Everything you need for a California wedding

Anthony Hill40 said:Oh man, thank you so much for the heads-up! We were just about to put down a deposit for the hall tomorrow! 😁 😁 😁
We're going to sleep on it and think it over, because the quality of the food is absolutely vital to me! On the other hand, John Doe offers fantastic food and service for a much, much lower price, but the location is such a headache for us! Ugh, what a dilemma!

Honestly, I’m leaning toward Nirsa... I’ve been to John Doe a few times in the past (though not in the last two years), and frankly, the whole experience was pretty terrible! From the food to the wine—which gave me a massive headache after just two glasses—to the overall vibe... Nirsa just seems way better in every single way. What's the deal with Walmart?

I haven't actually eaten at John Doe or Walmart, so I can't really compare them to Nirson. It wasn't terrible at Nirson, but honestly, I'm a huge fan of French cheese and prosciutto—especially when paired with black risotto or served over mashed potatoes. The risotto at Nirson was 🙂, but the cheese was seriously rubbery; I just had to deal with it.

Here is my breakdown for Nirson: cheese 4/10... prosciutto 6/10... French food 3/10... black risotto 10/10
My boyfriend's rating for the white risotto: 10/10 (though I didn't try it myself)
Beef stew: meat was 9/10, gnocchi was 3/10... my boyfriend's rating for the lamb since I didn't eat it was 9.5/10 🙂 if any of this helps you..

I also went to the Diocletian restaurant over in Malibu, and everything there was absolutely delicious—just incredible...
But maybe it’s just luck, like stumbling onto something good by chance 🤷

Oh, I almost forgot! Some girl mentioned earlier that everything at Nirson was fresh and a seat cost 36 dollars—maybe she was at the same banquet you were at—but a friend of mine was charged 38 dollars... so yeah 🙂

I mentioned those chairs were $36 at Walmart, but maybe I got my facts straight wrong. I didn't ask the bride herself, so maybe she had an inside connection or something to get that lower price... doesn't matter. I'll look into the catering again. Honestly, I don't think any wedding venue ever nails the menu perfectly—it’s always a bit hit or miss—but the food at Nirson was actually great. Both risottos and the lamb were killer. The prosciutto and cheese were just okay, pretty standard for any wedding feast, and I skipped the beef stew.
I even briefly thought maybe we should have put a deposit down on Nirson, but whatever, it would've been way too big for our guest count anyway (wishful thinking... 😁))

boldtiger8 said:I haven't actually eaten at John Doe or Walmart, so I can't really compare them to Nirson. It wasn't terrible at Nirson, but honestly, I'm a huge fan of French cheese and prosciutto—especially when paired with black risotto or served over mashed potatoes. The risotto at Nirson was 🙂, but the cheese was seriously rubbery; I just had to deal with it.

Here is my breakdown for Nirson: cheese 4/10... prosciutto 6/10... French food 3/10... black risotto 10/10
My boyfriend's rating for the white risotto: 10/10 (though I didn't try it myself)
Beef stew: meat was 9/10, gnocchi was 3/10... my boyfriend's rating for the lamb since I didn't eat it was 9.5/10 🙂 if any of this helps you..

I also went to the Diocletian restaurant over in Malibu, and everything there was absolutely delicious—just incredible...
But maybe it’s just luck, like stumbling onto something good by chance 🤷

Oh, I almost forgot! Some girl mentioned earlier that everything at Nirson was fresh and a seat cost 36 dollars—maybe she was at the same banquet you were at—but a friend of mine was charged 38 dollars... so yeah 🙂

Personally, John Doe is totally out for me; there are a million better halls out there. Nirson is great, though, pretty similar to those newer halls at Walmart. The food is decent in both locations.
Overall, you gave some excellent ratings 😁 but I doubt any of these massive halls will ever hit a perfect 100% on the food front. For some, the photos will look amazing, while others won't care at all... the music might be great for some and terrible for others... and hey, maybe some people actually like rubbery cheese 😂😂😂 hehehe, just kidding...

Haha, I don't get why people are so shocked. Everyone has different tastes, right? At the end of the day, there’s always going to be something you find mediocre and something else you absolutely love. 🙂 And honestly, that's just how it works. Regarding Nirsa, they offer a really solid middle ground—I don't think it's ever going to be a total disaster.

If someone tries to negotiate a restaurant choice with me after the decision has already been made, I'm already over it. For me, it's all about the food. It has to be incredible! Everything else is just secondary.

boldtiger8, then Velum is definitely your spot 😁 We actually put down a deposit on it already. We're still ironing things out with the band, and they keep asking about the food situation. We tell them, and they’re always like, "Oh man, we've played there before, the food is killer." I run into some buddies too, and they all say the same thing. I think it's because Velum is an actual restaurant, not just some wedding hall... the food is always a step up in places like that. You hit the nail on the head regarding Nirsa, though... it's just decent, middle-of-the-road stuff!!

Paul King5 said:boldtiger8, then Velum is definitely your spot 😁 We actually put down a deposit on it already. We're still ironing things out with the band, and they keep asking about the food situation. We tell them, and they’re always like, "Oh man, we've played there before, the food is killer." I run into some buddies too, and they all say the same thing. I think it's because Velum is an actual restaurant, not just some wedding hall... the food is always a step up in places like that. You hit the nail on the head regarding Nirsa, though... it's just decent, middle-of-the-road stuff!!

Oh man, don't leave me hanging! Where exactly is this Velum located? (Wait, if it's that spot right under the steakhouse, you've made my day because I haven't found a good venue yet! XD I'm always passing by with my favorite people and commenting, "Ugh, I wish they organized decent catering here.") Actually, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself—could you tell me a bit more about it? Like, what are the chair prices, the general terms, and the capacity?

Paul King5, you could have just told me sooner! XD I finally tracked down their website, and oh my gosh, they are actually legit. Thank you so much for pointing them out! They have a whole gallery featuring wedding photos, shots of the restaurant's indoor dining area, and the terrace. They even have specific wedding menus listed right there on the site... 🙂It looks like there's plenty of flexibility to host things either indoors or outside. From what I gathered, they offer catering and even some kind of tent setup if you go with the terrace option—at least, if I understood everything correctly! XD Just let me know if you have any idea about the pricing? Thanks a million!

boldtiger8 said:Paul King5, you could have just told me sooner! XD I finally tracked down their website, and oh my gosh, they are actually legit. Thank you so much for pointing them out! They have a whole gallery featuring wedding photos, shots of the restaurant's indoor dining area, and the terrace. They even have specific wedding menus listed right there on the site... 🙂It looks like there's plenty of flexibility to host things either indoors or outside. From what I gathered, they offer catering and even some kind of tent setup if you go with the terrace option—at least, if I understood everything correctly! XD Just let me know if you have any idea about the pricing? Thanks a million!

It’s $40 per person, but they’ve got a special running through Easter, so it’s actually down to $36
The deposit is $500
We actually booked our place there too—it looks absolutely stunning once they get the reception hall all set up
I'm just still debating whether we should add some extra lighting or not, I haven't quite made up my mind yet
All in all, everyone I talk to who’s had a party there has nothing but good things to say

Joshua Morris5 said:It’s $40 per person, but they’ve got a special running through Easter, so it’s actually down to $36
The deposit is $500
We actually booked our place there too—it looks absolutely stunning once they get the reception hall all set up
I'm just still debating whether we should add some extra lighting or not, I haven't quite made up my mind yet
All in all, everyone I talk to who’s had a party there has nothing but good things to say

Do you have to pay the deposit immediately to lock in the date or what? I'm pretty new to this, so I'm not sure.
Regarding the lighting, their website gallery shows photos from receptions with really cool colored lights, and I’d love something similar. If those lights are already included, then you don't need anything extra. But if those are custom orders, you should definitely ask the staff at Velum. They should be able to tell you who handles their lighting setups. (Assuming you actually like the venue, of course!) 😉

So, here’s the deal with Velum... It's $40 per person; we're talking French cuisine, prosciutto, cheese, white and black risotto, beef stew, gnocchi, veal medallions in mushroom sauce, plus lamb and veal served with sides and salad. For the wedding cake, they need a certificate from the bakery, but we can bring our own desserts if we want. Drinks are included in the price + an appetizer for everyone when they arrive, champagne for the newlyweds—I forgot which specific wine it was—plus sodas, sparkling water, and draft beer. The bar stays open all night, and you can bring your own hard liquor without any issues. If someone sneaks in a bottle of Jägermeister for the bride, there's no need to hide it under the table 😁
Smoking isn't allowed until 10 PM, but honestly, it shouldn't be a problem; they'll let things slide, and we told them we'd take full responsibility if any inspectors show up. The indoor space is perfect for about 130 people, but for bigger parties, we can expand onto the terrace (where we'll have the appetizers). That lighting you saw online? It's not theirs, BUT!! 😁 In a month or two, they're installing their own LED lights along the whole restaurant that change colors. I'm totally obsessed with the location, Aca marina, the boats, Sustipan, the ocean, that view of San Francisco... 😍 We just need to hand in the final guest list two days before the party. Tables can be arranged from 6 to 25 seats, and kids under 7 are only $20. All the desserts can be dropped off on Friday, the day before the wedding, since they have huge industrial fridges where everything can stay
Regarding the reservation, if you're interested, I can put your name down. If someone else asks for the same date, they'll call you to see if you're still in, and then you'll have to pay a deposit. But they won't officially book you in the wedding ledger until you drop $500.

And about the lighting, I think this is the cheapest company for it in the San Francisco area http://www.rasvjetazavjencanje.com/

Third time editing: I found out by total accident that a friend of mine works as a server for them at weddings, and honestly, he told me straight up there's nothing to worry about. He said everything goes great, and either this year or last, they handled 30 parties and didn't get a single complaint.

Wow, thanks for all the info! 🙂)))) You explained everything perfectly. :* :* *

No worries 😉

Paul King5 said:So, here’s the deal with Velum... It's $40 per person; we're talking French cuisine, prosciutto, cheese, white and black risotto, beef stew, gnocchi, veal medallions in mushroom sauce, plus lamb and veal served with sides and salad. For the wedding cake, they need a certificate from the bakery, but we can bring our own desserts if we want. Drinks are included in the price + an appetizer for everyone when they arrive, champagne for the newlyweds—I forgot which specific wine it was—plus sodas, sparkling water, and draft beer. The bar stays open all night, and you can bring your own hard liquor without any issues. If someone sneaks in a bottle of Jägermeister for the bride, there's no need to hide it under the table 😁
Smoking isn't allowed until 10 PM, but honestly, it shouldn't be a problem; they'll let things slide, and we told them we'd take full responsibility if any inspectors show up. The indoor space is perfect for about 130 people, but for bigger parties, we can expand onto the terrace (where we'll have the appetizers). That lighting you saw online? It's not theirs, BUT!! 😁 In a month or two, they're installing their own LED lights along the whole restaurant that change colors. I'm totally obsessed with the location, Aca marina, the boats, Sustipan, the ocean, that view of San Francisco... 😍 We just need to hand in the final guest list two days before the party. Tables can be arranged from 6 to 25 seats, and kids under 7 are only $20. All the desserts can be dropped off on Friday, the day before the wedding, since they have huge industrial fridges where everything can stay
Regarding the reservation, if you're interested, I can put your name down. If someone else asks for the same date, they'll call you to see if you're still in, and then you'll have to pay a deposit. But they won't officially book you in the wedding ledger until you drop $500.

And about the lighting, I think this is the cheapest company for it in the San Francisco area http://www.rasvjetazavjencanje.com/

Third time editing: I found out by total accident that a friend of mine works as a server for them at weddings, and honestly, he told me straight up there's nothing to worry about. He said everything goes great, and either this year or last, they handled 30 parties and didn't get a single complaint.

I noticed you brought up the lighting... do you happen to know anything about their work? I reached out to them and their rates are definitely great, but I just can't seem to track down anyone who actually hired them for a wedding to get a real review.🙂

A friend of mine hired this company for her wedding. I ended up skipping it because I was sick, so I can't give you a firsthand account... She was happy with them, though. The final bill hit $833, but honestly, they probably bumped up their prices since then. I watched the DVD, and man, everything looked killer on the dance floor, but the people who weren't dancing were just sitting there in pitch blackness.
In my opinion, you really have to do your homework and pick your specific effects. What do you want? What don't you? She just let them come over and said, "just give me the whole package." She didn't even know what she was signing up for. In the end, she hated how her and her husband's names were plastered everywhere—on the walls, the floor, you name it.
I reached out to the guy just to get some info. He told me you need to book ASAP because he doesn't have enough gear to cover multiple weddings in one day. He’s got a lighting pro running the show all night, plus there's the band and the photographer... that's a lot of mouths to feed 😁

hey guys... any leads on where I can find decor and catering that actually looks high-end?

Betty Hernandez4 said:I noticed you brought up the lighting... do you happen to know anything about their work? I reached out to them and their rates are definitely great, but I just can't seem to track down anyone who actually hired them for a wedding to get a real review.🙂

are you from San Francisco too?

quietskipper16 said:hey guys... any leads on where I can find decor and catering that actually looks high-end?

But what exactly are you looking for here???

When is the big wedding day?

p.s. sorry if you've already mentioned this, but there's no way we can all keep track of every single detail from every single person😍

6/1/2013
I'm looking for any and all suggestions since we haven't actually locked anything in yet... we've checked out a few options, but nothing really clicked--it just wasn't "the one"

quietskipper16 said:are you from San Francisco too?

Yes—but the party isn't going to be held in San Francisco..