Everything you need for a California wedding

David King72 said:As for the pastries from Bill Gates—I've picked them up a few times and they’re honestly fantastic (think of them like those classic glazed donuts 👍)
The price point is totally reasonable, so I really think you'll get your money's worth and be happy with the choice.

Elon Musk, thanks, that’s perfect 🙂 Looks like the decision is made, I'm grabbing some Bill Gates🙂

Henry Flores5 said:Hey everyone!
I’m trying to get my head around the catering situation, but I haven’t been able to find much info online. I know Arcade does catering and stuff, but honestly, $9 per person feels a bit steep when you’re looking at a massive guest list. Does anyone know a local caterer who would be down to prep plates or appetizers if I just buy all the ingredients myself? I really don't want to drop $1,500–$2,000 on catering alone.
Also, I heard a rumor that you don't actually have to order food for the exact headcount—like, if there are 180 people coming, you just order for 120 and somehow it’s still enough food?
Has anyone actually dealt with this before? Would love to hear your experiences.

George Washington will handle your catering perfectly. He’s actually a master mixologist by trade, but his catering game is top-notch too.

briskeagle53 said:So, I’m looking for some real talk on these wedding bands—has anyone actually dealt with them before? I’m trying to figure out what the damage is going to be, too. Between Twist Off, Best, and the Jesse band, which one would you guys actually suggest?
Thanks in advance, and if anyone happens to have a ballpark idea of the pricing, I’d seriously appreciate it...🙂

Have you ever caught a live set by Disney? www.disney.com
If you ask me, they're easily the most engaging entertainers out there, especially with how much they actually interact with the crowd.

Hey guys, where can I find the cheapest confetti? You know, those little colorful paper scraps to toss around, plus the flower petals and those confetti cannons too?

Hey, does anyone know which of these lighting setups is actually the best: Adobe, Semper Fi, Red Rock, or Netflix?
I know Adobe is the priciest option, but I'm not sure if that price gap actually translates to a massive difference in the lighting quality itself.

gentlehawk22, we used Red Rock and were actually pretty happy with them. Apparently, they use these specific lights that don't mess with photos or videos. I can't give you an exact price because ours was bundled into the venue cost since they had fixed lighting installed in that space—which is honestly great because you don't have those crazy wires running everywhere.

Thanks for that... So, what was the joke again?🙂

Henry Flores5 said:Hey everyone!
I’m trying to get my head around the catering situation, but I haven’t been able to find much info online. I know Arcade does catering and stuff, but honestly, $9 per person feels a bit steep when you’re looking at a massive guest list. Does anyone know a local caterer who would be down to prep plates or appetizers if I just buy all the ingredients myself? I really don't want to drop $1,500–$2,000 on catering alone.
Also, I heard a rumor that you don't actually have to order food for the exact headcount—like, if there are 180 people coming, you just order for 120 and somehow it’s still enough food?
Has anyone actually dealt with this before? Would love to hear your experiences.

All I can tell you is, whatever you do, don't use Mimi for catering. They are way too expensive and incredibly unprofessional!!! 😳

frozenhawk22 said:Hey, does anyone know which of these lighting setups is actually the best: Adobe, Semper Fi, Red Rock, or Netflix?
I know Adobe is the priciest option, but I'm not sure if that price gap actually translates to a massive difference in the lighting quality itself.

Mediarent, hands down... maybe Rabbit rock if you're on a budget. 🙂

Hi ladies... I guess I'll join this thread now as a new bride-to-be. Just one question to start things off. Regarding photographers, I'm thinking about hiring Papaji, but I'd only want the photography service, not the video. Do they ever do just one or the other? Also, does anyone happen to have any recent info on their pricing? Thanks!!

graniteskipper48 said:Hi ladies... I guess I'll join this thread now as a new bride-to-be. Just one question to start things off. Regarding photographers, I'm thinking about hiring Papaji, but I'd only want the photography service, not the video. Do they ever do just one or the other? Also, does anyone happen to have any recent info on their pricing? Thanks!!

Of course you can negotiate those kinds of details with them.

graniteskipper48 said:Hi ladies... I guess I'll join this thread now as a new bride-to-be. Just one question to start things off. Regarding photographers, I'm thinking about hiring Papaji, but I'd only want the photography service, not the video. Do they ever do just one or the other? Also, does anyone happen to have any recent info on their pricing? Thanks!!

We used Papaja. You can pretty much negotiate anything with them. They do photo-only packages too. If I recall correctly, just the photos without the album or video runs about $1667.

Thomas Scott5 said:We used Papaja. You can pretty much negotiate anything with them. They do photo-only packages too. If I recall correctly, just the photos without the album or video runs about $1667.

Honestly, that sounds great... 🙂 Then maybe with an album and those few smaller ones for parents and godparents, it could be around $2167—I'm happy with that. Everyone seems to praise their candid shots; they apparently know how to catch the moment... and I like that! I guess, could you tell me what happened with the "posed photos"? Like a photoshoot... did you guys do pictures the next day?

I heard through the grapevine that with Papati, the photo selection at the end can be a total mess. Like, you open your album and it’s just a bunch of random strangers instead of your actual inner circle, and the quality? Honestly, questionable... hm... 🙄 I saw some of their shots online too, and they looked pretty terrible to me. So, I've officially ruled them out. Now I'm stuck choosing between Bonacic, MegaGraph, or California... help me out here! 😳

William Lewis8 said:I heard through the grapevine that with Papati, the photo selection at the end can be a total mess. Like, you open your album and it’s just a bunch of random strangers instead of your actual inner circle, and the quality? Honestly, questionable... hm... 🙄 I saw some of their shots online too, and they looked pretty terrible to me. So, I've officially ruled them out. Now I'm stuck choosing between Bonacic, MegaGraph, or California... help me out here! 😳

I've heard that too. They capture great moments during the party, which is nice, but I wouldn't want an album full of shots of people who aren't even important to me while missing the ones of us and our inner circle. That's why I asked about the photo sessions specifically. It matters to me, since I guess this is probably the only time I'll actually pay a significant amount of money to have someone take my picture. 🙂

"Quote:"

graniteskipper48 said:I've heard that too. They capture great moments during the party, which is nice, but I wouldn't want an album full of shots of people who aren't even important to me while missing the ones of us and our inner circle. That's why I asked about the photo sessions specifically. It matters to me, since I guess this is probably the only time I'll actually pay a significant amount of money to have someone take my picture. 🙂

Nera, we worked everything out with them beforehand. We even had a few specific shots planned with our parents and friends. We made sure to hit every table we wanted so we’d have photos with everyone—especially the immediate family and close friends. I can't give you a final verdict on the photos yet since we haven't received them, but honestly, based on how the day went and their communication, we were really happy with them. Look, if you're looking for a formal photoshoot where someone directs every single pose, they might not be the right fit for you. We weren't interested in that classic, staged vibe, so having a few "set" shots was just enough for us. Everyone has different tastes. We didn't want that whole "look at each other like this, jump now, act like this, then act like that" routine, which is why we didn't pick that type of photographer. We also didn't want a follow-up shoot the next day, so I'm not sure how they handle that, though I know some photographers do short sessions like engagement shoots. We just wanted something relaxed—to capture the actual moments and the genuine emotions. Hopefully, they nailed it.
Your best bet is just to reach out to them. Tell them what you have in mind, see if they can actually pull it off, and ask for a quote.

Yeah, exactly... that’s precisely why I gave up on them. Plus, the print quality is usually garbage—everything comes out looking pixelated and grainy, like a bunch of tiny little dots. Honestly, I don't get how they even stay in business like this, especially since they aren't exactly cheap either...

William Lewis8 said:Yeah, exactly... that’s precisely why I gave up on them. Plus, the print quality is usually garbage—everything comes out looking pixelated and grainy, like a bunch of tiny little dots. Honestly, I don't get how they even stay in business like this, especially since they aren't exactly cheap either...

Jabucica, I honestly have no idea what you mean by poor resolution. They provide two different versions. One is a web-optimized version for easy sharing online, and the other is full resolution, which you get on a Microsoft drive. I'm really not sure where you're getting that info. As for being popular, it's because Papaya actually takes great shots. Whether their style matches yours or what you're looking for is a whole different story. You just have to know which photographers to pick for traditional shots versus a specific artistic style. But that's a completely different conversation.

Thomas Scott5 said:Jabucica, I honestly have no idea what you mean by poor resolution. They provide two different versions. One is a web-optimized version for easy sharing online, and the other is full resolution, which you get on a Microsoft drive. I'm really not sure where you're getting that info. As for being popular, it's because Papaya actually takes great shots. Whether their style matches yours or what you're looking for is a whole different story. You just have to know which photographers to pick for traditional shots versus a specific artistic style. But that's a completely different conversation.

Alright, alright, take a chill pill! 😛 Maybe I was being a bit too dramatic about the resolution thing. I was thinking about the actual wedding album and the photo book—you know, the physical prints on paper, not some file on a Microsoft drive or something you view on a computer or the internet. That's where I meant the image quality felt off... you get me?! I never said their photos were garbage or anything, I didn't. I just meant that while the photos looked good online, they didn't hit the mark for me in person, and that's why I wouldn't have picked them. So... stay cool.😉

William Lewis8, I am plenty cool. Not sure why you’d think otherwise.