Weddingbee

…a complete list of our vendors, but nothing makes me more nervous than actually writing a review. I have no problem with self-deprecation, but if I have to say anything negative, I get all red and flustered and just run. So I’ll say the good, hint to anything that was… not so good, and hope that since our wedding was so long ago, that all our vendors may have turned into dust and washed away. After the months I’ve been gone, I imagine you all thought I turned into dust… but no, I’m here with my vendor list!

I’m going to sort these in an order that may only make sense to me, so part one: The stuff that was so big, they came into my brain first.

Location: Bear Flag Farms - Winters, CA.
Gorgeous, but did I have to even say that? You know that from looking at the pictures. Tina, the owner, is very very gracious and friendly and I can’t imagine having had our wedding anywhere else.

Caterer: Rising Sun Catering - So. San Francisco.
I loved the food, I loved Heather and her husband! We did have a server who was rude, hated our settings and decor, and backed into the building with the truck, but he was fired the next day. At least that means if you go with them, that guy won’t be there! That and she told us the cat-vegan story, so they win points.

-this photo wasn’t posed, he just made us look like we are a sweet couple somehow-

Photography: Ian Martin Photography - Berkeley, CA.
I hate cameras with a passion. There are no photos of me from the age of being able to understand that my soul was being ripped out of my body, and that I had the option of hiding from the lens up until the wedding. I begrudgingly take group photos when asked, but in general, I run. I wanted a photographer I’d never see, feel, or hear. That’s what we got. He’s super nice, laid back, and you’ll never notice him even once. I still don’t know how he got so many photos of me. And so few of me looking like cow poo.

Florals: Nancy Liu Chin Designs - San Francisco, CA.
Do I have to say anything? She’s amazing, bubbly, run-you-over-with-happiness-and-ideas friendly. My bouquet was breathtaking, my wannabe chuppah kicked the asses of other wannabe chuppahs, I really can’t say enough about her. Getting a crazed excited call two days before the wedding of “THEY HAVE PINK RANUNCULUS!!!!!!!!” from the flower mart should say it all. If you can, book Nancy.

Cakes: Nora del Chamberlin Custom Cakes - Berkeley, CA. (510) 526-8732
I still dream about her cakes. I still salivate thinking about that almond cake that was to die for and the buttercream that I actually started eating alone. Make a note, I HATE any kind of frosting, so the fact that I was actually stealing it for myself means this was the best cake I’d ever had. To be honest, I feel that most wedding cake is yucky, so taste (and not a meanie) was the most important thing to me. The no fondant + amazing decoration didn’t hurt.

Wedding Planner: Grace Lee Events

You’d think this would be first, because this was my most important “vendor”. I apologize to her, because I have only this one photo of her, or at least, I think I do. I guess that’s the sign of an amazing coordinator - I never hear the bad things that are happening and you never see her. Things just go smoothly and perfectly.

Here she is explaining to our “officiant” where and how everything will happen the morning of the wedding. You see, the monsoon that hit the site made it so we didn’t have a rehearsal, so she had to do all the set up that morning and brief everyone for the schedule at the same time. She was 60 places at once the day of, and all the months up to it, pulled off miracles that wouldn’t have happened without her, trusted Mr. GB and I to actually do crafts like we said we would, and walked me through the process of my insane wedding vision. I basically attribute the fact that I didn’t fall on my face and trip on my dress thus ripping it off my body down the aisle to her being there, and her aura of making miracles happen being upon us all. She’s definitely more than our coordinator; Mr. GB looked up to her as a friend and our savior.

I love you, Grace!
Grace Lee Events

ps. If you were wondering what a dashing, tall, official looking person performed the ceremony, I’m sad to say he’s not available for weddings. He’s my best friend from college who I asked to do this for me because.. well, he’s dashing, tall, and official looking. You have to admit, he does look good in a suit and he fooled everyone.. until he sat down to eat with us.

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