Everything you need for a California wedding

coastalwalker10 said:Look, you can't really put a high-tech service robot in the same league as a seasoned professional from a place like the Ritz-Carlton or a top-tier steakhouse... I mean, let’s be honest, the level of service these robots provide is just incredibly subpar. I actually saw one the other day where they were clearing plates using little carts, just rolling them right past all the guests in the middle of the dining room, and frankly, I don't think that qualifies as actual service at any recognizable standard of hospitality.

It is quite rare to encounter such a concentrated amount of nonsense packed into a mere three sentences; frankly, I am relieved that your wedding will be held in a different venue so we won't have to cross paths. Using service carts is a perfectly standard and appropriate practice in any dining establishment where the kitchen is located away from the main hall. For instance, at the Hilton, where a single chair costs 75 dollars, they mimic this exact method by clearing plates onto a side station situated immediately next to the main table, performing the cleanup right in front of the guests. Furthermore, Doolittle doesn't even employ five qualified servers, so attempting to place them in the same conversation as Pirate, Duilio, or Braid is simply absurd. The Executive Chef at Doolittle, Mr. Rogulj, actually served as the head chef over at Duilio back in the nineties. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and you are more than welcome to host your wedding at the Sheraton or The Little Tavern, but when discussing establishments that have spent decades proving their excellence through thousands of banquets—venues whose staff has served four different Presidents and the highest levels of military leadership—it is pure idiocy to suggest that Doolittle stands on equal footing with them. These are the only places left that prepare authentic traditional dishes from scratch using thirty distinct ingredients, without relying on pre-made mixes, stocks, or Fant. Warm regards, and I wish you all the best (in your future married life). 🙂👋

crimsonscout22 said:If you head downtown to Tiffany & Co., you’ll find a solid selection with pretty fair pricing—they even handle custom orders without tacking on extra fees. Plus, they offer a massive discount if you pay cash.

So, what would the final price for a ring set be if we paid cash? Roughly speaking?
We were thinking about something simple—just plain yellow gold without any extra flair. When we were looking around Chicago, the prices ranged from about $3,000 up to $1667. To be honest, at one jeweler, when I went in by myself, the guy told me a pair was roughly $5,500. But then, when I came back with my fiancé, the pair was closer to $1167, and a friend of mine actually paid $2,500 for a pair at that exact same shop last year. 😵

Anyone got any thoughts on those Just say Yes and Nirs sales?

granitefox19 said:Hey fadedsurfer54,
Regarding Say Yes—yeah, they’re charging 38 €. The manager there is actually quite charming, but I have a major gripe with the layout: the dance floor is positioned such that you can't see it from every corner of the room, which is a total dealbreaker for me. They do offer an outdoor option with a tent for weddings, which looks absolutely stunning, but let's be real—that comes with a massive price hike...
Now, Nirs is at 36 €, and honestly, I think it's a great pick if your guest list stays under 160 people. If you go over that number, they switch to rectangular tables instead of rounds, and frankly, I wasn't a fan of that setup...
As for Sky, I believe it's around 42 €, though I haven't had a chance to look into them deeply yet.
Then there's Ino, I think they're about 35 €... hm, it's okay, I guess. If you're looking near Castleton, you should definitely consider the Castle hall (35 euros), and if you want something in Miami, you've got Bolero and Ari available for around 40 euros.

I’ve never personally heard Taxi Band play, but word on the street is they’re fantastic—except for the fact that they want 2,200 dollars, which I find absolutely outrageous. Most bands are hovering around the 2,000 mark, which is already way too much in my book, but I refuse to pay that extra 200 just out of pure principle.

As for photographers? I am completely lost there too—I definitely need some help finding someone good, haha.😉

Here’s a comment from granitefox19 a few days back—I'm on the same page here.
I was a guest at Just say Yes earlier this year, and my only gripe was that dance floor visibility issue; plus, having the cocktail hour right next to the restrooms 😵 near the entrance is a major downside in my book...
Nirs is solid—food and service were great. I was a best man at a wedding there back in '13. They have a massive terrace, and someone mentioned they offer that custom lighting setup too, which is a nice touch. The manager there is also worth noting—very friendly and approachable, though I blanked on her name... when I eventually tie the knot, they'll definitely be on my shortlist. 👍

Hi there, I could use some advice. Has anyone attended an outdoor wedding at the Neva in Malibu recently? I'm wondering if the neighbors tend to report the noise, or if the police ever show up because of the music. How strict are the local authorities when it comes to weddings? Up until what time do they usually turn a blind eye?

Ethan Lee96 said:Hi there, I could use some advice. Has anyone attended an outdoor wedding at the Neva in Malibu recently? I'm wondering if the neighbors tend to report the noise, or if the police ever show up because of the music. How strict are the local authorities when it comes to weddings? Up until what time do they usually turn a blind eye?

Hey, I was there about 3 or 4 years ago—it was August, so pretty warm. If I remember right, you could play music until maybe 2 or 3 AM, but I'm not 100% sure. All I know is the police did show up—about 15 minutes before the actual limit—because neighbors called in the noise. They ended up rushing the bouquet and garter toss just to wrap things up faster.

crimsonlynx18 said:Here’s a comment from granitefox19 a few days back—I'm on the same page here.
I was a guest at Just say Yes earlier this year, and my only gripe was that dance floor visibility issue; plus, having the cocktail hour right next to the restrooms 😵 near the entrance is a major downside in my book...
Nirs is solid—food and service were great. I was a best man at a wedding there back in '13. They have a massive terrace, and someone mentioned they offer that custom lighting setup too, which is a nice touch. The manager there is also worth noting—very friendly and approachable, though I blanked on her name... when I eventually tie the knot, they'll definitely be on my shortlist. 👍

thanks a lot 🙂

Yeah, I’ve heard from a ton of people that unless you're specifically looking for a venue, hitting up wedding expos is the way to go. Assuming it doesn't clash with your actual wedding date, obviously, because those vendors usually offer much better deals than if you just walk in off the street.

When are those wedding expos actually happening? I’m assuming they won't be kicking off until sometime late this fall?

Hi there. I just got engaged and am planning a wedding for next spring or fall. The location would be San Francisco, with about 120-140 guests... I've been browsing the forum and my shortlist of venues includes Sky at $40; Pirate at $42; Ini Kastel at $34; Phoenix Dugopolje at $33; Poljud $87, Nirs at $36, and Aria at $40.... please correct me if I got any of those numbers wrong. What exactly is included in those prices—linens, drinks, dessert, lighting? Also, does it make sense to host it out in Castilla or Dugopolj if I'm staying in the city center? Thanks

Elizabeth Barnes36, I can't speak to all the specific quotes you mentioned, but I do know that Aria charges $40 per person on Saturdays, just as you noted. From what I understand, Sky is closer to $42. That $40 rate applies if you bring your own wine; if you go that route, Aria drops to $38 per person. I'm not sure about the other venues, but at Aria, the price includes table linens (I assume that’s standard everywhere) and beverages excluding hard liquor—so sodas, beer, and their house wine are covered. You'll need to bring your own desserts, and while they provide lighting in the hall, there is an additional $300 fee for it. Word is that if you try to coordinate the lighting yourself through a third party, it actually ends up costing more, though we've already touched on that debate here on the previous page. Within that same budget range, you also have Bolero near the Belvedere building over on Velebit ($40), which you didn't mention in your list.

granitefox19, I recall there was a fair held at the Just say Yes venue sometime in the fall, then around January, I believe there was one at the Radisson, and around Valentine's Day, there was one at the Hilton.

I am asking for recommendations for a accordion player accompanied by a guitarist, a double bassist, and perhaps another instrument to play during the reception!!! Thanks a lot!

Thanks Hannah Murphy11! 👍

Elizabeth Barnes36, I was actually going back and forth between Dugopolj or Castilla because of the price points—I really was—but in the end, I went with San Francisco. Honestly, once I saw my venue, I just knew (seeing my own hall made it click for me), and I’d much rather pay the difference there and maybe cut back on something else later. That said, both Castilla and Dugopolj have solid venues for what they charge, so why not head over and take a look? It couldn't hurt...

Hannah Murphy11 hit the nail on the head; all the halls include chair covers and bows in whatever color you want in the base price, plus drinks (everything except hard liquor) and snacks—though note that desserts are NOT included (some places let you bring your own homemade treats, while others strictly require a certified caterer). Also, if you want extra lighting, you'll be paying more at any of them, though it can be cheaper at certain spots if they already have the equipment built-in (as we've discussed here before). Venues like Nirs, Aria, or Just say Yes are the ones that already have that setup ready to go...

granitefox19 said:Thanks Hannah Murphy11! 👍

Elizabeth Barnes36, I was actually going back and forth between Dugopolj or Castilla because of the price points—I really was—but in the end, I went with San Francisco. Honestly, once I saw my venue, I just knew (seeing my own hall made it click for me), and I’d much rather pay the difference there and maybe cut back on something else later. That said, both Castilla and Dugopolj have solid venues for what they charge, so why not head over and take a look? It couldn't hurt...

Hannah Murphy11 hit the nail on the head; all the halls include chair covers and bows in whatever color you want in the base price, plus drinks (everything except hard liquor) and snacks—though note that desserts are NOT included (some places let you bring your own homemade treats, while others strictly require a certified caterer). Also, if you want extra lighting, you'll be paying more at any of them, though it can be cheaper at certain spots if they already have the equipment built-in (as we've discussed here before). Venues like Nirs, Aria, or Just say Yes are the ones that already have that setup ready to go...

I'm with you, granitefox19—I'm also going to decide based on whether the venue is in San Francisco. There's a price gap because the menus aren't identical everywhere, but everything else is pretty much the same, and I'll definitely be getting the extra lighting. One thing though—what are the catering prices like? How does that work? And can we save leftover food? I'm not sure if we'll do a single gathering spot (like a coffee meetup or something)—I'm really not feeling the idea of going house to house...

Elizabeth Barnes36 said:Hi there. I just got engaged and am planning a wedding for next spring or fall. The location would be San Francisco, with about 120-140 guests... I've been browsing the forum and my shortlist of venues includes Sky at $40; Pirate at $42; Ini Kastel at $34; Phoenix Dugopolje at $33; Poljud $87, Nirs at $36, and Aria at $40.... please correct me if I got any of those numbers wrong. What exactly is included in those prices—linens, drinks, dessert, lighting? Also, does it make sense to host it out in Castilla or Dugopolj if I'm staying in the city center? Thanks

I'm also looking around the city for a smaller reception, maybe around 100 people. What did they tell you about the drink situation at Pirate? Yesterday, the folks over at Graše told me the menu was $40, but once you add the drink package (excluding wine and spirits), it jumps to $47 per person.

crimsonlynx18 said:I'm with you, granitefox19—I'm also going to decide based on whether the venue is in San Francisco. There's a price gap because the menus aren't identical everywhere, but everything else is pretty much the same, and I'll definitely be getting the extra lighting. One thing though—what are the catering prices like? How does that work? And can we save leftover food? I'm not sure if we'll do a single gathering spot (like a coffee meetup or something)—I'm really not feeling the idea of going house to house...

They usually offer a basic menu, but I saw that Pirate is charging 44 bucks. My lady sent me the quote right away, but it didn't include any hard liquor—just appetizers. I'm also wondering about catering costs, and yeah, how much a good accordion player goes for, haha😉

granitefox19 said:Thanks Hannah Murphy11! 👍

Elizabeth Barnes36, I was actually going back and forth between Dugopolj or Castilla because of the price points—I really was—but in the end, I went with San Francisco. Honestly, once I saw my venue, I just knew (seeing my own hall made it click for me), and I’d much rather pay the difference there and maybe cut back on something else later. That said, both Castilla and Dugopolj have solid venues for what they charge, so why not head over and take a look? It couldn't hurt...

Hannah Murphy11 hit the nail on the head; all the halls include chair covers and bows in whatever color you want in the base price, plus drinks (everything except hard liquor) and snacks—though note that desserts are NOT included (some places let you bring your own homemade treats, while others strictly require a certified caterer). Also, if you want extra lighting, you'll be paying more at any of them, though it can be cheaper at certain spots if they already have the equipment built-in (as we've discussed here before). Venues like Nirs, Aria, or Just say Yes are the ones that already have that setup ready to go...

Speaking of lighting, when I called Sky, they mentioned they should have their own setup by next year. But specifically, over at Pirate, you have to pay $600 to use theirs.

analogdrifter51 said:They usually offer a basic menu, but I saw that Pirate is charging 44 bucks. My lady sent me the quote right away, but it didn't include any hard liquor—just appetizers. I'm also wondering about catering costs, and yeah, how much a good accordion player goes for, haha😉

analogdrifter51 said:Speaking of lighting, when I called Sky, they mentioned they should have their own setup by next year. But specifically, over at Pirate, you have to pay $600 to use theirs.

I’m also seeing $44 for being a pirate instead of $42—and honestly, the lighting at NIRS is actually pretty decent. $933...

analogdrifter51 said:I'm actually eyeing a wedding for a decade from now myself, haha. I was thinking about booking Boss, Viva, or Milan Terze for the band... As for photos, I've been scrolling through Facebook and narrowed my top three down to Ante Gašpar, Bonačić Studio, and Tonći Čerina. Now I'm just stuck in this massive dilemma, lol
Which month would you pick?

April is a great time, the venue said yes, and I'm looking at Yukica for photos. I've heard good things about Gras, though opinions on Tonći Čerina are kind of split—some say the shots are incredible, but others mention the DVDs aren't the best, so I'm still undecided...
Does anyone know how catering prices are looking lately?

Any recommendations for a photographer, videographer, or band? Looking for some budget-friendly options.

fadedsurfer54 said:April is a great time, the venue said yes, and I'm looking at Yukica for photos. I've heard good things about Gras, though opinions on Tonći Čerina are kind of split—some say the shots are incredible, but others mention the DVDs aren't the best, so I'm still undecided...
Does anyone know how catering prices are looking lately?

I heard catering runs about 6000 bucks...