tldr; banquet crew were 10/10✨
it wasn’t until the actual day came around that i truly appreciated all the work that went on behind the scenes of a wedding, and why choosing a wedding venue is so much more than the location, food, price etc.
honestly, as the bride and groom, the things that stood out to us most were how professional the staff were and how we were so well taken care of 🥺
examples:
- i had two wedding assistants assigned to me and they rly took care of everything, from picking up my dress, holding my phone, letting me know when it was time to go for my make-up. they were literally my shadows and followed me everywhere and i was so so thankful 🥹 because of this, my cousin who was supposed to help me could go and sit down and have a proper meal!
- i had a military wedding, and had friends help to emcee, play audio and videos, and also a main in-charge to cue, so you can imagine there was quite a big entourage was involved. it was only after the wedding that my friends told me how reassuring the banquet manager was in arranging everything, and ensuring things went smoothly.
- said banquet manager is truly damn awesome. when he found out that my husband and I don’t take alcohol, he went around searching for a drink that matches the color of champagne as closely as possible, instead of just using apple juice 🥲
- even during his busy schedule he brought dessert and drinks to our waiting room so we could snack in between 🥹🥹
- you know how some people struggle to pop the champagne and it becomes kinda awkward? well this can be avoided if someone lifted the bottle stopper slightly, which was what our banquet manager did!! 👏🏻
- after the wedding, we headed up to our room to find our food packed for us! & no they weren’t in those dabao boxes or what, they were kept warm!
other perks of booking with mandarin oriental:
- the complimentary two night bridal stay was godsend cos honestly the first night you hardly get to enjoy it because you’re just so tired. it’s only on the second day that we managed to thoroughly enjoy the staycay.
- breakfast at embu was included for both days, dinner at embu was included for the second day! which was really soooo nice 😋
as with everything, not all was perfect and in hindsight i think these were things I should have complained about at that time, since they’re pretty serious? but aiya we kinda let it go.
- first, my husband’s name was misspelled on the table menu! 🤦🏻♀️
- next, we wanted to swap sea cucumber for mushroom after the food tasting, but on the actual day it wasn’t?! i mean…
✨OVERALL REVIEW✨
i would still recommend mandarin oriental as your wedding venue! 😊 it was luxurious, food was good, perks were generous and the staff were immaculate. the only gripe i have was w the wedding coordinator, who can be slow in replies sometimes, but then again, i have seen people with good experiences so i guess it varies.
but all in, and 8.5/10 venue!! 👰🏻♀️🤵🏻
READ: part 1 of review
#weddingvenue #mandarinoriental #MyPOV #WeddingInspo #RealTalk
Booking a wedding banquet at a top venue like Mandarin Oriental comes with benefits that go beyond just an elegant setting. Having experienced their hospitality, I'd say one of the best things was how smoothly the event was coordinated on the day itself. The dedicated wedding assistants were absolute lifesavers—they took care of so many small but important details that helped me stay calm and enjoy every moment. It meant my relatives and friends didn’t have to divide their attention between helping me and celebrating, which I really appreciated. Another highlight was the banquet manager’s thoughtfulness. When they learned we don’t drink alcohol, he made the effort to find a non-alcoholic drink that looked like champagne for our toast rather than the usual substitutes. Small gestures like these made the event feel more personalized. Beyond the wedding itself, the complimentary two-night bridal stay allowed us to recuperate and really savor our special occasion without worrying about logistics. Having access to meals at Embu for two days was a wonderful bonus that added to the overall experience. As with any event, there were minor hiccups like name misspellings and last-minute food substitutions that didn’t go as planned. But looking back, the professionalism and genuine care from the staff outweighed these issues. I’d recommend Mandarin Oriental for anyone seeking a luxurious venue where service truly makes a difference.
