Everything you need for a California wedding

Adam Alvarez5 said:Aha... well, I've had some people tell me all three are equally great... honestly, I'm starting to lose track myself.🤷

I haven't actually been to Dolish, so I can't really weigh in, but personally, I wouldn't even consider it because of the location. I was really hoping for a dorm closer to the coast (after that crazy party, about ten of us ended up taking a midnight dip in the ocean during those early morning hours😁)

Adam Alvarez5 said:I’ve been sitting here wondering if Holy Cross is actually the best fit for what we have in mind... at least for me, anyway. I can't quite wrap my head around the capacity requirements there. Do you think 120 or 130 guests would feel a bit sparse? I'd hate for the hall to feel cavernous or like there's just too much empty space surrounding us. Also, regarding the overnight stay—is there any sort of complimentary upgrade or bonus room situation for the newlyweds, or is that strictly extra?

When I was at a wedding there, we had about 90 guests and it didn't look empty at all. Honestly, even if I'm being a bit generous, there was still room for at least another 15 people.

Adam Alvarez5 said:Aha... well, I've had some people tell me all three are equally great... honestly, I'm starting to lose track myself.🤷

Look, Dolis isn't any better, at least not in my book. Sure, maybe it’s the cheapest per seat, but the surrounding area is basically an industrial park—not exactly high-end vibes. You’re going to end up making compromises unless you have a massive bank account. 🙂I toured every single venue in California and the surrounding areas, and let me tell you, every single one had some kind of catch! In the end, I went with the Bellevue. It’s practically walkable, the layout is symmetrical, the price was fair, and the food was solid. The only downside was the access road being a total pain, but... hey, you take what you can get!

Thought I’d jump into this thread too. There’s so much good stuff here, even for the San Diego area—I definitely need to read through everything when I get a chance ☕
My wedding is happening next spring in San Diego, so I’m currently on the hunt for a photographer. Does anyone have recommendations? I’d really love to see an actual wedding album from someone they’ve worked with. As for Susie, she’s my 🙏, but she's already booked for our date, so that's a no-go.
I’m really looking for someone who’s at least somewhat creative 😉
What about photo Nadio, has anyone used them?
I’ve noticed that almost none of the photo studios in SD even have a website to show off their work 🤷
Go San Diegans, help me out!!! 😕

Could I get some details on the luncheon in San Francisco and the surrounding area?--

October 2010

About 200 guests
Roundtables (which is something my folks at ExxonMobil requested)
Standard setup for me

Maybe some pre-marital counseling courses?

Anthony Bennett6 said:Could I get some details on the luncheon in San Francisco and the surrounding area?--

October 2010

About 200 guests
Roundtables (which is something my folks at ExxonMobil requested)
Standard setup for me

Maybe some pre-marital counseling courses?

Alright, here’s what I know from my side😉 We settled on Bolero Restaurant back in September 2010 http://restaurantbolero.com/. They do those round tables, and honestly, you can pick whatever you want... I'm looking at maybe 270 people, so maybe a venue meant for 200 might feel a bit tight for you, but hey, go check it out... that's all I got for now... good luck!😉

Brian Martin98 said:Look, Dolis isn't any better, at least not in my book. Sure, maybe it’s the cheapest per seat, but the surrounding area is basically an industrial park—not exactly high-end vibes. You’re going to end up making compromises unless you have a massive bank account. 🙂I toured every single venue in California and the surrounding areas, and let me tell you, every single one had some kind of catch! In the end, I went with the Bellevue. It’s practically walkable, the layout is symmetrical, the price was fair, and the food was solid. The only downside was the access road being a total pain, but... hey, you take what you can get!

I also had my party at Bellevue and honestly, I was blown away. The hall, the service—everything was top-tier. And I didn't even have to ask around; everyone I talked to who used them said the exact same thing. So yeah, I can recommend them with zero regrets.👍 Personally, I think that hall is way nicer than St. Jude's. St. Jude's is ugly to me—those social tiles on the floor just don't give off luxury vibes at all, let's be real. And Castello is a pretty hall, but the feedback on their food and service is hit-or-miss; sometimes it's great, sometimes it's terrible, so it's a total gamble.🤷 The only thing Bellevue is lacking is a better entrance to the hall, honestly, but when I weighed the pros and cons, I decided to trade that off for everything else they offer.

Anyone here actually used the event space at the Hotel Nevada out in Nevada? Looking at the photos, the hall seems decent enough and they've got a pool too... but browsing through posts from the last year, I haven't seen anyone mention hosting a party there.

Gregory Campbell56 said:Thought I’d jump into this thread too. There’s so much good stuff here, even for the San Diego area—I definitely need to read through everything when I get a chance ☕
My wedding is happening next spring in San Diego, so I’m currently on the hunt for a photographer. Does anyone have recommendations? I’d really love to see an actual wedding album from someone they’ve worked with. As for Susie, she’s my 🙏, but she's already booked for our date, so that's a no-go.
I’m really looking for someone who’s at least somewhat creative 😉
What about photo Nadio, has anyone used them?
I’ve noticed that almost none of the photo studios in SD even have a website to show off their work 🤷
Go San Diegans, help me out!!! 😕

First off, congrats! 😍
You hit the nail on the head; hardly anyone in San Diego keeps a proper website, so you're basically flying blind and relying entirely on word-of-mouth.
Personally, Nadio Photography didn't really do it for me—just my impression after scrolling through their pages.
I can recommend my go-to studio, Photo G; the shots are in the link so take a look—we were pretty happy with them. 😍
There's also Click and Atlantic, but as for all those other guys, I haven't seen their actual work in ages, so I can't say much (Lawrence and the crew).

Hi everyone! I just wanted to send a quick hello to all the ladies on Reddit and say thank you so much for all the helpful advice and info I’ve found while browsing these threads. I’ve been lurking here for quite a while now, but I finally decided it was time to jump in and officially join the conversation. I had a quick question for the group—has anyone ever heard of The Beatles? Well, not the famous ones, obviously, but a local trio from San Diego. I actually caught them playing at a party recently and I really loved their vibe, but I was curious if anyone else here has seen them live or heard their stuff elsewhere? Also, if you have any recommendations for other bands or even good photographers, please let me know! I feel like I’ve already scrolled through a ton of suggestions, but you can never have too many good leads. Thanks so much for the help!

Has anyone here ever heard of DJ Mary from San Francisco? She plays at some of the local festivals around town, and I think she actually works at a radio station over there in San Francisco. Does anyone have any thoughts or feedback? People on the DJ subreddit are being surprisingly quiet about this... thanks!

Brian Martin98 said:Has anyone here ever heard of DJ Mary from San Francisco? She plays at some of the local festivals around town, and I think she actually works at a radio station over there in San Francisco. Does anyone have any thoughts or feedback? People on the DJ subreddit are being surprisingly quiet about this... thanks!

Are you talking about Mary from the San Francisco radio station?

Olivia Adams71 said:First off, congrats! 😍
You hit the nail on the head; hardly anyone in San Diego keeps a proper website, so you're basically flying blind and relying entirely on word-of-mouth.
Personally, Nadio Photography didn't really do it for me—just my impression after scrolling through their pages.
I can recommend my go-to studio, Photo G; the shots are in the link so take a look—we were pretty happy with them. 😍
There's also Click and Atlantic, but as for all those other guys, I haven't seen their actual work in ages, so I can't say much (Lawrence and the crew).

Alsinia, thanks for the tip! I'll definitely have to go back and check out more of those photos...
Does anyone else have any recommendations???

Hi ladies,🙂 My partner and I are planning our wedding for October 9th, 2010, and interestingly enough, my name is also Lucia 🙂))) However, since I am not living here in the States, organizing everything from a distance feels like an uphill battle. Could anyone tell me if confirmation is required for the ceremony? I have my baptism completed, and while it isn't a requirement back home, I worry it might complicate things here. Also, does anyone have experience with the specific paperwork needed when an American marries a foreign national?🙂

Gregory Campbell56 said:Thought I’d jump into this thread too. There’s so much good stuff here, even for the San Diego area—I definitely need to read through everything when I get a chance ☕
My wedding is happening next spring in San Diego, so I’m currently on the hunt for a photographer. Does anyone have recommendations? I’d really love to see an actual wedding album from someone they’ve worked with. As for Susie, she’s my 🙏, but she's already booked for our date, so that's a no-go.
I’m really looking for someone who’s at least somewhat creative 😉
What about photo Nadio, has anyone used them?
I’ve noticed that almost none of the photo studios in SD even have a website to show off their work 🤷
Go San Diegans, help me out!!! 😕

Check out Stipe Surać's photos; Ancika mentioned him here on Reddit...

And don't feel limited to San Diego. I got married there, but my photographer was from San Francisco, Ivica Lisjak. 👍

I’ve been hunting through Sale Bellevue Trogir’s pages looking for some decent photos of the venue, but all I can find are two shots where you can barely make out the actual layout. It’s a bit frustrating! Does anyone have any better pictures they could share?
I'm dying to get a real sense of the space since everyone in the comments keeps raving about how incredible it is.

Adam Alvarez5 said:I’ve been hunting through Sale Bellevue Trogir’s pages looking for some decent photos of the venue, but all I can find are two shots where you can barely make out the actual layout. It’s a bit frustrating! Does anyone have any better pictures they could share?
I'm dying to get a real sense of the space since everyone in the comments keeps raving about how incredible it is.

One girl (Miley) used to have that exact hall and would post pictures all the time, so maybe just reach out and ask her.

Adam Alvarez5 said:I’ve been hunting through Sale Bellevue Trogir’s pages looking for some decent photos of the venue, but all I can find are two shots where you can barely make out the actual layout. It’s a bit frustrating! Does anyone have any better pictures they could share?
I'm dying to get a real sense of the space since everyone in the comments keeps raving about how incredible it is.

I actually have some pictures at home; I'll try to dig them up and send them over via DM 🙂 anyway, the joke looks much better in person. You should swing by one Saturday when they set up the stage for the pie—that's how you'll get the best shot. Cheers!

Olivia Hill9 said:Yeah, true... and before I forget—even though I really need to watch my budget here—what’s the consensus on light shows? Specifically, what kind of pricing should I expect around the San Francisco area?

I’ve only ever looked at one quote, so I’m trying to figure out if I’m looking at the high end, the low end, or somewhere right in the middle🤷...as far as costs go...and what have your experiences been like?
Personally, I think they make a huge difference for the vibe...it changes how the whole venue looks, and honestly, people tend to🙂 relax more on the dance floor when they aren't staring under those harsh, bright house lights...

What do you guys think?

My videographer rents out light shows for $1,000. We didn't end up getting one because my venue has dimmed lighting, and we honestly didn't miss it. You can see how it turned out in my photos...I'm not a fan of those "government building" style halls with blindingly bright lights that they dim for the first dance and then crank back up later.

Gregory Campbell56 said:Thought I’d jump into this thread too. There’s so much good stuff here, even for the San Diego area—I definitely need to read through everything when I get a chance ☕
My wedding is happening next spring in San Diego, so I’m currently on the hunt for a photographer. Does anyone have recommendations? I’d really love to see an actual wedding album from someone they’ve worked with. As for Susie, she’s my 🙏, but she's already booked for our date, so that's a no-go.
I’m really looking for someone who’s at least somewhat creative 😉
What about photo Nadio, has anyone used them?
I’ve noticed that almost none of the photo studios in SD even have a website to show off their work 🤷
Go San Diegans, help me out!!! 😕

Like blackie mentioned, you can check out my album. I was thrilled with the shots. I'll DM you the password. Photographer was Stipe Surac.

Someone asked about makeup—I went to Mrs. Rada at the Donna Ar salon. It's in the 5th District near Target. The price was $83. She did my makeup, my sister, my maid of honor, and my sister-in-law; the makeup lasted until sunrise. My hair was done by Nino.
You can see the makeup in my photos here: http://www.public.fotki.com/antonia55/ Password via PM.

Here’s a useful little link for anyone planning a wedding out in California, just so we can beef up our options here...