A popular reception venue for a large wedding is a hotel. Many hotels have several large ballrooms that can accommodate small or big weddings. Like a one stop shop, hotels offer many services for your wedding - catering, wedding cake, audio-visual equipment and an engineer for your photo slideshow or video, flower arrangements or centerpieces for each guest table, and accommodations. Some hotels can even host your ceremony so you can have your ceremony and reception all in one place.
Some things to keep in mind is that since many large hotels have several ballrooms, they can host multiple weddings and events at the same time and on the same day. You may not be the only wedding they are catering to. Also, since hotels are almost like a public place, with many people passing through, uninvited guests may be able to slip through. This happened at a wedding I worked as the wedding videographer. Since it was a big wedding, at the time, no one knew whether or not this person was really an invited guest. He was able to sit through the dinner and eat a free meal. Later I found out that he was an invited guest.
If you are considering having your wedding reception at a hotel, be prepared to budget at least $100 per guest. This is an estimate. Prices will vary depending on hotel. It might seem like a lot but many services are included in the price. And if you spend your wedding night at the hotel after your reception, you will save on limousine costs.
Hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area to consider:
The Sheraton in Palo Alto Hotel features a Koi garden and outdoor location for a ceremony. Their main ballroom, Justine's ballroom, has a skylight that lets in warm, natural light. It looks amazing in photos and video. Ceremonies can be held in this ballroom as well.
Wedding ceremonies and receptions can also be held at the Marriott in San Mateo. They have an outdoor area with a gazebo for ceremonies. The Marriott in San Mateo is easily accessible from the freeway.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Reception Venues - Chinese Banquet
The very first thing I did, before buying a wedding dress and before booking any vendors, was reserve my wedding reception location. Once you book your wedding reception venue, you can set your wedding date.
I will cover different venues and options through a series of articles. First we have the Chinese banquet.
I am Chinese and many of my friends and family have had Chinese banquets. Commonly held at Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, Chinese banquets are generally lower in cost. Why? Most don't have alcohol and bar tabs to contend with. At Chinese banquets, drinks are usually set up at each guest table. A bottle of 7 up, apple cider, Hennessy, and a pot of hot tea for guests to serve themselves, are standard fare at each guest table. Some Chinese restaurants also don't charge for room rental or corkage fees. Food charges are based on a banquet menu, complete with 9 courses served family style (appetizer, soup, entrees), that you choose from and are charged by the table. Let's say you choose a menu that is $380 per table. The charge per person, for a table of 10 is $38. However, the charge is by the table and not by the number of people so if you had less than 10 people at a table, the charge would still be $380 per table. There are a few drawbacks for having a Chinese banquet. The tables are placed closely together to fit as many tables in a room as possible, leaving little room for guests to walk through. Decor options are also limited. Chinese banquets are ideal for large weddings, say 300 plus guests. If you have a smaller guest list, some Chinese restaurants make you share the room with other wedding parties!
If a Chinese banquet is what you are interested in, I suggest checking out the following restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Far East Cafe in San Francisco Chinatown features a private banquet room on the top floor. Their modern decor includes a hardwood dance floor and multiple TV screens for slideshows or videos. They also have a bar available. Far East Cafe is located on Grant Ave., between California and Sacramento St.
Another Chinese restaurant to check out is Gold Mountain Restaurant, also in San Francisco Chinatown on Broadway St., between Powell and Stockton St. They have 2 private banquet rooms, on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Weddings can also be held on the ground floor, but they use a partition to divide the room from the rest of the restaurant. Their food is good and they don't charge for room rental or corkage.
A fairly popular place to have a Chinese banquet in the East Bay is Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Emeryville. Located on the edge of the water, East Ocean has panoramic views of the Bay. They have a main dining room that seats up to 500, a private dining room on the lobby level that seatsup to 100, and a private dining room on the 3rd level that seats up to 50. East Ocean also has their own parking lot.
I will cover different venues and options through a series of articles. First we have the Chinese banquet.
I am Chinese and many of my friends and family have had Chinese banquets. Commonly held at Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, Chinese banquets are generally lower in cost. Why? Most don't have alcohol and bar tabs to contend with. At Chinese banquets, drinks are usually set up at each guest table. A bottle of 7 up, apple cider, Hennessy, and a pot of hot tea for guests to serve themselves, are standard fare at each guest table. Some Chinese restaurants also don't charge for room rental or corkage fees. Food charges are based on a banquet menu, complete with 9 courses served family style (appetizer, soup, entrees), that you choose from and are charged by the table. Let's say you choose a menu that is $380 per table. The charge per person, for a table of 10 is $38. However, the charge is by the table and not by the number of people so if you had less than 10 people at a table, the charge would still be $380 per table. There are a few drawbacks for having a Chinese banquet. The tables are placed closely together to fit as many tables in a room as possible, leaving little room for guests to walk through. Decor options are also limited. Chinese banquets are ideal for large weddings, say 300 plus guests. If you have a smaller guest list, some Chinese restaurants make you share the room with other wedding parties!
If a Chinese banquet is what you are interested in, I suggest checking out the following restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Far East Cafe in San Francisco Chinatown features a private banquet room on the top floor. Their modern decor includes a hardwood dance floor and multiple TV screens for slideshows or videos. They also have a bar available. Far East Cafe is located on Grant Ave., between California and Sacramento St.
Another Chinese restaurant to check out is Gold Mountain Restaurant, also in San Francisco Chinatown on Broadway St., between Powell and Stockton St. They have 2 private banquet rooms, on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Weddings can also be held on the ground floor, but they use a partition to divide the room from the rest of the restaurant. Their food is good and they don't charge for room rental or corkage.
A fairly popular place to have a Chinese banquet in the East Bay is Hong Kong East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Emeryville. Located on the edge of the water, East Ocean has panoramic views of the Bay. They have a main dining room that seats up to 500, a private dining room on the lobby level that seatsup to 100, and a private dining room on the 3rd level that seats up to 50. East Ocean also has their own parking lot.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
I'm Engaged!
For the past 5 years, I have been filming weddings. I have seen almost everything. But I have also seen so many different kinds of weddings and of different cultures.
Now I am engaged and I get to plan my own wedding! Finally! I will share my planning ideas and money saving tips as I go along.
Now I am engaged and I get to plan my own wedding! Finally! I will share my planning ideas and money saving tips as I go along.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
