reception at westin

one thing that you will definitely notice about us: mike and i are super blessed with friends who have talents and gift in different areas of interest. we have a friend who is an exquisite baker and cake decorator; at least a couple of friends who are creative and fresh graphic artists; a friend who is an eloquent witty writer (and she's a biochemist in profession); a friend who mixes and deejays both for high-profile filipino artists' concerts and family parties who, by the way, happens to have a remarkably suave singing voice as well; lotsa friends who are oozing with genuine musical talents (vocal and instrumental); and last but not the least, a (highly-eligible bachelor) friend who is a trendy and superb interior designer (he is currently working as part of wynn development team with his major project on wynn's sister property, the under-construction Encore), who has generously and willingly offered his assistance and expertise for our wedding ;) =)

kuya evan and i were emailing each other back and forth at work today (i know, bad!!!) about the wedding's setup and decors, especially at the reception site, and i promised him i would give him more details about where exactly i'm at in my concept and planning.

so i am, and here it goes...

okay, the reception. i'm sure i have previously mentioned about westin several times. see, i've noticed that majority of the wedding banquet facilities here in town are in a golf country club. (and i'm not talking about the cheesy vegas-style weddings on las vegas blvd little chapels) the only thing though is i've noticed that the highlight of holding a wedding event in country club is holding the ceremony outdoors. like i said in my previous post, i'm not exactly the garden-wedding type of bride - nope, not the castle-wedding type neither. i believe "urban modern chic" is my kind of thang, so my if-i-had-all-the-money-in-the-world type of dream wedding would be either at a sugary-white sand beach paradise or at a loft-style penthouse with towering ceilings. however, since i would have to be filthy rich to have those types of wedding especially here in las vegas, i opted for a venue where the chic-ness can still be reflected in its modern decor. mandalay bay would be my first pick here in town, but since i can't afford to pay $200 per person, the more humble yet still classy comtempo westin casuarina is just the perfect fit for me. (right, and mike.)


anyway, so far, i do not feel any regrets with picking westin even as i see or discover other venues here in town. i love how it's in the midst of bustles of the strip (it's on flamingo road but only like a hundred yards away from las vegas blvd) and yet, the environment inside the property gives you a "near yet so far" feeling from the typical boisterous vegas ambiance. well, mainly because, westin's clientele are primarily business travelers. and of course, i love the clean contemporary decor. as their website head-on described, "In a city known for glitz and glamour, our 826 guest rooms and suites offer understated style and the utmost elegance. Muted tones, soft lighting, and simple contemporary decor create an environment where you can't help but feel at ease." on top of these, their price tag, although not inexpensive, is fair and reasonable; everything needed to hold an event is pretty much included; no stupid "add-on" fees for things that you'd think are standard. plus, their event/catering sales manager is very accomodating and flexible - sweet lady, too.

the reception is going to be a sit-down plated dinner. i am so against having your guests in a "formal" once-in-a-lifetime event needing to get up from their seats to form buffet lines. i don't like the picture in my head of guests getting up and down from their seats, walking back and forth, loitering around unless, of course, they are heading to the dance floor to get their groove on. it's almost, for lack of a better word, ghetto.

acacia C & D ballroom is over 5000 sq. ft. westin's standard linens are these:

i know! isn't it great how they don't have the ever-common white/ivory linens that are usually the standard in other venues? theirs are low-toned gold with patterns in a high-quality fabric, so i am not even thinking twice about not upgrading the linens coz i won't. the matching chair covers are going to be provided as well. (99% of the venues i looked into charge $5-7 per chair for these things! like, seriously!) they even have complimentary centerpieces i.e. similar to the ones in the picture or little/simpler versions of the centerpieces i have in mind, but i'd really hate to be that stingy on decors, so we are creating our own. they are also providing a 30x30 wooden dance floor, which is, again, usually an "add-on" at other venues. chinas and flatware are going to be provided, as well as votive candles. tables can be set for 8 to 10 persons per. my current best estimate is, there will be more or less 110 guests: minimum 100/maximum 130. westin can set up a long "presidential" table (for the sponsors) and/or an elevated sweethearts table (for the bride-and-groom obviously), depending on our preference, and i honestly have not really thought about it yet.

**kuya evan, i will e-mail you two sample diagrams of the reception set-up sent to me by westin. sorry, i blabbed on and on in the beginning of this post. hehehe...

hey, guys, any input is totally welcome and appreciated!

EDIT: our actual reception at westin...