Full/Semi Full Planning Supplier

[Nokie]

Please help! I'm really torn between getting Christine Ong-Te and Kutchie. Initially, I wanted COTE because they have a turnover package (5-6 months before) but since my wedding is not until December 2017 and i'm based here in Manila, i'm thinking now baka I won't be needing partial coordination. I've been to weddings where she is the otd, super organized I haven't attended any Kutchie weddings but i've been reading nothing but good feedback and her rates are lower.

[Nikky27]

Hi sis Nokie! i wonder why you need partial coordination since nandito ka naman sa manila?! i saw a bad feedback on kutchie dun sa OTD thread natin pero hindi naman siya yung may mali, yung coord niya actually pero reflected din sa kanya yun. si COTE is really expensive naman. Ayaw mo consider yung mga coords dito sis na affordable naman yung rates, like Imbitado, events by Thoffy, Dazzle Events, absolutely knots, etc. i heard they are all good

[deets]

Hello mga sis! I got the Full Wedding Coordination by Bouquets and Tiaras Events Management. Though I'm here in manila but I'm super busy with work and family. I have a limited budget at 250k they recommended really good suppliers na within our range lang. they always remind me with the remaining balances, they provided a template for me and nung mga napipili ko na suppliers e medyo out of budget like caterer nag remind sila na ssobra kami sa budget pag yun ang napili which is okay with me kase gusto ko talaga yung caterer. So far on time kami sa lahat and stress free talaga ako.

[kaitlynmischa]

^^^Hi Nokie COTE is one of my options too before, yun nga lang they are pricey talaga. I just dont know if they can work around your budget. Like I got Metroeventscape, Chinkie gave me a discount pero instead of 6mos turnover, 4 mos na lang and that's partial coordination. I am also based in Manila. Sometimes I doubt myself on why I had to avail of the partial coordination and not the OTD only. Pero just like you I don't want to feel stressed out. Oh well, I hope I can get what I paid for.

[tan.denise54]

COTE's team is really good but really pricey as well. The biggest edge that I see about COTE's team is if you are having a chinese wedding, they can understand and speak chinese which is very important for a coordinator of chinese weddings. I've also read some negative reviews about Kutchie's team before but I don't remember the details anymore.

Please help! I'm really torn between getting Christine Ong-Te and Kutchie. Initially, I wanted COTE because they have a turnover package (5-6 months before) but since my wedding is not until December 2017 and i'm based here in Manila, i'm thinking now baka I won't be needing partial coordination. I've been to weddings where she is the otd, super organized I haven't attended any Kutchie weddings but i've been reading nothing but good feedback and her rates are lower.

[Nokie]

^Hi Nikki27 and Kaitlynmischa, COTE gave us a discount kasi like almost 5k higher nalang partial coord rate nila from her OTD package so sulit.

Done with our meetings with both of them. I'm sure our wedding will be very organized if we get COTE but during our meeting she was quite pushy with the suppliers she recommended and not too receptive of our comments. With Kutchie naman she was very motherly like and really listened to what we envisioned our wedding would be and we felt more at ease. I think in the long run, we'll be more stressed during the planning with COTE hahaha. So there, I guess that answers na my question hehe.

Hi tan.denise54, that's the reason I initially wanted COTE because we're having a semi-Chinese wedding (probably half of the guests will be Chinese) and we even included her fee in our original budget. Oh well, but sometimes things just don't workout as originally planned. I'll just trust my instinct and pray that Kutchie's team will deliver.

[kaitlynmischa]

Hi Nokie I'm glad you have finally decided. Sayang nagbibigay din pala sila ng discount! Haha! COTE was my first choice kasi I attended the wedding of my cousin and they are very organized. I asked my cousin of her suppliers kasi the setup was really nice, she just know the names of her suppliers pero lahat daw yung nirefer lang ni COTE (except P/V and gown). I believe nasa pangungulit lang din yan, just trust your coordinator that she can deliver. 

[Nokie]

^ My fiance's brother also got COTE for his wedding this year, so they were forced to offer us the same rate hahaha. Thank you! Good luck on your preps but i'm sure it would be less stressful, I heard Chinky's team is also very very good.

[ninja8]

I once had a good review of La Belle Fete but I decided to take it down. I didnt feel secure anymore after getting feedback from 2 brides who had them. They all had the same feedback. Para kang nasa korte defending yourself with the main planner, Ycoy. We didnt want that. It was saddening since we did bend down to what she suggested.

A good friend had her wedding with them and had bad bad feedback so I got scared. Imagine coordinators eating the hotel food delivered for the entourage while having their makeup done, stating that it is not in the contract that her second gown be brought to the reception (i mean really you tell this to a bride on her wedding day) and no meetings were done. All emails. Just 1 meeting. She let it go, trusting that they wil deliver.Ang nasabe nya lang sakin "magipon kame ulit and hire a new planner". That was it.

[lots-o]

Hi sis ninja8 i almost got her too because of nice setups and all. May i know the pros and cons with your encounter to La Belle Fete,i mean maellaborate mo pa ba yung details or its something confidential?

[littlemissbiatch]

^^ Oh wow, so you canceled your contract with them and got a new planner?  They were my first choice pa naman when I was looking for a coord and I was so bummed when they said they were no longer available on my wedding date.

[kaitlynmischa]

^ Same feeling I had last June. If you will back read I also did not push through with La belle fete. I feel like masyado silang mataas. Excited pa naman ako to get them before. Ok na ako sa coordinator ko ngayon very warm! 

[smdagnes]

The decision on whether to get a semi/full or otd wedding coordinator depends on how much time you can give on planning your wedding. I have booked a full coordination back in May for my wedding in Feb next year. I am pretty hands on and actually contact suppliers myself, with coord in cc or if i miss to cc her i forward the emails to keep her in the loop. we regularly do updates via skype (i am based outside the Philippines). I think i can do the whole planning myself, you just need to dedicate time. Like i am spending at least a day of my weekend doing research (reading supplier reviews, scouting for alternative suppliers on facebook, google, instagram.. kung nalaman ko lang bang may GT ng maaga aga I would have read reviews here too) and some evenings after work, i sit with my husband and go through suppliers, check their profiles and work and come weekend we try to mutually decide on who to pick. Anyways, to make it short, you can plan it yourself. You just need to dedicate time.
For semi planning, you should at least book a number of major suppliers like the church, reception, photographer, gown. if you are planning well in advance you have a lot of time to identify and decide who to book.
In my case, i find it very useful that I have someone who i know kahit na i lose track or sometimes i am slacking  she gets me on track and push to meet our deadlines set.
To get the best out of your planner, i think you should be able to jive/click with him/her. Yung hindi puro suggest ng pricey vendors but finds you alternatives or gives you honest reviews about them especially if they have worked with them. Mine haggles pa nga e sa mga packages we get and negotiates with suppliers regardless kung semi or full, you have to get along well with your planner, would give suggestions and opinion but would listen to you but will also respect and support your decisions.

[LilaFowler]

^ better to let go of the 40 kesa invest more and be stressed out with the whole event when the point of having a planner to not be stressed.

[smdagnes]

sana pwedeng itest drive ang mga planners. what i did was like, think of it as hiring an employee and going through candidate profiles. i have even did a skype call with two of them, kinda interview - i asked about their work, what they can offer, what i will get and how much value i will get from them. in the end, i booked someone who did not even go through my "interview" stage  worked well for me though.

[lots-o]

Yun nga eh my certain "air" that I cant decipher. But it was hard letting go 40k without any movement. Invested time effort and money were put to waste.  I am so much secured with our planner now. Imagine after replacing them, onboard na lahat suppliers ko ngayon from none

Happy for you ninja8 mas okna nga yung coordiantor mo ngaun! atleast masasabi ko na ngaun na happy preps!

[ninja8]

thanks LilaFowler and lots-o. Super super nakahinga kame ni fiance.  Double time nalang kame sa work to earn back the 40. She can keep it. Whats nakakainis pa, shes always on vacation posting her travel on IG  while pending mga requests namen dati. Arrrgghhhh!

I agree dapat my probation period ang planners. hehe

[lots-o]

yun lang sis! mahirap talaga wala ba others na in charge dun habang wala siya. Importante kaya yung customer service.

[kaitlynmischa]

It seems to me that La Belle's service is only limited to couples whose budgets are big cos they said they can cater me if my budget is 700k up exclusive of their coordination. I thought yeah, oo nga naman, they are pricey so bakit mo sila kukunin kung budget wedding ka BUT nakaka- off. They set the price for every meals pa, plus the tone of her voice (AE) when I talked to her. Sorry but it feels like they are more concerned about their welfare. I don't care if they are graduates of reputable schools, if you visit their website you'll see their credentials, what I need is someone who is very grounded, won't think too highly of themselves. The one I got (Chinkie Uy-Agregado) we never talked about budget yet, it gave me the feeling that she is there to assist me no matter what. The meals for coordinator is 3 full meals, she never said that the price must be like this and that. Of course I won't scrimp on meals naman.

[kaitlynmischa]

ninja8 sayang nga 40k! That's the booking fee? hindi ba transferrable yun? hehe! Don't worry mas ok na yung you feel at ease with your new coordinator than settle with someone you are not comfortable working with.