Everything you need for a California wedding

Larry Ross43 said:I was wondering if it’s possible to hire Ivica Matić just for photography at a wedding? Basically, we’re only looking for photos and aren't really interested in video services... I guess it would be helpful to know what his typical rate is for just shooting a wedding?

Look, he's primarily a photographer. If you want a videographer, he can bring someone along, but sure—you can hire him just for the photos.
As for the cost, prices have shifted since last year depending on the package you pick. Honestly, just give him a call to confirm, though I wouldn't expect anything under $1,100.

And regarding your question about an outdoor wedding...
Whether it's a venue in Austin, a ranch near San Antonio, or somewhere out in the suburbs, plenty of places have massive terraces for outdoor ceremonies. Still, given how unpredictable the weather has been lately, I have to say: going with an outdoor setup is a pretty gutsy move.

I wonder if the Hilton in Monterey does those vincanja things... they've got such an incredible terrace!

We are looking to host a wedding for about 70 to 80 guests sometime in 2010, ideally somewhere near the coast or by a river in the San Francisco area or its immediate surroundings. So far, we’ve received quotes from Salt Lake City and Taco Bell, both coming in at $40 per person.

I could really use some help navigating a few specific details, so please, save me from my own indecision.
1. Has anyone here attended a wedding at The Old Tavern near the Santa Monica river? My wife insists that 70 people is the sweet spot for that venue, but since the space seems quite intimate, I'm worried about it feeling cramped. If you've been there, how was the food and did the guest count feel overwhelming for the room?
2. Is there a cafe or restaurant out there that would allow us to rent out just a terrace—preferably one with a roof—for a single night? We are considering hosting an after-party for our crew where we simply rent the deck and bring in outside catering.
3. What is the standard going rate for a wedding DJ these days? I have scoured every corner of the internet and still can't find a clear answer. Also, if anyone has a recommendation for a great DJ, please send their name and number via PM.

Sandra Gomez50 said:We are looking to host a wedding for about 70 to 80 guests sometime in 2010, ideally somewhere near the coast or by a river in the San Francisco area or its immediate surroundings. So far, we’ve received quotes from Salt Lake City and Taco Bell, both coming in at $40 per person.

I could really use some help navigating a few specific details, so please, save me from my own indecision.
1. Has anyone here attended a wedding at The Old Tavern near the Santa Monica river? My wife insists that 70 people is the sweet spot for that venue, but since the space seems quite intimate, I'm worried about it feeling cramped. If you've been there, how was the food and did the guest count feel overwhelming for the room?
2. Is there a cafe or restaurant out there that would allow us to rent out just a terrace—preferably one with a roof—for a single night? We are considering hosting an after-party for our crew where we simply rent the deck and bring in outside catering.
3. What is the standard going rate for a wedding DJ these days? I have scoured every corner of the internet and still can't find a clear answer. Also, if anyone has a recommendation for a great DJ, please send their name and number via PM.

Regarding The Rusty Anchor, the food there is absolutely fantastic.
If you want to be near the water, you should also check out San Antonio in the coastal area.

Oh my gosh, girls, I need help!🙄😂
I’ve had eight months to get everything ready, and now—of course—everything is falling apart at the last minute🤣
Typical me, right?🙄.......So, I'm looking for a really good makeup artist in the area—maybe around Los Angeles, maybe Orange County or something similar... I actually reached out to Antoni Guć... but she only has a 9:00 AM slot available😲... which feels way too early for hair and makeup, don't you think?🤷or is it?

Also, where can I order some sweets? (Ideally something homemade!) Maybe some croquembouche? (Besides the stuff at the local bakery). I'm sure you guys have some killer recommendations since we're only one month out😲🙄😍

Does anyone actually know where I can pick some of these up (starting from the 200 ml size) and what kind of damage I'm looking at price-wise? Something like this:

Larry Ross43 said:I was wondering if anyone knows if you can actually host a wine tasting over at Villa California? Does anyone happen to have any info on that?

Are we talking about a formal ceremony or just a dinner?

I’m assuming you mean a dinner. If what I heard is right, if you want to host a private event there, you have to pay a separate venue fee $10. That doesn't include food or anything else. Don't quote me on that, though—I'm just going by what I've heard. Better double-check.

Joshua Miller27 said:Does anyone actually know where I can pick some of these up (starting from the 200 ml size) and what kind of damage I'm looking at price-wise? Something like this:

Try Bumblebee on Sunday or maybe that California shop over at the mall 😉
www.bumblebee.com

hiddenharbor84 said:Are we talking about a formal ceremony or just a dinner?

I’m assuming you mean a dinner. If what I heard is right, if you want to host a private event there, you have to pay a separate venue fee $10. That doesn't include food or anything else. Don't quote me on that, though—I'm just going by what I've heard. Better double-check.

for the dinner... thanks for the heads up...!

we're really hoping to have the dinner outdoors or maybe somewhere semi-open... does anyone know what the options are between San Diego and Santa Barbara... like, does anyone have any leads or photos or something...

Does anyone happen to know what the gig fee is for Bravo band? They’re playing out at the ranch near Austin lately... I was wondering if anyone’s actually caught them live at a bonfire or something similar...

Larry Ross43 said:Does anyone happen to know what the gig fee is for Bravo band? They’re playing out at the ranch near Austin lately... I was wondering if anyone’s actually caught them live at a bonfire or something similar...

They played at a bash I hosted once... personally, I thought they were great.

Last year, the price was about $1,300 including the vocalist. If you don't want her, it's $200 less than that. Who knows what their rates look like today.

Raymond Brooks7 said:They played at a bash I hosted once... personally, I thought they were great.

Last year, the price was about $1,300 including the vocalist. If you don't want her, it's $200 less than that. Who knows what their rates look like today.

well, I guess they aren't exactly cheap considering it’s a group of two or three including the lady... did she actually sing or was it just the two guys?

did they actually set the mood though, I mean, how is their song selection?

Larry Ross43 said:well, I guess they aren't exactly cheap considering it’s a group of two or three including the lady... did she actually sing or was it just the two guys?

did they actually set the mood though, I mean, how is their song selection?

Look, even back when they played the Major Leagues last year, they were charging $1,600 for the trio... I don't know what you were expecting here.🤷

There was a woman singing because I booked the trio—you get to choose whether to have a female vocalist or not.

The song list is massive. They play everything except that cheesy country stuff... they give you a list and let you pick.
And if you ask me—and my guests—the vibe was spot on. But honestly, I already knew that, otherwise I wouldn't have hired them in the first place.

Raymond Brooks7 said:Look, even back when they played the Major Leagues last year, they were charging $1,600 for the trio... I don't know what you were expecting here.🤷

There was a woman singing because I booked the trio—you get to choose whether to have a female vocalist or not.

The song list is massive. They play everything except that cheesy country stuff... they give you a list and let you pick.
And if you ask me—and my guests—the vibe was spot on. But honestly, I already knew that, otherwise I wouldn't have hired them in the first place.

I must've been dreaming at that party where the top-tier band played, because Nishan was totally blown away, and apparently 1500 bucks for just three guys is way too much... like 500 per person...

I'd say 1000 bucks is a fair price for them since I know they're good; I've seen them perform out in the suburbs a few times...

but honestly, while that amount seems okay because I know they're solid... on one hand, sure, but on the other, 1000 bucks for two people is actually a ton when you realize there are other bands in the same league, maybe even better, that have like five members including a full drum kit and all that... what's the payoff for $3333... I guess $667 per head for one night is a decent enough amount, in my opinion...

It’s entirely possible to find five-piece bands willing to play for as little as $1,500

Everyone just picks what suits their own taste and whatever they can actually afford....😍

Jack Miller4 said:It’s entirely possible to find five-piece bands willing to play for as little as $1,500

well yeah, you could also spend 10,000 dollars 🙂 but I don't think anyone's arguing that part... I guess I'm just looking at how to get the best bang for my buck, like, why wouldn't you want cheaper prices if it means getting better music, right? That seems pretty logical to me... 🙂

Raymond Brooks7 said:Everyone just picks what suits their own taste and whatever they can actually afford....😍

Yeah, honestly, that's pretty much exactly how it is.👍

Larry Ross43 said:I must've been dreaming at that party where the top-tier band played, because Nishan was totally blown away, and apparently 1500 bucks for just three guys is way too much... like 500 per person...

I'd say 1000 bucks is a fair price for them since I know they're good; I've seen them perform out in the suburbs a few times...

but honestly, while that amount seems okay because I know they're solid... on one hand, sure, but on the other, 1000 bucks for two people is actually a ton when you realize there are other bands in the same league, maybe even better, that have like five members including a full drum kit and all that... what's the payoff for $3333... I guess $667 per head for one night is a decent enough amount, in my opinion...

Are you sure about that? Prices have gone up since last year, so I'm pretty sure The Beach Boys are charging more than 1200 bucks now.

Nathan Nguyen2 said:Are you sure about that? Prices have gone up since last year, so I'm pretty sure The Beach Boys are charging more than 1200 bucks now.

Look, this is fresh info... I mean, maybe the price is a little lower because of certain stuff, but like I said, "it's possible to get it" 🙂