Reception Site...Check!

Since August, we were looking for the perfect place to hold our wedding reception. We wanted it to be close to All Saints Church, but we found no options in Hayward area. San Francisco, for me, was never an option for a good number of reasons:

• I do not want our guests to pay extra $3.00 for bridge toll.
• Parking is very hard (and/or expensive) in San Francisco.
• It is much more expensive to have a reception in the city.

We then looked around the Pleasanton-San Ramon-Livermore area and narrowed our choices to 2: The San Ramon Marriot & The Bridges Golf Club, both on Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon, CA.

The Bridges Golf Club is beautiful with it's mediterrenean villa sitting on the golfcourse with a majestic view of the fairways & hills. It's main ballroom (garden pavillion) is very nice. The windows are so big, you have a very good view of the outside and it can actually be the backdrop of the reception. However, our wedding is in the summer, thus, long days. At 8:00 in the evening, it's still bright, and you cannot actually use the nice chandeliers, candles, luminaries (which are free by the way) and how can we possible show the AVP? we have to wait till it's really dark right...and what, risk the fact that our some guests have gone home already? No way! Besides, we will be seated by the window, so how would our pictures look like? Sorr, but details like these are very important to me.

On the otherhand, San Ramon Marriott speaks for its name already. Although, it doesn't have a majestic view, you can never go wrong (i hope) with the hotel's food & service. Aside from the fact that the cost is very close to that of The Bridges, well, we get a free room...a group rate for our guests...and a pre-reception area with an access to the courtyard! woohoo! See? And, I so love their chandelier.

With correspondents between Marriot & us, we were invited for a Taste Panel (Food Tasting) with how they will set up the ballroom, a band, a photogrpaher. This Taste Panel was actaully for those who booked their companies for Christmas Parties at SR Marriott. We were invited because I insisted that I want to see their set-up (at the very least) before I sign the Sales Agreement. As usual, food was great, although they served the Holiday Package which we, of course won't be getting.

Finally, I went to SR Marriot and paid the downpayment that would reserve the date for us...DeLeon-Soriano Wedding, July 7, 2006.

Now, I can move on once again with the wedding preps. It feels so good to have accomplished something and to take a major vendor off my To-Do list.

Reception Site...Check!

Note: Pictures courtesy of San Ramon Marriot Official Website.