A Guide To Traditional Filipino Weddings.
Filipino weddings are an exuberant and joyous celebration of love and commitment.
Yet every wedding is unique, but traditional Filipino Weddings are an experience like no other. From the colorful and detailed attire to the flavorful and plentiful food. The vibrant culture of the Philippines is on full display.
From the oldest traditions to the most modern and stylish elements, the Filipino Wedding is a testament to the nation’s culture and values. Whether you are attending a Filipino Wedding, or planning your own, this handy Guide will provide you with an in-depth look at traditional Filipino weddings, and the most colorful celebrations around!
Pre-Wedding Customs and Celebrations.
Before the Wedding, Filipinos celebrate the pre-wedding festivities and ceremonies with an abundance of style, color and lavish displays of food and culture.
This can begin as early as a year before the Wedding, and usually culminates in a couple’s Engagement Shoot.
Pre-wedding celebrations include the both the Engagement and the betrothal. A time when the Groom presents the Bride’s family with gifts of his ability to provide for his future Wife.
These celebrations are a way for a both the Bride’s and Groom’s Family to accept the Engagement and allow the Couple to start planning their Wedding with their respective Families mutual consent.
A year before the Wedding, the Bride’s Family customarily presents a betrothal gift to the Groom’s family. This gift is usually a woven basket filled with fruit, flowers and other items delicacies. The Family members of the girl who is to be married will hold a small celebration to commemorate the joyous occasion.
Traditional Attire for the Bride and Groom.
Filipino Weddings are famous for their colorful and detailed attire.
The Bride wears a sash and a headpiece called a Coronet. The Groom wears a cummerbund.
These outfits are complemented with a sash, which the Bride gives to the Groom at the end of the Wedding Ceremony. The Bride traditionally wears a Wedding Gown embroidered with Swarovski crystals, sequins, pearls and other adornments.
She wears heels and stockings, and her hair is styled in a variety of intricate upsweeps. The Bride is also expected to wear a necklace called a Begonia. The Begonia is a lily, a token of love and fertility. The groom’s attire is also colorful and detailed. It is customary for the Groom to wear a Tuxedo. His shirt is usually white and decorated with lace or embroidery.
The Ceremony and Reception.
During the Wedding Ceremony, the Bride and Groom will exchange gifts.
The Bride usually gives something that is of monetary value, such as a cash gift, a gold necklace, or a cash gift for her future children. The Groom gives something that is of more sentimental value, such as a necklace with a pin that has a lock of hair from the Bride inside.
The Wedding Ceremony is led by the Father of the Bride. During the Wedding ceremony, the Groom and Bride stand in front of the Bride’s relatives and the Groom shows his love by placing a token, usually a ring on the Bride’s finger. Traditionally, the Bride’s dress has a train and the Groom’s cummerbund has a train as well.
The Wedding Reception is held at the Reception hall, usually in a banquet room. The Reception usually begins with an introduction of the Newlyweds, followed by a dance performance. There may be a photo exhibition, in which guests are invited to pose with the Newlyweds.
Music, Food and Entertainment.
Filipinos are big fans of live music, and many events will feature a live band. DJs and Karaoke are also very popular. The food plays an important part in Filipino celebrations, as it is an essential part of the Celebration. The Filipino cuisine is also very diverse and has unique, delicious flavors that are perfect for a party.
Many Filipinos enjoy entertaining with games and activities, such as bingo, card games, raffles, and theme parties with costumes and games.
Modern Elements of Filipino Weddings.
Trendy Filipino Wedding traditions have begun to appear in many modern-day Filipino Weddings.
These traditions include the use of Social media, as well as themed parties and events.
Many Couples now choose to have an Engagement party before the Wedding, where both families and close friends gather to celebrate with the Couple. At this Engagement party, the Couple may invite their closest friends, the couple’s families, and close friends of the couple.
Engagement parties offer a great way to celebrate love and can also be a great way to introduce people to each other. It gives the Couple a chance to share their love with friends and family, who may not have had the opportunity to meet the Couple before the Wedding.
Other Filipino Wedding Customs.
Many Filipino traditions are not readily apparent to visitors or visitors to the Philippines. Some traditions that are more common in the Philippines, but not so much in other parts of the World, include the following.
The Filipino welcome ceremony or Kuwento is a traditional greeting where the guests pose with the bride and her family. The Guests will line up and pose with the Bride and her family, who will usually be dressed in traditional costumes.
The Bouquet toss is a common custom as in Western Culture, where as the unmarried guests of the Bride line up and try to catch the Bouquet thrown by the Bride.
This custom has its origins in the Good Samaritan story, where a Groom once threw her Bouquet, but then dropped it and left the Wedding party.
The Filipino rice cake toss is very similar to the Bouquet toss, and is also a way for the Groom and his friends to catch the Bride’s rice cakes. In some parts of the country, such as the Visayas, it is traditional for the couple to ride a decorated raft during the beach reception.
Conclusion.
As such, traditional Filipino weddings are an exuberant and joyous celebration of love and commitment.
During the Wedding Ceremony, the Bride and Groom exchange gifts and vows, and the celebration begins with an Engagement party. The Wedding Reception follows, with music, food, and entertainment. The Guests are invited to celebrate with the Newlyweds, and there will be a variety of fun Filipino Wedding customs to enjoy.
Whether you are attending a Filipino Wedding, or planning your own, this Guide will provide you with an in-depth look at traditional Filipino Weddings, and the most colorful Asian celebrations around!
Blair is a Toronto based Wedding & Portrait Photographer who lives his life through the lens one frame at a time. Always chasing that perfect image whether it’s a beautiful afternoon Wedding or a long overdue Family Portrait Session.
He is a free spirited Creative who is truly invested in savings his Customer’s their hard earned cash in an already over priced Toronto Wedding Industry. His motto in life is really quite simple. Grab life by the horns and enjoy. Our time on this Big Blue Marble we call Planet Earth is short enough!
Hence his approach to Professional Photography. Do a great job for your Customer and you’ve accomplished something in Life. Life is just too short to be sitting on the sidelines and waiting for that perfect opportunity to dance!
