The Wedding Fact Sheet

As promised, am printing a price list of the wedding packages at Discovery Shores. Honestly, it looks reasonable because the lowest-priced package will only set you off at less than P200,000 for the first 50 persons.I think I can only invite 50 anyway, if am having a destination wedding.

There are four different categories of the packages which all have Italian-sounding names. But I guess they only differ in prices because of the food served in the buffet:

EL OTONO @ P183,000 for the first 50 pax
EL VERANO @P210,000
LA PRIMAVERA @ P231,000
EL INVIERNO @ 242,000

Inclusions are the following: three-layered wedding cake, floral arrangement on all guest tables, sumptuous dinner buffet for 50 guests, one round of iced tea or soda, guest book with pen, one bottle of sparkling wine for the bridal toast, free corkage of 8 bottles of 750ml wine or liquor, complimentary pressing or steaming of the bridal gown, complimentary use of the golf cart for the bride & groom to & from church, drop off/pick up services for the guests to & from church, food tasting of chosen wedding menu by the couple, stage and dance floor, free use of multimedia projector, standard sound system, overnight accommodation for two in a Junior Suite with buffet breakfast for two at Sands Restaurant plus 5% discount on prevailing promo rates for additional rooms.

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Visit Legend Villas’ Crystal Weddings open house from September 17 to 18, 2011 and get as much as P50,000 off your wedding package in the Crystal Dreams raffle promo. Book your special day during the open house weekend to get one raffle ticket. Winners will be announced immediately after the event.

“The overwhelming response to our Crystal Weddings open house held early this year made us decide to hold another one. This time, we wish to reward one lucky couple with as much as 25% off their dream wedding package,” said Karen Reyes, Sales and Marketing Director of Legend Villas.

Crystal Weddings presents two unique packages – Quartz and Onyx, motifs which make for truly unforgettable weddings. The Quartz theme reflects timeless elegance with its luminous décor and classic table set-up. Stylish and chic in black and white, the Onyx package is meant for couples who opt to veer from tradition. The starting package rate for 100 persons costs only P155,000.

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Marriott Hotel Manila in Newport City has unveiled Garden Rooms, a function space that offers both banquet and conference facilities. Actually, the place is three function rooms put together, with a total area of 404.71 square meters.

Designed by the reputable Casas + Architects, Garden Rooms is the perfect place to perk up your wedding with its enviable view of the Villamor Golf Course and its lush greenery.

To create a fresh and natural garden feel, the new function room is furnished with color-changing coffered ceilings adorned with handcrafted chandeliers. The lights are embellished with intricate clusters of leaf-shaped crystals and metal leaves and elegantly mimics the natural branches and leaves of trees.

The high-quality Axminster carpet, on the other hand, illustrates the rusty earth soil color tinted with red and serves as an accent to natural earth tones. As one walks down the hallway, beautiful anigre veneered panels match with the rich and plush carpets, smaller scaled chandeliers and oversized circular wall lights which all send a message of understated luxury.

Marriott Manila director of marketing Cristy Carreon says: ” a 30% increase in weddings is usually expected by the end of the quarter. We have prepared menu options starting at P1850 per head. Innovative and freshly prepared daily, our offering allows our clients to customize the menu from breakfast to dinner, with other specially crafted options for snacks, desserts plus wines and cocktails.”

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EDSA Shang-ri La, a member of the Shangri-La group of hotels and resorts, is easily considered one of the best hotels in Manila. We’ve stayed in this hotel once and eating here has never been a disappointment. They serve great food! And knowing how cuisine easily comes in the equation whenever we talk of wedding receptions, the name EDSA Shang will no doubt be considered by couples who have the money to spend.

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The best things in life….cost money! But if you have the means, why not settle for premium class? In Manila, I’ve always been a fan of Makati Shangri-La. Their service is superb and the quality of their cuisine never fails. This is the reason why it is always in demand for grand celebrations like once-in-a lifetime weddings and wedding receptions.

For 2011, a classic wedding reception at Makati Shang starts at P218,500 for a sitdown menu and P231,500 for buffet setup. These are good for the first 100 persons. An Oriental themed wedding, on the other hand, starts at P422,420 for a lauriat menu for the first 15 tables. But one will actually be heartened by the number of inclusions which I will tell you later.

Here’s a look at how the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La can be set up for a wedding (photos courtesy of the hotel) -

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I recently attended a styling class at Oceana restaurant and events place in San Miguel by the Bay near Mall of Asia and easily thought of it as a good wedding venue. I like its crisp white surroundings which can be a good backdrop for one’s dream wedding, especially for a country/Victorian theme.

The place is divided into a fine dining restaurant boasting of international cuisine while the events venue can accommodate 350 seats. Aside from its white interiors, Oceana also has a good view of Manila Bay (hence the name) and guests can enjoy the breeze or spread out outside for some al fresco dining or smoking.

I was able to get hold of their brochure and Oceana has a wedding package price of as low as P147,000 for 150 persons for lunch and dinner. The brunch wedding package price, on the other hand, starts at P129,220 (or P784 per person). This is the 2010-2011 rate.

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Pergola, CCP Complex (Photo from the official website)

Opened only in May 2010, the Pergola at what used to be the Boom na Boom grounds in CCP Complex is the newest wedding venue in Manila. I pass by the area everyday on my way to the office and noticed the octagonal structure. It is in the same compound as Wensha Spa, Legend Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant, Pier One, Baga Berde and a few other bars. I think the advantage of this venue is its location. It is situated between three cities – Manila, Pasay and Makati, a plus if you have guests coming from all three areas. Parking appears to be good (the website says they can accommodate 500 vehicles), and guests who have no cars can easily commute because there are jeepneys, buses and taxis around plus an LRT station nearby.

There are at least 12 churches from the three cities I earlier mentioned that is near this venue. Holding your wedding reception at the Pergola also means that you enlist only their accredited caterers. No worries since the caterers are topnotch, if you consider Cafe Ysabel, Ilustrado, Josiah’s Catering, Tamayos, Via Mare, La Mer of LJC Group of Restaurants, to name just a few.

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Summit Ridge hotel, Tagaytay

Our family went up to Tagaytay this weekend to savor the cool breeze and stayed at Summit Ridge hotel.We enjoyed our stay here because of its modern amenities (free wifi!) and the scenic view of Taal volcano from our fourth floor balcony. Summit Ridge is the newest hotel building to rise in Tagaytay and its advantage from competitors like Taal Vista is the mall-promenade beside it. No need to go far because everything is beside your hotel – restaurants, coffeeshops, boutiques, even a hardware store and supermarket. Parking is also very convenient.

Because of its big space, the ten-storey Summit Ridge makes for an ideal wedding venue. In fact, it has three ballrooms and three function rooms for special celebrations like anniversaries, birthdays and weddings. The biggest ballroom, Raintree A, can accommodate 240 persons while Raintree B & C, can seat up to 150 people each. All three ballrooms combined has space for 400 to 500 people.
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Pan Pacific Manila is known as the “butler hotel” because there’s a butler on hand at all times to attend to the specific needs of hotel guests. This premier establishment consists of 21 floors highlighted by the Pacific Lounge on the top floor with an encompassing view of the Manila skyline and a podium complex studded with superb dining facilities.

Pan Pacific Manila is also an ideal venue for weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations. Their Pacific Grand Ballroom can accommodate as many as 450 guests cocktail style and 330 persons for banquet seating. Their four other ballrooms can accommodate 50-60 guests.

Pan Pacific Manila’s Celebrations Package for 50-100 persons is inclusive of the following amenities:
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Because I work in Ermita, the tourist district of Manila, I often pass by Ibarra’s Garden – a popular venue for weddings, birthdays and special celebrations. I haven’t really attended an event here but it does look cozy and welcoming from the outside. If you like structures from another era, this is it. Ibarra’s Garden is an old house that dates back to the 1920s and is American art deco-inspired. It reflects the grandeur of a time gone when people partied in their ball gowns and arrived in horse-drawn carriages. If you know what I mean

The only problem I see with this venue is the parking, a common concern in Manila where land is getting constricted by the day. It would be good news if they have valet parking, but I wasn’t able to ask.
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