I actually got married last fall in San Francisco, but unfortunately, I can't be much help beyond maybe lending you some makeup products. Most places offer a trial run, though if I remember correctly, they do charge for those sessions.
Regarding the makeup itself, Sejla did mine and I was really happy with the results.🙂 If you’re just looking for general recommendations for makeup artists in San Francisco, I could list a few names if that helps you out.. Amadea Makeup, Helena Makeup, IB Makeup, Maja Banic Makeup, or Josipa Svalina.
Sadly, I haven't personally worked with anyone else besides Sejla. :/🙂
steelheron10 said:We have our wedding before us, so if the church ends up being renovated by then, do we still have to pay for decor? And who am I even supposed to coordinate all this with, and when? Also, I really want someone to sing during the ceremony—where can I find info on that? We found a duo, but $133 paying them just for a few songs feels like way too much. Even just having one song during the processional would be great so it isn't dead silent.
We actually had a wedding right before us once, and yeah, you still have to pay. 😉 You’ll need to coordinate all of that directly with the priest.
As for the music, that's also something to discuss with the priest. He asked us if we wanted someone to sing or if we had our own musicians... we didn't have anyone, and honestly, we didn't want anyone either.
"We hired" a local lady to play the entrance music and the Alleluia... you know, the standard stuff.🙂
I signed up in August, even though the wedding was actually in September. Someone mentioned earlier that you can't register before then because they don't have an open "calendar" until that point, so they won't take the booking...
We originally wanted a Saturday, but we would have been fine with a Friday too. Since Fridays aren't quite as "high demand," they were much easier to book.🙂
Since we don't live in St. Louis anymore, coordinating all these details was a little more complicated because everything went through my mom rather than me directly.
Even though I wasn't (in my humble opinion 🤣) a demanding bride—in fact, I practically vetoed everything my mom arranged!—I did have a few specific things that were non-negotiable. I handled those arrangements myself when the time came because I didn't want any compromises. Everything else just flowed as it may. And now, there's that famous saying: we had a blast! Because I didn't let myself get overwhelmed, everything stayed relaxed, and it was truly great fun. 👏
Regarding the ceremony location and the venue, I really wanted Manhattan Island (mostly because, let's be honest, there's no point in lying 🙂). Plus, it was just practical. I had a lot of out-of-town guests who weren't from St. Louis, and I didn't want them driving around lost in the city. It was simply the easiest option.
Actually, I decided ahead of time that the church would be right by the hall, so once I picked the venue, I chose a church nearby.
Am I a believer? Yes. Do I "kiss altars"? Not really, though even if I did, the priest who married us wouldn't know! Aside from major holidays in Miami, I'm not at church constantly. Besides, no priest in my local parish has stayed long enough to recognize me at Mass several years in a row.
Regardless, you have nothing to lose by asking, and we will keep our fingers crossed for you!🙂
As for makeup recommendations, I highly suggest Liar (Sarah). I can't speak to hair styling, but I always go to her for my makeup and I'm always satisfied. 🙂 She is so sweet, charming, and easygoing... honestly, she's wonderful. 🙂 And it's worth mentioning that she's very affordable!
I have some experience here 🙂 It isn't really our parish (and it wasn't my husband's either, since he isn't from St. Louis), so we actually had to do quite a bit of convincing just to get them to let us marry there. They tend to get a little frustrated because everyone wants to hold their wedding there "just" because the setting is beautiful, rather than because they actually belong to that parish... We managed to talk them into it, so fingers crossed you can pull it off too! 🙂
Also, I didn't have "my" specific priest; we were married by a priest from that church instead...
Does anyone have any recommendations for good local bakeries in NYC? I just got married and I’d love to treat the office folks who couldn't make it to the wedding... I also need something that can be put together pretty quickly 🙂
I don't want to offend anyone—and trust me, I absolutely love accordion players and tambourine groups, and I hit up their shows all the time—but this event feels a bit more "refined," so maybe an accordion isn't the right vibe.
Then there’s my other dilemma: the groom isn't from California (and honestly, neither are most of his guests, haha), so would it look out of place to hire a traditional vocal group?
I definitely wouldn't dictate their entire song list, but I also don't want them singing slow, heartbreaking ballads. I want them to actually know what kind of energy to bring! Hahaha 🙂)
Ultimately, I think we need a group with instruments and someone who knows how to keep the party going. We really need coverage for the transition from the restaurant to St. Anthony's Catholic Church and back... about 40 minutes at most.
I urgently need to find a musician or singer to perform in front of the church... I'm looking for someone who can start singing in thirty minutes at the absolute most.
Does anyone have a recommendation? And what would be a realistic price for something like this?🙂
Well, I’ve actually been thinking the same thing lately... maybe there’s a local baker out there who does everything from scratch at home but still has a professional reputation? I honestly can’t decide if I even need them yet, though I'm sure someone here might have an opinion (no Grasso jokes, please!) but I'll definitely look into it regardless.
If anyone happens to have a recommendation for a talented home baker, I’m all ears!🙂
And thank you so much for those cake recommendations you shared earlier, they were lovely!🙂
I’m looking for some dessert recommendations here in San Diego... But I don't want the usual, basic stuff. I’m craving something a bit more indulgent and visually stunning (at least in my eyes). Maybe some fancy cupcakes, cake pops, or even macarons? What do you all think?
Thanks for the info! 🙂 I ended up choosing a salad with Caesar dressing, so I’m not entirely sure what the lighting situation is like over there, but this gave me a pretty good idea. 🙂)
amberhawk60 said:They're just slashing prices for no reason, everything is pretty much the same everywhere. They all provide the same thing—light shows, dance floors (moving heads, LED lighting, fog, bubble machines, room coloring), and no matter how hard they try to justify charging 4-$1667, it just doesn't add up to me. The lighting isn't any worse than $1000. A friend used Samuel Fi and was super happy with them.
What does Samuel charge? I’m not looking to overspend, just something decent.
I reached out to him, but he was fully booked, so we didn't even get a chance to talk numbers. Though, if I caught that correctly, a session of just photos is over $10... so... 🙂
I’ve been shopping around specifically for photo-only packages, and honestly, the pricing caught me off guard. At first, I was ready to pull the trigger on the photographer I originally wanted, but then I started second-guessing everything after hearing how much more I'd end up paying (even though they are pretty high-profile and definitely worth the hype). So, I decided to do some digging and realized most prices fall right in that same range... maybe an inch or two higher or lower. With this particular person, looking at their portfolio alone, I think I'd be absolutely thrilled with the results.
Unless you've actually reached out to Marinkovic and he confirmed he's available, he could be booked up for the next year or more. If that's the case, maybe you can just "drop" him right now?
I sent a message over to the local florist more than ten days ago, and I still haven't heard a single word back. Honestly, isn't that just unprofessional?
I reached out to them immediately after seeing all those glowing reviews online, but clearly, that wasn't enough..
I tend to worry about the exact same things because I’m such a perfectionist. But honestly? I’ve decided to just let go and speak my mind: things will happen the way they happen, and that’s that. There’s really no point in stressing over it all.
I had to get myself under control for the sake of the wedding. It required a deposit, yet I was constantly agonizing over every little "what if."
I eventually realized—and I still feel this way today—that if you have a great group of people around you, everything can go wrong and people will still find a way to have fun. Maybe the music is the most important part, but I totally agree with you on that. For me, it’s a constant state of panic; I panic about everything. But does that help me move forward? No. Will I end up sick during these last nine months if I keep this up? Absolutely.
The bottom line is that you and your fiancé need to be happy, and that's all that matters! Everyone at the party is there to honor the two of you; they aren't going to nitpick something just to hurt your feelings. And even if something isn't perfect, once you realize it (whether it's ten days or ten years after the wedding), I can personally vouch for this: you just shrug and say, "Whatever, it wasn't a big deal, we had an amazing time anyway."🙂
It's vital to remember that the day doesn't rest entirely on your shoulders. You have to enjoy yourself no matter what, because it’s *your* day. It would be crazy otherwise, right? That's how I'm training my own mindset.
What I'm really trying to say is this: if a friend lets a wedding be ruined just because the food wasn't as perfect as if their own mother had cooked it, then honestly, that's not much of a friend.
The goal is to celebrate that beautiful day, not to obsess over every detail. I mean, most people love to eat, but that shouldn't be the most important thing!
So, choose the people who actually suit you! Choose the studio that fits your style and the makeup artist you actually like (even if she's super expensive and everyone else thinks she's overrated). You are the one who needs to be satisfied.😁
Every wedding has its hiccups because most of us are doing this for the first time. Those are the things you should be able to laugh at rather than letting them ruin your moment.
Amadeus really hit her with a tough price point.. btw, can you actually opt for just one or zero pairs of lashes to keep the cost lower??!
Helen definitely caught me off guard with her pricing—specifically that extra charge for contouring. The base price is actually pretty reasonable on its own!
Regarding traveling to the bride, what Helen does is much more convenient. But then again, she has plenty of experience with "everyday" makeup looks, not just weddings.. so obviously, she doesn't have her own dedicated studio.. though I assume if you're out in the suburbs or somewhere like San Francisco, she'd probably charge extra for travel expenses..
I agree that having a makeup artist come directly to you is a total game changer, though I have to head to the salon for my hair anyway, so it doesn't matter much to me..
It makes perfect sense, really. They end up burning through both their inventory and their time. But if I were running my own makeup business? I’d try something different. I’d offer a full-price trial session first. Then, if you decide to book me for the long haul, that day becomes either totally free or half off. 😁