Everything you need for a California wedding

redviper17 said:It doesn't really work like that; you might have experience, but you're looking at it from a totally different angle!
What good am I as an employer if someone decides to screw me over just a month before the wedding? I can't suddenly swap out a banquet hall for 200 people in San Francisco instead of some suburb at the last minute, nor can I just magically replace the DJ or the photographer! And if someone refuses to follow my vision, I might not even have the option to hire someone else because everyone is already booked up. At that point, I'm stuck taking whoever is left, and that's definitely not what I wanted! I was at a friend's wedding that she organized in just one month, and honestly, it was a disaster—everyone said so. Sure, all she wanted to do was get married, but trying to pull off a 150-person wedding with only four weeks to go? 🙄 Everything was a total mess, and I would never dream of doing things that way! Besides, I only plan on getting married once, so I'm only throwing this big party once in my life; it's not like a birthday party you celebrate every single year....

Unfortunately, I've seen it happen, but honestly, you just have to minimize the risks! If we ignore "acts of God" (like a death, illness, or some freak accident...), there shouldn't be any issues. By using word-of-mouth—you know, checking recommendations and hearing about other people's experiences—you usually get a pretty good idea of what kind of reputation the local talent has before a big event! And look, if you decide to throw a massive bash only two months out, you’ve gotta realize you probably won't find anything you actually like—in other words, nothing that's actually good! By planning ahead, asking around, and doing your homework, you build a shortlist of people who are actually decent and honest, then you hammer out every single detail—even those "what if" scenarios!

It sucks that most people only care about the bottom line (I get it, this recession is brutal), but look at it this way: when a couple cancels their wedding, say, a month before the date, all they're left with is the deposit—when they should have been spending ten times that much! It's a bummer... we're all taking risks here!

Jeremy Wilson5 said:Taylor Kelly3, I really appreciate your intentions here, but I think your answers might be a bit too broad. It would probably be more helpful to give those girls some concrete, actionable advice instead. For instance:
- Always listen to a band before booking them; you can't just rely on a recommendation alone (on that point, we are 100% in agreement)
- Make sure there is a clear plan for the flow of the evening—things like whether there will be an anthem, a prayer, or a first dance, and if parents or the wedding party are being called up to dance. Don't forget to ask about the cake, the bouquet toss, or even things like garter tosses.
- Try not to insist on those long 15-minute breaks. If you do, your guests will end up hungry, but you definitely shouldn't allow the music to stop for an hour or more either, because by then everyone has already finished eating and they'll start getting bored.
- Clarify whether there will be any organized song requests or letters sent to the couple...
I’m sure there is plenty more you could contribute better than I can, so please, keep it coming!

See? I don't even need to sweat the small stuff when you're around! Just kidding, obviously!

I honestly just assumed everyone getting married already knew all this stuff!

Every little town, village, or family has their own weird traditions or things that vary, so I don't even know where to start listing everything—best to just ask!!!!!

Taylor Kelly3 said:Unfortunately, I've seen it happen, but honestly, you just have to minimize the risks! If we ignore "acts of God" (like a death, illness, or some freak accident...), there shouldn't be any issues. By using word-of-mouth—you know, checking recommendations and hearing about other people's experiences—you usually get a pretty good idea of what kind of reputation the local talent has before a big event! And look, if you decide to throw a massive bash only two months out, you’ve gotta realize you probably won't find anything you actually like—in other words, nothing that's actually good! By planning ahead, asking around, and doing your homework, you build a shortlist of people who are actually decent and honest, then you hammer out every single detail—even those "what if" scenarios!

It sucks that most people only care about the bottom line (I get it, this recession is brutal), but look at it this way: when a couple cancels their wedding, say, a month before the date, all they're left with is the deposit—when they should have been spending ten times that much! It's a bummer... we're all taking risks here!

Well, thanks for the well-meaning advice; but honestly, what can I say? We're dealing with some pretty complex high-level math here, and you're trying to teach us how to add two plus two! 🤷

redviper17 said:Well, thanks for the well-meaning advice; but honestly, what can I say? We're dealing with some pretty complex high-level math here, and you're trying to teach us how to add two plus two! 🤷

I honestly feel the same way, which is why I keep saying we should be sharing more useful, detailed info. Let's skip the stuff about following tradition—everyone knows that already. It's like me knowing how to put on a sundress, but still wanting the clerk at Target to walk me through exactly how to wear a wedding gown, if you know what I mean, Taylor Kelly3?

Jeremy Wilson5 said:I honestly feel the same way, which is why I keep saying we should be sharing more useful, detailed info. Let's skip the stuff about following tradition—everyone knows that already. It's like me knowing how to put on a sundress, but still wanting the clerk at Target to walk me through exactly how to wear a wedding gown, if you know what I mean, Taylor Kelly3?

Honestly, he acts like he just landed from Mars! 😁It’s pretty obvious he hasn't scrolled through the previous pages; we’ve already learned all those lessons the hard way through real-life experience! ☕

I see everyone sharing endless lists of venues, bands, and photographers, but I haven’t found any solid recommendations for DJs or solo musicians. To me, the music is just as vital to the party as the venue itself.

So, I want to hear about your experiences and what you know...

I'm primarily interested in an accordion player, or ideally a combo with an accordion and guitar, but feel free to suggest other setups too.

Just give me names, price ranges, and your honest opinions!!!

George Castillo6... I'd say you're looking at starting around $100 just for an accordion player—and that's being generous...
If you're planning on bringing both an accordion and a guitar into the mix—assuming they actually bring something to the table—you'll probably have to shell out at least $200.
I once hired an accordionist who was super low-key... if you want, I can shoot you his number in a DM... plus I have a few other contacts for different bands lying around.😉

redviper17 said:Honestly, he acts like he just landed from Mars! 😁It’s pretty obvious he hasn't scrolled through the previous pages; we’ve already learned all those lessons the hard way through real-life experience! ☕

Maybe we should try giving him a bit of advice? 🙂

Jeremy Wilson5 said:Maybe we should try giving him a bit of advice? 🙂

I mean, they definitely could use it! 😉
So, when are you getting married, Jeremy Wilson5?
As for me, I’ll just bring my accordion—and let me tell you, it’ll only cost about $220 🤷

Kimberly Robinson55 said:I was really hoping to have a local choir sing maybe two or three songs during a church service—but honestly, I can't find anyone! And even the groups I did track down want to charge $333 per song... which feels totally unreasonable to me. I mean, if I'm paying for three songs, that's basically what I'd spend at a high-end florist in
. Does anyone know a more affordable choir just for a church setting??? (Portland)

You could look into duos or trios playing guitar and mandolin. It’s similar to a traditional vocal group but a bit more upbeat and definitely cheaper... perfect for a wedding send-off. Honestly, it’s a much better value than hiring a full choir.
I know of duo fešta based out of San Francisco... you can probably track down their contact info online and check out some other local acts from there.

Just one more little thing I'm calculating :-))

Regarding the accordion players, from what I've gathered, everything seems to hover around the $200 mark, especially if they're bringing a guitar along too.

Hey everyone, does anyone happen to have a contact number or an email address for Ivica lisjak? It looks like the info on his website isn't actually working right now.🙄

quiethound45 said:Hey everyone, does anyone happen to have a contact number or an email address for Ivica lisjak? It looks like the info on his website isn't actually working right now.🙄

Sending.😉

Hey, looks like everyone's loving it, so
any chance someone could DM me Antonia Guc's number? Also, what's the damage on the price?

Thanks

Michael Williams7 said:Hey, looks like everyone's loving it, so
any chance someone could DM me Antonia Guc's number? Also, what's the damage on the price?

Thanks

Sent..

Can someone please send me the contact info for foto Mladen?
Thanks.

mellowmarlin8 said:Can someone please send me the contact info for foto Mladen?
Thanks.

Check out his site... I'll shoot you his number via PM

http://fotomladen.com

Anyone have a solid recommendation for an independent cameraman?

The big day is approaching, and I can't wait to take her to the altar. We have run into one small logistical hurdle, though. We live in Washington, D.C., but we want the wedding to be in California, which doesn't leave us much time to scout out venues. We are expecting roughly 250 guests.

Could anyone suggest a venue that can accommodate a group that size somewhere between Key West and the Miami area?

Also, how far in advance should we book a venue for a "larger" wedding like this? Our current plan is to have everything reserved about eight months out.

Thanks so much in advance!

Paul Mendoza17 said:The day is finally approaching when I’ll be walking her down the aisle... except we have one tiny little logistical headache. We live in Washington, D.C., but the wedding is going to be out in California, which means we don't exactly have all the time in the world to fly back and forth just to tour venues. We’re looking at a guest list of roughly 250 people.

Could anyone point us toward a venue that can actually accommodate a crowd that size somewhere between Key West and the Miami area?

Also, how far in advance should we realistically book a venue for a "slightly larger" wedding like this? We were thinking about having everything locked in about 8 months before the big day.

sent you a PM