Everything you need for a California wedding

Could I please circle back to the topic of live music for a moment? I was really hoping to catch the Viva set because their sound is honestly incredible—even if they do charge a bit more than the others—but unfortunately, I waited too long to reach out, and they’re already booked up for my date.
Does anyone have any solid recommendations? I'm considering reaching out to the Bravo band, but what do you think? Any other suggestions for someone in my position?
Thanks!😕

Nicole Watson said:And I just assumed that was how it would be... but I don't know much else! Personally, I prefer his style over the other guy, who isn't really my thing. Either way, the second one seems a bit too reserved for me. My husband says the guy is fine though, and that everything can be worked out with him beforehand. Plus, he's a little easier on the wallet, so I might end up leaning toward that option...🙂

Leta was actually my first choice, but unfortunately, he's already booked for my date.

Who else did you reach out to?

Anthony Hill40, please send me that DJ's number.

Thomas Cruz9 said:Could I please circle back to the topic of live music for a moment? I was really hoping to catch the Viva set because their sound is honestly incredible—even if they do charge a bit more than the others—but unfortunately, I waited too long to reach out, and they’re already booked up for my date.
Does anyone have any solid recommendations? I'm considering reaching out to the Bravo band, but what do you think? Any other suggestions for someone in my position?
Thanks!😕

First League, Vice, Group Best, Ferata.🤷

The prices are probably all over the map.

Patrick Ward4 said:Leta was actually my first choice, but unfortunately, he's already booked for my date.

Who else did you reach out to?

Anthony Hill40, please send me that DJ's number.

I just have dupli left on my list... honestly, I feel like I'm pulling all my wisdom from this forum, and it seemed like they were the only two everyone was raving about. If you want, I can shoot you dupli's number over🙂

Thomas Cruz9 said:There are a few lovely bits in here, thanks.🙂

I actually stumbled onto this site last night through one of those related threads on the forum—you know, the ones about wedding favors or guest gifts... http://www.weddingmountain.com/ If you look under the favors section, they have just about everything, like bottle openers and stuff like that.

ruggedpuma8 said:Hey everyone!

I was wondering if anyone here has any firsthand experience with hosting a wedding at that restaurant in a small town in the Midwest during the summer?

Actually, I suspect Kadena might have closed its doors for good...

Thomas Cruz9 said:Could I please circle back to the topic of live music for a moment? I was really hoping to catch the Viva set because their sound is honestly incredible—even if they do charge a bit more than the others—but unfortunately, I waited too long to reach out, and they’re already booked up for my date.
Does anyone have any solid recommendations? I'm considering reaching out to the Bravo band, but what do you think? Any other suggestions for someone in my position?
Thanks!😕

It really just comes down to what kind of music you're actually into. If you're looking at the twist OFF band versus the Volar band, it’s a toss-up depending on your vibe. Personally, I was hunting for groups that actually connect with the crowd—you know, performers who engage with the guests instead of just standing there awkwardly singing at them. I'm pretty sure both of these bands can pull that off, though.

So, I finally sorted things out with the church and the priest today regarding the engagement prep course dates in San Diego, but they don't match up at all with what I'm seeing online. Is anyone else actually planning on going this month?🙂

William Chavez10 said:It really just comes down to what kind of music you're actually into. If you're looking at the twist OFF band versus the Volar band, it’s a toss-up depending on your vibe. Personally, I was hunting for groups that actually connect with the crowd—you know, performers who engage with the guests instead of just standing there awkwardly singing at them. I'm pretty sure both of these bands can pull that off, though.

I think I'm totally with William Chavez10 on this one. It’s all about whether a band has that spark and actually loves what they do rather than just "clocking in" for a gig—you can really feel the difference. I actually caught both the twist OFF and Volar bands playing at a party once, and I gotta say, both groups give it their absolute all on stage to keep the guests dancing until the very end.

feralsurfer3 said:So, I finally sorted things out with the church and the priest today regarding the engagement prep course dates in San Diego, but they don't match up at all with what I'm seeing online. Is anyone else actually planning on going this month?🙂

How many months in advance do you typically take the pre-marital course, and what kind of timeline does the priest usually recommend?

Does anyone happen to know a good seamstress in the San Diego area?

Thomas Cruz9 said:How many months in advance do you typically take the pre-marital course, and what kind of timeline does the priest usually recommend?

Our wedding is set for October 5th, so we’re planning to knock it out this month, or May at the absolute latest. We both work during the peak season later on, so finding three full days to dedicate to it will be tough... The priest actually reached out to ask if we wanted to do it this month, so I don't think he's worried about any specific "expiration date" for the course. And regarding your other post, I was at a church wedding where the groom hadn't received all his sacraments, and honestly, you couldn't even tell...😛

Sophia Hernandez3 said:Hey everyone! 👋

I'm new to the forum, so sorry in advance if I mess anything up... Anyway, I wanted to share where we're at with our wedding planning. We finally booked a venue that comes highly recommended—people have nothing but good things to say about the food, the space, and the service. It’s a gastro-style hall, formerly an NBA arena, priced at $42 per person... The place is massive, and they offer this crazy lighting setup (which costs an extra $2 per person). Honestly, I think it's worth it 🙂 because it looks incredible, plus you get your own dedicated "lighting technician" for the night to sync everything with the music and the flow of the evening, whether it's dinner or dancing. The hall holds about 370 people. We're expecting around 220, which is perfect for having round tables 😍 instead of feeling cramped. For the band, we've been looking around and The Beach Boys seem like our top choice; they have a female vocalist, which was a must for us, and they're charging $1600. We've heard great things about them, too. As for flowers, everyone I've asked pointed me toward Christian Dior—they said he's a master at what he does and won't let us down. For the cake and desserts, they suggested Fantasy from a small town in the Midwest. Since we're originally from Seattle but living in San Diego, all these recommendations are incredibly helpful. If any of you have experience with these vendors, please chime in—good or bad... I need to know what to expect mentally, and it's not too late to change plans if we need to. Our date isn't until June 21st, 2014.

Thanks in advance, cheers everyone, and happy Easter!!!!!

In terms of value for money, Gastro is one of the better options in San Francisco. The price is similar to Margarita, Relax, or Vittorio, but the food and service are incomparably better, not to mention the look of the hall and its location. I think you made a great choice for your guest count. 👍 Personally, the Gastro hall is nice and decent, and it decorates beautifully, especially if you opt for the lighting (which I highly recommend, otherwise it feels a bit too sterile). However, the hall is way too big for us—we'll have at most 120 people, so it would feel empty—and it's just not really my style, so we decided against it. 🤷
We'll likely go with Arsenal. They're more expensive, but the menu price includes desserts, chair covers, and decorative lanterns. That kind of all-inclusive offer really appealed to us, so that's likely where we'll end up.

I haven't been to a wedding where the Kalipso band played, so I can't help there. If you're happy with them and the reviews are good, that’s what matters most. 😉 We also want both male and female vocals; we were recommended Oranž and Viva, but we haven't made a final call yet.

I haven't heard anything about Dior for flowers. 🤣 I was personally recommended Sarita taj fantazija. 😬

That Fantazija from Bibinje is supposedly wonderful; I don't think you'll regret choosing them. They've been doing great work lately, as has Mao Zedong cakes. I'm actually torn between those two, leaning slightly toward Mao, but there's still plenty of time to decide on dessert, so I'm not rushing. 😁

All in all, I think you've made solid choices and everything should turn out exactly how you imagined.😉

redpilot13 said:Hey everyone,

Has anyone here ever held a wedding at the Fortress in San Diego, or maybe attended a reception there?

What are we looking at for the price per head? How was the food and the service?

Any info would be appreciated. 🙂

As far as I know, the Bastion hotel doesn't host weddings.🤷
If they do, it’s likely only small gatherings since their restaurant isn't very large. Pricing probably starts around $75-$85 per person and goes up from there.
But don't take my word for it; definitely double-check. It might be best to just give them a call or send an email to get the facts straight from the source.😉

Anyone have any intel on the Ino restaurant or the Diocletian site? Looking for any info you can throw my way.

Noah Wright3 said:Anyone have any intel on the Ino restaurant or the Diocletian site? Looking for any info you can throw my way.

Honestly, Ino blows Diocletian out of the water.

Douglas Reyes3 said:Does anyone happen to know a good seamstress in the San Diego area?

I know this one woman over in San Diego, near Bobis. She works right out of her house and honestly, she works miracles—plus, her prices aren't crazy at all. She actually made a dress for my sister when she was a bridesmaid, and I have to say, it turned out absolutely stunning. I've been going to her for years now. Seriously, the woman can take a literal rag and turn it into a high-end gown.

David King72 said:Honestly, Ino blows Diocletian out of the water.

Have you ever actually attended one of those feasts? What’s the verdict? How’s the food, and how much does it cost to eat there?

Noah Wright3 said:Have you ever actually attended one of those feasts? What’s the verdict? How’s the food, and how much does it cost to eat there?

I’ve actually been to both of them.

I mean, really? Is that all we have to work with here?I’ve had the chance to check out both halls, and honestly, the food was incredible. As for the service? Those folks are practically glued to the tables, making sure you never have to lift a finger or wonder where your next drink is coming from. And can we talk about the venue itself? The layout is actually more stunning than anything you'd find at the Palace in San Francisco.

I honestly can't say what the current vibe is like at Dioklecijan’s, but I did make an appearance at one of their dinners once after attending a banquet, and frankly, it was pretty underwhelming; when I was actually at the banquet itself, though, everything was fantastic—it was just that we ended up waiting on the servers for a bit too long, wasn't it?

David King72 said:I’ve actually been to both of them.

I mean, really? Is that all we have to work with here?I’ve had the chance to check out both halls, and honestly, the food was incredible. As for the service? Those folks are practically glued to the tables, making sure you never have to lift a finger or wonder where your next drink is coming from. And can we talk about the venue itself? The layout is actually more stunning than anything you'd find at the Palace in San Francisco.

I honestly can't say what the current vibe is like at Dioklecijan’s, but I did make an appearance at one of their dinners once after attending a banquet, and frankly, it was pretty underwhelming; when I was actually at the banquet itself, though, everything was fantastic—it was just that we ended up waiting on the servers for a bit too long, wasn't it?

Thanks. All I know is that I wouldn't go near Dugopolje. As for anything else, I haven't the slightest clue. Do you have any idea what's going on with the Friends?

I’d appreciate it if anyone currently scouting out salami shops around San Francisco or the surrounding areas could give me a heads-up on pricing. 😉