Filipinos love to celebrate. From birthdays to anniversaries to basically any important milestone, we always have a reason to gather the folks, partake of a sumptuous spread, and party the night away.
It is our nation’s love for celebration that has kept the party and events venue business Ibarra afloat since its inception in early 2000s. From its first business, Ibarra’s Garden in Padre Faura Street, originally aimed at providing a one-stop full service wedding party package for frazzled brides-to-be who had little to no option, Ibarra’s has since expanded to offer other packages for birthdays, debuts, baptismal, and other occasions in four more locations.
The local business has recently opened its largest and grandest events venue at the MOA Complex in Pasay City.
The two-story Casa Ibarra is a party place of majestic proportions. The white complex reminiscent of a Filipino home in the Spanish era stands out in its rather business-looking location. It has a porte-cochere, where guests can be dropped off, and has a balcony that can host an intimate gathering for as much as 80 guests or serve as a photo shoot location.
As you step inside the venue, Olivia d’Aboville’s Homage to Monet greets you. Casa Ibarra commissioned the Filipino-French artist to create the 11×3.5m artwork consisting of eight panels made of 365 meters of Philippine silk textile. To keep up with the modern Filipino design theme of the venue, local elements and indigenous materials such as capiz, raffia fabric, and T’nalak weave are used to accentuate certain areas in the building.
Perfect for product launches or corporate events are the Alegria and Hermosa function rooms on the ground floor. Each can accommodate as much as 140 guests, or can be combined for a party of 280.
For larger events, such as weddings or debuts, Sala de Amor on the second floor can host 350 guests in its elegant ballroom. If the size of this function room—which took 200 workers a year and a half to build—won’t amaze you, the capiz chandeliers made of approximately 20,000 capiz shells each and the grand, albeit small, staircase will definitely sweep you off your feet.
As any party wouldn’t be complete without food, Ibarra’s offers Western, Mediterranean, Oriental, Spanish, and Filipino menus. Among the favorites of past clients are Pot Roast Beef Shank, Costilla’s Cerdo de Ibarra’s (pork spareribs), and Paella Valenciana. Its well-trained kitchen staff can also whip up something special, like a sugar-glazed, apple-shaped dessert that looks too pretty to eat.
Ibarra’s wedding packages, for example, start at P133,000 inclusive of venue, food and beverage, sound system, venue styling, and other amenities (wedding gown is, obviously, not included).
“It really depends on the client’s food preference, the size of their event, and the inclusions that they want. We offer reasonable packages because we believe that every client should be able to get the maximum value for their money,” shared Grizelle Lim, Ibarra’s Operations Manager.
Casa Ibarra is located at Lot 17 Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Call (02) 986-1107 or visit www.ibarraspartyvenues.com.ph for inquiries and more details.