Problems you encounter while preparing for your wedding (Part 6)

[caleeice]

April 24 sis? Almost a month and she hasn't replied? Try to call her during weekdays. I get praning when suppliers don't reply to me especially when it's an important matter. If she continues to be unresponsive, you better think things over if you are willing to take the risk with a coordinator who does not reply. Baka kasi mabitin ka in the end. Kayo rin mahihirapan.

[ece]

yes sis. April 24.  diba, nakakaloka? pero sige, I'm still keeping my faith in her. will wait until next week. pag walang response even sa email, si h2b nalang patawagin ko. hehe..


thank you sisters! 

[sevenstars]

Hi anneshirley! Here are my tips:

1) Hire a planner, and invest in a good one. In my opinion an experienced, full-service planner is indispensable if you're having a destination wedding. Unless you travel to your wedding location frequently, you're going to have to choose some things without seeing or trying them, and that means you have to be confident in your planner's recommendations. I think it's ideal if you can meet them in person beforehand, but I wanted to have her booked before I arrived for my venue scouting trip, so I just chatted with her on Skype.

If you're determined to stick to a specific budget, it's also a good idea to ask what the weddings they plan generally cost -- you have to like your planner's taste, but if they usually work with vendors that are well out of your budget you'll probably have issues.

2) This probably goes without saying, but do a lot of research on potential suppliers, venues, etc. I did a lot of internet sleuthing (make sure you google wedding blogs + forums for that country, and try looking up Instagram hashtags), but I was also lucky enough to have a couple of acquaintances who got married in the same destination we were considering. One of them recommended the caterer we ended up hiring, and I found my wedding planner by looking up the planners that caterer worked with. I chose my planner because of her experience, but I knew she was a good fit because she frequently dealt with all the suppliers whose work I liked online.

3) Make room in your budget/calendar for at least two planning trips. Use the first to look at venues in person; we looked at more than 10 over the course of three days (and that was after I eliminated a bunch of other possibilities after discussing with my planner). If you're unsure about your caterer you should also try and get tastings done during the first trip; we weren't worried so we saved it for the second one. I also used the second trip to have my hair and makeup trial and finalise decor details (met with the florist/stylist, went to rental showrooms, etc).

4) Build a lot of wiggle room into your budget. People seem to think destination weddings in popular locations are cheaper because you can avail of packages -- but personally I found the package weddings very typical and cookie-cutter, and breaking out of that mold can be expensive (especially if you decide to fly any suppliers in; we're doing it for our photographer and videographer). Also, foreign exchange/bank transfer/Paypal fees can really add up.

Good luck with your planning!

[pogi02]

Naku sis ece! Red flag yan.
Coor ko na mismo nagsabi sakin na kahit busy sya, pag may queries ako, text ko lang sya then she'll get back to me within 24 hrs. Kasi trabaho nya na asikasuhin ang needs and wants ng clients nya.
Kahit nga matagal pa ang wedding namin, super eager sya mag-respond sa mga tanong ko.
Kaya ramdam kong alagang alaga kami ni coor kahit sya na nagsabi na madami silang events.
Try to think of your wedding day, kung ganyan palang sa preparation eh hindi mo na sya makausap ng maayos, pano pa kaya sa D day nyo? Make sense, right?

[mkea]

If its okay sis ece, who is your coordinator?

[peanutbuttercups]

^No sis, that isn't acceptable sa coordinator. You are not being a bridezilla.

For instance my coordinator, never yan di nag-reply. Even if I only got OTD services and my wedding is a year away pa. She always answers within 24hrs at most. Plus I have asked her everything from supplier feedback, to etiquette concerns, to what role to give my son and future step son in the entourage etc.

Hehe that's why she's my favorite supplier so far. Really happy I got her.

Nicee! May I know who's your OTD girl?

[Chili1113]

^Sis my OTD coordinator is Ruby Ines of Celebrations Event Specialists. They're PAWP members and have been in the business for I think 12-15 years =)

[anneshirley]

Sevenstars thank you so much!!! Awesome awesome tips, I'll definitely take them to heart. 

Here's another question for all b2bs also (sorry I'm full of them aren't I haha): if your parents aren't really happy with the venue you've chosen, ano sinasabi nyo sa kanila? As much as they understand it's our wedding sometimes they also want to exert some control and though I can be flexible I really wanna have my wedding in that location haha

[120515]

^ best thing to do is just explain to them calmly why you chose that location and how important it is to you. listen to what they have to say but be firm with your own decision. ^

[blackgreen]

Hi sis anneshirley! Ngayun lang ako nakapag GT ulit. Busy sa lipat bahay.

I agree sa mga sinabi ni sis sevenstars. Although kami we did not hire a coordinator. Kami lahat gumawa ng pag aayos dito lang din naman kasi sa Pinas and hindi naman ganun kalayo Baguio from us.

I also agree with sis 120515 explain it calmly but be firm with your decision. Marami raming luha and stress din before kami nagkasundo sundo sa venue ng wedding namin, we compromise pa na magkaroon ng 2 weddings.

Goodluck on your wedding preps sis. Andito lang kami mga sis to help you. Just post your concerns

[xsugar]

sis ece, better get someone na..pag ganyan kahirap kontakin ng supplier, she's not worth it. Get someone who will make you feel special.

[sevenstars]

anneshirley, I hope you find it helpful! I'm still four months away from my wedding date so I'm sure I'll have more advice when I'm done lol.

As for your parents' feelings -- what exactly is the source of their disagreement? Depending on what it is, there might be a way to help them come to terms with it. My fiance's extended family insisted on a specific religious/cultural celebration, so like blackgreen, we agreed to attend a second ceremony/reception. I stipulated that there be no overlap in the guest lists (I didn't want our close friends and family to feel like they had to come to both, and anyway they mostly wanted to invite people we didn't know), and that we would not be responsible for planning or paying for the second event.

For our destination wedding naman, we've chosen to subsidise the cost of accommodations for our immediate families so that it's not a burden for them financially, and we'll probably pay to upgrade a few of our older family members to business class (hirap na kasi sila to travel so since we're asking, we want to make them as comfortable as possible). I've also let my mom invite a lot of people that I wouldn't have invited myself; I figure it's a low-risk play since they probably won't be willing to travel. Hehe.

[ece]

Naku sis ece! Red flag yan.
Coor ko na mismo nagsabi sakin na kahit busy sya, pag may queries ako, text ko lang sya then she'll get back to me within 24 hrs. Kasi trabaho nya na asikasuhin ang needs and wants ng clients nya.
Kahit nga matagal pa ang wedding namin, super eager sya mag-respond sa mga tanong ko.
Kaya ramdam kong alagang alaga kami ni coor kahit sya na nagsabi na madami silang events.
Try to think of your wedding day, kung ganyan palang sa preparation eh hindi mo na sya makausap ng maayos, pano pa kaya sa D day nyo? Make sense, right?

sis pogi02, kaya nga eh' high hopes pa naman ako sa kanila, since overseas bride ako. pero ayaw ko mag decide muna sa ngayon, gusto ko sila makausap muna. 

If its okay sis ece, who is your coordinator?

sis mkea, Events: Simplified sis, at feeling ko, based sa lahat ng nabasa ko, ako palang ata ang may negative feedback sa team nila? kaya medyo nag aalangan padin ako. baka talaga busy lang sila. minsan naisip ko, mali ata na nag vent out agad ako dito, sana kinausap ko muna sila?

sis ece, better get someone na..pag ganyan kahirap kontakin ng supplier, she's not worth it. Get someone who will make you feel special.

si xsugar, kaya nga eh' thank you sis!  pero habaan ko pa patience ko, medyo malayo pa naman ang wedding, pag 5-6months nalang, nakoooo!! ewan ko na. hehe..

actually, dalawa sila sa team, karmie and kaice, ever since, ang nakakausap ko ay si Ms. Kaice, sabi ng isang sister, na ES bride din, mag msg din ako kay Ms. Karmie, hindi ba nakakahiya kay Ms. Kaice pag ganun?

[rightback]

sis ece, set a deadline siguro as to when should your coordinator reply to you, otherwise try to contact the other coordinator. Coordinators should give you the least hassle and should help you deal with the issues or filter your issues with your suppliers--sana wag siyang pasaway hehe.

My coordinator who is also a colleague would usually "scold" some of my potential suppliers if they don't reply back to me especially if these were her recommendations. So sana siya yung mag reply agad sayo. pero try to relax muna sis, you have a bit of time but draw the line din as to what is still acceptable for you and h2b.

[Reynamargallo]

sis mkea, Events: Simplified sis, at feeling ko, based sa lahat ng nabasa ko, ako palang ata ang may negative feedback sa team nila? kaya medyo nag aalangan padin ako. baka talaga busy lang sila. minsan naisip ko, mali ata na nag vent out agad ako dito, sana kinausap ko muna sila?

 

Naku Events Simplified bride pa naman ako   ninenerbyos tuloy ako. sis ECE, when is your wedding? Ano na update? why daw sila di nagrereply?

[ece]

hello sis Reynamargallo!  kelan wedding nyo sis? we'll be having ours on January 9, 2016. got ES' partial coordination package. relak lang sis, (take it from me?) hehe.. sino ang nakakausap mo sis, si Ms. Karmie o si Ms. Kaice? according to others naman kasi, okay sila, baka busy lang talaga sobra. will update you sis. 

[ece]

UPDATE:

nagreply na sila. yeheyyy! pero hindi ako nagtanong kung bakit it took them days bago sila nagreply. hindi kase ako marunong mag confront din kasi, sige, hayaan ko nalang na. 

[Reynamargallo]

^ Hi Sis ECE ! mabuti naman at nag reply na sila. Baka nagbabasa basa rin sila dito sa category ng femalenetwork ang Event simplified. O baka may nagbalita sa kanila tungkol sa feedback. Whew! mabuti naman at reply sila.
 

[ece]

siguro nga sis! my isang ES bride din na ikakasal bukas. antay tayo ng review nya. 

[simang]

When we insisted about the limit of the number of guests, nalungkot si tatay -_-