5 Things You Should Never Do in a Filipino Wedding

Filipino weddings are a BIG deal in the traditional Philippine culture. 

How is it a big deal? 

Well, for starters, weddings in the Philippines are regarded as a great milestone in life, a very huge favor/blessing from God  that needs to be celebrated with the clan. Yes, Celebrated in a grand way! Some wedding celebrations last for a couple of weeks to accommodate families, friends and relatives coming from outside the country. And because of very close-knit family ties, Philippine weddings are huge with an average of 150 guests to as much as 1000 guests at the wedding reception hall. 

Since relatives, friends, families, coworkers, acquaintances come together in one event, expect a diversity full of personalities, backgrounds, and mannerisms. Whether you are invited to attend the wedding or not, you can come as long as you are closely related to the bride and groom, or parents of either wedding party for that matter.

And because guests can come from all walks of life and backgrounds, there are unwritten rules of civility that need to be followed, ESPECIALLY when you're a guest to a FILIPINO Wedding.

5 Things You Should Never Do in a Filipino Wedding

#1:  Comment on anybody's weight. 

It is natural for people to notice weight differences at first glance. Whether you're in a wedding or just bumped into an old friend, zip you mouth when it comes to commenting about their weight. No matter how noticeable the weight loss or weight gain may be, divert your thoughts into a different compliment. 

For example, instead of saying you gained a lot of weight, say "You look lovely today." or "I like your fashion sense."

Be genuinely truthful and not make something up. This means you have to look for something positive or good in that person.

Reason for this is because people may be silently carrying negative self-image or have been struggling emotionally about "what's wrong in their body" and the more you emphasize on their insecurity, the more they'll draw away from the crowd and even avoid you in the future. 

It may seem like a harmless joke, but when you're in a Filipino wedding where everyone dresses up in their best suit and attire, compliment where it is due and just keep silent when you notice unpleasant about their appearances on that day.

#2: Ask for additional menu or food other than what is served.

Filipinos are foodie people. Our tongues are native to a variety of dishes and so it is natural that in big celebrations, we tend to fill our plates with all that's offered on the buffet table. It's okay really to binge eat while in a celebration.

However, asking for something that's not in menu or not offered on the table is a no-no. That's rude and condescending attitude making you look an entitled idiot. Unless you paid for the wedding, your only right is where you should be seated accordingly.

The couple and their families prepared for this day and I'm sure they thought hard about the menu and what to serve their guests according to what they can afford. 

The key here is RESPECT the family that invited you in. Eat whatever they have prepared for the guests and swallow your stinking behavior. 

#3: Hoard Wedding Souvenirs or Welcome gifts.

I've been a wedding souvenir hoarder once and I realized it's not worth it. I know Filipinos love to accumulate trinkets, souvenirs, and memorabilia from important events. Ultimately, what you've hoard will end up on the display cabinet gathering dust in the years to come.

So, check your greed once in awhile. Sometimes, there are extra souvenirs that may be left on the table because some invited guests did not arrive. Usually, the the  Davao wedding coordinator will secure them so that couple will deliver them later on to appreciate these people's presence in their lives, not just during the wedding. 

Although there may be extra souvenirs or favors, it does not give you the right to "own" it as you already have been given your share of the souvenirs.

#4: Stand in the way of the Photographers.

There are many worst things that could happen in an event or any occasion in life. But if you caused the mishap, then you are responsible for the consequences of your actions.

The couple hired a photo and video team for a reason. These professionals have trained for many years and understand the conditions that affect a great photo. 

Now, if you're a guest in the wedding, we understand your excitement, eagerness, and eccentric feelings during the day. And perhaps you're thinking you have the latest phone with the best specs to capture a photo so why not capture unlimited photos and videos, right? You'd probably want to position on the aisle or the middle of the stage to capture special moments, but I beg you to STOP for awhile. 

Didn't you ever consider that despite your friend or family of the couple knowing that you have the latest gadget, they didn't authorize you to document their wedding?

So when you hinder the way of the professional photographers and video team, you are actually destroying the couple's wedding day. So, please let the professionals do what they're best at. 

#5: Ask to be included in the hair and makeup or entourage.

Filipinos love to look nice in the photos. We understand that if you are family or close friend, you get the priority being chosen as part of the entourage or VIP in the wedding.

But as long as you were not included in the wedding entourage or any package, don't insist. And if you do insist, please have the courtesy to pay for your own attire, hair and makeup or whatever wedding package you're trying to avail. 

Conclusion

Weddings bring out the best of all emotions. And it is one day that everything seems beautiful, grand and bliss. Couple strive hard to organize their dream weddings as promoted in the movies. No one really knows the struggles, efforts, time and money put into planning and organizing a wedding, so as a guest, family, close friend, colleague or acquaintance, give them all the SUPPORT they can get from you without overstepping their boundaries.

You may suggest ideas, but never impose. You may express your opinion, but it is up to them to decide what's best for them given their time and resources on hand. 

There are more tips on what to do and not to do during weddings. These are just the tip of the iceberg!

If you are considering hiring a wedding planner in Davao City, feel free to reach out to me here. 

Happy Wedding Planning!

.

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!

Things To Do When Your Wedding has been Postponed Because of the Covid Pandemic

The Novel Corona Virus took the world by storm! From a simple outbreak in November of 2019 to becoming a world pandemic by February 2020!

Every one in the world is severely affected by this downturn of events. Economies crashed, hospitals cramped with infected patients, lacking medical supplies, number of dead bodies rise, world leaders scramble to establish order and scientists and doctors race against time to find a cure or a vaccine. 

In the wedding and events industry, we were ordered to cancel and postpone all forms of events where people come together in one place and aggregate. Weddings are postponed indefinietely and birthday parties are celebrated with only the people you are quarantined in the house with. 

The weeks feels like it has been stretching on and on. Staying in the house traversing the kitchen to the living room several times over a day seems like the new normal. But the lockdown was necessary to help stop the infection that's already spreading like wildfire. Nonetheless, more and more people get the infection from previous travels before the lockdown and have only started showing symptoms recently. So this pandemic will not be over soon.

What you should do if your wedding has been postponed indefinitely? Here are some ways you can do about your upcoming wedding while weathering this pandemic storm. 

1. Spend time to get to know your fiance. If you have been together for many years, this is the perfect time to deepen your understanding about each other. Discuss the details of your wedding and find out if the two of you have the same ideas on each area of the planning.

2. Start a garden project. If you have space, you can plant your favorite fruit and vegetables. If you live in an apartment, buy pots and garden soil and start your very own indoor herb garden. The act of gardening is therapeutic and reconnecting to nature is so detoxifying. You can even consider giving away seeds or seedlings as your wedding giveways! 

Image Source: http://res.freestockphotos.biz/pictures/8/8426-herbs-growing-in-pots-pv.jpg

3. Switch to online invitations. After you have identified your invited guests and you haven't printed your wedding invitations yet, you can choose a more convenient and Earth-friendly way of inviting them - online wedding invitations. You may opt to print a few copies to give to the VIP guests of your wedding. Nonetheless, if you are inviting close friends and families, they will accept and understand why you chose "paperless" invitations! Besides, paper invitations might harbor the covid virus so might as well use technology.

Image Source: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/10/09/21/06/wedding-979929_960_720.jpg

4. Compile the list of your choice music for the wedding. This is the perfect time for both of you to compile the list and audio files of the music you want for your wedding. You can even assign specific music to each part of the wedding ceremony and wedding reception! The dj will be glad you did! So you can dance the night away happily ever after!

5. Check everything your wedding planner listed in the checklist! This is the perfect time to gather all the things you want to include in your wedding day. Your wedding planner will guide you the importance of each detail and symbolism behind it. This way you will understand why weddings have these rituals and symbols present. 

 

The lockdowns are beneficial for all of us if we know what to do with all the free time we have at home. Aside from planning your wedding, this is also the perfect time to learn a new skill - like baking, cooking or crafting - or simply enhance what you are already passionate and good about. 

If you feel anxious whether your wedding will push through or not, this is the perfect opportunity also to test your commitment to each other. Think of this pandemic as a chance to evaluate your decision - Are you going to be happy with him/her if you are stuck with him/her in a lockdown? Or are you having doubts?

The honest truth shall prevail.

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!

Dreams Do Come True

Since I started freelancing in the events industry in 2008, it has always been my dream to open my events shop. Through the years since our first official client in 2011, I have been working 2 jobs (as a writer and as an emcee/event planner) at a time to gain sufficient capital to build and upgrade my  events business. 

This year, 8 years later, God must have heard my prayers and have seen my efforts in my passion for creating beautiful and memorable events. He granted me not one but two life goals that I have been working on for almost a decade - my dream events shop and my storage house building! 

So I am very giddy up to share to the world that this year, one of my dreams have come true and that is to open my Events shop! God has granted me a partner in the business; and it is fitting that we complement each other's business ventures. She wants to start a bridal shop and I want to have an office for my events shop. Truly, God works in mysterious ways and indeed He knows when to deliver!

On May 18, 2019, my events shop in partnership with the bridal shop was finally open and blessed by Fr. Lauro Arcede of the Marist Fathers.  

It felt so surreal having to experience this day coming true. I could say that everything I have done in the past has led me to this day and it was a wonderful bittersweet journey! I could not believe still even at the time of writing that God would make this momentous dream come true! I had struggled so much in scaling up my business, but with the grace of God, I have survived year in and year out. I believed that someday I would have my own shop but I never knew it could come this soon! 

My gratitude to God and to all the people surrounding me is beyond the Earth's atmosphere and beyond the galaxy even. 

Now, with the help of the Almighty God, I can have an office where I can meet and discuss things with my clients. 

Our Events and bridal shop is conveniently located at Door 2, Matina Executive Homes Commercial Buildings (fronting Queensland Hotel), Matina Aplaya, Davao City, Philippines. 

Anyone looking for gown rentals or complete wedding package for their events can drop by our shop and talk to us about their dream events too!