Everything you need for a California wedding

Eric Barrett26 said:The Marriott near the airport might work. It's right by the transit station. Greyhound or a local charter service could handle the buses. That Nadio photo studio I mentioned seems like a great call too... they do both photo and video
Suzy might be a bit pricey though. I don't know her exact rates... she seems to have separate pricing for just the ceremony, then the cake, and so on...

Thanks for the heads up... do you happen to know if any of these venues offer discounts for a Friday wedding? Also, do you know a San Francisco-based shuttle service that does rentals? Most of the guests coming by bus will be heading over from San Francisco, so I need to figure out what kind of prices we're looking at.
Any idea what Nadio charges for photography? 🙂 Just asking because I honestly have zero clue how much this stuff costs these days..

Olivia Adams71 said:Never heard of those guys, but here's their contact info

Thanks so much😉
I actually have that contact already, but I wanted to dig up some more details before we reached out to them. No big deal though—we're heading down to San Diego this weekend to finalize a few things, so we'll give them a call right after that.😁

mellowfalcon said:Hey everyone.. 🙂
After scrolling through basically every single page of every thread here ( 🙂 ), I figured I’d just throw my hat in the ring.. I'm planning a wedding in San Diego for next year, but there's a bit of a catch—we don't actually live there. So, I could really use some solid suggestions or leads if you guys have them. It feels like there aren't many local women on this thread, so there isn't much info about getting married in San Diego specifically—which is why any help would be huge.. bands, restaurants, photographers... I've been hunting online and it seems like almost none of the photo studios in San Diego even have their own websites. Help a girl out 🙂 thanks so much, everyone!

Yeah... I'm running into the same thing. I've read everything here, but there's just so little info regarding San Diego.
I'm not from San Diego either; my fiancé is, and we live in New York City now, but the wedding will be down south.
As for a restaurant, thank God, we've got that covered. But the photographer (which is huge for me) is a struggle. There’s hardly anything about it online. Susie seems like a good option http://www.suzynewlife.com/
but I'm also considering bringing someone from New York City or St. Louis, though the travel costs add up.
The band... same story. The ones I actually love, I don't even know if they're still around.🙄

mellowfalcon said:Ugh, thanks a million... I'm looking at about 200 people, so I need a venue in that ballpark. I saw that one thread where everyone was roasting almost every single hall—that was actually super helpful... I just don't know which places can actually handle 200 guests without feeling like I'm hosting an event in a massive empty stadium. Finding that "Goldilocks" zone isn't easy. My biggest headache is that I can't be driving back and forth to San Diego every single weekend to scout locations, so I can't visit everything myself. It would be a lifesaver if the venue was near a Hilton or some decent apartments, since most of my guests will probably need a place to crash. As long as it’s relatively close to San Diego—maybe as far out as a suburb like Dollis or even a little past that, but nothing crazy 🙂
Also, if anyone knows a reliable shuttle or bus company for rent, that would be huge.
As for the band, I need something that doesn't lean too hard into that cheesy country/folk vibe, but also isn't stuck in that aggressive rock era either. Something more urban/indie, but you know, not like they'd turn their noses up at some classic old-school hits.
Does anyone know a photo studio in San Diego that does both photography and videography? I stumbled upon Suzy's page and she seems legit... any idea what the price range looks like there?
Okay, I think that covers it for now 🙂 Hope I didn't overwhelm you with all this 🙂

If you're having buses drop people off in the morning, you might not even need to worry about lodging. You'd only need it for the folks who really want to hang out, and there's always plenty of Airbnbs or local spots in San Diego or the nearby towns.
The only real issue might be the heating, but I'm assuming since you're getting married near the coast, you've picked summer months.
I'm actually thinking about renting a bus too (just for my friends from New York City), so I was planning to call Greyhound and see if they'll work out a deal—they're usually pretty flexible with arrangements.👍

Hey ladies, I’m new here... basically, I'm getting married in June 2010. So far, I've looked at a few venues: I've got a quote from the new hall at the Dallas venue (about $36 per person), Studio In (around $1,400), and Barbara's (which is $1,500 including a guitarist)... Now I'm hunting for a choir to handle two songs during the church ceremony. It’ll just be the wedding rite itself, plus I need someone to handle the flowers—ideally at prices that won't break the bank. Any recommendations?? Also, if you've used any of these places, please let me know what you thought! THANKS!

mellowfalcon said:Thanks for the heads up... do you happen to know if any of these venues offer discounts for a Friday wedding? Also, do you know a San Francisco-based shuttle service that does rentals? Most of the guests coming by bus will be heading over from San Francisco, so I need to figure out what kind of prices we're looking at.
Any idea what Nadio charges for photography? 🙂 Just asking because I honestly have zero clue how much this stuff costs these days..

I think the Hilton is running about $80 per person. There's actually a girl on here who's planning her wedding there right now, so she’d probably be your best bet for real numbers.
Buses should run around $1000.

Olivia Hill9 said:Yeah... I'm running into the same thing. I've read everything here, but there's just so little info regarding San Diego.
I'm not from San Diego either; my fiancé is, and we live in New York City now, but the wedding will be down south.
As for a restaurant, thank God, we've got that covered. But the photographer (which is huge for me) is a struggle. There’s hardly anything about it online. Susie seems like a good option http://www.suzynewlife.com/
but I'm also considering bringing someone from New York City or St. Louis, though the travel costs add up.
The band... same story. The ones I actually love, I don't even know if they're still around.🙄

It's the same deal for me—every band I used to know has basically vanished into thin air. 🙂 Which restaurant did you guys pick? How many people are you expecting?
The photography is a massive deal for me too, so I really don't want to rush into a decision there.

fadedbadger35 said:I think the Hilton is running about $80 per person. There's actually a girl on here who's planning her wedding there right now, so she’d probably be your best bet for real numbers.
Buses should run around $1000.

Ugh, that's way out of my budget—we're looking at 200 people here, so I really need to find something more middle-of-the-road... affordable. Buses being $1000, though? That's awesome—thanks! And yeah, if that's the case, I won't even need much lodging, just maybe a spot for a few people who might want to stay privately.

fadedbadger35 said:I think the Hilton is running about $80 per person. There's actually a girl on here who's planning her wedding there right now, so she’d probably be your best bet for real numbers.
Buses should run around $1000.

Yeah, exactly... buses go for about $1000

From what I understand, the Malibu line doesn't actually handle transportation services for weddings—at least, that's what I was told a little while back. If you need to arrange a bus, your best bets would be renting through Liburnia, Greyhound, or maybe even Chester. As for photography, my brother ended up using Atlantic for both his video and photos. The total cost worked out to be roughly $900 plus a little extra for tips.

Jack Miller4 said:From what I understand, the Malibu line doesn't actually handle transportation services for weddings—at least, that's what I was told a little while back. If you need to arrange a bus, your best bets would be renting through Liburnia, Greyhound, or maybe even Chester. As for photography, my brother ended up using Atlantic for both his video and photos. The total cost worked out to be roughly $900 plus a little extra for tips.

So, was my brother actually happy with them?

Regarding the photos—well, they look great, but let’s be honest, they’re young, attractive, and actually patient enough to pose (I don't think it took them two full hours), so the shots naturally turn out beautiful. I can only imagine how mine would have looked 😁. At first glance, everyone who saw them was absolutely floored—especially those people who don't typically browse wedding galleries online and haven't seen things like the couple jumping in the air, the best man pulling the newlyweds by the hand, peering at the bride through the curtains, or those classic poses on the bed and other typical 🤣 setups. That said, they aren't overly processed; it's just the classics—black and white, sepia, nothing too flashy. They are actually very pure photographs that capture you exactly as you are.
As for the video, it follows a similar classic structure. You have the engagement clip, childhood photos, clips of him, clips of her, the church ceremony, and then the remaining two hours of the reception. Personally, I find wedding videos that stretch to three hours a bit tedious, but they managed to catch all the little details and moments from the party, like the playful negotiations over the bride's price and such...

Ultimately, I think the photos are lovely, though I recognize my own bias. It’s a completely different experience looking at photos of strangers in an online gallery compared to flipping through an album filled with the faces of people you actually love and know intimately.

mellowfalcon said:Ugh, thanks a million... I'm looking at about 200 people, so I need a venue in that ballpark. I saw that one thread where everyone was roasting almost every single hall—that was actually super helpful... I just don't know which places can actually handle 200 guests without feeling like I'm hosting an event in a massive empty stadium. Finding that "Goldilocks" zone isn't easy. My biggest headache is that I can't be driving back and forth to San Diego every single weekend to scout locations, so I can't visit everything myself. It would be a lifesaver if the venue was near a Hilton or some decent apartments, since most of my guests will probably need a place to crash. As long as it’s relatively close to San Diego—maybe as far out as a suburb like Dollis or even a little past that, but nothing crazy 🙂
Also, if anyone knows a reliable shuttle or bus company for rent, that would be huge.
As for the band, I need something that doesn't lean too hard into that cheesy country/folk vibe, but also isn't stuck in that aggressive rock era either. Something more urban/indie, but you know, not like they'd turn their noses up at some classic old-school hits.
Does anyone know a photo studio in San Diego that does both photography and videography? I stumbled upon Suzy's page and she seems legit... any idea what the price range looks like there?
Okay, I think that covers it for now 🙂 Hope I didn't overwhelm you with all this 🙂

Alright, let me jump in and help out my fellow San Diegans 😉
Here’s what worked for me, which might help you out:
Festival Restaurant—it holds up to 220 people, and most of their setups fall right in that sweet spot. For those of you who can't visit every venue, just call them and ask for capacity upfront; it'll save you a ton of wasted trips.
Transportation: We used a local service from San Diego (the provider is Chudina, number is in the directory), and we also used Michael's bus service from Sedona—the price was around $1000 for the Sedona to San Diego route, but keep in mind longer distances cost way more...
Photo: Studio G—I won't recommend them because we haven't actually gotten our photos yet 😬 we should have them by the end of next week, then I'll post an album so you guys can see.
Band: Amadeus—they were great, really flexible, didn't act like divas, and we were super happy with them.
Allo Bakery—the lady there worked absolute magic, so a huge thank you again to her. 😍 I highly recommend the cake without walnuts; that sponge was incredible.
Music accompaniment: I'll send the number via PM, they were awesome—accordion and guitar, they really put on a show.
Other stuff: Oh yeah, the wedding dress is from Nicholas—shoutout to the lovely ladies working there. 👋
Suit was from Martin Arbanas
Jewelry from Rubin Hall Decor
Decor: Liatris Florist—you can find them online.
Bouquet and boutonnieres: Liatris Florist—Zack is a total wizard. 😍

One more thing I have to mention:
Before you even start hunting for vendors, get crystal clear on exactly what you want and how you want it. That way, you can immediately weed out certain
service providers, and it'll be much easier to defend your choices against all the "well-meaning" unsolicited advice later on.

Also, make sure you MANDATORY sign contracts with everyone, with clearly defined prices included. Everything is getting more expensive next year, so protect yourselves.
And honestly, just make sure you ask exactly what’s covered in the price—like, does the photo studio package actually include things like the chair rental or other extras? What we managed to snag for free in our package is apparently being charged as an add-on this year. For instance, by just signing our contract with the photographer early under the old rates, we saved about $1000 👍
.

thanks a ton 🙂
but honestly, what’s the average price for a restaurant booth in San Diego? I have zero clue what to expect...
also, thanks for the heads-up on the bus lines!!
any idea how much Amadeus runs?

mellowfalcon said:thanks a ton 🙂
but honestly, what’s the average price for a restaurant booth in San Diego? I have zero clue what to expect...
also, thanks for the heads-up on the bus lines!!
any idea how much Amadeus runs?

The average is about $35-$45 per person, and we paid $1,300 for Amadeus back in the day—no idea if those prices are still holding up today...

Adam Bishop20 said:Ann, look, the standard menu at Bolero runs about $45. And just so we’re clear—that doesn't include fruit or dessert. If you want to sweeten the deal, you could always ask them to throw in an extra octopus salad or something... though if you bring your own wine, you actually save about a buck fifty. As for what people are getting paid for a 130-hour week? Honestly, I couldn't give you a straight answer right now—I think it really depends on how old you are (maybe there's less wiggle room in the summer?). My fiancé and I actually sat down for a chat at Bolero and signed our contract right there. Isaac, the manager, was super fair; he's the kind of guy you can actually sit down and negotiate with. If you need his number, just let me know... Good luck, catch ya later!😍

Something’s been acting up with this forum lately—I’ve tried replying to you a couple of times over the last few days, but I just can't get the messages to send... I'm really hoping it stays fixed today. Honestly, people are being so unresponsive; I even sent an inquiry to Greyhound, but they haven't gotten back to me either. It’s like nobody is even checking their email, if you ask me... On top of that, I haven't actually made it into a studio yet. We're right in the middle of renovating an apartment, so my schedule is just completely packed... Anyway, could you let me know what the starting prices are at the studio? I’ll have to factor in the travel costs for the trip out to San Diego and back, too...

Eric Barrett26 said:Something’s been acting up with this forum lately—I’ve tried replying to you a couple of times over the last few days, but I just can't get the messages to send... I'm really hoping it stays fixed today. Honestly, people are being so unresponsive; I even sent an inquiry to Greyhound, but they haven't gotten back to me either. It’s like nobody is even checking their email, if you ask me... On top of that, I haven't actually made it into a studio yet. We're right in the middle of renovating an apartment, so my schedule is just completely packed... Anyway, could you let me know what the starting prices are at the studio? I’ll have to factor in the travel costs for the trip out to San Diego and back, too...

That was actually a reply to your private message, I just couldn't get it to go through on the board properly...

👋Hey Eric Barrett26! Honestly, I’m right there in the trenches with you—prepping for this wedding is a total nightmare and I have like a million things on my plate. We’re getting hitched in January, which sounds great until you realize you need about 20,000 documents and a mountain of sanity just to get through it... yeah, that's the vibe right now. 🙄 It’s so weird that I can’t message you... anyway, I sent out all those emails regarding the glycerin and the lighting setup... blah blah blah... and guess what? I haven't heard back from a single soul. NOTHING. How does that even happen?! This is the exact deal Tom sent me from the studio and we already shook on it. It’s one solid package. Like, if you want extra shots of the parents or guest photos or whatever, fine, that's an extra fee, but we aren't doing any of that fluff. What we have is enough. I'm still a bit iffy on travel expenses, though—you'll probably have to cough up something since traveling to a place like San Francisco isn't exactly cheap either...

The price for wedding photography and videography is $1,300, which includes:

-A leather album featuring 200 photos in various sizes like 8x12, 6x8, and 5x7.

-Every single photo taken that day and night will be on a DVD—we're talking roughly 1,500 to 2,000 shots.

-A 3-hour DVD featuring a highlight reel, childhood photos, parent introductions, the bride's prep, the groom's prep, a dance mix, and a final wrap-up video of the whole event.

-All the raw footage recorded that day (basically the unedited stuff).

Thank-you cards are extra at $2.75/each.
You guys can basically build your own custom package depending on what you want—like if you want specific albums for parents and bridesmaids, an extra photographer or videographer, or a shorter version of the video.

Hey ladies, California girls, West Coast brides, former brides...😍 I seriously need some intel on lighting. Can anyone recommend a pro and give me a heads-up on what the damage usually is? Any info helps, thanks!

Ugh, girl, I just need to drop a few pounds first—lord help me—and then comes the endless hunt for the perfect dress... wheeeeeee!

Catch ya later... peace!

Morning, everyone! I could use a little bit of guidance here...
I’m looking for some input on our band's vibe. Should we go with a high-energy "Flash" style or stick to more of a classic "Major League" feel? Our goal is solid music, a great atmosphere, and keeping those breaks short—definitely no cheesy lounge acts... but we really want plenty of fun, upbeat California hits, maybe some classic rock staples, and a few soulful old-school favorites...

Anyone got a recommendation for The Beach Boys? I actually booked them for $1,500 once—they were only $500 at the time—and they'll play whatever you want...