Here Comes the Guide: Southern California: Wedding Locations and Services

by Jan Brenner and Lynn Broadwell

Here Comes the Guide: Southern California is the premier guide to locations and services for weddings and special events in Southern California. Often called "The Location Bible," this authoritative... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1885355122
• ISBN13: 9781885355126
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Hopscotch Press
• Length: 800 Pages
• Weight: 3.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 7.0" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

The Guide screens its recommended vendors

While the bulk of the Guide is dedicated to reception site listings, the vendor listings in the back are very helpful. The listings are not mere "paid advertisements." If you read the book, The Guide explains how each vendor undergoes a thorough screening process--something even the most persistent bride likely wouldn't have the time or ability to conduct.As The Guide states on Page 483, their process "involves interviewing 15-20 other event professionals. We call every single reference and ask about the professionalism, technical competency and service orientation of the advertiser in question. ... Those candidates who received consistent, rave reviews made it into The Guide."Using The Guide as a starting point (combined with the internet, magazine ads, and friends' recommendations), I conducted exhaustive research of my own of wedding professionals in Los Angeles and beyond. I wound up hiring three vendors who had been featured in the Guide (caterer, band and florist, 11-11-00 wedding). All performed beyond my greatest expectations, and my guests cannot stop raving about the "fabulous," "amazing," and "out of this world" food, music, and flowers. Clearly, The Guide got it right.So don't be fooled by the relative size of the vendor section compared to pages allotted to reception sites. The vendor section may be small because they are the cream of the crop, thanks to the Guide's legwork.

A Bride's Best Friend!

This has been an invaluable book during my wedding planning. When I got engaged in December 99, a girlfriend suggested that I buy the SoCal edition immediately to start finding reception and ceremony locations. I did buy it, and whipped through the whole book one evening. Sitting there reading, I quickly dismissed reception site after site and determined that the book just couldn't help me. I put it aside. Then I started actually going out, visiting places, and realizing that it wasn't so easy to find the perfect place! I quickly realized I was going to have to work a lot harder than I thought to mesh the right church location, my number of people, and a convenient indoor reception site. So I came back to the Guide--time and again! Soon I had it dogeared and filled with notes as I reconsidered the options I'd been so quick to skip past earlier. The statistics on each site helped keep me focused and helped me and my fiance consider new places when others fell through, and keep the attributes of each place in mind. The descriptions of the reception sites are detailed, positive and generous-but-not-misleading. We ultimately booked a site listed in the Guide and are thrilled to have found it.Now that I've moved on to choosing a photographer, I went to the Guide again. First I read through each photographer's profile in the book, then went on the Guide's website! It's so easy to use - - it allows you to jump to photographers' websites and see their portfolios, all without making appointments or driving around! I feel satisifed that I don't need to look beyond the professionals listed in the Guide, since the authors have already done the legwork in finding people with high standards and good customer service.If you really want to explore all possible options for your ceremony, reception, and event professionals, you will love Here Comes The Guide! The hardcopy book and the website are thorough, pleasant to read, and - - most importantly - - really helpful. My mom keeps saying, "I had no idea it was this complicated to plan a wedding in this day and age!" Here Comes the Guide goes a long way towards relieving the complication!

A real lifesaver!!

I am so glad that a friend told me about this book. I was so daunted by the search for a location for my wedding, I didn't know where to start. This book (and their fantastic website by the same name) made it really easy. They give great descriptions and the pricing information helped me narrow down the places I could afford. It saved me so much time, I was able to actually enjoy looking for a reception location. Thank you, Here Comes the Guide.

Excellent! A SoCal bride's first absolute necessity!

This book is exactly what I wanted when I first got engaged, but it took me a few weeks to find it. I have only lived in LA for 2 years and knew there were so many more wedding and reception locations than were advertised in magazines and phone books, and I was right. This book lists each and every place in Southern California with extremely detailed facility descriptions, pricing structures, restrictions, what's included, and interesting information and trivia about some of the places. Everything is here, from 5 star hotels to remote locations where you bring-your-own everything. This book is an absolute must for the couple who wants a wedding and/or reception location that fits their style exactly. The only drawback is that there are so many places to choose from, it will take longer than you might have expected to finally choose a location!

Excellent source for finding your special wedding location

One of the biggest decisions you make will be where to hold your wedding and reception, and how much to spend. "Here Comes The Guide" is an outstanding reference tool that takes the stress out of trying to find that perfect location. The guide is divided into sections by geographical locations -- Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego -- and provides you with in-depth descriptions of each venue. You will get a good general description of the venue, seating capacity for ceremony, receptions and meetings, what the authors liked (or disliked) and availability of services. Each venue has a 2-page description with a quick-reference checklist at the end. By looking at this checklist, you can quickly see if you are allowed to bring your own caterer, alcohol, required to obtain insurance on the venue, and other detail items crucial to the success of your event. This time you invest into looking through this book will not only assist you in narrowin! g down your choice of ceremony or reception sites, but will give you an idea of the questions you should ask as you shop for your site. In the front of the book they provide you with some suggestions to make the most of your venue hunting experience. Whether you want some place unique and unusual, or just need to accommodate a tight budget, this book is a must have!