This (Coming) Weekend – Wines, Weddings and Good Company

HALIA WEDDING SHOWCASE

I love weddings, so long as it’s not mine. Methinks the wedding couple is the most stressed people during the day, and the people who have the most fun are the guests….if they’re not made to wait an hour and a half for dinner to start at 9 pm, that is! For those who are tumbling headlong into this state of matrimony, you get some help from forward-thinking venues like Halia at the Botanic Gardens…

Now, what’s there not to like about garden weddings? So romantic and pretty. Well, to help you make up your mind, Halia is holding its Halia Wedding Showcase on Sunday 25 July, 5-8pm in two sittings. The event gives you an idea what you can do for a wedding there, and since it’ll be decked out in all its finery, it’ll let you see how gorgeous the restaurant and its event space can look like! That sounds real clever – so I queried the organizer to get details just for you….

This is what Juliana of Halia says: “During the Showcase, interested couples will have an opportunity to witness a full mock-up of a wedding plus sample a variety of food and drink at little cost to them. There are also additional perks of speaking to experts in the wedding business, as well as having one-on-one time with the Halia’s event planners.

On this day, Villa Halia will be decorated as a wedding venue, with floral arrangements, champagne tower, buffet set up, dessert mock-up and table configuration. As tickets are limited, couples have the privilege of exploring the Villa at leisure and without crowds. Our banquet team will be present to assist and our partners, specialists in the fields of photography and floral décor will also be on hand to provide advice to the couples.”

How clever! If I were in the market for this, I’d attend this too ‘cos I’ve been to Halia many times for brunch and it is one of the loveliest garden settings here. (We also share the same architect!)

Also, here’s a special secret they want to share just with Simply Fab readers: if you confirm your wedding during this event, you get a special upgrade. If you get the $118++ per person package (minimum 100 pax), you’ll get an upgrade to the $138++ package, at no additional cost.

We were told that The Halia’s Wedding Showcase occurs only three times a year, and if you miss this one, there’s one more slated for 7 November 2010. Tell your friends. Tix: $38 nett per couple (Email: alicetang@halia.com.sg or call 6287 0711)

Villa Halia

Ginger Garden

Singapore Botanic Gardens

TOP WINES’ MEGA WINE SALE

And what’s weddings or a good party without bubbly? But forget the bubble tea purlllease! If you want real bubbles, grab the cheque book and charge down to Top Wines for their annual Mega Sale, from Friday, 23 July to Sunday, 25 July. Over 300 wine labels on offer at up to 60% discount, including new arrivals from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Columbia Crest, Chateau Ste Michelle, Hawk Crest, PengWine, Champagne Mansard and Valduero. Look out for their red Australian bubblies, fizzy Italian pinks and crisp, glamorous French champers. With a huge car park just across the road from their office, you can buy crates and crates, no problem! Plus, you’ll be going home happy cos they’ll be offering free tastings of 8 wines every day.

By the way, I’ve been frequenting their Bubbly Saturdays and it is the cutest concept ever. Twice a month, they offer 3-4 Champagnes with a selected light bite – once it was bak chang, the second time, it was popiah, bought from well known local shops in the Joo Chiat area where they are located. It’s become a cosy little community 'cos the last time we were there, people were also bringing their own foods and sharing them with everyone else who were there. So there was cold crab, cheese with truffle honey, crackers, popiah, etc….and all of us, strangers to each other at first, just whiled away the afternoon at the communal table with good conversation and good libation, of course. It was absolutely great and so untypical of Singaporeans. (So you see, wines do bring out the best in us!) So pop down next time they hold it – first and last Saturday of the month from 2pm – 5pm. You don’t have to bring food if you don’t want to – we’ll share ours!

33 Tembeling Rd

(Near Joo Chiat Place)

T: (65) 6468 3866

- by Ee Waun