Everything you need for a California wedding

Yeah, honestly, that’s the part that keeps me up at night...

I’m gonna head down there in person in the next few days to grill them and see what the deal actually is.
At least then I'll know where I stand—whether I need to start looking elsewhere or just...

Susan Jones6 said:Yeah, honestly, that’s the part that keeps me up at night...

I’m gonna head down there in person in the next few days to grill them and see what the deal actually is.
At least then I'll know where I stand—whether I need to start looking elsewhere or just...

Yeah, probably for the best. Go to service, then pull him aside afterward to ask. Good luck!

Austin Thompson96 said:Actually, Duplo does weddings—he brings a second DJ if needed to play everything he refuses to touch. He sticks to his specific "Lost Generation" vibe and he's a master at it; the only issue is his price tag starts at $5,000+, which might be too steep for some.

Out of those three others, DJ Fly is my top pick—he and his wife specialize exclusively in weddings (Semper Fi). As for Khaled and Jazzy Jeff, they aren't really my style for a wedding.

Thanks 👍

Susan Jones6 said:Yeah, honestly, that’s the part that keeps me up at night...

I’m gonna head down there in person in the next few days to grill them and see what the deal actually is.
At least then I'll know where I stand—whether I need to start looking elsewhere or just...

Well, one way to handle it might be to just keep pressing him and not back down, so maybe he'll eventually give in sooner or later. 😁
The other, probably more elegant option would be to swing by the Holy Cross Parish office when he isn't around, maybe catch one of the other priests instead, and see if they'll just get you signed up without any drama. 😁 Usually, they have a schedule posted on the door showing when everyone is in, I think there are three of them total.

My advice: hit up Mass at St. Francis Church (which includes the little chapel over in Manhattan) a few times, then grab Father Relota after service. He’ll help you out if you tell him that even though St. Francis isn't your home parish, you still make it a point to attend Sunday Mass there. 🙂

Same deal works for St. Jerome on Marin and the Meštrović estate (which costs a fee).

Otherwise, that chapel is just what’s left of the old "St. Stephen under the pines" monastery. As for those signs saying it's a cemetery wedding—honestly, I wouldn't even allow a ceremony like that there just because of the pure vanity of it all.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone.

After talking it over with my family and my fiancé, we’ve officially decided against doing the ceremony at that little chapel on Manhattan. We're going with St. Francis Church instead...

I already sat down for a meeting with the priest. He wasn't exactly thrilled since we aren't part of the local parish, but I laid out the whole situation for him, kept it chill, and everything went totally fine. He gave us the green light for the wedding. 👍
But, apparently, I can't get on the registry until mid-December once their books arrive.

Austin Hughes8 said:My advice: hit up Mass at St. Francis Church (which includes the little chapel over in Manhattan) a few times, then grab Father Relota after service. He’ll help you out if you tell him that even though St. Francis isn't your home parish, you still make it a point to attend Sunday Mass there. 🙂

Same deal works for St. Jerome on Marin and the Meštrović estate (which costs a fee).

Otherwise, that chapel is just what’s left of the old "St. Stephen under the pines" monastery. As for those signs saying it's a cemetery wedding—honestly, I wouldn't even allow a ceremony like that there just because of the pure vanity of it all.

St. Jerome is actually a different parish, so getting married there isn't an option. At least, that's what I was told this year.

Otherwise, the chapel is just what's left of the "St. Stephen under the Pines" monastery. Regarding those comments about weddings being held at a cemetery—I wouldn't allow a ceremony there myself just for the sake of following some trend.

It's a former cemetery. And no, it wasn't about "trends," it was about "appearances."🥳 Does that make me any less of a faithful Catholic when it comes to getting married there?

Ronald Anderson48 said:St. Jerome is actually a different parish, so getting married there isn't an option. At least, that's what I was told this year.

Otherwise, the chapel is just what's left of the "St. Stephen under the Pines" monastery. Regarding those comments about weddings being held at a cemetery—I wouldn't allow a ceremony there myself just for the sake of following some trend.

It's a former cemetery. And no, it wasn't about "trends," it was about "appearances."🥳 Does that make me any less of a faithful Catholic when it comes to getting married there?

It’s actually the same parish as St. Francis and Manhattan, so they do weddings there, and I think I saw one happening just today.

So, looking at this whole mess regarding whether or not people are actually allowed to get married over in Manhattan... honestly, I feel like regardless of what kind of specific circumstances a couple might be dealing with, the church shouldn't really belong to the priest alone. It feels a bit off that he gets to just decide on his own whim who’s allowed to tie the knot there and who isn't, or basically acting like the judge of whose reasoning is "good enough" and whose just isn't. I guess it's just my take, but it seems like he shouldn't have that much arbitrary power over who can or can't marry in the parish. 🙄 I mean, I honestly feel like people who actually belong to Holy Cross Parish should probably get priority when it comes to picking wedding dates—or at least the whole process should be consistent with that kind of logic, you know? But it just doesn't work that way, I guess. I can think of at least twenty different couples who have gotten married here over the last few years who don't have any real connection to the parish at all. And from what I can tell, most of them managed to snag their preferred dates simply because they happen to know someone who’s close with the priest. 🙄

Has anyone actually stayed in the ballroom at the Hotel Plaza over in San Francisco? I’ve been hearing whispers that the place is top-tier—just finished a massive renovation and the prices aren't even that bad... if you know anything else about it, drop a comment here or just hit me up in my DMs.

goldenmarlin11 said:Has anyone actually stayed in the ballroom at the Hotel Plaza over in San Francisco? I’ve been hearing whispers that the place is top-tier—just finished a massive renovation and the prices aren't even that bad... if you know anything else about it, drop a comment here or just hit me up in my DMs.

I actually worked an event there this past weekend. It really is a lovely space, though in my humble opinion, the food and service have always been top-tier regardless. They’ve certainly put some serious work into refreshing the room lately (they’ve been under the umbrella of Pletar Services, which handles major national contracts, for several years now). The ceiling isn't what it used to be, either; apparently, that was one of the main reasons they were seeing fewer weddings lately, as couples just weren't feeling the vibe, but they've fixed that right up along with the lighting and overall ambiance. As for the cost, if my memory serves me correctly, the standard menu runs about $550 per person. I also know that the couple still gets a complimentary night's stay, and all the guests can grab rooms at very reasonable rates. If there's anything else you need to know, just ask here or send me a DM.🙂

St. Jerome Chapel actually falls under the Holy Cross Parish over in Varoš. 👍

So, you’re actually going through with it? Big moves. Seriously though, if you're asking about when to lock in the wedding cake, you better not be pulling a last-minute stunt. If you want something fancy—I'm talking custom designs, specific flavors that aren't just "grocery store vanilla," or those crazy tiered setups—you need to be talking to bakers months in advance. Like, seriously, six to twelve months out is the sweet spot if you want the good stuff. I remember my cousin tried to wing it with some local bakery in San Francisco just three weeks before her big day, and let's just say the "cake" looked more like a sad sponge sitting on a paper plate. Not exactly the Pinterest dream, right? If you've already got your venue set and your date locked in, start scouting bakers now. The best ones get booked up faster than a table at a trendy brunch spot in Manhattan. Don't wait until you're staring down the barrel of the wedding month thinking, "Eh, we'll just grab something from a supermarket." Your guests will judge you. Trust me. 😁
So, I’ve been thinking about Zenith lately...

Ladies, I'm selling a gift card worth $333 for the Lipoto salon. I need the cash to cover my apartment rent through the end of the year! 😊

Ronald Anderson48 said:St. Jerome is actually a different parish, so getting married there isn't an option. At least, that's what I was told this year.

Otherwise, the chapel is just what's left of the "St. Stephen under the Pines" monastery. Regarding those comments about weddings being held at a cemetery—I wouldn't allow a ceremony there myself just for the sake of following some trend.

It's a former cemetery. And no, it wasn't about "trends," it was about "appearances."🥳 Does that make me any less of a faithful Catholic when it comes to getting married there?

Have you guys reached out to the priest at St. Croix yet? I'm pretty sure it's doable—you probably just need to go in and have a real conversation with him first.

Yeah, I heard they aren't doing weddings there anymore. That was back at the start of the year. Maybe I just got bumped off the list, or maybe someone else will eventually manage to pull it off.
Doesn't matter, though. I'm not sitting here regretting not getting married there—I am beyond happy with St. Duje. The ceremony itself was flawless, and we have nothing but good things to say about the priest. So many people were talking about his sermon, saying how much they loved how straightforward it was and how engaging he actually was. 😁

Regarding St. Jerome—that actually falls under the jurisdiction of St. Croix, which was my old parish. I used to be there all the time until I had my baby. Father Michael is a bit eccentric—he basically runs the whole Varos area himself without a chaplain, and honestly, it’s just impossible for one person to manage all those churches (St. Croix, Nicholas, Manda, St. Jerome, and Nicholas) alone. Back when Father John was in charge, everything worked smoothly; the girls from the choir would handle the setup and they’d sing up there—at least, that’s how it was for my friend. I truly believe Father Michael only decided to take this route this year (maybe out of pure stubbornness, or perhaps just because he's stretched too thin), but if someone is really struggling, they should just head over to St. Croix Mass on Sunday at 9:00 or 11:00 and ask him personally afterward. He prefers it when you come up and talk to him face-to-face rather than just buzzing him on the phone. So, there—hope that helps someone somewhere.🙂

Hey everyone, I’m in need of some advice, obviously... 😵

We’re leaning towards booking the 7-Eleven group, though nothing is set in stone just yet, so I’d love to hear what you all think about them 🙂 I already know that Visa, Yellow Cab, and Coca-Cola are booked up for that date, and we've been getting recommendations for Dice, Counter, and Nero (some newer band), but we really need someone more "versatile"—not strictly a rock vibe—especially since we'll have some folk musicians performing alongside them...

Moving on to decorations, should we go with Lantern or HomeGoods (San Francisco)? Like anyone else, I’m looking for high quality without getting completely fleeced... Magnolia from Canada is quite popular, but even their lowest prices end up being pretty steep once you tally everything up...

Thanks in advance!

analogmaker12 said:Hey everyone, I’m in need of some advice, obviously... 😵

We’re leaning towards booking the 7-Eleven group, though nothing is set in stone just yet, so I’d love to hear what you all think about them 🙂 I already know that Visa, Yellow Cab, and Coca-Cola are booked up for that date, and we've been getting recommendations for Dice, Counter, and Nero (some newer band), but we really need someone more "versatile"—not strictly a rock vibe—especially since we'll have some folk musicians performing alongside them...

Moving on to decorations, should we go with Lantern or HomeGoods (San Francisco)? Like anyone else, I’m looking for high quality without getting completely fleeced... Magnolia from Canada is quite popular, but even their lowest prices end up being pretty steep once you tally everything up...

Thanks in advance!

Hey, we went with Lisa and honestly, Tina and I couldn't be happier. The communication was great, and everything went smoothly. I just told her what I wanted and gave her my budget for decor, and she made it happen. Both hers and my sister's work is absolutely stunning—it's exactly what I envisioned, truly a dream! 👏 We'll see how it all looks at the reception, but I have zero doubts it's going to look incredible. 🙂

The Beatles—well, Mirko Bura’s group plays just about everything and they pull off a killer sound. They’re the only ones who really go all out with a full accordion solo during the night, but if that's a bit much for you alongside the folk players, they can probably ditch it...

analogmaker12 said:Hey everyone, I’m in need of some advice, obviously... 😵

We’re leaning towards booking the 7-Eleven group, though nothing is set in stone just yet, so I’d love to hear what you all think about them 🙂 I already know that Visa, Yellow Cab, and Coca-Cola are booked up for that date, and we've been getting recommendations for Dice, Counter, and Nero (some newer band), but we really need someone more "versatile"—not strictly a rock vibe—especially since we'll have some folk musicians performing alongside them...

Moving on to decorations, should we go with Lantern or HomeGoods (San Francisco)? Like anyone else, I’m looking for high quality without getting completely fleeced... Magnolia from Canada is quite popular, but even their lowest prices end up being pretty steep once you tally everything up...

Thanks in advance!

Dictators, The Beatles, and Extra Small are guaranteed fun—plus, you can catch the first two live at Zenta (if I recall correctly, The Beatles are playing Friday, and the Dictators are on Wednesday the 15th).

Could someone please share their experiences regarding the Nautica restaurant in Castel? Thanks!