Featured Wedding: Januar and Christilene

Every wedding begins with the meeting of a boy and a girl and eventually falling in love later on. There are many couples who have been in a relationship for a decade, others for a month before they have decided to take the road to forever.

As a witness to so many weddings and hearing their stories of love, I have come to believe that strong relationships are built on so many aspects but most what baffles me the most is the role of Time in proving the kind of love that a person has for the other. Truly, I must say, only Time knows the value of Love.


A Very Long Engagement- er Story of Love

About a month ago, a couple asked me to handle their Day-of Wedding Coordination. Their love story was one remarkable of all time. If you believe in Destiny, then you'd surely get a dose of destiny with the kind of journey they had.

Backstage. Their first meal as husband and wife.

Christilene and Januar have been friends since their teen years but their relationship started about a decade later when they were already in their mid 20's. They asked for signs from the universe, waited for the right timing, listened to their counselors and advisers and sought for the desires of their being before they entered the romantic relationship. They first discerned and developed their personal strengths before realizing they were right for each other. One day, when the universe has aligned the stars, the moon and the perfect moment, they finally have the chance to get to know each other giving way to the process of falling in love. If it is not so cliche to say, i'd say they went through the test of time.


THE BIG DAY

Then came their wedding day - about a decade since their first meeting. March 19, 2016, Saturday was the day that the universe set for them to finally tie the knot and pronounce forever and promises. Their wedding day was simple, solemn and extremely beautiful. As with many weddings, families and friends gathered to celebrate their big day. Everyone came with a glad heart all throughout the day. It was a fantastic ambiance of love, friendship and beautiful people.

Pastor Felix Carsano of the Assemblies of God Church Ministries made the ceremony so meaningful with his sermon about true love.

The venue for their ceremony and reception was held at Venue 88 Dome 1, General Santos City. They chose the theme winter wonderland with navy blue and yellow as the wedding color. People gladly obliged to wear the motif.

The orchestration of the entire event set up and decorations was headed by Gensan's most sought after wedding florist and stylist, Mr. Rolly Jagonob. This beautiful event was captured and preserved by the team of photographers of The Walking Eyes Photography.

  

Other wedding suppliers contributed to help make this event memorable. The hair and makeup team was led by Kim Soriano. And without a doubt, truly the bride was blushing and glowing all throughout their wedding day.

Weddings are a beautiful way to celebrate love and commitment. I believe that the best of weddings are a collaboration of the bride, groom, families of both sides and different people to make the event exceptional and meaningful. 

Januar and Christilene Wedding was a simple but extremely beautiful wedding event because the people that made it so. There was so much love, laughter, happy emotions and happy people celebrating the day.

To Januar and Christilene, thank you for making my team a part of your beautiful story of love and marriage! 

Client Feedback on our Facebook Page

Cheers to love, marriage and a beautiful family soon!!!

Frequently Asked Questions on Average Wedding Cost in the Philippines

The most crucial part in planning a wedding is the BUDGET. It is the most frequently asked question by couples to wed. Each year, the cost of getting married is ever rising and expanding as more and more brides and grooms are presented with limitless options on how their ideal wedding should be. It is by far the single most  factor on how the wedding outcome will be.


Frequently Asked Questions on Average Wedding Cost in the Philippines

Here is a quick run down of questions regarding the budget for Philippine Weddings and how much do they really cost in actual:

1. How much is the entire wedding?

There are apparently different levels of wedding. Class A++, A, B, C.

In Class A++ weddings, couple-to-wed could afford and choose to hire only the best among the best in the entire country. These weddings are usually featured on TV and other media outlets. They create buzz in the social media and yes, they are the famous people in the country and rich powerful giants in business sectors. A++ weddings are extravagant, lavish, highly attended by the elite population. Expect their weddings to cost as much as well as much as you can possibly imagine. The least I can estimate is 7 million. That is even an under estimated value in actual. YES, there is also  a 30 million pesos wedding. Ring a ding dong bell?

(Photo credits: www.niceprintphoto.com | http://www.showbiz-portal.com/)

In Class A weddings, these are couples who can afford a lavish, extravagant wedding but opt to stay under 1 million pesos budget. They get the best and most quality according to what they perceive as fair value. They choose the best option without over boarding their budget but still getting their ideal vision and the quality of products and services they expected.

(Photo Credits: VA San Diego Photography)

Class B weddings, these are the average practical weddings. The ceiling budget for these weddings is as much as 300-500 thousand pesos. Couple-to-wed would usually opt for whatever gives them best for money value at the price ceiling they are willing to spend.



Class C weddings are very budgeted weddings. The couples want to spend every cent according to what is readily available to them. These weddings can range from 100,000 pesos to 300,000 pesos the maximum. With these types of weddings, you cannot expect much of the quality of other wedding supplies.


2. How much is the cost of hiring a wedding planner / wedding coordinator?

Different coordinators have different levels of skills when it comes to wedding coordination and planning. You are paying for the coordinator's skills and experiences so you will have to really get to know first their experiences and track record. Set an appointment to meet with them and ask as many questions as you can regarding their services. You have to expect that the longer the wedding planner or coordinator in the business, the higher value he/she has. By the way, a wedding coordinator may not be a wedding planner. Sometimes, a wedding coordinator comes in a handy after the couple has planned, booked and hired all the wedding suppliers and the coordinator will take care of the wedding details at least two weeks leading to the day of the wedding. The wedding planner is also a wedding coordinator. He/She designs the wedding according to the couple's vision and together they create a beautiful unforgettable wedding by going through each wedding planning process.

The cost of the wedding coordinator will range from 10,000 - 15,000 pesos. The wedding planner's professional handling fee will start from 25,000 to as much as 60,000 in planning your wedding.



3. Do you give discounts?

This is also a very common question among budget conscious couple-to-wed. There is nothing wrong in asking for a discount but from a point of view of wedding suppliers, asking for a discount is like not giving enough importance to the hard work we put into making your wedding beautiful and as much as possible, problem-free. You put your money to what you value the most. Sometimes, you may not see it, the act of asking for a discount implicitly say "I don't see you or your work very valuable." But it is still okay to ask, most wedding suppliers are very considerate to clients who have very limited resources. So go ahead and try to work things out with your wedding planner. Compromise with the cost, I am sure there is something you can come to an agreement.



I hope I cleared most of your queries on Philippine Wedding Costs. Budgeting is an integral part in every day living and not just planning your wedding. How much does a wedding cost depends on how much you are willing to spend and how much you can actually spend.


For more personal and one-on-one wedding budget inquiries, you can email me your queries. My email address is:

leahjacobe@gmail.com

Happy Wedding Planning and Congratulations to Your Happily Ever After!!!

Greenleaf Hotel Gensan: An Experience of Luxurious Grandiose

General Santos City is rising. I have seen how this city is trying to cope with the changing times and how its people are becoming more and more attuned with the competition in progressing cities. Malls have been improving and I can truly say that in the two years since I decided to follow my heart in this sleeping dragon, it is gradually steaming off some heat. Soon enough, this dragon will unleash its fury and Gensan will be able to compete with other leading cities in the country, if not the world.

I can say this very positive outlook because I have seen how General Santos city has accommodated growth and expansion over the last decade. A healthy commerce is booming with SM, Robinsons, Gaisano and KCC malls constantly competing each other in the daily business arena. Moreso, the presence of grand hotels in Gensan and inns sprouting suddenly like mushroom is an indication of influx of people visiting and staying in Gensan.



Having said this, just this afternoon, I roamed the city and went grazing to the direction of the newest and grandest hotel in General Santos City, The Greenleaf Hotel Gensan, which is still in completion process and will have its soft opening on the first week of July 2013. Being a wedding planner, I have this habit of checking out best places for wedding in Gensan and function halls for great events and truly I have set foot in one grand luxurious hotel in the heart of General Santos City.




So I walked towards the guard  who was stationed outside the building and courteously greeted and accompanied me to the main entrance of the hotel. Upon entering I was greeted with this modern stylish information desk with its mirror mural wall. The staff spoke fluent English, friendly and courteous attitude with clear diction and intonation. hmmmm.... My first impression, wow, am I still in Gensan?

I was told by the receptionist that I will be entertained by one of the sales staff and there she was a few seconds after, I was introduced to Miss Rhea and she gave me a detailed and well explained tour in the lavish rooms and functions of the hotel.

Facing the front desk area, you will notice on your left this grand cascading royal carpeted stairs that will make you imagine a princess or a bride in full ball gown gloriously descending on the stairs. Such a fancy thought! Surely, this can be one of the best places for wedding in Gensan.

Then just a few steps from the grand stairs is the lounge area where you can have a small chit chat meeting with your business associates or friends. They have a small pantry section by the far end that serves coffee, snacks, and healthy treats.

This is the Delux Twin Room. In this picture, I was given a chance to have a glimpse in their showroom where people are allowed to enter for a tour to see what's inside. From the name itself, TWIN, they have two beds that is large enough to fit for two persons and still has a spacious area for the make up artist photographer and video coverage during wedding day preparations.

 They covered the bed with white sheets to protect the bed from dusts and debris since it is just a showroom at the moment.

Their flat screen wifi ready tv hung steadily on the mirrored walls.

 Their toilet has all the amenities you need: towels, soap, shampoo, and many more.

 The walls have art and built in ref you couldn't see from the photo. Just beside the closet is the ref with lots of finger foods to indulge of course with a price.

 These led lights in the shower room changes color. It turns red when its already warm in temperature, said Miss Rhea.

The toilet with its bathroom wall bamboo designed tiles.











Let's skip to the part where events happen. The photo below is their function room that can accommodate upto 60 persons. It is great for small group seminars and presentations.

 This photo is a snapshot of their grand ballroom that can accommodate upto 500 guests. The very thing that caught my eye is the spiraling design of ceiling led light chandelier crystals! It has so grand effect that you will truly feel very rich and famous being inside the hall and I should say indeed this is one of the best places for wedding in Gensan.

The black rectangular portion is where a very huge LED screen will be installed. It's so huge that it can be used as a backdrop by itself.









Well, as of now, this is all I am going to write about this fabulous hotel. I should say I was one lucky astray wedding planner in Gensan to have stumbled into an experience of luxury hotel grandiose in this tuna capital city. There are still more amenities they offer that I have not mentioned here. Maybe in the future when they professionally ask me to feature them, then I will gladly oblige. I just know that Greenleaf Hotel Gensan will be part of the best places for wedding in Gensan.

You can visit their facebook page here.  You may also get information in their official website here.


I would like to personally thank Miss Rhea for the wonderful, very detailed, very well explained tour inside this luxurious world class hotel. It was such a pleasure to talk to her as she was very easy to understand and very friendly too. I also met other hotel staff that are very professional and courteous too. Indeed, they have been trained well to greet everyone they meet.

I would love to be there for their opening ceremony as I have personally loved the concept of mirror inspired hotel! I sincerely hope I can hold a wedding here soon. Greenleaf Hotel had me at hello earlier today!

Best Wedding Venues in Gensan (Airconditioned Halls)

General Santos City is best known because of the globally famous boxing fighter Manny Pacquiao who has always promoted the 'capital city of tuna'.

For most people who have no time to travel but are curious of what General Santos City has to offer when it comes to wedding venues, here are some of the best wedding venues in Gensan according to my own opinion as wedding planner catering clients to this place.

This is just a random listing and NOT according to ranking. So here goes...

Best Wedding Venues in Gensan 

Phela Grande Convention Center

This marvelous huge convention hall can accommodate a very huge crowd of probably 500 or more guests. I had a first-hand experience working with Phela Grande staff and here are my observations:

Positive:

- They have very friendly and quick to understand waiters. 

- Their marketing officer, Mam Luz is very accommodating even if I contact her at the wee hours of the night or morning. She never fails to return call or update you with details.

- They have very good tasting food.

Negative:

- They have double bookings. During the day of my event with Phela Grande which was held at 3pm, there was another wedding reception in the morning that lasted to almost 3pm which pressured my partner florist Sir Rolly Jagonob and his team to set up everything in less than one hour!!! So it was really unfortunate that there was very little time to set up according to what we have planned. 

- According to other past wedding suppliers, they have a terrible sound system, so during our event here, we have rented a separate lights and sounds to meet the quality sound system that the couple wanted.

Venue 88

This is a compound of function halls. Each function hall has distinct number of guests accommodate inside it. 

I have also a first-hand experience working with them and here are my insights:

Positive:

- The venue is equipped with fantastic lights and sounds equipment and they have electric trees that create a cherry blossom effect when used to accentuate the stage.

- They have built-in, in-house ceiling draping that could save a lot of decorator and florist efforts in setting up the place. With it, it can also be a money saver for couples to offset ceiling treatment for their reception decorations.

- They have a very bubbly and friendly Sales and Marketing Manager Mandy, who takes pride in his promotion of the place.

Negative:

- I am not sure if the catering was part of the function hall because it was the choice of the client as per recommendation of the management or if it was entirely a different catering services. Me and my team observed that the waiters of that particular catering were not so professional in terms of etiquette. I wont divulge any more details about it. I just had a negative observation on the catering services.

- The location is slightly off the main highway but it can be manageable.

Paseo Del Sol

This is a prestigious place to conduct affairs in Gensan because of its fame to prominent people in the area. They have a Renaissance feel with a mix of dreamy garden setting, it is best for weddings with Nature inspired motif. It is an intimate place so it can probably accommodate around 200-400 guests. If you include outside setting, then it would probably cater up to 500 guests.

- The place is really nice for a quintessential styling. Great for royal themes and Cinderella story effects because the structure of the place is a mix of vintage elegance and romantic moldings.

I still have to write the Positive and Negative observations of this function place as I will be having an upcoming event to be held here soon. So I will just leave it at that. More details to follow.

I know there are still a lot of best wedding venues in Gensan but these three venues I have elaborated here are within the city and very accessible to transportation that's why I think they are best places. Your guests wont be having a hard time to locate them even if they are from out of town.

You may also want to check out garden wedding venues in Gensan as follows:

• Mt. Sabrina Resort
• Sarangani Highlands
• Yolach's Venue

Click the link and you will be redirected to their respective online accounts. 

I hope you have learned a bit more about destination weddings to Gensan. For more personalized attention to you inquiries about conducting weddings and best wedding venues in Gensan (General Santos City), don't hesitate to contact me:

Leah Jacobe

Wedding Planner

leahjacobeweddings@gmail.com

0949-770-28-29

Thanks for reading my post! Happy Wedding Planning!