Reserve your Graduation Ball Tickets Now!

The recent survey served as guide for the MSPTA to make a shortlist of candidate venues for the Graduation Ball, approximate per head budget, and candidate dates.

With the Graduation Ball still many months away, most of the preferred venues are fully booked. At this time, there are only three remaining feasible venues, within budget.

1. Eastwood Richmonde Hotel beside the Eastwood Mall is feasible for a MINIMUM of 200 (minimum consumable requirement) and MAXIMUM of 300 attendees (space limitations) on March 25 (also waitlisted for March 18, 2011). Cost P 2,000/head. Includes a dinner buffet with unlimited iced tea.
2. Crowne Plaza beside Robinsons Galleria at Ortigas Center is feasible for a MINIMUM of 320 attendees (minimum consumable requirements) and MAXIMUM of 500 attendees (space limitations), on March 18 and March 25. Cost P 2,000/head. Includes dinner buffet with single drink.
3. Glass Garden, a large air-conditioned indoor garden venue near SM City Marikina, is feasible for 150 to 700 attendees , on March 15, 16, or 17, 2011. Cost P 1,600/head. Includes dinner buffet with unlimited drinks.

The budget covers venue, food for attendees and guests (Year 10 teachers), mobile disco and photo-booth. Due to reservation requirements, we need to collect the graduation ball ticket fees early, both to pay reservation fees and to accurately confirm headcounts. With 320 to 500 confirmed attendees, we can book Crowne Plaza (subject to availability). With 200 to 319 confirmed attendees, we can book Richmonde Hotel(subject to availability). With 150-199, or more than 500 we can book Glass Garden (and return excess fees). With less than 150 we have to revise plans.

Hence, we are requesting you to pay for your son and partner the graduation ball tickets as follows:

• P 1,800 by October 8, 2010 ( P200 discount! ) per attendee, or
• P 1,000 by October 8, 2010 and P900 by January 15, 2011 ( P100 discount! ) per attendee, or
• P 500 by October 8, 2010 and P1,450 by January 15, 2011 ( P50 discount! ) per attendee

The ticket fees are non-refundable, but transferable. After October 8, 2010, tickets may be sold for the full price of P2,000 per attendee DEPENDING ON SPACE LIMITATION of the final venue.

If for example, we reserve Richmonde Hotel which can accommodate 300 guests, we can only issue up to 300 tickets. If we have already issued 300 tickets, we can no longer sell more tickets even if we wanted to, so RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW! First come, first served!

You can pay for the tickets

• Pay by cash/check at the MSPTA office near grade school faculty room ( Sept 30 to Oct 8, 3pm to 4:30pm). If paying by check, make check in the name of Susana Clemente and Agnes Doria.
• Pay by bank deposit to to Banco De Oro bank, Concepcion branch, account number 330426435 account name Susana Clemente and Agnes Doria. After depositing, please submit a copy of the deposit slip at the MSPTA office (see above schedule), or scan deposit slip then email image to maryann@marist-community.com.

Optional expenses (such as additional souvenir items) should be covered by fund from fund-raising activities such as the cake/cookie raffle and math tutorials. We would also like to solicit your help/ donation for these activities, whether in the form of cash, cakes or time/effort.

Crowne Plaza Galleria

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is a strong candidate venue for the Marist 2011 Graduation Ball. Located beside Robinson's Galleria Mall in Ortigas Center, it can be conveniently reached from Marikina, Quezon City and Makati.

The Crowne Plaza has several possible function rooms, with capacity ranging from 100 to 800 ( Grand Ballroom). However, each function room has its assigned minimum consumable rate, which would probably translate to high per head rates if fewer people decide to attend. For example, the Grand Ballroom, with capacity for 800 has a P1,000,000 minimum consumable rate (before VAT and service charges), which translates to about P1,250 per head(before VAT and service charges), ASSUMING 800 people. But if fewer attend, e.g. 500, that would translate to P2,000 per head. Plus VAT, service charges and local taxes, this may reach P2,800 per head. Crowne Plaza is good if you can reserve and exactly fill the correct sized function room.


Crowne Plaza's beautiful ballrooms with sparkling chandeliers and high ceilings, make any event especially picturesque

Being beside a mall ( actually a part of the mall ) has its conveniences: it is very accessible, shares parking with the mall, has lots of activities for waiting parents, and numerous dining choices ( up to 10pm ).

Features

• FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED
• Capacity 100 – 800 ( Grandballroom )
• Mall parking
• High quality mobile sound system
• Handicap-friendly facilities
• Standby generator
• Air-conditioned restrooms
• Danceable flooring

The proposed menus are positively mouth watering, but include only one round of either iced tea, softdrinks, chilled juices or local beers per guest. Additional drinks cost extra, to the tune of probably P200 (plus VAT and service charge ) per drink.

Crowne Plaza will cost us about P2,000 per head, inclusive of hotel costs ( food, venue, photo booth

One of the Proposed Menus for the Graduation Ball.

BREADS
Assorted Bread Rolls

COLD APPETIZERS
Fish Terrine with Bell Pepper Coulis
Rosace of Melon and Shavings of Dried Smoked Ham
Platters of Assorted Grilled Vegetables and Confit in Olive Oil scented
with Garlic and Thyme
Seafood Tabouleh

SALAD
Seafood Penne Pasta scented with Dill Dressing
Assorted Green Salad with Selection of Dressings
Native Cheese Salad (Kesong Puti, Mozzarella, Ricotta)
with Marinated Eggplant
Niçoise Salad
Baby Potato Salad with Chorizo-Spiced
Dressing

SOUP
Crecy Soup (Carrot Soup with Bacon Shaving)

HOT DISHES
Chicken Fricassée in Red Wine Sauce with Braised Shallots,
Croutons and Parsley
Sweet and Sour Pork
Braised Flounder Fillet served with Sauce Aurore
Beef Medallion in Creamy Szechuan Pepper
Pilaf Rice with Garden Green Peas
Sautéed Baguio Beans and Carrots in Olive Oil with Rosemary
Gratin Dauphinois

HOT DESSERT
Bread and Butter Pudding

COLD DESSERT
Apple Jalousie
Chocolate Brownie
Fresh Fruit Pavlova and Cream
Raspberry Mousse Cake

SAUCES / COMPOTES / CONDIMENTS
Berry Compote
Chocolate Grissini Sticks

Freshly Brewed Coffee or Tea

Eastwood Richmonde Hotel

The Eastwood Richmonde Hotel is probably the best candidate venues for the Marist 2011 Graduation Ball. Located beside Eastwood Mall in the emerging business district of Eastwood City along C5/Libis, it is a 5 minute drive from SM City Marikina and much nearer to Marikina than Crowne Plaza in Ortigas Center.

The Eastwood Richmonde Hotel grand ballroom (combining ballrooms A, B, and C ) at the third floor can accommodate up to 300 guests ( maybe a little less with a dance floor ). It is a beautiful venue for medium to large events such as wedding receptions, debuts, birthdays and graduation balls, with sparkling chandeliers and high ceilings.

Since it is beside Eastwood Mall, parents and family can just watch the dancing fountain at the Eastwood Open Park, shop till 11pm, enjoy fine dining at the mall or City Walk 2 till 1am, or take a quick break at 24 hour restaurants ( e.g. Something Fishy ) or fastfood ( Dell's ).

Features

• FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED
• Capacity 100 – 300 ( Grandballroom )
• beautiful hotel lobby
• Mall parking
• High quality basic sound system
• Handicap-friendly facilities
• Standby generator
• Air-conditioned restrooms
• Danceable flooring
• FREE standard ceiling drapes

The proposed dinner buffet includes bottomless iced tea, something the other hotel candidate venues do not offer

The proposed buffet menus are like nirvana for the food-lovers among us. Here is a sample menu.

Cold Entrée
Smoked Salmon Platter with Dill Mustard Sauce
Cold Grilled Scallop in Sesame Soya Sauce
Fresh Cold Prawns in Cocktail Sauce
Thinly Sliced Parma Ham with Seasonal Melon Pearls
Egg Mimosa on Russian Salad
Country Style Chicken Terrine with Cranberry Sauce
Young Corn with Diced Red and Green Pimientos
Mixed Green Salad with Assorted Dressings
(Thousand Island, Caesar, Hoisin Vinaigrette, Creamy French)

Soup
Quail Consommé with Vegetables and Angel’s Hair

Main Course
Roast Beef Tenderloin and Spaetzle with Morel Sauce
Lamb Chops on Ratatouille Vegetables
Chicken Escalope Saltimbocca
Grilled Salmon Fillet with Herb Butter
Spiced Pork and Mushroom Roulades
Vegetable and Mushroom Lasagna
Buttered Broccoli with Almonds
Steamed Rice

Carving
Roast Australian Prime Rib

Dessert
Assorted Fresh Fruit Platter
Crème Brulee
White Chocolate Cheesecake
Chocolate Praline Tart
Bavarian Cream with Strawberry Sauce
Crepe Samurai

Hot Drinks
Coffee or Tea

Graduation Ball Survey Results

We tallied the questionnaire responses of the Graduation Ball Survey. Out of the 302 parents/guardians of Year 10 students, a total of 184 voted, all in favor of having a graduation ball. Of the 184 parents, 118 said their sons will bring partners. Voting multiple times for all acceptable budget, the most preferred budget per head is P2,000 per head (hotels such as Crowne Plaza).

In Favor	184
Not in favor	0

My son will bring a partner	118
My son will NOT bring a partner	66

Budget	Votes
P 900	52
P 1,600	47
P 2,000	59
P 2,500	54

Preferred Date	Votes
March 18, 2011	68
March 25, 2011	58
March 26, 2011	54
None	6

This early, many candidate venues are already booked for March 18, 25, and 26, 2011, so we should decide and make reservations as early as possible.

At this time, there are only three remaining feasible venues, within budget.

1. Eastwood Richmonde Hotel beside the Eastwood Mall is feasible for a MINIMUM of 200 (minimum consumable requirement) and MAXIMUM of 300 attendees (space limitations) on March 25 (also waitlisted for March 18, 2011). Cost P 2,000/head. Includes a dinner buffet with unlimited iced tea.
2. Crowne Plaza beside Robinsons Galleria at Ortigas Center is feasible for a MINIMUM of 320 attendees (minimum consumable requirements) and MAXIMUM of 500 attendees (space limitations), on March 18 and March 25. Cost P 2,000/head. Includes dinner buffet with single drink.
3. Glass Garden, a large air-conditioned indoor garden venue near SM City Marikina, is feasible for 150 to 700 attendees , on March 15, 16, or 17, 2011. Cost P 1,600/head. Includes dinner buffet with unlimited drinks.

Due to reservation requirements, we need to collect the graduation ball ticket fees early, both to pay reservation fees and to accurately confirm headcounts. With 320 to 500 confirmed attendees, we can book Crowne Plaza (subject to availability). With 200 to 319 confirmed attendees, we can book Eastwood Richmonde Hotel(subject to availability). With 150-199, or more than 500 we can book Glass Garden (and return excess fees). With less than 150 we have to revise plans.

Do you want your sons to have a Graduation Ball?

The MSPTA Year 10 level representative sent a PTA Circular/letter to Year 10 parents last Monday, August 6, 2010, including a questionnaire:

1. Are you in favor of having a graduation ball?

If you are in favor:


2. Will your son attend the graduation ball?
3. Will he bring a “date” or partner?
4. The Marist graduation dates are March 19, 2011 for Year 6 and March 20, 2011 for Year 10.
   What is your preferred date for the ball: Friday or Saturday before or after Year 10 graduation?
5. What is your preferred budget per head?
   • P 900 (Candidate venues: Marist School Gym, Marikina Convention Center, Water Nymph, UP Bahay ng Alumni )
     33% deposit by September 2010, balance by January 2011
   • P 1,600 (Candidate venues: large event venues e.g. Glass Garden near Santolan MRT Station)
     33% deposit by September 2010, balance by January 2011
   • P2,000 (Candidate venues: hotels such as Crowne Plaza )
     50% deposit by September 2010, balance by January 2011
   • P2,500 (Candidate venues: hotels such as Manila Peninsula)
     50% deposit by September 2010, balance by January 2011
6. Do you want to receive updates via email/text?

There are 300+ year 10 students. If there are more than 100 parents of year 10 students who are in favor of having a graduation ball, we should push through with this event. The deadline for submission of the questionnaire was August 5, 2010, but teachers report that very few have returned the questionnaire.

Perhaps parents are not interested in having a graduation ball for their sons?

Graduation Ball Discussion Forum

We have created a discussion forum for the Graduation Ball 2011 at Marist-Community.com

You could comment on the blog posts here, but for full discussions of the many topics involved in this project, register and voice your concerns, ideas and thoughts at the forum!

Water Nymph Resort

Water Nymph Resort is an event venue just a stone's throw away from the Marikina Convention Center, and accessible through the main roads of Marikina.

It is a 2,000 sq m venue with open space of 650 sq m that can accomodate up to 600 guests. Water Nymph is beautifully architectured and landscaped with water falls, greeneries and swimming pools to provide a feeling of tranquility for its guests.

Its fully airconditioned ballroom can easily accommodate 200 to 250 guests, while its open air-pavilion can accommodate another 350 to 300 guests. It has a surround sound system with subwoofers and amplifiers, par 64 spotlight with dimmers. The ballroom can be rented for P30,000 for four hours, with small incremental per hour charge for excess hours.

Accredited caterers can provide packages from P280 to P460 head, inclusive of basic amenities.

Accredited photo/video providers offer packages from P15,000 to P25,000.
See the Water Nymph Web site

Ballroom Pictures

Ballroom

Stage











Pavilion Pictures

Covered portion of pavilion

Open Pavilion

Catering Options

Planning for the Marist School Graduation ball involves a lot of thinking over options and details.

For non-hotel venues such as Glass Garden, Water Nymph, or Marikina Convention Center, we have the option to contract caterers to provide food. While providing food piecemeal might seem to be cheaper, contracting caterers usually guarantee a more pleasant dining experience to the ball attendees.

Reputable caterers normally take care of a lot of things, such as venue decorations, skirted tables and covered chairs. They provide clean and uniformed waiters and food servers, trained to provide excellent service.

They provide all the dining related incidentals such as utensils, drinking glasses, serving paraphernalia, ice for the drinks and purified water.

A less organized/improvised effort (e.g. pot luck ) to provide food will mean a lot of volunteer work and lots of expenses in venue preparation (chairs, tables, utensils, decorations etc). Getting professional caterers will normally be more cost-effective ( and less nerve wracking ) to the organizers.

Most caterers offer a wide variety of banquet and buffet possibilities, ranging from P250 per hear to P1,000 per head. For the graduation ball, we do not really want anything very heavy since we expect the attendees to go enjoy the full length of the event, from 6pm to midnight.

What we'd probably want are

• some heavy carbs ( pasta? rice? pancit ) plus some meat/fish/vegetables for the main course


• lots of finger food available all night (french fries? spring rolls? small sandwiches ) as mini snacks


• unlimited drinks ( iced tea, softdrinks, juices ) all night


• dessert ( ice cream, light cakes, puto )

We could probably get good deals from among the best (not necessarily expensive) caterers in town. Some good options are:

• Josiah's Catering - The Philippine's most innovative and trendsetting caterer


• Manila Catering Services
  - multi-awarded as the Most Outstanding Catering Services Company by the Consumer's League of the Philippines.


• Avengoza Catering Services - adept in Oriental and Continental cuisine and is well known to its clients as a symbol of elegant and fine dining

There are also venue-specific accredited list of caterers, so we will know other choices once we have selected the venue. If we decided to choose a caterer not accredited with the venue, the venue owner will normally require a "corkage" ranging from P6,000 to P30,000.

Depending on how many will attend, and how much funds will be available, we think we can get very good menu selections in the range of P300 to P600 per head.

The Glass Garden



The Glass Garden Special Events Venue is one of the candidate venues for the Marist 2011 Graduation Ball if projected attendance will exceed 300 people. It has two adjacent garden venues, each able to accomodate up to 400 guests, hence the combined area can probably fit 800.

It is a beautiful venue for medium to large events such as wedding receptions, debuts, birthdays and graduation balls. The garden venues are fully air-conditioned and covered in green and frosted white glass.

The Glass Garden is only a short drive from SM City Marikina and Santolan LRT 2 Station.

It was the venue for Kim Chiu's debut a few years ago.
Features

• FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED


• Capacity 100 – 800 ( two gardens )


• All-weather "Rain or Shine," landscaped and soundproof venues


• Use of suite room (during the event proper only) w/balcony and bridge for entrance


• Elegant bridge for grand entrance


• Over 160 parking slots with public address system


• High quality basic sound system


• Complimentary use of basic drapes/ swags


• Handicap-friendly facilities


• Standby generator 312 KVA


• Air-conditioned restrooms


• Danceable flooring


• FREE use for pre-nuptial/ pre-event pictorial


• FREE use of stage: 6 panels


• FREE standard ceiling drapes

Its Multiply web site has lots of pictures.

Accredited Caterers

• Auffrance (Tel) 438.7486, 497.5185, 497.5190 Contact Persons: Jess, Perla
• Bizu (Tel)812.6451, 812.6027 loc 102 Contact Persons: Audrey, Ara
• Jennyrei’s (Tel)381.4214, 433.4504, 09228323323 Contact Person: Jenny
• Josiah’s Catering (Tel)997.0991, 934.9252, 934.5134 Contact Person: Mherlyn
• Juan Carlo Catering (Tel)929.3674, 453.0071 Contact Person: Al
• K by Cunanan Catering (Tel)711.0940, 711.0952 Contact Persons: Meg, Rochelle
• Le Souffle (Tel)750.5810, 894.7461 Contact Person: Eunice, Cristina
• Lina Vitan Catering (Tel)922.9975, 415.3110, 928.7025 Contact Person: Ryan
• Manila Catering (Tel)376.6209, 376.6357, 415.8777 Contact Person: Jess
• Mandarin Oriental Manila (Tel)857.4768, 750.8888 Contact Person:Cyndy

Sample Themes



Masquarade Ball Theme


Hollywood Theme



Emerald Garden


Diamond Garden

Award Nights at the Emerald Garden

Candidate Venues

We scouted several venues in Marikina, Quezon City, Pasig and Makati. Our candidate venues include

Non-Hotel Venues

• Water Nymph Resort near Marikina Convention Center
• Marikina Convention Center
• UP Bahay ng Alumni inside UP Diliman Campus
• Marist School Gym inside Marist School Campus
• Glass Garden near Santolan MRT Station

Hotel Venues

• Eastwood Richmonde Hotel in Eastwood City
• The Manila Peninsula Hotel along Ayala Avenue
• Crowne Plaza at Robinsons Galleria

The best options seem to be the Eastwood Richmonde Hotel and the Glass Garden.
Non-Hotel Venues
Non-hotel venues provide us better flexibility since they allow us to choose from among their accredited caterers. See catering options

When considering non-hotel venues, we look at venue facilities and ask

• is it air-conditioned?
• is it big enough?
• are the toilets clean?
• is it accessible?
• does it include sound/lighting systems?
• does it have a standby generator?
• does it have sufficient parking?
• is there a dance floor?
• etc, etc

Hotel Venues
Hotel venues are normally more expensive, and offer less food choices. Hotels will require minimum revenues depending on the size, location of the venue within the hotel.

Hotels will normally not allow outside caterers to provide the food and drinks. Most food packages will have only one free drink, which is insufficient for a long affair such as our planned graduation ball from 6pm to midnight.

Additional drinks are normally P150 to P250 per, a bit prohibitive to most students.

Hotel published rates are normally VAT exclusive, hence most hotel proposals have fine print stating rates are exclusive of VAT and subject to 10 to 20% service charge. Hence we should expect to pay 22 to 32% more than quoted.

Marist School High School Ball 2011

New!

• The Venue
• Buffet Choices
  
• Cake Raffle
  
• Reserve your tickets now!
• Survey Results
• Eastwood Richmonde
• Crowne Plaza
• Glass Garden

One of the traditions for high school graduating classes is to have a graduation ball. It is their last party in a special venue, to celebrate the joys and victories of studying in Marist School for ten years, to bid acquaintances good bye, to wish each other good luck as they welcome new beginnings in college life and to commit to stay in touch with friends. Graduation ball is their one night to remember Marist School and friends.

The Year 10 MSPTA representatives propose to help organize the Marist School Graduation Ball 2011, specifically the venue, physical arrangements and food for the event. To make the event memorable we would like to ensure that the environment be conducive to enjoyment, that the venue be comfortable, presentable and accessible with good sounds and lights and with sufficient food and drinks for a party atmosphere.

The program itself will be handled by the graduating class and their teachers.

For the event, we propose that the basic costs related to the event such as venue fees, sounds, lights, photo and food be paid by the attendees as ticket costs. We further propose minor fund raising events such as cake/cookie raffles during the school year to defray “luxury” expenses such as decoration, photo booths, additional food/appetizer stalls, event souvenirs.

The event will be from 6pm to midnight on the Friday/Saturday before or after Graduation Day. Many graduates are expected to attend, with optional partner/”date”. Highlights of the event will be dinner, program, dancing and lots of pictures.

This project will require funding of initial costs, such as deposits and reservation fees. All venues require 30 to 50% fee to reserve the venue for the desired date, and full payment months before the event. Most caterers similarly require 20% to 50% deposit for a reservation. For hotel venues, the food will be provided by the hotel and additional drinks will cost P150+ each. For non-hotel venues, we have the flexibility to choose food caterers with unlimited drinks.

This blog is our announcement board for news and chronicles of events and activities related to the proposed project.

We now start our search for candidate venues, caterers and service providers. We similarly start to do the math for the expenses, and selling the idea to the various stakeholders: the graduating class, the parents, the teachers, Marist School and other MSPTA members.