(Philippines)

Raised in Tarlac, Philippines, Gideon is driven primarily by moxie and a focus that has him slowly ticking things off his bucket list. As he does so, life-changing career surprises greet him along the way.
Through simple ribbon deconstruction and strange dreams of talking to fauns, he was able to discover and thrive in what he truly believes to be his calling, regardless of his meager resources and limited opportunities.
Although still in his early 30s, Gideon has racked up considerable experience in the styling scene. Having been sent to a school far from home, Gideon saw an opportunity for him to practice his craft. The year was 2006. While still in his undergraduate years as an Associate Hotel and Restaurant Management student in the University of Baguio, he was already hard at work doing event styling for his friends, and his friends’ friends. He worked for free, just to be recognized and hone his skills.

Having finished with a degree unrelated to his passion, furthering his knowledge in the industry meant doing it on his own, giving up his own sweat and blood. He turned to local and foreign wedding magazines. From their pages, he absorbed ideas, trends, and inspirations. While working in his first job in a coffee shop, part of his tasks was to supply morning papers for the customers. Every two weeks, he would ask his supervisor if he could grab a copy of Manila Bulletin for the now-defunct section About Weddings, which he later shyly admitted to be part ofhis precious collection-cum-“learning materials.”

Strange enough, it was not school nor his earlier experience in styling that convinced him that he wanted to work in the wedding industry full time. It was his passion for flowers and a chance encounter with Ciudad Fernandino’s owner in a bridal fair in Dagupan City which made him packhis bags and pursue event styling in Pangasinan.
Continuously fueled by his curiosity and encouragement from friends and clients, Gideon says that though he is having the time of his life, he still dreams of something more for himself, for his craft and for his family. This founder and owner of Events Studio and sole breadwinner attributes his current accomplishments to his sharp focus, hard work, constant will for improvement and guts.
His philosophy has always been to quickly adapt to a situation and blossom with the challenge that every unique event brings. For him, “a different wedding means different people, different attitudes, different ideas.” And while he admits that it never gets easier, the inspirations he gets from each wedding and the people he designs for are endless.
With every event, he psyches himself up by thinking that “I will be (playing) an important role in a once-in-a-lifetime event, so I must be physically and mentally fit to do my task.”
What clients particularly love about Gideon’s work is his painstaking attention to details, something that he wants to be particularly known for. He believes that the tiniest details can both make or break the atmosphere of an event. These, as well, were also his way of personalizing each event for his clients. He’s also careful not to repeat himself, even if the themes are the same time and again-each of his clients are sure to feel special.

At the end of the day, amidst the gifts and tokens-even the out-of-the-country trips he’s given as appreciation for his hard work-what he loves about his job is the opportunity to gain new friends, and the chance to see positive emotions burst before his eyes for a creation in which he played an instrumental role.

(United States)

Terrica has been creating exquisite weddings and events in the Golden Isles area for the past eighteen years.

As a board member of the American Academy of Wedding and Event Planning, Terrica's weddings and expertise have been featured in media outlets such as The Knot, Reader's Digest, Martha Stewart Weddings, HLN TV, PeopleTV, and more.

Nominated as Speaker of the Year for the National Association of Catering and Events ONE Award and recognized as a popular educator on The Knot and Wedding Wire, she launched her new education system for the wedding industry, Wedding Hustle University, and Wedding Pro Workshop, to provide specialized and detailed education that helps wedding professionals implement and build their businesses quickly and efficiently.

Terrica also hosts the podcast "She Doesn't Even Go Here."