Posts by electricangler

coastalwalker10 said:You could also look into Jabba Doo or Stella Mares... I know for a fact they rent out their space, since I actually spent some time at those venues during the festivals back before the pirate era.

The only issue would be if, after the party, they don't want to deal with getting in a car and hunting for parking near the downtown cathedral.🙂 Finding a spot near the cathedral can be a total nightmare when weddings are in town.🙂

Patrick Ward4 said:Wait, where on earth is this Split cafe?

The San Francisco Starbucks? Wasn't that formerly a Pigs location?

Patrick Ward4 said:The absolute best of the best... I wonder if they take orders for custom cakes and pastries?

You can, though they aren't cheap.

Thomas Cruz9 said:Oof, well, we are planning on both playing music and singing... and it won't just be a quick meetup; we'll have plenty of food and drinks for roughly 150 people.

Would it work to set up in the park near the viewpoint? Not really inside. You'd have to negotiate that with them. My group got stuck over there; we only slightly disrupted traffic heading toward the hospital while we were walking.
Or, why not try renting out a venue downtown for a few hours—maybe check out a place like Tropicalia, a club in Miami, or somewhere similar. I doubt they’d charge an arm and a leg...

Thomas Cruz9 said:Does anyone have recommendations for where to find those kinds of cookies? Thanks so much!
Everything is negotiable with the owner if they're open to it; you might be able to sneak a few extra pastries in... essentially, it's up to the manager, so just ask. 😉

The cookies vary: shortbread, cream-filled, Linzers, peach-shaped ones, Londoners, and so on. I stumbled upon them by chance when I was walking to my workout at the local gym. I always walk, so I pick some up on the way to make up for the lost calories... 🙂 The bakery is called Prekpalyaj, or something like that, right above the clinic near the gym. Most of them are $17 good; there are several varieties for about $1 each. A couple of types aren't my thing, but the rest are perfect. They actually have a massive selection and aren't bland like most bakeries. They have fillings, walnuts, hazelnuts, everything. Honestly, I grab a few three times a week...
We'll see about bringing homemade cookies to the hall—none of the ones we tried actually tasted good...
Actually, they are from Procaffea, but the bride and groom aren't exactly known for robbing banks...

Anyway, my fiancée has finally sorted out her dress situation—a relative from London is sending over a Monique Lhuillier piece. It’s a stunning, sleek, and understated gown.
Now we have a new dilemma: we need a high-end seamstress who can tailor the dress perfectly without ruining it. Since it's a masterclass in design with such clean lines, we can't afford any mistakes. Does anyone have a recommendation for a skilled tailor in San Diego who has experience with wedding gowns or more complex garments? The dress consists of two layers fitted tightly together—silk and silk lace. I only know of two local tailors, but they mostly just handle basic repairs.
What do you think—would it be worth approaching a bridal salon for this? We feel a bit awkward since we didn't purchase the dress from them. We would obviously pay, but there's still that sense of hesitation...

Also, does anyone have experience with "skimming" a catering bill? For instance, paying for a cake and a certain amount of pastries, getting an official receipt for that, while having some extra treats "disappear" into the party? I've dreamed of this kind of feast, and I've read about it on forums before. 🙂 We've already found some fantastic cookies for guests to take home, but we haven't settled on a cake yet; we'd love for part of the dessert spread to feel homemade. Do you think a venue like the Hilton in San Diego could pull that off?

Thomas Cruz9 said:Hey ladies, I could use some advice regarding where to gather the wedding party. We’re deciding between holding the ceremony at St. Jude or over in Pojišan, but we're still weighing the parking situation. Given those two locations, does anyone have any good recommendations for spots nearby where guests could congregate before the service starts?

How many guests are you expecting? And are you thinking of a simple meetup, or more of a cocktail/appetizer welcome? For the weddings I've attended near Pojišan (four in total), the gathering usually involved drinks and finger foods—either at the Park Hotel (outdoors in the summer, indoors once in the winter) or at Vidjakovi. Sure, the parking situation is a bit of a mess, but where else would you go? Mind you, those were weddings without flags, music, or a procession to the church, so they might have been easier to manage. If you plan on having live music or singing, I wouldn't recommend the Park; it's fine for a quiet cocktail before walking. Vidjakovi is more casual and budget-friendly—people usually hang out there for about an hour, sing a few songs, and then the procession heads toward the shrine. As for St. Jude, I haven't a clue.

Kyle Chase20 said:Hey everyone, I really need some help... Does anyone know of a restaurant, a hotel, or somewhere similar with an oceanfront terrace? I'm looking to host a wedding dinner for about 20 people. I guess I would prefer somewhere in Miami or maybe along the Southern California coast! Thanks... Any advice would be so appreciated
🙂

Just a dinner, then? No dancing or anything else? And how many guests exactly?

Good grief.
My match just found out about this boutique that carries gowns from some famous Russian designer—someone mentioned it to her.
Does anyone have any intel on that shop or where they're located?

We also heard about Nikolina’s bridal collection—where is that? And there's a new place, Luce—apparently they carry Matija Vuica, and we actually really like her designs...

Has anyone here dealt with them before?

Douglas Reyes3 said:Well, there you have it... they clearly cut corners somewhere if the dress ends up looking that messed up.
I wasn't a huge fan of that wedding gown either, honestly; it just looked cheap.
I was actually planning on heading over to them to get my wedding dress made, but now I'm having serious second thoughts after hearing all this.
I'd heard rumors about Gallagher's quality being questionable for quite a while now.

A friend of mine suggested a boutique out in Phoenix instead... if you want to check them out, their page is called "The 1000 Best Dresses."

gentlewolf69 said:I was actually thinking about having them custom-make a dress for a bridesmaid wedding...

It isn't really up to her. She works incredibly hard and runs her own business, so she simply doesn't have the bandwidth. That’s why I handle everything for her. She hasn't even had a moment to think about sewing; she just wants to grab the dress and stop stressing over it.

Personally, I was completely satisfied with my dress from Ariel. I still wear it during the summer—though, to be fair, I wasn't carrying quite as much extra weight last year. However, those other two dresses were absolute disasters; they were enough to make you weep. Even the one I picked up from a boutique was lovely. If you can manage to fit into something from a bridal salon, it’s worth the effort. If not, don't take the risk.

Quinn:

gentlewolf69 As I have previously noted: You consider that low? I was referring to a height of 5'5".

Well, that’s it. We're cutting Milo out of the equation right from the start.
That explains why she dragged her feet on finding a dress. She’s always struggled with lengths and was worried about the fit. Honestly, that one from Lipton we were looking at? There’s no way she could wear that with anything higher than a 1-inch heel. 🤣

Douglas Reyes3 said:Does anyone happen to have any insight into the Ariel fashion studio? I'm curious about their sewing standards, overall quality, and stuff like that.

gentlewolf69 said:Yeah, I actually went to Gallagher for my prom dress. To be honest, they didn't exactly leave me with the best impression... If you're looking at Mila over in Boise, she carries brands like Saint Patrick and Maggie Sottero, and her salon is genuinely lovely, but there's a catch—if your maid of honor is on the shorter side like I am, Mila might tell you straight up that she doesn't have anything that fits, mostly because she refuses to cut her gowns just to accommodate one person. Now, if your bridesmaid is really into that full crinoline look, you might have some luck checking out what Helen has at the Boise shop, otherwise, I wouldn't bother wasting your time there since most of the selection is pretty mediocre, just those wide-cut satin styles... though they do get those stunning Madeline Gardner dresses in around May. As for anything regarding the President or the Cream of the Crop, I'm afraid I can't really help you with that.

In that case, Milo is out of the question immediately—the bride is 5'10"...
🙂
Regarding Ariel, my boyfriend's younger brother's experience was a disaster; they ruined his sister's prom dress. She looked like an old lady in a corset and skirt (honestly, she would have been better off wearing just an anklet—she would’ve had the same level of horror for much less money). This was especially frustrating since I used them a year prior and had a great experience; I picked a dress straight from the window that was custom-tailored to my frame, and I was satisfied (a grey, short, powder chiffon number with the golden braid). I have two other secondhand accounts: my boyfriend's niece and her best friend both bought dresses for a wedding. The friend bought a floor model directly from the shop, which fit perfectly, but the niece ordered a custom grey jumpsuit that was poorly constructed. The top kept gaping open, so a local neighborhood seamstress had to sew in elastic just to keep the girl from being exposed. Personally, I find it offensive that these two botched prom dresses were so overpriced, especially considering the fabric was sourced from a local discount textile shop (even the sales clerk there confirmed they source materials from there frequently—I sew, so I frequent those shops). In my opinion, they are hit or miss, much like a certain ice cream chain. Use them at your own risk.
Kurbasina's wife had an okay dress, though I can't tell if it was due to her pregnancy or the cut, but she ended up looking like a Michelin Man... They really should have suggested a different silhouette.

gentlewolf69 said:I actually bought my prom dress from them once, and honestly... what a nightmare. They couldn't even get the tailoring right, and the beadwork started falling off everywhere, so I ended up having to fix the whole thing myself at home. If you aren't planning on leaving the San Francisco area, you might want to skip them entirely—unless you're looking at La Perla, maybe check out Victoria's Secret instead. I actually got my wedding dress there, and the owner is such a sweetheart. It’s located just as you're heading down from Firul toward downtown, right before you turn toward the Brooklyn beach area, just before you hit the New York Public Library on your left.

Does anyone have experience with Galics?

I have to admit, I am honestly overwhelmed. This is my first time participating in the full wedding prep process as a maid of honor, and seeing the sheer volume of work involved has me paralyzed—especially since the bride-to-be has absolutely no idea what she wants, yet insists on everything!
Now, suddenly, we've become obsessed with wedding gowns, so it looks like we might even head out to Boise. This week we are visiting Vesna Sposa, Glamour, and La Perla, though one of them is currently preoccupied with something at Victoria's Secret...

We're joking around at the President Hotel, and someone mentioned that it gets quite stuffy there in May because of the pool area, causing flowers to wilt quickly. Is that actually true?
Also, can anyone suggest a florist? Price isn't the deciding factor; I just need someone who produces truly beautiful arrangements.

And once more, does anyone have firsthand experience with Creme de la Creme? I would appreciate any insight...
I have also heard that eM-ka makes good cakes, but she wouldn't touch anything "industrial"...

We stopped by Lipoto yesterday. She spotted this one specific dress in the window, tried it on, and honestly, it’s fine—but she won't be wearing it until May, just a week before my friend's wedding. It’s also quite pricey for a rental, coming in at about $1667. We’ve barely even started looking, and since she doesn't have the time to drive out of San Francisco, we'll probably just stick to Victoria's Secret and maybe a few other spots (she’s obsessed with what’s in the Victoria's Secret window, bless her heart 🙂). I’ve heard conflicting things about the service there, ranging from wonderful to terrible, though nobody has said anything negative about the actual dresses.
Does anyone have experience with Galic Bridal? Are they even still in business? I've heard their selection can be pretty tacky, but then again, I saw a bride at a wedding once wearing a stunning white tulle ballgown that was definitely from Galic...

gentlewolf69 said:Look, I’m sorry, but I’m really not buying this whole story about them limiting rentals to three times. Maybe I'm wrong, but from a business perspective, it just doesn't seem like it would make financial sense... after three rentals, they've barely covered the cost of the gown itself and that's it. Besides, when I was actually there, I noticed they tend to alter dresses however they feel like doing it. For instance, I wanted to try on a specific Pronovias's gown I saw in the catalog, but they told me they didn't have that exact one because they weren't fond of the bodice, so they ended up cutting it apart and sewing on a top from a Demetrios's dress instead. Then, while trying on a dress similar to mine—mine has a slit, you see—and mentioning that I preferred mine better, the woman started questioning me about whether girls actually liked that kind of slit... which gave me the distinct impression she was planning to redesign the dress soon enough to add a slit on the right leg too...

I also have my doubts about the three-rental limit, especially given how high their prices are. However, the most significant issue I've heard involves a colleague of Amy Johnson's, who received her dress late—on the morning of the wedding—and it was dirty. On the other hand, a colleague's sister purchased a gown there this fall for $667. The dress is quite elaborate and shows no signs of wear or damage; the price even included alterations. The owner claimed they rent dresses out three times before selling them, but I question the math. If multiple brides want the same dress, what happens once those three rentals are up?
The idea of them altering dresses to suit themselves is unsettling...
Regardless, we are heading there this Saturday to look at that princess-style gown...

northerncrane49 said:electricangler, the Woods Sminkerica you're talking about is Maja Banić 😉

Thanks, I found it on Facebook. I wasn't sure if the name was Baneli or Banovac...

William Chavez10 said:Honestly, everything I've ever heard about that shop has been positive, and I actually really like that they limit rentals to just three uses. I picked out my own wedding dress there, and I know a bunch of other girls who did too without any issues at all.
I guess it might just be one of those things where you either have luck or you don't... kind of like everything else in life, I suppose. :-)

Same here. I love the dress—it's gorgeous and fluffy without being overdone, and the skirt is lovely. But, well, a colleague mentioned it... I scrolled through the thread a bit to find some positive reviews to show her.

Since the entire wedding planning seems to have landed on my shoulders, I have a few more questions while I'm at it:

1. Any experiences with cakes from Creme de la Creme? Are they actually worth the premium price tag? She's set on them, but I've only had one of their pastries from a local bakery once, and it wasn't anything special...

2. Has anyone used Urban Bridal for hair? Specifically, can they handle an updo that needs to hold for several hours? I've seen plenty of great colorful or geometric styles from that salon, but nothing classic or any updos. We like Urban because it's the closest option to the bride's apartment (literally right across the street...).

So, what are your experiences with Lipoto's bridal salon?
I have this total bridezilla who wants a princess-style gown from Ppapela, but a coworker told her a horror story about buying a wedding dress that was heavily altered and delivered at the very last minute, just the morning
of the wedding. Apparently, the undergarment she was given had stains on it, so now she’s second-guessing whether she should even step foot in the shop. I’ve heard they are professional and decent enough, and I haven't personally heard of anything like that happening, but since she's hearing it firsthand, well...

gentlewolf69 said:As for Amadea, I know her makeup services start at $117, and it's about 450 if you go with false lashes. I'm not entirely sure how her work holds up in person, though the photos on Facebook look pretty good. Then again, most of those are just selfies where she's doing her own face, and we all know how easy it is to be your own best critic, so it's hard to tell how she handles everyone else...

I’ll weigh in with my own experience—Amadea did the makeup for the bride, the maid of honor, the mother of the bride, and the groom's sister at a wedding I attended last summer. She also did the makeup for both the bride and myself (as the maid of honor) at a wedding last fall. I paid for my own makeup as a gift to the friend I was supporting. I have to admit, we looked fantastic in the photos—we took them about half an hour after the ceremony during the cocktail hour—but in person, we were wearing a massive amount of product. We didn't actually get the looks we requested; instead, we were made up identically. The shades varied slightly, but there was zero consideration for our individual facial features. At the reception where she worked on five women, they all ended up looking heavily overdone and practically identical. Two older ladies were given makeup that was far too heavy for their age. Use caution with Amadea; she seems to have one specific style that she applies to everyone. It photographs well, but in real life, it looks like a mask.
I attended a wedding where she did the makeup for Tina, the maid of honor, and the bride; it was lovely and professionally executed. The bride has one eye that sits slightly lower than the other, which was quite noticeable, but Tina managed to balance them out perfectly using eyeshadow and liner.

I've also been to weddings where the makeup was done by that woman who used to work as a stylist for RAI in Italy—I'll have to try and recall her name—she does excellent work. It’s that lush, elegant Italian style, using brighter colors than the standard palette. I think it was Maja Banić, or perhaps Banović or Bačić.

Anyway, if anyone has her contact info or any additional feedback, please send it my way. I'm the maid of honor and I'm handling the arrangements for my friend; we would love to book her, but I'm struggling to track her down because I'm not entirely sure of her surname.
If we can't find her, we will definitely go with Tina (sorry for the caps, typing on my phone)

If anyone needs a hand from someone who actually knows the ropes—I’m acting as both maid of honor and personal assistant since my friend is perpetually swamped—I'm happy to help. Honestly, this thread and that PDF were lifesavers for me.
On another note, we stumbled upon the perfect dry cookies by pure chance. They are incredible; I haven't had homemade treats this good in ages. Most of them are about $17 pounds (a few varieties are closer to $23 pounds). You can find them at that bakery over in Brooklyn, right above the clinic near those spiral stairs.
They really are delicious. There are about seven or eight different kinds, the prices are reasonable, and I ended up wrapping them all up in cellophane myself...

ruggedmaker2 said:If you take what’s written on the FINRA website literally:
"FINRA executes levies on citizens' monetary assets, covering all accounts and term deposits across every single bank, based on the debtor's social security number, without needing their consent." If that's the case, it sounds like FINRA can't touch any cash you've got tucked away outside of a bank account.
But let's be real... everything in this country is such a bureaucratic nightmare, and there's always a way to twist the rules to fit whatever agenda they're pushing at the moment.🤷

Right, I get it. It's confusing for everyone because technically it isn't sitting in an account...
Thanks for the reply 🙂 If anyone else has actual firsthand experience dealing with refunds or levies... 🙂

Is anyone actually processing tax refunds right now? Someone didn't provide an account number because they closed their bank account entirely, so the IRS just handed them a sticker and told them to wait for a notice in the mail explaining how they can sign for the refund at the local branch.
I have my doubts about whether you can even pick up the cash directly from the IRS, but who knows...

Dana Wilson said:And I don't even know 😁 So then you go asking girls to give you their number. If there isn't any outside, this is one of those rare shops where they don't just tell you "everything's on the shelf" and then start buzzing around...
The numbers go up to 52, is that enough for you?

Honestly, a friend of mine used to shop there back when I lived in Chicago, and I seriously doubt someone who wears a standard size (like German, H&M, or C&A brands...) 14 could easily fit into a 20 there. A standard US 14 is roughly an Italian 52, French 48, or UK 18. Back when she was fitting into 10s and 12s in most stores, she was buying 16s and 18s at Outlets. Later on, once she decided to shed some weight, she was picking up 14s and 16s at Neckermann, while at the Outlet, she couldn't even get into the stock...
Coincidentally, right when she lost 30 pounds, C&A opened, and she joked that she didn't even need to diet... 🙂
I’ve looked at the merchandise there myself quite often, but I never bought anything because those Italian sizing standards always made me feel like an elephant. Back when I was wearing a size 31 in jeans (sadly, that era is long gone...), I tried on a 12 there and it wouldn't budge; I could only squeeze into a 16, though the 18s were actually more comfortable...
Anyone who fits into their 16 can certainly fit into a smaller size at any other retailer...

Decided to share my go-to lunch 😍

- turkey breast cutlets (as many as you want)
- light cottage cheese (the kind from Walmart); low-fat cheese works too, though the effect varies... my brother can handle the low-fat stuff, but I can't
- sliced turkey breast (deli meat style)
- Casa Fiesta fajita seasoning (or just paprika, salt, and pepper)
- a bit of olive oil

Place the thinly sliced turkey cutlets in a bowl, sprinkle with the seasoning, add a drizzle of olive oil, and mix until everything is thoroughly coated.
Pound each cutlet flat, lay them over half a slice of deli turkey and a spoonful of cottage cheese, roll them up, and secure them with toothpicks.
Wrap each roll in aluminum foil and cook on a grill pan. After about 6-7 minutes, unwrap them to finish—just sear them on all sides on the grill pan until the spices form a nice crust.

(My preferred sides: oven-roasted sweet potatoes in foil and a crisp romaine lettuce salad)