By KIT KWE and TRiCIA V. MORENTE
MANILA, Philippines -- When it comes to celebrating something as grand as a wedding, a debut or a groundbreaking career milestone, most event planners— vintage style bridesmaid dresses vintage style bridesmaid dresses;and DIY celebrants—know that it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to execute the event of the season. From creating a checklist that includes getting the right photo and video company to ensure mind-blowing coverage to hiring the best event stylist to capture the ambience you’ve envisioned, booking the perfect venue without burning a hole in your pocket, and even the arduous task of finding that perfect dress or suit to create that statement you want to convey…all these elements factoring into the overall event planning can definitely take a toll on one’s, well, sanity.
Luckily there are aspects of the event that are relatively stress-free and a pleasure to be involved in, and high on top of that list is FOOD. Nothing brings greater delight than picking out one’s chosen food supplier. Even simply thinking about all the delectable hors d’ouvres, savory entrees and sinful desserts that you have to sample will make anybody’s mouth water. This is why food sampling is a very welcome aspect of event planning—you really can’t go wrong with food.Food is also usually the one that gets the ball rolling when it comes to choosing your event venue, as there are places that are specifically tied with the services of a particular food supplier. And in this aspect, a fork in the path emerges that will split your options down to two: To hold it at a hotel or to hold it at an alternative event venue with an independent caterer? That is the question.
Choosing one option will make you miss out on the advantages of the other, so evaluate what it is you really want out of your event reception. Do remember that the reception is the best time for guests to unwind. The program has been done, the number of relatives and musical numbers have entered and left without incident, and it is now the best time to kick back, enjoy the party and celebrate the particular good cheer that comes with life’s greatest transitions.
The quality of the party you throw will undoubtedly affect the memories you make for years to come. This is why most celebrants really seek out the very best caterers and food suppliers for this special occasion. Like it or not, food makes for one of the most important part of the event’s sensory experience. Choosing between a hotel and independent caterer could make or break your event’s overall impact, so decide wisely. MB Celebrations lists down the pros and cons between the two to help guide and narrow down your choices to “the one”.
Among the many elements that preside over the minutest details of the event, four criteria are perhaps the most relevant in the selection of a supplier: capability, creativity, flexibility, and practicality. The guests may have the impression of a heavenly affair, but between client and provider, vague, wispy promises hold no weight next to clear notches on the yardstick of quality.
Likewise, the top event suppliers don’t take milestone celebrations lightly. “Quality is something that is defined with complexity in the service industry, especially for suppliers who are involved with one of the most important events that a person will have in life. The concept translates to customer satisfaction and exceeding expectations, and meeting these expectations with consistency,” says Kathy Manuel-Salenga, Pan-Pacific Hotel’s head for Banquet Sales and Marketing. The Dusit Thani, the mecca of Asian fusion cuisine, has a similar formula for ensuring that their services live up to the claim, says Christine Divinagracia, Assistant Director for Banquet Sales. “Quality is synonymous to excellence, coupled with value for money. Excellence in the food, service and total ambiance. Value for money in that customers get exactly what they pay for and more.”
Without a doubt, hotels have a huge presence in the events market—there is nary a party route that does not include a hotel stop at one point, and this is an advantage that hotel suppliers are keen to develop.
If the big day will begin and end at a hotel, why go elsewhere, the Dusit’s Christina Divinagracia asks. “ We offer a ‘total experience.’ Every hotel has basic packages that they offer, but in the Dusit, even the smallest details matter. We make our guests feel that we are their partner, that the success of the event is also our success.” Having hosted their fair share of events, the Dusit’s big draw is the sublime infusion of Thai cultural elements with Filipino hospitality—creating a rare spot of tranquility in the center of Makati’s busiest shopping complex.
The serenity evoked by the scent of lemongrass and strains of Thai music drifting in the hotel lobby is also at the core of Dusit’s service philosophy. “Immediately, we want to inspire comfort and trust. We want to ensure that that we will do our best to give them a beautiful event.” The feeling of warmth is crucial to each special occasion, from a simple pool party to a grand feast in the Dusit’s 800-seater ballroom, Divinagracia says. “An event is almost always a family affair. It’s important that the guests feel warmth and attentiveness from the supplier. That, with the good food and details, will make them feel most at home.”
The special attention given to milestone events is also something that the Pan Pacific Hotel recognizes as necessary. A social function like no other, due to its deeply personal and symbolic nature, deserves more than the ordinary from a supplier, Che Basilonia, Pan Pacific’s Account Manager for Banquet Sales says. “Our slogan is “Personalized Care Because We Genuinely Care,” she says. “Our main objective is to deliver service with an exceptional human touch.” This innovation is by way of a Butler Service that assigns a personal butler to assist people from preparation to post-event details.
Props to supplier capability, but then again, any event is borne by imagination. Though every plan may be carried off without a hitch, a lack of vision is in itself a glaring flaw. That events whip creativity into overdrive even in the most pragmatic celebrant can spell disaster with a supplier whose creativity falls short. But the notion that hotel-held events are stiff and insipid affairs is a misconception, according to both the Dusit and the Pan-Pacific. In fact, who could better fulfill your vision than people who are specialized in catering to a client’ sequin cocktail dresses under 50 s every wish?
“ evening dresses evening dressesClient ideas are constantly empowered,” says Basilonia. “Simple things can be original when creativity is added.” One of the Pan Pacific’s greatest creative challenges thus far was to transform its relatively utilitarian sundeck into an area fit for a nuptial ceremony that nevertheless evinced total glamour. A customized gazebo was constructed, allowing the couple to take their vows against the breathtaking backdrop of the Manila Bay. “We were able to exceed the clients’ expectations by being sensitive to how they were imagining the outcome of the experience,” says Salenga. The hotel has opened its spaces to every sort of gathering: a lounge and small function rooms for showers and parties, a rooftop garden and gazebo for events in the sky, and the Pacific Grand Ballroom for parties for up to 330 guests.
The hotel experience may be anchored on physical space, but that doesn’t mean a limitation on the freedom of the organizer to create his/her dream celebration, Salenga stresses. In weddings, for example, the Pan-Pacific’s banquet packages fuses the traditional elements of a wedding reception with the hotel’s signature butler service. The idea for this is to allow couples to easily customize a standard wedding package to their exact liking, while having the assistance of their own butler throughout the preparation process. “It’s always anticipated that there are amenities that the client would not want or need,” explains Basilonia, “and we are ready with alternatives for these situations.” The hotel gives organizers free rein in unleashing their ideas from the flower arrangement to the food itself. “During the food tasting, they fill out comment sheets that allow us to get written feedback, cathedral bridal veils cathedral bridal veils as well as verbal. Our chefs are ready with alternative dishes that will be served based on their comments.”
The Dusit’s service, meanwhile, will be the first to disprove the impression that hotel-held events are bound by rigidity and measured by their weight in gold, says Divinagracia. “We do have house rules and minimal charges if they want to bring in outside suppliers, but we try our best to help our celebrants solve their problems and even waive extra charges if that is what will help them. They can consult us about how to make their budget fit, in which areas they can save.” Although the full menu can only be sampled after a down payment, celebrants can request a free food tasting without having made any commitment to the hotel at all, reveals Divinagracia. Make no mistake; the Dusit is no party pooper. “One couple wanted a Thai-themed wedding so we allowed them to bring in their designer to design the ballroom,” narrates Divinagracia.
Another client came to the hotel with a literal disaster: just months away from the celebration, a storm destroyed a venue they had specially constructed for the event. Complicating the problem was the large number of guests, which included a well-known chef from another hotel. “They had several food tastings with us because the couple and their parents each liked different dishes. We showed them how patient we are, and how we understood their dilemma in choosing the menu.” The outcome was worth celebrating, with the VIP guest coming away much impressed with the food.
Of course, not everyone goes the hotel route. Resounding in some of the most successful celebration stories are the names of independent caterers like Bizu the Private Caterer and the Likha Events and Catering Specialists. The former is an offshoot of the famed Bizu Patisserie, while the latter is a conceptual events provider that combines the services of a caterer with a florist, events stylist, and equipment rentals supplier.
Says Bizu owner and manager Audrey Tanco-Uy, “Bizu has acquired a reputation for consistent excellence in food, with bestsellers like 10-hour Roast Beef carved on-the-spot and Rosemary Dijon marinated Whole Roast Lamb on the Spit. “We offer continental cuisine with an artistic and tasteful flair.”
“Aside from that, we personally involve ourselves in executing concepts, all the way up to the tiniest details of the party favors.” The hands-on approach goes a long way in making a client’s dream become a reality. “At Bizu, we try to understand every customer—we converse with them on a heart to heart level to see that every need is met.” To truly make individuality manifest in a celebration, Tanco-Uy believes in familiarizing herself well with the clients themselves. “It means spending time with them, listening to them earnestly and even researching new ideas to even improve their concept. It’s about reading between the lines, putting yourself in their shoes and going beyond what they expect.”
Surpassing expectations seems to be nothing new to Bizu, having pulled off incredible requests like mounting live cooking stations similar to the brunch set-up of The Four Seasons Hotel, one of the most premier hotels in the U.S. Each item on the menu—from the cheese, foie gras to the USDA chilled prime rib steaks were prepared and cooked on the spot for 800 guests in an out-of-town location. The challenge, like any other they receive, says Tanco-Uy, needed impeccable coordination. wholesale prom dresses bridesmaid dresses gowns bridesmaid dresses gowns after five cocktail dresses
On the other hand, simply dresses prom girl Likha Catering, according to General Manager Charmaine Sandoval, counts fourteen years of experience of events catering and styling in the U.S. as one of their strongest advantages. “We like to pride ourselves as a company that truly takes on the American standard,” Sandoval says. “Our designs/styling are demanded in Hollywood with politicians and top corporations.” The company takes great pride in providing top quality for money. “Quality means no substitutes. It can be found in every detail; linens should be pressed, with no stains or holes. Food should be cooked with the best ingredients.” strapless tulle wedding dress
Sandoval believes that the mark of creativity is the degree of uniqueness that a celebration achieves. “At Likha, we understand that your event is not the same as the last event. Your event is a clean slate that we must infuse with new ideas. Each event requires full research on design/styling, specialists with the gift of creativity, and a large inventory with a variety of equipment to choose from.”
A particular innovation that Likha offers is the use of air-conditioned tents for outdoor events, and the capacity and readiness to construct particular lighting, decorative pieces or props. For a party of 3000 guests, a gymnasium was fully dressed up to follow an “international” theme, with each partitioned section styled after different cultures—Spanish, Italian, Chinese and African, as well as an island theme. The logistical challenge included completely changing all tableware to accommodate a second batch of guests. “We actually had to force everyone out of the room after the event because guests didn’t want to go home,” Sandoval says. “Possibilities with Likha catering are limitless. If our client prefers a specialty linen, or even a special entrée, we never say no to them.”
Put head to head, a hotel supplier and independent caterer may have distinct offers—possibly rating differently depending on the client’s priority, budget or tastes. But both can offer service that not only passes the palate’s tests, but also delivers astonishingly pleasant surprises. Both offer packages designed to simplify what would otherwise be difficult decisions for the emotionally invested celebrant.
“Compare suppliers and do research,” Sandoval suggests. “Step outside the box and allow yourself room for options.”
“Choose a supplier that is always one step ahead of your needs,” says Divinagracia. “You won’t go wrong with fast, efficient service, quality food and a warm attitude.”
Basilonia and Salenga advise celebrants to check the credibility of the supplier. This is a quality established by time and by customer feedback. The whole situation should be a positive and memorable experience. Some people would appreciate food and some are counting on aesthetics, but the bottom line is that one or the other cannot be compromised because the event is very emotional, with the people involved longing for perfection.”
But of course, “one must just be realistic in terms of expectations, on both the client’s and the supplier’s ends,” Tanco-Uy says. “We all strive to be perfect for the couple. As such, a good working relationship between client and provider is important. Lastly, enjoy the process because this really only happens once in a lifetime,” she adds.
Perhaps it’s because regardless of the venue you choose, your event is the best time to unleash your creativity and take it from a warm simmer to full-blown fireworks.
