Do You Still Need A Wedding Planner for an Intimate Wedding?

It has been a tough couple of years for all of us when the Coronavirus spread like wildfire worldwide. The pandemic caught us all empty-handed when it happened. The effects of the pandemic hit hard on the Event Industry, especially weddings, birthdays, and conferences particularly in my town, Davao City, Philippines. 

Let me brief you about my hometown - Davao City.

Davao City is a relatively medium-scale city when you compare it to the mighty capital of Manila. Our city mayor, Sara Duterte, is the daughter of the incumbent President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte. And she's one tough mayor, her words are the law and probably tougher than her dad in the way she carries out her leadership style. 

Now because of the pandemic, our city mayor saw the need to protect the interest of the majority by implementing strict rules on event management, gatherings, travel, and as such. She vehemently wanted everyone to stay home as much as they could to limit the spread of the virus. 

As a result, the Events Industry suffered much since the city ordinance imposed restrictions on social gatherings. Only a limited number of 25 people are allowed to attend funerals, birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations, and that includes waiters, caterers, photographers, event planners, DJ, emcees, etc. 

With this legislation in place, many event planners, venues, and event suppliers shifted their business to do something else to glide through this pandemic. 

Now, with the imposed limitation to the number of people in the event, do you still need a wedding planner to assist you with your wedding?

The answer is - it depends. 

Yes. You will still need a wedding planner if you are still busy with your job (i.e. Nurse, Police, Teacher, Essential worker) and have very little time to arrange the wedding by yourself. 

No. If you are a savvy bride/groom who can manage to pull off the planning, organizing, and communicating with the event suppliers by yourself. 

Why is it essential to hire a wedding planner at this time of the pandemic?

In my experience, it is essential more than ever to hire a wedding or event planner at this time of pandemic because of the many stipulations and requirements needed to comply to permit the event to happen. 

From Davao City Tourism Facebook post:

The Davao City Tourism Operations Office (DCTOO) reminds all Davao event venues, Davao event suppliers, including Davao wedding planners to get an event permit before their supposed date of the event. In this case, there's assurance that health protocols are met. And believe me, they will check the event venue, take pictures, and will even have a police escort to make sure that the event is adhering to the policies stated in the Guidelines for Conducting Events in Davao. 

In general, if you are planning the wedding by yourself, you will have to comply with these guidelines:

A. For the Event Organizer / DIY Couple / Client

1. ORGANIZER: Current year Business Permit, City Tourism Certificate, and DOT Accreditation
2. SUPPLIERS: Current Business Permit
3. TALENTS: Occupational Permit
4. FROM OUTSIDE DAVAO CITY: Special Mayors Permits or Occupational Permits and Current Business Permit
5. SPECIAL MAYORS PERMIT for Workshops, Training, Seminars, Congresses, Conferences, Conventions, Board Meetings, Colloquia, Conclaves, Symposia, Company/Government Recognitions, Press Conferences
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SOCIAL EVENT - Debut & Birthday Parties, Wedding Ceremonies & Receptions, Engagement Parties, Wedding anniversaries, Family reunions, Bridal or Baby Showers.

Special Event Notice Link: https://forms.gle/Fi8ywKuc88ju5EeU8

B. Metting Incentives Conventions and Events (MICE) Venue

1. Current year Business Permit, City Tourism Certificate, and DOT Accreditation
2. Ensure that Event Organizers, Suppliers, Talents have current year Business Permits or Occupational Permits and adhere to guidelines and policies of national government agencies and the City Government of Davao.

Reminders:

For MICE applying for the permit will be at least 15 working days before the event.

For Special Events applying for the permit will be 5 working days.

These are just some of the obvious guidelines you must comply with to conduct events in Davao City in the time of Community Quarantine. In addition to these requirements, it is the responsibility of the Organizer/Couple/Client to also provide health protocol measures such as face masks, face shields, alcohol spray, foot bath, thermal scanner, and contact tracing device or sheet. 

We live in peculiar times but it doesn't mean we stop celebrating life's milestones. We have come this far, we can break through this pandemic with a little extra caution while we are still vulnerable to getting infected. The vaccination rollout campaigns have been very slow in the Philippines and add the fact that many anti-vaxxers are spreading fear and panic among those who don't understand how the vaccine works. 

So while we are working towards attaining herd immunity, following the Event Guidelines is our best shot at minimizing the risk of spreading infection in the gathering. 

So until God allows us to wander freely again, we keep vigilant, wash our hands, strengthen our bodies, and keep health protocols at all times!

Stay safe Everyone and May the good Lord protect us all!

Skills Acquisition and Certification: The Key to Thriving During the Pandemic

When the pandemic happened, the Events Industry and other businesses suffered greatly. Only a limited number of guests are allowed in an event, traveling has been restricted, and government policies tighten up permits to conduct gatherings. These factors compelled event planners to divert their attention to different things so we can survive.

Resiliency is key to living a tough life and to be resilient in a tough life is to find ways to use your other skills in earning a living, especially during this pandemic.

So since the government restricted gatherings of all sorts, I used my writing skills to work full-time writing online and surprisingly I am writing about technology and software products.  

Here's why you should also diversify and invest in your skills not just during these tough times but as an investment to yourself in the long run.

Skills Acquisition and Certification

The pandemic pushed everyone to take their businesses online. Everybody is now using different online platforms to communicate, set a meeting with their teams, sell products and services, and enhance their knowledge through online education. 

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry has significantly increased in demand now that companies and organizations are vying for customer attention online. The demand for ICT professionals has skyrocketed when governments restricted travels and required everyone to stay at home. 

ICT professionals have the skills needed to maintain software programs, address program glitches, or design and develop beneficial software applications. But finishing an ICT course is not enough to land a good career, having been certified by Spoto the best Online IT Certification Exams preparation portal is a sure step to get high-paying stable jobs in IT companies. 

The upside of the pandemic is having easy access to certifications and exams online. Assuming you already have a gadget or laptop, the next thing you need is a stable internet connection to upgrade your IT skills and get certified online. Spoto is the leader of IT Certification Online training agencies. Spoto offers different IT Exam products including Cisco CCNA, CCIE, CISSP, CISA, Oracle, Redhat Linux, and other IT certifications. 

The more skills you acquire, the more opportunities you can get. And when you specialize and get certified in one or two areas, you can give more value to the world. Although you need to shell out a few amounts to get the knowledge and skills, it is a long-term investment to yourself that no one can take away. 

Most Sought After Skills in 2020

In a LinkedIn Survey in 2020, the most sought-after skills are the following:

1. Blockchain

2. Cloud Computing

3. Analytical Reasoning

4. Artificial Intelligence

5. User Interface Design

6. Business Analysis

7. Affiliate Marketing

8. Sales

9. Scientific Computing

10. Video Production

As you can see in the most sought-after hard skills in 2020, the majority of these skills entail information technology skills and knowledge. IF you invest in yourself and get the Spoto PMP Certificate for your career, you are not only investing in yourself but also in a better future.  

How to Pick the Right Wedding Venue in Davao City for Your Intimate Wedding

When Love is true, no calamity or pandemic can hinder two hearts from sealing their love in Holy Matrimonial Rites.

It may seem too cliche, but in reality, it is what's happening. Lovers could no longer wait to tie the knot and dive into their current options regardless of the ongoing pandemic. With Davao City ordinance limiting wedding and event guests to only 25 persons, couples are adjusting their wedding preferences to fit what's allowed.

Aside from downsizing the number of guests, there are other considerations that a couple needs to implement for their COVID wedding. For example, choosing the right Davao wedding venue that can accommodate a small group. Choosing the best wedding venue in Davao City can be tricky since there are hundreds of options to choose from. But with limitations due to COVID restrictions, how do you really choose the best wedding venue in Davao for your grand big day?

Here are some tips that can help you choose an affordable wedding venue in Davao:

1. Determine what you really want. 

Do you want to get married in the church and have the reception in a hotel function hall? Do you want to get married in a garden wedding venue in Davao and have the reception in the same area? Or do you want to have the wedding rites in the church and head on to a beach wedding venue in Davao City?

By determining what you really want in the wedding venue, you will narrow down your choices whether to book a beach wedding venue or the garden wedding venue. 

2. For Affordable Garden Wedding Venues

Thankfully, Davao City offers a variety of garden wedding venues you can choose from. You can opt to go to the mountainside where 

• Eden Nature Park, 
• Lolengs, 
• Eden Ridge, 
• and Mountain Haven

These are among the best garden wedding venues in Davao. 

If you are not a fan of long rides, you can opt for nearer downtown garden wedding venues such as 

• Garden Oasis, 
• Linmarr Apartelle, 
• Salome's Garden, 
• Hotel Tropika, 
• Chateau By the Sea, 
• Casa Vieja, 
• Waterfront Insular, 
• The View, 
• Jacks Ridge, 
• Palos Ranchos, 
• and many more.

3. For Affordable Beach Wedding Venues

If you want the ambiance of the sea and all its glory, you can head off to 

• Ocean Cove Clubhouse, 
• Chateau by the Sea, 
• Waterfront Insular Hotel, 
• Garden by the Bay, 
• and the neighboring Samal Islands with crystal waters and white sand beaches. 

4. Affordable Wedding Venues in Davao City

This part we will have to discuss personally because "affordable" is a term that is subjective to each person. What may be affordable to you, may not be affordable to others. Others may consider spending fifty thousand on food and venue affordable, but to some, their budget will be limited to twenty thousand for the wedding venue and catering. 

5. Set a Meeting with Your Wedding Coordinator

Hiring a wedding planner for your big day will save you time, money, and effort from going to and fro in planning your wedding. As for me, a wedding planner in Davao City with ten years under my belt, I know the ins and out of the city. I know how to help you in finding the best wedding suppliers available. 

With a staggering three thousand and more numbers of wedding suppliers in the city, which one should you hire?

You can not go wrong in choosing a seasoned wedding planner who will understand your needs. 

Here are the ways you can contact and set a meeting with me:

So contact me today and let us discuss your wedding plans!

Intimate Weddings are the New Normal

Photo courtesy of Philip Cuison Photography

How time flies! It is now the end of the first month of 2021!

The wedding and events industry has experienced a plateau in the past year because of the global pandemic. But the Coronavirus did not stop lovers from tying the knot! Indeed, man's ingenuity is superb!

Humankind always finds a way around things no matter how challenging the times may seem. Truly, the global pandemic affected most businesses, especially the Events industry. Since the virus can be transferred from one person to another, governments around the world restricted conducting events allowed only a very limited number of guests. 

For example, under the leadership of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte of Davao City Philippines, she strictly imposed a 25-guest wedding only. Besides that, the wedding planner or wedding coordinator must comply and secure several government permits before the wedding event. 

Other protocols must be implemented too, including:

• Social distancing at all times 
• frequent hand sanitation
• thermal scanning of each guest including the couple
• wearing of facial masks 
• wearing face shields on the premises
• stepping onto the foot bath at the entrance of the venue

Intimate Weddings are the New Normal

So while the fight against the Coronavirus is ongoing, we should also take part in the battle by adhering to the government and medical advice. But that does not mean we cannot go on celebrating our life milestones. In fact, we can still do both - celebrating life and practicing caution at the same time. 

The thing about weddings is that they're often a gathering of families to celebrate true love. The Pandemic did not take away the love nor the chance of families to gather. Instead, it highlighted the very ones closest to you (the people who will be there for you during worst times) to take part and witness in your union. And it is a beautiful thing to be surrounded by the ones who are willing to be there for you in good or bad times, even sacrifice for your sake. 

That is the pure love of family and friends who have become your family too.

How should you prepare for an intimate wedding?

An intimate wedding is not far from a large grand wedding. In fact, there are very few details that have been modified. Aside from the number of guests you can invite, here are other things you can do to prepare for an intimate wedding during a pandemic:

Plan the date in advance, as far as six to eight months before the wedding. Because of the skeletal workforce, there may be a limited number of wedding schedules at your church. Plus, getting your marriage credentials will also entail ample time from placing your request to the release of legal documents for marriage. 

Research on Intimate Wedding Packages. There are a lot of available intimate wedding packages for you to choose from. In Davao City alone, a staggering 3000+ wedding suppliers are at your disposal. Look for reputable ones with good reviews and a portfolio to show. Shop around at least 3-5 wedding packages and compare their services. Set a meeting with each one to get the feel of how well you work with him/her.

Hire a wedding coordinator. Unless you are willing to line up at government offices to get the necessary event permits, you will need a wedding coordinator to do that for you. A seasoned wedding coordinator knows her craft and can give you valuable insight into different wedding suppliers in the city. You can specify which wedding services will you handle and which wedding services you want the coordinator to work on.

Set up a Wedding Checklist. If you have a wedding coordinator, he/she will assist you with this. But if you plan to do it yourself, the internet is a gold mine of information on a comprehensive Filipino wedding checklist. 

Prepare for COVID Compliance Essentials. It is important that while enjoying your wedding day, you should also set some protocols to ensure the safety of everyone. If you have a wedding coordinator, you can ask them to perform these duties during the wedding ceremony and reception:

1. provide face shields and masks to guests, if necessary
2. prepare a disinfecting foot bath at the entrance of the church or venue
3. perform thermal scanning of each guest, wedding crew, and couple 
4. list all contact details of everyone in the venue, yes, including the waiters, and even the sound technicians. EVERYONE.
5. Spray on hand sanitizers or place a bottle on each table. 

Remember to FIST Bump! Handshakes, kissing, and hugging are so ingrained in all of us that we cannot merely shake it off. But these times are different, we protect our loved ones by distancing ourselves or limiting body contact as much as possible. A fist bump or elbow bump is the best way to give your congratulatory and appreciation to anybody. It just takes getting used to. 

A Wedding Planner's Final Thoughts on This

As a Davao Wedding Planner with a decade of experience, the pandemic has presented a rather different wedding experience. I've handled several intimate weddings during this pandemic and I must say that it isn't all bad what the pandemic has done. 

Brides are no longer stressed out in the wedding planning. Grooms are no longer stressed out on the wedding budget. And the wedding preparations are smooth and calm since there are fewer things and people to manage. 

The bride and groom to be are more relaxed and attuned to their emotions for the wedding and are not distracted by the non-essential things in the wedding. 

I think intimate weddings are the most beautiful celebrations. Truly, less is more. 

Have a happy wedding planning!