Posts by Grace Rodriguez3

First off, I need to list the vendors who actually met my expectations, which were:
La Perla in San Francisco — the staff is lovely and friendly, they have great reviews, and the dresses are absolutely stunning and well-maintained.
Nautic Restaurant: Everyone was raving about how perfect the food was. The venue itself is beautiful, and the manager, Anna, was incredibly professional and accommodating.
Euphoria Group: They did an excellent job.
Anda Florist: The owner is very kind and easy to talk to, and the flowers were top-notch.
Lolita Lighting: Great.
Unlimited Crew for photo/video — we’ll see once the photos arrive, but they seem highly professional and fun, and their previous work is excellent.

Now, for a very unpleasant experience with St Flowers
After we made our initial agreement, I reached out about a month before the wedding to iron out some details regarding the boutonnieres and corsages. I sent several messages; she read every single one and simply didn't respond. After a few days, she finally called me to say she was swamped with work and told me to check back in two weeks when she took a week off. When that date rolled around, I messaged her to ask where and when we could meet up. Again, no response. She went silent for another ten days—this was just a week before the wedding. At that point, I messaged her to cancel her decorating services entirely, and she didn't even bother to reply to that. It was incredibly unprofessional and frankly rude. Furthermore, I should mention that the total price for the flowers, including a trade show discount, came to $2000. I ended up ordering the exact same thing later from Anda Florist, and it was the same setup, only $500cheaper without any discount at all. There are so many moving parts and details to manage leading up to a wedding; it is truly aggravating when you choose someone who can't even take a minute to type a quick text, causing you nothing but unnecessary stress.

When I first started my hunt for a wedding dress, I fully expected to tear through dozens of boutiques before finding THE one. My initial shortlist included three spots: Glamour Bride, La Perla, and Vera Bride. I decided to cap my rental budget at $2333. So, here we go... my thoughts on ☕

GLAMOUR BRIDE- (No fee for fittings)
The lady there was perfectly pleasant and easy to talk to. The dresses themselves are lovely and clearly well-maintained, plus the boutique has a nice vibe. My only gripe? The selection felt pretty thin—at least from my perspective. I tried on three gowns from their catalog and none of them really hit the mark; they were pretty, sure, but not what I was looking for. To make matters worse, she didn't even offer to show me anything else. It was fine, all things considered, but underwhelming

VERA BRIDE - (fitting $23)
First off, I have to say that I had heard nothing but the absolute worst about this place and the women who work there! Between online forums and whispers from friends and acquaintances, the reputation precedes them. Apparently, they’re known for making inappropriate comments, being arrogant, and just plain rude. I’d even heard firsthand stories about how they insult clients they assume have tight budgets with remarks like "that's too expensive for you," or making nasty comments about weight like "it's not my fault you have extra pounds." Well, I thought to myself, let's see if the rumors are true. Surely this place is some "high-end" establishment. So, I booked an appointment and showed up with two friends. I was greeted by a heavy-set, agitated woman with greasy hair and dirt under her fingernails. Look, I am not one to judge someone's physical appearance, BUT if you work in a boutique that markets itself as top-tier, you shouldn't show up to work looking like you just stepped out of a field. But whatever, that's beside the point. Once I told her I had an appointment, she gave me this smug look, said "impossible," and went off to check some schedule only to show me my name and number listed for a completely different date. I explained quite clearly that I had called and confirmed this specific time. I couldn't help but mention how unprofessional it all was... because honestly, whether I was from San Francisco or Boise or anywhere else, it shouldn't matter. The lady was actually quite polite after the fact, apologizing several times and offering me a new slot in a few days. Fine. At least I can flip through their catalog so the trip wasn't a total waste. Speaking of which, they don't actually have a catalog; they just have this makeshift album of printed photos where everything is barely legible. Overall, a very poor and unprofessional experience. The only saving grace is that I've heard they actually have beautiful dresses

La Perla (trying on $25)
In my opinion, this is a five-star boutique in every single way! The shop is gorgeous, and the staff is incredibly professional yet relaxed enough to be comfortable. I tried on four of the specific dresses I was interested in, and then the stylist kept suggesting pieces based on her own intuition. One of those recommendations turned out to be my 😍😍 I didn't even spot it in the catalog because it was pink. The selection is fantastic and everything is in pristine condition!

So, there you have it. My humble impressions 😛

Richard Mendoza2 said:Hi everyone. I’ve already asked about photographers in another thread, but there’s no harm in asking here too.

Does anyone have recommendations for a photographer in the San Francisco area? We’re planning a small, intimate wedding. We aren't looking for video services—just photography—and we don't need all those extra bells and whistles agencies usually push, like parent albums or a million extra digital files.

We are even open to an amateur or someone who does this as a serious hobby. My only real requirements are that they have decent, reliable gear and actual talent—someone with a true eye for composition rather than someone just clicking a shutter and hoping for the best. Budget-wise, we aren't exactly rolling in it, so we're looking for something reasonable, ideally under $500 ($667 max). Honestly, we’d prefer to just take the photos ourselves since both my fiancé and I have a knack for photography, but that’s obviously not an option...

p.s. I hope no professionals take offense by this post; I realize high-quality work commands a premium, but that’s just the reality of our situation.

Anthony Dogan, try searching on Facebook... you could also post this in the top-tier combinations group and plenty of people will reach out.

I really hope this info helps someone out! My initial thought was to host about 80 people, so I was hunting for a smaller hall or a nice restaurant. Even though the Nautic venue (Kašel gomilica, near the marina) can actually hold up to 250 people, I picked it simply because it’s stunning. The whole side is glassed in, offering this incredible view of the ocean and the marina. It's perfect for catering too—and naturally, you get a discount if you use their catering services. As for pricing, a classic menu depends on the headcount, but once you cross the 100-guest mark, you're looking at roughly $38 per person. For photography and video, I went with Unlimited Crew (Leo Bartulica) because, in my opinion, they are among the absolute best. (Megagraf is also top-tier). Now... the hardest part was choosing the band. I still haven't made a final call. But let's start from square one: I planned to set aside a maximum of $1,900 to $2,200. There are just so many options out there that it's overwhelming; honestly, even trying to listen to them all on YouTube gives me a headache, and by the time I finish the third band, I'm completely lost. So, I relied heavily on recommendations I gathered from everywhere, and I'll list the bands that received the most praise.

Pink Panther - gets the most praise ($2,300)
Barbary - lots of glowing reviews and great impressions, but I'm not particularly fond of her vocal tone, even though she seems like a very pleasant and approachable woman.
Best
Volare
Centrifuga
Twist off
Totem band - I think they're great ($1,850)
Euphoria ($2,200)
XXS band - Really good entertainers; they truly know how to get a crowd moving. Received plenty of compliments from friends.
Boss Ritam
Ritam kiše
jessy band
Taxy band
Mirko Bura
Mušac band

Other recommendations: Aura, Black Flash, Matko and Brane, Mediterranean, Ružin, los navika (super)

Just one thing: tastes vary wildly. What one person thinks is terrible, another might love, and vice versa. Narrow your choices down to three or four bands that catch your ear, listen to them on YouTube, arrange a time to hear them live, and you're done. Good luck!

PS: I'm still looking for: lighting, flowers, a makeup artist, and a wedding dress, obviously. If anyone has recommendations, I'd be grateful. Also, does anyone know where I can get fireworks? 🙄🙄