Posts by Alexander Ruiz2

I always get so anxious this time of year watching front offices gamble with their rosters. Do you think teams should prioritize immediate help for a run, or stick to the long-term rebuild?

Betty Hernandez4 said:Has anyone here actually worked with Instagram from Castle Rock? I was just at the Lion expo... and honestly, what I saw looked incredible—maybe even better than expected. But here's the thing—when companies show off albums at these trade shows, they obviously only pick the absolute best shots. I really want to know how they handle an entire wedding reception. Has anyone actually hired them for a big event? I didn't realize choosing a photographer would be *this* difficult!

I used them once, and I wasn't happy... 😢
I saw some work by Lisjak and he seems great...
Honestly, you're better off hiring a specific individual rather than a big photography studio, because you never truly know who they’ll end up sending to your wedding... 🙄

Paul Mendoza17 said:Actually, I think the venue in Dugopolje might be my best bet.

- Does anyone here have experience hosting events at the Dugopolje location?

- How was the food quality in your experience?

p.s. I heard they have two halls side-by-side, each holding about 300 people, which can be combined to create a larger or smaller space. My concern is whether having two separate weddings happening at the same time would cause any interference between the two groups.

Thanks, Advance!!!

Hey, I had my reception at Doris (in the smaller hall) and I honestly have nothing but praise for them—the food was excellent, and the service really stood out to me. We, along with all our guests, were beyond happy.
There was actually another wedding happening on the same floor that night, but nobody ever heard or saw them, aside from the fact that I felt like I had paratroopers landing on my dance floor 🤣. I was also worried about the noise levels, but everything turned out fine. They even have a dedicated entrance for the hall and everything... 😉

Raymond Brooks7 said:Exactly... you basically just copied my entire list... Castle Slanica... Bravo Band... Fox... and yeah, I stand by those recommendations. Plus, if you need a place to stay in Slanica, they can sort you out at the Radmanov mills... that's where we stayed. God, breakfast there was pure bliss. The river was rushing nearby... just perfect.😍

So there 😁 Basically means you had a very lovely wedding 😉

Jesse Kern9 said:Joining the conversation here 😁
I’ve been reading through everything from the start—there is a massive amount of info here—so while I work my way through the archives, I’ll just lay out what we're looking for. If anyone can help, thanks in advance 😛
We’re based in Los Angeles, and the wedding needs to happen within the next 10 months 😉
We both love the outdoors—we have roots in rural areas—and we want a venue near a river that can host up to 200 people (we're finalizing the guest list this weekend)
The main issue: guests are coming from all over the country, so it would be great to get lodging sorted immediately for those traveling from far away
Our wishlist: plenty of food—more than enough—that stays replenished; waiters who are smiling, quick, unobtrusive, yet helpful; a band that covers everything from classic rock to mainstream hits and actually knows how to keep the energy up (I have zero patience for bad performances); and a photographer who can deliver unique shots with the thank-you photos ready by midnight at the latest
Current short list: a local steakhouse in Riverside, a bistro in Riverside, or maybe Castle Slanica at the Radmanov mills...
Viva is already booked, and they were our top pick
Regarding photographers, does Fox seem like the best bet?
And we need to pull all of this together in about 4 months tops...
Thanks to everyone helping me out

If that river setting is important to you, you DEFINITELY need to go check out Castle Slanica. I think they could probably handle the lodging for you too. 😉
Besides Viva, I know Bravo Band is great, and as for the photographer, I'm rooting for Fox—he did a wedding for a friend recently and the photos were absolutely stunning. 😍

hollowpilot58 said:True. They could have world-class vocals, but if they can't build an atmosphere and push the energy when it counts, what's the point?
Then again, if the crowd at the party is just dead weight—sitting around and refusing to dance—you can't blame the music. You blame the guests.

Take this for example: there was this band, let's call them The Killers, absolute pros, guaranteed to bring the vibe. But I went to one of their shows where people just sat there, the AC was broken, and it was a sweltering summer night. Everyone was hovering by the exits to escape the heat while the band kept pushing through. It wasn't the band's fault—everyone knows they're incredible—it was the crowd.

I had a similar experience during a summer wedding where it was insanely hot, but the guests were practically waiting on the dance floor for the next set, and as soon as the first beat dropped, the floor would fill up instantly. Not to mention, some guests from the reception in the room next to ours 😁

There's a lot of different factors, but the most important thing is having good people around you. Honestly, I'm happy for people getting married, and the fun won't be lacking. I've listened to absolutely terrible bands at weddings before, yet the dance floor was rarely empty. 😉

Angela Flores3 said:I was totally picturing this massive, multi-tiered classic wedding cake, kind of like these http://www.jennys-cakes.com/images/f...lac-lilies.jpg
but honestly, I’m starting to feel like I won't even have a say in the matter anymore 😁

A bakery like this one in the Mississippi Delta does work just like that, and their cakes are incredibly delicious 😉

Karen Cruz2 said:I’m having a bit of a nightmare trying to book a photographer... everyone I’ve looked at is already booked up. The only ones left on my list are Photo California, Mladen Studios, and Marko Photography...
I’ve already heard things about the California group, but I know nothing about those other two. Has anyone here actually worked with them? Any intel would be great! thanks

Marko Photography handled my shoot, and honestly, I wouldn't recommend them 🤣. A friend used Photo California, and she’d tell you to stay far away too 🤷... What about Ivica Matić?🤷

I just finished my checkup and everything went 👍, especially since I finally found a gynecologist I actually like. My first experience was with this incredibly cold woman, but this time—following a recommendation—I booked an appointment with Dr. Jendriš, and I haven't looked back since.
They aren't cheap, that’s a fact 👎, but once you've been seen by Eva, everyone else feels so superficial and uncomfortable that I can't bring myself to go anywhere else 🤷, particularly after dealing with those socialized "butchers" before.

And yeah, Harold Hall3: the guy expressed himself perfectly fine, because a diet is a nutritional regimen, not starvation. That’s just the difference between the two in common American slang 😁

There’s some info on the ragweed allergy thread mentioning Mayo Clinic ...

Jerry Sanchez53 said:Viva actually played at our celebration last year—they were $1,500 back then. THEY ARE WORTH EVERY PENNY! 🙏 I don't want this to sound like I'm just bragging, but even now, people still talk about how we had the best band ever. As far as I know, they've bumped their price up to $2,200 now because they're so heavily booked.
These guys are true professionals—everything from the music to the gear is top-tier. They even bring that fog machine effect for the first dance. Honestly, I wouldn't skimp on the music; it's pretty much 90% of the entire vibe👍

Visa played ours too, they're fantastic!!! 🙏🙏🙏
I definitely agree with the bold part!
No amount of flowers, cakes, food, tablecloths, or centerpieces is going to entertain a crowd like a great band does. They played stuff that I personally barely even listen to, but man, it was incredible...😉

Try taking Lactogyn for a month alongside regular Acidophilus doses, cut back on the sugar as much as you can... and stick to cotton underwear 😉

rapidhawk26 said:Which "package" did you go with when you hired Mark? I’m asking because my friend went all out and picked the most expensive option—I think it was around $1,600—and the photos turned out absolutely stunning! She ended up with two large albums and four smaller ones for the wedding party and parents.

just some mid-range option, but it doesn't matter... I definitely overpaid ☕it wasn't about the package...

irontrucker, I used Photo Mark once and wasn't exactly thrilled with the results, so... I’d suggest doing a bit more digging into the other photographers first. Most of the praise I hear seems to go toward Fox...🙂

Here’s the deal: elevated bilirubin levels usually point toward Gilbert's syndrome. It’s nothing to panic about—just a genetic thing that shouldn't really mess with your day-to-day life. You should check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert%27s_syndrome and also http://www.gilbertssyndrome.org.uk/ for more info.
To be honest, most doctors here aren't even that familiar with it. My husband wasn't actually diagnosed until he was 25... even though they kept sending him back for blood work during his military recruitment exams... 🤣

To my fellow Californians, I’ll keep this brief, though I hope it proves useful... 🙂
So, my trip is over, but I’d give anything to live that day all over again... 😁
Look, I know you all are hunting for intel, so I figured I’d just give you my take on my "suppliers"...
First - restaurant DOLIS... first - restaurant DOLIS It was phenomenal. The servers were discrete, though they were everywhere you turned. The food was excellent—or so I was told, since I barely ate anything... The atmosphere was top-tier. Out of all the venues we’ve scouted, this is definitely number one in the San Francisco area, especially considering we had a group of 158 guests.
Viva Group That band deserves every single cent they get. They play incredibly well, they’ve got that authentic rock sound down, and they even put on their own light show with smoke machines and everything... 😁 They tailor their setlist to please the crowd, but they actually have a massive repertoire to pull from... One die-hard Dirty fan even remarked that they play almost better than the band itself... 😁 😁 😁 They really are worth every recommendation...
Antonia Guć is such a poser... She does an incredible job; we barely recognized ourselves... top-tier products and she has hands of gold. 🙂
What else? Hmm... maybe a florist. Užanca It was fine either way. The seating arrangement at the youth table was actually phenomenal, and people ended up grabbing those arrangements to take home... 😁... the cake was from... Zenith... Based on those photos you guys posted—whatever you want to call them—she was a total knockout... Branka Which singer at the church has that angelic voice? Let me know if you're interested—she and her brother (she sings, he plays the organ) absolutely blew everyone away with their performance... especially me...

I can't comment on the Photo just yet, but I'll let you know as soon as I get my hands on the images and the DVD...
If you have any questions at all—just ask. I know exactly how overwhelming and confusing the whole planning process can be... 😲 Don't get worked up. Just take it easy... 🙂 Hey there!

velvetwolf92 said:Does anyone actually know what kind of "material" that cake from mimimimi is made out of? I mean, is it marzipan or something else entirely?? I'm curious about what the flavor profile is even like.

I'm pretty sure it's marzipan, they also call it fondant...

Honestly, there are some seriously insane cakes floating around the internet, I just wonder if our local bakers could actually pull any of this off (and how)... Here are a few examples: ; for the pink and gerbera lovers; remember Super Mario?; classy sassy; morbid, maybe inspired by 9/11; springtime and very, very sweet; zoo fans; very nice; very crazy; shrek-style; for true princes and princesses; classy; ooops!; blooming cake; for vegetarians; harlequin; Manolo Blahnik style; dull winter vibes;winter wonderland; autumn treats; really interesting; Orient style; for cottagecore fans; lovely; sick;tall&handsome 🙂 and finally, the best cake topper 🙂...
hope u like them 🙂
But don't go getting an urge for binge eating!!!

Jeremy Kelly6 said:This one’s my absolute favorite!
I know half of you will probably think it’s ridiculous or just plain stupid, but I can't help it—it actually puts a smile on my face. 😍

mimimimi's cake is AWESOME!!!! 👍 👍 👍 👍

M&M's aren't overpriced, and they're easily the best tasting chocolate bars I've tried so far...