Weddings in every culture are a celebration of love and unity and Filipino weddings are no exception. Wedding ceremonies in the Philippines today are an impressive amalgamation of modern as well as historic customs. They comprise of bringing together two distinct families as one.
Whether it’s the alluring traditional wedding attire, magical folk dance or the strong influence of family traditions - these are just a few examples of how unique Filipino weddings can be. Today, Perfection Bridal is going all out into discovering the rich cultural and immensely steeped into traditional aspects of Filipino weddings, so let’s take a look!
The Filipino Wedding Ceremony
Filipino wedding ceremonies consist of a number of rituals that have been taken from ancient Catholic religion. With the majority of the population being Catholic, it’s no surprise why most of the ceremony occurs at a Catholic Church. A number of rituals are performed and we’ve described them for you below.
The Wedding Sponsors
Other than the groomsmen as well as bridesmaids, Filipino weddings honour a number of other guests, given titles of Principal Sponsor as well as Secondary Sponsor. And this can vary from one couple to a number of significant others. These sponsors will be called upon to join the soon to be married couple in receiving their blessings.
The Coin Ceremony
A total of 13 Arras or simply coins are present inside a pouch and carried towards the altar by coin sponsors. These coins are blessed during the ceremony and gifted to the bride by the groom, as an act that symbolizes a promise of welfare for her and the future family together.
The Catholic Veil Ceremony
The Veil Ceremony comprises of veil sponsors draping the bride’s veil to one side that manages to cover her head, while the other side extends to reach the groom’s shoulder. The ceremony symbolizes unity and a promise of love and protection for years to come.
The Cord Ceremony
Following the veil ceremony, the Yugal or a cord that’s shaped as infinity is added to the veil and represents a symbol of unity or togetherness of the couple. It is the duty of the sponsors to lay the Yugal above the couple’s veil as blessings are received by them.
The Unity Candle Ceremony
The final ritual comprises of a unity candle lighting - where the outer two single candles symbolize the couple’s life before marriage and the center one represents their life together as one union. The couple will light the center unity candle while blowing out the two outer single candles as a representation of extinguishing the past.
Filipino Wedding Attire
Brides in Philippines often opt for the classic Fillipiniana - beautiful two-piece attire made of the finest fabric, comprising of giant butterfly sleeves, striking hues and intricate embroidery. Other modern designs selected include sophisticated white gowns with smaller sleeves and stunning embellishments, similar to the Fillipiniana. Perfection Bridal Dubai offers a number of similar customized wedding dresses that pertain to a diverse array of cultures from around the world.
Grooms on the other hand wear a traditional shirt called the Barong. These shirts are lightweight in design, adorned with handmade U-shaped patterned embroidery on the front. The Barong is commonly worn in an untucked fashion, over the undershirt.
Ethnic Filipino Flavours
A wedding reception that’s full of traditional culinary delicacies is an absolute must in the Philippines. There isn’t any fixed menu but selecting a Filipino caterer is a norm at most weddings. Just a few examples of Filipino culinary delights include Kaldereta, Lechon and Longganisa.
The Filipino Money Dance
The Filipino Money Dance is a fun twist added to the wedding reception where the DJ requests men and women to align themselves separately into two lines, hold a pin and wait for their turn to dance with the bride or the groom.
The money pinned on either the groom or the bride is known to bring good fortune for the newlyweds.
Reception Dinner Entertainment
Filipino folk dances are a part of rich heritage and comprise of a collection of classic numbers that pay homage to the history.
Guests are entertained with performances such as the Itik-Itik, the Pantomina and the Tinikling (left, recognized as the Philippine’s national dance imitating the movement of a bird as it walks between tree branches) throughout the reception dinner.