WELCOME! BIENVENIDO! MABUHAY!

Bienvenido a VATEL Manila! Established in 2005, we are an events production company servicing design needs for weddings, debuts and other gatherings. Our business ethic leans towards need-satisfaction that is why we personally guide you through your every concern regarding the event you're planning. Needless to say (but we're still saying it), going the extra mile is second nature to VATEL Manila.

Because Vatel Manila takes its inspiration from the legendary 17th-century Chef de Cuisine, François Vatel, we guarantee delightful and memorable celebrations.

OUR SERVICES
1.) Venue: The Mango Farm in Antipolo City is home to VATEL Manila.
2.) Garden Wedding Styling: This service is exclusive to The Mango Farm only.
3.) Entourage Flowers: We deliver to events within Metro Manila. One Event Per Day Only.
4.) Church & Reception Styling: Over-all styling according to your specifications. We will work closely with your coordinators. One Event Per Day Only.

TO SET A MEETING OR GET A FREE QUOTATION, CONTACT US!
Dylan Yap Gozum
Mobile: + 63.915.383.8803
Landline: +632.645.6993 (The Mango Farm)
vatelmanila@gmail.com
By Appointment Only.

Once again, a warm welcome to VATEL Manila!

QUALITY ASSURANCE: VATEL MANILA uses Mokuba Ribbons

GETTING MARRIED? WHY NOT SAY "I DO!" IN THE PHILIPPINES?

Getting married in the Philippines has its perks. For one, your money goes a long, long way in making your dream wedding come true. From charming garden setups to delightful receptions (with great party music from the world's best musicians) and, of course, memorable beach honeymoon getaways, there's always something - and someone - to fulfill your every wish! So, if a tropical wedding and honeymoon comes to mind and you happen to set your sights on us, just let us know how we can be of help.

Email us your queries at info@themangofarm.com

CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF VATEL MANILA: THE 100 BOUQUETS PROJECT

As we near our 5th anniversary in February of 2010, we're working on something we have entitled as THE 100 BOUQUETS PROJECT featuring 100 bridal bouquets and wedding floral arrangements made by yours truly. This will be compiled in a coffeetable book and will form part of our catalogue. We hope your bouquet finds its way in this book's pages. :-)

CHOLO AYUYAO: COSTUME JEWELER PAR EXCELLENCE

Clarence Benedict Ayuyao, or Cholo for short, has been a very good friend of mine for some years now. I think he's one of the most talented persons I've ever met in the wedding industry. Wedding Essentials has featured - and continues to feature - his works. One look at his recent creations reminded me of Rose Anne de Pampelonne's, but Cholo's works are a little less structured ergo more visual, festive and full of character. The two pieces below, for example, took my breath away. The marriage of brute force and undeniable femininity attest to the brilliance of Cholo's sense of style and design ethic.

Beginning 2010, Cholo's works will now be part of Vatel Manila's offerings. Our partnership will, at the beginning, center on smaller pieces for the entourage members like embellished fabric corsages and wristers which are gifts in themselves (say goodbye to flowers which we throw away anyway after the event is done!). Vatel Manila, however, will continue making unique bouquets and other arrangements using fresh flowers as required by clients.

We are very proud and happy to work with Cholo Ayuyao, and thankful for allowing us to bask in his talent that never fails to surprise. To reach Cholo directly, you can send your inquiries or appointment requests to: d_jeweler@yahoo.com

Click on advert to enlarge.

TANRIOSA - APUN (February 20, 2010)

NANA - MORAN (February 6, 2010)

SYQUIMSIAM - MANLAPAZ (January 3, 2010)

CRUZ - BINAG (December 20, 2009)

PATAPAT - JUANSON (December 19, 2009)

GISBERT - AGUIRRE (December 14, 2009)

CO - TY (December 13, 2009)

SINGUI - CARREON (December 8, 2009)

TAN - GONZALES (December 6, 2009)

BAYARCAL - AñONUEVO (November 7, 2009)

Here's an event that was seasonally-correct. Autumn usually happens early September to late November and although we do not experience this season here, who says we can't recreate it? Left: Plastic maple leaves for the floral centerpieces at the reception. Right: Nice peach-y Alstromeria arranged on the tin pails for the aisle. Oh, by the way, here are the couple's pre-nup photos by the amazing Bryan Yap. The slideshow of the preps & wedding photos are here. I don't like wedding videos. They make me cry. :-(

THE WEDDING CEREMONY AT THE ROJO GARDEN


I like this particular garden wedding because compared to the others I've done which were really structured, this really brought back the charm of real garden weddings. Even though it was humid, at least it didn't rain! Really thanking the heavens for this gift. Anyhow, I always believe that every event should capture the couple's personalities. It's the only way to make your wedding special and memorable - being surround by things (and people) familiar and loved, and this is what Melo & Karel did for their day. :-)

Thanks to the Farm's senior staff, Tony, the dried-up tree that was destroyed during Santi is now back, having been reconstructed from dozens of small pieces of branches. Of course it's nothing like the original, but where the heck do I look for an appropriate dried-up tree in a week's time? Here, it is dressed up with items that have traveled from halfway around the world. These nice green Amaranthus arrived the night before from Ecuador. The Mokara orchids are from Bangkok. Crystals from Landmark (LOL! Now you know where I shop for my thingamajigs).

The rite was entirely in Filipino, the couple being former students of the UPIS where most of the subjects are taught in Filipino.




Details, too, make the event: Curly willow cuttings freshly delivered from China and our white Moroccan lamps as luminaries to line the pathways to the reception area.

"Panalangin ko sa habang buhay / Makapiling ka Makasama ka / Yan ang panalangin ko..." (from PANALANGIN by the Apo Hiking Society)



THE RECEPTION AT THE GLASS PAVILION


Because of weather unpredictability (lately, more so), the couple decided to move the reception into the air-conditioned Glass Pavilion. Methinks the setup was prettier when it was done here - guests actually feel transported to an autumn evening in the US. The warm orange tones and the homey feel of brown make for a delightful way of celebrating special moments like this.

Yes Virginia, there are other uses for Martini glasses!



The cake is part of the Cunanan package with the Farm and the bride chose to get an all-white cake and left it to me to decorate. I didn't have any idea what to do with a white cake until an hour before it was to be taken inside the reception hall. I decided to make use of strips of brown moiré Mokuba ribbon (the same one used for the bride's bouquet), orange Mokara orchids, ivy (the kind that grows on walls) and dead branches from the manzanita tree. Methinks it looks delectable enough to eat! :-) This is such a great way of injecting personality into your cake. Go D-I-Y!



The Farm is abloom with hyacinths and tiny wild sunflowers - a tribute to love that have been blessed and sealed on these hallowed grounds. To Melo & Karel, all the best to you! A happy life, lots of kids, more travels to Coron and beyond! :-)

THE ENTOURAGE FLOWERS


The bride's bouquet is autumn at its best: warm yellows, oranges, & greens that seem almost edible (bring in the feta cheese, olives, & the salad dressing!). For this project, we used Leucospermum, Leucadendron, Hypericum berries, Mokara orchids, Mollucela, Calla Lilies (sadly, the only local component!), and two-toned tulips. I was waiting until 8PM for them beauties to arrive from the airport (flown from Ecuador via Hong Kong; buti pa sila!). Anyhow, the handle is tied with a brown moiré Mokuba ribbon & accented with a diamond brooch.

Left: The rest of the entourage flowers are familiar because I keep repeating this arrangement but really, how can one go wrong with sturdy and happy flowers like the Alstromeria, rice flowers, and Snapdragons? They go well with any kind of wedding - be it rustic or formal. This is our way of supporting local flower farms - the lower costs, of course, is translated into savings for couples. Right: A green tin pail goes rustic with different shades of Alstromeria and rice flowers (yellow, pink) and accented with a dried vine.


SUPPLIERS//

Ceremony Setup//

Entourage Flowers//

Caterer//

K by Cunanan Catering
c/o Kaye Cunanan
Tel. Nos. 711.0940 (look for Meg)

Coordination//
by Eden. events. gifts. flowers
Eden Ilagan, General Manager
Tel. Nos. 408.4230, 0917.531.8514
Email: eden.ilagan@gmail.com

Photographer//
Bryan Yap
http://bryanyap.net/
4215 Buffalo St. Rancho Estate IV-East, Marikina City
940.4765 / 0919.8043777

Music//
BLUESUB Music Assembly

FAVORITE SITES

We are huge fans of weddings but garden weddings, more so. For those who will be having or are thinking of doing garden weddings, you can get fresh ideas from our favorite sites:

Green Wedding Shoes

Visit the site here!
Add Green Wedding Shoes via Facebook!

Southern Weddings Magazine

Visit their site here!

I really wish I could recreate some of the weddings in these sites here in the Philippines, but not many brides are as adventurous. :-(

VATEL MANILA TAKES A BREAK

BLAST FROM THE PAST: SYDNEY & RENETTE

Came across Studio A Photography's coverage of this wedding. I was teary eyed with the song, WHEN GOD MADE YOU by Newsong, feat. Natalie Grant. One of the best non-mainstream love song I've ever heard. It made me feel sad, too, about being in the wedding industry where couples come and go. Nakaka-miss din pala the e-mail exchanges, the bantering, the interminable SMS kulitan. *sighs*

BLAST FROM THE PAST: GINO & IVY

I have long waited for these photos to be posted at Andy Samaniego's blog and here they are at last! I recall with fondness this September 12 wedding. One of Vatel Manila's favourite in recent memory. Oh, if it only weren't raining! :-)




More photos here: Andy Samaniego's Blog

EXPERIENCE K. BY CUNANAN AT THE MANGO FARM

Right click on the photo to enlarge.

MONPONBANUA - REGINO (September 12, 2009)

Long preps finally ended today with this beautiful and moving wedding at the Farm. Despite two low depression areas present in the country which saw seemingly interminable rainfall for more than 40 hours (as of this writing, it is still raining), the couple's joie de vivre saw the event through with class and panache. Our favorite parts of the wedding were the vows, but what got us teary eyed were the couple's messages to their fathers.Vatel Manila sends its warmest greetings to our couple! May you be blessed abundantly and may God grant the wishes of your hearts. :-)

Left: The mixture of white & yellow Liliums with a background of Dancing Lady orchids (Oncidium sp.) gave the all-white chiffon altar the life it needed. Right: We also received delivery of our new couple's chairs in black and white damask and Philippine mahogany (otherwise known as 'lauan') in matte black finish. Technically, 'lauan' is not a mahogany, but enough of this botanical discussion. Suffice to say that the chairs are very plush and comfortable, thanks to our craftsmen from Betis, Pampanga.

Left: Last touches by the make-up artist. This wonderful Grecian-inspired gown was by Mitzi Quilendrino Bustos, a friend of the couple. Right: The beautiful bride with her father as they approach the altar. We used abaca for our carpet.

Aisle flowers were white Alstromeria & succulent roses in tin pails. Our new candle stand (white, in the middle) is carved wood patterned after silver candle stands in old Philippine churches. Made by the same craftsmen who made my new chairs.


..."A future wherein I promise to always give my best for you. A future where I will always stand by you." - excerpt from the groom's wedding vow


THE RECEPTION AT THE GLASS PAVILION


Left: VIP table setup by Hizon's Catering. Right: A view of the couple's stage.

Left: A beef steak carving station is always a nice add-on in every buffet setup. Right: Signature desserts that were developed when my first cousin was pastry chef at Hizon's Catering. Hizon's is known for their dessert buffets. Well, among other things, but their dessert buffets are really sought after.

Left: Good friends really make for great event hosts! Right: Enjoying the AVP.

THE ENTOURAGE FLOWERS


The bridal bouquet is composed of vanilla-white Calla Lilies with dainty Queen Anne's Lace & crystals in between. Completing the look is a belt of fine ostrich feathers, a fully beaded ribbon, and a diamond brooch. The lilies also come in other colors like pink, yellow, & burgundy. TIP: Order at least 1-2 months ahead!

For the entourage, we made use of bright colors to brighten up the silver-gray color scheme. Left: Orange & peach roses went well with tiny elder flowers & yellow snapdragons (one-sided only). Right: Happy Alstromeria baskets for the girls.

SUPPLIERS LIST//

Ceremony//


Entourage Flowers//


Caterer//

Hizon's Catering

Photo & Video//
ANDY SAMANIEGO & FRANCIS REYES
Visit: http://www.andysamaniego.blogspot.com/
Contact Details Pending

IMAGINE NATION PHOTOGRAPHY
c/o John Mateos Ong
G/F Oasis Manila
169 Aurora Boulevard, San Juan
Metro Manila
Tel Nos. 727.6295

Photo Booth//
BaiCapture
Unit 1 Southway Condominium, Mayapis corner Bakawan Streets
San Antonio Village 1203, Makati City, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 894.1500
Fax: + 63 2 894 3590
Mobile: +63 917 899.9710

Bridal Gown//
MITZI QUILENDRINO BUSTOS
The MANILA ATELIER: 836 F. Cayco St. Manila 1008.
MAUD the STORE: Archaeology, R2 Level, Power Plant Mall, Makati.
Tel: 896-8526.
Fax: 731-5778.
Mobile: 0917-8996437.
Email: Mitziquilendrino@yahoo.com.
By appointment only

Hair & Arm Accessories//
CIARA MARASIGAN-SERUMGARD
Email: artist@ciaracreates.com
Mobile: +63 (918) 922-0795
US Mobile: +1 (818) 730-6825
Telefax: +63 (2) 899-4080
Landline: +63 (2) 896-5450

Shoes//
JANILYN
Designed by the bride herself, executed by Janilyn

LIVING ESSENTIALS* COMING SOON

Our own furniture line. Coming very soon. :-)

ACOB - VICTORIANO (September 9, 2009)

This wedding proves that you can hatch an event like this with only less than six (6) months to go. Oh, to be sure others have been shorter, but if you're all alone doing the bridal duties while the groom is in Honolulu, expect the stress levels to shoot through the roof. Au contraire, the bride was all grace and poise until the very day, so hats off to you! :-) Also, because everyone deserves a break, the good Lord allowed the sun to come out - a welcome break from three weeks of continuous rain. I can't wait for the dry season which is expected to begin this last week of September.

Left: Our tree finds new life in this wedding as a "cherry tree" with white Dendrobium orchids as "cherry blossoms". Each orchid was taped individually to the branches making this a total time-eater, but the end product is so worth the effort. Right: A young girl blossoms on her own - quite literally. Roses on the dress, Mokara orchids on the head!

Heavyweights from government (left) discuss conspiracy theories as the flower girls (right) have more mundane things to take care off like loose floral crowns.

Principal sponsors socialize as they wait for their turn to walk down the aisle.

The bride gets off the Benz and moves nearer to the red carpet.

Together at last! :-)

I am happy that I made the decision to put this tree off-center. First, my idea is to put the focus on the couple by providing them a bare background (covered only by this sheer curtain), but the tree does finds its place in the scheme of things - it provides the balance needed to this very simple altar setup yet it gives cheers and warmth because of its flowers and lit candles.

ENTOURAGE FLOWERS by Dylan Gozum

The bridal bouquet is one of my recent favorites - the marriage of yellow & rust orange Ecuadorian roses gives off that warm & comfortable feeling, especially in this times of really sad weather. Giving it character are white wax flowers (Chamelaucium uncinatum) & red Hypericum berries. Completing the look is a wrap of eucalyptus leaves, satin ribbon, and a diamond brooch with a white ostrich feather.

Going with the motif of warm & cozy are the rest of the entourage flowers. Left: The bouquets for the mothers are made of yellow & white Alstromeria, white wax flowers, and white snapdragon. Right: The baskets for the flowers girls are full of lush white Altromeria and yellow-orange berries. For the crowns, they had orange Mokara orchids (not in the photos).

SUPPLIERS//

Ceremony Setup//

Entourage Flowers//

Caterer//

Hizon's Catering

Photo & Video//

EXTREME DETAILS Photography

Arch Edu Cortez

Mobile:0921.2611005

Landline: Office: 02.382.7659

E-mail: arch_escortez19376@yahoo.com

Office Add: 14A, 2nd floor, Unit 2, Hon. B. Soliven Avenue,

Cainta Greenpark (Near Sta. Lucia East, Grand Mall)

Site: http://extremedetails.multiply.com/

MARTHA STEWART WEDDINGS SHOOT AT THE FARM

The event today was covered by Martha Stewart Weddings Philippines, the magazine’s only other franchise outside the US mainland. For propriety reasons, I am not mentioning the name of the couple as Vatel Manila isn’t part of their suppliers list, but I am working on this shoot as the Farm’s Operations Manager. The setup today is K. by Cunanan Catering, one of our accredited caterers.

Left: Luggage bag tags to go. Useful giveaways are so in! Right: Cunanan's floral centerpieces.

Subtlety is the best policy. The centerpieces are composed of pretty whites: tiny elder flowers, lush roses, and button mums with touches of carnations. Paper doilies were spray painted black to go with the theme.

Here's a great idea! Instead of the usual long & tepid introduction of the principal sponsors, honor them by providing these B&W photos with short descriptions. These were taped to an accordion-like cardboard and placed on every table. For this event, the couple used the sponsors' wedding photos which pretty much gave special meaning to the occassion and the act of marriage itself.

Left: These 'photo albums' also have the table numbers, which are printed in the middle. Right: Banquet tables were used in the Glass Pavilion, but this is not the usual arrangement. Instead, alternating opposites was the order of the day. This is for a 250-seater affair.

The tables sported black fabric borders which gave them a really distinct look. The gifts (right) also followed the black, white & green motif.

Vatel Manila's contribution to this shoot was via a Eureka! moment. Faced with the sight of a single black side table lamp as the only backdrop of the couple, we asked permission from Ms. Kaye Cunanan if we can introduce a design feature - a dried-up calamansi tree that I found lying on an empty lot in the village where I live. I was saving this for a wedding in December, but at that moment I felt that it will go perfectly well with the entire setup. So, here it is. :-)

Left: The use of dry branches for receptions is all the rage now in the United States. And by dry branches I do not mean those that are painted white or the stems sold on Manila's streets during the Christmas season and then nailed to a single large branch. Those kind of branch treatments are so two years ago (made popular by Katherine Heigl's winter wedding in December 2007). The look we are after is the feel of a real tree - sans leaves. The light effects cast a really nice shadow on the ceiling, which adds character. You can also add crystals to this tree if you want. Right: Weddings are not just solemn occasions, they are also parties so having a bar like this one - with a really good bartender - will spell the difference between fun and boring. Besides, you only get married once (we hope!).

Left: The wedding cake against the tree. White Moroccan lamps from yours truly. I had to replace the flowers I used for the tree with something. Right: Details of the table for the principal sponsors. Tables do not have to be as wide as airport runways where the guests won't be able to talk to each other. The more important things are ease of movement - wide elbow rooms, for example. If you must insist on tall centerpieces, make sure there's space beneath for people to see each other and put the jars far in between.

Left: Setting up the buffet table at the gallery portion of the Pavilion allows guests to move freely as well as to enjoy the outdoors (a break from the chilly air-conditioning, if you must, or have that quick yosi break). Right: Top view of the principal table.

My favorite part of the shoot was styling the cake. If your venue + catering package comes with a cake and you only have 8-10 choices to choose from with the most usual of designs, this shouldn’t stop you from making the cake reflect your personality. Black lace was all it took to make this plain white cake as elegant as the one in the next photo (yes, it's the same cake!). This was the bride’s idea; she bought the lace and the silk flowers, Ms. Kaye cut the tape and we arranged the lace around the white bows and fixed the black silk flowers at the bottom, too. Fab, ano? In November, we will be doing this again for an Autumn theme where we'd be sticking dried branches into the brown-and-orange cake to give it that country look. Can't wait! Anyhow, that's it for now, folks! :-)

(Special thanks to the couple for making this shoot at the Farm possible.)

EVENT STYLING: INFORMAL FILIPINIANA

Many years ago when Vatel Manila was just starting, we did a setup which we will now call as 'Informal Filipinina'. No, we didn't have a client that time, but I felt that I needed to make concepts just in case it was needed in some future event. A recent series of articles in a well-known Philippine wedding magazine featured four stylists who were asked to interpret Filipiniana, and I sensed that the idea really has not evolved much. 'Filipiniana' is still heavily dependent on what kind one is trying to evoke. There are many things to consider - period, for one. Are we speaking of pre-colonial, colonial (which one - Spanish? American?), and then there's the great decades of the 20's, 30's to the 80's during which great design flourished all over the world. It could also be thematic. There are designs to be borrowed from everywhere - from the cold sections of the North (pine, pine cones, moss) to the eclectic Visayas (intricate embroidery, for instance) and the grand South (so many things one can use from the Maranao treasure trove of symbols). For our particular setup, we used very few elements - burnay jars, banig place mats, a tribal fabric as table cloth, antique wooden candle stands and Sarao jeepney horses. For those who want to work with a Filipiniana motif, one needs to brainstorm with your stylist and caterer to get the idea you really want. One can use one's own background (where were you born? Where did your parents come from?) to one's present circumstances (your favorite Pinoy food, for example). It doesn't have to be terribly traditional but even if it has to come down to that, the food and the overall presentation can be made modern and updated. Even for us Filipinos, 'Filipiniana' isn't as easy as you think!

Business - Dream wedding or starter fund? - INQUIRER.net

Hmmmm... A very difficult choice indeed! :-)

Business - Dream wedding or starter fund? - INQUIRER.net

Shared via AddThis

Business - Money Talk for Newlyweds - INQUIRER.net

Here's something really interesting from Inquirer Money. :-)

Business - Money Talk for Newlyweds - INQUIRER.net

Shared via AddThis

DELA CRUZ - CARILLO (July 5, 2009) - PART DEUX

Official Event Photographer//
James Limsoc Photography
EMBASSY PHOTO
14C Bayan-bayanan Ave. Concepcion I, Marikina City
Shop Telefax: 948-4958 Look for Rose
Home Office: 216-8492 / 942-3007
Look for Malou Limsoc for inquiries
From 10am-6pm Mon-Fri only
Mobile Numbers: 0917-8527162 / 0917-8527436

Photos courtesy of the Groom. Super super thank you!

SPICE UP YOUR COCKTAILS!

DELA CRUZ - CARILLO (July 5, 2009)

Something terribly stupid happened to me today. While taking photos of the entourage flowers - click, click, click - I realized rather too late in the evening when I was about to upload the photos that the CF card wasn't in the bloody camera during the shoot. I almost died (yet again!). Anyhow, I pray that the couple will have pity on me and send me some of their wedding photos, ha ha ha! Anyhow, here are some shots of their very beautiful event, rain notwithstanding (behind the scenes, Ms. Lace of K by Cunanan Catering and I were tripping over each other in trying to finish stuff - there was no coordinator, too, so you already know what that means!) . Anyhow, we have to hand it to the groom for the amazing bridal duties he's done in the bride's absence. I really loved the details of the invitation and the menu selection.

For the entourage, we made lush arrangements of white Alstromeria, white rice flowers and canary yellow snapdragons. For the kids, we made baskets of white Alstromeria, rosette succulents and green berries. For the mothers, we made smaller bouquets of yellow Cymbidium orchids and snapdragons.

The caterer's setup today is sparse, but in keeping with the overall theme which was minimalist Japanese (sorry folks, there's no such thing as 'Zen' when it comes to setups).

For the bride, we created a loosely arranged bouquet of canary yellow tulips mixed with rice flowers and snapdragons. The traditional arrangement for tulips is to clump them together and surround them with Gypsophila and a Polipodium wrap. Not today, hah!

The couple never really wanted to do their wedding outdoors fearing the humidity so their ceremony was fused with the reception. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this setup. Anyhow, for the altar, the caterer used their waterfalls. For the carpet, coffee-bean sack was used. The groom provided the potted Horse Tail plants (which I bought after the event, he he!).

The "Awwwww..." moment.

I am loving how the caterer recreated cherry blossoms by using these vines which you can buy at the Laong Laan portion of Dangwa, and attached loose white Dendrobium orchids. I think you can also do with this Alstromeria which has bolder colors - pomelo, yellow, red and whites with hints of yellow. Anyhow, I think it was a wonderful setup.

During the course of the vows, I think the bride quoted Philippians 1:3,"I thank my God each time I think of you..." which is one of my favorite Biblical lines. May we all feel the same way when we think of our friends and loved ones. To the couple, all the best! :-)

SUPPLIERS//

Ceremony Styling & Caterer//

K by Cunanan Catering
c/o Kaye Cunanan
Tel. Nos. 711.0940 (look for Meg)

Music//
Musical Mics-Up

For bookings and information:
Mico Solomon Tel. Nos. 0916.449.9467 & 0918.698.0892

Entourage Flowers//

Gown//

Cecilio Abad

http://www.cecilioabad.com.ph/