Henry T.
5/5
I officiated my friends' wedding this past weekend. I must report that this was one the most amazing wedding venue that I ever attended. Look at my amazing photos and videos.
MULTIMEDIA cathedral ceiling of the Vibiana acts like a smaller, scaled-down Vegas SPHERE, where hi-def protectors can display the most amazing likelike images and videos. Check out the last video where realistic FIREWORKS are simulated onto the ceiling. It's the one where Katherine Ho is singing "Yellow" from Coldplay. She sang this for the movie Crazy Rich Asians. Watch it 2/3 through to see the fireworks on the ceiling.
SOUND. The sound technician was a pro. My lavilier mic and handheld wireless mics were all ready and available. The major complaint is that the tech team should check the battery levels. My cordless lavilier transmitter was almost empty. Luckily it was swapped with new batteries just before the service. Secondly, the handheld cordless mics had either battery issues (again) or something else. It was corrected, with a slight delay in the evening performance. Near the end of the evening, the DJ turned up the sound and the place quickly turned into a nightclub. Boom boom bass.
FOOD. Since the venue has a direct ownership or partnership with RED BIRD restaurant next door, I expected better banquet fair. I give the food 4stars. Nice presentation and service, but my wife's sea bass and my short rib were both overcook. We'll, it'd not easy to prepare a meal for 200+ guests.
Scalability and Flexibility. I appreciated the good and efficient use of the back curtains to hide banquet tables during the service and quickly covert from a church service to a grand banquet hall. The back curtained area allows for surprise setups which magically appear while the guest attentions are at the front of the hall.
Old and New AC. This old cathedral had very good AC inside. Nice and cool, but the hallways and the long flight of stairs to the 3rd and 4th floor Bride's and Groom's waiting rooms was not well air conditioned and was hot and stuffy. The old elevator broke just before the ceremony and the bridesmaids, and the bride with her long train, had to walk down 4 flights of stairs!!! OMG. Luckily, this did not ruin a beautiful wedding. The bride kept her cool and composure. She was gracious.
Like the Sphere in Vegas, the banquet hall has so much potential. Vibiana is a great venue for creative artists with AV delights.