9 posts shown.
restlessmoose said:Hey everyone, I’ve got a wedding coming up at the end of April next year and I'm hunting for a DJ.
DJ Double is out. Based on your comments, he won't play the stuff we actually want to hear at our wedding. So, I need the real scoop: what are the others like? What kind of music do they spin, how do they handle the flow of the night, how do they keep the energy up, what are we looking at price-wise, etc.?
I'm looking into DJ Khaled, DJ Snake, DJ Marshmello, and that Wedding DJ company. If you have other recs, throw them my way. Just starting my research, so any advice helps.
We ended up hiring DJ Dada. To be honest, I didn't quite click with him when we first met, but I told myself it wouldn't matter—he isn't some kid, so he'll handle the job professionally, which is the most important thing. Now, I regret not listening to my gut and looking elsewhere, but our situation was unique and we didn't have much flexibility at the time.
The guy is completely uninterested; he’s just there to clock in and do the job. He doesn't fade songs out properly, and he never says anything unless prompted. I prepared a specific playlist for him, yet he barely played half of it, and even then, only after my husband or I had to step in and remind him—and those were some very special songs to us.
It is best if you meet them personally and judge for yourself. And listen to your intuition. Good luck...
casualwolf22 said:I think this has already been brought up before.
Honestly, some of the best weddings I’ve ever been to were the ones where he was on the decks. I’ve probably hit about ten of "his" weddings by now. People weren't just dancing; they were losing their minds having a blast. Every time an old classic would come on, I’d find myself digging through my phone right after the reception to download it so I could blast it in my car later...
The bride and groom usually sit down with him beforehand and hammer out exactly what kind of music they want played.
The reason people respect him is because he actually sticks to the setlist. Like, if they don't want country music, he won't touch it, no matter how much some guest at the party begs him to play it.
But look, if the couple misjudges their own guests—like, they request indie rock but everyone else wants classic country—you can't really pin that on the DJ.
I’ve even been to weddings where the couple explicitly told the DJ, "Hey, do NOT play Thompson," but he’d go ahead and drop a track anyway because he could just "feel" the energy dying and knew it would save the night. And honestly? He’d be right; that song would totally kick the party back into gear. But then you have the newlyweds coming up to him afterward, all pissed off, complaining that he broke the deal because even if the guests love Thompson, *they* absolutely can't stand him... so, either way, someone ends up unhappy.
This set was put together by my DJ (he goes by DJ Khaled, you can find him on Facebook; he plays weddings and at the Blue Note)
I don't blame him. In my case, sitting out for a bit was actually quite nice—it gave me a breather. The guests were happy because they got the music they wanted, and I was happy because nobody was judging me for being antisocial. Still, a wedding isn't just about the two people getting married; if it were, we might as well have just eloped with our best man and maid of honor.
Then again, to be fair, I personally never expect or demand that a bride and groom cater to my specific musical tastes. I make sure to stay on the dance floor because that’s just common courtesy. But clearly, not everyone approaches it with that level of consideration...
To be quite specific, someone from my immediate family worked at the Marriott, so I am writing this based on both my own direct experience and the perspective of the newlyweds. Personally, I don't mind if there is less food available on the buffet stations—that is easily rectified by bringing more out—but in my view, it is utterly unacceptable to have to ask three separate times just to get water because the waiter keeps forgetting. The wedding party was particularly bothered by the fact that certain guests were charged for hard liquor, despite it being explicitly stated that all such expenses would be presented to the couple for final settlement. They even attempted to act coy by not packaging the leftover food, but the parents insisted that it belonged to them.
As for me, I am not a fan of comedy, though I suppose that is a matter of personal taste. The food itself was incredibly bland and uninspired, though no one is claiming you can't opt for higher-end catering options for an additional fee. I personally had a perfect meal at Skyj, yet just a few months later, the quality had become catastrophic, and I am not exaggerating. I find it hard to believe that such a decline is simply due to the chef's mood...
If you want to sample the food, you can simply attend a wedding; there is certainly no issue with doing so.
Robert Rogers21 said:I’ve been lurking on this forum for two days now, searching for some actual insight, yet nobody seems to mention the Hilton in Smalltown, USA. Does anyone here actually have firsthand experience with them? I’m looking for the truth regarding their service, the event space, and the food quality.
Thanks in advance for any input. ����
I stayed there about a year ago. To be blunt, the service was incredibly slow and frankly non-existent, and the food was just okay—nothing to write home about. It wasn't exactly a disaster (unlike our experience at Skyj back in September when we all ended up with stomach issues the next day), but it certainly wasn't impressive either. In my opinion, the hall feels far too massive and sterile. If you're considering it, your best bet is to go see the space in person and try to coordinate a tasting during one of their upcoming weddings, similar to how we did for the couple we were attending...
Austin Hughes8 said:Villa California is $4,400 for less than 24 hours just for the empty space (no tables, glasses, lights, or sound...), so the price gap is actually huge 🙂
http://nikolasmernic.com/blog/2016-a...g-and-learning
I understand your point, but when you rent a private house, you don't even get the basic essentials required for a wedding. Furthermore, the locations where these houses are situated aren't even remotely comparable to Villa California. You also have to account for finding a property that is secluded enough to allow for an uninterrupted party while still offering a beautiful setting. If that matters to someone, they can find a house out toward Muncie for about $2,500. Unfortunately, California isn't the most accommodating region for this due to the rocky terrain and overcrowding; it would be much easier to organize something like this in Appalachia. In California, isolated properties are mostly luxury estates where a seven-day rental costs... well, a fortune. Any other houses are either right on top of the neighbors or are simply eyesores.
steelheron10 said:We finally pulled the trigger and booked Joe's Crab Shack in Durham. Prices are super low, the staff seems really chill, and I hear the food is actually great.
Ps. Does anyone have recommendations for flowers or table decor that won't break the bank? Please! Just nothing like Williams Sonoma, I already know them too well.😉
I happen to have an incredibly sensitive stomach... 😁I can say with absolute certainty that their food is perfection... 👍
Regarding the menu at Panj, near Hrvac... We went there to check things out personally. The owners are incredibly polite and welcoming, and since it’s located right by the river, I suspect the food quality is easily twice as good as what you'd find at those typical sandwich shops in San Francisco. However, the atmosphere felt far too rustic for my taste; I didn't find the idea of dining outdoors appealing, so we opted to eat inside. A standard meal comes out to about $35...
EDIT:
Our initial plan was to rent a house with a decent yard somewhere near San Francisco and just bring in an outside catering service. However, nobody was willing to rent out a property for less than a week on such short notice, and the cost would have climbed to roughly $2,200. I’d honestly rather just pay the extra fee and stick with the reservation at Villa California...
I’ve already commented on another thread regarding this—we aren't doing a traditional wedding either. We’re looking at about 100 guests. We decided on a venue roughly an hour and a half away from where we live, so everyone is staying overnight. We will be meeting at a church (my fiancé actually went as far as saying he doesn't even want to see a photographer before 😁), and after the ceremony, we head straight to the venue to gather and toast. Once people find their seats, dinner will be served. During the meal, an acoustic duo will play just to set the mood, and if anyone feels like dancing, they are more than welcome to 🙂 There will be no announcements, no anthems, no prayers (why would we pray if we left the church an hour earlier?), no banners, nothing. There isn't even a sweetheart table for the couple 😁 We’ll have a standard table just like everyone else. The last two courses will follow a buffet-style format to ensure nobody falls asleep; I’ve included various pastas and gnocchi for the third course, and the final course will be a grill prepared outdoors in a specialized pit, so people can grab food as it’s being cooked.
Around midnight, the DJ arrives. Those who want to dance will stay and dance, and those who want to go home will go home. We have zero intention of forcing anyone into anything. The only "protocol" we have planned is cutting the cake—again, without any of those "drink up" toasts or tacky traditions; we’ll just cut the cake and be done with it.
It was incredibly important to me that this happens in the summer and outdoors, simply because open spaces create a much more relaxed atmosphere. People can stand up, take a stroll, or sit in some lounge chairs to chat with those who aren't sitting at their table... In the event of rain, everything moves indoors, but since the date is July 22nd, I am honestly hoping the weather cooperates. But even if it snows, we are getting married, and having only our closest people there is what truly matters.
The bottom line is this: do it however you want. Think about which arrangement makes you feel most comfortable. Anything is possible. Even though we are paying for overnight accommodations for 100 people, the total cost hasn't been excessive at all; it’s going to be twice as cheap as what some people spend on weddings in San Francisco. And most importantly—it will be exactly how we want it.
Alexander Morgan said:They've had a new chef for the last couple of years, so I'm kind of wondering if anyone here has been to a wedding since he took over? Also, I think prices have gone up lately, maybe hitting $55, $65, or even $75 depending on which menu you pick.
The setting is seriously beautiful, but I guess the risk of bad weather and mediocre food 😁 is making me a little hesitant.
Those were on my list too, but with a 2.5 rating on TripAdvisor... I think I'll pass.
Pick a date in July 🙂 My own wedding is also outdoors (we have a solid backup plan in case it rains, but since we're aiming for around July 22nd, the peak heat of summer, I am genuinely praying for good weather). We once attended a wedding at the Getty Center in June and it started pouring right in the middle of dinner—just a total washout. The only people who complained were the critics; the rest of us just huddled under the covered section with our plates and drinks. We actually had a great time hanging out there for those thirty minutes until the rain let up. A much bigger issue than the brief downpour was how freezing it got; that rain brought a sudden chill with it, even though it cleared up later. Regardless, it was still the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been to. Having an outdoor setting gives the whole event a more relaxed vibe, especially since the couple designed everything to feel like a big party rather than a stuffy, traditional wedding. 👍
Alexander Morgan said:Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone here has actually dealt with a pirate situation out near Benicia in the last couple of years?
I attended a wedding there about two and a half years ago. The setting itself is absolutely stunning—provided you don't mind that the floor is slightly uneven and sloping. However, the food was an absolute disaster, and I know they aren't exactly budget-friendly either (if my memory serves, my friends had to cut one course because it was $45 per person). I can only hope things have improved, though their TripAdvisor reviews are currently abysmal. It’s such a shame, because the atmosphere is truly beautiful...