Everything you need for a California wedding

A wedding dinner at Rossin Villa?

Has anyone here actually experienced it—the good, the bad, and the ugly? I’m looking for honest feedback, compliments, or even the harshest critiques.

Does anyone here happen to know who does makeup for Jelena Rozga in San Francisco? I’m looking for a really talented makeup artist—I’ve been totally happy with Ana Grgić in the past, but she’s already booked for my date, so I need to find someone else... Any suggestions?

Susan Reyes53 said:Maybe you should try reaching out to the Rockatansky Band directly—I mean, if you can actually get a hold of them, anyway. It might be worth asking them yourself... just an idea, I guess. 🙂

The Rockatansky Band actually offered us lighting for $1000, which I believe comes with a discount since they're playing the set...

So, I’ve been doing some deep diving into makeup artists... and honestly, it seems like everyone on these forums keeps raving about Lucija Spajić! It’s practically the only name popping up everywhere. Does anyone happen to have her contact info handy? If you could send me her number—or even better, if you have any other talented artists you swear by personally—that would be amazing! Thanks!🙂))

Bryan Turner4 said:The Rockatansky Band actually offered us lighting for $1000, which I believe comes with a discount since they're playing the set...

I sent them an inquiry, but I haven't heard back—honestly, even a quick "not interested" would have been fine, but whatever. Right now, the cheapest quote I've received is $5,700. I'm not sure if I should mention who it's from here, but if anyone knows a vendor who can beat that price, I’d really appreciate it. Lolita Wedding Lighting gave me a great deal, $1333, but after doing some digging, I heard their equipment isn't exactly top-tier, which has made me a bit skeptical. If anyone has firsthand experience with them, I could really use your input. Hvala🙂

Matthew Green44 said:Anyone here have any actual experience working with photographers or videographers out in San Diego? Looking for some solid recommendations. 😕 🤷

Search Facebook for "Twilight Zone"—there's a photographer there who actually lives in Germany. She works at a radio station over there while doing wedding photography on the side. Honestly, she’s great—I’ve spent some time with her personally and she’s incredibly pleasant. That said, I found Srdanović to be more my style. Good luck. 🙂

Betty Hernandez4 said:Hi there,
Can anyone recommend a good cake maker? I'm looking for someone other than Delta—I saw their cakes at the expo and they were absolutely STUNNING, but the prices are just a bit too steep for me... plus, to be honest, their basic designs aren't really my style. Generally speaking, I don't usually go for bakery cakes. So, if you have any leads, I’d really appreciate it. I'm also open to home bakers or independent women who do custom orders; I've noticed there are more of them lately, and their creativity is honestly incredible. A huge plus would be if they offer delivery outside of San Diego. Thanks! 🙂

We ordered from Cakes San Francisco. They have great options; we actually tried one for a birthday and it was fantastic. Once you contact them, they send over about ten different types of sponge, cream, and glaze so you can customize it. The prices are insane!
Good luck.

Hey, does anyone have a solid recommendation for makeup artists in ST? I’m looking for something super subtle, so I’m actually considering just doing it myself. Any advice?

Matthew Booth18 said:We ordered from Cakes San Francisco. They have great options; we actually tried one for a birthday and it was fantastic. Once you contact them, they send over about ten different types of sponge, cream, and glaze so you can customize it. The prices are insane!
Good luck.

That sounds great... Hvala, hvala. By the way, do you know if they offer delivery?🙂

brightwolf63 said:A wedding dinner at Rossin Villa?

Has anyone here actually experienced it—the good, the bad, and the ugly? I’m looking for honest feedback, compliments, or even the harshest critiques.

I was the photographer at one of their banquets... it was their third or fourth one of the night... they weren't exactly "on," some servers were friendly, jumping around the table, while others you practically have to beg just to get a spoon... food... mediocre. The first course was a buffet, but it was picked clean immediately and they DIDN'T replenish it—whether that was the couple's call or just poor management, who knows.
The perks are the perfect location and an incredible view; let's hope they've stepped up their service game.

We're looking at a wedding with about 170-200 guests... Any venue suggestions?

I’m currently torn between a few options:

1) Pirate Restaurant (I’ve read some complaints about the tables being arranged in an L-shape—which means half the guests wouldn't have a clear view—and that the floor space is a bit cramped... How is the food? Are we allowed to bring our own heavy-duty catering? Also, what's the per-person price these days—is it still $45?)

2) Bolero (What’s their menu like? What exactly is included in the base per-person rate—the food? What are the common complaints? Honestly, those little pillars they have are the only thing bothering me.)

3) Atrium (If anyone has a quote they could DM me... can we bring our own alcohol? I haven't seen much written about this place, so what are people's experiences? I assume they charge an arm and a leg for everything 🙄... also, is smoking allowed in the hall?)

If you happen to have quotes from these places, or if you know any other spots that can accommodate 200 people—and if you have photos of Atrium or Pirate Restaurant, I would be incredibly grateful. 😍

P.S. Does anyone know the going rate for a cocktail bartender?

🙂 Thanks in advance.

If anyone is hunting for wedding bands; San Francisco, Vagus Jewelry... I'm pretty sure they have the lowest gold price per gram around. For comparison, we were checking out rings at Zaks a few months ago, and the ones we liked were $1100 cheap, but now we go to order them and the price is $1500!! Quite the little coincidence, right? Anyway, we grabbed our bands at Vagus, $1000, you can work everything out directly with the guy; he'll even make a specific model for a lower price if you want (he takes ring thickness/width into account, and he'll actually tell you if a certain style will look tacky if it's too thin, etc.). Production took four days, we got exactly what we wanted, engravings were included in the price, and the best part: as long as the jeweler is still in business, all repairs on the bands are free (resizing, fixing cracks, polishing, etc.). Plus, they pack your rings in a lovely little box 🙂 Just perfect for my sister-in-law to keep at the church 🙂 Massive selection, the owner is friendly, and the shop specializes strictly in wedding bands. I actually saw the exact same band I bought at that jewelry store just a bit below Grgur (one shop only does gold, the other only silver) and their version of the same ring was $67 more expensive.. so yeah 🙂 hope it helps someone

So, here’s a little recap from my wedding, which was just over a month ago now:

Pirate Restaurant—honestly, all I can say is that five days after the party, people were still calling me saying they’d never eaten better food or seen a better menu anywhere. The food was perfection, service was top-tier, 100% recommend, you seriously won't regret it. It was $42 per person, but honestly, everything... everything is negotiable. Such a gorgeous restaurant, and that terrace was just perfect.

We grabbed the cake from Zenith (the oldest bakery in San Francisco) and it was incredible (they don't use any preservatives, everything is super fresh and seasonal). It was delivered by $283, up to the 4th floor. Absolutely recommend.

The bouquet, boutonnieres, and hall arrangements? I got those from a flower shop located in a shopping center near Poljud. I can't remember the exact name. The whole thing cost me $180. The bouquet was exactly what I envisioned—floral, colorful, just happy. I paid $50! (I spent forever looking for a decent florist who would make me a bouquet at a reasonable price. It was driving me crazy how as soon as you mention "bouquet" and "wedding" in the same sentence, the minimum price everywhere is $167, so I just dug my heels in and decided I wasn't going to blow that much cash). Right after my big bash, two more brides went to that same florist, so I don't even have to say anything else... it's proof you can do high-quality work without being ridiculous.
(If anyone’s interested, I can post some photos once I get them)

We didn't go the classic route with invitations. We bought sets of UNICEF greeting cards instead (each one was different and just so sweet), we wrote the text ourselves, and everyone absolutely loved them.
As a thank-you gift, we gave our guests a book ("About Love and Other Unclean Forces", G.G., Marquez); we wrote a personal note in each one, and again, everyone was totally charmed.
The music was provided by the Wrong Direction band—they were amazing. We didn't have a videographer, but a friend took photos of us.

So yeah, that’s pretty much it. I just wanted to mention that a wedding can be absolutely perfect without spending a ridiculous amount of money... some things out there are just way too much. Our friends told us they’d never been to a better or more relaxed reception. We really put our own effort into the little details. It was important to us to include as much of ourselves as possible in our wedding, to make it feel personal, and we totally pulled it off in the end. The point isn't just to go out and buy stuff.

Brides and grooms from California: where on earth did you guys pick up your suits?

At DiCapri, specifically at Varteks in CC1 over in San Francisco. 🙂

Hey, The Crew! What’s everyone’s take on Matko and Braniti? Does anyone here have any firsthand experience with them? I’ve heard they are absolutely brilliant and just won't stop playing until the very last guest heads out the door!

My partner ended up getting his suit at Macy's in the mall. Honestly, we spent way more time stressing over his suit than I did over my wedding dress, but we finally got him geared up. One of the best things about shopping at Macy's is that you can mix and match different sizes for the jacket and the pants
which is pretty rare to find and is usually a huge headache for most guys. I guess I actually helped out for once 😉

Does anyone have a recommendation for a solid hairstylist in San Francisco? I’m not looking for anything overly complicated for the big day—just some loose waves. I need someone who can give it a light outward curl that actually holds up all day long. 🙂

Adam Sanders4 said:As far as I know, the Let 400 e package is fully inclusive of everything, though I can't speak to the specifics of the other options.

I just have to give credit where it's due: DJ Khaled was incredible.🙏...The guests absolutely loved him...The man knows his craft and nothing else...I recommend him without hesitation!!!!!!!!

goldenwolf92 said:My partner ended up getting his suit at Macy's in the mall. Honestly, we spent way more time stressing over his suit than I did over my wedding dress, but we finally got him geared up. One of the best things about shopping at Macy's is that you can mix and match different sizes for the jacket and the pants
which is pretty rare to find and is usually a huge headache for most guys. I guess I actually helped out for once 😉

We could have just shown up, seen everyone, and left without a suit entirely... but thanks for the input anyway. 😉
Neither the mall, nor The Joker, nor anywhere else in the city had what we needed. The pants were alright, but finding a decent jacket? Nowhere to be found. 🙂 🙂 🙂
At this rate, we’re going to have to go hunt down a tailor. 😕