Everything you need for a California wedding

Anyone else got recommendations for photographers out in San Francisco? How far ahead should I be booking if I want one of those big-name ones?

Also, has anyone actually used Helen or Amada for makeup before?
https://www.instagram.com/helena_makeup/

Things are definitely picking up speed. Most of the big-name American favorites are already fully booked for my month, for instance. But since nine months out is peak wedding season, maybe that’s where the bottleneck is?

I’ve heard some great things about Amadeus, but I’m still totally in the dark regarding Helen.

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coastalharbor6 says: They’re getting more popular by the day... Honestly, most of those big-name American stylists I hear about are already booked solid for my month. But since September is peak wedding season, maybe that’s why they're so slammed.. I've heard great things about Amadeus, but I don't know much about Helen..

Helen actually has 173,000 followers on Instagram. I checked out Amadeus too—she's gorgeous and her work is just stunning 😁 My favorite part is how she does eyebrows using Anastasia Beverly Hills products 😉 Do you happen to know what Amadeus charges? Or if they let you do a trial run? Apparently, you have to reach out to Helen five months in advance, and the price is $93 plus lashes $23. I haven't asked about a trial yet though

Oh, and if you happen to know any good photographers, please send them my way! :-)

Michael Mendoza14 said:Anyone else got recommendations for photographers out in San Francisco? How far ahead should I be booking if I want one of those big-name ones?

Also, has anyone actually used Helen or Amada for makeup before?
https://www.instagram.com/helena_makeup/

I feel like I've already dropped some photographer names, but whatever—you could look into names like Charles, Marino, Gaspar, or Vedran Vidak, along with the others we already talked about.
I haven't heard of Helen before... as for Amadea, she does great work, though sometimes I get the feeling she applies the exact same look to every single girl she touches.

Michael Mendoza14 said:Anyone else got recommendations for photographers out in San Francisco? How far ahead should I be booking if I want one of those big-name ones?

Also, has anyone actually used Helen or Amada for makeup before?
https://www.instagram.com/helena_makeup/

Amadea goes way too heavy on the makeup. She did a bride's face once like she was heading to a gala in New York... I was just stunned when I saw the photo she showed me.
As for Helen, my hairstylist says her work is good, but you might not even recognize yourself once you see how much makeup you're wearing 😁

I don't really have any specific photographer recommendations yet—I've actually been searching for them myself. I think I might end up going with One Day Studio.

Regarding makeup, Helen doesn't post photos of her clients on social media, so I have no idea how she does everyone else's look. As for herself, I feel like she overdoes her own makeup.

I mean, it's obvious she knows her techniques and all that, but it just isn't my style. Amadea isn't really my vibe either, though I have heard people rave about her work.

To be completely honest, I have no clue how a bride should actually be made up. I haven't even looked into what kind of makeup I might want yet, truthfully.

Also, most of the makeup artists who post their work online seem to go way too heavy for my taste. It often looks exaggerated and not particularly pretty.

Then again, some of them do an amazing job when you actually go to see them in person. It’s such a contradiction, haha!

So, it's entirely possible that other girls are looking for that same kind of strange (to put it mildly, haha) makeup style... and I'm not just talking about weddings, but in general.🙂

I'm not sure about Amadea's rates, but people have mentioned Helen's. Though, apparently, she charges $80/$30 just for contouring. I can't believe it! :/

I assume most of them are charging around $200-$117.

(Those would be standard makeup prices, so I imagine bridal services cost about the same.)

Honestly, contouring is such a waste of time. Why would I want to walk into a wedding looking like a completely different person? What's the point of faking a tan or pretending I have high cheekbones when I clearly don't? I'm just not about that life. It’s fine if you use a little blush or maybe some subtle highlighter to brighten things up, but that's where I draw the line. The thing is, both Helen and Amadea post these photos where they're playing around with all these wild colors—crazy eyeliners, heavy shadows, bright blushes, you name it. I highly doubt they actually show up to a client's house and do that. Like, there is zero chance I'd ever ask for a smoky eye. Give me nice, groomed brows, some soft neutral eyeshadow, and a thin liner any day. And for lips and cheeks? Just keep it subtle with some soft rosy tones. It would be amazing if we could actually test everything out first, though. You know, so people don't end up looking like they've seen a ghost when they catch their first glimpse in that HD makeup, haha.

I actually think this is pretty gorgeous

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...065b475240.jpg

http://missmaven.com/wp-

I honestly think Helen's and Amadeus's looks would be perfect for a wedding—as long as we ditch those heavy, over-lined lip looks. 😁 :

View on instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/5NW5dNjN3o/?taken-by=amadea_dashurie"]https://www.instagram.com/p/5NW5dNjN...madea_dashurie[/URL]

View on instagram

I completely agree with everything you wrote 🙂.
I suspect that Shell might already have a trial period included in the price...

coastalharbor6 said:I completely agree with everything you wrote 🙂.
I suspect that Shell might already have a trial period included in the price...

That’s actually great, because every place I've asked about charges full price just for a trial makeup application.

It makes perfect sense, really. They end up burning through both their inventory and their time. But if I were running my own makeup business? I’d try something different. I’d offer a full-price trial session first. Then, if you decide to book me for the long haul, that day becomes either totally free or half off. 😁

Help me out, people!
One guy, 185 people, plus some tiny little band...
Can that even work??

At Amadea’s place, you’re looking at $117 makeup plus $33 lashes (she says she does double sets)... but honestly, what’s the point? I have no desire to walk around looking like some plastic Barbie.
Then there's Helen. She charges 280 (that doesn't include contouring—which, let's be real, I don't even want) plus $23 lashes.
The big difference is Helen comes straight to your house, whereas with Amadea, you actually have to trek out to her place in San Francisco. When you've already got a million things on your plate, that's just one more headache most girls don't need.

Amadeus really hit her with a tough price point..
btw, can you actually opt for just one or zero pairs of lashes to keep the cost lower??!

Helen definitely caught me off guard with her pricing—specifically that extra charge for contouring. The base price is actually pretty reasonable on its own!

Regarding traveling to the bride, what Helen does is much more convenient. But then again, she has plenty of experience with "everyday" makeup looks, not just weddings.. so obviously, she doesn't have her own dedicated studio.. though I assume if you're out in the suburbs or somewhere like San Francisco, she'd probably charge extra for travel expenses..

I agree that having a makeup artist come directly to you is a total game changer, though I have to head to the salon for my hair anyway, so it doesn't matter much to me..

Peter Diaz2 said:Help me out, people!
One guy, 185 people, plus some tiny little band...
Can that even work??

The capacity for a small venue is up to 200, but when I called, they told me 170 was the sweet spot. So I backed off since my headcount is higher than that...

amberhawk60 said:The capacity for a small venue is up to 200, but when I called, they told me 170 was the sweet spot. So I backed off since my headcount is higher than that...

Well, they told me the room was being expanded or would definitely fit two more tables... and honestly, the place looks great to me, plus everyone keeps raving about the food and the service.

The more I read through this forum, the more my anxiety spikes... 🙂 If I lean toward one option, people claim it’s a disaster... it’s honestly all becoming quite overwhelming—I’m feeling the stress. Ideally, wouldn't we just pick the absolute best across the board and have everything go smoothly? That’s why there’s such intense pressure here. Now I’m debating whether I should even share my thoughts, because if I criticize an option someone else has already chosen, they might actually have a panic attack, right? 🕺🤔
But anyway...
For instance, I was looking into Papaya. I read some excellent reviews and even chatted with them, then happened to see them working at a wedding reception once. To be honest, they didn't click with me at all. There was zero chemistry between them and the guests—it felt like they were just there to clock in and out. Plus, the photos I saw weren't exactly anything to write home about, so I decided against them. Yet, everyone seems to rave about them... I suppose it depends on what we're looking for; maybe their style just isn't my cup of tea. Just because they didn't suit me doesn't mean they won't work for someone else—a friend of mine is a professional photographer and he insisted they are top-tier... hmmmmm
The best videographers seem to be those from the local indie scene, but they were way out of our budget. :-(
Ranko Pupic can be a bit pushy; if you can manage to navigate past that, his work is solid enough.
There are also some wonderful people among the boutique studios (like Gaspar)... where the quality really shines.

As far as bands go, most are fine. Personally, DJs aren't really my thing, but names like Viva, Taxi, Best, XXS, Kocka, PVA Liga, or Jadran are safe bets—you won't go wrong there.

Regarding venues, Kocka is my pick, though I still find myself wondering if everything will turn out okay...
I’ve noticed that even if you visit the same venue week after week, the food isn't always consistent...

The Radisson asked for significantly more than what’s listed here—by the time we factored in the basic menu and drinks, it would have cost us a hundred dollars per person... so we passed. A friend of mine was there and mentioned the food was decent, but the portions were small. My fiancé, who usually doesn't complain, told me the food was actually quite poor...
I visited Park personally; the food was a bit sparse, but the quality was good...
For example, I wanted Aria because the room was lovely, but my fiancé—who rarely nitpicks—said the food wasn't great there. (And the Radisson was one of the only two places he had issues with regarding the catering.)
Then there's Sky... it looked amazing to me too, but just when I was considering it, we attended a reception there and the food was bland. Completely tasteless, nothing to write home about. So, that was off the table.
Gusar, on the other hand, comes with nothing but praise; they are perfect. Truly. However, they can only accommodate about 80 people, and that’s it. If you're planning a smaller reception, go there or try Amigos... you won't regret it.
We decided against going to the suburbs or the outskirts. From those areas, we might only consider Lesnina or Dolis... the food there was actually good.
If I had been any smarter, I might have gone there, but... well...
And Bolero... unfortunately, it fell short of expectations.
Velum has great atmosphere outside, but the food was disappointing.

As for wedding dresses... that’s a whole different story. I honestly don't know what is going on with the bridal boutiques in town...
The ones at Cher are just... ugh. Either they won't let you touch anything, or they are incredibly rude and overbearing. And I'm not just speaking from experience; at least five or six other girls have told me the same thing. They won't let you wear the dress you actually want; they insist on what *they* decide. It’s an uncomfortable experience.
La Perla—on their Facebook photos, it looks like they have a massive collection of gowns. But when you actually show up... there's hardly anything to choose from.
Lipoto, my goodness... they are okay, fairly standard. The sales staff is polite. I didn't love the dresses, but the experience was pleasant, so I have no complaints.
Mila was so exhausting that I didn't even walk in. A friend of mine had a terrible experience with them because they refused to do a simple hem adjustment, and she ended up having to change her dress the day before the wedding to someone else.
Jelena seemed fine to me... pleasant and approachable. But then I see comments online saying she's unprofessional. Who knows!
Regarding makeup, I booked Ana Grgic, and then I was immediately bombarded with comments about how she's arrogant and doesn't listen to how you want to look. She's apparently quite temperamental (that's from three different girls), even though one person was satisfied... though personally, I wasn't a huge fan of how she did my makeup either.

And there we have it... 😵🙄 what is there even left to say after all this? It seems everyone is doing a stellar job—and nobody is doing anything right at the same time... 😵 because I’ve reached that stage where just when you think you’ve finally smoothed everything over, some new doubt or sudden fear crawls back in. I can only hope it all pans out in the end. Honestly, guests rarely tell you to your face that things aren't working; they wait until you're gone to whisper about it. (A friend was bragging about how her gala was absolutely flawless—perfect, she said, with nothing but praise from everyone... despite the fact that the catering was mediocre, the menu was lackluster, and the band was frankly abysmal, leaving no one actually dancing...) It really just comes down to the observer's perspective, doesn't it? I suppose the main goal now is just to get through it without losing our minds... 🎉

copperowl13 said:The more I read through this forum, the more my anxiety spikes... 🙂 If I lean toward one option, people claim it’s a disaster... it’s honestly all becoming quite overwhelming—I’m feeling the stress. Ideally, wouldn't we just pick the absolute best across the board and have everything go smoothly? That’s why there’s such intense pressure here. Now I’m debating whether I should even share my thoughts, because if I criticize an option someone else has already chosen, they might actually have a panic attack, right? 🕺🤔
But anyway...
For instance, I was looking into Papaya. I read some excellent reviews and even chatted with them, then happened to see them working at a wedding reception once. To be honest, they didn't click with me at all. There was zero chemistry between them and the guests—it felt like they were just there to clock in and out. Plus, the photos I saw weren't exactly anything to write home about, so I decided against them. Yet, everyone seems to rave about them... I suppose it depends on what we're looking for; maybe their style just isn't my cup of tea. Just because they didn't suit me doesn't mean they won't work for someone else—a friend of mine is a professional photographer and he insisted they are top-tier... hmmmmm
The best videographers seem to be those from the local indie scene, but they were way out of our budget. :-(
Ranko Pupic can be a bit pushy; if you can manage to navigate past that, his work is solid enough.
There are also some wonderful people among the boutique studios (like Gaspar)... where the quality really shines.

As far as bands go, most are fine. Personally, DJs aren't really my thing, but names like Viva, Taxi, Best, XXS, Kocka, PVA Liga, or Jadran are safe bets—you won't go wrong there.

Regarding venues, Kocka is my pick, though I still find myself wondering if everything will turn out okay...
I’ve noticed that even if you visit the same venue week after week, the food isn't always consistent...

The Radisson asked for significantly more than what’s listed here—by the time we factored in the basic menu and drinks, it would have cost us a hundred dollars per person... so we passed. A friend of mine was there and mentioned the food was decent, but the portions were small. My fiancé, who usually doesn't complain, told me the food was actually quite poor...
I visited Park personally; the food was a bit sparse, but the quality was good...
For example, I wanted Aria because the room was lovely, but my fiancé—who rarely nitpicks—said the food wasn't great there. (And the Radisson was one of the only two places he had issues with regarding the catering.)
Then there's Sky... it looked amazing to me too, but just when I was considering it, we attended a reception there and the food was bland. Completely tasteless, nothing to write home about. So, that was off the table.
Gusar, on the other hand, comes with nothing but praise; they are perfect. Truly. However, they can only accommodate about 80 people, and that’s it. If you're planning a smaller reception, go there or try Amigos... you won't regret it.
We decided against going to the suburbs or the outskirts. From those areas, we might only consider Lesnina or Dolis... the food there was actually good.
If I had been any smarter, I might have gone there, but... well...
And Bolero... unfortunately, it fell short of expectations.
Velum has great atmosphere outside, but the food was disappointing.

As for wedding dresses... that’s a whole different story. I honestly don't know what is going on with the bridal boutiques in town...
The ones at Cher are just... ugh. Either they won't let you touch anything, or they are incredibly rude and overbearing. And I'm not just speaking from experience; at least five or six other girls have told me the same thing. They won't let you wear the dress you actually want; they insist on what *they* decide. It’s an uncomfortable experience.
La Perla—on their Facebook photos, it looks like they have a massive collection of gowns. But when you actually show up... there's hardly anything to choose from.
Lipoto, my goodness... they are okay, fairly standard. The sales staff is polite. I didn't love the dresses, but the experience was pleasant, so I have no complaints.
Mila was so exhausting that I didn't even walk in. A friend of mine had a terrible experience with them because they refused to do a simple hem adjustment, and she ended up having to change her dress the day before the wedding to someone else.
Jelena seemed fine to me... pleasant and approachable. But then I see comments online saying she's unprofessional. Who knows!
Regarding makeup, I booked Ana Grgic, and then I was immediately bombarded with comments about how she's arrogant and doesn't listen to how you want to look. She's apparently quite temperamental (that's from three different girls), even though one person was satisfied... though personally, I wasn't a huge fan of how she did my makeup either.

And there we have it... 😵🙄 what is there even left to say after all this? It seems everyone is doing a stellar job—and nobody is doing anything right at the same time... 😵 because I’ve reached that stage where just when you think you’ve finally smoothed everything over, some new doubt or sudden fear crawls back in. I can only hope it all pans out in the end. Honestly, guests rarely tell you to your face that things aren't working; they wait until you're gone to whisper about it. (A friend was bragging about how her gala was absolutely flawless—perfect, she said, with nothing but praise from everyone... despite the fact that the catering was mediocre, the menu was lackluster, and the band was frankly abysmal, leaving no one actually dancing...) It really just comes down to the observer's perspective, doesn't it? I suppose the main goal now is just to get through it without losing our minds... 🎉

Just like you said—nobody is going to look you in the eye and tell you the wedding was a disaster. If anything, they’ll shower you with praise and claim it was one of the best weddings they've ever been to. 😉
But then again, you can't please everybody. It's impossible. One person thinks the food is too salty or too spicy, while someone else thinks it's bland. Someone wants classic Rock, while someone else wants Country. Some people feel embarrassed if there isn't an Elvis Presley song playing at the party, while others think it's "embarrassing" to even have that kind of vibe at a wedding. For some, having Madonna or Smith on the playlist is a total must-have, whereas others would rather just dance to some random EDM and find all the local hits annoying, basically just waiting for the cake so they can head home. Then you've got the people who live for posing for photos, and then there are those who find the whole thing exhausting and wish the photographer and videographer would just vanish so the pictures would somehow manifest themselves magically.
Look, my advice? Just hire/book a photographer, a DJ, a venue, and a band that you actually "click" with. You need that easy, open communication because those are the people who are going to be stuck with you all day long. Any other combo and you'll probably end up losing your sanity.

I tend to worry about the exact same things because I’m such a perfectionist. But honestly? I’ve decided to just let go and speak my mind: things will happen the way they happen, and that’s that. There’s really no point in stressing over it all.

I had to get myself under control for the sake of the wedding. It required a deposit, yet I was constantly agonizing over every little "what if."

I eventually realized—and I still feel this way today—that if you have a great group of people around you, everything can go wrong and people will still find a way to have fun. Maybe the music is the most important part, but I totally agree with you on that. For me, it’s a constant state of panic; I panic about everything. But does that help me move forward? No. Will I end up sick during these last nine months if I keep this up? Absolutely.

The bottom line is that you and your fiancé need to be happy, and that's all that matters! Everyone at the party is there to honor the two of you; they aren't going to nitpick something just to hurt your feelings. And even if something isn't perfect, once you realize it (whether it's ten days or ten years after the wedding), I can personally vouch for this: you just shrug and say, "Whatever, it wasn't a big deal, we had an amazing time anyway."🙂

It's vital to remember that the day doesn't rest entirely on your shoulders. You have to enjoy yourself no matter what, because it’s *your* day. It would be crazy otherwise, right? That's how I'm training my own mindset.

What I'm really trying to say is this: if a friend lets a wedding be ruined just because the food wasn't as perfect as if their own mother had cooked it, then honestly, that's not much of a friend.

The goal is to celebrate that beautiful day, not to obsess over every detail. I mean, most people love to eat, but that shouldn't be the most important thing!

So, choose the people who actually suit you! Choose the studio that fits your style and the makeup artist you actually like (even if she's super expensive and everyone else thinks she's overrated). You are the one who needs to be satisfied.😁

Every wedding has its hiccups because most of us are doing this for the first time. Those are the things you should be able to laugh at rather than letting them ruin your moment.

p.s. I have a million typos, sorry!