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!

How to Plan A Frugal (but not cheap!) Wedding

There are many ways to make your dream wedding come true without drowning in debt afterwards. Going frugal in your budget does not mean you will choose cheap wedding suppliers; being frugal bride and groom means allocating the budget to the top priority wedding suppliers.

Just recently I met the most frugal couple I've met in this life. We met two years before their wedding day when the couple reached out to me via email asking for wedding planning packages. We discussed what they wanted to inculde in the package and what things should be omitted. The bride has clear vision on what she wants for her wedding and how much they are going to spend for it. 

The Surprising Twist

Their wedding was nothing like mainstream weddings. It was extraordinary in so many ways. Here were the ways their wedding stood out from every wedding event I have ever handled:

FRUGALITY. 

SIMPLICTY. 

ELEGANCE.

Most weddings I've handled have all the bling, glitz and glamour but not this wedding. 

First, they have NO Best Man, Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, Flower Girls and Bearer Boys. The bride requested her sister to secure the rings and the coins that will be used in the ceremony. 

Family of the Bride

Second, the bride only wanted Baby's Breath for the wedding aisle and nothing more. She had that radiance ever since that morning!

Third, the couple wanted corsage (buottonierres) only for everyone else, including the female principal sponsors which were usually holding a bouquet of flowers in my past weddings. Nonetheless, the principal sponsors were more than glad to know that the couple chose minimal fresh flowers to save on costs and spend the budget on something of more value.

Fourth, they had not printed official invitation cards but instead used electronic mails to invite everyone. They also wanted an unplugged wedding as indicated and it was a solemn ceremony! As their Davao Emcee, I reminded the guests to turn off their phones during the ceremony. Their guests were very supportive by not using their phones especially during the bridal march! They had AMAZING GUESTS indeed!

Fifth, the reception decors centered on the woodsy rustic theme. The bride loved wood and she drew what she wanted to include in their reception venue. I had to provide the nearest materials similar to what she envisioned. The entertainment did not involve a professional wedding band but instead it was composed of raw unadulterated presentations from the couple and their families! Such a talented family converging to another exceptionally talented family! 
 

And of course, I was the Master of Ceremony during their reception program. We talked over a couple of years ago and they specifically requested me to host their wedding! Being my expertise, I gladly accepted. Being a Davao Emcee, I want the clients to express their emotions just as it comes! Just look at those happy faces (including mine!) during the entrance of the newlyweds! I love to see newlyweds flashing their happy smiles and laughter because I irked them to!

One thing was TOP PRIORITY  for these lovebirds - FOOD!
Chippens Catering was known as institution when it comes to Catering Company in Davao City. They have been in the business since time imemorial. The couple wanted to satisfy the palate of their guests and leave them wanting nothing. So the majority of the budget went to the FOOD! Salome's Garden never disappoint!

With the expertise of Michael Creations Photography in collaboration with DeeGee Sounds and Lights and Leah Jacobe Weddings and Events Team, their happy wedding moments were beautifully captured, smoothly organized and well cherished and preserved for years!

Theirs was the most frugal wedding I was ever part with but with all the right reasons! They didn't go broke after the wedding and yet the had a beautiful wedding day to remember!

Cheers to more beautiful moments in your marriage! Toast to the newlyweds Lyell and JD Escoto!

Why I Chose to Become a Wedding and Events Planner

Life is a journey. Enjoying the journey matters more than getting to the destination. While you are journeying; learning and improving are two  crucial things you must do to achieve success in the field you have chosen.

My Back Story 

For those who don't know me so well, I studied Nursing in college and got my license a year after I graduated. I practiced the Nursing profession for a short time in 2008 and found out there is something, a "gut feel" pulling me towards a different direction.

While I was searching for my place in the world, friends and family would ask me to host their events. And I loved hosting. i really do. When my cousins were getting married, they would ask me to accompany them when they scout for dresses, invitations, souvenirs. And during the wedding reception, I was always the event host. To make ends meet, my bread and butter was writing and blogging. I worked as website content writer while hosting events on the side.

How I Realized My Real Calling as A Wedding Planner 

In the year 2010, one of my closest friends was getting married. She was working abroad and so was his fiance. She wanted me to plan her ENTIRE wedding. I hesitated at first since I have no formal training in this field. But she believed in me and so I started believing in myself too.

The Learning Process

I did the hustle. During my off time at work, I researched weddings. I saved tons and tons of articles about wedding planning and what to do during the planning. Then I walked the talk. Literally, I walked weekly and went into every wedding supplier shop I could find in the city. I went into hotels, venues, cake makers, invitation maker, souvenir maker, bridal shops, photo and video companies, etc... Essentially everything that a wedding needed, I sought for contacts, recommendations but most of all I went personally and ask for their packages and prices. Their wedding was set on December and I did all these on the months of March to May.

Down the year, some of my friends referred me to their circle of friends for wedding coordination services. We gained first hand experience on how to assist the couple during their wedding day. I always suggested that I host their wedding too and I always got the job when I package coordination and hosting. At one time, I enrolled in a crash course on wedding planning and coordination. That was how I learned what wedding planners and coordinators really do.

2011 was the year when I successfully planned and hosted my very first wedding event. The wedding of my closest friend who was working in Dubai. They had chosen a beach theme wedding.

With this very first wedding planning experience in 2011, I had a lot more to learn and gain. And I continued my passion for weddings. The following year, I was able to help six more couples to plan their wedding. The numbers kept growing as I improved along. My team grew in experience and in numbers.

Out of Town Weddings

I was also able to plan weddings in Gensan, Koronadal (Marbel), Polomolok, and Surallah, South Cotabato. Me and my team were blessed with opportunities to reach out to different people outside of Davao City.


Marbel Wedding 

Lake Sebu Wedding

My Light Bulb Moment

The time I realized that this is my calling in life came just recently when my former colleague told her colleague that I had to leave the company because this is my calling. And I was like I never really given it deep thought. In the past events, I just felt happy and fulfilled in every event that becomes successful.  I did not mind the low budget, the sleepless nights, the cracking pressure, the exhaustion. I basically enjoyed what I was doing. And that kept on year in and year out.


The Present

Today, 8 years later, I think I have come a long way and have learned a lot. I've helped a lot of people in organizing their weddings and events. I also organize 18th, 35th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th birthday celebrations. The very reason why I chose to become a wedding and events planner is because this is where I am at my best and happiest truest self. 

Yet there is still so much to learn about this industry. We had our fair share of failures and disappointments as well as successes and praise-worthy weddings and events. I think, generally, in whatever field you choose to practice and excel, there will always be a learning curve. Some learning curves can be painful and some can even be life-changing. But I think these experiences are all part and necessary in the process of excellence. 

I will continue my vision and goal to create wonderful weddings and event. I will not stop improving, growing and progressing even at one hundred failures ( i hope it wont be that much mistakes though!). Each couple I am going to meet will be an opportunity to serve as well as to learn.

My mantra from now on is: NEVER STOP LEARNING, NEVER STOP IMPROVING, NEVER GIVE UP. As another year unfolds, I am excited and anxious about the crucial life lessons and business lessons that I am going to experience in the following months. There will be trials and triumphs for sure. There is so much to learn in the wedding and events industry. It is ever changing in trends. It is very dynamic. And I am ready to take on 2019!

Let's do this! So help me Lord God, my business partner!