The Effervescent Kimberly

I first saw Kimberly Tan-Evangelista or Kim as an emcee when I was an entourage member of my best friend Katherine Ang-Tan’s wedding last 2009. And for the first time, I was truly drawn to an emcee’s manner of hosting. Normally, I am the kind of guest who is REALLY cooperative during weddings. From the ceremony to the reception, I am always patient in listening and being attentive to the mass, the speeches (even if they're 30 minutes long), the videos…everything. It’s my way of respecting the fact that it’s the couple’s big day and if I can give them a few hours of my time, I’ll certainly make it count. I’ll laugh at the funny moments, cry when the mood becomes sentimental. In short, I make a good audience! But this time around, I was even more focused because, aside from Kim’s overall pleasant and lovely disposition, she captivates everybody through her dynamic hosting skills. She speaks Chinese and English so eloquently that you can’t help but pay attention. And as a girl, I appreciated the fact that she made an effort to wear a long gown for the formal event and made sure that she blended in perfectly with the elegant backdrop of the ballroom. By the end of the night, even if I had no plans of getting married YET at the time, I told myself that I’ll get her as my emcee if a wedding were in my future.

Kimberly with my best friends Kathy and Harvey (2009)

When the time came for me to plan for my own wedding, Kim Tan was one of my non-negotiables. I wasn’t the type of bride who would canvass several wedding suppliers before finding the right one. I basically knew who I wanted just by remembering their performances in the weddings of my sisters, my cousins or my friends. Before my first meeting with Kim, my best friend Katherine told me that she’s very nice and that she’s always on time…and that is a trait that I truly appreciate. True enough, on every single meeting that we had -- and we had at least 4 meetings prior to the wedding day -- she was always punctual, usually arriving a few minutes before the scheduled time. After our first encounter, I knew that she was indeed the best candidate to host the program for our reception dinner. It felt as if I were simply talking to a new found friend because I felt comfortable sharing my thoughts with her as she listens with interest. She’s not the type to impose anything on you as a bride. She will adjust to your style and personality and she does it with ease. She had a lot of brainstorming ideas to make the program more fun and exciting. I thought that somebody young, vibrant, and elegant like her would best represent me and Jarvis as a couple. I should also probably mention that she is a true lady. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her dress down in jeans… she was always wearing a dress. And I remember during our final meeting with all the suppliers together…I looked so tired and haggard (given that the wedding is only a few days away and I was so stressed out) but she came in looking fresh and blooming. At that time I thought, “She should be the bride!” 

  

Both sets of parents did not know Kim yet and have not seen her in any wedding, but I knew in my heart that she wasn’t going to disappoint. I was, in fact, very excited for them to witness her hosting skills for themselves on the wedding day and have them be as enthralled as I was when I first discovered her from Katherine's event.

About 4 months to the wedding day, I received a phone call from Kim. She sounded like her usual cheery self but there was a tinge of apprehension in her voice. She then broke the news that she was pregnant. I think around 2 months at that time if I’m not mistaken. That means that by December 18, 2011, our wedding date, she’ll be 6 months into her pregnancy term. This didn’t really come as a shock to me. I knew she was recently married and in fact, I mentioned to my sisters and several friends that she might get pregnant during the time of my wedding. I called it… and it happened! In Chinese customs, I knew that those who upheld traditional and strict beliefs prefer to avoid pregnant women in wedding ceremonies. They believed that you’ll be taking away some of your own “luck” when someone pregnant is present. They say it’s like having a tug of war on prosperity and of course, you do not want to risk losing your luck. But for me personally, I didn’t see it that way. I respected beliefs and I’ll follow customs to please elders, but I saw her being pregnant as a blessing. I would never think of somebody getting pregnant as bad news! Kim then asked me if we were going to continue with her as our emcee for the program. And I told her on the spot, YES! But that I needed to confirm with my groom’s side because I do not want to cause any issues. It turns out that there wasn’t any because my groom said that as long as she can still do the job, there shouldn't be a problem! I was so relieved and happy that everything was still going according to plan. Kim assured me, albeit needlessly, that she’s not going to have a huge tummy yet and that she’ll wear a decent dress for the occasion. I knew that no matter what, she was going to show up still looking fabulous.

Kim was not only our emcee for our wedding, she was kind enough to do the voiceover for our Prenuptial Audio Video Presentation as well. She didn’t hesitate to lend her speaking voice in telling our love story throughout our video. And despite having to go back to the recording studio a few times just to correct some issues, she willingly did it because she wanted things to be perfect for me and Jarvis. She had that initiative and I’m truly grateful to have someone like her involved in our wedding. She went above and beyond expectations.

Kim hosting our wedding program

During the wedding reception, our coordinator said that when Kim arrived at the ballroom of The Peninsula Manila, she was only carrying a copy of the program…a piece of paper. If “I” had to speak in public, I’ll probably bring a notebook or flash cards just so I can remember everything. You can tell that this comes naturally to her and that she always comes prepared. She wore a nude empire dress that made her look elegant. Her gold accessories were a wonderful contrast to her subdued dress. The fact that she was pregnant may have been unorthodox to some people, but to me it just made her GLOW even more.

The Charming Kimberly... I love the accessories!

The entire program went smoothly from beginning to end. She was able to do everything that we requested of her. There was never a dull moment, as several guests told me. In fact, one of my sisters (whom we call the number one critic of everything of all time) commented…that for the very first time, a wedding program held her attention up until the end of the night. And knowing my sister, that is a major compliment and I attribute a substantial part of that success to Kim. The couple’s game that she prepared for my sisters and their husbands AND Jarvis' brothers and their wives to participate in was very entertaining and incredibly fun to watch! 

The Couple's Game: How Well Do You Know Your Spouse?

A Candid Moment

Kim gracefully saying that the answers do not match

Having laughs during the game

Our parents were very much impressed and satisfied with her overall performance. Relatives were interested to get her as a host for their own events. And some people actually thought that she was my friend and not a hired supplier for the wedding...maybe because the manner in which she conducted the whole program was very personal and intimate. It was exactly how Jarvis and I pictured our wedding reception program.

Even if the wedding was just ONE DAY, Kim has definitely touched my life beyond that occasion. In our "thank you" card after the event, I wrote, "You are truly an exquisite woman and we’re so blessed to have had you in our wedding". Some people tell me that after a wedding, their relationships with their suppliers end. But with Kim I can say that I've gained more than an acquaintance. I truly wish all the best in life for her.