we've decided to get iflowersspeak!

I called Wednesday last night and asked her how the conversation with Cathy went. As I was told, the client who booked her for October 1st is only for the entourage flowers/bouquets and the wedding will be in the morning. It was Wednesday who actually asked her if she could still accommodate us in which she said yes. I have already discussed this with Irvin even before I spoke with Wednesday. Having laid down all the pros and cons, we have decided to get Cathy Gancenia’s services. We hope that we can work smoothly together. We just hope for the best.

Buddy Gancenia will do our video!

Finally, our dilemma with the video is over. We got Buddy Gancenia. I actually asked Irvin to make sure that it’s confirmed. I don’t anymore want to share another sad experience later on. We’ll schedule a meeting for the contract signing right away.

on iflowersspeak still...

Irvin called Cathy earlier to clarify what really happened. It didn’t matter anymore despite the fact that Irvin voiced out our side. Cathy insisted on her policy that she goes for the client who books first. I’m not saying Cathy is not nice. In fact both Irvin and Wednesday even confirmed that. I just don’t get it why she will do that. I was just expecting some professionalism on her part and also some courtesy to us since we have always been in constant communication with her. And granting that I have not confirmed my booking, I still believe we both agreed on something that she didn’t actually comply with. She didn’t even tell us that she's considering another client with the same wedding date as ours. I mean she could have at least informed us so we know where we stand. Now Irvin asked me if we’ll reconsider let’s say she can cover 2 weddings. Should we? I really don’t know. This post is not to judge her whatsoever. I’m just trying to send the message that while she may have dealt in really great manner with other clients, it’s so happened there were some inconsistencies in our dealings with her.

iflowersspeak

I have another sad experience (with a vendor) to share...

Based on my previous post, Irvin and Wednesday had a meeting with Buddy and Cathy Gancenia on May 14th. Irvin got so convinced in getting Buddy. He really liked the quality of his work based on the sample videos shown to him.

Cathy, on the other hand, has envisioned everything that we want for the flower arrangement. She even gave other suggestions that would make it even better. Wednesday has emailed me a brief description of what Cathy intends to do with the arrangement which I have also posted earlier. Tuesday, May 17th, I e-mailed Cathy asking for a detailed proposal. My only purpose is for me to have a better idea of the whole picture from a supplier's perspective. She replied and asked me to give her until Monday, May 23rd to have the proposal ready. She said she's busy and she had a wedding last saturday. I said I'm fine with that and I'll just wait for Monday then. Guess what??? She sent me an email today saying someone already booked her on our wedding. aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I really don't know how to react to that! 1st, she's the one who said Monday because she's too busy to accomodate the request when she got my e-mail. 2nd, having said that, I'm kind of expecting that she would at least give some consideration to me. I think I should have really been given the chance. She could have told me she needs me to decide now because there's someone who wants to book her. I understand that any supplier wants a sure deal but all I'm saying is I'm just waiting for her proposal really. I have asked her a week ago and since she couldn't do it immediately, I agreed to wait till the date she said she can do it. Am I expecting too much? I don't really know. Maybe I am to some of you. But why didn't I make a pencil-booking then? I also don't know. I'm not even sure if she accepts pencil booking. And I didn't even ask just to make sure.

I usually call Irvin at 8:30 am but since I can't wait for later, I had to wake him up just to tell him the bad news. He said let's just look for another florist but then a little later, I got a text from him saying he couldn't sleep anymore. He's obviously disheartened.

What are we going to do next? Well, we're back to zero!

Teddy Manuel of Flowers & Events

I also got a proposal from Teddy. I should say it's over our budget but I like his work. I find it really nice and of quality.

Hi, Milett and Edith! I really like your wedding set up. Thus, I'm borrowing some of your wedding details. I hope you don’t mind. Thanks.

Here are some samples from Millett and Jojo's Wedding:





Some more pictures from Edith and Tito's Wedding:

meeting with Skyline and The Gancenias

I promised to make another post with regards to the meeting with Skyline, Buddy and Cathy Gancenias so here’s an excerpt from Wednesday’s email:

I’ll start with Cathy first- Basically we discussed the flowers that she intends to use for your wedding. Definitely no mums but if ever, she will get the nicer ones. These mums are the ones less used in church set up. The flowers will be liliums, roses, gerberas, calla lilies and for your bouquet the mini callas in orange (imported variety). In my opinion, these choices are okay, considering your requirements of elegant and beautiful. I've discussed with her our conversation on the centerpieces of callas in long clear vases with pebbles or other fillers and she has envisioned the look we wanted. She also said that she wanted berries as fillers for your bouquet. In our discussion, she said that white callas will be used as centerpieces for the guests and for the presidential set up, she will use orange flowers, with touches of yellow and red, which are replicas of your accent colors. I agreed with that and I think it will create a focal point in the reception. For the church, she will use a combination of the flowers and that instead of the tulle used in the church, she will bring her own. When we went to skyline for food tasting, we first viewed the church as it has an ongoing wedding. And the flowers in the church are very disappointing. They are wilted, looks old, not fresh and poorly arranged. Of course, I will ask for a lay out or design from her so that you will know exactly what she will do. For the entourage, she will use callas as per your requirement or if you want, we can have the entos have gerberas with roses (to break the callas), mothers will use liliums (they are pretty flowers) and for you the mini callas. If you want all entos including mothers and sponsors will carry white flowers para sa iyo lang ang orange.

Reception - There was a set up at Father Blanco's yesterday and the motif was an orange hue but not rust orange. The presidential set up used tiffany chairs and for the guests, the usual mono block with white skirt and orange ribbons. Personally, I do not like ribbons on chairs. Its so common and very 80's. If you which to decorate your chairs, I’d like something updated, like green stalks, flowers or twigs or maybe a butterfly stocking. Anyways, I already know where to put the luminaries. It will be at the entrance where all guests come in and where you and Irvin give us the grand entrance. In the pictures you sent, I saw red luminaries and I think it’s dramatic and maybe you would like them red. For your gazebo, I will have to coordinate with your chosen florist and Skyline because the design that Skyline normally creates is also outdated. I was thinking less fru-fru but more elegance in the form of candles and hanging lamps or flowers. But the flowers have to be minimal. I hope you can imagine what I’m telling you. The fountain area can be kept bare and instead of flowers I want it lit with candles of different sizes. I think it’s more elegant, less fru-fru and has drama into it. Don’t worry, I’m not being theatrical, but aside from the presidential set up, the fountain area is a good focal point.

She stressed that the flowers are guaranteed fresh and the creative presentation will be that of your liking. Payment terms are 25% upon booking, 25% one mo. before the event and 50% upon delivery of flowers.

I met a coordinator that day, which I believe is handling on the day preps only kasi the way I looked at it, she has no control over the lay out of the reception. Anyways, she asked me the date of your wedding and i said Oct. 1, and without batting an eyelash she immediately said, rather sarcastically, "well you should have a plan B kasi it’s the rainy season". I wanted to tell her, but of course I know, but I opted to smile. But in reality, I have a plan B, just in case. But you know, I told Irvin and your Mama that nothing is impossible with prayer. Let’s pray for good weather as early as now.

Food Taste - As I've told you, there is a function last Saturday so we were able to sample their menu. For the food taste, only main courses are sampled. The menu of the event were Blue Marlin in Garlic, Chicken Ala Kiev, Lasagna and Lengua Financiera. I then opted to sample: Grilled Beef Vermouth, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Seafood Ala Pobre and Fettuccini Puttanesca. Irvin, your mom and I loved the Lengua but your Mama and myself wanted the pastel variety, but the thing is, we are hesitant that not all people eat Lengua, so we opted for the beef vermouth. The Seafood Ala Pobre is really good and it has shrimp and blue marlin but your Mama said na baka tipirin tayo sa shrimp kasi mahal, and per Irvin you really wanted the blue marlin, so we went with that. The blue marlin was also good. Irvin chose Lasagna over Puttanesca and for chicken, the obvious choice was Cordon Bleu. All the food items were good. Soup is served only for the presidential. However, I don’t know what soup. I’ll just ask them.

In the amenities for the wedding package, I told skyline that there's a possibility that we will not use their centerpieces and some other items and we wanted something in exchange. Sabi they will confirm with their boss first. Basically, here are the items we're not getting from skyline:

guestbook and pen (very ordinary kasi)
cake
doves with cage
emcee
centerpieces and floral arrangements for presidential set up
torch parade


Buddy -His reality videos are very nice and hi-tech. He made a good oral presentation and he emphasized capturing the moments. I liked his system of having a shot list, that way he won’t miss out on good photo op locations and highlight what is needed. For the concept of the video, you may have to discuss that with him or meet with him if there is still time. He mentioned that the early booking is necessary for him to conceptualize the video in collaboration with you and Irvin.

We were not able to buy paper last Saturday. As it turned out, half day ang DELPA. Anyway, we have time.

There you go! Irvin and I are in the process of deciding right now. By the way, I also got other quotations via the e-mail.

what's new?

I had an almost 2 hour conversation with Wednesday (our coordinator) last Sunday. We’ve discussed a lot of things but we didn’t cover everything still.

We are scheduled to have the food tasting and contract signing with Skyline this coming Saturday. They will also have a meeting with Buddy and Cathy Gancenia for the video and flower services. I just hope it’ll turn out ok.

Bouquets – I’ll definitely have orange calla lilies with either red or green berries. I’m sure it’ll look nice. Then the matron of honor, bridesmaid and secondary sponsors will have the same kind of flower only that it’ll be white. We’ll just ask the florist for recommendations on what flower/s will be nice for the moms, principal sponsors and flower girls. But most likely, it’ll be roses, gerberas or mums. What do you think of these bouquets? I want something more of orange though. These are kind of light for me. I think deep or dark orange is better! Hmmm...



Centerpieces – We’ll have white calla lilies, maybe about 3-4 pieces, in a tall clear vase. We want it simple but classy. I saw this centerpiece in the website of 2171 Floral Creations (see below) and I kind of liked it. We have to modify or do something more to it though. We might use orange colored water to incorporate in our motif. Then Wednesday suggested that we put pebbles inside. Nice, right! We’ll also have votive candles of about 4 pieces on the table and some scattered petals. We haven’t decided on the petal colors though.



Table Number – We’ll have our pictures from childhood to present, together or not, printed and use it for the guests’ table numbers. Isn’t that cool!

This is all so far. I’ll make another update maybe after their meeting with Skyline and The Gancenias.