Dropped like a Hatputito: IV. Wedding Reception: Miguel & Maria

The same day that we have booked the church, we had also booked the reception at Miguel & Maria - Gil Fernando branch.

Despite having visited some events place and tried some catering menus, we prefered having our reception at the restaurant.

Reason being:

1. We wanted a simple, basic program for the guests

2. Homey kind of vibe, not too much

3. Can accommodate 50 +/- people, yeah, we were expecting only that much so we don't want a big venue

4. And the biggest factor: Food

Aside from their food being superb, the serving is enormous!

And you would not think that you are still in the middle of the city with the lush greens surrounding it.

I first tried their menu with my friends years ago at their Lilac branch, and doon pa lang nasurprise na ako sa laki ng serving nila.

So when I suggested it to my now hubby, he considered dining there (but at the Gil Fernando branch) para tingnan at subukan.

He loved it in an instant.

Medyo malamig nga lang talaga but masosolusyunan na yan with the coat & tie dress code sa wedding namin.

We paid Php 5,000 to block the date, and the remaining amount would be settled at the wedding day itself.

Sila na ang bahala sa food at basic wedding arrangement ng reception.

Way back in February 2022 the setup offered was by plate, pero nung nagpareserve na kami ng May 2022, nabago na to buffet.

Our contact was Ms. Gladys who was very accommodating sa lahat ng questions namin.

She created a group chat para mas madali makapag-usap.

Medyo mahirap nga lang siyang hagilapin sa restaurant, and maghihintay rin sa replies niya, but I guess that's understandeable since I think she's managing both Miguel & Maria - Gil Fernando and the Comedor.

Hindi ko nabilang kung nakailang balik kami sa restaurant nila during our wedding preparations.

Iniwan na rin namin before the wedding ang souvenirs and slippers and some stuff na kailangan ng aming host para maiset up na nila.

Come wedding day, medyo nadisappoint kami, especially hubby, sa kinalabasan as well as their service. 🙁

We were assured by Ms. Gladys kasi na kasya hanggang 70+ guests.

Pero parang ang sikip na ng pagkakagawa.

Pati yung napag-usapang sitting arrangement na shinare pa namin sa kanya ang spreadsheet, hindi nasunod.

Yung napag-usapan din kung saan ipupuwesto yung table at chair namin ni hubby na supposed to be ay sa gilid para may space sa gitna, hindi rin nasunod kaya super sikip talaga.

Yung slippers, hindi rin nadistribute. Ang nakakuha at nakagamit lang during the program ay sina auntie and my friends dahil nabanggit ko sa kanila ang plano ko para doon kaya kusa na silang kumuha doon.

I really wanted pa naman na nakaslippers na ang guests because I've been there. Masakit na sa paa kapag matagal naka-heels, kahit nakaupo.

Kahit kami ni hubby naka-slippers dapat, pero yung sa kanya lang kasi yung nasa resto.

Yung sa akin kasi ay ginamit ko pa sa photoshoot kaya ayun, nakalimutan at naiwan ko sa hotel room. 😅

The mistake on my part din siguro ay hindi ko maalala kung naibilin ko ba yun ng maayos sa staff nung inihatid namin.

Siguro nga nagkulang ako sa pagsabi na dapat idistribute yung mga slippers sa guests.

Nablangko na rin talaga ako the entire wedding. I hoped na yung mga nakakaalam ay nagspread na rin ng word sa mga katabi nila. 😔

Or kung naalala ko sana, sana ipinaannounce ko na rin sa host namin pero siguro ang pag-aalinlangan ko dito ay dahil ibinilang ko lang kasi yung mga nasa invitation. 😅

Kaya nag-alala ako na baka may masabi yung wala.

Kaya I hoped na binigay na lang sana nung mga staff yung slippers as the guests entered the resto kasi I thought ichicheck pa nila yung names sa seat plan na ginawa namin and igiguide nila kung saan dapat sila umupo.

Kaso ayun nga, hindi nasunod yung seat plan...

Hindi namin alam ni hubby kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari dahil naiwan pa kami sa church for pictorial noon.

By the time na nakarating kami sa resto, sinabihan na kami ng auntie ni hubby na hindi naman daw nasunod yung seat plan, at naghihigh rate na ang aking auntie dahil wala raw upuan ang dad ko, etc.

Ang thought process kasi namin when we were planning the arrangement, gusto namin ay magkakakilala yung magkakatabi para hindi awkward at walang silent atmosphere.

Kaya hindi namin ginawa yung usual na arrangement na principal sponsors sa harap followed by secondary and mga abay. Hindi namin ito ginawa.

Instead, pinagsama-sama namin by family/friends.

As much as we wanted na lahat ay nasa harap, it was not possible dahil pa rectangle yung resto.

Kaya meron at merong mapupunta sa likod.

But that does not mean that they are lesser than the rest because we only invited the people we are close with.

The people we cared about.

The people we thought would be patient and understanding.

Ni sa hinagap hindi ko naisip na maggaganun ang auntie ko sa special day namin ni hubby because sinasabi namin sa kaniya lahat ng plano namin and wala siyang comment during those times.

Even when my mom was suggesting during the planning like "dapat may ganto, dapat ganyan", sinaway pa niya na hayaan daw kami sa wedding namin.

But she kind of ruined it on the day itself. 🥲

I appreciate na she cares about my dad losing his seat, but she could have done and said it in a nice way.

All her issues during the prep until sa reception, pwede naman sanang sabihin na lang sa amin after the wedding, or if she needs to voice out dahil may kailangang iresolve, she could have approached the staff or Ms. Gladys in a nice and calm way because that day was important and special to us.

Anyway, so yeah, the seatplan was not followed.

Also, sa pagkakaalala kong sinabi ni Ms. Glads ay nagkukusa naman daw sila na kapag may suggestion, etc. ay pupunta sa amin and hihingin ang go signal namin whatsoever.

Pero ang napansin ko, si hubby pa yung nagpapasabi sa host namin and sasabihin na lang ni host through the mic para mainstruct-an ang mga staff ng gagawin.

And after ng program, nung nag-aalisan na ang guests, kinailangan pa ulit ipasabi ni hubby yung souvenirs kaya naghabol tuloy kami para iabot sa guests. 😫

So in conclusion sa reception, yung kind of service na prinesent sa amin during the planning stage ay hindi naglive up during the wedding day itself.

Ang naappreciate naman namin ay yung food which is yun din ang tumatak sa guests. Yun talaga ang bukambibig nila. 😄

Naappreciate din namin ang call ni Ms. Glads na ibaba lang sa 70 pax yung dami ng food na prinepare nila instead of 75 pax na napag-agreehan namin, dahil marami pala talaga. Ang dami pa namin tinake home. 😅

Need lang talaga nila iimprove pa yung services if they will continue to offer their resto as an events place din.

But this will serve as a lesson to both of us.

Ang total ng binayaran namin sa resto ay Php 87,484.60.

This includes the Php 5,000 deposit, the design, the food, and 8% service charge, and there were also some orders from the guests na hindi included sa package, like bottled water ata yun. Can't remember the other orders na dumagdag sa bill namin pero kasama rin ang mga ito sa may 8% service charge.

The value of the food per person was Php 1,000 x 70 pax (yup, sinobrahan na namin kahit we only expected 50-60+ guests) = Php 70,000.

Php 10,000 for the design, kasi we used real flowers.

~~~~

Here are some photos of the reception setup.