Sunday 30 June 2013

Wedding Banquet - Amara, M hotel at Tanjong Pagar

Found these banquet rates for 2013 for hotels along Tanjong Pagar.



1) M Hotel is located along Anson Road, the nearest mrt station would be Tanjong Pagar.  They have 2 ballrooms with 2 different pricing.  The banquet suite has high ceiling  and is on level 10.  The other venue is the Anson room. 

banquet rates per table for Banquet suite:
Wedding lunch: fr $698+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $918+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1018+taxes

Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $85
Wedding weekend dinner: $110
Wedding weekend dinner: $120

2) Amara Hotel is next to Tanjong Pagar mrt station
banquet rates per table:
Wedding weekend lunch: fr $888+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $888+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $988+taxes

Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $105
Wedding weekend dinner: $105
Wedding weekend dinner: $120

Watami Japanese restaurant

The set menu for 2 person at Watami was enough for 3 person, the servings were generous.

here's what we had from the Set menu for 2:

Sashimi (shrimp, salmon, scallop)



Watami salad, the salad dressing was not bad


There was a choice of Hotpot to select from, we had the hot pot with pork which came with clams and a plate of udon




 You could also select your main dish and we had the Gyu Steak Don


Tonpeiyaki as side dish

 Tempura



                                       



















Wedding Banquet - Mandarin Orchard, Grand Hyatt, Good wood Park, Sheraton, Traders, Orchard Hotel

Found these banquet rates for 2013 for hotels along Orchard Road/ Scotts Road.


1) Mandarin Orchard hotel is located along Orchard Road, the nearest mrt station would be Somerset.


banquet rates per table:
Wedding lunch: fr $898+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $998+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1208+taxes, $1288+taxes (sat)


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $105-$110
Wedding weekend dinner: $120
Wedding weekend dinner: $140- $150


2) Grand Hyatt Hotel is located at Scotts Road, nearest mrt station would be Orchard.



banquet rates per table:
Wedding lunch: fr $1188+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $1288+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1388+taxes


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $140
Wedding weekend dinner: $150

Wedding weekend dinner: $160


3) Goodwood Park Hotel  is located at Scotts Road, nearest mrt station would be Orchard.


banquet rates per table:
Wedding lunch: fr $988+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $1088+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1388+taxes


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $120
Wedding weekend dinner: $130
Wedding weekend dinner: $160



4) Sheraton Hotel is located at Scotts Road, nearest mrt station would be Newton.

banquet rates per table of 12 pax:
Wedding lunch: fr $958+taxes, $998+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $1188+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1388+taxes


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $100
Wedding weekend dinner: $120


Wedding weekend dinner: $140


5) Traders Hotel is located at Cuscaden Road, a few bus stops from Orchard mrt station.

banquet rates per table:
Wedding lunch: fr $808
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $938
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1088


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $80
Wedding weekend dinner: $95
Wedding weekend dinner: $110


6) Orchard Hotel is located at Orchard Road.

banquet rates 2014  per table:
Wedding lunch: fr $838+taxes
Wedding dinner weekday: fr $1058+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1158+taxes


Ang pow rate for break even:
Wedding lunch: $100
Wedding weekend dinner: $125
Wedding weekend dinner: $136





Sunday 23 June 2013

1 for 1 Buffet at Furama Riverfront, The Square

The Square @Furama Riverfront hotel at Havelock road serves buffet.  There was a 1 for 1 buffet promotion with various credit cards.  The restaurant was pretty packed when we were there for buffet dinner.  

The spread includes salmon sashimi, chicken rendang, pepper crab, sliced sea bass, dong po rou, minestrone soup, chilled prawn, sambal mussels, cereal prawn, penang char kway tiao, smoked salmon, salad bar and more


                                               



salmon sashimi



 dong bo rou


pepper crab



sliced sea bass was a little tough though.


                                                   


salad bar

                                           



Desert spread includes Mini cakes, pastry, ice cream 

                                                


Overall the food was alright, some dishes were a little salty though.
Considering the 1 for 1 hotel buffet dinner is available on weekends also, the price is still reasonable.


For hotel staycation, compare and get good deals here

Sunday 16 June 2013

Wedding preparation checklist

There are 101 things to do for your wedding preparation.  It is indeed busy busy busy when your actual day draws near.  Here is a wedding preparation checklist, for your planning.  Keep cool and try not to lose your temper during the preparation.  Smile and be a beautiful bride:)


Date and wedding venue
Confirm the wedding date and book wedding venue 1 to 1.5 years in advance
Have a draft guest list to estimate number of guests.

Bridal studio
Book bridal studio about 1 year in advance

Photographer, videographer
Book photographer and videographer about 1 year in advance

Wedding band
select wedding band 6-9 months in advance

Photoshoot
Have the prewedding photoshoot 6 months in advance and choose the photoshoot gowns few months before the photoshoot

Wedding invitation printing
Print the wedding invitations 3-4 months in advance, take note of printing lead time
Ensure sufficient time for mailing/distributing wedding invites.

Actual day gown
Choose your actual day gown about 4 months in advance

Solemnisation
Confirm solemniser 6-9 months in advance, file notice of marriage with ROM 3 months in advance

Wedding favor and theme
Confirm and select wedding favours and theme 1-2 months in advance


Menu and food tasting
select menu and have food tasting session 1- 1.5 months in advance

Wedding speech
Prepare wedding speech 1-2 months in advance

Meet bridal party and Emcee
Meet bridal party and emcee 1 - 2 months in advance to brief them on actual day schedule and responsibility

Guest list
confirm guest list 1 month before AD

Guo Da Li
Guo Da Li is usually 2 weeks in advance, so book the cakes and buy Guo Da Li items 2 weeks to 1 month before Guo Da Li

An Chuang
An chuang is usually about 1 week before actual day

Test montage
test montage and any slideshow 1 - 2 weeks before AD at wedding venue

Final fitting 
Final fitting of gowns few days before actual day

Collect gowns
collect wedding gowns few days before actual day

1 day before actual day 
collect bridal bouquet and decorate wedding car 1 day before actual day



Si Chuan dou hua at UOB plaza

Si Chuan dou hua restaurant is located on the 60th floor of top of UOB plaza at Raffles Place.  They have restaurants at Park Royal on Beach Road and Park Royal on Kitchener Road as well.  The restaurant is crowded on weekends so make your reservations early.

We had the shark fin soup with crab meat, spicy chicken, braised sea cucumber, baked cod fish in miso paste, steam sliced garoupa, scallop with asparagus and they did not disappoint.  It was good and tasty.

The sharks fin soup had generous chunks of crab meat. The steam sliced garoupa was served interestingly wrapped in pandan leaves in a bamboo steamer.
The spicy chicken was really spicy so try it only if you like spicy food.

For desert, we had mango pudding which came nicely presented in dry ice and hashima.

Overall it was a satisfying dinner with a view on top of UOB plaza.


Sharks fin soup with crab meat served individually
sharks fin soup


the really spicy chicken
spicy chicken

Braised sea cucumber
braised sea cucumber

Baked cod fish in miso sauce
baked fish in miso sauce

the steam sliced garoupa

steam sliced garoupa

Scallop with asparagus
scallop with asparagus


The nicely presented mango pudding with dry ice

mango pudding

Hashima for desert

Hashima


Saturday 8 June 2013

Honeymoon and Travel - Switzerland and Germany

Switzerland and Germany

In Geneva, Jet d'Eau is one of the city's landmark. We were told that on windy days and depending on wind direction, it may be turn off so that the surrounding buildings will not get wet.







Lucerne
One of the main attractions in Lucerne is the old chapel bridge and the Lion monument. 

The guide pointed out that the surrounding outline of the lion monument resembles a pig.  Can you see the ears and the snout of the pig?
 


For shopping in Lucerne, visit Bucherer, retailer for Rolex, Omega, IWC, Chopard. Tag Heuer and more and remember to get your tax refund.


In Berne, see the clock tower





Fondues
Try the Cheese Fondue and chocolate fondue in Switzerland





more pictures on Switzerland






Germany

Visit to the Black Forest region







For Switzerland hotel deals, compare and get good deals here at hotelcombined


Friday 7 June 2013

ROM and Solemnisation Hotels package

Found these packages for hotel solemnisation in Orchard and Sentosa, for your reference for 2013.


Orchard/ Newton Area
1) Goodwood Park Hotel
Poolside Solemnisation Package

Hi Tea Buffet: $75+taxes
Lunch Buffet: $95+taxes
Dinner Buffet: $110+taxes


Pan Pacific Orchard
Lunch Buffet: $78+taxes
Dinner Buffet: $98+taxes

Sentosa
Capella 
Poolside Solemnisation Package

for weekends:
Lunch Buffet: $128+taxes
Dinner Buffet: $148+taxes


For more hotel solemnisation packages, click here

For more solemnisation venues, click here

Din Tai Fung steam pork dumpling

The one Michelin star restaurant with its roots from Taiwan, with open concept kitchen and its signature steamed pork dumpling (Xiao Long Bao).  The steam pork dumplings goes well with thinly sliced ginger and vinegar.  The crab meat steam pork dumpling is good too.

                                            


Noodles with preserved vegetable






Saturday 1 June 2013

Wedding Banquet - Pan Pacific

Pan Pacific hotel is  situated at Marina Bay area, a short walk from Cityhall mrt station or Promenade mrt station and close by Suntec City and Convention Centre, Millenia Walk shopping mall and Marina square shopping mall.  They have one ballroom on level one and another on level 2.
 

Pan Pacific Singapore

 
 
Found these 2013 banquet rates per table:
 
Wedding lunch: fr $798+taxes
Wedding dinner weekend:  fr $1128+taxes

Ang pow rate for break even:

Wedding lunch: $100
Wedding weekend dinner: $130- $140
 

Haramiya Japanese BBQ at The Central, Clarke Quay

Haramiya is located at The Central, Clarke Quay.  They serve Japanese bbq and Korean food.  Diners can order the portions of meat for the Japanese BBQ from the a la carte menu or they have the a la carte BBQ buffet.  You can order the cheese dip that goes along well with the meat. 

They also serve Bibimbap and other Korean dishes.

Japanese BBQ at a fraction of cost of upmarket Japanese BBQ restaurant.

 



side dish from the Bibimbap set



the food models