HOTEL (for wedding reception)

[itsKat!]

Hi Sis! This forum is intended for those brides na plan maghotel for their reception and those brides na graduate na, and naghotel for their wedding reception.

I am a 2017 bride and thinking of having my reception at a hotel instead of an events place.

Questions:
1. What are the pros and cons?
2. Marami nagsasabi na mas mahal ang hotel, but there are also some na sabi nila na dahil package na ang hotel and madaming freebies, esp. sa room accommodations, coordinator (from the hotel), bridal car and other freebies, halos same lang pag nagevents place ka? Is it true?
3. Lastly, any hotel suggestions?

Any ideas, suggestions and comments are welcome!

TIA!

[princessshayera]

2017 bride I prefer hotel reception. Maganda na kasi interior so kahit hindi top notch ang styling ok na. And the packages meron na, but I plan to change some of my packages to other amenities or rooms na lang.

[itsKat!]

Hi sis princessshayera!

2017 bride here also. I agree na mas maganda talaga interiors ng hotel so need to hire a stylist na rin and florist if talagang okay na ang ambiance ng place.


Btw, may preferred hotel ka na? Care to share ang budget pag sa hotel nag reception?

Thanks!

[princessshayera]

Btw, may preferred hotel ka na? Care to share ang budget pag sa hotel nag reception?

Thanks!

Hi sis. Lucky Chinese date 'ho-dit' kasi date ko kaya ang na pencil booked lang ni MIL is Marriott and Fort Shangri-La so either of the two lang hehe. I was initially looking at Makati or Edsa Shangri-la kasi malapit sa church ko SSJ but booked na sila. Pero gusto ko rin sana sa Sofitel because maganda mag picture sa garden niya but nalalayuan na si MIL.

Budget will usually depend on the hotel and menu. And they have certain consumable per ballroom. Like for Rizal Ballroom in Makati Shang I think you need to spend at least 2.5M.

For food, mas affordable ang buffet although I'm not familiar w/ the budget. I think for Shangri-la mga nsa 1.8K up per head. Sit down can start around 2.5k per head. For lauriat, the price per pax usually ranges from 3k to 6k per head depending on your menu. We're targeting around 400 to 500 people so budget will depend on the menu that MIL will choose din.

What hotel are you targeting, sis?

[itsKat!]

Hi sis! napa-wow ako sa 2.5M! pero if you have the money naman diba, why not? this is a once in a lifetime experience!

I'm eyeing on hotels at Roxas blvd.

So far ang natanungan ko pa lang is yung Diamond and Hotel Jen, okay naman ang prices. Kaya lang yung sa hotel Jen exclusive ng vat pa and service charge...

Btw, napapawaive kaya yung service charge? ang laki din kasi!

[princessshayera]

Depends on the ballroom lang I think, kasi Rizal ballroom can accommodate 1000 people. But if you're getting a menu worth 3k to 5k per head more or less pasok na rin. But they have smaller ballrooms din depende sa number of people with different consumables.

Alam ko you can't waive the service charge and as per my friends na kinasal sa hotels they even gave tips pa to the waiters. I plan to convert some of the packages to rooms na lang para our family can stay there before and after the wedding. Baka I won't get the free hotel styling and bridal car na.

Try mo Sofitel, parang ang ganda mag picture sa garden nila and by the bay They have a tent outside din na walang minimum. Although mas bare ang tent.

[itsKat!]

Thanks sis! pwede pala ipa-change yung ibang packages to other freebies.

 mukhang maganda nga sa sofitel! do you have their rates ba? pa-pm naman pag meron!

thank you!

[princessshayera]

Sis, pa-pm your email address. I don't know how to attach the files e. I have the rates last year and last last year.

[itsKat!]

Thanks for the rate sis!

[princessshayera]

Welcome and good luck

[Chili1113]

2017 bride I prefer hotel reception. Maganda na kasi interior so kahit hindi top notch ang styling ok na. And the packages meron na, but I plan to change some of my packages to other amenities or rooms na lang.

Super agree with this!! When I add my styling to my catering fees it exceeds what I would have spent in Manila Pen or Marriott, and a lot more than Sofitel =( Not to mention the extra expenses for hotel rooms, bridal car, and cake that is already part of hotel packages. 

Thing is I was really avoiding hotels since my 1st wedding was in Makati Shangri-la and I didnt want my 2nd wedding to be compared to the 1st one. =(

Thing I dislike about hotels though, are the super high cost of drinks and corkage. OK Lang to pay corkage, but what made it so expensive in my 1st wedding are the prices of the mixers. Imagine, for ever coke or seven up that will be opened to mix with your liquor, will be like 250 pesos per can these days! Plus the per hour time extension of the ballroom. I remember super mahal before in Makati Shang.

[itsKat!]

thanks for the insisgts sis Chili113! Yun din naisip ko if you add styling same cost na din halos sa hotel, plus may free rooms pa na kasama!

But, as you pointed out, dami ngang corkages, plus laki din ng service charge. So I am still torn whether or not to go for a hotel reception or not due to budget constraints!

[stella021817]

^I'm getting an events venue for my 2017 wedding. When I did the computations, in terms of food, I'll spend about the same as I would in a hotel like Manila Penn (because I'll have to pay for the rental fee of my venue along with the catering fee). But for the same price, I think the quality of food I'll be getting will be better.

Not to mention, caterers offer great packages also -- bottomless drink service, no corkage fees on alcohol, free cocktails (drinks and finger-food), free wedding cake, free Tiffany chairs etc.  And since I"ll be hiring a separate florist, I asked them to remove the centerpieces etc from my package, in exchange for a discount on my food instead. Even if I'll need to pay for hotel rooms for preps, I think in the end, I'll still save (at least a little).

Like what others have mentioned, if you're planning to go with a hotel, you need to consider corkage fees, ballroom hourly extension fees, and also, if you'd be happy with the basic styling included in the hotel package, or if you'd still want to hire a separate florist/stylist.

[itsKat!]

Thanks for the insights sis stella~

I totally agree with you, in term of food and styling. Minsan super basic ng styling ng hotels. Siguro it depends sa hotel din.

Btw, any sissies here who have attended a wedding reception at bayleaf or hotel h20?

Thank you!

[itsKat!]

Hi sissies! anyone who has a feedback at diamond hotel also, and hotel jen?

Thank you!

[Tinsflor]

Reviving this thread!

Any brides here that booked a hotel for a reception?  I just need your feedback/tips regarding what to do about cocktail hour.  Are you going to get your cocktails from the hotel or are you bringing in a supplier for that (in case it is allowed by the hotel)?  With the hotel we're booked at, they would only allow it if the caterer's cocktail menu for your event cannot be matched by the hotel.  For example, my cousin owns a restaurant and they regularly do catering at that hotel but they specialize in porchettas, and since our hotel doesn't offer that, he is allowed to bring his staff in.

The problem with hotels is that their food menu is so expensive!!  So to all other hotel brides, what were your alternatives?  And what food did you serve during your cocktail hour?  And for how many people did you account for?  We have 180 guests so I'm thinking, only 50% of our guests would probably make it to cocktail hour, is it safe to assume that?  TIA!

[itsKat!]

^ hi Tinsflor, for our hotel, we were allowed to bring in snacks, as long as it is not "cooked". I dont' think may outside caterer kasi sila so all the food should be coming from the hotel. Hence, we plan to bring our favorite chips nalang. Like picnic and pringles. In short, chips and nuts talaga ang labas. I have no choice din dahil super expensive nga ng food sa hotels. My plan is damihan nalang to ensure na di naman magutom guests ko and bawi sa food during the dinner.

 

[lakwatchera]

we will be having our reception at New World Hotel Manila Bay, and I must say na very nice talaga siya for a reception venue. we were overseas kasi nung na book namin sila, so when we were in Manila last May for our ocular, I was initially a bit disappointed with the lobby, kasi hinde siya high ceiling! HAHA. i know mababaw, but when our AE showed me the grand ballroom(minimum confirmed guests of 200. total capacity of 400+, and of course high ceiling) I was impressed. yung mga guests will use an elevator that goes straight to the 6th floor where the ballroom is, then the foyer is huge pa. more than enough space for registration and photobooth. for the cocktails, magdadala kami ni H2B ng mga Japanese rice crackers para hindi na kami magbayad ng extra. haha. but we will have fruit punch served during cocktail hour, we also have the option to have it spiked with vodka, pero hinde pa kami decided.

[itsKat!]

Hi lakwatchera! nakita ko yang New World Manila Bay 2 weeks ago and malaki din sya from the outside! I'm glad you were satisfied with the ballroom    For the fruit punch, will it be from the hotel also, or kayo magpprovide?

[lakwatchera]

Hi itsKat! Yung fruit punch is from New World. Mag add kami ng 5k for that or 7k if spiked with vodka. Ok sana yung vodka spiked kaso lunch reception kami eh, baka it's too early for alcohol. Haha.