Posts by frozentiger2

😍
Hey ladies, so I finally tied the knot this past Saturday, and honestly? It was everything I pictured in my head and more. 😉 To give you the highlights, we had the Pink Panther playing, and they were absolutely incredible—they had the entire ballroom on their feet from the very first song. We basically didn't stop dancing. Our photographer, Siniša Srdanović, was such a great guy, super easy to talk to; we haven't seen the full set yet, but I caught a glimpse of my friend's shots and they look stunning. Our videographer, Mr. Matic, was also top-tier. Once I actually get my hands on the photos, I’ll post a few here so you can all see. We also had the Krakun choir singing during the ceremony, and those guys really delivered. They played "my villa" for the entrance, and let me tell you... you can probably imagine how many of us started sobbing right then and there. 🤣
I hope everyone has a day as wonderful as ours was, and that you all have the best time ever!!!!

Sandra Miller5 said:So, we’ve got our eyes on that restaurant in Florida! Does anyone actually have the scoop on them 😕? Like, what are we looking at for prices—is it an all-inclusive kind of vibe or what? Also, how big is the place? Is the owner cool and friendly or just strictly business? I'm looking for any and all info you guys might have! 🙏

We just booked the bolero venue ourselves. It’s about a month away, so I’ll be able to give you the full scoop then. From what I’ve gathered so far, though, the food and service are top-notch (which is exactly why we pulled the trigger). They're looking at $40 per chair.

frozentiger2 said:If you haven't locked down a photographer yet... you should just meet with them. Either Sinclair or Fox. Both of them ought to have full albums to show you. We dealt with both. I've seen work from both of them, so now it just comes down to whose style you prefer. Fox is great, too. One friend loved him, while another preferred the other guy.🙄
Personally, I'm leaning toward those more artistic shots, so Sinclair would probably suit me better; he's kind of similar to Matthews (just a bit more affordable and hasn't blown up quite as much yet)🤣
Regarding the band—yeah, they're pricey, but what can you do? If we absolutely *have* to have them, then we have to have them.😂

Oh, and don't even get me started on the DJ—that's a whole different ballgame. My brother had a DJ at his party once and man, it was rough. The guy basically ignored the crowd entirely. In my book, the music is the soul of the party, so there's no point in cheaping out there. On a different occasion, though, we had a setup that was absolutely killer.🤷

Olivia Lee5 said:frozentiger2, I actually reached out to Siniša again recently, but what I really need is to talk to someone he’s actually photographed before. It would be so helpful to see an entire wedding album rather than just a few highlight shots...

I also checked in with Lisjak, and honestly, his rates seem pretty reasonable... though, I guess if I could find someone he’s worked with who has a decent online portfolio, that would be ideal...

From what I've heard, Matić is charging about $1,500... and when you factor in another $1,000 for the camera gear... well, that's getting a bit steep for Matić...

As for the band... the Pink Panther isn't an option because they're just way too expensive... I really don't want to shell out more than $1,500 for music. I did manage to find a couple of rock bands that fit within that budget, though. But I was wondering—does anyone here have experience with DJs at weddings? Would you recommend going that route? It might actually be a pretty good alternative...

If you haven't locked down a photographer yet... you should just meet with them. Either Sinclair or Fox. Both of them ought to have full albums to show you. We dealt with both. I've seen work from both of them, so now it just comes down to whose style you prefer. Fox is great, too. One friend loved him, while another preferred the other guy.🙄
Personally, I'm leaning toward those more artistic shots, so Sinclair would probably suit me better; he's kind of similar to Matthews (just a bit more affordable and hasn't blown up quite as much yet)🤣
Regarding the band—yeah, they're pricey, but what can you do? If we absolutely *have* to have them, then we have to have them.😂

Olivia Lee5 said:Alright everyone, thanks so much for all the advice...
Regarding Beyoncé, I have to admit I’m feeling a little skeptical. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of bands out there that rock way harder than they do... 😉

On another note—about the photographer. Does anyone on here know if that talented guy Siniša Srdanović has any work I could actually look at? I’ve read some really kind words about him here, but I can't seem to find a website, and his Facebook page only has about two photos posted, so...

I think I'll go with Siniša, and my band choice will be the Pink Panther since they're the real rockers😂
If you want to see his shots, you pretty much have to be friends with him on social media (though I heard something about pages being shut down lately, so who knows?) but honestly, just give him a call and figure it out
I can also get you the contact info for the Pink Panther; I basically handled all my own bookings a year in advance🙂

Carol Mitchell6 said:Hey everyone...
Where can I find some decent cakes and pastries without getting absolutely robbed—I mean, looking for reasonable prices here—and also, how much lead time do I actually need to give them before I need the order?

I haven't had a chance to look yet either, but it seems like the Mississippi Delta might be a good bet, or maybe even Bobis?
I'm just not sure if I'm stuck with getting a cake from the specific bakery my mother-in-law keeps pushing because she's being difficult. I'll have to look into that.

quieteagle11 said:Hey, my fellow Californians, does anyone know where I can pick up some adhesive lapel strips?? And also, where's the best spot to grab some car decals??

Automotive trim? You mean those decorative ribbons? You can probably snag those at an Amazon warehouse in a small town in the Midwest or maybe even at a local hardware store.
As for the adhesive strips... man, tell me about it. I could actually use some of those myself (maybe check there too)🙂

So, here’s the situation with my girls,

We’ve pretty much tackled the big stuff, but we’re still staring down the barrel of my shoes, his suit, the invitations, and the thank-you notes....
I honestly have no clue where to even start looking for shoes. I haven't a prayer of knowing what the weather will be like in October, and since I’m dead set on finding something a loud, obnoxious shade of pink, it doesn't exactly make the hunt any easier.🤷
Also, does anyone have any actual recommendations for good suits? I know Mr. Motten and The Beatles are options, but is there anything else worth checking out? 🙂
As for the thank-you cards, I think I might just DIY them. I’ll probably find some supplies at Napa; isn't that usually the cheaper route?
We haven't even made a call on the invitations yet. Anyway, sorry for dumping all this on you—but hey, that's why we're all here, right?😁

velvetfalcon57 said:Hey everyone! Does anyone happen to know what the going rate is for Krakun? Seriously, I’ve been seeing them all over my feed lately—everyone is raving about them! I haven't actually had the chance to catch one of their sets live yet, but man, they sound absolutely incredible online. I'm actually thinking about booking them to perform at a little reception I'm hosting for some guests, but I am totally lost when it comes to what these kinds of gigs usually cost... any leads would be amazing! THANKS SO MUCH IN ADVANCE!🙂

We’re planning to convince The Beach Boys to play at our feast in October, though they'll actually be performing at the church for us. The guy is top-tier—you should definitely reach out to him and see if you can work something out on the price.👍

Everything looks great, thanks everyone.👍
I’ll probably have to give a few of them a call before I make up my mind.
My only real headache is the scheduling. I need hair and makeup done for myself, my mom, and my maid of honor... plus I'll need another session for just me on Monday when we do the photo shoot.🤣

Hey ladies,
can anyone help me pick a makeup artist??? I’m seriously losing my mind here... I'm stuck between Ana Benzon and Lucija Spajić. Both get rave reviews on the forums. Does anyone have actual experience with them? And if anyone could slide some photos my way, that would be absolutely amazinggggg :-

Morning, everyone. Just thought I’d pop in for a second to give you all a little update...
So, we finally pulled the trigger on a photographer. We decided to go with Siniša.👍
Honestly, I’m thrilled with the shots he sent over, and he’s been such a pleasure to work with—seriously, nothing but good things to say about him. If everything goes this smoothly at the wedding, I’ll be one happy person.
Like I mentioned before, we were actually torn between Lisjak, Matić, and Siniša. Lisjak is a great guy and super easygoing, but his style just wasn't quite our vibe. We found ourselves leaning more toward the way Matić or Siniša approach things. That said, Matić was way out of our budget—and apparently, he even raised his prices this year.🤷,
Anyway, catch you later.

Kate Gonzalez said:If you're looking for options, you could always arrange a reception at The Plaza Hotel; they offer special wedding and event pricing, and the terrace out front of St. Patrick would be absolutely stunning for the dinner reception.🙂

So, where exactly is this located? And do you have a contact number or someone I should reach out to?🙏

Anthony Bennett6 said:Usually, they don't charge a rental fee for the space itself! It just depends on the menu and how much everyone drinks—basically, you pay based on the headcount and the tab at the end.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Did you end up hosting an actual reception there, and what did they end up billing you? Because if they’re just charging per drink based on the standard menu, and every guest decides to knock back five rounds... the bill could get pretty ridiculous, right?😕 I was actually thinking about trying to negotiate a flat fee with them, or maybe something like an open bar limited to specific drinks.

Does anyone have any idea what the rental fee for the Luxor near Saint Duje would be for just a few hours before a banquet? We were thinking about hosting the guest reception there right in front of the church, instead of doing that whole "meet at his place" routine elsewhere.

So, we finally locked in the venue—an Elvis Presley ballroom—for October 11th. I’ve heard nothing but glowing reviews about the place, which is pretty much why we pulled the trigger. The aesthetic is great and the food is supposed to be top-tier. My only real hang-up was when the manager mentioned they might provide their own dessert spread. Honestly? Not happening. I know so many amazing women who make incredible homemade treats, and I'd much rather have those. So, for now, we’ve struck a deal: we’ll take the wedding cake and champagne from them, but all the other desserts will be homemade.🙏
Also, does anyone happen to know what their wine selection is like? I know nobody cares, but it’s actually on my mind.😕

Raymond Brooks7 said:Have you checked his website yet? My photos are actually up there too... if those aren't enough, I can send you some more. 😉
The plan was to get the shots done that day, before the guests arrived (I’m really not a fan of "slipping away" from my own party), but the weather turned sour and ruined everything. We had to push the shoot to Monday...
As for the packages, I don't know what his current lineup looks like, but we ended up doing a mix of packages 2 and 3. He suggested package 2, but I ended up adding a few extras to the order...

I took a look at his site and spent some time looking through his work. Honestly? He seems like a totally decent guy. We haven't officially pulled the trigger on a photographer yet, but that Monday session is starting to look like a pretty solid plan.🙂

nimbletinker4 said:frozentiger2 I I have to say, Lisjak was such a pro at taking photos, and our venue was the Bolero.
I went with the third package from Lisjak, and honestly, the shots turned out incredible. 🙂 We did all our posing that morning before the reception because we didn't want to be "running away" from our guests later on... I really can't say enough good things about him; he’s just so incredibly charming, constantly smiling while he works, and you can tell he truly loves what he does.🙏
As for the Bolero crew, they stuck to everything we agreed upon, so I have zero complaints. The only thing was that before the party started, I heard a lot of negative rumors—people saying they serve cold food or turn down the music too much. We made sure to sit them down right away and let them know those things were absolutely not an option, and we gave the band a heads-up too, so everything went off without a hitch.😉

Hey, User123, look, it’s not like we’re trying to dodge our guests or anything... but you know how the girls have been dreaming about this whole day. I really don't want my fiancé catching a glimpse of me before he actually comes to pick me up. If that happens, the whole surprise element is just gone, isn't it? Maybe it makes more sense to push the photo shoot to Monday. Honestly, I'm worried we'll just be too exhausted or stressed out trying to cram everything in.🤷
As for the sales side of things, you’ve actually given me something to chew on here... I haven't really run into any negative feedback until now. Now I feel like I should probably step in and give them a heads-up myself. Thanks for the warning.👍

Raymond Brooks7 said:Welcome to the club.
Lisjak and Matić have completely different approaches when it comes to photography. It’s all a matter of taste, really. Personally, my vote goes to Lisjak—after all, he’s the one who took my photos. 😍)
I’m putting Photo California at the absolute bottom of my list. Honestly, unless you can drop a specific photographer's full name and surname, don't expect anything from them.
Bolero is an incredible lounge. I was there for a gala once, and honestly, the vibe was just something else. 👍

Hey, I see Lisjak shot your wedding and you were happy with the results. Any chance you could share a photo so I can see his style?? Also, which package did you guys end up going with? He gave us three options, and I'm stuck wondering if the mid-range one is the sweet spot. Did you guys do the shoot the day before the big party, or did you just "escape" the reception for an hour or two?

I’ve been lurking on this forum for a while now, and honestly, it’s been a lifesaver when it comes to picking out venues and bands. Hopefully, I can return the favor by sharing some of our progress here.😉
We still have plenty of runway—our date is November 8th—but I was genuinely shocked to see how many venues and bands are already booked up. It's wild.😲
We settled on the Bolero venue, which is currently sitting at $40 per head (assuming we don't go crazy with the menu changes and since we're locked into using their bakery for the cake). As for music, we went with Pink Panther 1800 USD.
We haven't pulled the trigger on a photographer yet, so I could really use some input from you guys.🤷
We're currently torn between: Matić, Lisjak, or Photo California.The first guy is significantly pricier than the others, whereas the quality of the second one seems pretty much on par with the first (at least, that’s my gut feeling).
As for everything else? I feel like there's no need to rush just yet... or maybe there is.

Anyway, that's the update. I hope these price points help someone else out there.
We actually checked out ExxonMobil over in Santa Monica and the Castello-sala too. The first one is okay—we aren't huge fans of the layout—but the $35 price tag is hard to argue with. The Castello-sala is lovely, and at $36, it’s actually quite reasonable.