Mandarin Oriental Singapore

[gawain]

hi Al,
BKK and Koh Samui!!! cool! I love BKK but have never been to Koh Samui. However my friends who have been keeps telling me that it is beautiful and that I must go soon!

Your first anniversary sounds just dreamy!

After booking the dinner venu, what else is there to do? When should we contact the hotel for the other arrangement? What is Oriental's protocol?

Hi Bortei,
Dun worry too much abt it, I am sure Jassie will be able to accomodate you on this. Agreed that you should give her a call. I think she must be really busy.

 

[alhana]

Hi gawain,

Yup, Koh Samui is lovely. I think going for a beach resort honeymoon is a great idea, esp after a hectic wedding. Can just relax and enjoy each other's company in a romantic environment. I love Bkk too! Planning to go again next yr, and perhaps stop by Krabi too

Hmm..after booking the dinner venue u can relax until closer till the actual day. The next time u ctc them is probably to finalise all the nitty gritty details like finalising the no of tables, decor (if u haven't already decided) etc. After everything was finalised in the contract, I only contacted Jassie for minor things like getting tiki lamps for the poolside (they do provide!), requesting for their florist's help to decorate my candles, getting the table plan for us to do the seating arrangements etc. The only thing she needed fr us was the final head count for our buffet. Dun worry...if she needs anything fr u, she'll call. And if u need any help fr her, just call her too. She's v helpful. Think most of the final discussions will be a mth b4 the actual dinner.

 

[coal]

hi all,
need advise on what to look out for when hunting for bridal package n any recommedations?
any1 know of the lucky draw result? it been 2 mth since the promo end.

 

[gawain]

Hi Al,

Thanks for the advice.. I am already counting down the months!!!

 

[oct]

Hi carol

Yah, did they call you to witness the lucky draw? before we sign the contract, jassie said she would call us to witness it but till now have not hear any new from them.

 

[cutie]

Hi all,

Agnes had told me that the draw will be held in Sep and that all brides who have signed up for the package via the bridal show will be notified.

Who's the lucky girl????

 

[gawain]

Hi Coal,

You might want to enquire about hidden costs: -
- fake eyelashes
- ampole (spelling?)
- setting of hair
- number of times for make up
- when you can have your trial
- if you don't like that make up artit's work how? (I usually request to see the make up artist's portfolio before signing up)
- How many hair dos and outfits for photoshoot
- if you have a very long day for the wedding / or have a wedding spread over 2 days if there are addtional charges for touch up or extra make up and hair
- Some boutiquest provide 2 hair do for dinner, so you'll look different after you change to your wedding gown. You may want to bargain for this as well
- When do you have to confirm on your choice of gowns for the actual day
- check if the wedding car (if provided) will come with a full tank of gas; and if you can ferry your parents and all home after the banquet and the like
- Check if there are any limitations on the flowers, if you can choose and specify your bouquet and buttoniers and corsages for actual day and photography (again, I choose to view their portfolio first)
- check if flowers for hair is provided FOC or if there are extra charges
- check what kind of flowers are provided for car decos; fresh flowers generally cost more, but last the least. Choose if you can, choose a combination of silk and fresh flowers as they last longer and travel better.
- For gowns, check if you have to pay extra for French lace, embriodery beyond the bodice of the gown.
- For EG, check if they have limitations on the type of material e.g. fully beaded material

I hope this is enough for you to start with! Happy shopping! By the way, if there are additional charges levied for any of the above, try to bargain for them to be included FOC in your package.

 

[coal]

thanks gawain

 

[oct]

it coming to the end of sept, n either Jassie or the hotel had call us on the draw.maybe it just 4 show tat they r having the draw.any1 got any idea??

 

[cutie22]

Hi oct,

When i asked agnes the other time, she said the draw will be held either in sep or oct.

Hee hee... at first i tot the draw is just for "show". But fm the way agnes told me, tink shd b true.

Perhaps u can chk wif Oriental & let us noe?

 

[bortei]

i think they should be busy with wedding dinners and wat-no.

cos now is the auspiscious month, so i reckon they must be tied down with details

 

[feb]

Hi gals

Have just signed up with Oriental and hopefully i have made the right choice. Did anyone of you holding your wedding at Oriental in Nov 2003 as well?

 

[bortei]

hi feb
welcome onboard!

mine is near september 03

who did u liase with and how many tables are u looking at?

hee...me kaypoh kaypoh.

 

[feb]

Hi Bortei Khan

I liase with Agnes and have confirm with her at 30 tables. But we believe the number of tables will increase when the day is near but we do not wish to commit ourseleves. So confirm at 30 tables safer lor..

 

[kelsey]

Hi

Planning to sign up with the Oriental but heard from a friend who went there for a seminar that the food was awful. Has anyone else had the food there? So far, I've heard that their buffet is quite good. So I was surprised that she mentioned the food was bad.

 

[alhana]

Hi Kelsey,

Are you intending to have a buffet-style dinner? Or a traditional sit-down dinner? Their buffet at Cafes des Artistes (the coffee house) is quite good, but I have attended seminars there where the buffet spread (ie outside the seminar rooms, not at coffee house) isn't quite as sumptious. I did have my wedding dinner there, and it was done buffet-style. The guests did comment that the food was not as good as tt served in the coffee house, but it definitely wasn't awful. As for sit-down dinners, I heard tt the food is actually q good!

 

[cutie22]

Hi Feb!

Welcome to the Oriental Club!!!!

Mine will be in June 03. Yah, agree that the number of tables will increase...

Hi Kelsey,

No leh! Been to a wedding dinner once, not bad leh... Anyway, u got any enquiries just feel free to let us know!

 

[feb]

Hi Cutie !

Me also not sure how is the food for Oriental. Just sign up cos' they are having a promotion at that time.

How's your preparation for your wedding ? Have you decided to have pralines or the portpourri?

 

[cutie22]

Hi Feb!

I've got nothing much to do after i settled the hotel & bridal boutique leh.... So boring...

How abt u? How is it going?

I tink both the pralines and portpourri r nice. Hard choice leh! Tink i'll most probably hv both and place them at alternate seats. Wat u tink?

 

[feb]

Hi Cutie!

Me too. Have settled on the hotel and the bridal boutique..now is like waiting for the big day to come only.

However need to do some homework by sourcing some gown design lor cos' my bridal package is MTM. Dun know wat kind of design to choose.

Am also thinking of putting pralines and portpourri on alternate seats but Agnes was advising to have all the same as it might cos' some unhappiness among the guests..

Me also cannot decide...

 

[kelsey]

Hi Cutie and Alhana,

I'm actually going to have a western sit down dinner. I don't suppose anyone has had a western sitdown there before? About 10-12 tables in the Ariel/Taeping Suites. Wanted the buffet at first but the menu didn't look that great so decided on the western set in the end.

Another friend in the hotel industry also mentioned to me that Oriental will be undergoing major renovation! Do anyone of you know anything about this? I hope it won't be anything that disrupts the wedding.

Wah....all of a sudden all these comments started popping out from people in the last week just when I'm about to sign the contract. Getting me alittle worried.

I really like the Ariel/Taeping suites when I saw it. Very cosy plus Agnes was quite helpful with my endless questions and requests.

Did any of you use the hotel cards? I didn't really examine the cards the last time so can't remember how it looks.

 

[alhana]

Hi Kelsey,

Nope, I haven't tried the western sit-down dinner before. In fact, I haven't tried that at any wedding I've ever attended! Will they have food tasting for a western sit-down too?

When are u intending to have the dinner?

My cards were the rectangular maroon-coloured ones (looks like wine list menu) Think they have it in peach, and in square shapes too. Simple yet classy.

 

[gawain]

Hi Feb,

Welcome to the club!

Kelsey,

My soon to be sister-in-law stayed at the Oriental for 6 weeks (for training) and she said that the food is quite good. (Of course after 6 weeks, despite a relatively good standard of food, she got quite sick of it.)

I have been informed by Oriental that prior to this year, there was no food tasting available by Oriental, but there were no complaints so far. But of course I only have their word to go on.

However I've been told by my friend who works in the F&B industry that Oriental has got a relatively good standard when it comes to food.I think we are all in good hands here. =)

 

[feb]

Hi gawain

So relief to hear that....

When is your big day?

 

[kelsey]

Hi Gawain,

Thanks for the feedback. It's a relief to hear that.

Hi Alhana,

My wedding will be on 15 Feb 03. I don't think they have food tasting for western sit down but I'll ask Agnes whether possible to have food tasting just for 2 people. Somehow feel safer if I've tasted the food. Planning to order a wedding cake from them....went to a wedding at rasa sentosa and the wedding cake was horrible. Very dry....so hopefully the one from Oriental will be ok. Very inconvenient if I were to bring one from outside.

 

[bortei]

Hi kelsey

congrats to u! yr wedding pretty fast. only 5 months away!!

am quite surprised to read that oriental will be undergoing renovation???
how true is that?

 

[alhana]

Hi Kelsey,

Wow ure wedding is quite near eh! Sounds like ure gonna have a small intimate affair..so nice and cosy!

I think Oriental's cakes are quite nice. I'm quite enamored of their champagne cake I also had a real wedding cake for my wedding but didn't get it from The Oriental, so not sure what theirs looks/tastes like.

Yeah, guess u can ask Agnes whether u can taste the food if its just 2 pax. What's the menu for a western dinner like?

 

[kelsey]

Hi Bortei,

I was speaking to a friend who works at Ritz Carlton....telling her about Oriental and she asked me whether I was aware that they are undergoing major renovation until next year! I'll be seeing Agnes so I'll ask her and feedback to you guys. Hopefully it's not true.

Yup only 5 months away and we haven't even signed the contract yet! My FH seems to think that we still have alot of time and how come I am panicking.

Has anyone seen the setup at Ariel/Taeping?

 

[cutie22]

Hi all,

Agnes did mention to me abt the renovation. But assure me that it wont affect the ballroom. Duno how true though...

Hi Feb!

Me oso do INTENSIVE studies on gown designs. Headache!!!

 

[bortei]

oh dear
but would it look unsightly outside?
i mean if the lobby is undergoing reno??
the hotel will not look classy liao.

i surely hope it will not affect the bridal room!

 

[tiara]

Hi Feb

My wedding is in Dec 2003, so we are pretty close in our dates.

You've already decided on your bridal boutique? Which one have you signed up with?

 

[enya]

u mean they are renovating the ballroom at the Oriental?? the grand ballroom? any idea what it's going to be like?

 

[kelsey]

Hi girls,

Here's the feedback about the renovation. Agnes said that the only reno that they are going through is for the restuarant (not sure which one) and for the Club Rooms which is about completed (the launch will be in Oct) so it won't affect the rest of the hotel at all. Good news right?

Finally signed the contract and I'm really excited. Only 4 more months to go!

Also had dinner at Pronto (the poolside restaurant) and the food wasn't too bad.

 

[bortei]

yes!! that's good news indeed!

thanks kelsey.

 

[feb]

Hi tiara

Have signed up my bridal package with Jazreel Low Collection. So nothing much to do now....

How about you?

 

[bortei]

yo gawain, cutie22, Obride & tiara

pai sey for the confusion & trouble ya.
i also dun know what went wrong and gone haywire with my email!!

so how are u gals today?

gawain thanks for yr emails.

 

[gawain]

Hi Bortei,

No probs.. hope your site visit tomorrow turns out well.

By the way I've started a thread under "Anything Under the Sun" called Cutie, Obride, Tiara, Bortei, Gawain for us to post messages, so as not to mess this thread up.

I'll see you guys there tomorrow!

 

[tiara]

Hi Feb

I have not signed up with any bridal boutique yet. So you don't have to meet up with JLC until like next year right?

I am attending bridal shows so I can get to see a variety of bridal boutiques at one stop - I have a few names on my shortlist though.

 

[gawain]

Hi Kelsey,

Thanks for the update.
I was told they were renovating, and I saw the renovations on their club floor, but at that time (in March) it looked like most of the renovations were contained to the club floor.

Wow, only 4 months to go? That's fast! You must be quite excited counting down!

Hi Feb,

Yup, after signing up for a package there seems little to do till nearer the date itself.
How did you decide on JLC?

 

[feb]

Hi gawain

Actually me and my FH also did not really do much sourcing on the bridal boutique. If i remember clearly, we only went to 2 of them - the first is Milan and the second is JLC.

Both of us hated those hard selling boutique and JLC is so different from the rest. They actually allow you to try their gowns and they do not rush you to sign for their package like what most of the boutique did. We feel very comfortable with them. Therefore without much hestitation, we sign up with them lor on our second visit.

How about you? When is your big day?
Have seen from this forum that some are sourcing for actual day photography for their wedding day in Nov 2003/Dec 2003 , do you think it is still early?

 

[gawain]

Hi Feb,

Know what you mean about hard sell. It really puts me off. One of the reasons I signed my package is because it was a sincer offer of the personal and professional service. In fact my designer told me to go shop around before coming back to him despite me being quite ready to sign with him.

My big day is in June 2003. Yours is Dec 2003 right?

I don't think it is too early to source for anything actually as the research takes sometime. It is recommened to meet with the photographer to see his/her work and see if one can communicate with him/her as well.

Also, a photographer is usually booked the whole day of a wedding. So if your photographer is booked on that one day you are looking at, there is no way he/she can do your photoshoot as well (unlike a make up artist who can do serveral make up sessions a day).

I've actually settled on my actual day photography as it was part of my package. To me, it's one less thing for me to worry about at this point in time.

Is your package MTM? Have you met the designers already?

 

[feb]

Hi gawain

Thnks for your advise and think we have to start sourcing for photography this weekend.

Care to share who is your actual day photography/videography and your bridal package?

 

[kelsey]

Hi,

I was supposed to go see the wedding setup the other day but was late...so no chance to see it. Anyone of you has an idea how the flowers for the reception is like?

 

[gawain]

Hi Kelsey,

If you read the archives, I highly recommend for all Oriental brides to go view the wedding set up so as to manage one's expectations.

If you have been the "Art of Wedding" show by the Oriental in March, you may be a bit disappointed by the actual setting as the arrangments for the show were done specially.

The reception for the actual wedding is quite nice, but are rather simple though. The flower stands along the march in are also quite simple. I understand they only provide roses and gerberras. If you want more than that, you'll have to pay for it.

I have to admit that my expectations were a little high because I saw the Hyatt themed setting and the "Art of Wedding" setting prior to seeing the actual Oriental wedding setting. The actual was not as grand as the Hyatt's (lots of pomp and circumstance).

Alhana has been a real help in that area as she sent me a photo of her banquet. Her banquet setting was quite beautiful. (Al, I'm sorry if these leads to you having to send photos to lots of ppl!)

The Oriental has been extremely helpful too. When I expressed my disappointment at the actual setting compared to the "Art of Wedding" setting, the have been quite accomodating and agreed to work with me on the actual day's flower arrangment. I think someone also shared that the Oriental agreed to provide them with center pieces like the ones in "Art of Wedding" show at no additional charge.

I am not saying that the actual setting is plain. In fact it is nice. However, please do a site inspection of an actual wedding to avoid being disappointed.

 

[gawain]

Hi Feb,

Don't rush to start sourcing ok? My FH sometimes complains that I am very gan cheong with too much concentration on the superficial things =P

Like he points out, it is the ceremony and the non-tangibles e.g. memories and celebration of that day that really counts. So be careful about being swept away by the logistics of it all =)

My designer is David Lim Lee (you can find out more about his work on this forum as well). He is a freelance WG designer and make up artist.

When I met David, I was actually looking for a make up artiste (as I was intending to do an a-la-carte thing). We talked and it came up that he designs WGs and EGs as well. I saw photos of his work as he does not keep any of his gowns. All of David's gowns are to keep.

David has friends who does photography and flowers and he does the gowns and make up. However if you want only just gowns and other items, no make up, no photography, he can arrange for that as well.

I have a budget in mind, and he was really great with working within my budget. My package includes WG (to keep), EG (to keep), make up + hair [5 times], studio/outdoor photo, flowers [studio,actual day, corsages, car deco], actual day photography. He'll loan the accessories at no charge.
*make up + hair 5x cos the wedding is spread over 2 days / actual day photography is also over 2 days.

I am sorry I can't reveal how much my package is, but it's a good bargain. Just to illustrate, I met a couple who had a budget of 1K for WG and make up. I called David to see if can do that and he said no probs, but the gown design would be simple. I think the couple has signed a package with David.

Most important thing about David is that he is very upfront and honest about his service. He'll tell me what can be done for my budget, and if not, how much more it will cost.

Do you mind sharing what is your package like? How do you find JLC so far?

 

[bortei]

hi kelsey
i can say that david is pretty good lor.
he's friendly and nice to be with.

i have worked with him before. he has done makeup for some of my projects and we will be using his service again soon. i like his makeup.

heard from my frens that he's also pretty good in WG & EGs.

i am also considering his package. like gawain, i also prefer to go ala-carte

JLC is not bad too leh. my brother in law has taken their PS and they loved the service and gowns. i yet to see it but they keep pushing us to meet this lady, ann. they gave thumbs up for her.

but too bad, my mind is more or less decided liao.

 

[feb]

Hi gawain, bortei khan

Initially also thought that it is still too early to source for actual day photographer, videographer. Having following on this forum, have realise that some have already make their booking even though their actual day is also end of next year. This makes me so kan cheong also..and like you my FH also complained...Guys just do not understand the anxiety that we girls have.

For JLC , can say that the staff are all very friendly, helpful and most important not the pushy type. I really feel comfortable with them. I will not meet up with them till after chinese new year to confirm on my gown design. So for the time being, me have to do some homework lor..

My S$3988.00 package consist of:

MTM WG (rental)
MTM EG (rental)
MTM Gent's suit (rental)
Another suit on actual day for my FIL.
Car Deco + 2 sets follow up ribbons
Hand bouquet + 4 corsages
Make up (trial + studio + day & night)
5 outfits for phototaking
30 pcs 10 R
2 pcs 8x10 table top
all negatives + proof
*Free
rental of accessories
T-dress / kua on actual day
fresh flower for phototaking
rental of Mercedes
transportation for outdoor shooting

Hope I did not miss out anything...

 

[gawain]

mmm Feb, your package quite comprehensive leh..
It's very good that they give you back the negatives and proof. Mine all digital, so no negatives.

Men always like that.. (read my post on our need to shop for gowns) so don't worry about it. Do'n't get too stressed about the planning, you have a lot of time, so just relax.. enjoy!

P.S. Forgot to mention that my package includes groom suit to keep as well.
P.P.S. Photospace will be taking the photos for photoshoot and actual day as well.

 

[bortei]

hey kelsey
my customary is next yr august and i am currently sourcing for actual day photographers now.

i have shortlisted Monica Eng so far. hee..i like her style and from the feedback , she seem a nice lady.

however for my WG/EG and wat-not, i yet to seriously finalise lor. i know what i want liao but will only start to commit next yr. cos tight budget!!!

anyway, yr package seems not bad. think it's a pretty good deal.

 

[kelsey]

Hi Alhana,

Do you mind emailing me the pic of your banquet set-up? My email address is [email protected]. Where did you hold the banquet? At the ballroom? What kinda flowers did you use?

Have not had a chance to speak to Agnes yet about the food tasting but she's been quite accomodating so far so I think it should be ok. She has quite alot of selection of dishes for me to choose from. We took the 3 course. Soup, Hot Entree and Main course. The dessert will be the wedding cake! Thinking of having a tiramisu wedding cake as that was the dessert I had on my first date with my hubby and I had to explain to him what tiramisu is!

Hi Gawain,

I did not go to the bridal show so what I've seen so far is only the photos. I told Agnes that I did not want the ice-craving and she said that she can upgrade the flowers for me. Not sure what upgrading means but she told me that only roses and gerberas. I'm having my solemnisation at the Harbour Terrace so I have to think about the flowers there too! Headache!