Everything you need for a California wedding

My brother took a group of girls to a backyard BBQ a while back, and honestly, the entertainment was a total disaster... I wouldn’t recommend it...

My fiancée and I are looking at getting married next summer...

We're hunting for a semi-open venue near the coast—maybe somewhere on the California coast—with a budget of around $55 per person, if that's even realistic. We're expecting about 110 to 120 guests... Is now the right time to start searching, or am I being too early?

We want live music that hits a certain vibe—something with an accordion, maybe some acoustic guitar or mandolin... just something high-energy and fun. 🙂

Roger Gray37 said:Does anyone know of a five-piece band out in the San Francisco area that might be available for roughly $2,000?

They're okay, but I wouldn't recommend them...

wanderingbadger17 said:My brother took a group of girls to a backyard BBQ a while back, and honestly, the entertainment was a total disaster... I wouldn’t recommend it...

My fiancée and I are looking at getting married next summer...

We're hunting for a semi-open venue near the coast—maybe somewhere on the California coast—with a budget of around $55 per person, if that's even realistic. We're expecting about 110 to 120 guests... Is now the right time to start searching, or am I being too early?

We want live music that hits a certain vibe—something with an accordion, maybe some acoustic guitar or mandolin... just something high-energy and fun. 🙂

I am still on the hunt for the right music myself.
I am also looking for something similar—something that creates a great vibe.
If you come across any good leads, please let me know.

wanderingbadger17 said:My brother took a group of girls to a backyard BBQ a while back, and honestly, the entertainment was a total disaster... I wouldn’t recommend it...

My fiancée and I are looking at getting married next summer...

We're hunting for a semi-open venue near the coast—maybe somewhere on the California coast—with a budget of around $55 per person, if that's even realistic. We're expecting about 110 to 120 guests... Is now the right time to start searching, or am I being too early?

We want live music that hits a certain vibe—something with an accordion, maybe some acoustic guitar or mandolin... just something high-energy and fun. 🙂

The Pirate in the Spin😉 might be an option, but I'm guessing they won't go lower than $140 per head for a Saturday night.😉

Check out that restaurant down by the pier, though I've heard mixed reviews about the food lately...🤔 worth a shot, though.😉

Edit: Yeah, now is definitely the time to start searching.

Alex Carter3 said:The Pirate in the Spin😉 might be an option, but I'm guessing they won't go lower than $140 per head for a Saturday night.😉

Check out that restaurant down by the pier, though I've heard mixed reviews about the food lately...🤔 worth a shot, though.😉

Edit: Yeah, now is definitely the time to start searching.

My brother was actually at the Pirate back in December—I think there were maybe 110 people there... and honestly, skip the place on the hill, it's a bit much. We'll have to think about it.😁 I figured this would be the time to start searching, either now or by summer at the latest.👍

Friends can hang out in the side area, whether they want to be inside or out.

Does anyone happen to have the phone number for Tempo Band handy? I'd really appreciate the help.

Thanks! ;-)

Richard Taylor16 said:Does anyone happen to have the phone number for Tempo Band handy? I'd really appreciate the help.

Thanks! ;-)

It's Goran from Tempo Band. edit: Just a heads-up, we aren't allowed to post phone numbers directly on the forum, so maybe just shoot her a private message instead. Francesca

George Flores16 said:Friends can hang out in the side area, whether they want to be inside or out.

Thanks for the heads-up... 👍I wonder how the prices are there? Capacity? Food quality? Service?

I am considering hiring Photo California! Everyone seems to have had mixed reviews so far, but I want to give them one more look before making a decision... what has your experience been like? Was everyone satisfied with the service? I am planning on just getting a basic package since everything else feels way too expensive. Does the rule apply to them too, where I really need to be careful about which specific crew I end up with?

Sam Reed3 said:I am considering hiring Photo California! Everyone seems to have had mixed reviews so far, but I want to give them one more look before making a decision... what has your experience been like? Was everyone satisfied with the service? I am planning on just getting a basic package since everything else feels way too expensive. Does the rule apply to them too, where I really need to be careful about which specific crew I end up with?

I was looking at some shots my cousin took... they look pretty solid to me. What kind of damage are we talking about price-wise?

I wonder if you can just buy the photos alone. Personally, I couldn't care less about the video footage...

wanderingbadger17 said:Thanks for the heads-up... 👍I wonder how the prices are there? Capacity? Food quality? Service?

My cousin got married there once. Everyone was happy—food was solid, service was fine... and it cost way less than $55 a head...
Still, I say go check it out in person. There are plenty of photos online if you want to browse.

Sam Reed3 said:I am considering hiring Photo California! Everyone seems to have had mixed reviews so far, but I want to give them one more look before making a decision... what has your experience been like? Was everyone satisfied with the service? I am planning on just getting a basic package since everything else feels way too expensive. Does the rule apply to them too, where I really need to be careful about which specific crew I end up with?

The feedback from my relatives is all over the map... anything from pure bliss to total disaster... Look at someone's actual photos and ask for a specific team. Don't let them send some rookie who's going to use you as a practice run...

wanderingbadger17 said:I was looking at some shots my cousin took... they look pretty solid to me. What kind of damage are we talking about price-wise?

I wonder if you can just buy the photos alone. Personally, I couldn't care less about the video footage...

Price depends on the package, just like everywhere else. And I'm fairly certain you can hire just the photographer; last time I checked, they had a separate price list for that.

Raymond Brooks7 said:My cousin got married there once. Everyone was happy—food was solid, service was fine... and it cost way less than $55 a head...
Still, I say go check it out in person. There are plenty of photos online if you want to browse.

The feedback from my relatives is all over the map... anything from pure bliss to total disaster... Look at someone's actual photos and ask for a specific team. Don't let them send some rookie who's going to use you as a practice run...

Price depends on the package, just like everywhere else. And I'm fairly certain you can hire just the photographer; last time I checked, they had a separate price list for that.

You can definitely book photography on its own. Regarding pricing, it varies by package: expect anywhere from $800 to $1,400.

Richard Taylor16 said:Does anyone happen to have the phone number for Tempo Band handy? I'd really appreciate the help.

Thanks! ;-)

Hey,
is this band based out of San Francisco or...? They haven't been mentioned yet, and since I am still searching for the right group, I am curious.
What is their typical rate?

It is actually possible to just opt for the photography package without committing to any video services...
As for the pricing, I’d suggest sending them a quick inquiry via email; they usually follow up with a full price list once they know what you're looking for.

I don't know what they charge at Friends, but the service is top-tier, the food is incredible, and the owner really goes out of their way to make sure everyone is taken care of.

Sam Reed3 said:Hey,
is this band based out of San Francisco or...? They haven't been mentioned yet, and since I am still searching for the right group, I am curious.
What is their typical rate?

The band is actually out of San Diego 😉
you might find these sites useful 😁

Places near the coast to grab some fries:

1. San Antonio - I've been there, and honestly, the food wasn't my thing... plus, it wasn't even summer season yet...
2. Lav - A bit pricey, though I'm not sure if they even allow outdoor seating here.
3. Friends - I read nothing but rave reviews, but from what I can see, sitting outside isn't really an option.
4. Hilton - Good enough if you're just looking for small portions...
5. Neva - Not much info out there...

Key West:

1. Hotel Beach - I had dinner there once and the food was top-tier, everything was a solid 5/5. Does anyone happen to know about the wine list? Prices?

Hilton gets all the credit from me—honestly, everything from the food to the overall vibe was spot on. I’m not entirely certain if they could handle a crowd of 80 people, though; is that really their limit? Still, for a small
pirate party, it works perfectly.

wanderingbadger17 said:Places near the coast to grab some fries:

1. San Antonio - I've been there, and honestly, the food wasn't my thing... plus, it wasn't even summer season yet...
2. Lav - A bit pricey, though I'm not sure if they even allow outdoor seating here.
3. Friends - I read nothing but rave reviews, but from what I can see, sitting outside isn't really an option.
4. Hilton - Good enough if you're just looking for small portions...
5. Neva - Not much info out there...

Key West:

1. Hotel Beach - I had dinner there once and the food was top-tier, everything was a solid 5/5. Does anyone happen to know about the wine list? Prices?

Back when I checked (2008), they didn't serve fries during the peak season...
What about the Jadran Hotel in Siesta Key? Though, I suspect they don't do fries during the season either...🤷