Everything you need for a California wedding

Gary Reed9 said:I don't have much experience with weddings—not my thing, really—but since the St. Stephen Parish over on Manhattan Island falls under the jurisdiction of St. Francis, you should probably reach out to the monastery or the church right at the start of the Boardwalk. You can just hit up the reception desk at the first set of doors after the Word, or maybe just hang back after Mass and catch someone there...

Thank you, I'll look into it and get everything scheduled. 👍

I have some experience here 🙂
It isn't really our parish (and it wasn't my husband's either, since he isn't from St. Louis), so we actually had to do quite a bit of convincing just to get them to let us marry there.
They tend to get a little frustrated because everyone wants to hold their wedding there "just" because the setting is beautiful, rather than because they actually belong to that parish...
We managed to talk them into it, so fingers crossed you can pull it off too! 🙂

Also, I didn't have "my" specific priest; we were married by a priest from that church instead...

I’ve heard they can be a real headache.

Honestly, I’m looking at St. Stephen Parish too just because it’s the most convenient option for everything, even though it isn't my home parish...
Man, the whole vaccine drama just terrifies me.🙄

Quick question—how far in advance do you actually need to sign up with them?

Because of the nature of my fiancé's job, we can't exactly book everything a year out; we can probably only aim for about six months ahead. I'm just worried about whether we'll manage to snag a date that doesn't fall right in the middle of summer.

I wouldn't call it "nitpicking," if I were you. 😉 Look, parishes exist for a reason, and obviously, the local parishioners are going to put their own community first—especially when you're dealing with those massive geographic areas that only have one tiny little church like St. Stephen to call home. If you just show up with some actual respect and take the time to walk them through the specific details and why things are the way they are, I’m pretty sure everyone can find some middle ground. 🙂 If for some reason things just won't work out on Manhattan Island, well, St. Francis is nearby and it's a beautiful spot anyway. 🙂

Man, I’m really crossing my fingers that we snag Manhattan Island because it would be hands down the most convenient spot for us.
It helps that you're telling me there won't be any weddings over the summer, so hopefully, it won't be a total zoo.

Honestly, St. Francis is also a killer choice—actually, probably even better than St. Stephen—but this place just works way better for me since the restaurant is right there and half our guests aren't from around here; they aren't exactly dying to drive all over the city.
Even though it's basically the same parish anyway...

If nothing else, we'll just wing it on Friday. There's no other way. 😬

I am seriously jealous of anyone who can actually book this stuff a year in advance. Me? I'll be scrambling at the absolute last minute.

I have a wedding coming up on Friday, October 27th, 2017. How far in advance should I make the reservation? ... I'm really hoping everything goes smoothly; I tend to be an eternal optimist, and I know God is on our side. 😁

Makeup and hairstyle suggestions? /Miami, San Diego, San Francisco/

I have been reading through this thread, but I haven't seen any recent discussions on the topic. Does anyone have any fresh recommendations? 😁

mistytinker10 said:I have a wedding coming up on Friday, October 27th, 2017. How far in advance should I make the reservation? ... I'm really hoping everything goes smoothly; I tend to be an eternal optimist, and I know God is on our side. 😁

So, we headed over to St. Francis Parish about two weeks ago—trying to get ahead of the game and book a wedding date at the church on Manhattan Island for next September—but they basically shut us down. They told us they don't even start taking reservations until the beginning of the year, like, early January at the earliest, once that official ledger finally arrives.
The priest wasn't exactly thrilled that we aren't part of his parish either—not by a long shot—but he hasn't actually said anything about it yet... For now, anyway. 🙄

It’s me again, the ever-so-boring 🙂. I was wondering if anyone here might have some firsthand experience or insights regarding the Euphoria group? Since they're relatively new to the scene, I haven't seen them mentioned much around the forums lately, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

Here’s how we managed to snag a date at one of the churches under St. Francis Parish (like Manhattan Island, Small Town, USA, or St. Jerome near the Boardwalk) even though we aren't actually parishioners. Just sign up for the engagement prep course over at St. Duje for a spring slot. You'll meet Jack Relota there—he’s the big shot at St. Francis and runs one of the lectures.
It's actually pretty decent going to Mass when he's closer to the altar or catching one of his talks at the church:
http://www.svfrane-split.com/tema/pa...ska-zajednica/
http://www.svfrane-split.com/tema/pa...ska-zajednica/
http://www.svfrane-split.com/tema/pa...rijina-legija/

He claims getting a slot is never an issue if you're a true believer (and not just some mindless follower). 🙂

I signed up in August, even though the wedding was actually in September. Someone mentioned earlier that you can't register before then because they don't have an open "calendar" until that point, so they won't take the booking...

We originally wanted a Saturday, but we would have been fine with a Friday too. Since Fridays aren't quite as "high demand," they were much easier to book.🙂

Since we don't live in St. Louis anymore, coordinating all these details was a little more complicated because everything went through my mom rather than me directly.

Even though I wasn't (in my humble opinion 🤣) a demanding bride—in fact, I practically vetoed everything my mom arranged!—I did have a few specific things that were non-negotiable. I handled those arrangements myself when the time came because I didn't want any compromises. Everything else just flowed as it may. And now, there's that famous saying: we had a blast! Because I didn't let myself get overwhelmed, everything stayed relaxed, and it was truly great fun. 👏

Regarding the ceremony location and the venue, I really wanted Manhattan Island (mostly because, let's be honest, there's no point in lying 🙂). Plus, it was just practical. I had a lot of out-of-town guests who weren't from St. Louis, and I didn't want them driving around lost in the city. It was simply the easiest option.

Actually, I decided ahead of time that the church would be right by the hall, so once I picked the venue, I chose a church nearby.

Am I a believer? Yes. Do I "kiss altars"? Not really, though even if I did, the priest who married us wouldn't know! Aside from major holidays in Miami, I'm not at church constantly. Besides, no priest in my local parish has stayed long enough to recognize me at Mass several years in a row.

Regardless, you have nothing to lose by asking, and we will keep our fingers crossed for you!🙂

As for makeup recommendations, I highly suggest Liar (Sarah). I can't speak to hair styling, but I always go to her for my makeup and I'm always satisfied. 🙂 She is so sweet, charming, and easygoing... honestly, she's wonderful. 🙂 And it's worth mentioning that she's very affordable!

Hey everyone!

I've got a summer wedding coming up and I'm totally torn.
Who should I pick for a studio: Bonacci, Smile, Ivica Matić, or Beep?

Just a heads-up, we’re only looking to get photos done.

Anyone here an expert on this?

Keith Palmer said:Hey everyone!

I've got a summer wedding coming up and I'm totally torn.
Who should I pick for a studio: Bonacci, Smile, Ivica Matić, or Beep?

Just a heads-up, we’re only looking to get photos done.

Anyone here an expert on this?

We were absolutely thrilled with both the pricing and the quality of the work. I'm sure there are other great options out there, but we went with them and we definitely didn't regret it for a second. 😛👍

I stumbled onto this new site where everything’s indexed by location so you can actually search stuff by where it happened. Might be useful for some of you 👍 https://moresnova.com/

This forum is an absolute goldmine. I’m planning a wedding for about 250 guests, and my shortlist includes: Poljud Restaurant, R2-D2, Dolis, and ExxonMobil. What has your experience been like? I've only ever been to Dolis, and while I know they're decent, I haven't set foot in any of these other venues. Looking at the threads here, the feedback is all over the place: people rave about the food at ExxonMobil, but I personally can't stand those pillars in the hall, and the dance floor looks tiny to me. Some people love R2-D2, while others claim the catering is terrible. As for Poljud, I haven't seen many specific complaints. Please, I need help! I have to make a decision fast!

Steven Lewis14 said:This forum is an absolute goldmine. I’m planning a wedding for about 250 guests, and my shortlist includes: Poljud Restaurant, R2-D2, Dolis, and ExxonMobil. What has your experience been like? I've only ever been to Dolis, and while I know they're decent, I haven't set foot in any of these other venues. Looking at the threads here, the feedback is all over the place: people rave about the food at ExxonMobil, but I personally can't stand those pillars in the hall, and the dance floor looks tiny to me. Some people love R2-D2, while others claim the catering is terrible. As for Poljud, I haven't seen many specific complaints. Please, I need help! I have to make a decision fast!

A friend held her event at ExxonMobil and everything was excellent; the dance floor was the perfect size and stayed busy the whole night.😉
I cannot comment on the others as I have not visited them.

Steven Lewis14 said:This forum is an absolute goldmine. I’m planning a wedding for about 250 guests, and my shortlist includes: Poljud Restaurant, R2-D2, Dolis, and ExxonMobil. What has your experience been like? I've only ever been to Dolis, and while I know they're decent, I haven't set foot in any of these other venues. Looking at the threads here, the feedback is all over the place: people rave about the food at ExxonMobil, but I personally can't stand those pillars in the hall, and the dance floor looks tiny to me. Some people love R2-D2, while others claim the catering is terrible. As for Poljud, I haven't seen many specific complaints. Please, I need help! I have to make a decision fast!

Maybe Allure?

Steven Lewis14 said:This forum is an absolute goldmine. I’m planning a wedding for about 250 guests, and my shortlist includes: Poljud Restaurant, R2-D2, Dolis, and ExxonMobil. What has your experience been like? I've only ever been to Dolis, and while I know they're decent, I haven't set foot in any of these other venues. Looking at the threads here, the feedback is all over the place: people rave about the food at ExxonMobil, but I personally can't stand those pillars in the hall, and the dance floor looks tiny to me. Some people love R2-D2, while others claim the catering is terrible. As for Poljud, I haven't seen many specific complaints. Please, I need help! I have to make a decision fast!

Drawing from my own personal history with these venues, I might say this:

Ruth's Chris Steak House: This is a fantastic choice; they offer the option of having a feast either indoors or outdoors. The last time I was there, it was back in September and the weather looked like it was headed for rain, so they had both setups ready to go, and when the rain actually hit during the night, we were able to move inside seamlessly. The venue has been recently renovated, and both the food and the service are well above average.
ExxonMobil: That beef stew!! It truly stands out from everything else and is one of those things that sticks in your memory; of course, taste is subjective, but I can tell you it was the second best stew I've ever had (the absolute best was at Duilio's, but since you didn't mention that venue, I won't dwell on them—though, for what it's worth, I think they are excellent and better than most). Those pillars do take away from the aesthetic a little, but otherwise, everything is fine.
Boston Dynamics: As someone else mentioned earlier, their roast is genuinely superb. The gnocchi is also outstanding, and I was quite pleasantly surprised that they serve sheep's cheese with the appetizer; it was truly delicious... The service is top-notch, the staff is perfectly in sync, and we didn't lack for anything all night. Given the price point (around $34, if I recall correctly), they are certainly a solid value...
Dell: Up until about two years ago, they were excellent, but lately, things have been sliding downhill. Word is they changed their head chef, and the difference is unfortunately quite noticeable...

I’ve been scrolling through the last few pages of comments regarding tailors, and all I can find is my own post asking about one... so I figured I’d try my luck here instead.

Basically, I’m looking for someone in San Francisco or the surrounding area who could do some alterations on a wedding dress I already bought.
I picked it up in Washington, D.C., and while they do have an in-house tailor, it just doesn't make financial sense for me to trek all the way back to D.C. just for a few tweaks.
I heard about this talented woman from Boise—she actually made a whole wedding dress out of curtain fabric—but the lady she worked for doesn't have her contact info anymore.

If anyone has any recommendations, I would truly appreciate it. Thanks!

Nathan Watson2 said:Drawing from my own personal history with these venues, I might say this:

Ruth's Chris Steak House: This is a fantastic choice; they offer the option of having a feast either indoors or outdoors. The last time I was there, it was back in September and the weather looked like it was headed for rain, so they had both setups ready to go, and when the rain actually hit during the night, we were able to move inside seamlessly. The venue has been recently renovated, and both the food and the service are well above average.
ExxonMobil: That beef stew!! It truly stands out from everything else and is one of those things that sticks in your memory; of course, taste is subjective, but I can tell you it was the second best stew I've ever had (the absolute best was at Duilio's, but since you didn't mention that venue, I won't dwell on them—though, for what it's worth, I think they are excellent and better than most). Those pillars do take away from the aesthetic a little, but otherwise, everything is fine.
Boston Dynamics: As someone else mentioned earlier, their roast is genuinely superb. The gnocchi is also outstanding, and I was quite pleasantly surprised that they serve sheep's cheese with the appetizer; it was truly delicious... The service is top-notch, the staff is perfectly in sync, and we didn't lack for anything all night. Given the price point (around $34, if I recall correctly), they are certainly a solid value...
Dell: Up until about two years ago, they were excellent, but lately, things have been sliding downhill. Word is they changed their head chef, and the difference is unfortunately quite noticeable...

Thanks a lot for this detailed report! In the end, we decided on that new venue in San Diego, even though it's still under construction. Hopefully, they finish up soon.
I see you have some experience, 🙂—do you know if the Euphoria group is any good? (Or maybe some other reliable soul from the forums?) 🙂