Venue: BOOKED!

Booked our Ceremony and Reception Venue, 
The Mango Farm!


http://themangofarm.com/

After 3 months of venue hunting, nauwi kami sa only venue where i felt the dizizit feeling! 

It was extra special pa because my Daddy, Mommy, Ate, and Super Friends (entourage) were there when we booked the venue! I'm happy they got to see the farm and I could feel that my parents really loved the place! 

Sa susunod na pagbalik ko dito with my Daddy and Mommy, it's gonna be on my wedding day!

I'm sooo sooo happy!!!!! 

XOXO,

Venue Hunting Part 2

See Venue Hunting Part 1:
http://theheroandthebridetobe.blogspot.com/2016/06/venue-hunting-part-1.html

July 10:

Eugenio Lopez Center

July 12:
Valley Golf and Country Club
Sitio Elena
Emperor Event Center
Castillo Royale 

July 16:
Oasis Manila
UP Bonsai Garden

Eugenio Lopez Center

PROS: 

Eugenio Lopez Center... how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

- The view is beautiful! As in overlooking Manila! 

- The dining hall is okay. Maganda. Hindi ko napicturan and masyadong napuna dahil napa-wow nga ako agad sa view sa labas haha.

- It's basically a hotel with suites and rooms! Okay din ang rooms though medyo maliit. Super convenient na same venue lang ang preps, ceremony and reception!

- Madaming area for pictorial, including the bangin kung saan nagtakbuhan si Yna at Angelo (Kathniel) ng Pangako Sa'yo =)))) Super mageenjoy si P/V sa sobrang daming magandang location all around the venue for pictorial and video!

CONS: 

The one and only deal breaker: No garden ceremony area. :( Well meron naman pero it's not where and what and how I want it to be :(

Option 1: Round view deck - this used to be a helipad. Dito rin yung nakita kong previous ceremony and medyo maliit sya. It's also sementado, and all I want is a garden ceremony with green grass! Tapos medyo may mga puno dun sa viewdeck obstructing the view of the Manila skyline. Kung wala yung puno, baka medyo na-consider ko pa.

Option 2: Terrace - perfect view! But it's so maliit. Okay lang syang cocktail area.

Option 3: The new Helipad - with grass all around, na pwede ko ng i-consider KASO walang stairs paakyat and pababa sa area. Literal na parang trek sya ng konti and kumusta naman daw ang mga Principal Sponsors and Seniors na pupunta sa ceremony.

Option 4: The mini soccer field. No. Just no. It's beside the road, the tennis court and the basketball court. Plus hindi sya patag. I can't even imagine my ceremony here. :|

PESO POWER: 

Php90,000 inclusive of overnight stay, use of venue for 4 hours, massage (forgot the details), and applicable corkage fees.

VERDICT: 

NO.

 

Valley Golf

PROS: 

MY DREAM GOLF COURSE WEDDING! Plus the venue rental is only P10k! Kung pwede lang sa golf course, dito na talaga kami! I'm sure we could find a member! Imagiiiine 10k for a glass hall in a golf course, good for 150 pax! Pak na pak!

CONS: 

We cannot hold the ceremony at the golf course--or at ANY part of the golf course. And yes, we need a sponsor. Not just a resident at Valley Golf, but a legit member of the golf club. Also, sooooobrang layo nya sa kabihasnan! We might have some guests who would be commuting so we need to consider that as well. 

PESO POWER: 

Php10,000. 

VERDICT: 

NO.

Sitio Elena

PROS: 

It's a great reception hall with great amenities. Plus the AE Joan is really really nice and accommodating. Nagkita pa kami sa bridal fair and nagchikahan pa kami!

CONS: 

No garden. No ceremony area. Overpriced. 

PESO POWER: 

Php95,000

VERDICT: 

NO.

Oasis Manila

PROS: 

The Orchard Hall is okay. Price is also okay. Very convenient location.

CONS: 

TOTAL WASTE OF TIME. Before coming, I texted my contact Marione if it is possible for us to use the Garden for our ceremony. If ever kase, we will only book Orchard which is good for 150 pax but of course we need to use the garden for our ceremony. The Garden is adjacent to the Pavillion and she said it will be awkward for the client who booked Pavillion if there will be another couple having their ceremony at the garden beside their hall. Well, Marione could have just told us directly that it's a NO instead of encouraging us to visit them personally that day as they have an ongoing promo daw for walk-in clients.

Anyway, we were running out of options and that's the ONLY reason why we already considered Oasis. It was never on my shortlist due to the numerous negative reviews. Yes, madami talaga (and detailed ang ibang reviews, if you research well, AND I SUGGEST YOU RESEARCH WELL). 

PESO POWER: 

Php60,000 for Orchard

Php85,000 for Verandah

Php90,000 for Pavillion (with garden)

+ Php30,000 corkage for non-accredited suppliers.

VERDICT: 

NO because of all the negative reviews. A second NO because there's no garden for the ceremony. And a third NO for being inconsiderate to potential clients.

I will no longer review Emperor Event Center and Castillo Royale. They were never in our shortlist, but we checked them out anyway since we were already in the area. It's a flat NO for both venues. 

For UP Bonsai Garden, uh, we went there pero hanggang labas lang, we didn't even bother to go inside kase sobrang chaka ng labas. We felt the area was unsafe because of all the children and residents na naglalaro and nagkalat on the streets. I assume the parking would be just on the side of the road and ang hirap lang ng hindi well guarded and secured ang area. Just saying. :|

Updates on other venues on my list:

Sun Valley Estates - called again to inquire about the rates and office hours since we were planning to do another ocular and hopefully book them on the spot (if they will allow us to book without a sponsor). Unfortunately, they no longer rent out the Promenade hall daw and they insisted that we need a sponsor. So we are now officially crossing this our our list :(

Jardin de Miramar - Went to the Rizal Bridal Fair in SM Taytay on July 15. We asked for a quote, hoping to score a great discount (dahil bridal fair) that would make us choose Jardin over Mango Farm. The lady who assisted us, unfortunately, was, matapobre. May unang babaeng nag-aassist samen but apparently, she doesn't know anything about the rates and the venues and kept on asking this other lady from across the table to answer all our questions. This lady, who was all alta and glamorousa, looked irrirated but managed to put on a smile when she approached us. Hero felt that we were being judged that were just inquiring and it's a waste of time to explain everything to us since we don't look like we're gonna book anyway. She quoted us Php119,000 for Sevilla and Estacion (without any bridal fair discounts, and inclusive of all corkages that she didn't even bother to explain). I've inquired thru email and I've been to Jardin de Miramar. I've been quoted waaay less and the others na nakausap ko answered my emails, and accommodated us politely when we visited Jardin. Sobrang nakaka-turn off lang talaga si ate, and that was the final straw for us to cross out Jardin de Miramar from our list.

So finally.... after 3 months of venue hunting, it looks like we're left with no other choice but...

The Mango Farm! Ang tanong... available pa kaya? 

Will go there again this weekend, and sana... available pa! =)))

Why not call now, confirm now, book now? Kung para sa'min, ibibigay. Kung hindi, then maybe, kelangan namin mag-consider ng other options. :)

CURRENT RANKING:

1. The Mango Farm
2. Eugenio Lopez Center
3. L'Orchard
4. Le Blanc 
5. Jardin de Miramar
6. Oasis Manila
7. Sitio Elena
8. Sun Valley Estates
9. Valley Golf
10. UP Bonsai Garden
11. Camp Aguinaldo

XOXO,

Venue Hunting Part 1

Finally, nakapag-ocular na kami on 6 venues! 

April 23:
L'Orchard
The Mango Farm
Sun Valley Estates

April 24:
Jardin de Miramar
Le Blanc

April 30:
Camp Aguinaldo

L'Orchard

PROS: 

Honestly. I can't think of any. :| Probably because the venue was super bare when we visited and napangitan talaga ako haha. But it's not so bad naman. Actually, L'Carmen (the indoor and airconditioned pavillion) is nice. The others, meh. Siguro pag may setup, but I don't know. I can only judge from pictures.

CONS: 

Nice in pictures, not so in actual. If you're planning to visit or you've already been to The Mango Farm, sobrang... macocompare mo talaga sila. Tapos the ceremony charge 35k so aabot ng almost 100k ang venue rental! Almost the same as the whole day, exclusive, full day rate of The Mango Farm so sorry, L'Orchard. Hindi talaga.

PESO POWER: 

Php65,000 (L'Pavillion and L'Lagoon); and

Php75,000 (L'Carmen) for reception venue 

+ Php35,000 for ceremony 

VERDICT: 

NO.

The Mango Farm

PROS: 

The Mango Farm is beautiful and captivating. For the first time (and this is just the second venue!), I felt the "this is it" feeling. I felt in awe, nakatayo lang ako silently sa may entrance and gandang ganda talaga ako sa Mango Farm. Sa entrance pa lang sobrang ganda na. Then there's the garden for the ceremony, the indoor airconditioned hall for the reception, with a cocktail area, powder room, and the rest of the farm is just so perfect and beautiful. It's all praises for The Mango Farm!

CONS: 

Even with the venue+catering packages, para lang syang standard venue rates plus the standard catering rates of their accredited caterers. Walang na-discount, walang natipid. :| Plus, LAHAT may corkage! UGH! I am really allergic to corkages! Para kang nagtatapon ng pera sa ere! Also, my vision is to get married on a golf course, or at least in a green grassy area or garden na super malawak, without walls. The ceremony area of TMF is malawak naman, but it's still not quite how I envision it. Still, TMF is a very strong contender. 

PESO POWER: 

Php83,500++ for the whole farm

++++++corkages!

VERDICT: 

YES! Expensive, yes, but it's THE venue to beat if wala na talaga akong mahanap na golf course/clubhouse.

Sun Valley Estates

PROS: 
Because I'm still dreaming of a golf course wedding ceremony! Haha! Well, the ceremony area is not really part of the golf course, this is just an empty lot across the clubhouse. Pero pak na pak sya for the ceremony, and sobrang ganda talaga nya with aerial videography! (Watch sample SDE below!) Also, the reception hall, Promenade, is grand! Malaki, modern, high ceiling. Minimal styling na lang ang kelangan. Plus, absolutely no corkage on anything! It's perrrfect!

WATCH: Haydee + Jantzen SDE

CONS:

1) We need a sponsor :( Unang tanong samin when we went there was kung sinong homeowner ang mage-endorse samin so they can check daw the records. Well, truth is we didn't know anybody in Sun Valley. This was originally on my shortlisted golf courses to check out, and nung nakita ko in W@W na may recent WaWie lang na kinasal dito, I emailed her agad to ask for details. Wala din syang kakilala but the contact person there (Miss Nelly) helped her daw to look for a homeowner to endorse them. I really had high hopes and and when we were there, we were ready na to make a downpayment sana to reserve, but Miss Nelly was kinda insisting na we need a sponsor. I asked her if maybe she can assist us and magawan ng paraan na makahanap kami ng sponsor, but medyo malabo kausap si Miss Nelly. Na-lost ako sa conversation namin and in the end, hindi pa din ako sure if it will still be possible for us to book there. 

2) Another con, since December 2017 pa ang wedding date namin, hindi daw nila malo-lock in yun rate since masyado pa syang matagal and chances are magtataas pa daw yung rate ng venue. 

3) ANG HIRAP HANAPIN. We got lost and kung saan-saan kami lumusot na mali mali. Even Sis Haydee warned us na pati din daw ang mga guests nila naligaw going here, and lalo if you use Waze kase maling daan ang ituturo.

4) Lastly, walang "this is it" feeling. :( 

PESO POWER: 
Php60,000 for reception +
Php10,000 for ceremony = Php70,000
No corkage on anything!

VERDICT: 
YES! By far this is the strongest contender. Andaming cons but I feel like if ma-book lang namin to, everything else will go smoothly na. 

Jardin de Miramar

PROS: 

It could have been perfect. From the garden (Either Prado or Estacion) to the reception hall (Sevilla)... it's all pasok sa banga. And actually, mas bet ko ang garden nito for the ceremony kesa sa garden ng TMF and I can already imagine my wedding here. However...

CONS: 

...the deal breaker is that we will have to pay for both venues. The ceremony area will be given at 50% off alright, but it's still not a good deal. Also, the rate of the reception hall will depend on the number of guests. All in all, the total rate would be more expensive than The Mango Farm, and TMF is the venue to beat. Siguro if Jardin is about 20k cheaper than TMF, that's the only time we will consider it. And another factor pala is the location. The road going to Jardin is super masikip and matarik. There are sharp curves pa and it's not easy to find. 

PESO POWER: 

(Around) Php80,000++ for reception +

Php12,450 for ceremony

++corkages on outside caterer, P/V, etc

VERDICT: 

NO.

Le Blanc

PROS: 

Le Blanc is immaculately clean! It's a really great house! Plus, the contact person, Kryzia is really nice (though medyo makulit sa pag-follow up hehe).

CONS: 

1) It's super tabi ng kalsada, you can hear the jeepneys and tricycles from the outside, and since we'll have the ceremony there (and considering that we'll have a 2-hour long sermon), hindi okay na rinig lahat ng ingay from the outside. 

2) The pool platform which will serve as the aisle... Hindi talaga.

PESO POWER: 

Php85,000 for the entire house

OPTIONAL: Php10,000 for three rooms or Php30,000 for all seven rooms of the house good for 30 pax with breakfast

VERDICT: 

NO. The pool platform for the ceremony is a deal-breaker. But perhaps if reception venue lang ang hanap namin, this would be a strong contender. Too bad... 

Camp Aguinaldo

PROS: 

Tejeros Hall is grand. As in engrande and vahnggeycious!

CONS: 

MADAMI AKONG ISSUES.

1) If we'll get an outside caterer, the ENTIRE catering staff (from the waiters, AEs, to the drivers) will have to submit an NBI clearance. Yes. EACH ONE OF THEM. 

2) If we'll get their in-house catering naman, the package is just for food so we need to get an event stylist pa (and the food package is just as mahal as other caterers with complete styling na).

3) We need an AFP officer to sponsor us before we can book. No sponsor, no booking.

4) We can only use the Tejeros Hall if we'll have guests 200 above. Even if we'll pay for the full rate, it's still minimum 200 pax. Below 200, they can only let us use Dimalupig Hall. KTNXBYE.

PESO POWER: 

Php25,000 for In-house caterer

Php57,000 for Outside caterer 

(Tejeros Hall)

Php11,000 for In-house caterer

Php27,000 for Outside caterer 

(Dimalupig Hall)

VERDICT: NO.

RANKING:

1. Sun Valley Estates
2. The Mango Farm
3. Jardin de Miramar
4. Le Blanc
5. L'Orchard
6. Camp Aguinaldo

XOXO,