Philippines Guide

Whenever you come to visit the Philippines be aware that many Filipinos still hold on to folklore that doesn’t have any scientific or logical basis. You might want to be polite and respect some of the local lores and superstitions so as not to offend the locals.

Some Filipinos comply with these superstitions for the sake of camaraderie. But there are people in the Philippines who ignore these superstitions sensing them to be downright ridiculous.

We’ll discuss some of the many superstitions that relate to a wedding in the Philippines. Some of these may come as a shock and some may even raise an eyebrow. Just don’t make fun of it or laugh out loud in front of the folks as that is considered being rude.

Let’s say you’re invited to a wedding in the Philippines. When considering gifts, knives and other sharp or pointed objects are considered bad gifts. It is a common superstition that these gifts lead to a broken marriage.

On the other hand, the other half of this superstition holds that if you give a chamberpot (locally known as “arinola”), this brings good fortune to the newlyweds.

Another wedding superstition assumes that wedding couples are accident-prone and should never travel long distances.

Rain during a wedding day is a sign of prosperity for the newlyweds, a superstition that carries an opposite meaning in other countries.

Another wedding superstition compels the groom to arrive much earlier than the bride. If not, it is said that this will bring bad luck.

One interesting (and quite ridiculous) superstition is that the bride should step on the groom’s foot when heading towards the altar. This would force the husband to agree with whatever the wife says all their married life.

You’ll seldom see a bride wearing pearls on her wedding day. These are said to bring unhappiness to her in her married life.

Don’t be surprised to see someone breaking a glass or a dish during the wedding reception. Another superstition says that doing this brings good luck to the new couple.

More of a custom than a superstition is the Pamanhikan. This is an occasion where the groom and his parents meet the bride’s family to ask her hand in marriage. This is considered by some in the Philippines as a dying tradition.

Whenever you’re invited to a wedding in a Philippines you should know which gifts to give and what goes on in the wedding and in the wedding reception. These wedding superstitions are more of a wish for the newlyweds to have a good life ahead of them.

Tags: Tourist, Filipina, Bicol, Philippine Islands, Superstition, Filipino, Tourist Destinations