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Tying the Knot in the Philippines

We love the idea of having the best photographer to capture great moments!

Ah, love . No one can resist its beauty and sweetness and what better event to witness it than a wedding? Filipinos are big fans of romance dramas so it’s no surprise that they love to see real-life fairy tales in the form of weddings. Most Filipinos usually go all out on their weddings. After all, you only get married once, they say, and most Filipinos are firm believers in the sanctity of marriage and monogamy.

Before the wedding itself, a lot of money is already shelled out. The well-to-do Filipino couples mostly hire a wedding coordinator and some handle the preparations on their own . This usually includes booking the church , reception, hotel, photographer, videographer, host for the reception, live band, designers for the entourage, makeup artist, decorators, to name the specifics. The couple also usually have a pre-wedding photo and video shoot. Here, the recruiting of the principal and secondary sponsors and the whole entourage also happens. The principal sponsors serve as godparents (ninong and ninang) and the secondary sponsors serve as caretakers of the accessories for the ceremony .  Making sure you have the people who are flexible enough to accommodate all these responsibilities will help ease the burden of preparation and cost. By tradition, the groom is expected to cover the expenses if not most. 

Just when the bride needs more attention from the Photographer and yes, even during her makeup session.

On the wedding day itself, the rush starts early in the morning . The bride, groom, and the rest of the entourage do their hair and makeup at the hotel or a nice location that was set up. Here, the photoshoot and video shoot continue . Yes, Filipinos love to document every single moment through photos and videos . The bride also wears accessories with the “something old, something new , something borrowed and something blue” custom. Ladies normally wear gowns or cocktail dresses while the men wear Barong Tagalogs or ‘coat and tie’.

Everyone loves the idea of a church wedding!

Now, it’s time for the ceremony. The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic nation so most weddings are held in the most beautiful and traditional old churches . Some pick their local churches for convenience purposes. The secondary sponsors who are usually relatives and close friends carry the candles , coins, veil, and cord. They march through the aisle like the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and principal sponsors (godparents) ahead of the bride and groom. The 2 candles usually are lit before the ceremony begins and they represent the couples’ past as individuals and the lights need to be blown out after the wedding which symbolizes the extinguishing of their past. The secondary sponsors who are usually relatives and close friends carry the candles , coins, veil, and cord. They march through the aisle like the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and principal sponsors (godparents) ahead of the bride and groom. The 2 candles usually are lit before the ceremony begins and they represent the couples’ past as individuals and the lights need to be blown out after the wedding which symbolizes the extinguishing of their past. A coin sponsor carries 13 coins “arras” which makes the groom pass on to the bride as a promise to take care of her welfare and their future family . The veil which is pinned on the head of the bride and the shoulder of the groom symbolizes unity and represents good health and protection during their life as husband and wife. The cord that is knotted like infinity symbolizes their bond and union forever. It is a very solemn and heartfelt ceremony as Filipinos value the presence of God , their family , and friends . At the end of the wedding and church pictorial, usually, two doves are released, and the bride throws her bouquet backward and it is believed whoever catches it gets married next. Civil marriages are becoming more common but the good old traditional church wedding follows usually once they’ve saved enough. For most of us, we always define the sanctity of a wedding as it always comes from a church . 

Filipinos prefer indoor celebrations but the outdoors are pretty much popular nowadays!

On to the best part. The reception! Most Filipinos opt for an indoor reception in a big ballroom because of unpredictable weather most especially during the rainy season . Some are getting out of the norm so they do it outdoors also. Not a lot of people show up for the wedding ceremony itself and it is common and not rude itself. The reception guarantees better attendance. You can expect relatives and friends of both the groom and bride to be present.  Even those from abroad will make an effort to attend and celebrate this once in a lifetime event. There is a great expectation of using the attire required, and sharing a generous amount of money , or gifting a useful household item. The couple then has their first dance where guests pin money on the bride’s dress and some do it with the groom as well.  The usual slicing of the cake in funny ways is also one of the highlights. 

With the help of a lively host, great food , and upbeat live music, the reception is filled with fun , laughter, and tears of joy . The couple’s single friends and relatives (who are of age) usually play the fun , mature games and of course, the garter toss. Some become entertainers, dancers, and singers on the spot,  while immediate family , close friends , and relatives to the couple give their special tribute, speeches, and well wishes. The usual clinking of glasses in between the program to demand a kiss from the couple is also a norm. 

Most married couples in the Philippines always insist that despite how much money is spent on the wedding, it’s always worth every centavo. Most weddings that I’ve been to normally cost more or less PHP 500,000 (about USD 10,000) and that’s not counting the honeymoon yet!  Like what people always say  “the bigger, the better”, “the more, the merrier” and it is what you would expect most in Filipino weddings. However, I’ve seen some doing it the practical way also without necessarily changing the line of events itself. 

Learn Tagalog

go all out on their wedding - magpabongga sa kanilang kasal
firm believers - malakas na pananalig
accessories for the ceremony - gamit para sa seremonya
cover the expenses - bayad para sa mga gastusin
wedding day - araw ng kasal
photos and videos - mga larawan at bidyo
something borrowed - gamit na hiniram
traditional old churches - tradisyonal at lumang simbahan
becoming more common - nagiging pangkaraniwan
show up - dumalo
those from abroad - mga tao galing sa ibang bansa
with the help - kasama sa pagtulong
tears of joy - luha sa kasayahan
not counting - hindi pa kasama
practical way - praktikal na paraan
1. go all out on their wedding - magpabongga sa kanilang kasal
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2. firm believers - malakas na pananalig
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3. accessories for the ceremony - gamit para sa seremonya
0:03
4. cover the expenses - bayad para sa mga gastusin
0:04
5. wedding day - araw ng kasal
0:03
6. photos and videos - mga larawan at bidyo
0:03
7. something borrowed - gamit na hiniram
0:03
8. traditional old churches - tradisyonal at lumang simbahan
0:04
9. becoming more common - nagiging pangkaraniwan
0:03
10. show up - dumalo
0:02
11. those from abroad - mga tao galing sa ibang bansa
0:04
12. with the help - kasama sa pagtulong
0:03
13. tears of joy - luha sa kasayahan
0:03
14. not counting - hindi pa kasama
0:02
15. practical way - praktikal na paraan
0:03

Learn Cebuano

go all out on their wedding - magpabongga sa ilang kasal
firm believers - lakas nga magtuo
accessories for the ceremony - gamit alang sa seremonya
cover the expenses - mutapal sa mga gasto
wedding day - adlaw sa pagkasal
photos and videos - mga litrato ug bidyo
something borrowed - butang nga gihuwaman
traditional old churches - tradisyonal ug karaan nga simbahan
becoming more common - nagkanaandan
show up - mutungha
those from abroad - mga tawo nga gikan sa gawas
with the help - dala sa tabang
tears of joy - luha sa kalipay
not counting - wa pay labot
practical way - praktikal nga paagi
1. go all out on their wedding - magpabongga sa ilang kasal
0:04
2. firm believers - lakas nga magtuo
0:03
3. accessories for the ceremony - gamit alang sa seremonya
0:03
4. cover the expenses - mutapal sa mga gasto
0:03
5. wedding day - adlaw sa pagkasal
0:03
6. photos and videos - mga litrato ug bidyo
0:04
7. something borrowed - butang nga gihuwaman
0:03
8. traditional old churches - tradisyonal ug karaan nga simbahan
0:04
9. becoming more common - nagkanaandan
0:02
10. show up - mutungha
0:03
11. those from abroad - mga tawo nga gikan sa gawas
0:03
12. with the help - dala sa tabang
0:02
13. tears of joy - luha sa kalipay
0:03
14. not counting - wa pay labot
0:03
15. practical way - praktikal nga paagi
0:02

Learn Ilocano

go all out on their wedding - agpabongga ti kasar da
firm believers - natibker a pammati
accessories for the ceremony - usaren ti seremonya
cover the expenses - agsungbat ti magastos
wedding day - aldaw ti kasar
photos and videos - dagiti retrato ken bidyo
something borrowed - banag nga binulod
traditional old churches - tradisyonal ken daan nga simbaan
becoming more common - dandani agnormalen
show up - nagpakita
those from abroad - dagiti aggapo ti sabali nga taaw
with the help - babaen ti tulong
tears of joy - sangit ti kinaragsak
not counting - haan pay nga mainayon
practical way - praktikal nga waya
1. go all out on their wedding - agpabongga ti kasar da
0:03
2. firm believers - natibker a pammati
0:03
3. accessories for the ceremony - usaren ti seremonya
0:03
4. cover the expenses - agsungbat ti magastos
0:03
5. wedding day - aldaw ti kasar
0:02
6. photos and videos - dagiti retrato ken bidyo
0:03
7. something borrowed - banag nga binulod
0:02
8. traditional old churches - tradisyonal ken daan nga simbaan
0:04
9. becoming more common - dandani agnormalen
0:03
10. show up - nagpakita
0:02
11. those from abroad - dagiti aggapo ti sabali nga taaw
0:04
12. with the help - babaen ti tulong
0:03
13. tears of joy - sangit ti kinaragsak
0:03
14. not counting - haan pay nga mainayon
0:03
15. practical way - praktikal nga waya
0:03
Filipino Wedding
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