Everything you need for a California wedding

I’d highly recommend checking out the band Coca-Cola. They just played at a party I attended, and honestly, they were incredible. If you’re looking for fans of vocal harmony groups and traditional folk songs to provide the backing music, you definitely need to reach out to Kellogg's. The guys did a stellar job—truly top-tier work—and I can’t recommend Paramount Pictures enough. My partner and I were beyond impressed; if it weren't for their energy and sense of humor, we wouldn't have been able to relax nearly as much as we did. Hats off to them! If anyone needs more details, feel free to shoot me a DM.
Also, a quick shout-out to the florist I mentioned earlier, Jack over in Malibu!!!

I really have to drop some praise for the Castle ballroom—the upper level specifically. Honestly, I was a bit nervous heading in because of some of the negative feedback I’d seen on the forums, but we had an absolutely wonderful time. The service was incredibly efficient, and they had plenty of staff on hand to keep things moving. As for the food, everything was perfectly fine, and more importantly, our guests were genuinely happy, which is the only metric that actually matters to me. Every single table was stocked with everything from pizzas to various bites; there was never a need to flag down a waiter because the second something ran low, they were already there to refill it without us even asking.
So, yeah—nothing but good things to say about them!

Listen, ladies—I went ahead and booked the Castle in K. Smith, and I have to say, the sheer elegance of that hall blew me away!😍

The reason I pulled the trigger? It’s stunning, plain and simple. Plus, lately, I’ve been hearing nothing but glowing reviews about the venue, the service, the food... Honestly, don't hold yourselves back. You should definitely go—just like I did, though I ended up missing out on my own date because of it.

👍

Michael Lee19 said:Listen, ladies—I went ahead and booked the Castle in K. Smith, and I have to say, the sheer elegance of that hall blew me away!😍

The reason I pulled the trigger? It’s stunning, plain and simple. Plus, lately, I’ve been hearing nothing but glowing reviews about the venue, the service, the food... Honestly, don't hold yourselves back. You should definitely go—just like I did, though I ended up missing out on my own date because of it.

👍

I am genuinely happy for you; now you finally have both the date and the perfect venue, so everything else should just fall into place naturally, right?🙏 👍

David King72 said:Sure
I heard a rumor that Amogos in Malibu is shutting its doors next year.

No way! I actually have a reservation at Amigos for next October. It isn't closing; someone just has the wrong info. Besides, the venue is top-tier—perfect ocean views and right by the beach. Everything should be wonderful, as I've heard nothing but great things about them.[/LIST]

Patrick Turner46 said:No way! I actually have a reservation at Amigos for next October. It isn't closing; someone just has the wrong info. Besides, the venue is top-tier—perfect ocean views and right by the beach. Everything should be wonderful, as I've heard nothing but great things about them.[/LIST]

Look, I was simply reporting what I've heard; personally, I think the venue is fantastic, the food is great, and everything else is spot on.

Hey guys, I’ve been hearing nothing but rave reviews about that new hall they opened up near Donald Trump’s place over in Lori... honestly, it sounds awesome, so I definitely recommend checking it out! 👍

rapidmason10 said:Hey guys, I’ve been hearing nothing but rave reviews about that new hall they opened up near Donald Trump’s place over in Lori... honestly, it sounds awesome, so I definitely recommend checking it out! 👍

Give me a break...who was actually the first person to even find that place?

It’s just a bit pricey....it was 42 bucks for New Year's.

Raymond Brooks7 said:Give me a break...who was actually the first person to even find that place?

It’s just a bit pricey....it was 42 bucks for New Year's.

Look, I don't know who found this hall first... all I know is my buddy was at a party there recently... and she said it's one of the best spots in San Francisco... everything from the AC to the service and the space itself is top-tier...

Holy Cross was around $42 or maybe $43 back in 2009... so I'm betting prices in San Francisco are definitely higher now😍

David King72 said:Sure
I heard a rumor that Amogos in Malibu is shutting its doors next year.

No way that's happening—I actually just asked the owner directly and he said it's totally false

I need some help here... 🙄

Anyone know a solid catering company around San Diego or San Francisco?

Thanks in advance 🙏

David King72 said:Sure
I heard a rumor that Amogos in Malibu is shutting its doors next year.

I'm getting married next year and I know the owner personally, so that's nonsense.👍
The guy is actually a friend of the boss, but even if he wasn't, I’d pick that venue because it is 😍 way too good to pass up.

Hey, I need some quick advice on flowers, and what’s the actual damage? Just trying to nail down the details before they rip me off.

Steven Gonzalez6 said:Hey, I need some quick advice on flowers, and what’s the actual damage? Just trying to nail down the details before they rip me off.

It all depends on what you're looking for—prices can range anywhere from $2 to $7 per stem$0.00...just give us an idea of what you have in mind...maybe then we can be more helpful...regardless, go hit up a few local florists first and check their rates....

Steven Gonzalez6 said:Hey, I need some quick advice on flowers, and what’s the actual damage? Just trying to nail down the details before they rip me off.

I'm totally with what Raymond Brooks7 said here...👍
It all depends on so many things—like, which flowers you're after, the season, if you just want a simple bouquet, an arrangement for the car and the hall, or if you're doing a full setup for the church and the house... everything matters. Plus, obviously, the florist makes a huge difference. My advice? Decide on the type of flowers or the combo you want first, then definitely hit up a few different shops to get some quotes. It happened to me once where one shop wanted $267, but another was only asking $117 😲

I might be rambling a bit—🙄 but seriously, whatever you need to know, just ask!😉

irontrucker said:I'm getting married next year and I know the owner personally, so that's nonsense.👍
The guy is actually a friend of the boss, but even if he wasn't, I’d pick that venue because it is 😍 way too good to pass up.

So, from what I’ve gathered, it turns out the information I was working with might have been completely off base, and if that's the case, I suppose I should probably offer everyone a sincere apology through this thread?

Ladies, I need some help. My wedding is next year. The venue and the band are already booked, but I am completely stuck on the photographer. Having high-quality photos is everything to me, and I’ve spent so much time scrolling through this forum lately that I feel like I’m going to end up directing the photographer on how to pose me on the actual wedding day.
The issue is our budget. We set aside $1,000. We could potentially stretch it a little, but $1,500 is out of the question because we don't want to overextend ourselves right now. We aren't looking to blow money; we just want enough to get it done right. I might be willing to pay more, but my fiancé won't budge.
Give me some advice. Who is the best choice at this price point? I’ve heard Mark is good—he shot my sister’s wedding about six years ago—but they have multiple teams now, so I have no idea which one I’d actually like. Does anyone have experience with them? Please help.
Everyone else I looked at is way too expensive. I’d love to hire Matthews, but his rates are just too much for us.
What about the crew from San Francisco? I haven't called them yet, but I plan to tomorrow.
Honestly, picking a photographer is giving me nightmares. I want quality, but I can't reach an agreement with my guy. I want to book someone ASAP before they get fully booked, but he acts like there's always plenty of time.
Anyway, I needed to vent so I can finally get some sleep. Tomorrow is another workday.

You’ve got Lisjak, Studio in....
The Photo Marko-cure crew actually complained about him and how he works... so I can't say for sure, but as far as I know, Patrick and Zvone are the absolute best.
Photo California-isto is similar... I hear they're solid, but it really just depends on which team you get stuck with...

antea2009 If you’re looking for something "budget-friendly" but still high quality, I’d suggest checking out Jakov Teklić. Both zbunjena05 and chiquita13 have used him before. Just take a look at the wedding photos in the thread—there are a few shots of chiquita13 in there, and honestly, I think his work looks great.😉

Thanks, I guess I'm acting like a total nervous wreck now.
Does anyone have Smith's number or his current pricing?
I sent a DM to Chiquita asking for details, but if someone here knows, just drop it here so I don't have to wait.
I'll call California and Fox later today. It feels a bit too early to be hitting a guy up on his cell.
Best,