Everything you need for a California wedding

Kyle Campbell3 said:Back again 🙂😵

Does anyone here happen to know anything about the band Mike Bora? I’ve been enjoying their sets at local backyard BBQs lately, but I haven't been able to track down any actual reviews on this forum.
You're welcome👍

I'm honestly hitting a dead end... I managed to scrape together maybe thirty pages of comments, and that's it. If anyone happens to have some fresh info, I'd be incredibly grateful. 🙂)))

You can find Bora on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube—pretty much everywhere you look... they play all night long and stay on the scene so consistently that if anyone’s actually worth knowing, they’ve definitely heard of them 😁. They’ve popped up in discussions here quite a bit too, though maybe more in threads about local bands rather than this specific one, I can't quite recall.
They played for my friends before they ever played for me, and honestly, the vibe was killer. The guy even plays the accordion, so he’ll hop down from the stage mid-set to put on a little show 🙂. Definitely a recommendation from me.

Gary Reed9 said:You can find Bora on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube—pretty much everywhere you look... they play all night long and stay on the scene so consistently that if anyone’s actually worth knowing, they’ve definitely heard of them 😁. They’ve popped up in discussions here quite a bit too, though maybe more in threads about local bands rather than this specific one, I can't quite recall.
They played for my friends before they ever played for me, and honestly, the vibe was killer. The guy even plays the accordion, so he’ll hop down from the stage mid-set to put on a little show 🙂. Definitely a recommendation from me.

Honey, thank you so much for responding to almost every single one of my questions. 🙂🙂

I actually tracked him down and listened, but I was hoping for something a bit more substantial based on firsthand experience. A friend is bringing over a bootleg DVD of a show—turns out it was a Bora gig, which I realized after the fact—so I’ll be able to see the whole thing soon. 🙂))

If they’re actually free agents, then they're solid—super versatile, too 🙂

Gary Reed9 said:If they’re actually free agents, then they're solid—super versatile, too 🙂

They really are. Honestly, seeing how many matches I'm pulling up—where everyone I'm looking for keeps popping up in the results—is starting to get a little eerie. 😲🕺
Anyway, I really appreciate all the feedback. 🙂))))

Haha, I was in the exact same boat—did everything just six months before the big day 🤣 kidding aside, the band, the photographer, the dress, the florist, even setting up a tent in the backyard just in case the weather turned since it was early spring... though it ended up being one of those gorgeous, sunny days that felt more like summer 😁 I managed to pull the whole thing together and get every single detail locked in within maybe a month. That’s just how fate works

Gary Reed9 said:Haha, I was in the exact same boat—did everything just six months before the big day 🤣 kidding aside, the band, the photographer, the dress, the florist, even setting up a tent in the backyard just in case the weather turned since it was early spring... though it ended up being one of those gorgeous, sunny days that felt more like summer 😁 I managed to pull the whole thing together and get every single detail locked in within maybe a month. That’s just how fate works

Man, I really hope luck strikes me like that too. Speaking of fate, 😁 while we're on the subject, I’ve been thinking about catering options. I haven't attended a wedding with shared catering yet, but it seems much more manageable given that I don't have any extra space out front of my house... though we're still looking at a guest list of about 300 people.

At the last bachelor party I went to, they did all the catering and the pre-party at Dodger Stadium, then headed over to St. Anthony for the mass before looping back to the reception at Dodger Stadium. Honestly, the logistics were flawless—everything was walkable, everyone just parked once when they arrived, and it was nothing but a stroll from there. 😁 Both of them live in apartments, so they really wanted to avoid hosting the whole crowd at their place. At the end of the day, this kind of thing is totally doable, and if you put in even a little effort, it can turn out pretty fun, romantic, and genuinely nice.

Ethan Fisher66 said:Have you checked out Helen? She’s incredible.

I haven't. I've heard rumors that she spends three hours on a bride and ends up applying way too much makeup, which is exactly what I’m trying to avoid.😁

Has anyone here actually had a good experience with her?

Kenneth Ramos4 said:I haven't. I've heard rumors that she spends three hours on a bride and ends up applying way too much makeup, which is exactly what I’m trying to avoid.😁

Has anyone here actually had a good experience with her?

Please let me know if you find someone who specializes in a more natural look and actually listens to what the client wants!🙏

Kyle Campbell3 said:Man, I really hope luck strikes me like that too. Speaking of fate, 😁 while we're on the subject, I’ve been thinking about catering options. I haven't attended a wedding with shared catering yet, but it seems much more manageable given that I don't have any extra space out front of my house... though we're still looking at a guest list of about 300 people.

I actually just dealt with a setup like that this past weekend, and honestly, I can tell you it's a total game-changer. Trying to cram everyone into individual houses has always been my absolute nightmare; nobody can move, people are constantly bumping into each other, and the whole thing just turns into pure chaos... unless, of course, someone owns a massive estate with enough acreage for everyone to spread out. But this way, everyone gathers easily, the caterers handle all the food and drinks, and you aren't stuck spending the next three days cleaning up after the party 🙂is over. It's pure bliss!

I once went to a wedding where everyone hung out at a local bar before the ceremony. We did this twice—once for drinks and snacks, and once for the full catering spread.

The first time was honestly kind of a mess. The place was tiny, packed with people, and there was nowhere to actually set your plate down because it was all just high-top cocktail tables. Plus, if you wanted a drink, you had to fight for space at the bar and wait forever... yeah, it left a pretty bad impression on me.

The second time around was much better. There was plenty of room, split between an indoor area and an outdoor patio. They had drinks and finger foods outside, while the main meal was inside. You could grab your food, sit down, eat like a normal human being, and then head back out to the music. It was actually really well done.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to how much thought goes into the planning. That first wedding was planned a year in advance, while the second one was pulled together in just two months!

Personally, I’m a huge fan of those pre-wedding get-togethers at someone's house. I love it. Who cares about the extra cleaning? Once you're there, it's 😁

Personally, I’ve always been a huge fan of those get-togethers at someone's house. There's just something about it. Forget the cleaning and all that hassle; once, it was 😁

I hear you, I really do. But living in a place where you don't have much breathing room—we're talking maybe two parking spots total—it makes things tricky. I ended up deciding to go with catering so we can all just gather in one spot. I'm not entirely sure how it'll pan out, but

I am looking for some recommendations for an accordion player who can handle both catering events and weddings. Additionally, I was wondering if anyone could give me a rough idea of what the typical rates look like for wedding gigs. Thanks!

wearypilot39 said:I am looking for some recommendations for an accordion player who can handle both catering events and weddings. Additionally, I was wondering if anyone could give me a rough idea of what the typical rates look like for wedding gigs. Thanks!

Expect to pay around $100 and up—here are two leads from my side...
unknown (from the 2+1 band) 555-012-3456
unknown 555-019-8765

Best,

Back again 🙂 I’m trying to get a sense of how much musicians are charging these days. Specifically for catering gigs and various events... One guy is quoting me $500. That would cover an accordion player, a guitarist, and a double bassist. Does that sound steep to you all?

Kyle Campbell3 said:Back again 🙂 I’m trying to get a sense of how much musicians are charging these days. Specifically for catering gigs and various events... One guy is quoting me $500. That would cover an accordion player, a guitarist, and a double bassist. Does that sound steep to you all?

I already laid out the prices in my previous post—they usually run about $100; personally, I think $500 is overkill.

Austin Thompson96 said:I already laid out the prices in my previous post—they usually run about $100; personally, I think $500 is overkill.

I won't name names here, but one of the companies you listed is actually asking for that exact amount... ☕

Kyle Campbell3 said:Back again 🙂 I’m trying to get a sense of how much musicians are charging these days. Specifically for catering gigs and various events... One guy is quoting me $500. That would cover an accordion player, a guitarist, and a double bassist. Does that sound steep to you all?

That actually sounds pretty reasonable. I once hired a trio (two guitars and an accordion) and they charged me way more than that for the whole day—playing at my place, at the venue, outside the church, and then staying through the reception until like 2 AM...

Jessica Hall34 said:That actually sounds pretty reasonable. I once hired a trio (two guitars and an accordion) and they charged me way more than that for the whole day—playing at my place, at the venue, outside the church, and then staying through the reception until like 2 AM...

And she didn't have a clue... she was basically just dreaming🙂🙄
A friend of mine is also getting married soon, and she told me $933 for an accordion, guitar, and double bass setup... so I figured I'd pay a few hundred dollars more, knowing they're great guys.. 🕺🙂
It's not my fault if I don't take full advantage of everything; we're all hanging out in the same spot anyway... if we were, they'd probably end up playing for much longer.