Area Shops Can Ease Bride’s Way

If you’re starting to think about wedding plans, below is a list of sources from stories on this page.

Caterers

Cheers Catering, Carolyn Baer, wedding specialist, 19431 Business Center Drive, Northridge; (818) 772-0233. A well-known business with eclectic menu offerings. Baer finds and books locations including many high-end private estates. Average cost for a wedding reception, $20,000; on a private estate, start at $35,000.

Deirdre Sullivan Catering and Event Planning, Deirdre Sullivan, owner. 8391 Beverly Blvd., Suite 312, Los Angeles; (213) 953-9200. Sullivan prides herself on a hands-on approach and creative, fun-themed weddings. Although she can work with a couple’s budget, most of her parties tend to be on a bigger scale and prices from start to finish can easily escalate upward of $50,000.

San Marino Caterers, owner Rick McElderry, 1936 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale; (818) 841-5650. A staple in the catering world, San Marino Caterers has over 50 years of experience. McElderry states that his prices are reasonable and competitive, with a reception starting at $12,000.

Alexis Greek Restaurant, owners Alexis or Fatima Kavvadias, 9034 Tampa Ave., Northridge; (818) 349-9689. A local restaurant that has been operating for 26 years, their kitchen produces an assortment of Greek specialties from a reasonably priced catering menu. Wedding cakes start at $150.

Wedding Coordinators

The Wedding Connection, Tobey Dodge, wedding coordinator, 4608 Wolf Way, Woodland Hills; (818) 347-6726. Dodge charges $2,800 for her expertise, and also an A La Carte Menu with a complete list of services and planning sessions.

Five-Star Consulting, Toby Kay Applebay, wedding coordinator, P.O. Box 834, Ventura; (805) 648-3952. Applebay offers personal services for brides. Her services start at $200 for overseeing the rehearsal and ceremony.

Wedding Locations

Calamigos Ranch, Mon-Li, banquet manager, 327 S. Latigo Road, Malibu; (818) 889-6280. Site offers 120 scenic acres of rustic countryside with a choice of elegant to casual indoor and outdoor facilities for parties of up to 1,000. Full-catering packages start at $50 per person.

Sherwood Country Club, Paul Warner, food and beverage manager, 320 W. Stafford Road., near Thousand Oaks; (805) 496-3036. A lovely Old World building surrounded by pristine grounds, Sherwood Country Club is located within an exclusive gated community. Catering is in-house, with prices starting at $165 per person. All other services must be privately arranged.

Lake Malibu, near Agoura Hills, Contact Carolyn Baer; (818) 772-0233. A gorgeous venue located within a private community with a country feel. A large hunting lodge has been restored to create a sense of luxury. The rental fee is $2,500, or $1,500 on a Sunday. Also contact Baer for information concerning private-estate rentals.

Japanese Garden, Betty Ethridge, program coordinator, 100 Woodley Ave., Van Nuys; (818) 756-8000. Traditional Japanese architecture and 6 1/2 acres of picture-perfect landscaping make this a tranquil spot for exchanging vows. For a wedding and reception, the flat fee is $750.

Casa Adobe de San Rafael Park, Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services Division, 1330 Dorothy Drive, Glendale; (818) 548-2147. The Casa Adobe Museum is a state historical landmark, with a large porch and patio. Rentals for six hours require a $360 site fee and a $150 deposit, $25 additional for rehearsals.

Capistrano’s Restaurant & Catering, The Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort, Toby Kay Applebay, wedding consultant, 2101 Mandalay Beach Road, Oxnard; (805) 984-2500, Ext. 524. Seaside resort hotel with complete wedding packages for 100 guests or more from $4,000. Packages include food, a champagne toast, wedding cake, no-host bar, ceremony and reception site with dance floor and hotel suites.

Wine & Champagne

Wine Expo, Ali Biglar, owner, 2933 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 828-4428. A small, cozy storefront with a reputation for distinctive imports and a wide selection of spirits at a good price.

Invitations & Stationery

Robin Caroll Stationery, Robin Caroll, owner, 16930 Ventura Blvd., Encino; (818) 788-3396. Unique, high-quality stationery and other party needs, such as guest books, bridal gifts, place cards and favors. For 100 custom invitations, low end is $400 to $500.

NuPrint & Graphics Inc., Jacob Zarrabi, president, 33962 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Studio City; (818) 509-000. This independent print shop has a sample wedding book, can print your designs and has a computer graphic designer on the premises. Prices vary, but invitations can start at $150.

Florists

Mark’s Garden, Richard David, co-owner, 13838 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks; (818) 906-1718. Designer of countless celebrity weddings, this upscale shop says innovation and creativity allows it to work within a wide price range. Prices generally run from $2,000 to $30,000.

Roberto’s Flowers, a division of Wholesale Wedding Flowers, Ivan Minarik, owner, 11031 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills; (818) 368-8593. Minarik says he has no problem matching bouquets to a budget. His bottom line for a complete wedding is $500, but he feels more comfortable with $1,500 to $2,000.

Bridal Gowns & Accessories

Euphoria--A Special Bridal Salon, Joyce Dunn, owner, 12147 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 985-3113. This salon has a couture department yet carries designer gowns from $300 to $5,000, bridesmaids gowns from $130 to $500, and flower-girl dresses from $60 to $600.

Wedding Dreams, contact Millie Annenberg, 20969 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 587-3443. Full-service bridal shop with dresses for mothers of the bride and bridesmaids, lingerie and accessories. Wedding gowns range from $200 to $2,500.

Bridal Essentials, contact Andrea Fox, 15928 Ventura Blvd., Encino; (818) 995-6303. Open by appointment only, the store specializes in personalized service to help coordinate any and all accessory and attendant gift needs.

Fancy Things Boutique, the Rev. Diana Jo Lunde, owner, 1790 E. Main St., Ventura; (805) 653-7252. This unassuming bridal boutique offers patio wedding packages complete with an altar, wedding cake and flowers at either $395 for a wedding with 50 guests, or $495 for 100 guests. The owner officiates, and is also glad to perform a simple ceremony at a nearby park or other location for $100.

Formal Wear

Le Tux, Kathy Fletcher, owner, 5220 Laurel Canyon Blvd., North Hollywood; (818) 763-1973. With a huge stock in a wide range of styles, tuxedos start at $40 and go up to $80 per night; shirts, shoes and a variety of accessories also available.

Photography

Valerie Smith Photography, P.O. Box 33122, Granada Hills; (818) 360-7258. Known for her singular vision, Smith can turn wedding photos into individualized works of art. A one-woman operation, she photographs only 30 to 50 weddings a year. Packages range from $1,500 to $4,900.

Rentals

Abbey Rents, Rhonda Couchigian, events director, 2333 N. Valley St., Burbank; (818) 569-3838. The recently reorganized company has warehouses of new stock available to customers at 15% below retail. Delivery and set-up fees are also reasonable, with the staff offering free equipment supervision and coordination.

Music

DJ Steve Gauthier, TVF Productions; (800) 398-7161. With his own sound system and huge collection of CDs, Gauthier challenges himself to get everyone at the wedding up on the dance floor at least once. $500.