Web Search
|
|---|
Philippine Wedding Traditions & Filipino Customs
Centuries old Filipino wedding customs and wonderful Philippine wedding traditions make Filipina weddings (Kasalan) some of the most beautiful wondrous celebrations on earth.
 |
|---|
The Filipino culture's high regard for the sanctity of marriage has given the Philippine wedding ceremony many customs and traditions that will be new to a non-Filipino.
Wedding ceremony styles, wedding dresses, and receptions can differ widely in style and price, but all factors considered you will receive 10 times for your money what you could afford in the United States.
In the traditional Filipina wedding, the groom is expected to burden all of the cost as opposed to American traditions were it is the bride’s family that is responsible for wedding expenses. This has given way slightly to some couples sharing the cost as is also in the United States.
A few of the cost that will seem unexpected but are in keeping with Filipino wedding traditions are:
1. Hotel rooms for valued guests that journey from distant islands to attend the wedding.
2. Transportation for all those who are to attend locally.
3. Bride’s Maids dresses and barongs for the groom’s men are usually available for rent at the wedding boutiques. Unlike in the US where many of the Bride's maids will purchase their own dress to keep after the wedding.
As customary with Filipinas she will be wearing her wedding ring on the right hand and not the left as is customary in the United States. For the Filipina, the Bible has stated “the Son sits at the right hand of the Father”. So she will sit on the left and wear her ring on the right.
Filipino wedding ceremonies have some very wonderful traditions different from the typical wedding ceremonies in the United States.
There will be 3 sets of sponsors for the wedding couple, ninang (male) and ninong (female). They are usually successful well respected couples choosen by the bride. They will have many tasks and responsibilities during the actual wedding ceremony.
Veil Ceremony
The first set of sponsors are responsible for the pinning of the Bride's Veil to the shoulder of the Groom. This is to symbolize the wedding couple's clothes as one.
Cord Ceremony
The second set of sponsors will place the ceremonial wedding cord to "Tie" the Bride and Groom together during the actual Wedding ceremony. This is to symbolize the spiritual bonding of the 2 souls.
Candle Ceremony
Then the last pair of sponsors will light two candles on either side of a unity candle, which the wedding couple getting married light together.
Arrhae or 13 Golden Coin Ceremony
Lastly, the groom presents his bride the “Arrhea” also known as the 13 golden coins. The "Arrhae" has been blessed by the priest for a life of faithfulness and prosperity. The "Arrhae" and the wedding rings are usually carried by 2 small children, a boy and a girl during the wedding march. The wedding dress couture or seamstres should also create 2 small matching pillows for the presentation of the arrhae and wedding rings.
Do not worry about the cost of the "Arrhae" too much. These are not actual gold coins. Often times token 13 golden coins "Arrhae" are provided almost free by the jewelery shop you buy the wedding ring from in the Philippines.
You will also find some Filipino superstitions associated with wedding ceremonies and newlywed couples. The bride will not wear her wedding dress before the ceremony or it will bring bad luck. Also if a bride wants her husband to agree to her every whim she will step on his foot on the way to the altar. This according to superstition will place him under her spell of“Lihi”.
One of the most distinctive qualities of a Filipina wedding are the cathedrals. They are huge. Some capable of holding as many as 600 or 700 people. Often they are gigantic architectural wonders built of concrete and stone with huge arches and towering steeples some times 100s of years old.
Make no mistake about it, nothing can quite compare to Filipina weddings and wedding receptions.
Article by Marc Madi. Social researcher, author and publisher.