Posts by Kyle James4

I actually had my wedding on July 17, 2010, in San Francisco; everything passed by so quickly, almost like a dream... now, after some time has gone by, I am finally able to truly reflect on the ceremony itself 🙂 alongside the photos and all the feedback from our guests, who kept telling us how wonderful the organization was and how beautifully everything unfolded!! 🙂
After receiving so much helpful advice on this forum while we were preparing, I really wanted to share my own experiences with all the brides-to-be out there 🙂

The Beach Boys: they were true professionals; they played a wide variety of music since we had guests visiting from Germany, and the atmosphere was just incredible—they really deserve a lot of praise 👍
Flowers & Decor: we used Jack’s florist in San Francisco; Aunt Mary was absolutely wonderful! I chose a "fuchsia and peony" theme, and she executed everything so beautifully and uniquely!
Catering Pimpinella: we opted for a rather expensive menu, but everyone was genuinely delighted; the food was excellent, and several guests still talk about how great the meal was 🙂
Church: It felt like an Ivan Meštrović masterpiece; the setting was breathtaking! We held our Holy Mass outdoors at 6:00 PM, which was lovely... though I must admit, it was incredibly, incredibly hot...!!!
Car: we rented a white convertible Cadillac from a private classic car enthusiast out in San Diego... the photos turned out absolutely stunning 👍
Focus Video: they traveled in from Washington, D.C., because we couldn't find a photo and video team in San Francisco that we liked for our specific date; the guys really went above and beyond; the pictures are just perfect!!!!!
Makeup: Antonia Guc: she isn't just a professional, but she is also such a beautiful person!!! She calmed my nerves with her kind words and did such amazing work with my makeup! 😘
Hair: Art Hair over in Mejas! 👍 Joseph gave all of us such wonderful hairstyles; he is such a pleasant guy, and we truly enjoyed the preparation process with him!

If I could offer one piece of advice, I would suggest that everyone coordinates all the small details with a family member in advance and writes everything down on a checklist...!! I tended to put things off, always telling myself that "there will be plenty of time"...
Looking back, I suppose I felt a bit regretful that we had certain "little things" that didn't bother anyone else, but that we ultimately had to pay for ourselves...
It can be quite tricky when a family member or close relative stays until very late or oversees the final bill... for instance, we "ran out" of whiskey incredibly fast, even though we hadn't noticed guests drinking it... or perhaps there was too much cake and wedding dessert left over—I forgot to distribute it to the guests, and I wasn't allowed to take food back to the hotel ;-)) ...so, a fair amount of it unfortunately went to waste...:-(((
I found out later that some of the cakes weren't even taken home :-(( I felt so bad for the guests who had gone through the trouble of making homemade treats, only for someone else to end up carrying them home...

But I suspect the heat might have played a part too—it was actually the hottest day of the year (about 100°F)... we were absolutely sweltering... 😲

If I have been able to help in any way, it would make me happy. Wishing you all the very best!! 🙂

Bog cura,

I haven't checked in here for a little while... I'm actually out in San Francisco right now, though I have to admit I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed because there is still so much work left to do... and I've "only" got two months to go.

I was wondering if anyone might be able to recommend a good hairstylist in the San Francisco or Ojai area? I'm really looking to get some volume and lift in my hair...😕

And does anyone know a good makeup artist? I've heard a few names floating around, like Mattea, Lucia, or Antonia... If anyone happens to have experience working with them, please feel free to reach out to me here on the forum or send me a private message. I would really value your recommendations, and you're more than welcome to send over some photos if you have them!! 🙂
HVALA!!!! 🙏

Amanda Green5 said:Hey everyone, would someone be so kind as to share the contact info for the makeup artists Anthony, Nancy, and Lucy? I’d really appreciate it.

Oh my goodness, I think I might need their numbers too. It would be absolutely wonderful if anyone could share them, and maybe, if you happen to know a great hairstylist in the Los Angeles area, that would be amazing as well... thank you!

Kevin Baker2 said:🙂 😠First off, I never actually thought they’d turn us away. It turns out organizing a party for 300 people is somehow easier than managing one for 40.

And regarding the second point: it's starting to look like I'll need an agency after all. I was actually looking forward to planning the wedding myself, but life had other plans.

Hmm, maybe they would accept you in Omaha at the Hotel Villa Dvor!www.hotel-villadvor.hr
They have this incredibly beautiful terrace overlooking the ocean, and I know for a fact they host smaller receptions. Personally, I think I'd lean towards going to Grasso's; a relative of mine had their celebration there with about 30 guests... it might be worth a shot!

There is also this one restaurant in Breckenridge; it's right near the main highway, featuring a lovely natural setting and a view of the water. The food is classic American fare, but it's very high quality and delicious. The service is excellent too!! You could definitely create something special there that still feels stylish and organic.
I don't recall the exact address, but let me try to describe it: It's roughly 250 meters before you reach the main entrance to Breckenridge, where you can head down toward the coast along the main road leading to the beach; you can take a right turn on the seaside side. There are two restaurants that share a courtyard. The "tavern" style place is the one closer to Omaha—you'll see it, it has a terrace with an ocean view on the second floor. (If you miss it, just turn around once you hit the entrance to Breckenridge and look back; then it should be on your left ;-)))

I really hope you find something; if it were me, I'd probably go there. :-)

George Bennett9 said:I was at that same bachelor bash, but I'm not entirely sure how low that price actually went, considering they charge for opening every single bottle—not just the champagne, but the wine too $13 🤷.
The group only brought their own wine, and even then, it was just red, served with lamb. As for dessert, they wouldn't dream of bringing any, nor would the guests think of taking leftovers, because anything left over stays at the hotel for their lunch the next day!!!

As for the atmosphere, it was fantastic—truly top-tier. The staff and service were excellent; if you can afford it, go for it, honestly, hats off to them!

Oh, and I'm not even certain if those $100 included drinks, given that they don't put standard large bottles on the tables, just those tiny 6-ounce pours, and oh, I almost forgot to mention—even the plain water was bottled! 😍

Well, thank you for sharing those details...👍Regarding the dessert situation...it sounds a bit unpleasant, but I guess it implies that the overall experience was actually quite high-end and well-executed...🙂
I think I might head down there myself to ask some questions...
If anyone else has reviews for Lion — please, do share!! Thank you! 🙂

Jack Murphy7 said:I actually heard something else entirely... I played the background music for a wedding dinner held at the Marriott... the rate was about $90, though the groom mentioned they negotiated a much lower price.
How that works, I have no idea... they charge for everything, opening the champagne, etc... but you negotiate the base price, starting at $90... and then it goes from there...

So, I guess it really can be cheaper...👍

Could you tell me a bit more about the overall atmosphere? How was the service?? The decor??? And what about the food? You know how it is—as a woman, I tend to notice every little detail.😉

Thanks!

Well, thanks for letting me know... $100 seems like a pretty steep price point to me 😲... I was wondering, what exactly does that cover???
Food?
Drinks?
Hard liquor?
Desserts??
Cake?
Decorations??
Flowers??

And how was the service?? I mean, were they actually allowed to keep the music playing until the early hours of the morning??

My concern is that if all those extra costs—like the decor, the champagne, and the hard liquor—are bundled together, it naturally drives up the cost per guest. So, I guess I'm wondering if everything really is included in that rate??? 😕
I would be so grateful for any information you can share, and if anyone happens to have some photos, that would be wonderful!! Please just send them my way... 👍
Thank you all so much!!

God bless,
I guess I haven't quite taken that next step yet... even though the days are just slipping by...😢

Does anyone happen to know what weddings are like at the Marriott? It’s a 5-star hotel, but I find myself wondering since I haven't heard any positive stories yet...😕
What are their banquet halls like? How is the food? And what about the pricing???

I would be so incredibly grateful for any information you might have!!! 👍
Thank you all so much!!

Dear fellow forum members,
I’ve been scrolling through countless pages dedicated to weddings in California (I think I saw over 5,000 posts)... I haven't quite managed to get through all 5,000 since there is so much casual chatting mixed in (a small critique, please don't be mad at me! 🙂... but I am really just looking for concrete information). Even if a lot of things are being repeated, I would truly appreciate it if you could help me out! :-)

I actually live in Germany, so trying to organize a wedding in California is proving to be a bit of a challenge, though I'm giving it my best shot because I have so much family coming in from out of town.
I am aiming for a wedding somewhere between Savannah and San Francisco for about 135 guests. I looked into Grace, which seems very exclusive, but then again, that might explain why I'm saving up for this instead of having a car... my main concern is finding enough space for everyone, and I'm also a little worried about rain in July... I know it's rare, but just imagine... we are all outside and suddenly it pours. We'd look like something straight out of a "Rain" music video by Guns N' Roses... ;-))

>>> Do you have any recommendations for a good restaurant or venue other than Tulsa or Marina Frapa???? (My friends and relatives have already held their weddings there, so I am hoping to find something "new.")
>>> Has anyone worked with Pimpinel Catering??? What is their reputation like? How is the food at a reception when they handle it?? Does anyone have a recommendation???

It would honestly be wonderful if you could answer and help me navigate this—I haven't quite figured out how to use the "search" function on these boards yet...

THANK YOU!!!