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!!!

Popular Wedding Trends 2015

Wedding trends vary every year. Different styles for different times. Once, the Cinderella ball gown is the most in demand style of wedding gown. Then as the century turns, slimmer and body-hugging wedding gowns emerged. Wedding motif and themes have also developed throughout the decades. Most brides in the 90's plan their own wedding without the help of a wedding planner. But today, most brides and surprisingly, hands on grooms are very particular with their ideal weddings. Today, weddings range from the most classical to the most uniquely bizarre ideas to date.


Wedding Colors

Among the colors most chosen by brides, nothing beats the popularity of peaches and pinks. This soft color spells out elegance and tenderness combined. Brides prefer this color because of its feminine appeal and classical feel.

image courtesy of brides.com

Wedding Decorations

True indeed, you can't go wrong with the most popular wedding color of all time. As with the color, so with the wedding decorations. Flowers are just as important as the wedding dress. The set up and design of wedding trends are moving to a more classical era reviving the Victorian essence with the combination of rustic elements specifically the candles. This year's most in demand wedding theme is the Rustic-Shabby Chic-Victorian Era theme. 

Not surprising enough, wedding decorating with candles have been on the rise. There is a growing trend on wedding decorations using only candles. Yes, without the flowers that is. Now, that would look like this:

image courtesy of http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/candle-only-centerpieces/

image courtesy of http://hksanthialeei.blogspot.com

I think it would be very romantic to see these gorgeous candles all lighted up during the dinner reception! I would love to design a wedding with this kind of concept!

Wedding Gowns

Ah well, THE DRESS! This is probably the most well researched, most sought after, most thought-of aspect of the wedding. Dresses now are centered on the details. The more beadwork and stonework on the dress, the more brides will dive for it! Laces and embroideries have never gone out of style, but this time, this timeless piece of detail has probably taken the spotlight. More and more brides opt for laces all over their wedding gown. 

image courtesy of http://bridalmusings.com/2014/01/30-lace-sleeve-wedding-dresses/

Lace is timeless. It is elegance. It is classic. It is beauty. It is forever. It is probably THE DRESS for every bride. The dress you choose will depict the kind of personality you have. If you choose lace, you must value high end style and highest quality of its kind. You can never go wrong with a lace wedding gown.

There you have it the pressing matters of planning a wedding. These 3 elements of a wedding make a wedding stand out along with some other aspects. Filipino weddings are as up to date as the western weddings could be. Philippine wedding trends are gaining inspirations from different wedding trends around the world. 

To give you more details on the present day and upcoming wedding trends, feel free to email me: leahjacobe@gmail.com. Also, for your wedding planning inquiries, click here.

Happy Wedding Planning this 2015!

Best Time of the Day to Get Married

What is the best time to conduct a wedding ceremony? Most wedding ceremonies take place in the afternoon so that the reception time will take place at night and the after party breaks until dawn. But not every couple follows this tradition. 

If you are wondering what time you would want your wedding to happen, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner is the best time for a wedding for you, check out these advantages of each time of the wedding:


Sunrise Wedding (5am, 6am)

 Pros
If your wedding venue is strategically located facing the East, then this is the perfect time for you to say "I DO" with a feeling of a bright tomorrow awaits you as the sun rises and greets your wedding with a soft light to begin the day.


Cons
This is probably a dreaded time for most Filipinos. It can be too early for most people especially that in the Philippines, Filipino Time is usually 30 minutes late and conducting a wedding ceremony at this time will pose a major setback in preparations and arriving on time.

Your wedding suppliers may have additional charge for setting up very early or the day before for your wedding.

The Solution: This is best for an intimate wedding of about 50 guests housed in one venue the night before. Everyone should be in the same place for easy call time and gathering of the guests and entourage at early dawn. 



Morning Wedding (8am, 9am, 10am, 11am)

Pros
These time slots are best for people who want to enjoy the rest of the afternoon and night with their family, friends and guests who may have come a long way to attend their wedding. The wedding ceremony and reception will usually end at the most 2pm so there is plenty of time for an afternoon or dinner bonding with out of town guests without going beyond the time indicated for supposed "first night" of the newlyweds.

Cons
If your wedding will be held in the city, expect morning traffic. And if your wedding falls on a weekday or holiday rush, expect more traffic. Aside from working people and students rushing to get to their designated places, the holiday rush may also bring out more people out in the streets to get what they need in time for the holidays - think Christmas. Whew!

The Solution: Choose a hotel near the church or choose a location where the distance between the ceremony and reception will be bearable to transport. Avoid choosing dates that people are still at work and special holidays when people will be roaming the streets - like parades and Christmas holidays.


Afternoon / Sunset Wedding (2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm)

Pros

Most weddings are held in the afternoon because primarily it gives the couple and their families and friends to have enough time to prepare and run errands that may be needed during the wedding - like buying socks or belt because they forgot to bring theirs on the preparation site. Wedding suppliers will also have enough time to do their tasks at their most working mood because these are the time slots when normal working hours is conducted.

Cons
If you are having an outdoor wedding specially in the Philippines where the climate is tropical, these time slots may still be a little humid with the rays of the sun too strong to stand in. Sometimes, rain might interrupt the ceremony.

The Solution. Provide umbrella for the guests and entourage witnessing the ceremony. Choose a location where there is a canopy of trees or a garden tent to shield the people from heat and moisture.


Sunset Wedding  (6pm, 7pm, 8pm)

Pros
These time slots are best for people who want to get the party going all night. Sunset weddings are romantic and dreamy specially if held in the open with the night sky full of twinkly stars. If you start the ceremony about thirty minutes before the sunset forecast, you may have a cozy sunset rays just in time for your first official husband-wife kiss.

Cons
This is not so appealing to the some people specially the older ones and those with infants and children since it can start too late and end too late which can alter their sleeping routines. Some older people and children may not have the energy to finish through the night.

The Solution: Prioritize the elders and children during the program so that if they wanted to go home ahead, they would already have participated on their part of the program.



Depending on the location, venue, weather and type of people attending the wedding, every wedding is a perfect time to celebrate at any given time of day. But of course, you must put in mind that your wedding is a mix of two families and friends and so it is also crucial to consider your attendees to have a comfortable and fun experience during your wedding.

In all time slots, it is best to check the weather forecast for the day before, during and after your wedding so you would know what to expect.

Happy Wedding Planning!

Tete-a-tete!

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!