Posts by Paul Morales12

Justin Bennett61 said:The BBQ was back in June😁

And then—either they hiked up the prices for next summer, or they just think they can fleece us because we're Americans
hey, please—can you double-check if that $55 price actually included drinks?

Justin Bennett61 said:You definitely need to swing by the Hilton... their mashed potatoes are seriously amazing... and if you want a smaller reception, they can set it up outdoors... prices are around $55-$65... I don't get the rumors about it being $70 or more... a friend of mine had her party there and paid $55 per person😉)) they came by boat from Savannah to Seget and it was absolutely perfect... she had 80 people!!!!

There's a good band, even though you mentioned you didn't want one—Bruno Band (they actually live in Germany) plays pretty much everything... pop, folk, international hits, classics... they're great and not nearly as pricey😉))) 😁

What is wrong with you guys? When I got married back in 2008, they wanted $100 per person at Lava without drinks... I thought they were joking... so I kept walking and found San Antonio... nicer, better, and almost half the price... and that was it😉 Love at first sight, and the guests were perfect!!!!

Lava is seriously overkill when it comes to pricing... I was at a party there (okay, honestly, everything was top-tier, but still...) it's for people who want to drop something like $150,000 for 100 guests, which is way too expensive for us mere mortals...😢

Wait, when exactly was that sale happening? I’m starting to wonder if that $60 price tag was actually just for the pizza alone—maybe they didn't even include the wings in that total?!
So, some friends of mine over in England are planning a little getaway for next summer—they're looking at August, I believe—and they’ve actually booked a huge party for themselves! They’re paying about $78 per person, which is quite a chunk, but hey, that includes all the drinks, so it's a pretty solid deal in my book. They did their homework, though—they checked out Saint Croix as well, where they were offered a rate of around $49. They aren't being picky eaters or anything—not at all!—they just want our classic, standard menu. Honestly, sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to go, right?

Sarah Reyes2 said:Thank you so much! I don't actually live in Savannah, so any recommendations or advice are truly appreciated. The wedding isn't for another year, and we're looking at about 80-100 guests. Ideally, I’d love a venue with a little terrace area for smokers and a view of the ocean. Everyone keeps raving about the Hilton, but it's easily twice the price of everything else. Well, once I make it down to Savannah, I'll definitely go check out all the venues you guys suggested. At least now I have a starting point. Thanks a million!

One more quick question—since I'm not a local Californian, I was wondering what a standard banquet menu usually looks like. Is it typically things like cured meats, cheese, risotto, and pot roast? It seems a bit meat-heavy to me, and I'd much prefer seafood and fish. Does anyone have suggestions or personal experiences to share?

Also, if you have any DJ recommendations, please let me know, because we've decided against a live band. Almost all of my guests live outside the US—places like the former USSR, America, Australia, Canada, Western Europe, Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, Israel, and so on. Because of that, we really need a DJ who can mix a wide variety of musical styles.

Thanks in advance!

The Bellevue venue won't take a booking for fewer than 130 people. My guest count was actually a bit under that, but I worked it out with them so that I’d just pay for the full 130. Honestly, I didn't mind paying for those 10 "empty" seats because the space is just fantastic—the staff is so easy to work with, the food is incredible, and—this is the big one—you can actually smoke inside the hall.

For my own wedding, I went with ham, cheese, French onion soup, octopus salad, and tuna pâté for the appetizers. Then came the classics: black and white risotto. After that, we did shellfish (I decided to skip the beef stew entirely!) followed by lamb with roasted potatoes and salad, and then, of course, the desserts and cake. Personally, I think the shellfish was a total home run—everything disappeared in a flash! We went through about 50 pounds of them. But, since everyone there was a local Californian used to eating shellfish, it worked perfectly. I wouldn't mess around with it if the crowd wasn't into it, though—shellfish can be heavy and might upset someone's stomach, especially late at night.

Check out the place near Saint Croix; they have this new hall now that's separate from the hotel and sits right on the beach. A friend of mine had her party there—let me reach out to her and I'll send you the details via DM.

Justin Bennett61 said:The food in Phoenix just wasn't hitting the mark for me—nothing at all. I finally got back home and immediately went looking for something decent to eat... I guess it’s just a matter of taste, though. I’m usually someone who really appreciates a solid, well-made meal.

Can we hold on a second—I was at those banquets recently. One group had maybe 170 guests, while the other two were well over that mark.🙂 200 guests—and honestly, the food was excellent.🙂

Bellevue is nice, but personally, I’m more of a Hilton fan—they have this incredible terrace. Their mashed potatoes are actually top-tier, too. They don't do round tables, but that’s a minor trade-off for the other details in the room. Saint Croix is alright, but honestly, the food is better at the Hilton or Bellevue. 😁 Vesna’s flower shop is decent—there's also one over by the 7-Eleven at the newsstand... works perfectly fine. Can't recall the name right now.😉)) if you're looking for catering, hit up Hotel Pašike... they also handle small weddings perfectly😉)))

Personally, I'm not huge on the ballroom at the Hilton—it's shaped like an L and lacks those round tables, plus, in my opinion, they're a bit pricey. I know people getting married there next year, and the price tag is around $78 per person. What is truly stunning, though, is the cocktail hour by the pool—you've got beautiful green grass everywhere, and the ocean is right there... it's genuinely lovely.

I think that little newsstand-flower shop combo by the college might not even be open anymore.

Hotel Pašike looks absolutely stunning—if I were hosting a dinner instead of a big wedding reception, and had fewer guests, I would definitely choose them. I saw a baptism held there recently and the setup looked spectacular. As for the food, though, I haven't tried it myself.

Sarah Reyes2 said:I’m looking for some intel on venues, photographers, florists, and all that good stuff for a wedding in Santa Barbara. Does anyone have a ballpark idea of what the pricing looks like lately? I’d be so grateful for any recommendations from people who’ve recently tied the knot... help! 🙂

Well, I actually got married during my fifth month of pregnancy over in Savannah at the Bellevue venue—and honestly, they were wonderful! The price ended up being around $40 per person, plus maybe an extra couple of bucks if you're feeling fancy and want an omelet station. The food was absolutely top-notch; my dad is actually a chef, so he’s pretty hard to please, but even he didn't have a single complaint! Now, the Saint Croix venue has this new spot right on the beach—I haven't been myself, but I think they're charging closer to $50. There was also Medena when I was scouting around, which was about $42. As for flowers, I just ordered them separately and did all the decorating myself—it was a bit of a project, but fun! Oh, and if you go with Bellevue, they actually handle the table arrangements for you; they put flowers on every table except the head table, and there's no extra charge for that at all.
When are you planning to tie the knot? Personally, I thought the Bellevue venue in Savannah was just lovely, and the food? Seriously, best I've had.

rustyfox25 said:If you want the widest variety of rings, you should check out Vegas Jewelers; they're tucked away in that little alleyway right between the main plaza and the farmer's market. They specialize specifically in wedding bands, so if you have a unique vision in mind, you can pretty much custom order whatever you want. Most other jewelers in the city can make anything you desire, provided you actually have an idea of what you're looking for if you don't want the standard stuff. I ended up getting mine at MediaCorp near The Pentagon—it's right next to Tiffany & Co.—because I snagged a 20% discount at a bridal expo. Hopefully, that helps even just a little bit.😉

I actually bought my set at Meta Jewelers as well! I hit up that same bridal fair, and man, they really did have the widest variety. My partner and I even ended up doing this little DIY mashup using parts from two different pairs 🙂—see, he wasn't crazy about the men's band I picked out, and I wasn't totally feeling his, but since they were super similar styles, we just combined them into one perfect set.
Here are some photos!
http://public.fotki.com/acivadel/vere/vere-1.html

I did fall in love with the pieces at Cleveland Jewelers, but—oof—they are just way out of my budget.

Jason Davis5 said:Check out this gorgeous one I stumbled upon online

I’m actually obsessed with this design, though I think I’d personally leave out the fruit 🙂

Our cake is going to look exactly like this


Except we’re adding an extra tier and decorating it with real red roses. I actually picked up a picture of this a few months ago; my husband was absolutely floored by it, so now the design is just sitting at my aunt’s bakery waiting to be brought to life 😁😁,
but honestly...
Now Nathan Cox25 has totally planted a seed of doubt in my head—or rather, thrown a wrench in my plans—because the more I stare at it, the more I realize my husband might actually kill me if I suggest changing the cake design after all this. And oh boy... 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I’m actually obsessed with this design, though I think I’d personally leave out the fruit 🙂

Our cake is going to look exactly like this


Except we’re adding an extra tier and decorating it with real red roses. I actually picked up a picture of this a few months ago; my husband was absolutely floored by it, so now the design is just sitting at my aunt’s bakery waiting to be brought to life 😁😁,
but honestly...
Now Nathan Cox25 has totally planted a seed of doubt in my head—or rather, thrown a wrench in my plans—because the more I stare at it, the more I realize my husband might actually kill me if I suggest changing the cake design after all this. And oh boy... 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I’m actually obsessed with this design, though I think I’d personally leave out the fruit 🙂

Our cake is going to look exactly like this


Except we’re adding an extra tier and decorating it with real red roses. I actually picked up a picture of this a few months ago; my husband was absolutely floored by it, so now the design is just sitting at my aunt’s bakery waiting to be brought to life 😁😁,
but honestly...
Now Nathan Cox25 has totally planted a seed of doubt in my head—or rather, thrown a wrench in my plans—because the more I stare at it, the more I realize my husband might actually kill me if I suggest changing the cake design after all this. And oh boy... 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I honestly just absolutely love how this cake turned out! 👍

I’ll definitely post a photo of my own once I have a decent shot—I haven't even managed to grab the pictures from my guests yet, and goodness knows when those professional shots will actually arrive!

I could really use some help here,
does anyone happen to know where I can pick up some bouquet sticks? I'm looking for something exactly like the ones in this photo:


Uploaded with Imgur

If anyone knows a spot where I could grab these in Savannah or maybe San Francisco, let me know!

Adam Vaughn said:Does anyone happen to know a baker who makes cookies like these? The girl who makes them is out of town right when we’re craving them most 😢
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php...type=1&theater

I unfortunately don't know who makes them, but I did manage to track down a recipe online for those kinds of cookies
http://coolrecepti.blogspot.com/2010...tino-srca.html

Maybe try asking someone in your family—if they're feeling generous—to whip some up for you if you don't need a massive batch!

Steven Wilson70 said:I'll jump in—I think this looks awesome!! It’s totally my vibe, and honestly, wherever you serve this, people are gonna love it!! 🙂

Thank you, thank you so much!
I was actually starting to spiral a little bit and think they looked a bit unappealing since nobody had said anything—so I kept staring at the photo over and over, second-guessing everything...

Bryan Gomez90 said:As for me, I’ll pass... looks like I’m headed for a rough time. Besides, what exactly is in that chocolate cup? And where were you planning on putting it? At home, or just kidding?

It’s actually tiramisu inside! Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out my game plan for them—I have no idea how many I'll actually manage to pull off, since making these tiny little chocolate shells is such a massive time sink!

Paul Morales12 said:What do you guys think of this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Just a quick little note—the actual vision here was to have strawberries dipped in chocolate tucked along the side, but since I didn't have any berries on hand at the moment, what you're actually looking at is an apple slice paired with a mint leaf 😍
I just wanted to get a sense of how the final presentation should look!

Nobody's said a word about my dessert yet... 😕
Is it really that bad? Honestly, don't hold back—I can take the heat! If you have some constructive criticism, please, let it rip!

Bryan Gomez90 said:It won’t fall apart... I actually used one of the boxes to test just how much weight those cookies could handle while I was lugging them around... it held up... barely. There isn't any actual excitement left, just pure adrenaline at this point... and you're getting pretty close too, aren't you? We've drifted off-topic, but I'd estimate the doctor will be in the hall around 7:30. Maybe grab a few appetizers while the guests settle in, then we can kick off the main event at 8:00.

That sounds great! I haven't received my little boxes yet, so I haven't really gotten a feel for how they look in person or how much they can actually take, but hearing your firsthand account makes me feel so much better about everything.

Yeah, I'm getting there too—May 21st can't come soon enough! I'm dying to hear how it goes since we'll be in the same venue. Actually, since I live just a few blocks away from the hall, maybe I could swing by and sketch you next Saturday?😁

Bryan Gomez90 said:😉 We ended up with the same ones. After I bought those smaller versions, I realized they were just too tiny, so I went back to swap them for something larger. These are exactly the right size. 👍

I'm honestly just crossing my fingers that the whole thing doesn't fall apart the second I slide the cake inside 😲
but hey, your big day is creeping up fast—are you feeling any nerves yet? And roughly what time are you guys planning to head into the banquet hall?

Bryan Gomez90 said:Before I lose my mind, will a 12.5x12.5x9cm box actually hold 25 ounces of cookies? And honestly, how many cookies does anyone typically cram into these things?
This is the box I'm looking at, and now I’m starting to think I should have just gone for a larger size.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...0&tx=55&ty=123

I totally swiped your idea, and I feel a little guilty about it—not really, but still! 😉
I immediately checked out that website and sent a message to my friend over in Chicago to head over there and grab some boxes for me—though, in hindsight, I definitely should have picked up the larger ones
Thanks so much for the inspiration and the link!

Kevin White5 said:Where are you planning to make this?

Well, my brother’s girlfriend and I actually teamed up to pull this off—and even my future mother-in-law pitched in to help with all the decor!
It was one of those spontaneous "hey, let's see if this actually works" moments—we just decided to dive in and test it out—and honestly, we were so thrilled with the result that we’re already thinking about doing the exact same thing for the wedding!

What do you guys think of this:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Just a quick little note—the actual vision here was to have strawberries dipped in chocolate tucked along the side, but since I didn't have any berries on hand at the moment, what you're actually looking at is an apple slice paired with a mint leaf 😍
I just wanted to get a sense of how the final presentation should look!

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction—does anyone happen to know a good stripper for a bachelorette party? I’m looking for someone here in Savannah

Bryan Gomez90 said:Paul Morales12 You really saved my skin with that number for the pastry chef from the Mississippi Delta... He can actually whip up a massive tiered cake based on a photo you bring him. I sent one over to my mom today and he handled everything immediately. Honestly, I'm just relieved. 🙂

I am seriously so glad I could help!!

Bryan Gomez90 said:Could you please DM me the phone number for that bakery 🙂? I have a wedding coming up on April 30th. How about you?

I'll shoot you the number via private message (just trying to play by the rules here :-) — wouldn't want to get scolded by the mods!).
mine is May 21st.