Everything you need for a California wedding

If you’re looking for a recommendation, check out Julia’s studio. Take a look at her Facebook photos—the results look totally natural, assuming that's what you're going for. You can work out all the details with Harvey; he and Anna are absolute legends, we were both blown away 😉. Also, Simon is great, Paige, especially if you're into Studio In or Zumba, and their prices aren't crazy. Honestly, they'll cost you way less than Megagraf
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Charles Gomez4 said:What kind of pricing are we talking about? And what style would it be?

What style? 🤷
Maybe Buduca would know how to answer that...
Anyway, we got a quote from MegaGraph for photo and video, including editing and an extra photographer (since the venues are separate, they want someone covering both her and me). It's $1,600.

I think that includes the thank-you cards ($1.25 per piece) and gas money, but nothing else—no albums or extras.

I know their work is great; they did the photography for Buduca's friends' wedding and everyone was thrilled with the shots. But to me, it feels a bit steep... I'm doing this once, obviously I want everything to be perfect, but I don't want to overpay if I can get just as good quality somewhere else for less.

Where can I order some croquant?! 🤔 I mean someone who actually has a variety... I don't want to be stuck choosing between St. Jude's brand and just three other random options.

The pastry shop over by the marina in San Francisco☕—that guy is a straight-up wizard when it comes to making praline.

Do they offer delivery? Is the pear available on Maui?!

Also, I’d love it if you ladies could send me some recommendations via PM for a solid, reliable bridal salon in San Francisco. Every single suggestion in the wedding dress thread seems to be based in NYC...

The Bride—it's a bridal boutique located in the Muslim woman building, right on American Civil War Street. Seriously, their dresses are absolutely stunning! If I actually had the cash, I’d be buying one for myself just to wear to a concert 🙂

Justin Bennett61 said:When is the party? If it’s during a warmer month, check out a restaurant like Hillstone in Tampa—they have an excellent patio, and the indoor space is decent enough too.😉))

The Westin also does great outdoor parties on their terrace... they really handle everything for a fair price.😉

There's also this cute restaurant right on the waterfront in downtown Orlando, near the market—I can't recall the name off the top of my head—but I was at a small event there once and it was really good.😉)

I know Patrick's place... that doesn't work for me. The party is going to be smaller, but it won't just be a standard dinner—there's going to be a live band. Most restaurants aren't down for that. And catering isn't an option either because the venue is too small for them to bother. The Hilton is way too expensive, even if the setting is beautiful. Honeybee has a small hall, but it's absolutely gorgeous. Honestly, they haven't renovated it since the hotel first opened. 😲
Bottom line, the search continues. 🙂

Douglas King said:A dance studio? 😁
They can handle more people, but I bet they'd take 50! 🤷
The vibe is great, the food is decent, and the prices don't look insane... 😳

I checked out their ballet studio too... honestly, their food is incredible and the prices are actually reasonable. We’re definitely keeping them on our radar. The only catch is that their main hall is usually booked up during peak season, leaving us with just the space down by the restaurant. It's a bit cramped—can you really dance properly in a spot that small?

coastalridge11 said:Which restaurants around San Diego can accommodate about 120 people without looking empty?

If you're planning a summer party, I highly recommend the outdoor terrace at Tony's in the suburbs. It’s absolutely perfect for an open-air celebration—it works every single time. 😍 It looks even better if you throw in some torches, lanterns, or maybe some string lights...

Hey ladies! 🙂
So, my fiancé and I are seriously vibing with the idea of an outdoor wedding, maybe somewhere right by the ocean... We both absolutely love San Diego, since that's where we go every summer to vacation. 🙂
I was wondering if any of you have some killer locations to recommend for a seaside wedding in the San Diego area or somewhere nearby?
Also, does anyone know a decent restaurant that won't totally break the bank but can actually fit about 80 people? 🙂

Kyle Young3 said:I checked out their ballet studio too... honestly, their food is incredible and the prices are actually reasonable. We’re definitely keeping them on our radar. The only catch is that their main hall is usually booked up during peak season, leaving us with just the space down by the restaurant. It's a bit cramped—can you really dance properly in a spot that small?

I used to be a regular at the ballet studio until things started going downhill.... the last time we went, my partner and I were honestly nauseated... by the time we were near the Walmart area, it was already a disaster....

We went back a few days later, and when we sat down at the ballet studio, the waiter brought risotto to the table—well, he didn't even set it down properly—and I immediately spotted ants... he started apologizing profusely, acting like he'd bring me a fresh one right away... I was skeptical, so I just said okay, though I didn't really believe him. I figured, fine, let him bring it; I'll just eat this black risotto with my boyfriend until my shrimp risotto arrives (I can't quite remember the specifics of what happened)... and nothing. We ate the black risotto, and then within about three or four minutes, the waiter supposedly brings me my "new" risotto... everything was tasteless, almost as if they had just rinsed the rice and shrimp and added a bit of cream, and that's what they served us (which wouldn't have surprised me given how lightning-fast the "new" dish was ready). So, I finally take a bite of this second attempt at white risotto, while my boyfriend is pointing out the ants in his black risotto.... we just called the waiter over immediately to bring both plates, asked for the check so we could pay and leave... the waiter kept apologizing, saying he felt truly terrible, but we just paid the bill and left, and we haven't been back since.
I should mention we were sitting inside, not outside, so the ant didn't come from a tree or anything... the ant came from the kitchen because the first plate—mine—wasn't even touched by the waiter before it hit the table; I was the one who pointed the ant out to him!

A total catastrophe and an absolute nightmare.

There really aren't many reviews floating around for the Hilton or the Sheraton in San Francisco.
I'm curious about what the food and service are actually like. I think I have a pretty good handle on the pricing for the Hilton's packages, but at the Sheraton, everything seems to be up for negotiation—though they're still quite pricey, and they don't even serve lamb!

I'd be so grateful for any feedback you could share!🙂

Rachel Doyle80 said:Hey ladies! 🙂
So, my fiancé and I are seriously vibing with the idea of an outdoor wedding, maybe somewhere right by the ocean... We both absolutely love San Diego, since that's where we go every summer to vacation. 🙂
I was wondering if any of you have some killer locations to recommend for a seaside wedding in the San Diego area or somewhere nearby?
Also, does anyone know a decent restaurant that won't totally break the bank but can actually fit about 80 people? 🙂

Ocean Pride! A local agency in San Diego organized a wedding there this past summer, and I saw the photos online. It looked incredible... just stunning to me..

copperfalcon92 said:There really aren't many reviews floating around for the Hilton or the Sheraton in San Francisco.
I'm curious about what the food and service are actually like. I think I have a pretty good handle on the pricing for the Hilton's packages, but at the Sheraton, everything seems to be up for negotiation—though they're still quite pricey, and they don't even serve lamb!

I'd be so grateful for any feedback you could share!🙂

Hey... I ended up booking the Hilton. Regarding the catering, I've only heard glowing things from a few people who attended a wedding there. Besides, when I think about it, it can't be any worse than deli food, and since the Hilton is a five-star hotel, expectations are set. The manager mentioned they have an excellent chef, and since he made a good impression and seemed quite sincere, I decided to trust him. I've also heard from others that the food is great. As for the service, a photographer told me the staff is wonderful. Also, the band 😁 mentioned that the hall has excellent acoustics.
By the way, I looked into the Marriott too, but I didn't care for the atmosphere. The hall is just mediocre. To me, it feels cold, and the tables and chairs—with those covers—feel cramped. The tablecloths are beige and the chairs are white, or maybe vice versa; I just can't get used to the look. Plus, the Marriott is out of town, and I really don't want to have guests driving back from Malibu after having a few drinks...

copperfalcon92 said:There really aren't many reviews floating around for the Hilton or the Sheraton in San Francisco.
I'm curious about what the food and service are actually like. I think I have a pretty good handle on the pricing for the Hilton's packages, but at the Sheraton, everything seems to be up for negotiation—though they're still quite pricey, and they don't even serve lamb!

I'd be so grateful for any feedback you could share!🙂

The Marriott was actually my first choice... way back in 2008, haha... but when they told me the price without drinks... man—I thought they were going to rob me blind. They wanted $80 per person excluding drinks... and then you pay by the glass... so yeah, I passed on the Marriott... found a much better option and a perfect restaurant closer to the coast that handled my 110 guests perfectly—San Antonio😉))) easy 5 stars from me...

I did end up at two banquets at the Marriott later on... one was just okay—decent enough... the second one was excellent (hosted by some well-known guy whose daughter was getting married...) but I’m pretty sure they paid a small fortune.

The Hilton is great—was a bridesmaid at a wedding there once and I have to say, everything was solid...

😁😁😁

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I suppose
The lunch at the Lava place seems bigger to me, plus they have a terrace out front, which is pretty important if you're a smoker.
I wasn't sure if there's any way to smoke inside the Mall of America, or if people actually have to head outside.???

But honestly, the price for lunch feels a bit steep for what they're serving—just cold appetizers, some risotto, and cake. The drinks are priced similarly$223 and on my own
I think I'll just bring some lamb.

Smoking isn't allowed inside the Mall of America; I checked with the manager... I suppose people just smoke out front by the hotel

Bradley Jones9 said:I used to be a regular at the ballet studio until things started going downhill.... the last time we went, my partner and I were honestly nauseated... by the time we were near the Walmart area, it was already a disaster....

We went back a few days later, and when we sat down at the ballet studio, the waiter brought risotto to the table—well, he didn't even set it down properly—and I immediately spotted ants... he started apologizing profusely, acting like he'd bring me a fresh one right away... I was skeptical, so I just said okay, though I didn't really believe him. I figured, fine, let him bring it; I'll just eat this black risotto with my boyfriend until my shrimp risotto arrives (I can't quite remember the specifics of what happened)... and nothing. We ate the black risotto, and then within about three or four minutes, the waiter supposedly brings me my "new" risotto... everything was tasteless, almost as if they had just rinsed the rice and shrimp and added a bit of cream, and that's what they served us (which wouldn't have surprised me given how lightning-fast the "new" dish was ready). So, I finally take a bite of this second attempt at white risotto, while my boyfriend is pointing out the ants in his black risotto.... we just called the waiter over immediately to bring both plates, asked for the check so we could pay and leave... the waiter kept apologizing, saying he felt truly terrible, but we just paid the bill and left, and we haven't been back since.
I should mention we were sitting inside, not outside, so the ant didn't come from a tree or anything... the ant came from the kitchen because the first plate—mine—wasn't even touched by the waiter before it hit the table; I was the one who pointed the ant out to him!

A total catastrophe and an absolute nightmare.

I'm honestly shocked 😲 that you guys even paid at the end... oh my goodness... 🙂

Hey ladies,

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good florist in San Diego?

Thanks in advance.