Hi! I’m Janina Villanueva. You can call me Jan. I was a Wedding & Event Planner from Manila, Philippines. I made my move to New York to finally be with the one whom I call my God’s Best, build our family, and continue to follow my love for weddings.
I first fell in love with event planning during my sister’s 18th birthday. I was given a budget that I should strictly follow, worked on my sister’s vision for her party, scouted for vendors, did a little DIY, and ensured everything went smoothly on the event day. Soon after, I became a Senior Planner and coordinator of Metro Eventscape Planners, one of the leading wedding planners in Philippines. There I was mentored and trained to work and spearhead weddings of different types and sizes. Eight years after and with a few weddings planned on my own, I am now set to continue pursuing this passion here in the city that never sleeps.
There is something very special, even magical in being a part of something as personal and intimate as weddings. I always believe that God writes the best love stories, and it always excites me to learn about how two people met and fell in love. Helping couples plan and make their dream wedding happen is not just work for me—it’s a privilege that I cherish, to join them in their journey towards the next chapter of their lives.
5 Random Things About Me:
1. Aside from weddings, my other love is writing. For years, I have a personal blog, and I still plan to keep it. In this website’s Personal section of the blog, I will share with you everything I learned and am still learning, as well as the places, people and things that inspire me. Oh, and if you need help with personalizing your wedding vows or speech, you can also count on me. 😉
2. I strongly advocate food for everyone and hope for those who need it most. This is why I support the Saving Grace Project, a group that provides monthly help to our sisters in the Correctional Institute for Women in Manila, as well as Joseph Feeding Mission, a weekly feeding charity that goes to different parts of the Philippines.
3. Our love story got “famous” when my husband (then boyfriend) was photographed by a famous photographer with a website called Humans of New York. On the caption of his photo, he talked about a girl (ahem! Moi) whom he fell in love with here in New York, chased her to the airport, but still the girl returned to the Philippines. From there we were featured in several articles online—even after we got married! Anyway, I wrote about our story on my blog—if you want to bore yourself, click here and here and here. :p
4. My ideal bride is someone who knows (or has even the slightest idea of) what she wants, but trusts me enough to be open to other inputs. She values family, is excited to share her happiness with everyone who love her and her fiancee, and would like her wedding celebration to feel intimate, no matter how big their guest list is.
5. My favorite moment in a wedding would be the heartfelt speeches: from the couple’s wedding vows to the Father of the Bride’s speech. Most often it takes a special occasion or milestone for us to say the things we don’t normally say to each other everyday. It takes a special moment for us to be reminded of just how valuable our relationships are, and it’s always amazing to see these.
I can’t wait to hear your love story, and join your journey towards your big day! I would love to help you out! Send me a message or email me at fetebyjanina@gmail.com 🙂