DATE: April 10, 2011
THEME: Rainbow Brite
Venue: Alexandra Clubhouse
Peso Power: 11,400
Contact Person: Ms. Jessa
Contact Number: 631-8591
Rating: Very Good
We loved the venue. Medyo madilim siya but the size is just right for our number of guests. Malakas ang aircon, which is very important for me kasi in our past events laging mahina ang aircon. Hindi siya excellent kasi medyo madilim nga, tapos nahirapan din kami kausapin si Ms. Joy (sa kanya kami nag-book before na-transfer kay Ms. Jessa). Lagi kasi siyang naka-leave and mahirap matiyumpuhan. Also, this venue requires sponsorship. Luckily, our venue décor supplier helped us with the sponsorship. All in all, maganda pa rin talaga yung venue. The high ceiling was perfect for the colorful swags and balloon décor. Very reliable din ang staff that attended to us on the day of the party.
Caterer: Verleo Catering
Peso Power: 32,600 (100 adults, 30 kids)
Account Executive: Rio
Contact Number: 361-9379 / 365-3315 / 367-5082
Rating: Very Good
This was not the first time we booked Verleo. Sila rin ang caterer nung first birthday ni Dana. I had great feedback about their service back then. Ngayon, very good na lang sila, hindi na excellent, mostly because of the head waiter. Before the party started, he did not approach me to ask whether they should scoop the food for the guests to control the portions or free scooping na lang. I noticed midway during the party that the waiters did not scoop the food kaya hindi na-control yung pagkuha ng mga tao ng food and my guests who came late, hindi na umabot dun sa ibang viand like the fish fillet and the chicken lollipop. Nevertheless, masarap naman yung food (kaya nga naubos eh) kaya very good na rin sila.
Venue Décor: Yan-Ple
Peso Power: 20,100 (balloon drops and swags, balloon burst, styro backdrop and entrance décor. Package varies depending on size of venue and specific requirements)
Contact Person: Apple Punsalan-Cabel
Contact Number: 0928-5211028
Rating: Excellent
I got Apple for Darla’s baptism and when we were planning that event, nabanggit ko na sa kanya yung plans ko for Darla’s birthday, that I wanted Rainbow Brite as theme. Aba, ang lola ko, masyadong alert! Tinanong ko lang kung available kaya yung backdrop ng Rainbow Brite, aba, nag-e-mail agad siya ng pics! Oh, eh di siya na nga! Wala nang iba! I really wanted to book Apple talaga kasi she did very well nung baptism ni Darla. Plus, siya lang yata ang nakakaintindi sa ka-OC-han ko. It was very comfortable working with her kasi she doesn’t shut down my ideas but she also speaks her mind if she feels that there’s a better way of doing things. Medyo blunt kasi ako with my opinions pero with her, feeling ko ok lang sabihin na “Ayoko niyan, ang pangit!” na hindi siya masyadong nao-offend. Or baka nao-offend din siya, kaya lang alam niyang maarte talaga ako. Hehe.
Photographer: Ging Lorenzo
Peso Power: 9,000 (Labor only with 25 4R prints chosen by Ging)
Contact Number: 0917-8525938
Rating: Very good
As usual, Ging was the first supplier I booked. I had to make sure that I get her on our preferred date. I booked her 6 months before our event date. About 3 months after booking her, I found out she’s pregnant. Medyo nag-worry ako about her condition but she made sure that she’ll be there. But just to be sure, nag-book na rin ako ng back-up. On the day of the event, she was already about 6 months pregnant, so medyo limited na ang mobility niya. But she had her sister with her as back-up photographer. The pictures still turned out great. I just wished Darla had more solo and close-up pictures.
Back-up Photographer: Jikoy Villanueva
Peso Power: 3,000
Contact Number: 0915-3533227
Rating: Very good
I booked Jikoy as back-up photographer when I found out that Ging Lorenzo was pregnant. Jikoy was our photographer at Dana’s 3rd birthday and ok naman ang mga shots niya and masipag talaga siya. May konting reklamo lang ako sa kanya, medyo he needs to work on his white balancing kasi medyo bluish yung lumalabas sa tone. He’s also not much of an expert pagdating sa photo editing. But I’m still happy with his services coz he was able to take some shots na hindi ko nakita sa shots ni Ging and I really appreciate that.
Videographer: Thor Productions
Peso Power: 10,000 (1 cam set-up with lights)
Contact Number: 0919-6752473 / 0915-9711901
Rating: To follow
Thor Productions had very good feedback for kiddie parties and since madilim ang Alexandra, I decided to book them. I read kasi in Ging Lorenzo’s blog na they bring their own lights, so instead of booking lights, I just booked them para lights and video coverage na rin. Medyo matagal lang ang delivery date nila so I’ll hold off my ratings until I get their output.
Magician/Host: Alex Lagula
Peso Power: 11,000 (booked through Yan-Ple)
Contact Person: Apple Punsalan
Contact Number: 0928-5211028
Rating: Very Good
We had Flooch for Dana’s first birthday and gusto ko iba naman for Darla. When I contacted Wizzo, he was already booked for our preferred date. So, I asked Apple’s help and she was able to get Alex Lagula. His rate was slightly higher than that of Flooch’s and Wizzo’s, but Apple assured me that he was good. True enough, magaling nga siya. He was funny, his show was very lively and both adults and kids enjoyed it very much. Akala ko lang he would include some illusion routines like making someone float. Pero walang ganun. Di ko lang alam baka iba ang rate nun. Pero, ok naman. Mas nagustuhan pa nga siya ng mom ko kesa kay Flooch kasi mas funny siya.
Cake: Kitchen Krafts
Peso Power: 3,800 (2 layers, with top layer real cake and 3d topper)
Contact Person: Ms. May
Contact Number: 0917-8349983
Rating: Very Good
I already saw a Rainbow Brite cake that Kitchen Krafts did, so automatic na sila na ang napili ko to do Darla’s cake. All inquiries and transactions were done over the phone and e-mail lang, but they delivered with flying colors. If you want a really pretty cake and you do not care much about the flavor, super ok ang Kitchen Krafts. Their cakes don’t taste bad naman but don’t expect it to be super yummy. Tama lang.
Kiddie Giveaways: Signum Enterprises
Peso Power: 3,750 (50 pieces lunchbags with lining @75 pesos per piece)
Contact Person: Nerissa
Contact Number: 0922-8183340
Rating: Excellent
I really wanted to give out lunchbags as giveaways para to double na rin as lootbags. Immediately I knew that personalized dapat yung item kasi medyo rare ang theme ng party ni Darla. Wala ka naming mahahanap na Rainbow Brite items sa Divi, so, I searched the internet for bag suppliers. I found N. Flores Enterprise sa sulit.com.ph, now known as Signum enterprises. Natuwa naman ako kasi sa Antipolo lang yung shop nila so mas madali for us. But before the delivery date of our orders, lumipat sila sa Marikina. Ok pa rin naman. I did 2 layouts for the lunchbags, for boys and for girls and just gave the layouts sa Signum. In 2 weeks, we were able to get the bags and super ok siya for the price that we paid.
Centerpiece: Print Avenue Kids
Peso Power: 3,500 (10 pieces at 350 per piece)
Contact Person: Sandra
Website: http://printavekids.multiply.com
Rating: Good
I wanted a different centerpiece for the tables and when I saw Print Avenue Kids’ 3d centerpiece, I immediately loved them. Medyo mahal siya at 350 per piece pero gusto ko talaga siya kasi para maiba naman sa usual na balloon centerpiece. Medyo na-disappoint lang ako kasi sa layout na na-approve ko, apat yung figures na naka-3d. When we picked up the centerpieces, only one side of the centerpiece ang fully 3d, meaning naka-3d si Rainbow Brite, si Darla, and 2 other characters. Doon sa kabila, si Rainbow Brite and si Darla lang ang naka-3d. Parang nadaya kami. I haven’t talked to Sandra about this. Hanggang ngayon kasi medyo naiinis pa ako.
Invitations: Print Avenue Kids
Peso Power: 4,600 (60 pieces pull-out invites plus 10 envelopes)
Contact Person: Sandra
Website: http://printavekids.multiply.com
Rating: Good
I also ordered the invitations from Print Avenue Kids. The first layout they submitted is quite disappointing. Sobrang simple and malayo dun sa mga samples nila sa multiply. I had the first layout changed. I know how to layout invitations ‘coz isa ito sa mga raket ko kaya hindi ko ma-take na pangit ang layout ng invitation ng anak ko. Hindi ko lang na-DIY ito coz I had so many things going on at work and ayoko ma-stress sa pag-DIY, kaya nga ako kumuha ng supplier eh. Hindi pa ako masyadong happy dun sa final layout, but since we are quite late na for the printing, I approved the 2nd layout na. Print quality is ok. But I could have done a better layout, di ko lang talaga kaya gumawa ng pull-out invites.
Photobooth: Cob’s Photo Toy Box
Peso Power: 4,000 (2 hours, unlimited prints)
Contact Person: Ji Pangan
Contact Number: 0932-7300790
Rating: Very Good
Cob’s Photo Toy Box is owned by my officemate. They gave me a very good price kaya I decided to book them. Plus, I also wanted to help their business coz they are a young couple with a daughter who’s the same age as Darla. But they did very well and their booth was such a hit that we decided to extend for an hour and pay the additional fee na lang kahit wala na sa budget.
Guestbook: Layout by me, Printing by Digiprint
Peso Power: 1,200 (10 pages, 8x8)
Rating: Excellent
I did the layouts a week before the event. I used up an entire afternoon doing the 5 spreads (10 pages) for the guestbook. I used the photos of Darla from Great Image and decided to make the layouts really clean and simple. I had it printed in Digiprints and after 5 days, the guestbook was delivered via LBC to our house.
Darla’s Gown: My Tita’s friend
Peso Power: 700 (labor), 500+ materials
Rating: Excellent
I designed Darla’s gown and bought the materials from Carolina’s in SM Megamall. Then we contacted a dressmaker friend of my tita to make the gown. I also asked her to make Dana’s and my top as well. Choosing the color was quite tricky. I initially wanted our color to be yellow but for some reason, I couldn’t find yellow cloth anywhere. So, I ended up buying a turquoise cloth and some fuchsia accents. I love how the gown turned out.
Darla’s Head Accessory: Fashion for Babies
Peso Power: 180
Contact Person: Marizil
Contact Number: 0922-8278965 / 0927-8605777
Rating: Excellent
For several months now, I have been a regular client of Fashion for Babies. I love sis Marizil since she can accommodate rush jobs. Her creations are very nice and intricate and very original. It’s very important for Darla to have an accessory since she has very little hair and I have FFB to thank. Super affordable pa yung price niya.
Darla’s Shoes: Tot Couture
Peso Power: 350
Website: http://totcouture.multiply.com
Rating: Excellent
It’s very hard to find a good pair of formal shoes for babies. It’s a good thing I found Tot Couture on the internet. I love the design and the color of Darla’s shoes. Ordering was also a breeze and the shoes were delivered immediately.
Nameplates and TY Cards: DIY
Peso Power: 0
Website: http://designerkit.multiply.com
Rating: Excellent
These are the only party stuffs that I can afford to DIY because of my busy schedule. So, yeah, labor of love kaya excellent. Hehe.
i love ur site!super helpful most esp for bday parties and suppliers..really love ur bebe's bday outfits!winner!wish i could ask you to design one for my bebe and me for her bday..hehehehe..love it! 
