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What are some Filipino wedding traditions & rituals?
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- Katrina Del Rosario
- Formal Introductions and Negotiations. Known in Tagalog as pamamanhikan, this acts as the first official step in a Filipino wedding. It could take place months or weeks before the ceremony, and involves the couple's families meeting each other for an official proposal—though the specifics behind this custom can vary based on the couple's region of origin.
- Wedding Announcements. This tradition involves the couple visiting the homes of invitees to personally make their wedding announcements and hand out official invitations.
- Making Arrangements. The Bulungan, which translates to “whispering," takes place in the bride’s house and involves the bride and groom’s families (usually their elders) huddling together to quietly make plans, budget allocations, and task divisions for the upcoming wedding.
- Wedding Preparations. The wedding preparations take place a day before the big day and are centered around the Filipino concept of bayanihan, which involves performing small, heroic acts for the good of the community.
- Pamanhikan
- Despedida de Soltera
- Catholic Church Wedding
- Principal and Secondary Sponsors
- Veil Ceremony
- Yugal
- Unity Candle
- Arrhae
- Throwing of Rice Grains
- Sabitan / Sayawan
Family and respect for elders play a huge role in Filipino culture. Which is why before planning for a traditional Filipino wedding can begin, you need the green light in the form of the bride’s parents’ approval. This is commonly known in the Philippines as pamanhikan, but it’s also known as pamamanhikan, pamayi, hatud, or sayud, depending on the ...
A despedida de solterais a dinner traditionally hosted by the bride’s family that takes place one to three weeks before the wedding. Not everyone invited to the wedding is required to be invited to the despedida de soltera, but traditionally the guest list consists of the bride and groom’s closest family members. This is a send-off dinner celebrati...
While simple civil weddings in courthouses and city halls are an option for a legal wedding in the Philippines, weddings are traditionally held in a church. After all, the Philippines is a dominantly Catholic country, so a traditional Catholic Church weddingis a popular choice Compared to civil weddings, Catholic Church weddings have additional req...
You should have a list of primary and secondary sponsorsearly into your wedding planning because this list of names is traditionally printed into the wedding invitations. Principal sponsors(a.k.a. primary sponsors or ninongs and ninangs) serve as the witnesses to your marriage. Traditionally and legally speaking, you need at least two witnesses for...
This is a veil different from the one the bride traditionally wears when she walks down the aisle. The secondary sponsors responsible for the veil ceremony will drape a large veil over the bride’s head and the groom’s shoulder. This has two meanings: one is the traditional Filipino patriarchal belief of a man’s authority over their family with his ...
After the veil is placed, the cord sponsors will create a circle and fold the cord to create an infinity sign. These are placed around the necks of the bride and groom. This symbolizes their everlasting fidelity with one another.
The candle sponsors light a pair of candles and stand on both sides of the couple. This symbolizes the presence of God blessing the marriage. However, there’s a more macabre superstition that states that if one of the candles goes out during the ritual, whichever one of the couple is closer to the candle will be the first one to die. These two cand...
Aside from the ring bearer popular in western weddings, Filipinos also have a coin bearerto walk alongside the ring bearer. Traditionally, both the ring bearer and coin bearer are young boys. This ritual is known as the arrhae or aras. The coin bearer carries an ornament or small bag carrying 13 gold or silver coins. The priest first blesses the ar...
After the wedding ceremony, the new husband and wife lead the church exit. Guests will gather at the exit and shower grains of rice at the couple. This is based on superstitious beliefs that couples will be happy, fertile, and prosperous together. If you want to have this in your wedding, make sure your church venue allows it (some don’t or charge ...
The Money Dance has two versions, depending on which Filipino sub-culture you belong to. It usually takes place towards the start of the reception after serving the guests food and before the wedding reception games. In one version, male and female guests will line up in two separate lines. They will then wait their turn to dance with the bride or ...
- Celebration of Engagement. Known as Panliligaw And Pamamanhikan in Tagalog, formal courtship and engagement were historically the first official steps in a Filipino wedding.
- Naming Godparents. In the past, there was often a naming of sponsors that took place at Filipino weddings, but Sales explains that "what we don't see much of anymore is the naming of sponsors for the candle, veil and cord.
- Family Involvement. Historically, there were traditions known as bulungan and bayanihan, however, Sales explains that both of those customs aren't regularly observed by modern couples.
- Parental Blessings. A tradition that is still very important within modern Filipino weddings is the parental blessing. "Honoring your elders and parents is very much part of the Filipino wedding day.
- Pamamanhikan (Meeting of the families) Watch this video on YouTube. The Pamamanhikan is the first step in Filipinowedding customs, where the groom’s family visits the bride’s family to formally ask for her hand in marriage.
- Pang-ulong Pandanggo (The initial meeting) In the Philippines, once the families have agreed on the marriage, the pang-ulong pandanggo, or initial meeting takes place.
- Kasunduan (Agreement to be married) The kasunduan is a traditional agreement or understanding between the couple and their families that they are committed to getting married.
- Paninilbihan (Servitude) Watch this video on YouTube. In Filipinowedding customs, paninilbihan is a way for the groom to prove his love and dedication to the bride.
- The Proposal. Traditional courtship in the Philippines is more formal than you might expect. It’s customary that men first woo their would-be mate with “Harana” or serenading.
- A Family Affair. Filipinos are family-oriented people, and couples are expected and encouraged to make family a vital part of the ceremony. Traditionally, the parents were a significant part of the ceremony because society expected they would help the couple pay for the wedding.
- The Wedding Attire. Filipino brides typically wear a white dress and veil on their wedding day. Traditionally, many Filipino women would opt for a traditional dress called Filipiniana or Traje de Mestiza.
- Wedding Chapels. Before Spanish colonization, Filipinos performed their traditional folk weddings outdoors with the entire community as witnesses. However, after Spanish rule, Catholicism became the major religion in the country.
Traditional marriage customs in the Philippines and Filipino wedding practices pertain to the characteristics of marriage and wedding traditions established and adhered by them Filipino men and women in the Philippines after a period of adoption courtship and engagement.
Feb 26, 2021 · Philippine wedding traditions you need to know. Weddings in the Philippines are observed with various traditions, including those held even before and after the actual wedding ceremony. Not only do these weddings celebrate the couple’s commitment to love one another, but also emphasize our rich cultural traditions.
