Celebrations are an avenue for pivotal moments—seemingly transient yet momentous milestones that will live on in our memories forever. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone’s fifth birthday, or if a pair is finally tying the knot, a party will undoubtedly provide you with a slew of picture-perfect moments. When the glitter settles and all is said and done, we remember the delightful first bite of the three-layered birthday cake, or perhaps the way the sunset illuminated the bride’s face in just the right way as she walked down the aisle. It’s flawless, it’s unforgettable, it’s magical.
Creating the ideal moment isn’t just purely a matter of chance. It’s a masterful artform, involving a rigorous process of planning and of bringing seemingly impossible and creative ideas to life. It’s the kind of craft that necessitates skill, attention to detail and, of course, extraordinary courage. Among the bold and daring that have taken up such a feat are the talented and iconic event creatives Ycoy Sitchon of La Belle Fete, Janna Pablo of Pabys Creates Events, and the team behind Gathered Creative, led by Kay Isabedra.
However, amidst life’s unforgettable moments, not everything always goes according to plan. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the event industry experienced the biggest occasion that could make or break the rest of their careers. But for these three creatives, it has only made them sharper and wiser. With a game plan and the bravery to see through each hurdle, they are ready to face each challenge that comes their way.
Preview Creative 25: Events
Ycoy Sitchon - Founder of La Belle Fete
Ycoy Sitchon is no stranger to life’s surprises. As the founder of the renowned event planning company La Belle Fete, sudden and abrupt challenges are not something out of the ordinary for her. Her skill of weaving her way through unexpected changes roots back to ten years ago, when she was heading the branches for a banking company. Then set on a career in finance, everything shifted when she and her husband, Jeff Sitchon, were about to welcome their first child. “I had kasi a very delicate pregnancy,” Ycoy stated, revealing that they had to make a life-changing decision then and there. “My OB asked me to choose between my career and taking good care of myself.”
Ycoy, of course, chose her family. While this meant she had to take a break from the career she was succeeding in, she called the serendipitous moment a nudge towards her true passion: events planning. Even when she was in the corporate world, her knack for creating unforgettable celebrations had already been gaining recognition. Soon enough, Ycoy’s friends started to ask for her services in party planning after witnessing this talent at her own wedding. Tied in with the blessed interruption that put her financial leanings into question, she then decided to turn cordial favors into something bigger. Thus, La Belle Fete was born, and since then, she has never looked back.
Though this creative is no fairy godmother, she is able to bring dreams to life through her company. “That’s the strength of La Belle Fete,” Ycoy told Preview. “We make the impossible possible for our clients.” Her magical approach to celebrations has even captured the attention of numerous celebrities, ranging from the likes of Coleen Garcia, Ellen Adarna, and Angel Locsin, to name a few.
In recent years, she was given another surprise when the world hit pause due to the pandemic. Ycoy had to find a way to unspool La Belle Fete’s magic, without much of the grand and the spectacular styles the company is known for. But this artist has never turned away from a challenge, and so with her team, she rolled up her sleeves and got creative. She shared, “The landscape has changed, medyo mas mahirap, but in the end it made us better.” Truly, with Ycoy and La Belle Fete, anything can happen.
What are the elements specific to a La Belle Fete event?
“It’s novel, something that you haven’t seen yet. Stylists are known to be creative. They can think of ways on how to make unique set-ups, but then it’s very seldom, or very rare for a planner to think of a concept or a design. For us, we do the concept and we cascade it to the stylist and the other suppliers. It’s not the other way around.”
“We have a mood board, we have a deck [that] we present to the clients and then they approve, and from there, we curate what’s going to be the color palette, the cake design, the nitty gritty. We take care of that, it’s not just delegating it to the cake artist and moving it to the stylist, or to the invitation artists. To us, when you see the invites, the look of the bride, the shoes, the make up, the entourage dresses, down to the littlest details, everything is curated, everything is La Belle Fete signature. And we take care of that—hindi lang siya for a celebrity client. Even if you’re just a normal individual and you’re going to have a birthday party or whatnot, we make sure to examine all the facets of your preferences and then we create something different for you. Everything is new, everything is unique and put together.”
"Ang career naman, hindi siya competition. You can do it even at thirty..."
How do you ensure that La Belle Fete stays relevant amid the ever-evolving creative scene?
“The thing with adapting is we have to make sure na hindi matigas ulo [namin]. We have to bend, we have to make sure that teachable kami. So even if you’re already at the top of your game, there’s always something to learn. So, this pandemic actually changed everything. Even if you’re the biggest brand, mawawalan ka eh, in a snap of a finger. For us, we always find ways to hone our craft. We read. There are seminars. Lagi dapat mag-se-seek ka ng opportunities to learn not only for yourself, but also for the team.”
“I also share knowledge to my team. Every Monday we have a huddle, so part of it, [we tell them], “basahin niyo [‘to]” or we ask them to attend the seminars. Yung iba kasi, hirap mag-adapt ‘cause there’s pride, diba? Hindi eh, the job itself, being an event coordinator, an event planner, is a very humbling job. Aayusin mo yung gown ng bride and sometimes maglilinis ka. Even if naka-heels ka, naka-Hermes ka, naka-Chanel ka, at the end of the day, we are offering a service na hindi siya lang product. It’s really a service. From the word service, you have to serve, so for you to adapt, you need to remove yung sense of pride. Dapat open kayo sa criticism, open kayo sa suggestions. It's not everyday na perfect ang event mo, of course. We’re not after perfection, [what’s more important is that we] tug at the heartstrings [of our clients]. Parang ‘yun lagi ‘yung aim namin. You have to make sure that you can bend, you can innovate, you can learn.”
What do you have to say to young aspiring creatives who want to get started in the same industry as you?
“Ang cliche nito, pero follow your heart talaga. I used to be a banker, ‘di ba? So more of crunching numbers, everyday, ‘yun yung nakikita ko sa buhay ko. But then now, it’s a different world. Don’t stop. Reach for your dreams and your goal. Ang career naman, hindi siya competition. You can do it even at thirty, like ako… I started sa bank, fresh grad, after graduation, may work na ako agad. And then after 10 years, doon ko lang na-realize na pwede pa pala ako maging event planner.”
“It’s not yet too late for you to pursue your passion. Just go for it, take the leap of faith. If naghahanap ka ng sign, this is it. Ito na yun. Pag-asa na ‘tong interview ko. This is the sign you’ve been waiting for. Go for it, kasi, life is short. Kailan mo pa gagawin ‘yan? Life is too short for you to dilly dally on things, for you to wonder. Make it happen and let the creative juices flow.”
Janna Pablo - Founder of Pabys Creates Events
Janna Pablo's artistic flair is as natural as it comes. Since her youth, she's always been the life of the party at everything from classroom presentations to grand events like school promenades, sprinkling her magic touch. She never put her talent for artistic production on the back burner, whether she was working in the business sector or teaching professionally. “So, basically all the non-academic, fun stuff is what I handle,” she explained in an interview with Preview, “And after four years, I eventually realized that it’s about time for me to create my own events company.”
Back in her school days, Janna would put “Pabys Creative Ideas” on her homework and other various class projects, kind of like when painters put their signatures at the bottom of their paintings, to personalize her work. As a way to give homage to her artistic aspirations, Janna eventually gave her company the name “Pabys Creates Events”. Established in 2017, Janna's company puts fun front and center, and it’s since succeeded in capturing the hearts of a number of clientele, including celebrities like Liz Uy and Georgina Wilson.
Janna’s one to adore the spontaneity, and often the arbitrary undertone, of planning kiddie parties and birthday celebrations. “I’m more keen on doing [parties] for the kids because I know how it works, I know what they want, and I know what they like.” Her creative prowess, fueled by her unfettered outlook in life, was one of the many reasons why she managed to adapt to the pandemic. Amidst difficult circumstances, Janna also took the time to reflect on the heart of what Pabys Creates Events is all about. With that sense of recalibration, she was able to move forward by planning virtual events to keep celebrations alive.
"My purpose of doing Pabys is [for clients] to leave the stress with me, I want to make your life easy."
What exactly is Pabys all about?
“Pabys is really your planner, she thinks of creative ways to execute your ideas in the way you want. When there’s an event, people always just look at how nice and how beautiful everything is. I’d like to say I’m a designer. I always say this: I’m the event mastermind. So my job is to bridge the gap from what you want, what is possible given the location and budget, pero it’s about me marrying it—it’s a whole picture—but also finding a way to make everything work. I always think of it on a bigger level.”
Given the current situation, is it tougher for Pabys to do virtual events than it is to execute physical ones?
“At the start, it was crazy. I’m not used to it. This wasn’t how I did events before, pero at the end of whatever I do naman, the show must go on, 'di ba? So it’s crazy, but you just need to do it to learn how to do it. Yung difference lang is with virtual events, I have a partner with me, the tech side, and ang difference lang talaga rin is you always have to be on top of your toes, kasi you have to be ready with whatever can happen. Everything, in a way, should be orchestrated. Before it was a whole events space, now I just have a screen, and how will that work? So, the platform just changes. Pero yun nga, with events they always say that it's the most stressful and pressuring job. Make or break ito, so even if it’s just an hour or two for some people, this is [your client’s] life. So, I think you have to be a bit strong in terms of [handling] that pressure.”
Pabys also plans to expand the brand by launching a party store. Are you going to sell event kits too?
“Those are the things I’m working on now. Now it’s not just about working with clients, but also about creating your own stuff. Like my purpose of doing Pabys is [for clients] to leave the stress with me, I want to make your life easy. It’s always like that. I want you guys to have fun and I want to make life easy. So, I tried to do the Halloween kit, which is a good start. My goal is to create more, like a birthday kit, a bachelor kit, you know, because people want to celebrate but don’t know how to do it, or where to start, or what’s possible.”
What do you have to say to young aspiring creatives who want to get started in the same industry as you?
“Don’t be scared to make mistakes. I think that’s one thing that people are always scared of. You don’t have to be perfect. I always say this to all the students, when you graduate from college, don’t think about earning first. But think about learning. Because when you think about earning, you miss out on the opportunities of learning. So, imagine for me my story is it took me 10 years to create or start my own business. I explored different things like being a teacher and working corporate. I mean, those things aren't [related to the] events industry, but whatever it is, try to earn learnings first, and then the rest will just come after. Being a creative is all about learning and also failing at some point. People need to understand that it’s okay to make mistakes, it's okay to fall, it’s okay to say ‘wait, it won’t work’, or it’s okay to see it not work. Because what’s important is that you learn from it.”
Gathered Creative - Event and Props Stylists
With the heart of today's events now shifting towards intimacy, Gathered Creative was already ahead of the curve, thriving in its own niche especially when the pandemic hit. As events were scaled back in order to adhere to safety guidelines, people started seeking professionals who specialize in small celebrations, which happen to be their forte. And with the nature of their style, this careful team recognizes just how crucial their job is in an industry that otherwise prizes maximalism.
“You take part in those special milestones in their lives. Of course, it’s also a bigger risk than actually working with a brand since it’s very personal and it’s a one-time thing,” said co-founder Kay Isabedra. “I think that’s what really pushed me to pursue a career in the event styling industry—the raw emotions, the level of being personal with your client or with the couple.”
Gathered Creative is different in that they strive to translate the characteristics of their couples into tangible elements, demonstrating a unique personalization process. Even after the pandemic struck, people remembered this distinctive trait of theirs—a skill of many that they’ve made sure to pay forward. “Even before the pandemic, we have been conducting styling workshops and floristry workshops for aspiring [creatives] or just to help people who really don’t know where or how to start their creative career,” Kay shared during an interview with Preview, “That’s been our strategy all throughout the pandemic.”
"Being a creative isn't always glamorous and it doesn’t always guarantee success, so when you find yourself at rock bottom, don’t dwell on it too much."
In your opinion, what makes you stand out in the events industry?
“The first is, we take a look at other creatives in the industry and what their work looks like, but I think an advantage [of ours] is that we don’t actually dwell on those. What we do is we try to focus instead on our internal growth. [We tell the team], ‘Okay, let’s just compete with ourselves. Let’s not mind what other people are doing and thinking.’ We’ve all heard the saying, ‘You’re only as good as your last project, last wedding, or your last bouquet.’ So that’s what we try to have as a mindset, which is to really make ourselves grow in the team. That’s our culture. If we want to do something new, it starts from within the team."
“Second, we try as much as possible to take our inspiration from different kinds of industries, not just in floristry. We [look at other] creative fields such as interior design and architecture, and then we mix those elements into our own work.”
Can you tell us more about the workshops of Gathered Creative?
“For the workshops, we do a series every quarter. We do prop styling, floristry 101, and event styling. Since the pandemic started, we have been conducting our workshops online, so it’s via Zoom. But we came up with this idea last year where we tried to send the floristry tickets to the participants just so they could still hold the flowers and still get the practical experience of arranging a bouquet or a vase arrangement. That’s what we do for the floristry workshops. And then, we’re actually thinking of starting conducting physical workshops maybe for this year but we’re still trying to see how the pandemic will work out. But for announcements, we usually announce on Instagram. We hold very small groups, maybe around 15 participants, depending on the topic.”
What advice do you have for aspiring creatives who wish to work in the same field as you?
“First, don’t be afraid to reach out to other creatives in the industry and ask how they started or maybe how they do this specific thing. In the events industry especially, I know so many people who are open to sharing their knowledge to new and aspiring creatives who want to maybe venture into photography, floristry, and styling.”
“The second one is very cliche: Being a creative isn't always glamorous and it doesn’t always guarantee success, so when you find yourself at rock bottom, don’t dwell on it too much. I’ve hit rock bottom so many times. We had moments in our existence as a company, as a team, na parang we had this idea na ‘Are we gonna close na the business?' Especially when pandemic hit kasi ‘yon nga, people kept on canceling. But I think you shouldn’t dwell on those struggles or those challenges and just try to be open. When one door closes, you can always enter another door. Let’s say you’re a florist and being in the wedding industry doesn’t work. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for you as a florist. You could actually venture into art installations as a florist and things like that. There will be a lot of doors that will open.”
“Siguro last would be, just keep putting yourself out there. Just trust in your work and always be open to new things and new learnings.”
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