to get done this far in advance.

Timothy Fisher50 said:You should definitely head over to Veluma as soon as you can. Most of the larger banquet halls are already booked up for next summer, and honestly, I’m not too sure about the smaller venues... What do you think about Little Forest? They really only take small parties, and while we had such a wonderful time there ourselves, they turned us down because our guest list hit 130 and their capacity tops out at around 80.
My best advice is to lock down a venue first, because once you have that set, everything else—the band, the photographer, picking out a church—basically falls into place around that date. You really need to jump on this quickly because most places are already filling up for next year. It’s funny, I actually have my own wedding coming up next summer too, and I was genuinely surprised by how much planning you have to get done this far in advance.

Yeah, I'll head to Veluma first, and I'll swing by Little Forest too just to see the space. I just want to get this over with without any massive headaches. I thought having a smaller reception would be easier, but clearly, it's all the same amount of work.🤷

Also, do you know if the food at Šimica is any good? And is there enough room, or does the whole setup feel cramped?

Hey ladies, anyone checked out the 2014 Pronovias wedding collection lately? I saw they have some at Glamour Bride... just wondering what kind of prices we're looking at?

Bradley Davis said:Yeah, I'll head to Veluma first, and I'll swing by Little Forest too just to see the space. I just want to get this over with without any massive headaches. I thought having a smaller reception would be easier, but clearly, it's all the same amount of work.🤷

Also, do you know if the food at Šimica is any good? And is there enough room, or does the whole setup feel cramped?

To be totally honest with you, I’m not really sure. We actually loved the area where we stayed, and I remember thinking the restaurant looked quite lovely on the inside when we passed by, though we didn't end up going there very often since it wasn't really an option for us once our group size grew. Have you made a final call on which restaurant you're going with yet?

Maria Bailey4 said:Hey ladies, anyone checked out the 2014 Pronovias wedding collection lately? I saw they have some at Glamour Bride... just wondering what kind of prices we're looking at?

Have you checked out La Perle yet? I’m pretty sure they carry that line too. As for Vesna's, I honestly have no idea what their pricing is like, but I do know they're the only shop in town that asks for half the total cost upfront just as a deposit, which feels a bit steep to me!😲

I’m slowly starting my hunt for the perfect wedding dress.
What are all the good bridal boutiques in San Francisco and the surrounding areas?
I know about Milo in Aspen, Coca-Cola downtown, and Madonna—though I'm not actually sure where she is located, maybe near the Hilton??
Are there any other shops in San Francisco, and which ones did you guys have the best experience with?

Timothy Fisher50 said:Have you checked out La Perle yet? I’m pretty sure they carry that line too. As for Vesna's, I honestly have no idea what their pricing is like, but I do know they're the only shop in town that asks for half the total cost upfront just as a deposit, which feels a bit steep to me!😲

never been to any of them, think I'm heading through on my first trip now.

Betty Davis93 said:I’m slowly starting my hunt for the perfect wedding dress.
What are all the good bridal boutiques in San Francisco and the surrounding areas?
I know about Milo in Aspen, Coca-Cola downtown, and Madonna—though I'm not actually sure where she is located, maybe near the Hilton??
Are there any other shops in San Francisco, and which ones did you guys have the best experience with?

when's the big day?

gentlewolf69 said:Girls, I really can't help you much with finding a photographer because that’s such a personal thing... everyone has their own specific taste.
Regarding the dress itself, bridal salons always seem to run these big sales around Christmas that last until January 31st, where they’ll drop prices by 30%, or they might tell you that you'll get $333 off if you put down a deposit on the day of your first fitting. I don't know if it's just a marketing tactic to rush people along—maybe they do that all year round—but my wedding was in August, and I hadn't even planned on looking for a dress before the five or six-month mark. However, once I saw those sales, I decided to go check out what was available just for the sake of information. I was actually shocked to find out at one shop that 6 out of the 10 dresses I liked were already reserved for my date, so it ended up happening that I had my dress booked within the very first month. The earlier you start hunting, the better your selection will be...
As for the shops, here is what I experienced: I looked around Appalachia, Boise, and San Francisco. Appalachia is definitely cheaper than San Francisco, but if you manage to snag one of those holiday sales, the price ends up being about the same.
If you’re looking for something modern, lacey, or just a simple flowy style, stay far away from Jelena in Boise, because she only carries old-fashioned satin and tulle ballgowns. Mila in Boise has designer brands, but honestly, she’s just so incredibly provincial. If you’re on the taller side, you probably won't find anything that works because her seamstress doesn't actually tailor the dresses to fit; she just cuts them based on the height of whatever bride reserved it. Also, if you're short like me, you'll probably feel pretty insulted because—and I am quoting her here—“she isn't going to cut her dresses for someone so small.” She only stocks lace and tulle because, again, her words, “nobody asks for a simple chiffon dress!!!” And please, steer clear of Annmarie in Boise; the woman keeps five dresses in a room inside her own house.
In San Francisco, Lipoto has some decent options, but their lace looks pretty cheap compared to New York City or Vogue Bride. Plus, my maid of honor tried on a dress that had never been worn before and noticed a hole in it right away. So, there's that level of quality for you. As for New York City, I have nothing but praise; it was the most professional and helpful salon I've ever stepped foot in, and the dresses are stunning. Now, Vogue Bride—the dresses are lovely, and that's where I booked mine since it was perfect for me. The agreement was that they would alter it to fit me perfectly since it was an older gown they weren't using anymore. But then, four days before the wedding, I went in for a fitting and was absolutely floored. There was no tailoring done at all; the seamstress was just trying to tighten and hem it. The more she worked on it, the worse it looked. I had to go back for three different fittings that single day. After the third attempt, the owner offered me two other dresses from their stock to choose from because it was obvious I had to give up on my original choice. I picked one that was beautiful, though not quite what I originally envisioned, they took my measurements, and told me to come back in two days. I showed up on Thursday, just two days before the wedding, with a million things to do, and they still hadn't finished the alterations properly. I ended up going back to the salon three times that day alone. I lost an entire day because of them. The owner told me it was the first time they'd ever had someone come in for so many fittings. When my maid of honor got married three weeks later, the exact same thing happened to her. Granted, she didn't have to change her dress, but she also had to deal with three or four fittings. On the actual wedding day, the seam of her dress split open (the photographer caught it during the photo session), so we had to sew it shut right before heading to the church. Despite all that drama, I still think it's one of the best shops alongside New York City.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone out. Arm yourselves with patience, visit every shop in the area, and don't go as a pack—just bring one person, maybe two at most. Once you find "the one," you'll just know (I told my maid of honor immediately that it was "the one," but unfortunately, fate didn't have the same plan for me 😁 ). If you want a good laugh, go see Jelena in Boise. Tell her you want a simple, flowing dress, and she’ll probably assume you mean "Roman style," and you'll see exactly what she offers you. 😁

How tall are you, if you don't mind me asking? 😛

Maria Bailey4 said:How tall are you, if you don't mind me asking? 😛

I'm about 5'3", or maybe 5'7" if I'm wearing heels. And honestly, Mila is practically 6'6" and acts so unrefined about it; it feels like she’s just trying to overcompensate for her own insecurities by putting shorter women down...

Little butterfly my wedding is June 21st
and honestly, I’m starting to feel that low-key panic setting in—I’ve already got the venue, the church, the band, and the photographer locked in
Now I was thinking about getting the tuxes sorted, but I have absolutely no clue what to do for the favors, and I'm still just tossing ideas around for the invitations in my head... basically, I still need flowers, the cake, dessert, makeup, hair, shoes... I really hope I can get everything done in time

Betty Davis93 said:Little butterfly my wedding is June 21st
and honestly, I’m starting to feel that low-key panic setting in—I’ve already got the venue, the church, the band, and the photographer locked in
Now I was thinking about getting the tuxes sorted, but I have absolutely no clue what to do for the favors, and I'm still just tossing ideas around for the invitations in my head... basically, I still need flowers, the cake, dessert, makeup, hair, shoes... I really hope I can get everything done in time

we're at the exact same stage, except I'm getting hitched on May 3rd. 🙂you find an officiant yet?

Not really—I have a rough idea of what I want, but I’m planning to call a few salons after January 6th to set some appointments... then I'll start hitting up florists and bakeries, and finally get around to calling makeup artists
Wait, you haven't organized anything yet either? We are such slackers😁

I know what I want, the real question is if I can actually pull it off 🤣 don't even get me started, I just can't get moving, and the worst part is being stuck in limbo—one day I’m all in, the next I'm totally over it