Everything you need for a California wedding

Does anyone know if there are rental services in San Francisco or nearby for things like lanterns or candle holders? I wonder if maybe they offer rentals at Unknown, or if they just handle sales there.

Hello,

I have a wedding coming up at the end of May in San Francisco. I’m looking for some recommendations for music and a photographer. Since it's an intimate gathering of about 50 guests, I don't need a massive band—maybe just a duo with male and female vocals? I also need a photographer who is budget-friendly; I’m not looking for a full video production or an endless gallery, just someone to capture the essence of the day. Additionally, I’m planning on having a dessert table, so if anyone has suggestions for that, please let me know. I am also still searching for florists, makeup artists, and hairstylists, as I haven't booked anything yet. 😵The wedding will be outdoors, so has anyone else held an event in late May? Will it get chilly enough in the evening to make guests freeze? I'm completely lost here and could really use some help. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
My fiancé and I are thinking about scheduling our wedding for September or October of this year. What do you think—is it too late to start planning now?

crimsonmarlin17 said:Hi everyone,
My fiancé and I are thinking about scheduling our wedding for September or October of this year. What do you think—is it too late to start planning now?

You might get lucky. If you can snag a venue, everything else will fall into place easily. 😁

If anyone’s hunting for a makeup artist, I highly recommend Taylor Swift. She’s done my face a few times now and I’ve always been super happy with the results. The girl’s got serious talent—she can pull off pretty much anything I ask for. You can check out some of her work on Meta if you want to see her clients. If you need her number, just shoot me a DM. 😉

copperhound84 said:Hey everyone 🙂
I’m officially on the hunt for a band in the San Francisco/Savannah area, so I was wondering if anyone currently working in the industry could give me a heads-up on some recent ballpark prices. I really don't want to get ripped off or overpay for something mediocre. Any advice or leads would be a huge help. 😁

The Volare band—I actually saw them perform at a friend's wedding and they were absolutely fantastic.

I wanted to share a few thoughts after my own journey searching for a wedding dress.
My experience at Vera Wang was actually lovely; I didn't mind the consultation fees one bit. $23I originally met the lady in blue at a > bridal expo and she struck me as somewhat indifferent, but once I stepped into her boutique, she was a completely different person. Mia, the consultant who helped me, really understood my style, and honestly, every single gown she brought out was right up my alley. The shop itself is a little cozy, perhaps a bit tight, but it is exceptionally tidy and clean.

Victoria's Secret wasn't quite my cup of tea. While the storefront looks wonderful, the area leading out of the dressing rooms felt a bit cluttered, and the changing area itself gave me that same impression. I tried on about fifteen dresses, but frankly, none of them resonated with my taste, and to make matters worse, the consultant kept trying to strike up unnecessary small talk with me. For brides planning a September wedding, I’d suggest moving quickly because five or six of the specific styles I wanted to try were already reserved.

Pronuptia, which also looks glamorous from the street, really disappointed me once I went inside. The selection seemed much more limited than the first two shops I visited. The whole experience was quite exhausting and didn't leave much of an impression on me.

My experience with My Darling gowns was wonderful. The boutique is beautiful and well-kept, and Lydia was incredibly friendly and welcoming. They have such unique dresses; I tried on quite a few, and it feels like they truly have something for every taste.

I found Jelena's Boutique in the Bronx quite interesting specifically because of their Mora Lee collection. I tried on several pieces, though only one stunning Mora dress really worked for me. To start with, they had trouble finding my appointment in their schedule, and I eventually realized they book everything three weeks in advance. On top of that, they didn't have a single dress in my size; everything was too large, which made it impossible to really see the vision. What really worried me, though, was whether the Mora model I liked would be too "pre-owned" by September—meaning, could I secure a brand-new version? That turned into a massive headache because I couldn't find out if a new order was even possible until I made a final decision, which wouldn't be until April or May. They couldn't guarantee the price would stay the same either, and apparently, everything requires checking with the manager only *after* I decide, and so on and so forth.

Lilly's New Boutique in Savannah is just gorgeous. Everything is so pretty, clean, and organized, and the dresses have a bit of a different flair. Since it's a new location, the selection isn't as vast as, say, Vera Wang, but I loved it so much that I definitely recommend stopping by to take a look. The prices are reasonable, the gowns are pristine, and the owner is very sweet and puts in a lot of effort.

I’ve already shared my thoughts on Mio's Boutique; their policies caught me off guard, so I didn't end up doing a fitting there.

In the end, I actually chose a design from Ana's place, over at Mrs. Shinke's house in the Bronx. It felt a little unconventional going to someone's home, but everything was so orderly and the dresses were beautifully maintained. It was a choice between a Maggie Sottero or that Eddy K. model, and well... I think I made the right call. 😁

By the way, please don't take my comments regarding the professionalism of the boutique personally; of course, finding a dress that fits you perfectly is absolutely essential, but for me, it all comes down to the overall impression and how the entire experience feels 😉

Noah Long7 said:I’d definitely suggest checking out Kira in Sacramento. They really go the extra mile to make sure you get exactly what you want, and honestly, they have the best rates in the region. For my wedding, I used them for my bouquet, the boutonnieres for the groom and groomsmen, and all the decor for the car and the venue $833. I ended up DIY-ing the boutonnieres for the rest of the guests, and the local parish volunteers handled the church decorations.

Would you mind sharing where you picked up your supplies for making pins?

I heard you can find everything in Savannah, out in Appalachia—and it’s probably cheaper there than what we deal with here—but I’m still curious: where do you girls in San Francisco usually go for your materials?

crimsonmarlin17 said:Hi everyone,
My fiancé and I are thinking about scheduling our wedding for September or October of this year. What do you think—is it too late to start planning now?

Depends on the guest list. We just pulled the trigger on an August date 20 days ago and already have everything set.

Brian Wright2 said:Would you mind sharing where you picked up your supplies for making pins?

I heard you can find everything in Savannah, out in Appalachia—and it’s probably cheaper there than what we deal with here—but I’m still curious: where do you girls in San Francisco usually go for your materials?

I actually grabbed everything at Rose over in Mejas. I needed 150 pins and they were pretty generous with the stock. Between the pin supplies and the custom car decals, the whole lot ran me about $117.

I checked out La Perle and honestly, the shop is amazing—the staff is super chill and the dresses are easily the best I’ve seen yet.
Britney Spears has nothing on those options; while her site only shows a few wedding gowns, this boutique has a catalog with at least 30 different styles. $23As for the "fashion consulting," I wasn't really expecting much, but even though she’s got quite a reputation, the woman working there is actually really sweet and easy to talk to.
Mila over in San Francisco has decent dresses, but the lady there can be a bit much to deal with...
If anyone is looking for candelabras, check out Rose $150(for rentals), Fancy Flowers $83, or Ira $83; if you end up booking them both, $33 then Ira also gives a bulk discount of about 10%.
Also, does anyone happen to know what Arcade’s catering prices are? They haven't updated their pricing in forever, so I’m not sure if the old rates still apply. Or maybe someone can recommend a different caterer?

neonfox32 said:Depends on the guest list. We just pulled the trigger on an August date 20 days ago and already have everything set.

We’re aiming for about 100 guests. However, none of us are actually in the States right now, so we won't be booking anything for another four months.
I'm glad you got it sorted 👍
Tell me, did you reserve the hall first?

What kind of sales floor plan would you recommend for an event with 100 guests?

crimsonmarlin17 said:We’re aiming for about 100 guests. However, none of us are actually in the States right now, so we won't be booking anything for another four months.
I'm glad you got it sorted 👍
Tell me, did you reserve the hall first?

Well, I'm out of the country too. We're living in Germany, so everything is just handled over phone calls and Skype.

Definitely hit the venue first, then everything else. We used a place in Grand Rapids; they hold up to 100 people, and that was literally the only free weekend they had for ages. They stay booked up constantly. Venues with a 100-person capacity are basically the bare minimum because nobody wants to take a small group if they know they can fit 300 in there instead.

Pro tip: ask if your date is available before you even mention the guest count. If you tell them how many people you have first, they might just say "no" because they'd rather save that space for a bigger crowd.

crimsonmarlin17 said:What kind of sales floor plan would you recommend for an event with 100 guests?

The Radisson is a solid bet. We had 113 people show up for ours and everything went off without a hitch! Definitely recommend.

Listen, I’ve pretty much finalized everything else, but now I’m stuck on the chair bows. I’m going with a nautical theme, but I am dead set on a royal blue—not some turquoise nonsense... > emailed me some photos from Prestige Design, but those bows are clearly turquoise, and I won't settle for anything less than that deep royal blue! Does anyone have a solid recommendation??

I’m thinking about booking Bravo Band from San Diego for my wedding, and I was wondering if anyone could share some reviews? I’d likely go with their trio version since we’re only expecting about 50 guests. Regarding their musical style—do they really know how to get a party started? Also, does anyone have an idea of what they charge? I need to give them a final answer pretty soon, so if anyone has heard them live, please let me know!

Ethan Lee96 said:I’m thinking about booking Bravo Band from San Diego for my wedding, and I was wondering if anyone could share some reviews? I’d likely go with their trio version since we’re only expecting about 50 guests. Regarding their musical style—do they really know how to get a party started? Also, does anyone have an idea of what they charge? I need to give them a final answer pretty soon, so if anyone has heard them live, please let me know!

The trio will run you about $1,500. They lean heavily toward urban tracks and they definitely know how to set a mood, but fair warning: they aren't exactly known for sticking to the couple's specific playlist requests!

Ethan Lee96 said:I’m thinking about booking Bravo Band from San Diego for my wedding, and I was wondering if anyone could share some reviews? I’d likely go with their trio version since we’re only expecting about 50 guests. Regarding their musical style—do they really know how to get a party started? Also, does anyone have an idea of what they charge? I need to give them a final answer pretty soon, so if anyone has heard them live, please let me know!

Look, I hired them myself and was beyond happy... though, granted, that was over five years ago.🙂

Noah Long7 said:The trio will run you about $1,500. They lean heavily toward urban tracks and they definitely know how to set a mood, but fair warning: they aren't exactly known for sticking to the couple's specific playlist requests!

That wasn't my experience at all... everything we discussed was handled perfectly. They did exactly what they said they would.

Pravda

I have one more question 😵. I’ve never actually attended a wedding in California, so I’m curious about what a €60 per person dinner entails and how the service is structured. I received a quote, but it feels a bit meager to me—is this a budget option or a premium one? What is the average cost for a wedding dinner per guest in San Francisco?? I need an answer urgently, thanks!!!

Ethan Lee96 said:Pravda

I have one more question 😵. I’ve never actually attended a wedding in California, so I’m curious about what a €60 per person dinner entails and how the service is structured. I received a quote, but it feels a bit meager to me—is this a budget option or a premium one? What is the average cost for a wedding dinner per guest in San Francisco?? I need an answer urgently, thanks!!!

$60?
Good grief, we're looking at $40 just for the setup—French service, prosciutto, black and white risotto, beef stew with gnocchi or veal medallions with mushrooms, lamb or veal, potatoes, salad...
Of course, there are restaurants and venues with a lower price per person