A Milestone and a Welcome

What’s a nice topic for a first blog? I have been wracking my brain as to what would be a good conversation piece. There are many unforgettable events which unfolded last year. Indeed, 2007 was an extremely challenging and fulfilling year in my career as an events planner. So, let me of talk about a major transitional stage in Events! Events!

When my business partner, Cookie Amador, left the country to follow her heart (she met her prince charming while vacationing in LA a few summers ago), I was left with the arduous task of doing everything all by myself. I had always been dependent on Cookie for the financial aspect of the business—paying up suppliers, preparing the salaries of on-the-day-event helpers, transacting with banks, etc. Although I am a business management graduate from the university associated with “green,” numbers are my Waterloo. Add to this, Cookie and I had clearly delineated roles come wedding day—Cookie supervised the church ceremony while I was in charge of the reception. I couldn’t bear the idiosyncratic antics and behavior attendant to the church rituals—the tardy bridesmaids, the missing principal sponsors, and even a bride who was hesitant to step out of the bridal car (oh yeah, Cookie was calm and collected while she talked to the bride if she wanted to push thru with the wedding or not—as if calling off the wedding could simply be announced to over three hundred wedding guests!). Instead, hats off to Cookie for taking care of all that drama for me. With Cookie gone, I was faced with these daunting tasks (and even more than what I expected.). Fortunately, before migrating to the States, she earlier briefed me on what do, what to expect, and how to deal with unforeseen scenarios or events. Moreover, Cookie has competently trained two staff members—Joy Linao (L) and Jona Atotubo (R).

Joy has been affiliated with several build process outsourcing companies in the Metro as a supervisor. Joy has a lot to offer in terms of handling the various daunting tasks of in preparing for a wedding. She feels truly honored to work with engaged couples during this exciting time in their lives and couldn’t wait to help bring their plans to fruition! She can’t wait to help bring their visions to life! In such aspect as scouting for the perfect ceremony and reception venues, Joy will make sure that the bride and groom’s wedding vision come true.

On the other hand, Jona is my first cousin who graduated with a Manufacturing Engineering and Management degree from De La Salle University. She is now connected with Dell International as a process engineer with project management as her forte. Since joining Events! Events! in 2004, Jona has always been excited about the wedding industry. What started out as a way to pay the bills grew into a passion she could not shrug off. She believes that it is the careful attention to details, the so called nitty-gritty, that makes a wedding unique and truly memorable.

Their respective jobs deal with handling people and require them to be organized as well. Thus, it is a breeze for them to shift and do the overwhelming functions of wedding coordinators.

Joy and Jona underwent extensive theoretical and on-the-job training during the numerous events they handled. Both also attended the Basic Wedding Coordination Seminar conducted by the Philippine Association of Wedding Planners (kudos to organizers Tita Celia Cunanan, Ms. Liza Alviedo and Ms. Peaches Go-Tiu). During a lull in our wedding schedule, we held fruitful discussions on wedding trends, industry practices, past events, and other relevant matters. The two pointed out areas of improvement which are vital in producing or materializing nothing but the best for our clients.

Now, it pleases me to announce the appointment of Jona and Joy as account executives. Both are tasked with responding to all of our clients’ needs. Armed with creativity, organizational and people skills, Jona and Joy will surely help me in mounting relaxed, memorable and enjoyable nuptials—the way these occasions are meant to be.