Perfect 10 Weddings

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Weddings at Work Top 10 Suppliers of 2013 Awarding Day & Xmas Party

We would not have been able to take this photo if Emman's guardian angel
had not kept him from harm's way.  
It was a bittersweet day...

Nov. 22, 2013

My husband, Emman, called me around 7AM to tell me that Focus is a total wreck. It was surreal. I thought I was dreaming. If it were a total wreck, why was he calling me? He was driving the car, after all. Besides, we were just talking a few minutes before that, and everything was fine.

the wrecked focus and the obvious lack of safety measures
along the construction site
Well, his guardian angel must have been working overtime that day -- just as he has been the past two months he has been working 12, 14, 16-hour shifts with his current company. He came out unscathed, save for 1 scratch on his left wrist and a bruise on his right wrist. (His side airbag didn't deploy thanks to the free seat cover from Ford Alabang -- the worst in after sales service. They could have at least given a warning that if we'd use it, we'd also be putting ourselves in harm's way, right?)

We can't fully explain what happened, except that we saw debris from the concrete island on the road from a construction along Commonwealth which, of course, had no sign, no orange cones, and no barrier. Did I say there was also a deep hole with metal bars which could have skewered my husband had the car fallen in? (Oh, but we shouldn't have expected the city government of Quezon City or DPWH to have placed more than a very thin yellow ribbon in the area. We live in a corrupt, third world country. Obviously, here, living day in and day out is a miracle in itself. Look at the Yolanda survivors and what they are going through despite the billions in aid given by foreign countries and private citizens.)

The fact that we can't fully explain what happened and why he was not hurt just tells me Emman experienced a miracle in its truest sense. And for that, we are very thankful. (We received word two days later about another car that overturned in the same area, with one getting stitches and the other passenger experiencing a fracture.)

That night, we decided to still attend the Weddings at Work Party. Emman was in Malaysia -- on a speaking engagement -- the last time I was part of the Top 10. That was in 2010 and Perfect 10 Weddings was on its 6th month. P10W officially ended its run and started its hiatus last January 2013. This second trip to the Top 10 is for a different category -- wedding emceeing.

It was great to see familiar faces -- former brides, co-suppliers -- gathered in one venue. It was also a lot of fun to meet future brides whose faces I've gotten to know because they added me on Facebook. I asked my dad and my niece to go, first, because my dad takes care of the music I bring to every wedding and second, because my niece always complains that I have a wedding and can't spend time with her. Emman was with me as well. After all, he's the one who brings me to and from most of my weddings.

It could have been a very different story that day. I shudder to think of that thought. So let me end with much thanksgiving to the Almighty Father and to Emman's guardian angel.
Awarding Ceremonies at the Blue Leaf Filipinas
Thank you to everyone who sent in their well wishes and their congratulatory notes via Facebook and SMS. Truly appreciated... :) 

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Delay in the Announcement of Winners

Hi Everyone,

Aside from having weddings the past days, I am also verifying the entries (if all 3 steps were done). Please bear with me. I am targeting tomorrow as my announcement day. I should be finished verifying each entry by then. :)

Some of you may have also received emails from me regarding the verification process... Thank you for responding right away. :)

God Bless
Darlene

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Last Chance!

It's your last chance to get the 1,000 discount and/or win in the raffle! Today is the last day! :)

If you've booked or if you've sent in your entries, please make sure you did these three tasks:

a) send an email to Darlene with your date, ceremony time and venue, and reception time and venue
b) press the join site button (left side of the webpage, just scroll down)
c) comment on at least one blog entry

You may still finish all three tasks today so you can ensure that your discount stays and/or your entry will be counted for the raffle. Noticed how some just commented but didn't join. Some just sent in emails without having joined the site and without having commented. Remember, you have to do all three for your discount to stay and for your entry to be counted. :)

Monday, November 11, 2013

Thank you, Belle and Byron :)

Can't get over the cuteness of this gift :) Love, love, love it :)

Thank you so much, Belle and Byron :) 


Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Top 5 Tips for Dealing with the Dreaded Guest List

One of my brides asked me for tips, so it got me thinking that if she needed tips, then perhaps, there are others out there who need tips as well. So here goes... 

1) Take RSVP matters into your own hands. 

Don't be shy about asking people if they can go to your big day. Send a generic text. If some don't respond, call them or send them an SMS directed at them only. If they don't pick up the call and refuse to answer the message, put all their names in the buffer list. Chances are, they won't be going anyway. (And if they do, well, they know they never responded; thus, the reason for their buffer table listing.) 

Sample place card (usually only those seated
at the VIP table have place cards) 
Oh, don't accept chair reservations, too. Ask for the names of those who are coming. That way, you won't spend needlessly for a chair reservation which never had a corresponding name in the first place. It will also help you later on when you do your guest list and print your escort cards. 

2) VIP tip 1

Put your parents, godparents, and their spouses in the VIP list. Ask your caterer if the number of people can fit into 1, 2, 3, or more VIP tables. That way, you will also be able to check regarding additional fees for floral arrangements and the like. 

Check with your caterer if you will need to make the place cards. If they will take care of it, get the deadline and send accordingly. Draw a seat map -- excel, powerpoint, word, photoshop, by hand -- for as long as the coords and the caterer's AE will understand where each person is seated. Make sure you put your couple's area as reference so your parents don't end up at the back. Inform them as well that they really need to follow the seat map you made. That way, they won't just put whoever, wherever. 

IMPORTANT TIP: Do not seat the partners in front of each other. Put them side by side. You will understand why when you start going around the VIP tables for pictorial with each pair. 

Don't forget to comment below or send us an email
if you will use this photo for your own wedding. :)
We would be glad to know we've been helpful. :) 
3) VIP tip 2

Seat them with people they know or with whom they may share a common interest. I loved it when Ms. Sonia Roco gushed at me during our wedding that her VIP table seat mate is her neighbour. Glad that she noticed how we sat her with someone whom she can converse with... :) 

If they know whom they are seated with or they at least have something to talk about, chances are, they won't leave right away. And you don't want them leaving right away because the VIP tables are at the center of the room. :)

4) Guests tables

Group the names according to their affiliations. If you have 11 in a group, then make sure you also have a group with 9 names, because you will take the 10th chair of that table to have 11 chairs for the 11 guests of another table. 

But if you can keep yourself from having 11 chairs, and stick to 10, better. It is tight to have 11 per round table. Oh! And don't take this tip at face value ok, ask your caterer regarding the number of people per table. Some only have 8 chairs per table, while others can go up to 12 per table especially if they are rectangular. 

A NOTE REGARDING THE BUFFER TABLE: 

Remember that this table that has to be kept empty in your guest list. If you have 150 guests, and you paid for 150, the 10 extra seats of the buffer table should be the allotment of those who might suddenly appear without having sent responses. You know them, they are in your buffer list, but they never responded; thus, they belong to the buffer list. 

If you assign people there, then you have guests appearing unannounced, the coords will not have seats for them right away. They will be made to wait by the registration area while the coords are going around asking guests if the seats beside them are empty. Although said guests did not RSVP, it's still rude to make them wait too long for a seat; thus, the function of the buffer table.  

It's also a good idea to have escort cards so coords know right away which tables still have extra seats and who came unannounced and grabbed the seats of those originally assigned to certain tables. Some guests do that as well. But with escort cards and people reporting that they do not have seats anymore, coords are able to relocate those who really did not respond to RSVP texts and calls. 

Oh, the suppliers table usually doesn't have a centrepiece, so it does not count as a buffer table. Sometimes, the chairs are even monoblocks, while the rest have ghost or tiffany chairs. So yes, it's not very polite to use it as a buffer table.

Photo by Metrophoto, grabbed from Vatel Manila's blog entry regarding the wedding
we handled as Perfect 10 Weddings last November 2012
Thank you, Oly, for making our escort cards look soooo nice... :) 
5) Kiddie Tables

These aren't so feasible especially if... 
a) the kids are too young to be on their own
b) the kiddie table is close to the door, the projector, or the dance floor/programme area

For me, it's still a lot better to have the kids seated with parents so they are safe and more disciplined. They are less likely to run around if the parent is beside them and checking on what they are doing -- unless the parent is the one encouraging them to join the bride and groom on stage. (This is sad, but it happens...) 

Kiddie stuff can be distributed by the coords (colouring materials, puzzles, clay, etc.) and the waiters (kiddie food). Ask the caterer if they are open to you ordering fast-food meals with toys, too. They are cheaper, yet the kids truly enjoy them. Channeling the thought of this kid who was walking around with her happy meal box all throughout the wedding reception... So cute! :) 

Of course, if you want it more formal, you can ask the caterer for their kiddie meals, too. :) I'm sure either way, the kids will enjoy having food suited to their palate. Oh, but if you're ordering kiddie meals, please count the kids and double check the number before ordering -- better yet, have extra plates/kiddie meal boxes. Some tend to take their kids along without informing the bride and groom.

This kiddie table set-up worked because it was nowhere near the door, not near the projector, and the kids
were old enough to handle themselves. In fact, when the food was served, they were able to eat on
their own. I do declare though, non-toxic clay really keeps 'em busier than crayons and colouring pages. :) 
Note: 

You still have 8 days left to join the raffle and get a discount on my current emceeing packages. Just click on this link: join the raffle or get a discount now :) 

Monday, November 4, 2013

6 winners in 6 days!!!

6 days to go till we draw the winners' names... :) 
6 winners all in all :)

Kindly note the following:

*After November 12, 2013, regular rates will apply :)

One white, one pink... :) The pink one is actually a bridesmaid's kit but it
comes with all the essentials as well, except for the extra garter. :)  
*If you've signified your intention to book, but you haven't sent in your deposit slip and contract, please do so on or before the 12th, that way, the discount still applies. :)

*If you have booked, but you forgot to follow the blog and leave a comment, do so on or before the 12th... just so you can keep your discount :)

*Oh, yes, the emergency kit raffle is open to all brides -- whether booked with me or not :) Just check out the inclusive months below. :)


Blurred Lines

Oct 12, 2013
Rhea and Adrian 
Blue Leaf Filipinas 

Why the title? 

It's not because we blurred the lines between Filipino and Malaysian traditions. Nope... :) (Ok, we did, because we even had two types of toasts -- one that we are used to and another that's traditionally Malaysian) 

But that's not the point... :)

I am using this title because the people started dancing when Sound Salad started singing the song, "Blurred Lines". :) 

It was cute how the children/siblings of the couple delivered their parents messages. Oh, and guests definitely enjoyed the trivia game about Adrian and Rhea... We had to go down the wire to a sudden death round with one of Rhea's former office mates winning for his table :) 

We had fun with the singles game, too, since we played damsel in distress with the basketball hoops. It was funny and touching at the same time to see the Malaysian guys coaching each other as to how best to shoot the balls into the hoops. Really sweet, too, that our bachelor who did the garter and kissing challenge said sorry to the bachelorette every time he had to do a task -- such a gentleman!  :) 

Below are some detail shots -- just using my iPad...  :) 

Registration set up by Ktg events :) 


Giveaways from the couple which only females were allowed to distribute. 

Loved the set up of Josiah's Catering :) People were so full that we had to remind them there was a pasta bar on the left and a dessert bar on the right. :) 






Saturday, November 2, 2013

Another sweet, sweet note :)

Thank you so much, Kristel and Harold :) 

I know you guys are busy with work and newlywed bliss, I truly appreciate that you took time to write me an email after the Weddings at Work Top 10 announcement :) 

Couples like you guys make suppliers believe they can do anything and everything, give 101% of themselves and more... Thank you for empowering all of us that day. Your positivity rubbed off on everyone -- a programme of 3 hours, torrential rains, and no one left. The thought still leaves me speechless :)


Friday, November 1, 2013

Sweet as Candy

Her name is Jhellie and she is one do the sweetest brides I've met. I'm posting her touching message here because for some reason, Facebook didn't get to post it. Good thing Facebook sent a notice about it. :)

She sent this after the Weddings at Work top 10 announcement :)