Everything you need for a California wedding

Has anyone here ever held their wedding over in Dolis-Lesnin??? I'm dying to know what the catering is actually like, and how everything else shakes out.

Oh my goodness. I’ve been away from the forum for a few days and just saw all these incredible recommendations. Thank you all so much for the timely advice! Honestly, the reason I'm panicking is because I stepped away from wedding planning for just a few days, and now it looks like every good band is already booked. It feels like everyone beat me to it! Now I’m truly at a loss. The following groups are unavailable: The Beach Boys, Bravo, and Flesh... Has anyone heard anything about Fantastico, Marinero, or Joker Band? Please, send help with some suggestions! I'll put down a deposit the second I hear back from you.

Here is another band for you all to weigh in on—I'd love your advice: Big Fun. I know some of you mentioned them earlier, but if you had to choose between Marinero or Big Fun, or maybe one of my backup options like Fantastico or Joker, what would you pick? Please let me know what you think!

I saw Viva play, and they are worth every single US Dollar 👍👍👍👍👍

They are true professionals. I would recommend them without hesitation. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

But Viva isn't available. They’re already booked for September. What are your thoughts on the other bands?

Adam Alvarez5 said:Has anyone here ever held their wedding over in Dolis-Lesnin??? I'm dying to know what the catering is actually like, and how everything else shakes out.

Dolis and Lesnina aren't even the same place. Which one are you talking about?

Anyone got the scoop on the Neva hotel?
Need the lowdown on the food, the rooms, and the staff.

Donna Morris30 said:Anyone got the scoop on the Neva hotel?
Need the lowdown on the food, the rooms, and the staff.

All I can tell you is that the location is absolutely stunning, but as for the actual food quality or how the staff treats you? I’m completely in the dark. How many people are you planning to bring along anyway?

electriccanyon17 said:Hey everyone
I’ve been lurking here for a while now, and honestly, you guys have been a lifesaver when it comes to all my wedding stress—everything from the venue and photography to picking out flowers... 👍
But I’m hitting a wall because I can't find anyone who actually saw Jesse's band perform at a wedding. Some friends recommended them, but I'm dead set on finding a real, full-scale band—you know, actual drums, keys, guitars, and both male and female vocals. I am absolutely NOT doing some duo or trio running off a drum machine. And obviously, I need a setlist packed with pop-rock and classic California hits, with zero country music allowed.
This is a huge deal for me, so if anyone here has actually seen them live, please, please drop your honest thoughts below...

Well, I’m checking back in since nobody has said a word... It can't be possible that nobody here has heard them play at a wedding! :-(
Anyway, thanks to everyone who sent me private messages, but unfortunately, none of you actually caught them performing at a reception...
If you happen to know where they’re playing this weekend or next so I can go hear them myself, let me know. But honestly, I’d love to hear how they handle weddings—like, how long are their breaks? How do they sound? How do they manage the flow of the night, the cake cutting, and all that?
We're still debating between The Best and Major League Baseball...

I’ve always felt that the timing of a band's breaks is really a negotiation between the musicians and the kitchen staff. With most groups I’ve worked with, they typically play sets of about 45 minutes, followed by a thirty-minute intermission specifically timed for when the food is being served. Of course, you can certainly negotiate different terms—for instance, we once requested hour-long sets, but you have to be extremely careful to coordinate that with the catering team. You don't want to run into those awkward situations where the servers are trying to lay out the buffet while the band is still mid-song, or conversely, the band finishes their set and everyone sits down only to realize the food isn't ready yet. It’s all about that synchronization.

I honestly thought Dolis and Lesnina were just two names for the same thing, and I assumed they shared a conductor since their websites make them look like one big merged entity. I mean, what even is Lesnina?

electriccanyon17 said:Well, I’m checking back in since nobody has said a word... It can't be possible that nobody here has heard them play at a wedding! :-(
Anyway, thanks to everyone who sent me private messages, but unfortunately, none of you actually caught them performing at a reception...
If you happen to know where they’re playing this weekend or next so I can go hear them myself, let me know. But honestly, I’d love to hear how they handle weddings—like, how long are their breaks? How do they sound? How do they manage the flow of the night, the cake cutting, and all that?
We're still debating between The Best and Major League Baseball...

I saw them at a wedding once and they were decent enough. My only gripe was that they totally killed the vibe—I'm not sure if it was the couple's choice or just their style, but they'd build up a great energy and then immediately drop into these slow songs. It basically sent half the guests straight to their seats to sit down.
Honestly, it was such a buzzkill.

Hey everyone, I could really use some advice. I need to book a band for this Saturday, but I'm torn between two options: Calypso or Big Fun. Any thoughts? Please help!

David King72 said:All I can tell you is that the location is absolutely stunning, but as for the actual food quality or how the staff treats you? I’m completely in the dark. How many people are you planning to bring along anyway?

For 100 people

Donna Morris30 said:For 100 people

And what about Diocletian in the suburbs??
I actually attended a party out there back in February, and honestly, where do I even start? I have to give them massive credit because everything from the food to the servers to the venue itself was absolutely spot on.👍👍🙏
Plus, you've still got Amigos right there in the outskirts, too.

David King72 said:And what about Diocletian in the suburbs??
I actually attended a party out there back in February, and honestly, where do I even start? I have to give them massive credit because everything from the food to the servers to the venue itself was absolutely spot on.👍👍🙏
Plus, you've still got Amigos right there in the outskirts, too.

Maybe.. haven't checked them out yet, or either of those two halls.. heard Diocletian is kind of old school though.. apparently they've got these pillars right in the middle that get in the way... people say all sorts of things.. guess I'll go check it out first.. thanks for the tip 😉)

Has anyone ever been to Fable? They have three different rooms available: 120, 200, and 250...

Anthony Bennett6 said:Has anyone ever been to Fable? They have three different rooms available: 120, 200, and 250...

Yeah... it's all fine. I was in the upper left room and had zero complaints...
What specifically are you looking for? 🤷

Donna Morris30 said:Maybe.. haven't checked them out yet, or either of those two halls.. heard Diocletian is kind of old school though.. apparently they've got these pillars right in the middle that get in the way... people say all sorts of things.. guess I'll go check it out first.. thanks for the tip 😉)

You’ve got San Antonio, the Arcade, and even Castle Salt to choose from...

Does anyone happen to have the phone number for the Castle Restaurant in San Antonio? I seem to have misplaced everything...