Tagaytay Wedding Reception Venues for the Nth Time

Inhale.. Exhale.. Relax.. Waaaaaaaahh!! Panic mode na agad.

The year just started and I'm already getting worried. I got a bit busy at work and didn't have time to decide on our reception venue. And now, it's 2013 na! In less than a year we'll be getting married. So excited!! But no place booked yet. T.T

H2B and I are thinking to go to China for our honeymoon. I'd love to go there lalo na it'll be winter that time. I'll get to wear boots. Hihi. ;) The catch is, we now have to slightly cut our wedding budget so we can have the money for the trip... Deep breathing currently ongoing...

Kaya ngayon, venue hunting pa din ang drama ko! I'm having a hard time choosing the place because of my "incompatible" requirements:
a. cheap = meaning not expensive; costs less than most but has potential to be tasteful and elegant
b. view = a place overlooking taal, close to nature, better if semi-outdoor type

My sister/coordinator said that it'll be better if we'll consider having:
a. a fancy hotel for preps with taal view + a cheaper reception venue, or
b. a cheap but nice inn or BnB + a reception place with taal view

And so for the nth time, here are my latest finds:

1. Amber Garden Tagaytay - according to their emails, rent is 10k with additional fees for electricity worth 1,500 and up. I really like this place. Seems very private and the wedding celebration may be more intimate. However, when my sister went for ocular last week, she wasn't able to find the place dahil hindi nya macontact ang manager thru phone that day. :( I said we'll try again when I go on vacation soon! *fingers crossed* :D

photo from ambergardentagaytay.blogspot.com

2. Sta Rosa Heights Clubhouse - 10k rent also. This place is also nice but I'm a bit worried about the heavy traffic in StaRosa-Silang Road kapag weekend afternoons.. >.<

photo from starosaheights.webs.com

3. SotoGrande Clubhouse - 10k rent as well. Medyo 50-50 pa ko sa place na 'to. But since it made my list, may chance pa din talaga itong mapili ko. Hehe.

both photos from sulit.com.ph

4. Tagaytay Clubhouse and Suites - a.k.a. Pacific Grove, costs 18k according to my WC. This venue is very fine din but my problem is hindi neutral ang color ng windows. Yellow! At ang motif pa naman namin ay red. *imagine eye.sore*

photo from sulit.com.ph

Naubos ko na yata lahat ng venues sa Tagaytay. Meron na sanang napili if only I'm not so kuripot and oc-oc.. Hehe.

For the hotel/bnb choices, we have:
1. Joaquins Bed & Breakfast - my sister went here last week and fell in love with the place! She said the view is really breathtaking at worth it ang rooms which cost around 5k-6k per night. Not bad.
2. TwinPines Suites - this is our choice if ever hotel-without-the-view + reception-with-the-view ang manalong wedding combo. Hehe. The owners are very accommodating sabi ng sister ko at magaganda din ang rooms which cost 3k-5k per night.

I wasn't going to resume my search yet until my sister told me that the venues are nearly fully booked for weddings on December this year. Stress, stress go away. Pati si H2B nalilito na sa akin. He's saying to just get the hotel and venue that I want and don't think about cutting the budget anymore dahil kaya naman daw namin bayadan. Ayaw nya daw na mapilitan lang ako pumili. Which is ayaw ko din naman. But... I really, really want to save and be practical kahit na gusto ko matupad ang dream wedding ko.

So, good luck to my Habibi and me..
My venue hunting goes on.. To be continued..

*You hold my every moment, You calm my raging seas, You walk with me through fire.. guide us in making the best decision*