Everything you need for a California wedding

Michael Davis21 said:@rapidmason10 I see you've got a party going on over in Bellevue... just a heads up, tell them not to turn the music down at 3 AM... I've seen it happen before where people start complaining 🙄... since they have apartments there too, they tend to sneakily lower the volume so they don't wake up the guests 🙄 personally, I really like setting those house rules right at the start—I'd tell them straight up if they try anything, they aren't getting paid... then they don't have any issues 👍

The venue owner is actually a close friend of mine, and our contract is crystal clear: music can stay loud until 4 AM, and then we just taper it off a bit🙂

I know she won't screw me over. I told her straight up that I've heard all the drama about venues turning the music down early, plus I was at a bash there during peak season and nobody asked to lower the volume once😁

So, seriously, nothing to worry about🙂

rapidmason10 said:The venue owner is actually a close friend of mine, and our contract is crystal clear: music can stay loud until 4 AM, and then we just taper it off a bit🙂

I know she won't screw me over. I told her straight up that I've heard all the drama about venues turning the music down early, plus I was at a bash there during peak season and nobody asked to lower the volume once😁

So, seriously, nothing to worry about🙂

When you actually have a connection with them, it's a totally different story 👍 they wouldn't even dream of being difficult 😁

Also, does anyone know anything about flowers? I haven't even started looking yet, and honestly, I have zero clue who's actually good. Along with everything else, I’d love some cute little table arrangements... I have no idea what kind of budget I'd need for that 🤷 and maybe some ribbon bows for the chairs that match the bouquet colors... has anyone here dealt with that or knows where I can find decent stuff

Michael Davis21 said:When you actually have a connection with them, it's a totally different story 👍 they wouldn't even dream of being difficult 😁

Also, does anyone know anything about flowers? I haven't even started looking yet, and honestly, I have zero clue who's actually good. Along with everything else, I’d love some cute little table arrangements... I have no idea what kind of budget I'd need for that 🤷 and maybe some ribbon bows for the chairs that match the bouquet colors... has anyone here dealt with that or knows where I can find decent stuff

I'll shoot you a DM with the contact info for a really awesome lady from the forums here in St. Louis—she rents out chair bows......

For florists, I’d suggest the shop in that small town in the Midwest (he's doing my decorations), then there's Jane's shop, or Flower (they're all based in Castle Rock)....
The florist over in Elizabeth is also great too.....

I also highly recommend the florist run by our friend Raymond Brooks7; she made some absolutely stunning arrangements for me👍

rapidmason10 said:I'll shoot you a DM with the contact info for a really awesome lady from the forums here in St. Louis—she rents out chair bows......

For florists, I’d suggest the shop in that small town in the Midwest (he's doing my decorations), then there's Jane's shop, or Flower (they're all based in Castle Rock)....
The florist over in Elizabeth is also great too.....

I also highly recommend the florist run by our friend Raymond Brooks7; she made some absolutely stunning arrangements for me👍

those👍 chair sashes for rent... totally awesome🙂
Thanks for all the tips 🙂 I actually think my friend used Jane’s for her pirate-themed party... but let me double-check with her first

James Kelly82 said:Hey there!!
It’s my first time posting here, but since my turn has finally come up, I could really use some pointers from you guys...
I've got a huge party coming up this October in San Francisco, and honestly, I’m starting from scratch!! We’re looking at about 300 guests... so if anyone could lend a hand, I'd be so grateful...
Can anyone hook me up with some contact info for local bands, venues, or photographers?? Thanks...

I am sending you Ferate's number.

I was just scrolling through the forum and realized you guys really know your stuff here😁
We ended up going with Mark’s photography—personally, I think his shots are absolutely stunning—but then again, I’ve heard whispers that not all of his photographers have that same creative spark or consistent quality... 🙄 so, I could really use some advice if anyone happens to know which specific crew Mark works with that I should reach out to...🤷🤷

I dig Mark's style, but I'm not sure if you can still snag a crew—check if they're even available first... Zvon is their top photographer, but for videographers, people always mention Patrick or Ivan. Honestly, I don't know either of them, so I'm drawing a blank there.😉
p.s. Where'd you see their work? 😉

Kevin Kim5 said:I dig Mark's style, but I'm not sure if you can still snag a crew—check if they're even available first... Zvon is their top photographer, but for videographers, people always mention Patrick or Ivan. Honestly, I don't know either of them, so I'm drawing a blank there.😉
p.s. Where'd you see their work? 😉

I mentioned that I really want Patrick for the video because his work is seriously insane—he filmed a video for one of my friends and it was just wild! As for the photographer... I wasn't sure who to pick... I talked to Mark (my boss) and he told me that if I had any specific wishes regarding the crew, I should just let him know... he even offered to take the pictures himself! But honestly, I have no idea about photography... 😁 maybe he's an amazing boss but a mediocre photographer...🤷

He’s done a few weddings I’ve attended... and they are definitely good, but you can see these little inconsistencies in quality and creativity... 😉and I just want everything to be absolutely perfecteeeeeeeeeee...😢😁

Michael Davis21 said:I mentioned that I really want Patrick for the video because his work is seriously insane—he filmed a video for one of my friends and it was just wild! As for the photographer... I wasn't sure who to pick... I talked to Mark (my boss) and he told me that if I had any specific wishes regarding the crew, I should just let him know... he even offered to take the pictures himself! But honestly, I have no idea about photography... 😁 maybe he's an amazing boss but a mediocre photographer...🤷

He’s done a few weddings I’ve attended... and they are definitely good, but you can see these little inconsistencies in quality and creativity... 😉and I just want everything to be absolutely perfecteeeeeeeeeee...😢😁

So Patrick is a go, haha, awesome! Honestly, I'm stoked because from what I know, he's definitely filming my party
Regarding the photographer, he's looking for that bell sound like I mentioned before; he's definitely the top-tier guy at Photo Martha, so you won't have a single worry😉😉

Michael Davis21 said:I’ve spent so much time lurking through these threads before, just soaking up all the advice for a friend back when she was planning her wedding🙄. But now—well, it’s finally my turn😲. 😍 I mean, I still have about 10 months to go, but you can never be too early when it comes to getting your ducks in a row, right?
I wanted to ask—has anyone here actually seen the band Bomb live at a reception??
I’ve listened to their tracks probably ten thousand times already, but I’ve never actually caught them performing at a party...

I've seen Bomb play at a party before and I totally recommend them... everything went exactly how we planned, too—it was a huge 👍 for the band
.

I know we’ve already gone down the rabbit hole regarding deli meats—enough said there—but I’m asking for some help navigating a dilemma—or let’s call it what it really is, a trilemma. I’m torn between choosing Pirate, San Antonio, or Bolero. The catch? I’m only catering for about 90 people, maybe even fewer, which means I have an equal number of pros and cons for every single option. I’d love to get your take on this because, frankly, more heads are better than one!

Rebecca Nelson59 said:I know we’ve already gone down the rabbit hole regarding deli meats—enough said there—but I’m asking for some help navigating a dilemma—or let’s call it what it really is, a trilemma. I’m torn between choosing Pirate, San Antonio, or Bolero. The catch? I’m only catering for about 90 people, maybe even fewer, which means I have an equal number of pros and cons for every single option. I’d love to get your take on this because, frankly, more heads are better than one!

Bolero isn't gonna work for a crowd that small.🤔
Pirate is probably the same deal—they want at least 150. You might be able to squeeze in on a Friday, but then they cap the guest list even tighter.😉 As for San Antonio, I think someone had a wedding there recently and raved about the venue.😉

Rebecca Nelson59 said:I know we’ve already gone down the rabbit hole regarding deli meats—enough said there—but I’m asking for some help navigating a dilemma—or let’s call it what it really is, a trilemma. I’m torn between choosing Pirate, San Antonio, or Bolero. The catch? I’m only catering for about 90 people, maybe even fewer, which means I have an equal number of pros and cons for every single option. I’d love to get your take on this because, frankly, more heads are better than one!

Avoid Bolero at all costs... you'll just end up lost...
Pirate is great... but you aren't crazy for not overpaying for a crowd of 150 when you don't have them...

San Antonio... legendary choice, perfect for a group that size... plus the beach... that's my vote!👍

Rebecca Nelson59 said:I know we’ve already gone down the rabbit hole regarding deli meats—enough said there—but I’m asking for some help navigating a dilemma—or let’s call it what it really is, a trilemma. I’m torn between choosing Pirate, San Antonio, or Bolero. The catch? I’m only catering for about 90 people, maybe even fewer, which means I have an equal number of pros and cons for every single option. I’d love to get your take on this because, frankly, more heads are better than one!

I actually had my wedding in San Antonio back on February 14th, so my experience is still very fresh...🙂😍
Everything was highly recommended🙏, especially considering such a smaller group size—we had 115 guests, which felt a little tight, though I suspect they might tell you that 150 is the ideal number...
The servers, the food, everything was absolutely wonderful...👍👍👍

Karen Cruz2 said:Hey!
I'm thinking about grabbing some of those cookies for a sailing trip, so I wanted to see if you knew if they actually carry them?
And where are they even located?

I believe they do, though I can't say for certain... Their main headquarters is over in San Jose, but they also have a little kiosk at the downtown farmer's market—that yellow stall where you can grab a catalog featuring their entire cake selection—plus they have a small shop out toward the suburbs somewhere...

I used to own a Jet Ski... had it serviced by a guy over at the Mediterranean Sea bakery right by the marina.

Thanks, ladies...
mops0807—could you give me the lowdown on the service? How’s the food? And how far in advance did you have to book the hall? Regarding the pricing, I read somewhere that it was $35 plus $15 for drinks? Is that still the case?

Rebecca Nelson59 said:I know we’ve already gone down the rabbit hole regarding deli meats—enough said there—but I’m asking for some help navigating a dilemma—or let’s call it what it really is, a trilemma. I’m torn between choosing Pirate, San Antonio, or Bolero. The catch? I’m only catering for about 90 people, maybe even fewer, which means I have an equal number of pros and cons for every single option. I’d love to get your take on this because, frankly, more heads are better than one!

At San Antonio, they do a standard menu for $50 including drinks, but if you have fewer than 90 guests, you still get hit with the full price for 90.
With Pirate, you can get away with a smaller group if you don't book on a Saturday.
If you head over to the West Side near the old district, you can fit about 150 people, but even if you just want something for 60, the price stays pretty much the same at around $40 with drinks included.

Rebecca Nelson59 said:Thanks, ladies...
mops0807—could you give me the lowdown on the service? How’s the food? And how far in advance did you have to book the hall? Regarding the pricing, I read somewhere that it was $35 plus $15 for drinks? Is that still the case?

I actually booked my entire month-long trip before the Pirate arrived🙂
The summer months are absolutely packed, but since we went during the second month, they actually had some availability left😍
It was $50 per person, though there is definitely room for negotiation (we didn't want the standard meal option, and since we handled the deposit at the very last minute, we ended up paying just $40 per person)😍
The servers were wonderful, and the food—especially the lamb, which caught me completely by surprise—was simply outstanding🙏
We even received a complimentary one-night stay in an apartment (though we eventually decided to extend it to two nights)😍
Honestly, you can work out just about any detail with Mateo, whether it's the decor, the menu, or the drinks...
He even let us host a welcome party by the pool, which was a massive hit with everyone👍
If there is anything else you need to know, please don't hesitate to ask😍

Just letting everyone know I’m around if anyone needs anything—I'm hanging out in Bellevue... just me and my pup, haha. Huge congrats to the band! Also, shoutout to Mark for the photos (shoutout to Z and P too). I actually DIYed the invitations myself, and Angelus Art is handling the favors. We’re doing the ceremony at the local chapel with Auntie Mil—she's truly one of a kind. Found those red heels online, plus I've got my bouquet ready... and then, of course, there's the fireworks!