Everything you need for a California wedding
in Weddings ·
I just wanted to share this with everyone because this forum actually helped me stay organized during the wedding planning process!!
In just four days, I managed to book all the big essentials—the venue, the photographer, the band, and the church!! The wedding was back in April 2010, and honestly, everything turned out wonderful.
-The desserts and the main cake were from Delta! I am beyond thrilled! The cakes disappeared almost immediately; they were just that good. And their delivery service is something you don't have to worry about at all, which was such a relief.
-As for the band, we had Bob Dylan (the trio version), and I couldn't be happier!!! The energy was fantastic, and the dance floor stayed full (even though smoking wasn't allowed in the hall). Toward the end of the night, I told the lead singer he could head home since only a few people were left, but he insisted on playing one last set just so I could sit down if I didn't feel like dancing anymore ;-) Truly, nothing but praise. Everyone kept asking me for the band's info because they had such a great time! And they played exactly what we requested; we specifically asked them to skip the cheesy songs, and they stuck to the brief perfectly!
-The venue isn't exactly something you'd see in Forbes, but it was perfectly fine. They’ve done some remodeling; it used to be quite dreadful, but now it's non-smoking (which I personally preferred). The staff was incredibly helpful, and our guests couldn't stop raving about the servers. The food was decent too. Most importantly, the pricing was actually very reasonable compared to other places we looked at.
-Regarding the photography by Annie Leibovitz—I am also extremely satisfied. It wasn't even overpriced, and I ended up with beautiful shots, a massive album, ten DVDs, and even a large canvas print of the two of us as a gift... I'm truly happy with it. Thank God the weather held up, so we were able to take photos out in the park and at the beach, which made for stunning pictures... even though I usually hate being in front of a camera. They weren't pushy at all, and they respected our wishes by removing certain shots from the DVDs and albums that we didn't want visible. They were with us throughout the whole reception, but I barely noticed them because they weren't intrusive or overwhelming. At the end, they even asked if they could leave; they didn't have any weird demands regarding how much they could shoot or film. Basically, they work until you tell them they can go, without any extra fees or attitude.
-For the dress, I went to Mila in Boise, and she is truly wonderful... The gown was lovely, and I think it suited me well (it's a Maggie Sottero style, if you want to look it up online). Renting there was about half the price of what they'd charge in Miami! There were no ultimatums or threats about what happens if I accidentally tear it or anything like that. In fact, I actually got quite a bit of makeup on the neckline, and I felt terrible about returning it in that state. She just laughed it off and told me not to worry about it, even if I had dipped the whole thing in powder. I didn't have to make special appointments for fittings or alterations either; she handled all the adjustments in about ten minutes. Plus, I was able to bring my bouquet, the cushion, the garter, hair accessories for the bridesmaid, and so on.
In the end, it was a joyful celebration, free of stress, drama, or any drunken messes... Just perfect. I would recommend every single vendor listed above to anyone, and I feel confident that I made the right choices.
Good luck to everyone!
In just four days, I managed to book all the big essentials—the venue, the photographer, the band, and the church!! The wedding was back in April 2010, and honestly, everything turned out wonderful.
-The desserts and the main cake were from Delta! I am beyond thrilled! The cakes disappeared almost immediately; they were just that good. And their delivery service is something you don't have to worry about at all, which was such a relief.
-As for the band, we had Bob Dylan (the trio version), and I couldn't be happier!!! The energy was fantastic, and the dance floor stayed full (even though smoking wasn't allowed in the hall). Toward the end of the night, I told the lead singer he could head home since only a few people were left, but he insisted on playing one last set just so I could sit down if I didn't feel like dancing anymore ;-) Truly, nothing but praise. Everyone kept asking me for the band's info because they had such a great time! And they played exactly what we requested; we specifically asked them to skip the cheesy songs, and they stuck to the brief perfectly!
-The venue isn't exactly something you'd see in Forbes, but it was perfectly fine. They’ve done some remodeling; it used to be quite dreadful, but now it's non-smoking (which I personally preferred). The staff was incredibly helpful, and our guests couldn't stop raving about the servers. The food was decent too. Most importantly, the pricing was actually very reasonable compared to other places we looked at.
-Regarding the photography by Annie Leibovitz—I am also extremely satisfied. It wasn't even overpriced, and I ended up with beautiful shots, a massive album, ten DVDs, and even a large canvas print of the two of us as a gift... I'm truly happy with it. Thank God the weather held up, so we were able to take photos out in the park and at the beach, which made for stunning pictures... even though I usually hate being in front of a camera. They weren't pushy at all, and they respected our wishes by removing certain shots from the DVDs and albums that we didn't want visible. They were with us throughout the whole reception, but I barely noticed them because they weren't intrusive or overwhelming. At the end, they even asked if they could leave; they didn't have any weird demands regarding how much they could shoot or film. Basically, they work until you tell them they can go, without any extra fees or attitude.
-For the dress, I went to Mila in Boise, and she is truly wonderful... The gown was lovely, and I think it suited me well (it's a Maggie Sottero style, if you want to look it up online). Renting there was about half the price of what they'd charge in Miami! There were no ultimatums or threats about what happens if I accidentally tear it or anything like that. In fact, I actually got quite a bit of makeup on the neckline, and I felt terrible about returning it in that state. She just laughed it off and told me not to worry about it, even if I had dipped the whole thing in powder. I didn't have to make special appointments for fittings or alterations either; she handled all the adjustments in about ten minutes. Plus, I was able to bring my bouquet, the cushion, the garter, hair accessories for the bridesmaid, and so on.
In the end, it was a joyful celebration, free of stress, drama, or any drunken messes... Just perfect. I would recommend every single vendor listed above to anyone, and I feel confident that I made the right choices.
Good luck to everyone!