Hello mga sis!
Here's my detailed review for L&J and CDC, hope this will help our fellow L&J Bride. You'll never go wrong with Kuya Willie's team. Your wedding will be in good hands.
VENUE
10/10 : Casino Filipino turned into Casa De Corazon Event's Place by Kuya Willie GatpandanBefore kami nag push thru sa Caleruega Wedding, we initially searched for an affordable venue. And we found Casino Filipino Tagaytay. It?s worth 10,800 for an Airconditioned hall. It?s Magiting Hall if I am not mistaken, no time limit, no corkages, then indoor since lunch reception naman kami. With basic lights and sounds at white screen for presentations. When we booked L&J Catering last June 2015 and since si Kuya Willie is madalas mag event sa Casino Filipino, si kuya narin yung nag arrange ng lahat para sa payment and reservation ng Casino Filipino Tagaytay.
But last minute before our wedding, we received an offer from Kuya Willie that we can?t resist about sa pag transfer samin sa Casa De Corazon. Kuya Willie and Us made some arrangements but sorry mga sis kasi I can?t disclose here bilang respect namin kay Kuya Willie. Isa lang masasabi namin talaga, we were so blessed to have and got the chance to know Kuya Willie para maging part ng wedding namin.
The venue hall is real big. Pati labas kung mag garden wedding man. It has an ample parking space. Very pleasant at appealing ang place, lalo na siguro kapag fully done na. Nagamit din namin yung holding area, and dun nag stay at naghintay yung HMUA namin for my second look, at yung PV team while editing kasi meron syang receiving area na may sala set at may small dining table kung san pwede kumain. May 1 Room with 1 Bed and Toilet, dun kami nag-ayos ni HMUA for my 2nd look. Dun narin ako nagpalit ng gown nung pauwi.
Nung time ng wedding namin, ayos na sya. Wala naman kaming naging problem sa electrical. Sa Water wala namang nag complain na walang tubig sa CR or mahina or something. Mataas ang ceiling, pwede magpalagay ng drapings tulad ng nakikita natin ngayon sa updates ni Kuya.
Ang entrance namin is from the Holding Area, kung nakaharap ka sa mismong hagdan yung may signage ng Casa De Corazon, sa right side nun dun kami nag entrance kaya medyo nakita sa SDE yung hallow blocks part nung pader na hindi pa tapos, pero for sure maayos narin naman yun. Yung backdrop kasi is naka arrange para maging background ang taal, kaya yun talaga yung best spot for grand entrance. So ang ginawang arrangement, sa may hagdan dun naka place ang registration area ni Coord. Kapag pasok, sa Right yung buffet table, then sa left and center arrangements na ng ibang tables, then pa left papunta sa couples area.
It has a perfect view of Taal Lake talaga. Since morning wedding kami and maayos ang weather nung kasal namin, most of our guests went out for photo ops with Taal, lol. Anyone can?t resist talaga kasi ang ganda ganda ng view eh. Downside, nawawala ang guests sa upuan so sometimes it looked empty seats. Hahaha! Just remind nalang yung coord team / host na kung pwede i remind yung guests na kapag may mga important part ng wedding like rituals or games or SDE, kindly remain seated muna para din maraming mag participate at wala silang ma-miss na part ng program. Though may chances lang naman na nangyari sa wedding namin yun, hindi naman talaga kasi ma cocontrol ang tao kung gustuhing mag selfie or groupie. hehe! Ang importante na-enjoy din nila at the same time yung ganda ng lugar.
Dahil lunch reception kami at fair ang weather that time, ayun it?s either you don?t need too much lightings kasi sobrang maliwanag yung place dahil open OR you can add some mood lights / LED lights para mas makadagdag din ng color sa venue at effect sa back drop.
All in all sobrang maganda ang venue. Easy to find pa kasi along mendez crossing lang, either commute ang guests or private cars, they can locate it easily. If you?re eyeing for a tagaytay venue with taal view, Casa De Corazon is the perfect place talaga.
CATERING - P 67,000 (545/pax + 10% SC for 100 pax + 1 add?l course + pica pica for cocktails + 2K Tip)
10/10 : L&J Catering by Kuya Willie GatpandanAs what I mentioned earlier, sobrang blessed kami kasi nakilala namin si Kuya Willie. As in! Buong puso talaga ang pasasalamat namin sakanila for our wedding.
We booked L&J Catering 1.5 years before our wedding, around JUNE 2015. Hindi namin sila kilala personally, talagang nag tyaga lang kami magbasa ng reviews and dahil sa puro positive feedbacks, we entrusted our wedding to them.
Lahat ng inquiry namin noon kahit malayo pa ang wedding namin, nasasagot nya. And yung dapat sa Casino kami, he willingly arranged everything para daw hindi na kami mamoblema kasi may kontak naman sya sa Casino, sya na mag-aayos ng reservation and all. Dahil overseas kami, nag-uusap lang kami thru FB. There were times na na-seen zoned din ako noon, lalo na nung sobrang na busy na si Kuya sa construction ng Casa. Pero if he gets the time, mag rereply naman yan sya. hehe!
First time namin sya ma-meet nung umuwi kami, October nagpa-sched kami kasi for FT and nag FT kami sa Gazebo Royale sa Silang. We went first sa office ng L&J and wala akong masabi, sobrang down to earth ni Kuya sa personal. We initially planned our wedding venue then yung contract, pero hindi pa final kasi nga mag FT pa kami saka yung # of guests. Our FT went well din, we loved the foods na sinerve samin. Sobrang courteous ng mga staffs ng L&J during our FT. From Bulacan pa kami then pumunta kaming Mendez around 11AM, nag ocular pa kami sa Soto Grande at Caleruega after our meeting, then saka kami bumalik pa Gazebo kasi 2PM ang sched namin. Gutom na kami nun kasi nga maaga kami nag breakfast and light lang, so sabi namin after FT, kakain kami kung san pwede. Nakakatuwa nga kasi sabi nung isang staff nung nalaman nilang hindi pa kami kumakain, he?ll make sure na aalis daw kaming busog sa FT namin. Hahaha! And yes, totoo nga, hindi na kami kumain kasi nabusog kami sa serving nila. Hahaha! Natikman naming lahat ang menu that time except sa desert kasi hindi dinadala dun ng maaga pa, 5PM reception pa kasi yung wedding nila nun, pero as early as 2PM ready na sila sa venue. Binigyan din kami ng maayos na upuan, kung san uupo ang guests don kami pinaupo. And take note, we we?re 6 heads that time, pero lahat kami pinakain nila without addt?l fee, kahit 4 pax lang dapat ang FT nila. Dun palang, sobrang generous na nila.
We finalized our contract NOV 7 then we settled everything na. We chose yung package B (per pax) kasi nga 80 guests lang kami. Nag add lang kami ng 1 course para kumpleto then pica pica for cocktails. Sobrang nakakataba ng puso kasi inallow ni Kuya Willie yung # of heads namin, pero we computed it parin as 100 pax kasi lahat ng suppliers namin included narin sa buffet, hindi na kami namoblema sa crew meals namin. And yung freebies na hindi matatawaran talaga, grabe lang! Nakakaiyak at nakakataba ng puso.
Come wedding day, wala akong masabi. Maayos at maganda ang wedding venue namin. Yung upgraded chairs ng guests na wala na sa contract pero binigay nila para samin. When we arrived, pina diretso kami sa holding area for retouch and my second look, then sinerve kami ng light foods yung clubhouse, soup, at chicken pesto grabe the best lahat walang itulak kabigin sa lasa! Gladly, kumain kami nun ni husband before our retouch, kasi nung program proper na kahit pinapakain pa nila kami at naka serve na yung foods sa side table namin, wala eh hindi na kami nakakain. Hahahaha! Properly served yung mga nasa VIP then we received compliments sa foods masarap daw talaga. Nakapag-uwi pa kami 3 set ng family ang nakapaguwi ng foods. Nandon din si John to check and guide the staffs. Alert sila whenever we need assistance like yung sa cake cutting, wine toasting, naka ready na lahat.
But like any other suppliers, Kuya Willie is not perfect din, tao lang tayo lahat. We had a minor issue with L&J, pero THANKS GOD talaga that we had Kuya Willie who treated us not just a client but a friend. Nakakaiyak yung experience naming iyon kay Kuya, as much as possible hindi na namin sana i-oopen up kasi nga sobra sobra yung ginawa ni Kuya for our wedding. But we felt the need to let him know. Salamat din sa mga ilang fellow sissies / wawies na nakausap ko who pushed me up para mag open kay Kuya, kasi we only want the best for Kuya Willie?s services.
Dun namin napatunayan na sobrang down-to-earth ni Kuya. Humble at its finest. TOTOONG TAO TALAGA. HE KNOWS how to HANDLE HIS CLIENTS FAIRLY WELL. He knows how to accept opinions, good or bad and will take it positively para mas mag-improve pa sila on providing their services. Sa mga lapses na nangyari sa wedding namin, IT IS ONLY KUYA WILLIE who APOLIGIZED to us FOR HIS HONEST MISTAKE. Para kaming maiiyak ni husband na natatawa nung time ng conversation namin thru FB kasi wala na kami sa Pinas nun. We felt na parang kaibigan / kapamilya kami ni kuya who can freely say anything to him. Sobra Sobrang thankful talaga at ipinakilala samin ni Lord si Kuya Willie at buong team ng L&J.
We know na at some point in time, makakalimutan na kami ni Kuya sa dami ng clients nila, pero yung ginawa nila for our wedding and yung experience namin sakanyang hindi matatawaran, sobrang totoong tao, hinding hindi talaga namin sila makakalimutan at mahal talaga namin sila. Isa sila sa masasabi kong supplier na IT?s NOT ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. MAY PUSO ANG SERBISYO nila at may PAGMAMAHAL SA MGA KLIYENTE talaga. They indeed deserve all the blessings na bumubuhos sakanila. Super Duper Highly Recommended!
I posted my Full Supplier's Rating in this thread:
http://www.femalenetwork.com/girltalk/index.php?topic=295268.msg8297757#newHappy preps mga sis! ♥