The Best Bridal Planners in the Philippines to Book For Out of Town Weddings
The wind in your hair, your feet in the sand, and the love of your life standing right in front of you, that’s pretty much the wedding equivalent of perfection. And with the Philippines blessed with over 7,100 beautiful islands, spectacular mountainsides, and locales oozing with heritage and history, there’s never a shortage of gorgeous places to choose from for the wedding of your dreams.
While some dream of elegant seaside soirees and others envision rustic hilltop celebrations, there’s a picturesque spot perfect for everyone. Throwing a party outside Manila is likewise a great way to have a little bit of an adventure for both you and your guests, as well as a way to honor culture and family.
Planning a wedding in itself is already a daunting affair, and the stress may be doubled if it’s to take place away from home. To add personalized flair and overcome logistical hurdles, discerning brides enlist the help of seasoned coordinators with ample experience in their chosen venues. With years of experience under their professional belts, and helpful local contacts to boot, these planning pros can do the heavy lifting for you, and make your wedding dreams come true.
Amanda Tirol
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Behind every elegant bridal celebration, there is an expert wedding planner making sure every single detail takes place without a hitch. For many beach-loving brides, that woman behind the scenes is Amanda Tirol.
Known by many as the authority on elegant seaside affairs, particularly weddings held in Boracay, Tirol started her business 15 years ago with her cousin Nicole Guidotti. It was after her own dreamy I Do’s that she was inspired to set up shop on the island, and was further motivated when her husband got a job at one of Boracay’s prestigious resorts. With her attention to detail, exquisite taste, and backed by her amazing team, she has been involved in many romantic and memorable affairs.
Bride Patricia Tang loved how Tirol was able to get her the best bookings on the island, and was even able to help her find a back-up location as the construction of her original church was delayed. If you loved the elegant nuptials of Maxene Magalona and Rob Mananquil in Boracay or those of Iza Calzado and Ben Wintle in Coron, Palawan, then you can partly thank Tirol for that.
As a bonus, having a destination wedding at any of these spots gives people a chance to really bond. Bride Elmrose Yeo, a Filipina based in Singapore, loved that her Boracay bash was the perfect excuse for a mini vacation. “It gave us the opportunity to sit back, relax, connect, and celebrate over the span of a few days,” reminisces Yeo. Tirol also loves the intimacy of these out of town affairs, “It will serve as a reunion for your closest family and friends… that is why destination weddings are much more meaningful.”
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Dreamy Destinations: While Amanda Tirol is known to for sophisticated weddings in Boracay, she’s also planed fetes in Coron, Bohol, Cebu, Balesin, Amanpulo, Tagaytay, and Manila. With each of these places offering their own unique flavor, and Tirol contributing her expert advice, you’re sure to have a wedding to remember.
Contact: For inquiries, message Amanda Tirol at 0917.626.2632. For more information, visit boracayweddings.com.ph.
Belle Mariée Wedding Events
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Belle mariée means ‘beautiful bride’ in French, and with Joan Lapus and her team on call, ladies can look forward to getting married stress-free and in style. Lapus began her journey as a wedding planner 14 years ago in Cebu, where she had planned her own wedding and fell in love with the whole process. She’s since planned dozens of tasteful affairs and has worked with people from all over the world. “Our specialty is planning events for couples [who live] overseas. This is because we understand the demands of clients who are not here to physically look after their event.”
She loves that her job allows her to promote her hometown Cebu as a wedding destination, and enables her to meet new people with all their unique customs and practices. “I love it when we exchange ideas of what the ‘Filipino ways’ are, and in return they tell us about how things are done back home. I’ve done all kinds of ceremonies, from those with the breaking of the glass, jumping over the broom, and even chanting,” she recalls.
As a planner, she loves working closely with her couples to turn their dream weddings into reality. “We will marry our experience and creativity with their own ideas, plus give them alternatives while planning. And during the big day, we oversee the entire wedding, leaving them with nothing to do but enjoy the experience,” Lapus declares. With such passion and heart at the core of Belle Mariée Wedding Events, it’s no wonder it is one of the most sought-after planners in Cebu.
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Dreamy Destination: Joan Lapus and her team focus on planning elegant and romantic weddings in Cebu. On parties held in this amazing locale, she proudly notes, “We love good food and we also have the best entertainment as we have very talented Cebuano artists. Of course, Cebu lechon is always present at weddings.”
Contact: For more information, visit facebook.com/bellemarieeweddingevents/
Euphoria Events Management
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AJ Cabarles always had a knack for planning. She recalls organizing events for family and friends even from a very young age. Her natural savvy has translated into a rewarding career when she officially began offering her expert services in 2007. “I look at my job as a way of enriching the lives of my clients and of my team members. We believe that every wedding should be [planned] not only with skill, but with compassion, care, and empathy as well. Her former bride Genevieve Gonzales-Aguila, who got married in her hometown of Batangas agrees, “AJ and her team allowed us to enjoy our own wedding and we didn’t have to worry about anything. How they work showed how much they love what they do.”
Aside from being a very approachable and hands-on coordinator, another secret to her success is that she loves to plan ahead. For destination weddings, she personally does oculars on the venue to envision what the couple might need on their big day. “Getting all the stuff done ahead of schedule [is key] as there are a lot of suppliers involved,” says Cabarles.
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Dreamy Destinations: Batangas and Tagaytay are the usual locations for the weddings planned by Euphoria Events Management. Just two hours away from Manila, the location allows suppliers from Manila to easily get to the venues. These places also have a lot of local talent one can tap. Cabarles notes Tagaytay Highlands, Punta Fuego, and Pico de Loro have such breathtaking views that will take your breath away. She’s also planned weddings in Nueva Ecija, Bataan, and Iloilo.
Contact: For inquiries, contact AJ Cabarles at 0917.690.2582 or e-mail her at [email protected].
Ronald Soncio Events
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Ronald Soncio began his career like many other wedding planners: by helping a friend. This was back in 2009 when two of his close friends based in Australia asked him for help in planning their Boracay wedding. The rest as they say, is history.
Since then, he’s been a coveted planner for many who wish to wed on Boracay’s soft, powdery beaches. “I love watching people come together to create their big day. [Being a part of this] is a magical experience for me. The best part is the connection I develop with people by treating them like family, spending weeks, months or even a year helping them plan and make the best day of their lives happen,” says Soncio.
Ada Almendras-Lazaro says Soncio expertly handled the coordination and supplier meetings for her Boracay nuptials. She and her husband had always wanted a destination wedding, and they were happy with the thriving bridal industry on the island, which also made planning their dream wedding so much easier.
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Dreamy Destinations: Soncio's home base is Boracay. He gushes over the pristine beauty and majestic sunsets of this beloved island, “It really makes for a magnificent backdrop for couples, especially when they recite their vows." In addition to this, Soncio also been in charge of weddings in Bohol, Tagaytay, Davao, Palawan, Batanes, and even Hong Kong and Bali.
Contact: For inquiries, contact Ronald Soncio at [email protected], ronaldsoncioevents.com
Teena Barretto Events
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Teena Barretto has always had a thing for parties. She thoroughly enjoyed organizing events throughout her growing up years, and while her first job in advertising allowed her to do planning here and there, the allure of weddings was hard to escape. “I’ve always had a desire to make a difference on a personal level. That’s the reason why I started the wedding planning business fifteen years ago,” she says. Since then, she’s organized many chic ceremonies and she's had quite a few and celebrity nuptials to date. She counts couples like that of Max Collins and Pancho Magno and Rachelle Ann Go and Martin Spies, among others, as her clients.
On destination weddings, Barretto loves that it gives everyone a chance to be transported to a different place. She advises couples to own their wedding, creating an event all that will be unique and memorable to them. And to “always choose a destination that’s close to your heart, a place that will remind you of the love and devotion you share with your partner. It’s through this emotional connection that you will be able to curate not just a wedding, but one of life’s milestones.”
With years of experience under her belt, and a mindset to ‘always make things happen’, it’s clear why couples entrust Barretto with their once-in-a-lifetime affairs. “It is our goal to continuously evolve,” says Barretto, and with the trust and creative freedom given to her by her clients, she hopes to raise the bar with these celebrations each and every time.
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Dreamy Destinations: Aside from Manila, Barretto loves the outdoor and beach weddings she’s planned in Tagaytay, Baguio, Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, and Palawan. She’s also worked on bridal celebrations in Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Melbourne.
Contact: For inquiries, message Teena Barretto at 0917.884.0007 or e-mail her at [email protected]. For more information, visit teenabarretto.com.
Thirty One Events
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If you’ve ever dreamed of an intimate wedding ensconced in pine trees and surrounded by crisp mountain air, then a wedding in Baguio is just the ticket. And to help you plan your gorgeous highland celebration, there is, of course, Thirty One Events, which is currently helmed by husband and wife team Patricia and Rod Martin De Vera. Established in 2012, (originally by Patricia’s aunt and her) the company does event coordination, floral arrangements, and styling to make sure your wedding is both memorable and picturesque.
On weddings in the summer capital, Patricia De Vera enthuses the atmosphere in Baguio has a way of making you feel right at home. The city is a mix of cultures, and aside from the cooler temperatures we all crave, is likewise known for its gorgeous flowers. There’s even a festival just for these blooms called ‘Panagbenga,’ which is usually celebrated in February. De Vera notes that one of the things that set them apart is the uniqueness of every event they plan. “We don’t want it to be like every other wedding. We usually try to get to know the couples personally, and customize each event depending on what the clients want.”
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Dreamy Destinations: Thirty One Events specializes in Baguio weddings, and its cozy and stylish approach to wedding planning is evident in the romantic soirees that they plan. It has also worked on parties in the Benguet area, and most recently, a breathtaking wedding in New Zealand.
Contact: For inquiries, contact 0977.855.1583, [email protected]. For more information, visit facebook.com/thirtyoneevents/
Tonette Senerpida
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Another top planner in the Queen City of the South is Tonette Carcel-Senerpida of TCarcel Events. Having worked in the events department of a hotel right after college, she quickly discovered her passion. Her love for organizing grand and exquisite social occasions led her to establish her company in 2013 and she hasn’t looked back since. “Being a wedding planner is a happy job. I like the feeling of making my couples happy, and this is what inspires me,” she shares.
And while destination weddings offer its own set of challenges, Senerpida and her team are more than happy to oblige. She’s also down for helping with the after-parties, as most out of town guests also ask for organized tours.
“It’s every girl’s dream to have a beautiful wedding, so my planning philosophy is to give them the best day of their lives. Clients are assured that we commit to putting ourselves in the bride’s shoes on the day of the event,” declares Senerpida. Her bride Casey Siao-Ngo fondly remembers how her planner helped her during her own special day. “It was a breeze working with Tonette. She really took good care of us from start to finish.”
Another delighted client is Divine Lee-Go, who entrusted the coordination of her church ceremony to Senerpida.
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Contact: For inquiries, message Tonette Senerpida at 0917.555.2075 or email her at [email protected].
Voltaire Zalamea
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A true-blue Kapampangan, Voltaire Zalamea is ecstatic about his hometown and the weddings he plans there. “What I love about weddings in Pampanga is our unique hospitality. Pampanga is known as the ‘Culinary Capital of the Philippines’, and every wedding here, be it intimate or grand, you are assured a feast,” enthuses Zalamea. “It’s also less an hour north of Manila, with tons of international hotels and world-class banquet halls.”
He started off organizing events for family but began formally working as a planner in 1999 and established Events and Concepts by Voltaire Zalamea in 2003. He’s also the brain behind the bridal fair ‘Wedding Destination: Pampanga,’ which is now on its 11th year. “My advocacy is to promote Pampanga as the best destination for weddings north of Metro Manila,” he says.
Zalamea is delighted to be a part of making a couple’s dreams come true. “I always tell myself and my team to go the extra mile, to think outside the box, to be more proactive and creative. At the end of the day, I want our clients to say we did a great job, and gave them beyond what they were expecting,” remarks Zalamea.
Dreamy Destinations: Weddings in Pampanga are clearly close to Voltaire Zalamea’s heart, and being a local, you can count on him to know all the best suppliers and really handle the logistics of your wedding. He’s also planned weddings up north like in Baguio, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Nueve Ecija, and La Union. Down south, he’s worked on parties in Tagaytay, Balesin, Cebu, Boracay, and even Davao.
Contact: For inquiries, message Voltaire Zalamea at 0917 813 9475 or email him at [email protected].
