Everything you need for a California wedding

Since we're talking about photographers... is there a Zendaya in the house who can tell me (if they know) what the rates look like for Sia? She’s hands down the best photographer out there! I definitely want to book her... my only issue is that I'm just doing a small party, so I don't need any massive photo packages or other nonsense... just a few hours of shooting. anyone??? I would be so grateful 😁

Hey, my fellow Californians, does anyone know where I can pick up some adhesive lapel strips?? And also, where's the best spot to grab some car decals??

Hey everyone...
Where can I find some decent cakes and pastries without getting absolutely robbed—I mean, looking for reasonable prices here—and also, how much lead time do I actually need to give them before I need the order?

quieteagle11 said:Hey, my fellow Californians, does anyone know where I can pick up some adhesive lapel strips?? And also, where's the best spot to grab some car decals??

Automotive trim? You mean those decorative ribbons? You can probably snag those at an Amazon warehouse in a small town in the Midwest or maybe even at a local hardware store.
As for the adhesive strips... man, tell me about it. I could actually use some of those myself (maybe check there too)🙂

Carol Mitchell6 said:Hey everyone...
Where can I find some decent cakes and pastries without getting absolutely robbed—I mean, looking for reasonable prices here—and also, how much lead time do I actually need to give them before I need the order?

I haven't had a chance to look yet either, but it seems like the Mississippi Delta might be a good bet, or maybe even Bobis?
I'm just not sure if I'm stuck with getting a cake from the specific bakery my mother-in-law keeps pushing because she's being difficult. I'll have to look into that.

quieteagle11 said:Hey, my fellow Californians, does anyone know where I can pick up some adhesive lapel strips?? And also, where's the best spot to grab some car decals??

Didn't Panda tell you at the last tailgate party that you should just grab everything at once?
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of those little strips because every time I’ve been out to a few parties, every single one of them has peeled off or fallen apart; I know they’re supposedly easy to apply, but if you try using those tiny little scraps, forget about it—though, honestly, those small ones might actually work okay for me.

Carol Mitchell6 said:Hey everyone...
Where can I find some decent cakes and pastries without getting absolutely robbed—I mean, looking for reasonable prices here—and also, how much lead time do I actually need to give them before I need the order?

Well, you still have Viade; as far as I know, they’re the most budget-friendly option per pound. $12 They have their little stand at the farmer's market, plus their storefront right near the ExxonMobil station, and their bakery is located right off the main highway just past the gas station. I’ve picked up plenty of cakes and treats from them over the years, and honestly, they’re fantastic.

Olivia Lee5 said:Alright everyone, thanks so much for all the advice...
Regarding Beyoncé, I have to admit I’m feeling a little skeptical. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of bands out there that rock way harder than they do... 😉

On another note—about the photographer. Does anyone on here know if that talented guy Siniša Srdanović has any work I could actually look at? I’ve read some really kind words about him here, but I can't seem to find a website, and his Facebook page only has about two photos posted, so...

I think I'll go with Siniša, and my band choice will be the Pink Panther since they're the real rockers😂
If you want to see his shots, you pretty much have to be friends with him on social media (though I heard something about pages being shut down lately, so who knows?) but honestly, just give him a call and figure it out
I can also get you the contact info for the Pink Panther; I basically handled all my own bookings a year in advance🙂

frozentiger2 said:I haven't had a chance to look yet either, but it seems like the Mississippi Delta might be a good bet, or maybe even Bobis?
I'm just not sure if I'm stuck with getting a cake from the specific bakery my mother-in-law keeps pushing because she's being difficult. I'll have to look into that.

Look, you aren't tied down to whatever specific bakery your boss recommends; almost every local shop offers delivery, and they can all drop off whatever kind of cake you want to one single location.

David King72 said:Well, you still have Viade; as far as I know, they’re the most budget-friendly option per pound. $12 They have their little stand at the farmer's market, plus their storefront right near the ExxonMobil station, and their bakery is located right off the main highway just past the gas station. I’ve picked up plenty of cakes and treats from them over the years, and honestly, they’re fantastic.

Thanks... anyway, I was looking at some cakes today—specifically those croquante ones—and the folks over at the local bakery mentioned they were like the St. Jude’s variety, you know, five layers deep. $400I mean, seriously, give me a break—it’s all about Bobis. $467And as for the Bimite crowd—they’re always ordering from Zenith. $333I mean, seriously—what is actually going on here? What on earth accounts for such massive price discrepancies? It’s absolutely baffling!

frozentiger2, I actually reached out to Siniša again recently, but what I really need is to talk to someone he’s actually photographed before. It would be so helpful to see an entire wedding album rather than just a few highlight shots...

I also checked in with Lisjak, and honestly, his rates seem pretty reasonable... though, I guess if I could find someone he’s worked with who has a decent online portfolio, that would be ideal...

From what I've heard, Matić is charging about $1,500... and when you factor in another $1,000 for the camera gear... well, that's getting a bit steep for Matić...

As for the band... the Pink Panther isn't an option because they're just way too expensive... I really don't want to shell out more than $1,500 for music. I did manage to find a couple of rock bands that fit within that budget, though. But I was wondering—does anyone here have experience with DJs at weddings? Would you recommend going that route? It might actually be a pretty good alternative...

David King72 said:Didn't Panda tell you at the last tailgate party that you should just grab everything at once?
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of those little strips because every time I’ve been out to a few parties, every single one of them has peeled off or fallen apart; I know they’re supposedly easy to apply, but if you try using those tiny little scraps, forget about it—though, honestly, those small ones might actually work okay for me.

I'm planning on getting the rosemary one with the ribbon, so maybe it'll actually hold up okay... But man, I absolutely loathe safety pins! Whenever I head to a wedding, I refuse to wear a boutonniere if it relies on a pin or a clip because I always end up ruining my dress or my shirt...
I'll take a look at IREA then. Thanks! 😁

quieteagle11 said:I'm planning on getting the rosemary one with the ribbon, so maybe it'll actually hold up okay... But man, I absolutely loathe safety pins! Whenever I head to a wedding, I refuse to wear a boutonniere if it relies on a pin or a clip because I always end up ruining my dress or my shirt...
I'll take a look at IREA then. Thanks! 😁

Tell me about it! I was actually just talking about how much I loved those adhesive strips. But now you guys have gone and spooked me into thinking they're garbage, leaving me with yet another thing to worry about! Thanks a lot, 😛

Oh my goodness, ladies, please just peel them off... I mean, what’s the worst that could happen if they lose their grip? Personally, I always take mine off right away because those things just don't fit my style at all. It would probably be better to tell people to be careful with whatever they're sticking on so they don't ruin the clothes, and then they can just remove them later. Or, if someone is truly obsessed with them, maybe they should just glue them straight to their forehead instead! 😁

Kyle Young3 said:Since we're talking about photographers... is there a Zendaya in the house who can tell me (if they know) what the rates look like for Sia? She’s hands down the best photographer out there! I definitely want to book her... my only issue is that I'm just doing a small party, so I don't need any massive photo packages or other nonsense... just a few hours of shooting. anyone??? I would be so grateful 😁

Suzy has her own website with all her contact info listed, so your best bet is to just reach out to her directly

Joshua Hughes8 said:Hi everyone! I’m actually on the hunt for a wedding photographer myself right now, which is what brought me over to this forum. After seeing some of the posts regarding Matika, I thought I should jump in and share a little heads-up with all of you too...
A friend of mine works at a local photo studio, and she’s heard some pretty unsettling news from a reliable source: the main inspection authorities are breathing down everyone's necks right now. What’s even more concerning is that it isn't just one person being targeted. Apparently, Matic, Lisjak, and their son are in a massive amount of trouble—they're supposedly operating without any official business licenses or proper corporate filings... which is a huge red flag. I actually saw the three of them shutting down their websites and deleting everything from Facebook recently. I can't tell if the inspectors forced them to close shop or if they're just pretending to be out of business to stay under the radar... Anyway, my friend was the first one to warn me. She suggested it might be a bad idea to hire any of them, because who knows if they'll even be legally allowed to work by next year? I'm also worried about whether the materials I get from them might end up being subpar or problematic later on... I'm just not entirely sure. Honestly, I really don't want to spend the next year living in this kind of uncertainty. None of them will be honest enough to say, "Look, things aren't going well, you should probably find someone else." It's a bit intimidating, to be honest... who knows how this is all going to play out...
I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed myself right now because I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place... My current setup just isn't cutting it since things have become so difficult, so I'm urgently looking for someone who might be able to step in and help me out...
I really hope everything works out for everyone involved, regardless of who ends up being chosen... Anyway, ladies, if any of you happen to come across more information, please let us know!

Oh no 😢 So who is actually left in San Francisco for photographers?

As if they’re the only photographers left on the planet... 😢

Hey everyone... I’m looking into hosting a reception and wedding at the Brooklyn hotel in San Diego... curious about your experiences there and, naturally, their pricing 😉 thanks in advance!🙏

Charles Gomez4 said:Oh no 😢 So who is actually left in San Francisco for photographers?

I've started looking into photographers too... In the meantime, someone mentioned Papaya Studio to me. They're based in Miami and their work looks absolutely incredible—I actually stumbled upon them on Facebook. My only worry is that they might be just as pricey as Matić; they have that high-end look, haha... I really should reach out to them... As for PhotoCalifornia, I heard there's only one photographer worth hiring out of the whole bunch, but I have no clue who it is or if I'll even be able to book them... I also heard about Studio In, but they don't seem quite as impressive as the others right now...

Does anyone have experience with these places? Which ones are better? Thanks, girls!

We finally picked ours—took me forever because I’m... let’s just say I’m incredibly picky about anything I actually care about—and got him booked. He had an exhibition recently, so we went, hung out afterward, and really got to know him. My partner knows him somewhat, but honestly, I was blown away once we actually sat down and talked. Turns out he was at a friend's wedding, and she couldn't stop raving about him. I'm thrilled with how this turned out; he’s just my type of person, so there's zero stress over the logistics or planning.
Just so you know who we're talking about:
http://www.stipemarinovic.com/
I'll post my full thoughts in October. 😉
Good luck on the hunt! 🙂