34 posts shown.
granitefox19 said:Look, nobody is paying me to say this, but I am 100% on board with that sentiment! 👍 They really are incredible.
Does anyone have a recommendation for live music to accompany the ceremony? I’m looking for something more elevated than just a solo accordion player, but I also don't have a million dollars to drop on a full orchestra.😉
Like a jazz quartet? My budget for an accordionist is basically fifty bucks. :/
Once they actually start running the ads—honestly, choosing Mihovil gospel would be a total slam dunk.
Alright, figured I’d jump in and share my own experience too...
Milo-Boise
The wedding dresses here are just meh, nothing really special. Honestly, after flipping through a million catalogs, I could barely find two that didn't look totally basic. Plus, my daughter was basically suffocating me—both with her constant talking and by physically shoving dresses in my face just so she could make a sale. Meanwhile, my mom was visibly pissed; I felt like she was just counting down the minutes until we could finally bail.
Good grief, seriously.
I left this place feeling totally let down because there was absolutely nothing my style. There's zero variety for what I actually like. After looking at the first one, I honestly just wanted to head home. Prices are decent, though—you can find something for maybe $3,000 and up, so if that's your thing, go for it.🙂
Glamour Bride
The shop itself is nice, tidy, and clean. They’re running some kind of sale right now, so you can snag a dress for $1000, and they do have plenty of pretty options. But man, the saleswoman is *so* pushy. Like, I tell her I like one dress, and suddenly she’s lecturing me about how everyone else is reserving it already, or that I have to come back tomorrow to confirm, or how there's a massive rush. She acts like she books ten dresses every single day. It's fine if she mentions it once, but she wouldn't shut up about it 😵 If you were actually that good at selling, you wouldn't need sales or all those "warnings."
Vera Bride
Ugh. I could go on and on about this. This place and the staff are bottom-of-the-barrel. First off, the shop looks like a cheap China Shop—cluttered, dirty, just total junk.
The saleswoman is a blonde, curvy lady in her middle years who is just plain awful. Rude, unapproachable, just the absolute worst. It was such an uncomfortable experience. Even if I had found a dress I liked, I would've rather paid ten times more somewhere else than give them a single cent more than the $70 I had to cough up just to try things on and get "advice." Their catalogs are just printed pieces of paper, and if you pick out more than one dress, she makes sure to snap at you to narrow it down, basically asking why you're wasting time if you aren't planning to buy. She kept insisting her shop is the best, that their quality is unmatched, that they have the biggest selection, and all that other nonsense—but I know it's all a load of crap. I wouldn't even recommend stepping foot in there to my own sister.
La Perla
Hands down the best shop in town. It's organized, smells great, and is super clean. Both the saleswoman and the manager are incredibly sweet. They have a huge selection, and the whole vibe of trying on dresses there is just lovely. It’s the only place in the city that actually gets it right—from having friendly staff to a great selection. And most importantly, it actually feels like a real bridal boutique.
Where can I find the best deals on sweets and those crunchy wedding croquant cakes?!
Scott Chase6 said:Well, you end up paying a decorator and still don't order anything.😁 You get distracted by more pressing matters, like mortgages or buying a kitchen...
Haha, you're not wrong!! 🙂 🙂
Anyway, how far in advance should I reach out to the hall to hammer out the details before the party?
It's been like six months since I booked them, and I haven't said a word to them—so I'm kind of stuck wondering if I even need to 😵
crimsonmarlin17 said:I'm looking for the same thing.🙂
Though I wouldn't recommend using eBay...
I mean, I might actually pull the trigger on it. They’ve got some really cool stuff, but the shipping wait times just drive me crazy. That's why I'm hunting for a better deal somewhere else.
Anyone know where I can snag some cheap decor? Like streamers, tulle, and all that extra party stuff. Is it actually worth checking out eBay for deals, or am I just wasting my time?
Michael Mendoza14 said:So, out of nowhere, they just dropped this bombshell that catering is totally banned at the estate, which basically turns the whole thing into a formal Sunday service vibe. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but hey, it is what it is. The venue itself is gorgeous, though, so we aren't backing down.
Anyway, quick question for the group... has anyone here worked with the photographer Vedran Vidak? I was poking around Facebook yesterday checking his rates... apparently, his full package is around $1,750. We’ve got our date in November open on his calendar... I'm torn on whether I should pull the trigger and book him right now or keep hunting. He comes highly recommended, which makes it tricky.
We ended up booking Forever studio. Honestly, everything I read about them was glowing, and their whole package is 1150 bucks. If they hadn't been booked up, we probably would've gone with Ante Gašpar. 😉
amberhawk60 said:I figured I’d chime in too, since I actually went to Cher's for a wedding dress fitting, and honestly, it was such a letdown.
Everything I just read in the comment right above mine is spot on.!!!
The saleswoman was incredibly rude... she wouldn't let me touch anything, insisting she'd bring everything over herself.
She brings things out based on what she wants, not what I want, and the dresses they have ready to go? Not even close.
In fact, she only brought one single dress, and only after realizing she wasn't making a sale.
She kept going on about how they’re the best, that nobody has as many models as they do, that their materials are top-tier and all that nonsense.
But I can tell you the exact opposite.
The dresses were mediocre, messy, poor quality... some were even slightly torn. Honestly, it's an embarrassment for a shop that's so highly praised.
Since they used to charge for fittings $67, and now they've "lowered" it to $70, I at least expected some prestige and decent gowns.
The shop is a mess, dresses just piled on top of each other... my mom said it felt more like a flea market than some supposedly exclusive boutique.
Basically, a total disaster.
Not to mention she kept trying to push all these outdated styles on me... I didn't see anything from a recent collection; it looks like they're just holding onto old stock.
At the end, when she saw nothing was happening, she told me to "look around a bit longer," but then added there's no stock left in the store and basically implied I won't find a dress in California if I'm this picky. Just total rudeness to say something like that.
As if they're the only shop in town. She acted like I was being difficult, but they had nothing worth looking at, let alone buying.
My advice to any future brides: stay far away from this place!!!
You'll save your money and your sanity.
So yeah, I'm passing on them... Do boutiques everywhere charge for fittings these days?
copperowl13 said:Could anyone offer some recommendations regarding cookies? I’m curious to hear about your experiences with Absalom, Vidal, my cookie, Hurst, or Babcock-Delta—or perhaps any other brands you swear by.
thanks :-D
Maybe Baby... everyone keeps telling me they're the way to go.😉
Nathan Watson2 said:I’d personally steer clear of the Marriott, though that’s just my two cents and I know it might work for some... if you look right across from the Marriott, there's that venue called The Grand, which holds up to 350 people. It’s perfectly fine—nothing flashy, but compared to the Marriott, it's night and day.
The Hilton is alright; in my opinion, it's just decent, middle-of-the-road stuff. 🙂
If you want my honest opinion on what looks good? Forget both the conference hall and the diner. Out of everything on the table, ExxonMobil is the winner... at least in my book.
darkheron13 said:So, I went on this whole sewing journey once, and everyone kept claiming they knew someone who could do it, but honestly... the end results were just super disappointing.
Someone mentioned a lady out near San Jose was pretty good, but I totally gave up on custom sewing after two massive fails... and those dresses were nothing like this simple one...
Look, if she’s one of those folks from the outskirts who runs a shop over in San Francisco, she might be good, but you gotta ask her straight up if she can actually hit a deadline. I’ve been burned twice already because, predictably, she was running way behind schedule.
I'm really curious about the menu situation over at Sky and what they’re actually serving up. Also, do they do any kind of lighting or table decor? Like, I'm talking fancy stuff—candlesticks and all that sort of vibe.
Sean Wells said:Could anyone please give me a hand with some photographer recommendations? I’m really vibing with Bill’s style, but I was wondering if anyone knows of other photographers who work in a similar vein? Thanks so much!
I think iSmile is killer, and the Bonačić studio is top-tier too... Honestly, I'm a huge fan of Beep because they do that cool video projection thing on a screen—so you can watch a little montage right before the cake cutting. It's such a vibe. But man, $400 is just way too steep for me! I love the concept, I just don't know if anyone else offers that kind of setup.
Robert Bishop53 said:I think it's killer. I'm obsessed with black, white, and red combos—actually, my whole party is going to be in those tones. 🙂 Just sticking to black and white is pure class; it's simple, but it hits hard. 🙂
Daa, people totally roasted me for picking that palette, calling it "lifeless" or whatever, but I think it’s gorgeous and easily the most sophisticated look out there. (Side note: I’m really not one for flashy colors or anything too loud anyway.)
Ladies, what’s the verdict on a black-and-white wedding theme?
Austin Thompson96 said:In case anyone cares... the former Marvel venue is reopening... apparently they're holding a rehearsal tonight, so all you young folks are welcome to check it out 🙂
http://www.allure-centar.com/
Anyone know what the damage is gonna be price-wise?
gentlewolf70 said:They're active enough, 🙂 I actually visited them recently and they do great work, but frankly, their prices are astronomical. I ended up hiring a photographer who happens to be a close family friend, and he came in at least $1,000 cheaper than Photo California... so, hey, do what works for you. 😉
How much does Photo California charge?
crimsonlynx18 said:$2000 for 100 people?? Does that include the hard liquor?
Ugh, honestly, I probably wouldn't know either even though I'm super curious myself. Someone mentioned the pricing was moving in that direction recently, but who knows what’s actually bundled in there. I really ought to just pick up the phone and ask them directly.