Thank you Oscar & the entire team at Oscar by Oscar, for making our wedding day an absolute dream…read morecome true. From the very beginning, your professionalism, organization, and dedication gave us confidence that we were in the best hands. Oscar, you did an incredible job keeping our timeline running smoothly and ensuring every detail of the day came together seamlessly. The vision you brought to our reception was breathtaking, and seeing everything come to life exceeded anything we could have imagined. Every detail reflected the care, creativity, and passion you put into your work. We are especially grateful for all the behind-the-scenes effort you put into coordinating with our vendors and organizing every aspect of the day. Because of you, we were able to relax be present & truly enjoy every moment with our family and friends What makes your service even more special is that you were not only our planner and coordinator but you also captured some of the most incredible videos of us throughout the entire day. Being able to relive those moments through your lens is such a priceless gift & you managed to capture so many genuine memories that Alexis & I will cherish forever. What sets you apart is not only your talent but the genuine care you have for your couples. You made us feel valued, supported, and celebrated throughout the entire process. Your passion for what you do shines through in every detail, and it is clear why Oscar by Oscar has such an outstanding reputation. Thank you for helping create memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Your vision, dedication, creativity, and passion truly make you the best of the best. We are forever grateful for everything you did to make our wedding day so special and will never forget the incredible role you played in one of the most important days of our lives

Oscar and team were impeccable! They executed my vision for a "Under the Tuscan Sun" themed 40th…read morebirthday dinner flawlessly. Absolutely everything I could have imagined and much more. They literally turned my backyard into a picturesque Italian Villa. No detail was missed, and every step of the planning process, from vision boards, budgets, rental selections and personal touches were methodical and just a breeze. Oscar was very receptive to every idea, tentative, responsive and extremely professional. We loved him so much, he's literally like family now (on speed dial) and ready to plan our next event in October; our first baby shower! Thank you Oscar for your personable touch and exquisite demeanor.

If you've seen any of the bouquets by Laughin' Gal Floral, you'll know that Amanda Seely has a true…read moreGIFT. For our wedding in May, I chose her over another local florist, both highly recommended by our venue, because I was so impressed with the level of detail she used to describe every bouquet in her initial quote, which was tailored to the responses I provided in a questionnaire. I wasn't very specific about colors or which flowers to include -- just that I like colorful displays -- and what she came up with blew me away. Nearly every guest at our wedding raved about how gorgeous the flowers were and were stunned by how many different flower varieties could come together in a cohesive bouquet. If you're on a tight budget (as we were), Amanda will help you find ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. For instance, she suggested that we repurpose our ceremony flowers and bridesmaid bouquets for the reception space, and that ended up working beautifully. I also requested a smaller bridal bouquet since I have a petite frame, and we arranged for a farm pick-up instead of having the flowers delivered. She was incredibly thoughtful in the way she labeled and packed the flowers, and she provided thorough instructions to my family members who picked them up. She even included a vase with extra blooms! My only regret about doing pick-up instead of delivery is that I didn't get to meet her in person. Amanda has a true passion for what she does, and it shows in every bouquet she makes. Booking her should be a no-brainer -- she will go above and beyond your expectations!

Amanda is the most amazing florist. I was completely blown away by how beautiful my flowers were…read morefor my wedding. I gave her a loose idea around using proteas and colors and she absolutely hit it out of the park - everyone at the wedding was gushing about the flowers. She's absolutely delightful to work with and her creativity with the arrangements and quality of flowers - which she grows herself! - is mind blowing. Couldnt recommend her enough!!

Linda at Eventscapes was great to work with, and gave me recommendations and pricing for our…read moredaughter's wedding. She was very responsive when I would ask questions or would let me know when payment was due or received. She told me when she would need to use the room and her team was punctual and on time, so that we were able to get into the room to finish our decorating before the wedding. When we entered, the room looked so elegant and our daughter was truly thrilled. I would highly recommend her services as she has such an array of decorations for so many different themes.

From the time that I met with Linda via the phone, I was confident that she would be able to…read moresupport with my wedding vision coming to life! We got married at Seascape, a venue they were very familiar with! For the wedding, we rented chairs, long farm tables, the lighting package, and drapery. This helped to elevate the space and make it feel put together. Great to work with and many options to choose from! Such a great vendor in the Santa Cruz area. (will add more pictures when we get them back!!)

I have been coming to the fairgrounds my whole life but this was my first time for a vegan festival…read moreand it was great! We ordered food from several vendors who were all friendly and food was great! I am definitely looking forward to more vegan festivals here, Super kid friendly with a jump house, adult amateur comedians and lots of space for kids to run around

We went opening day it was really disorganized, took forever to get through ticket line some of the…read morecredit card machines weren't working. Order tickets online next year!!

What a horrible fishing experience!! 70+ dollars to use 2 poles, as there is false advertising…read moreregarding how often the lake is stocked. Trying multiple different baits and not a bite. Miniature trout and bass are visible, and seem starving from the lack of nutritional substances. We were targeting sturgeon just for a fun fish fight as they are said to be stocked their, as their is probably none. Also, this is no lake, but a pond. Smallest lake if ever seen.

From the owner: McAlpine Lake Reserved is a perfect destination for weddings and special events. McAlpine Lake…read moreReserved is a privately-owned facility centrally located between San Jose, Monterey, Salinas and the California Central Valley. McAlpine Lake & Park is located to many of California's well known events and destinations. McAlpine Lake Reserved sits on over 20+ acres of park like landscaping with 1 mile of lake side property. It's expansive lakefront features charming courtyards, large pine trees and sweeping views of the lake. It is the ultimate blank canvas to create a truley unique wedding or special event.

Doing U-pick is fun: rounded up for the fun factor. The fruit is not organic. In case you want to…read moreeat the U-pick fruit on the spot: Bring a basket with holes in the bottom, and bottled water, so that you can rinse the fruit before eating. The lineup: 5/5: U-pick boysenberries: June 4: Blenheim apricots, June: $3.70/pound. About 70% were ripe. 3: Dutch apple pie. Kind of meh. 3: Strawberry shortcake. Bring your own maple syrup and pour some on top; it needs some sweetness. 2: Cherry pie. Kinda meh. For boysenberries, consider wearing latex gloves to keep your hands from getting stained red.

Every now and then, during strawberry season, we pop into Gizdich Ranch, seeking out a Strawberry…read morePie like one that we got about 8 years ago. While we didn't see it listed on the menu board, when my wife asked the order taker, she knew exactly what we wanted and told her that the wait would be 15 minutes as they made them to order. OMG, it was beautiful! Loaded with fresh strawberries and just enough glaze to bind it, the glaze did not overwhelm the taste of the strawberries. You can't really slice it as created. Instead, you pick off some of the fruit on top until it's down to a manageable height and then we use a large spoon to parse it out. Whipped cream? Ice cream? Both would be excellent accompaniments to be sure, but we used neither.