The Philippines as we all know in our geography is an archipelago thus the Filipinos are scattered among its many islands. Although the Filipinos are living in one nation they are diversified in their beliefs and traditions according to the island and region where they belonged

From oral tradition Philippine folklore has been preserved and practiced by the Filipino natives. However a few of those traditional practices during weddings still survived and has been passed on to this new generation. The most universal of all is the “pamanhikan”, this is done before the wedding day it is the time where the hand of the bride will be asked by the groom accompanied by his parents; arrangement of the wedding follows. Another irrevocable wedding practice is the prevention of the bride to fit her wedding gown before her wedding day. Doing this would be invoking bad luck to her groom. Days before the wedding both groom and bride are not allowed to talk nor see each other until they are in the church for their wedding. They are not allowed to go anywhere and ride any vehicles as accidents will come their way causing one of them to die.

On the wedding day during the ceremony something must be broken in order to ward off bad luck. Dropping the wedding rings, candle or veil will mean that the couple’s relationship won’t last long and soon they will be parted. If the candle at the groom’s side will melt faster than the bride’s it meant that the husband will die ahead of his wife. And if the bride wants to empower her husband she must step on the left toe of her groom during the wedding march and taking their vows. Couples should also avoid the thing Filipinos called “sukob”. It is getting married on the same year a sister or a brother of the bride was married. For the well wishers who’s attending the wedding it is a bad omen for the couple if somebody will wear black dress. As black portends mourning and sorrow thus it is prohibited.

For abundance and prosperity couples are showered with rice, sugar and salt confetti as they go out of the church, a bitter tonic will be offered for them to drink at the reception doorstep in to give them strength, patience and persevance in facing the adversity of life in their marriage. An “arinola” should be the first gift they must open in order for them to have a bountiful life together.

Among the many myths, folklore and traditional wedding practices these are the most common and seemingly universal Filipino wedding beliefs and practices. Although real effects of these practices are not documented, Filipinos still continue to follow these wedding superstition and practices. However for modern generation even if they are bound to follow they are warding off some of the traditional practices. Because younger generations now a day are well educated and believed more on the saving power of God.
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