Wedding Host Penciled Booked

One month have passed but we have not accomplished any progress on our wedding preparations. March was indeed a very busy month:

March 4, 5 & 6, our company held its yearly kick off and planning at Subic Villa.

March 17, 7th day celebration of my soon to be ex-bf's nephew who is also my godchild.

March 19, our family celebrated the 48th birthday of our dear mother.

March 24, after more than three years we have finally celebrated my father's "babang luksa" or the gathering to end the mourning period of the clan over the death of their departed family member. We have actually planned to celebrate it earlier many times but there were events that hindered it from happening like sudden death of my grandmother last 2010 and my grandfather just last year.

March 28 - 31, long weekend in observance of the Holy Week or "Mahal na Araw." Our family went to a pilgrimage at the Regina Rica, Tanay Rizal on a Holy Thursday and visited the newly renovated RAVE Rainforest at Pasig City on a Black Saturday.

To celebrate Easter, the soon to be ex-bf and I watched the third series of John Loyd Cruz' and Sarah Geronimo's romantic comedy: It Takes a Man and a Woman. A feel good movie with valuable lessons: "Piliin mong magpatawad, piliin mong magmahal.", a piece of advice from Laida Magtalas' mother.

This April, it is our target to book three of our major suppliers; caterer, photographer and videographer. I do not want summer to end without those suppliers being settled or else the pressures will be hard to handle come month of June.

Last night, while I was reading entries on the very reliable female network/girltalk about wedding suppliers, the soon to be ex-bf read about Joy Catubig and have asked me to inquire about her rates. She was the wedding host and singer we encountered last year, on the grand food tasting of Patio de Tata Roque at Marikina. She was also with her partner, Dennis d' Menace back then. 

I immediately googled her name and sent an inquiry on her facebook page. Luckily, she was online and quickly replied on my inquiries. She already has pencil booked someone on our wedding date but she told us that she will give the slot to the first one who will confirm the booking. She have four packages: 1. hosting ( inclusive of program planning and if NEEDED, free singer during reception.) only, 2. hosting  with two hours customized photobooth, 3. hosting plus sounds & lights inclusive of wireless mic and bubble machine, 4. hosting with two hours customized photobooth plus sounds & lights inclusive of wireless mic and bubble machine. I have asked her if Dennis is inclusive on all her packages; she have asked me to pray for Dennis to have no gig on that day in order for him to be included in the freebies. 

We immediately booked package number four last night and confirmed to send the signed contract and deposit slip of our reservation fee this week. This is what you call impulsive booking. It was unplanned, fee for the emcee was not even included in our budget. But even hosting fee is not included in the budget, if we utilized our budget for lights, sounds, and photobooth, we are still within the budget.   The soon to be ex-bf insisted on booking her right away, oh well, we both are afraid to have the other one who have penciled booked on the same date with ours get the confirmation.

In order to convince myself that we did the right thing on booking a supplier without having a comparison on what others have to offer, I indulge myself on reading reviews and ratings for Ms. Joy Catubig. The only negative review that I have read is she has long introductory messages. But going through the reviews, I am more than convinced we have made the right decision. :)