Everything you need for a California wedding

Eric Barrett26 said:Busy!!!!!!! I honestly can't believe it...

Have you tried calling Barbara!? They played at a party I went to recently and they were awesome...
The band from LA plays for me... I've also heard the Uber band is pretty good

My party is set for October 9th. We reached out to Bomb and they're actually free... The only catch is they don't do small duos anymore—you have to book the full band if you want them. It'll run me about $2,200. Honestly, I don't mind the price tag too much if they can really turn the party into a massive show... 👍
But I'm having such a hard time finding any video of their band performing at a party... Their website is completely down. I guess I'll just have to wait until our meeting to figure things out... Ugh, I haven't even officially started the planning process yet and I already feel totally overwhelmed... We were supposed to escape to Vegas for a bit... 😍

Karen Cruz2 said:Have you tried calling Barbara!? They played at a party I went to recently and they were awesome...
The band from LA plays for me... I've also heard the Uber band is pretty good

No, I haven't—I listened to them while I was out by the Atlantic Ocean and they just didn't really do it for me. I know that's different than hearing them live at a party, but still... that was the impression I walked away with...

The Uber band is alright, they were actually my second choice right after the Bomb group... It's just that their singer—you know, Mladen Akrap from People Magazine or whatever—he's just kind of unlikable to me, so we ended up leaving them for last...

Adam Bishop20 said:Eric Barrett26, I am seriously so sorry about this... but look, maybe you can just reschedule the restaurant or the church for next week or even the week after? You know what, I’m positive you’ll find something awesome. Everything else is totally tip-top! Honestly, the vibe my sister put together was absolutely unforgettable. So, when’s the party?

Every single date we looked at before was already booked up at the Bolero. The whole month of September and the beginning of October were totally full... But honestly, our guests are such lively, fun people that I really don't think it should be a huge issue... Also, what do you think about Bomb? I've been lurking on forums for three weeks now and they seem pretty decent for what they do...

I’ve heard people raving about Bomb, but honestly, I haven't had the chance to try them myself yet. Wait—did I catch that right? Are you actually staying at the Bolero?? If I hadn't called you back in June to see if there was any availability, I probably would've missed out entirely, but thank God we still had one weekend free in September, so I just booked it immediately 😉
Anyway, you'll find something—have you checked around with Tiptop yet?

I feel like I’ve already asked this, but honestly, nobody seems to be getting back to me! 😢 Does anyone from the California crowd know anything about renting out boats or speedboats for a wedding video shoot?
Eric Barrett26, are you also using Studio In for your filming? How did you guys settle on the videographer, and are you planning to shoot inside the chapel on the actual wedding day or what? I’m leaning towards doing the shoot in the chapel, but I’m low-key terrified it’s just going to be way too exhausting...

Adam Bishop20 said:I’ve heard people raving about Bomb, but honestly, I haven't had the chance to try them myself yet. Wait—did I catch that right? Are you actually staying at the Bolero?? If I hadn't called you back in June to see if there was any availability, I probably would've missed out entirely, but thank God we still had one weekend free in September, so I just booked it immediately 😉
Anyway, you'll find something—have you checked around with Tiptop yet?

Yeah, I am at Bolero—we put down a deposit about three or four weeks ago. Everything was fully booked right up until my date... it was honestly a nightmare!! I didn't check with Tiptop, I actually called Bomb and when they have an opening, I'm taking it... I had numbers for Tiptop, an Uber, Twist Off, Glass Lady, Rhythm of the Rain... basically everyone. But I've heard nothing but glowing reviews for Bomb, so I think I'll just go with them...

Adam Bishop20 said:I feel like I’ve already asked this, but honestly, nobody seems to be getting back to me! 😢 Does anyone from the California crowd know anything about renting out boats or speedboats for a wedding video shoot?
Eric Barrett26, are you also using Studio In for your filming? How did you guys settle on the videographer, and are you planning to shoot inside the chapel on the actual wedding day or what? I’m leaning towards doing the shoot in the chapel, but I’m low-key terrified it’s just going to be way too exhausting...

I’ll check with a buddy of mine in a few days—he works in the charter business... Or, honestly, just reach out to any local charter company and ask if they allow short-term rentals for just a couple of hours. I haven't booked mine yet, but I'll most likely go that route. As for the video, I definitely won't be doing it that day because my ceremony is at a church near a town outside of San Francisco, and then we're heading over to St. Francis Church... so there just won't be enough time to squeeze everything in...

Hey everyone,
I have a massive problem. I know this isn't exactly what this forum is for, and I checked other threads about the Church, but most users there are from the North and the posts are ancient. I’m looking for some advice from you guys. If there's already a thread for this, please point me in the right direction because I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. 🙂 Here's the situation: I live in San Francisco, but my family is from Savannah—my grandparents still live there. That’s where I was baptized, and my boyfriend is from a nearby suburb. My dream is to get married in Savannah because that's where my roots are and I feel such a deep connection to the city. It might sound silly, but when people ask where I'm from, I tell them I live in San Francisco, but I'm actually from Savannah through and through. My boyfriend also has ties to the area. Sorry for the long vent, but I was so blindsided by what happened today that I just need to share this and see if anyone else has dealt with this kind of nonsense. So, my boyfriend and I went to meet the priest. Of course, he doesn't know us because we don't live in the area and don't attend his Sunday services. He was incredibly rude... just zero class. When he asked when we were planning to marry—we said nine months from now—he actually told us twice that he'll be dead by then. And if I had followed his "advice" to come back in six months, or rather three months before the date, he probably would have just glared at me and asked if I was pregnant. Am I being stupid for trying to lock in the date eleven months in advance? All my friends booked their dates 8 to 10 months out. I read on a parish website that you should ideally talk to the priest a year in advance, or at least six months. He kept questioning why we wanted to marry in Savannah. I told him my family is from there and I was baptized there, and he basically snapped, "What does that matter? You live in San Francisco, he's from the suburbs—there are dozens of churches nearby, why bother coming all the way to Savannah?" I tried explaining again, and he just shut me down. For me, it's about where I want to be married.
As far as I understand how this works, regardless of the fact that I reside in San Francisco and belong to my local parish there, my home parish—where all my official records are—is in Savannah because that's where my baptismal records are held. Whenever I need paperwork for a godparent role or, in this case, a wedding, I have to pull those files from Savannah. So what am I supposed to do now? He clearly has no intention of helping us, and we've already booked our reception venue in Savannah, so we can just walk from the church to the hall. If I had known he was going to be such a jerk, I wouldn't have insisted on doing it in Savannah. Is it actually possible to do what I planned—to marry in the church where I was baptized, even if the priest doesn't know me personally because I live 16 miles further away and don't attend his service on Sundays? Basically, I don't officially belong to his parish based on my current address. I didn't even dare ask if we could bring in our own priest—his priest, actually—because it felt like he was kicking us out the door. He told us to come back in six months and he'd "check" our connections to Savannah. If I go back in six months, three months before the wedding, he'll just tell me there are no slots left and every time slot is full. Should I try to pull some strings? Like, ask a priest who actually knows us to tell him to stop messing with us? Or should I just slip him a Covert... or what? I'm honestly shocked. I thought I wouldn't have any issues there, but instead, I hit this wall, and his attitude was just... unbelievable!

Replying to the previous post, for bluegardener60!

Honestly, don't even be surprised by how that priest is acting; there are all kinds of weirdos out there, so I guess just don't take it personally!!

Look, it's like this:

You have every right to get married whenever you want, and you can totally bring "your own" priest to handle the ceremony if you need to!

The reasons why you're looking to tie the knot are completely valid and they're your business, so he doesn't need to know a single thing about them!

The church building itself isn't his property; it belongs to him just as much as it belongs to you or anyone else, because, well, we are the Church!

!! Covert, don't even let that thought cross your mind !!

It's not too early at all, since you're just setting up an appointment now—what's even the big deal if it's 11 months away versus 10 or 9? It makes zero difference!

Since things are playing out this way, and if I were actually living in your neck of the woods, I'd probably do this:

If you know any other priest, or if you can find one who is willing to marry you, maybe ask him to go with you and your fiancé to Savannah so he can talk to the guy. You'll see how quickly the attitude changes, because he's definitely not going to act like that toward a "colleague," and while he might still be a bit difficult, I'm pretty sure he won't just blow you off like that!

I swear, it seriously makes my hair stand on end when I see these "priests" who have basically turned their "calling" into a private little business and started treating the church like their own personal office and private property!

bluegardener60 had the exact same thing happen to us two years back with the priest over at Sustipan.
The guy just shut us down immediately, telling us he couldn't help because he had to go marry some couple over at St. Francis Church that day.
Once I finally calmed down enough to think straight, I went back and told him we’d just bring our own minister.
He clearly wasn't thrilled about the idea, but he eventually gave in.
The minister we brought ended up being wonderful—he led such a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony... meanwhile, that grumpy jerk was just pacing around outside the church. It was obvious he didn't actually have a wedding to attend; he was just using it as a pathetic excuse to get rid of us.

Thanks 🙂
I honestly don't have the words for behavior like that. And then they act surprised when people stop showing up to church? How can anyone stick by "pastors" like that... A guy at a local diner approached me last night—probably because I was still visibly shaken from earlier—and mentioned how much he loves Notre Dame in Paris, suggesting we should visit. Look, I get it; dealing with all sorts of people isn't easy, but how can you, as a priest, lack even a shred of basic humanity and just brush off two young people like that? Where is the heart? I can't even find the right words; it's just shameful. He isn't acting like a human being. When we walked out, I spent two hours crying... just because someone would behave that way.
It makes me sick to my stomach. I don't even want to see him again. Thanks, I think I'll do what you suggested. Or maybe I'll ask our own priest to handle this, since he’s a good man and absolutely adores my son—you wouldn't believe how much he likes him once he meets him. Either that, or I'll go back to that place myself, but this time I'll be the one doing the talking. I'm coming in to book an appointment. Please just note down the date and time, and I'll bring my priest with me. Thanks, and goodbye.

Hey girl! Look, here's the deal: honestly, there are all kinds of people out there, and most of them are just total losers!!! One brother in Christ's behavior doesn't represent how a priest should actually act—I totally get where you're coming from. Even if he meant well or thought he was being helpful, he could have expressed himself differently and much more politely to you guys, I swear!
Something similar happened to me just two weeks ago. I live in Germany, but my sister got married last week over in Spain. But see, we’ve been tied to the area around Omiš since we were kids—we actually have a house there. I flew into Omiš for a week with my fiancé before the big rush, and we were trying to get everything sorted so we wouldn't have to fly all the way back for Christmas or whenever, especially since we're planning a huge family gathering next year. When we reached out to the local priest in Omiš to set a date (the restaurant, the band, the studio... everything was already booked!), he basically tells us we showed up way too early and that we have until next year anyway—plus, he claims he doesn't even have the 2010 calendar yet! He explained it nicely enough, sure, but... hey... how am I supposed to fix all this now? My parents are in Omiš all the time and they know the priest pretty well, so they'll probably just get us on the books for Christmas once his calendar finally arrives.
And what can I tell you... I wish I knew the exact time and everything too. I haven't even started working on the invitations yet... it'll all work itself out somehow!
Of course you have the right to choose which church you want (you'd just need your home parish to confirm it with some paperwork), so go ahead—even if it's halfway across Pakistan for all I care. And you can definitely pick your own priest, which is what I'd strongly suggest. Good luck! 😉

Eric Barrett26 said:I’ll check with a buddy of mine in a few days—he works in the charter business... Or, honestly, just reach out to any local charter company and ask if they allow short-term rentals for just a couple of hours. I haven't booked mine yet, but I'll most likely go that route. As for the video, I definitely won't be doing it that day because my ceremony is at a church near a town outside of San Francisco, and then we're heading over to St. Francis Church... so there just won't be enough time to squeeze everything in...

Eric, man, it would be awesome if you could check with him. I'm living in Germany right now so I don't really know anyone over there to ask. Maybe you could drop a link to a website or a phone number if you find one? thankssssss
Also, one more thing: maybe it's too early to call, but our friend from the local bakery told us they do cakes and pastries too. Have you ever dealt with people like that? Personally, I'm leaning towards Cheesecake Factory...

Adam Bishop20 said:Eric, man, it would be awesome if you could check with him. I'm living in Germany right now so I don't really know anyone over there to ask. Maybe you could drop a link to a website or a phone number if you find one? thankssssss
Also, one more thing: maybe it's too early to call, but our friend from the local bakery told us they do cakes and pastries too. Have you ever dealt with people like that? Personally, I'm leaning towards Cheesecake Factory...

It’s their family-run bakery—they call it M&P. From what I've heard, they're pretty solid. Honestly, I'll probably just go through them simply to get everything off my plate at once... plus, you can grab a little discount when you book that way. As for Entenmann's... well, it is what it is... anyway, I sent you a DM

Here goes Adam Bishop20 again 😉 Ugh, if my fiancé actually heard me right now, he’d probably tell me I’m taking things way too far 😉 He’s already fed up with my constant babbling 😉 Anyway, ladies—have any of you been to weddings with those crazy, over-the-top restaurant lighting setups? What was your take? Would you actually recommend that vibe or is it just too much?
Honestly, I’d go for all of it 😉 p.s. Sorry if my English is a bit messy, I know I'm making mistakes here 😉

Adam Bishop20,
I was looking through photographers yesterday and stumbled upon this one studio's site featuring a boat. www.weddingstudioin.com. It’s the second video and shot on the list. Just shoot them an email and ask... most of these guys work with specific vendors, and since they filmed a session there, they should have some inside info. Also, I noticed the boat says Water Taxi on it.

bluegardener60 said:Adam Bishop20,
I was looking through photographers yesterday and stumbled upon this one studio's site featuring a boat. www.weddingstudioin.com. It’s the second video and shot on the list. Just shoot them an email and ask... most of these guys work with specific vendors, and since they filmed a session there, they should have some inside info. Also, I noticed the boat says Water Taxi on it.

Man... everyone is way smarter than me.😉 Thanks a ton! I don't know how many times I've looked at their stuff and never even noticed that detail. I'm definitely gonna reach out and see what's up!
Also, I am absolutely obsessed with the video of Ann and her guy—wow, just WOW! They aren't on a boat, but seriously, LEGENDARY!!! Check it out if you want...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCrLiQVjBA8

http://www.google.com/search?q=Ann+and...rlz=1I7SNYK_de

That Studio is freaking legendary!!! man, I am absolutely losing my mind over how good this is...

bluegardener60 said:Thanks 🙂
I honestly don't have the words for behavior like that. And then they act surprised when people stop showing up to church? How can anyone stick by "pastors" like that... A guy at a local diner approached me last night—probably because I was still visibly shaken from earlier—and mentioned how much he loves Notre Dame in Paris, suggesting we should visit. Look, I get it; dealing with all sorts of people isn't easy, but how can you, as a priest, lack even a shred of basic humanity and just brush off two young people like that? Where is the heart? I can't even find the right words; it's just shameful. He isn't acting like a human being. When we walked out, I spent two hours crying... just because someone would behave that way.
It makes me sick to my stomach. I don't even want to see him again. Thanks, I think I'll do what you suggested. Or maybe I'll ask our own priest to handle this, since he’s a good man and absolutely adores my son—you wouldn't believe how much he likes him once he meets him. Either that, or I'll go back to that place myself, but this time I'll be the one doing the talking. I'm coming in to book an appointment. Please just note down the date and time, and I'll bring my priest with me. Thanks, and goodbye.

Just ignore that idiot... I told you not to let it get to you... you've got your own priest, so don't worry about it... 👍