Raffles Hotel

[winterwhite]

Hi gals, i am interested in having my banquet at the raffles hotel.Could you pls kindly help me with the few queries i have in mind?

1. What is the min & max number of tables required?

2. How big is their stage? Is the ballroom the same as the one showed at the website?

3. Do they charge very costly for their banquets? And are they easy to negotiate with?

Hi Suzxie,
can you pls share your pics with me?

Thanks alot

 

[selphie]

Hi Winter,

RH is good for min 20 and max 25 tables (20 is their min req). I saw the Ballroom, 25 tables may be a bit squeezy. Their chinese dinner packages starts from about $838+++ onwards. Go down and take a look, the ballroom has a nice, cozy feel..

 

[caitlin]

Hi Suzxie,

Thanks for your pictures! Sorry I didn't reply earlier cause I was away on biz trip...Quite tired now and swamped with work.

Which florist did you use? I like your stage decor...When Jenn brought me to see the hotel set-up before I signed up, the decor that day was done by Woodsville and I didn't like it so much...But wondering if I need to top up more if I use sir Charles cause it is located within Raffles Hotel, with higher rental rates I presume.

 

[winterwhite]

Hi Selphie,

thx alot for your updates..sounds like 20 tables will be better.

May i know is there only one standard ballroom for wedding banquets? Btw, is RH more costly then fullerton & Ritz? Pardon my ignorance as i am only at the very 1st stage of looking into the venue for AD. Would really appreciate if you all can share some comments why RH is your final choice?

Hi Suzxie..sorry forgotten to leave my email :
[email protected]
Hope to recieve your pics soon. Thx

 

[titania]

Hi Ladies, Any idea if Raffles Hotel does theme weddings? My BF and I were considering a British-India styled wedding complete with the Maharajah's get-up. Any one has any comment or anything to share?

 

[seval]

Dear Titania,

Raffles don't seem too creative or adventurous but you could always try. One hotel that could do very good theme wedding is Hyatt. Their wedding team is creative and strong. I've seen their setup for a arabic theme birthday party before. Very impressive. But u could always check with Raffles if they are confident of doing something like that. Most probably you have to engage an entertainment company to do it.

 

[selphie]

Hi Winter,

RH has only one ballroom for wedding dinners, I attended a wedding dinner there before and I liked the interior deco, warm pastel colours. And I needed a place which can take the range of 20 - 25 tables coz my FIL could not confirm his overseas guests list earlier.

Dear RH brides,

Any advice how many months in advance should I start meeting up RH for the theme, food tasting, wedding cards printing, wedding favours selection etc? My AD is end Oct. Or am I like late??

Thanks!

 

[bochup]

hi selphie,

u can check out my posts here. my wedding at RH was on 21 jan. hope the posts help u to keep calm in yr planning. =)

 

[seval]

Gals - How early did you gals started with the florist?

 

[selphie]

Hi bochup! Thanks dat's a wealth of info you had there.. wow you had time to do a blog amidst your wedding prep?! Me am drowning in my work and the preps! Doesnt help that my fiancee is overseas 80% of the time.. !

 

[bochup]

hi selphie,
the blog helps me and my hubby to keep in touch because we're doing long distance. sometimes phone bills too expensive or am too tired to elaborate over phone. so if blog, is easier n cheaper. =) he did the website. i only post and provide constructive nagging. =)

 

[pepper]

Hi seval

if u are choosing seasonable flowers, i think perhaps u could check with the florist the availability of flower earlier then u can provide a few options. If urs is standard flowers, u can confirm the flowers within 1 to 2 weeks with sharul, just show sharul some pictures or describe and ask them to provide mock up for u.

 

[pinkygal]

Hi Suzxie,

Can I have a look at your photos as I am thinking of RH for my wedding. Thanks in advance!

[email protected]

 

[ccteott]

Hi Suzxie,

If I am correct I think I know who you are

How have you been?
Are you back in Europe or are you still travelling around? NH and I will be there come Monday

I've uploaded some images for viewing pleasure Wedding @ Raffles

 

[irenet]

Hi all,
May i know check if anyone actually compiled MP3 in CD for playing during dinner at Raffles Hotel?

Please help to advise.

Thanks..

 

[titania]

Hi ladies, How many pple can the East India room fit? Anyone has got any pics from the Raffles ballroom? Which hotel is the grandest? Fullerton, Raffles or 4 seasons? Any comments?

 

[pepper]

Hi zenith, i did and had to test with their systems. think only one system can play the cd that i cut. u should cut one and try first.

 

[selphie]

Zenith, I have not tried my mp3 cd with RH yet but I have burnt my mp3 songs on audio CD-Rs which allows you to play the disc on all audio equipment. So I dun think there'd be much of a prob, do double check with them.

 

[cookies_gal]

Hi Titania,

Suggest that you email the coordinators at Raffles to ask them about the capacity of the East India Room. As for the pics of the ballroom, why not sign up for the wedding show at RH on 17 Apr? The ad can be found in Her World Brides.

It's difficult to compare the 3 hotels that you mentioned. They are all very different.

Firstly, Fullerton's ballroom is much bigger than Raffles/Four Seasons. Min requirement is about 30 tables. Raffles' ballroom can only accomodate 25 tables max. The larger ballroom in Four Seasons is about 28 tables max. I think you'd need to first estimate the no. of guests before going about shortlisting your banquet venue.

Secondly, make appointments to view the ballrooms in all 3 hotels. They all have their own character. Personally, I don't like Four Seasons' ballroom. The chandeliers simply do not appeal. RH's ballroom looks beautiful even when it's not decorated.

Lastly, perks included in the package. The last I know, the main gripe from couples holding their event at Four Seasons is that there is only 1 wedding favor available - chocolates. Another thing is that wedding seat covers are not complimentary at Four Seasons.

All in all, you should get in touch with the coordinators at these 3 hotels, visit their ballrooms, look at the package and make your decision. And this is assuming that the date you are looking at is still available at all 3 hotels.

Hope this helps.

 

[titania]

Hi cookie's gal, thanks for the info! It was really helpful. My BF and I are considering a British-India styled wedding. Raffles hotel fits the theme. But guest list wise it doesnt. We've got too many relatives and friends. Hopefully, can cut off some. hehehe I think I will be going down for the wedding show anyway.

 

[cookies_gal]

Hi Titania,

You're welcome! All the best in your search for THE venue!

 

[selphie]

Hi RH Brides,

Has anyone ever had your number of tables dropping to below 20, their min number? My guest list is shrinking and I am wondering if RH would allow me to say drop to 18 or 19 tables but 'consume' the tables at a later date??

Any advice or info will be greatly appreciated..

Thanks,
Selphie

 

[caitlin]

Hi Selphie,

From what I recall, the minimum no. of tables for RH is 8, not 20. BUT if your tables drop below 20 tables, they will charge you more per table (about $150 more per table I think). Never asked if I can "consume" unused table later (cause my guest list is more likely to explode) but did ask if my guest list explodes so much that I decide to do a separate wedding lunch for friends only that doesn't meet the 20 tables requirement, can they combine my 2 bookings and charge me the lower rate for both events. Was told that this cannot be done but they can go by a per head menu for me for the wedding lunch.

 

[titania]

Hi Suzxie, can share your pics with me too? [email protected] or [email protected] tks!

 

[selphie]

Hi Caitlin, thanks mine is dinner, so min. is 20 tables.. my guestlist is shrinking coz my FH's overseas guests may not be able to come in full force as we originally anticipated.. guess we'll try to talk to RH and hope they agree!

Cheers
Selphie

 

[caitlin]

Hi Selphie,

Mine is dinner also le...But info based on their proposal to me la...Maybe contract says something different after our discussions...Hmmm...

 

[cadburina]

Could u share yr pics with me too Suzxie? Many thanks! [email protected]

 

[ashlee]

maybe 20 is the min for the ballroom? I know 8 is the min for East India Room and the Casuarina suites...

 

[biba8169]

hi gals,

If not mistaken, u can opt for min 8tables but the cost per table will be higher than min 20tables menu.

Heard they gonna up their menu price by abt 10% after 17.4. they'll hv perks on wedding show lor, go see if anyone keen!!

 

[selphie]

Uh yeah mine's at The Ballroom.. sorry for the confusion there!

 

[titania]

Hi Ladies, I emailed RH for the details. The price increase is for 2006. 10%. And as for tables Minimum is 8 but u pay abt 100 more per table. Some lady called Jen emailed me the full details. Anyone wants just email me.

 

[ashlee]

Jenn is the events coordinator.

 

[selphie]

Hi RH brides,

Jenn just replied me today, I can't reduce the no. of tables below 20 coz my contract is for 20 min. I guess even if it goes by the add $100 more per table, it will cost more for 18/ 19 tables than orginial price of 20!

Okie,.. juz trying to console myself.. guess we'll invite more colleagues!

 

[ashlee]

Selphie
Know exactly how u feel. But me and fiance already mentally prepared to pay for 9 tables (for the EIR) even though we probably have only 80 guests max. Hehe, but look at it this way, at least u'll have more room and can even have a small dance floor!

 

[selphie]

Hi Ashlee,

Wow paying for 9 tables more is rather hefty. Yeah I guess better extra than not enough, yepz more spacious ballroom! haa haaa..

 

[ashlee]

Selphie
No lah, paying for nine tables in total when we are using only eight. Think will have to sell our house and our dog if we were to pay for 9 more tables! hehe...

 

[widowwitch]

hi gals.....not sure if u all remeber me....me MIA for quite a while, coz busy with work commitments and been sick.....

just wanna chk if my AD in Sept, wud it be too early to call them (wud they entertainme?) to discuss invites, flowers etc details? coz hungry ghost festival starts 3rd aug,so wud like to send out my invite b4 that date......figured wud need a mth to sort out guest list (which is more or less done by now), and to write the invites and mail them,test sound systems etc.....

my mum says that during hungry ghost mth can't do anything related to wedding...including seat plan....so wud like to settle things asap.......

di du gals eventually get to pick who's going to be ur coordinator for AD or was it pre-select? I understand from Jenn that they go by alphabetical order of the couple's last name, and we can request if we so happen to not like the coordinator we are assigned. Honestly, I wud rather not offend any1 of them.....but of coz there's a preference lor....pai seh if have to request for change if it's not my preferred....

so how's the prep so far for every1? hope that all's well.....and happy prepping!....

 

[titania]

Hi WidowWitch, u're still doing the masquerade wedding? Did they find u the favors u wanted?

 

[widowwitch]

titania,

the theme stays..... but my recent trip to hong kong found an ala moulin rouge headress.....so likely I may do away with my own mask, coz may be too overwhelming...haven't chk with designer whether he oredi made it....as for the favors, RH din get back to me....now as the date draws closer, expenses seem to be escalating....so since RH din get back to say anything abt the masks as favour, me might just stick to whichever favours RH have that doesn't require top-up....now realised my SDJ costing more than I expected , and my dad is asking for more tables than we previous agreed on....so all of a sudden got alot of sinking cost....decided to cut down on other expenses like favours etc....

sad lor, but no choice.....rather be abit realistic and prudent then to end up super poor after the wedding....coz hubby paying for everything on his own....i worry for his pocket....

 

[widowwitch]

bochup,

r u still ard here now that ur wedding is over? me wud love to see ur pix if not too troublesome?

kinda lost, planning to contact RH by end May, but not sure how to go abt, where to start.....btw, hw soon shld food tasting be done? (my AD 11th Sep)

 

[widowwitch]

btw, any1 gg for RH'S bridal fair? heard got 1 on 17th Apr? if I want to go, how shld I go abt dg it? is it too late to sign up now? last yr when sign the pkg was told by Sharul that its quite a private thing, likely they wud send invitation to the wedding couples to be of RH.....but me no receive anything leh....blur.....

 

[cookies_gal]

Hi widowwitch,

They advertised abt the bridal show in this issue of Her World Brides. Alternatively, I believe you can call up Sharul/Jenn to arrange for tickets to the show. Tickets cost $25 per couple.

As for bochup's wedding pics, they are posted on her blog. Can pm me if you want the URL.

For myself, we have arranged for food-tasting abt 6 weeks before our AD. We contacted Sharul ourselves sometime around early Mar to collect the invitation cards for printing (our AD is in June). Personally, I see no harm calling up your coordinator to fix up the first appointment, just meet up and let him/her brief you abt the sequence of the preparation process. You should also voice out your concern regarding the 7th month during the first appointment as well so that both parties can plan some sort of schedule from there.

 

[titania]

Hi Widowwitch, dont worry. Weddings always got lotsa headache. At the end of the day, just make sure u enjoy yrself! Pleasing everyone is hard. SO just do yr best and be happy! And must sure got money to spend after wedding ma. And I believe its not too late to sign up for the fair. I myself havent sign up yet. Not sure if I have smth on.

 

[widowwitch]

thx gals.....thk I wud sign up for the bridal show, since I not working that day.....and hubby oso free.....

maybe we might just see ont another there!

kakaka....scarli got ani issues we all bring up to Sharul/Jenn all at 1 go.....

titania,

thx for be so kind....me oso hope to be happy end of the day and enjoy the whole process....maybe i'm just getting to stress over the whole thing....really admire some of u here, able to handle so many things singlehandedly....me hubby and i always travelling, hardly see each other, somehow like each of us planning alone for the wedding lor.....the mood not set....

cookie gal,

u got mail!!!!

 

[schnauzie]

Hi
anyone goin for the bridal show this sunday? they have already deducted the money from ymcredit card but i have yet to receive the invite!

 

[seval]

will you receive the invite? i thought you just go?

 

[schnauzie]

! seval r u sure? coz when i attended the DC show at panpac we got an invite! ..so u mean i just be there on sunday ah?
scare got no invite..malu leh >(

 

[ashlee]

Hiya gals
Anyone knows if we can play music in The Lawn for solemnisation? Will microphone be used for the ceremony? Anyone please?

 

[seval]

Dear Ashlee,

I think so... I saw one solemnization taking place there b4. Check wif your coordinator?

 

[ashlee]

seval
Ya, will check with jenn. I thought it was only logical that they allow music but fiance doubted me. Anyways, will email Jenn next week. Cheers.