Preparation Venue: Salcedo Residence, Canyon Woods
Rating: Exceeds ExpectationsCost: 14,000 (3D/2N stay) for 15 people sleeping overnight
Inclusions: use of 2 storey house w/basement (6-7br), utilities, cooking utensils, basic beddings (bring your own potable water, toiletries)
Experience: This was one of the items on my budget that got shortchanged when I overspent on other stuff. We decided to just get one house for both our families/entourage since we didn't really believe in the "not seeing each other before the wedding" tradition for the bride & groom. As it turned out, the house was big enough to contain our large family plus the suppliers, w/o me and my hubby bumping into each other :-) We were very fortunate for having found this house. It was spacious, well-ventilated, had lots of natural light and the view from around it was simply spectacular. Photo-ops were plentiful, as you can see from our pictures. At first, I was a little put off by the green paint but it turned out okay in our pictures :-) The interior was even better. The owner was easy to deal with, replied promptly through email (we didn't even meet) and quite understanding regarding the maximum occupancy limits since we had a lot of suppliers coming in. They have lots of experience with being a venue for wedding preps so they know how many people can potentially converge on the wedding day. Lastly, since we were also trying to cut down on costs for supplier meals w/o sacrificing quality, my MIL decided to just cook breakfast/lunch for all of us - the house had all the cooking utensils needed, even big pots and pans. We just brought condiments/ingredients and we were all set. Some houses in Tagaytay do not permit cooking, so this was one other plus for us :-)
Notes:
1) Bring additional pillows/blankets.
2) Ask if the caretaker can "air out" the rooms beforehand, especially the basement w/c is seldom used as it smells a bit musty
3) Bring extension cords so you have leeway in positioning the various electric fans
4) Try to walk around the vicinity if you have time to relax and look for scenic spots for picture taking
5) You can avail of the spa/massage services at the clubhouse but you have to inform the owner to get permits beforehand
Church: Chapel of the Transfiguration of Jesus, Caleruega
Rating: Exceeds Expectations
Cost: 15k (plus 1k for rental of addtl cottage w/aircon)
Inclusions: church rental, entrance fee for guests, basic sound system, mass paraphernalia, altar boys, free use of one cottage directly facing the church
Experience: We chose this chapel because of its structural beauty, the solemnity of the ambience, and its closeness to nature. The area (Tagaytay) is memorable for us as a couple and when we first visited the church, we knew it was the one, despite the potential issues with logistics and transportation, which we prepared for accordingly. Administrative support on requirements and fees were efficiently provided by Ms. Sally and we've always found them to be quite easy to talk to. On my wedding day, the solemnity was preserved despite nearly 200 people converging on the place due in part to the great weather (partly cloudy, partly sunny, windy) and the beautiful chapel grounds, which enchanted our guests, warding away potential boredom. We had no issues with the sound system, acoustics were fine inside the church due to the small space and ventilation was adequate (with fans and side windows). Seating was amply augmented by monobloc chairs on the sides but most of our guests preferred to stand near the entrance and side passage ways.
Notes:
1) Ask about the discount on reception venue rentals for alumni of Dominican order schools (eg UST, Dominical College, etc) since they don't broadcast this
2) Check the sound system beforehand - we brought our cds for a sound test and found that their two cd players had trouble reading ours. They also don't have mp3 players. On our wedding day, we brought our laptop and just connected it to the switchboard in the loft so we can play our mp3 songs. Bring your own cables and jacks. Speakers were working fine though, only 4 mics were provided (2 for the choir, 2 for the officiant and the lector) But since the space is small, our 15-member choir didn't have any difficulty projecting, no need for additional mics
3) Organize the parking. Ask your coordinator to talk with the chapel guard on parking assignments, especially for VIPs, elderly guests. Our coordinator placed long ropes with vehicle tags/names on the side road to prevent parking issues.
4) Call ahead to confirm that the cottages (if needed) will be ready for use on your wedding day. We had reserved them for last minute touch-ups for our entourage and guests on the wedding day but they weren't ready (open) when we arrived prior to the ceremony. We had to look for the guard to open it and he had to reconfirm with the admin. So please have someone remind the administrators beforehand.
5) Maximize the grounds for photo ops. Aside from the church itself and the roofdeck, there are other places (hanging bridge, koi pond, various grottos and ledges, etc) that can provide unique photos for you and your h2b and your guests.Reception Venue: Ladera Golfers' Lounge, Splendido Taal Golf and Country Club
Rating: Exceeds Expectations
Cost: 30k
Inclusions: 5 hours venue rental, linen, chairs & tables (choice of Tiffany or Ladera style), service crew, tents (in case it rains), basic sound system and lights
Experience: After scouting around Tagaytay for venues, we finally settled on Splendido since it was the best fit for us in terms of proximity to the church, scenic "wow" factor, coverage in the event of rain (it was August!) and ample parking. It was also quite easy to spot since it was close to the main highway. All in all, we're quite happy with what we got. Our guests, even those flying in from abroad were impressed by the view and the architecture. Administrative support prior to our wedding day was a bit slow due to the change in AEs but we just persisted on calling, following-up and setting up meetings to ensure we were on the same page. It was a bit of a hassle but no big deal really (I am OC, after-all ;-p), and on our wedding day we had no complaints. Service was impeccable. No delays and they delivered & executed our plans well. No observable glitches, even until now, our guests have given positive feedback on the venue. My only regret was not being able to have pictorials a bit earlier on the greens and on the verandah overlooking Taal but this was our fault as we enjoyed ourselves too much on the Caleruega grounds :-)
Notes:
1) On every meeting, write down verbal agreements and have these signed by you and the AE to prevent fallouts and confusion
2) For evening reception, you have to plan where to have your sunset pictorial - near the Church or on the reception venue - we didn't plan for this unfortunately :-) Splendido has a lot of unique photo-op areas. I so wanted to climb up the bell tower for some unique shots but it was dark already by the time we arrived ;-p
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