Posts by Raymond Brooks7

Megan Miller3 said:e to je bila i moja reakcija regarding Sky, you know...
I kept picturing the wedding party trekking through the mall, and then once we finally make it up to the restaurant, having all those people sipping coffee in the cafe right across from us staring at us like we’re aliens...
But!
I actually had a chat with Priya, who organizes weddings, and she did a little rehearsal there about four months ago. Everything went smoothly; they have a really gorgeous setup for ceremonies. You don't enter the hall through the main mall area; instead, you use a different entrance and walk across the terrace—it's by the pool, which is part of that new area where they had the ice rink or whatever last year. You can have the welcome drinks out on the terrace before heading into the restaurant. Plus, the cafe on that floor closes during the wedding, so I think it works out fine 🤷
I don't know... it seems alright to me...
And the President in San Diego has the same owner as the one in St. Louis. I've heard they can be a bit difficult to deal with, but if you stay "firm," everything should turn out okay... honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself... 😢

Sky sounds better to me...
I've also heard the folks at President are stubborn... but it's all about the negotiation. If you stand your ground and push back, even their toughest attitude melts away...
Just be bold!
As for the photographer, the music...
If anything else is bothering you... just ask... 👍

Megan Miller3 said:Thanks for the quick replies 🙂 I’m really liking how this is shaping up!
We’ve gone ahead and booked the Pink Panther 😍
Of course, I still have a few lingering questions regarding the two venues we’re looking at—we’re planning to sit on it for a couple of days before we commit to any deposits:
Sky (Split-Joker) and
that new hotel out in San Diego—the President. It hasn't officially opened its doors yet; they're aiming for an April launch. Honestly, I'm flying blind right now—no idea about the pricing or even what the ballroom actually looks like... nothing. I have a meeting scheduled with the manager next week to hammer out those specifics 🤷
Has anyone here actually worked with either of these places?
What are your thoughts...

Ugh... Sky... I can already see the amazing photos being posted on social media...
Man... I've got nothing. I only ever ate at Sky once, and it was fine... but I didn't even realize you could host a party up there. Seriously, where have I been?
As for the President... that's an even bigger mystery to me...
Sorry... not much help here 😢

Megan Miller3 said:Hey everyone...

So, I’ve found myself in a bit of a bind regarding the band selection 😢
It’s one of those classic dilemmas—too many choices and not enough certainty—especially since everyone happens to be available on our specific date

- The Millennium Musicians (they play a mix of traditional acoustic, some West Coast vibes, and general party/pop hits—since the wedding is in California). I’m a little hesitant only because I’m not entirely sure how our guests will feel about a folk-style group, though the guys are honestly lovely people!
- The Pink Panther band—four guys plus a female vocalist. Has anyone here actually heard them before?
- The Barbie band—all male, I believe there are four of them.

Thanks a million....

Welcome to the thread. 🙂

Musicians... sounds great to me. I suspect the crowd would really lean into that vibe too.

Pink Panther... I've only ever heard good things. A few people I know—people with pretty demanding tastes, mind you—have hired them before. So, their reputation speaks for itself.

Barbie... never heard of them.

Jerry Sanchez53 said:The real kicker is that beyond being phenomenal musicians, they are incredibly professional. We provided them with a very specific song list and requested certain cues for specific moments—like the bouquet toss and such—and they followed our timeline to the letter. They were truly brilliant! 🙏
And the lead singer has such a stunning voice, doesn't she? I still get goosebumps just thinking about some of those performances! 👍

They don't have the same lead singer anymore... but the new one is just as talented (the original is on maternity leave), and since the current vocalist is actually an ex-member of Bad Company... let's just say the girl can really sing.

duo ferata
marinero
Tip-top
Barbarossa

I need the contact info for the folks listed above... seriously, if anyone can slide me their numbers via DM, please do

Also, I’m looking for some music recommendations. Ideally a duo, if you have any leads... let me know😍

restlesstiger71 said:The Old Sailor is my top choice so far. If it starts raining, I can just move everything inside, which is a huge plus for me. Plus, the food there is incredible. I checked out the arcade earlier, but even though they claim it holds 120–130 people, it felt pretty empty to me. I was thinking about grabbing some BBQ ribs, but the prices jumped up so much I decided against it. Everyone keeps recommending Hotel Honey or some spot in San Diego near a Target, but I don’t even know the name or where it's located, so I'm stuck. I'm also debating whether it's actually wise to drive home drunk from San Diego.

Slanica raised their prices??? Give me a break...

Look, that place in Savannah under the Walmart is Bellevue. You also have the Castello room—smaller, better for your group size—plus you've got Ino and Mammoth... all in the San Francisco Bay Area area.
San Diego options: NIRS near Bilica, the Officers' Club in Lori, Pirate, and Kokolo.
Dugopolje: Sun, Phoenix, Dolis.
TTTS: Imenjak, and there's a new one opening up, but I can't remember the name.
Along Omiš Road, you've got: Amigos, Diocletian, and Anthony.

I hope I didn't miss anything.

As for those drunks at the Pirate house... I had a wedding at Slanica once, and I had the same concern. But look, you can find a drunk idiot anywhere in San Diego. 🤷 Besides, anything can happen anywhere. If we lived by that logic, we'd never go anywhere at all.

casualranger3 said:Man, it’ll probably turn out fine—anyway, we aren't even paying him until Monday after the game🤣🤣🤣

There's always someone complaining about something... I've heard people say stuff like: "Ugh, this food is terrible—there was way too much mayo in the French cuisine."😂

George Long9 said:My photographer is my son from Photo Plus, and the music is by the duo Dario and Dario Marunčić
Hopefully you guys have heard of them and think they're pretty solid
I know Ivica Lisjak is top-tier, and so is Viva Band
If they’re willing to travel outside of Los Angeles to perform anywhere, why wouldn't they head out to San Diego too?

And you've got your son there... honestly, can't beat that choice. 😍

Kyle Ortiz2 said:Greetings to everyone. I'm looking for some advice regarding an event in Los Angeles. I need your recommendations for a solid DJ, a band, and a photographer. How far in advance should I get everything booked, and what kind of budget should I set aside for deposits? We're expecting roughly 200 to 250 people.

Cheers...

A lot of women end up bringing their photographers and bands all the way from Los Angeles...
I'm hoping someone here has some actual, boots-on-the-ground info specifically for the San Diego area. 😍

casualranger3 said:

Look, I actually hired brava bend... they’re already booked up, but honestly, those guys are incredible.
I can definitely vouch for Studio in for photography—they're my top choice, and they'll be shooting my wedding too. Seriously, these guys are worth every penny and highly recommended... www.weddingstudioin.com

rapidmason10, what kind of rate are they giving you for the three of them? I called them up and they quoted me $1,300. I told her I was at a wedding just last month where they were only $1,000, but now she's claiming prices are going up for next year. I told her straight up—let's just sign the contract this year while we can still lock in the old rate.🤣🤣🤣

Everyone’s hiking their rates for next season... 😢

casualranger3 said:Man, I’ve got to get through this whole call list—and if anyone knows a solid makeup artist who travels to the area, let me know.😉

I've got one... mine was absolutely perfect, and she’s heading back home soon. I'll shoot you the details via DM.

Nathan Nguyen2 said:studio in is solid. Jakov Teklic, Matic, and that one studio Raymond Brooks7 used

And then you have Ivica Lisjak.🙏 😍

casualranger3 said:Can someone give me the lowdown on the Sun restaurant in Dugopolj? I'm looking for details on the service, the food, etc. Also, if anyone can tell me about ExxonMobil in the area—maybe even share a photo...

I’ve been to the ExxonMobil location... nothing special to report. At least not for me. It's just your standard, run-of-the-mill setup. The service, though? Flawless. I saw a wedding there recently and the couple seemed thrilled; everything was executed exactly to their specs...

As for Sun—I’ve sat down for negotiations there myself. I'll back up everything George Flores16 wrote. The service is a solid 5/5. The owner is flexible, even if he lacks any real sense of style, but the man truly puts in the work. He's willing to cooperate and will bend over backwards to make sure the wedding couple gets exactly what they want....

Sandra Lopez2 said:Hahaha... unbelievable. 🙂

Either put me to work or my father-in-law. 😉

you... and the photographer... 😍

p.s. I make the best cannoli in the entire country... and by the time I get to your little party, I'll have picked up even more tricks... before I run into Zack, I’m planning on stopping at every single bakery in town for a pastry... I'll arrive perfectly fueled up...

anyway, I'm outta here before I get reprimanded...

Oh, and an idea... there's this flawless little bakery in the marina, right near SI.... I think they're doing a massive expansion... my cake came from there 😍

Sandra Lopez2 said:Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent bakery or pastry shop in San Diego? 🙂

Yeah... handmade, top tier, called... Forumites-Weddings in California....
Trust me, nothing beats them. (We just need to see Blackie in action 😍)

cosmicdrifter86 said:😉

Look, I'm just one happy young woman!!!!!!!!!! I'm constantly at some party, or another—honestly, I've practically gone broke from it—but I love giving advice, for nothing, obviously... I've seen it all, heard it all, so some of these comments just strike me as hilarious😂...

It really just comes down to personal taste. Sadly, that's how it works. You can't explain why so many people have such bizarre perspectives. Anyway, sincere congratulations on everything turning out so perfectly for you. It’s great that you’re sharing your happiness and your recommendations with us... I'm certain your advice will be gold for anyone looking to tie the knot in the future.👍

cosmicdrifter86 said:Not pleasant?????????????????????😕 😕I don't see what's so "unpleasant" about it—whether you listen to them or Viva, it's the same thing. But honestly, the local girl is way more engaged with Barbary; she's talking to everyone and acting approachable. It feels like everyone is actually participating in the party, almost like they're the hosts rather than just guests... plus, the price is like 1,000 bucks cheaper, so you tell me!!!!!! To me, and a lot of others, Thousand is wayyyyyyy better.🙄

I think you missed the mark here... it looks incredibly tacky when you suddenly start promoting them across five or six different threads... especially when you didn't even bother to notice that those same people have already been bragging about it for ages. A single honest endorsement of your satisfaction would have been enough for everyone to get it... but this? (At least to me) it reeks of some cheap, forced advertisement....
And yeah, a thousand dollars is a massive amount of money.... I agree with you there.

Maybe take a second to actually look back... just scroll through a few pages or a couple of posts earlier... It’s pretty obvious that Studio In and Barbary are constantly plugging themselves and fishing for compliments. This kind of aggressive, non-stop advertising popping up everywhere? It’s just not a good look.

nimblewolf22 said:They don't have round tables... Does anyone know if Villa Žarko or Hotel St. Croix on Catalina Island have round tables?

Hotel Holy Cross has them. Villa Zarko doesn't. But I can tell you where to rent some—just keep in mind that according to our intel, Villa Zarko won't be serving any Budweiser after New Year's Day.

nimblewolf22 said:It’s a struggle keeping up with that other thread and pulling out everything I actually need... Is there any way to find a decent professional for church music here in Miami? In NYC, you have that whole department at the seminary dedicated to liturgical singing—they show up for weddings and stuff—but that’s a bit too far out for me to hire. I’d much rather handle this locally.... As for wedding bands, I won't even bother asking; from what I can tell, finding anyone available by late next year is already looking like a long shot.😢

I once hired a girl straight from a conservatory to sing an Ave Maria during a mass... but look, where is the wedding actually happening? Which church? They might be able to point you in the right direction. There are plenty of nuns in most churches who sing beautifully, but as for actual pro vocalists coming out of a seminary? I haven't heard of it. Honestly, I've never even heard one.