Sunday, February 6, 2011

Patio Victoria: Garden Weddings in Metro Manila

Even as a child, Cristina Gonzalez-Romualdez loved weddings. She was fascinated by everything about them" the wedding dress, color motif, flowers and even the table arrangements. She also adored the little flower girls in their cute pastel-colored dresses.

" So I knew, even then, that when it was my time to get married, it would be memorable." Says Cristina, who is now the happily married mother of two girls, Sofia (four years old) and Diana (four months old).

Cristina's wedding to then-Leyte congressman Alfred Romualdez a years back is indeed something that the former actress and her guests will remember forever. Walking down the aisle in a beaded Pepito Albert gown that enhanced her delicate mestiza features, Cristina was a truly unforgettable bride.

When she would later think about a business to put up, it seemed logical that it would have something to do with weddings. Thus was born Patio Victoria at 5435 Gen. Luna corner Victoria Sts., Intramuros is a beautiful venue for garden and indoor weddings.

" I've always believed that every woman should have a wedding that will give her happy memories throughout her life," says Cristina.

Patio Victoria has an Old World charm that can be found only within what was known during the Spanish Occupation of the Philippines as the "Walled City". Cobblestones walkways, an antique wooden gate, lush foilage and an old fashioned fountain are only some of the features that make the place perfect venue for wedding.

Patio Victoria has two gardens-named after her daughters Sofia and Diana Aœ and an air-conditioned banquet hall. All three venues can accommodate as many as 1000 guests.

Both gardens have gazebos to protect guests against the sun and light showers. In case of heavy rains, the reception can move to the air-conditioned banquet hall. During brownouts, Patio Victoria also has generator to restore full power in less than one minute. There is also exclusive ample free parking for guests of the wedding people.

Patio Victoria is a one-stop shop for harassed brides. They will arrange everything from the flowers and decor to the seating to the food to the giveaways to the cake and even the music so that the entire bride has to do on her wedding day is look pretty.

"What we have done is made it easier for brides so that depending on their budget, Patio Victoria can actually organize their wedding. This way, couples get to enjoy their wedding day instead of worrying about the details", says Cristina.

The place started out as a venue for weddings but eventually, Cristina saw the need to provide other services such as providing the cake and flowers. Patio Victoria now has in-house florist and bakers for this purpose.

Even when it started almost two years ago, the place became well known for its excellent cuisine. Patio Victoria offers a wide selection of International and Spanish Cuisine. The place's callos, paella and lengua are old recipes obtained by Cristina from the Gonzalez family archives.