Rai and Marc

Posts Tagged ‘reception’

Catering: Juan Carlo the Caterer

Package Deal: Customized Package plus Colossian Garden reception venue
Appetizers: Nachos with Dip, Bruschettas, Sushi Bar (Half of the sushi rolls were served during cocktail hour)
Non-Alcoholic Cocktails: Tahitian Punch (Upgrade)
Entree: Beef Tenderloin Steak with Mushroom Sauce (cooked on the spot), Vegetable Tempura (cooked on the spot), Chicken Breast in Piri-Piri Sauce, Roast Pork in Prune and Walnuts, Pink Salmon in Tequilla Cream Sauce, Plain Rice
Pasta Bar: Juan Carlo Vermicelli Special, Penne Carbonara, Angel Hair Puttanesca
Dessert: Swan Puff, Blitz Torte, Fruit Tartlets, Caramel Custard with Macapuno

Package Price: Php175,000++ for 160 pax + Php22,000 for venue rental

The Good

The dishes served by Juan Carlo are very good and not the ordinary stuff that you can find in restaurants. We decided that the food that we are going to serve will not be the ordinary dishes (lemon chicken, breaded fish, beef broccoli… well, you get the picture) so we chose Juan Carlo for that. I highly recommend their Pink Salmon in Tequila Cream Sauce, by the way. Anyway, we are also pleased that the Colossian Garden is exclusive with them so we booked the caterer and reception at the same time.

It was also nice that they are flexible with menu plans as we made our own menu while working within our price range. Our account executive, Joyce Castillo, was also accommodating to our requests to extend the menu plan so we can fit more types of desserts and appetizers without additional charges. The waiters are courteous, especially for the VIP guests. One ninong commented that the waiters are so mabait that they keep coming back to offer him the vermicelli dish because he kept refusing. They also agreed to hang the paper lanterns we brought to the reception, and even agreed to take them down after the reception.

The table setting of Juan Carlo, though really nice, is nothing to rave about. Their pretty table settings and backdrops displayed on their website and catalogs are available but only as an upgrade, maybe I should have persuaded Joyce more to give the upgrades for free. And of course, we chose not to get the upgrades so we can save more bucks.

Colossian Garden also is a really nice place to hold a wedding reception at with their lush green garden and ready tent, but some plants need a bit more attention. Just be careful of the flying bugs that look like mosquitoes, but it’s nothing that a citronella candle can’t take care of I think.

And not to forget the food – the guests raved about how good the food was, and one guest was really impressed that we booked Juan Carlo for our catering. Apparently, when he learned that we got Juan Carlo, he already knows that he’s going to have a very delicious and filling lunch that day. Nothing beats that. The guests also loved the sushi bar and the complaint we received was the guests are too full to enjoy the mobile bar!

PS: Friends who have plans of getting married or have relatives/friends in planning stage often ask me who our caterer was. I guess if they did not like the food served, they would not recommend JC to their friends

The Bad

During the reception, some guests complained that the wasabi and sushi sauce came late after serving the sushi rolls. Though not a big deal, but some guests just can’t wait for their sauce and wasabi to arrive.

Our AE, Joyce, is a really sweet person, but it takes centuries, if not decades, for her to reply to my text messages. And sometimes, I have to reiterate the instructions just so we are clear.

Their table setting options are also limited, so if you are really particular with the colors of tablecloth, Juan Carlo might not be your best option.

The Ugly

Before the wedding, I asked Joyce to put a curtain on the south part of the reception tent because the sun shines directly on that area at around 3PM. As the wedding program goes, I noticed that there were tables that are directly under the sun because Juan Carlo placed about a yard of white cloth as a curtain. And obviously, it only covered about an eighth of the length of the tent and not enough to even cover a table. Fortunately, the coordinators moved the tables forward to avoid the heat of the sun and for the comfort of the guests.

Heart Ratings

Service (Planning): (7/10)

Service (Waiters and Supervisors on Wedding Day): (9/10)

Product (Appetizers and Cocktails): (9/10)

Product (Entree): (9/10)

Product (Pasta Bar): (7/10)

Product (Dessert): (7/10)

Product (Table Setting and Venue Arrangement): (7/10)

Product (Colossian Garden): (8.5/10)

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (9/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: Juan Carlo serves really great food, and they are popular for that. But only fair when it comes to their table and venue setting options. You might want to hire a separate stylist or upgrade your package if you need more oomph to your venue.

Wedding Photography Services: Jayson and Jo Anne Arquiza

Package Deal: 3 Photographers (including Jayson and Jo Anne), 40 Pages 11×14 Magnetic Album, On-site Photo Slideshow, 16×20 Blowup Portrait
Package Price: Php55,000 + Reimbursement of gas and toll fees (Out of town charges)

The Good

We love Jayson and Jo Anne! The couple have talents, and they know how to do their jobs without being too bossy about it. We had a morning wedding so they arrived early, like 4:45AM early so it is a definite plus. When they arrived, they made it sure to introduce themselves, so during the entire day, it feels like we know them (Jayson, Jo Anne, Jonathan and Jay Pee) like they’re long time friends, except for the other guys whose name escapes my memory (sorry!).

They really showed an effort to make it easy for us to smile and project to the camera, even if it feels like 100 degrees under the sun. And the photo slideshow showed how good they are at their profession. Everyone loved the photos because it really captured the moment. Most of the shots were not staged at all, very real, lively colors and needs only a little bit of editing, if none at all. We can feel the emotions of the photograph because of their “decisive moment” photography, which is the style that I prefer for our wedding.

At the end of the wedding program, they waited for us and said their goodbyes before leaving, and we have a photobooth picture to prove that!

The Bad

I remembered during the photo shoot after the ceremony, one of the primary sponsors (let’s call him Ninong A) asked one of Marc’s cousins to take pictures of the the primary sponsors while they were signing the marriage contract because no one from Jayson’s team was doing so. It was not really a big deal for me, but apparently, it was for Ninong A. We also forgot to ask them to take our pictures inside the beetle limo, again, no big deal.

And for some reason, we don’t have the raw wedding pictures yet. Paging Jayson!

The Ugly

None.

Heart Ratings

Creativity: (6/10)

Service (Full Wedding Photography): (9/10)

Product (Same Day Edit Slideshow): (9/10)

Product (Full Wedding Coverage): Pending

Product (Magnetic Album): Pending

Product (Blowup Portrait): Pending

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (9/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: They have a mid-ranged price for photography services but worth every cent. Highly recommended!

Hair and Make Up Artist: Victoria Gonzalez of Victoria.ph

Package Deal: Airbrush Make-up for Bride + 2 Traditional Makeup + Free Prenup Make-Up
Package Price: Php18,000 (includes Out of Town charge)

The Good

I fondly call her Ms. Vic and she is the sweetest make-up artist. She makes me calm when I’m starting to get the jitters, and she does wonders with her airbrush. I specifically ask her to make my make-up a “no make-up” look because we had a morning wedding, and she did. When I ask people around me how I look with my make-up, they keep telling me that it is still okay and does not look yucky, and that is a good sign. I always steer away from make-up because: 1) it’s really not my thing, and 2) I have this phobia of looking like a kabuki warrior in photos. I mean, I want to be proud of our wedding pictures and not hide them and so I said that I will not get a cheap make-up artist. Ms. Vic is definitely a treasure.

I also remember her trying to calm me down before the bridal march because I kept crying and she keeps retouching. I can feel Ms. Vic’s panic when I started crying buckets because the tears just won’t stop and the make-up might get ruined. Despite all the tears and sweat, the make-up stayed on. I just need to use lots of oil blotters to keep the shine away.

The Bad

She forgot to take the names of the ladies who had their make-up done. I wish I had their names para nasingil ko sila. *JOKE!*

I also noticed that she has a limited shades of foundation – or maybe I just did not see them. Anyway, what do I know about makeups? And the lady who was doing my hair needs to research more on hairstyles because she keeps asking me what hairstyle I want. Like I said, I am not really the person who likes to experiment with hairstyles, so I think I told her to just tie my hair into a pony. A hairstylist (here comes my unsolicited advice) should get to know the bride more and the dress she is going to wear to have an idea of the hairstyle that will go perfectly with the whole outfit.

The Ugly

None.

Heart Ratings

Service: (10/10)

Product (Hosting): (10/10)

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (10/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: Get Ms. Vic if you want airbrush makeup. Her rates are affordable and she will make you still look like you – only better.

Wedding Coordinator: Gen Lee Events

Package Deal: On-the-Day Coordination + Emcee
Package Price: Php14,250 + Php3,500 for the emcee

The Good

A little side story first. Most soon-to-wed couples are unsure whether they should book coordinators for their wedding. For one, that will depend on you and your husband-to-be’s current situation. Are you both working locally or abroad? Do one of you belong in a large family where you can ask relatives to help you? Do you plan to be a hands-on bride or more of a easy-going type? Do you plan to do a lot of DIY’s? These are just a few of the questions that you should ask yourself if you are unsure whether to get a coordinator or not.

For us, we chose to get a coordinator but we chose to book a On-the-Day coordination only. This means that we will have to book all of our suppliers and do all of our DIY’s. The coordinators will assist in coordinating stuff during the wedding day only.

We decided to book Gen Lee because we felt at ease when talking to her and she gave a nice price because we booked during bridal fair. The price she gave fits easily on our budget and it seems that she knows what she’s doing. That’s a good sign.

Anyway, the good thing about her is she is organized and makes sure that she lists everything. I knew because they kept calling my brothers (who were late to arrive at the church) before the bridal march. Unfortunately, the bridal march still continued without my brothers but can’t blame her because like she iterated to me again and again, whether the entourage is complete or not, the wedding will start on time. Oh well.

I can also see that she has a strong background in organizing weddings and she does not mind the early wedding. I also liked it when she agreed to receive the flowers from Dylan that was delivered to her home at 1:30 in the morning, the day of the wedding. Big plus for Gen.

I also like KD and Dawn, who kept spoiling me on our wedding day. Dawn was so kind to help me with my gown when I had to pee and mind you, it was difficult with all that petticoat. I also mentioned to them that I just had my teeth bleached so I can’t eat anything with color and so Dawn brought my mayo sandwich from the preps venue to the chuch then to the reception. And KD. KD should have her own parlor because she fixed my hair in an instant during the reception. She kept saying that she is bothered by those loose strands of hair so she removed all the pins and tied my hair neatly in a bun. Amazing!

Their team also helped me with the rice and petal shower stuff because I forgot to cut the paper cone the night before (read the Rosemont Garden horror story here). I really appreciate that gesture. Plus, Macy took care of Liane during the reception. She brought a piece of the styro so Liane can have her water and lunch too. Really sweet girl.

The Bad

I can’t figure out how to put this, but I was kind of disappointed with the emcee, Macy. Don’t get me wrong – I love Macy because we share the same passion with dogs. I am not exactly sure what happened to her but she keeps on stammering. Nervous? I don’t know.

Somehow, when we arrived at the reception, I was expecting that they will encourage the guests to keep clapping their hands while we’re making our way in. No one was clapping, everyone just stared at us while we were doing our grand entrance. It. Felt. Awkward. I just wished that she asked the guests for a round of applause during our march. Oh well.

I also noticed that there are time that Gen tends to reply late – sometimes not at all – to my texts. And I am not the only one who noticed that. Maybe Gen could be a little attentive to her brides, even if they are makulit sa text.

The Ugly

When the guests started leaving during the reception (yes, during), I was hoping that their team could talk to the guests and ask them if they can stay a little longer, just enough to finish the program. Alam nyo naman sa kultura ng mga Pinoy, pag may isang gumawa, lahat gagaya. Then tables after tables of guests started standing up and leaving. How I wished that they could have done something about it. I literally have to leave the stage and approach the leaving guests to stay a bit longer kasi the games are not yet over, and some of the participants are already leaving. Sayang naman di ba? In a few minutes, the program will be over naman kasi the games are at the last part of the program, so sana inawat man lang nila yung mga guests. I’m not blaming them, I just hoped na sana they did something about the guests leaving kasi konti na lang tapos na yung program. Di tuloy narinig ng ibang guests yung thank you message namin.

Warning! Out of Topic Rant: Sana, mabago sa kultura ng mga Pilipino yung ugali when it comes to attending events like weddings and birthday parties – yung tipong kakain lang tapos aalis na kahit di pa tapos yung program. It is not polite and it will never be.

One more thing: Two days after the wedding, I texted Gen because there is something that I need to know that happened during the reception. Didn’t get a reply. Maybe because the communication ended together with the contract. After all, we are just in a vendor-customer relationship and nothing more.

Heart Ratings

Service: (8/10)

Product (Hosting): (6.5/10)

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (7/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: We recommend Gen Lee if you are on a tight budget because her services are affordable.

String Trio and Vocalist: Leggiero Strings

Package Deal: String Trio and Vocalist composed of 2 Violins, 1 Piano and 1 Female Vocalist. Church and Reception Performance.
Package Price: Php18,000 (Bridal Fair Booking, Out of Town Charge included)
Marc Borlas and Rai Ricafrente Nuptials Song List

The Good

This is the one supplier that we can simply take off the list but I insisted that we get one. Can’t live with it, can’t live without it, I should say. The strings will make the best out of your ceremony ambiance, and I feel that a small chapel like Caleruega, having a string quartet will surely make the ceremony more intimate.

Our contact person with Leggiero Strings is Ms. Merlie Yapchulay, and we find her very nice and accommodating. We booked them during bridal fair so she gave us nice discount from the actual price. We initially wanted Manila Philharmonic Orchestra but their prices are so out of our budget.

But that isn’t the best part.

You see, we got a nice surprise after the wedding ceremony because during the chapel pictorials, we heard a male voice singing from the loft, and when we turned to see, it was Boyet Magno, a colleague of mine. Apparently, Boyet is friends with our quartet singer so we had an instant duet. ‘Twas a nice suprise indeed.

The Bad

They had limited song performance during the ceremony. I remembered that Fr. Allen was looking at the quartet during the Agnus Dei and I think he was waiting for them to sing “Lamb of God”. The song was not included in their repertoire so it is not sung. Also the “Amen” at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer was not included so I guess if you want those prayers to be sung, discuss it with Ms. Merlie.

The Ugly

I noticed that a little after the pictorials, the bridal recessional song was already being played. I expected that they will play it while we are walking out of the chapel but we are still inside when I heard the song. When it was time for the actual march, the chapel was in full silence because the quartet left early. I guess they were in a hurry because I heard from someone they got another wedding after ours.

Aside from that, during the bridal fair when we reserved them, I thought that we are going to have 1 violin, 1 piano and 1 cello for the ensemble. Three days before the wedding, Ms. Merlie called to say that we cannot have the cello and should have 2 violins instead. I forgot the reason but I guess there’s nothing I could do about it that time. Oh, well.

Heart Ratings

Service: (7/10)

Product (performance and voice): (9/10)

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (8/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: Their prices are cheaper that MPO but if you want them for your wedding, make sure you discuss full details with them.

This is the video presentation of our photos from childhood to present.

Entourage and Guest Accommodation: Yellow Coco Tagaytay

Package Deal: Overnight rental of 4 villas
Package Price: Php8,000/night (Grand Villa good for 12 pax); Php6,000 (Apitong villas good for 8 pax)

The Best

When we arrived at around 11PM in the evening, we woke up Rose, the caretaker, and she is still accommodating when we asked her if we can check-in even if it is late. Read the horror story of Rosemont Garden here.

Liane was allowed inside the room so I can say that this is the best thing about Yellow Coco.

The Good

Very nice location, about 5 minutes away from Colossian Gardens and 10 minutes from Caleruega. We liked it because the villas are cheap considering that the location is in the heart of Tagaytay City. Breakfast included.

The Bad

The beds are quite small for two, the blankets are thin and the bathroom could use a better water heater. The rental does not include gas for the stove, which you have to pay Php150 per small tank of LPG.

The Ugly

We did not stay long enough to see anything ugly.

Heart Ratings

Service (how we were entertained during our stay): (10/10)

Service (how we were entertained before our stay): (10/10)

Product (the house and facilities): (5/10)

Bang for the Buck: (9/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (8/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: If you are on a budget and/or travelling with pets, we recommend this villa.

Our pre-nup pictures that we received post-nup. Tragic but good photos nonetheless. Same photos displayed in the reception on cheap illustration boards as photo gallery. We thought they are going to be on tarps but can’t complain – it’s free.

Photos by: Val Bunao
Location: UP Bonsai Garden, Diliman, Quezon City
Costumes from: Sinag Arts Foundation (Rental Fee: Php1,500/set)

Litrato Photobooth

Guest Souvenir: Litrato Photobooth

Package Deal: Photobooth with personalized layout and backdrop, single 4R prints, standees included. Good for 3 + 1 (free) hours of unlimited shots. Stop time included.
Package Price: Php6,500 + Php 2,000 (Out of Town)

The Good

We booked this supplier the last minute when we found out that we do not have time to look for souvenirs anymore. Since we got them during bridal fair, we got 1 hour as a freebie. Unfortunately, the OOT charge was not waived but even so, they are still way cheaper than the other photobooths.

The print outs are not so bad. We initially liked Baicapture at first, but because they cost Php5k more, we decided to book Litrato even if the printouts of Baicapture is better. The management folks are very accommodating and easy to deal with as well.

The photobooth crew is also nice when we had time to take our pictures. Wala namang nagreklamo about the person manning the booth so I guess that’s a plus for them.

The Bad

If I had not remembered that we booked them, I would have entirely forgotten them. It was about 4 days before the wedding when I texted them and mentioned that I have not provided them the photo that will be used for the layout. We did not receive any reminders from them aside from one email that came a few days after we booked them. Good thing that the layout came the next day after I sent them our photo.

Also, I wish they had prepared a couple more studies of the layout because we received only one design. I don’t have time to deal with the layout because we have to get it done before we leave for Tagaytay.

The Ugly

Some guests say that the props smell bad. I wish they sprayed antiseptics before and during the event so the sweat will not stick into the props. And they had only a few props to choose from.

Heart Ratings

Service: (10/10)

Product (props, printouts and layout): (7/10)

Bang for the Buck: (8/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (8/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: They are best if you are on a tight budget. Don’t forget to ask them to disinfect the props first.

Bridal Car: Beetle Limo

Package Deal: Rental of Black Volkswagen Beetle Limousine for 6 hours including driver and gas
Package Price: Php17,000 – 10% Discount

The Good

The Beetle Limo is one of the suppliers I want to take off the list. First, it was expensssssiiiiiveee. The price we paid for 6 hours rent of limo is twice the price we paid for 3 days rent of Nissan Urvan. It was not practical, and we can do without it. Heck, Don Robert’s cars are half the price, and still we can use the extra money for other stuff.

So why get it in the first place? For the sake of tradition. Marc’s parents used a VW Beetle for their bridal car. And we want the same too. When we saw the beetle limo in a wedding fair, we just knew we had to get it even if it means stretching the budget (wedding budgets are meant to be stretched, anyway). Come to think of it, this is the day when we can indulge ourselves and have a reason to ride a limousine. A modified Volkswagen Beetle Limousine!

A little bit of trivia: Beetle Limo is the only company that offers beetle limo in the Philippines.

Kuya Jimmy is the driver assigned to us. He is very nice, wears proper chauffeur uniform, very polite and on time. He makes a lot of kwento while I was waiting in the car before the bridal march, which is good so I won’t get nervous. We even asked our photographers to take Kuya Jimmy’s photo with us and the car so we will have a souvenir. We might not get a chance to ride a limousine again.

The Bad

There are no flowers included with the package because according them, out of town wedding packages do not include flower arrangement. Though I am not sure why. If you want your bridal car to have flowers, you might need to get your florist to do it.

The Ugly

The air conditioning feels like it does not exist. It was so hot inside the limo when we got in after the church ceremony that I keep adjusting the aircon knob so the air hits my face. Unfortunately, it won’t move. The temperature seems to be a little better when we arrived at the reception waiting for our grand entrance.

One more ugly worth mentioning: We forgot to use the sun roof and have picture taken inside the limo.  This is our fault. *pouts*

Heart Ratings

Service: (10/10)

Product (meaning the car itself): (7/10)

Bang for the Buck: (4/10)

Overall Satisfaction: (8/10)

Rai and Marc’s recommendation: If your budget will allow, take the limo. If you are not part of the alta sociedad like us, this is the only chance you will get to ride this expensive car.