Wedding Traditions and Superstitions in the Philippines

Wherever you are in the world or whichever culture you may be classified with, you had probably heard of beliefs or seen practices that are endemic to that group of people. The world is literally full of credulity and Filipinos especially are not an exception to this rule, particularly in the context of weddings.

Like many superstitious beliefs, the Filipinos’ notions about weddings lie in the idea of what brings good luck and what attracts the bad. Unsurprisingly, as a culmination of these beliefs, certain traditions were developed.

Let us take a look at some of these beliefs and their ensuing traditions:

Rains during the wedding is a blessing

Some people may take rain as an impedance to a very special occasion such as a wedding. But to the Filipinos, it is actually a sign of good luck which resembles God’s “shower” of blessing to the newly-wed couple.

While the idea of God’s participation in a wedding may seem like a highly-sought element, couples of today, however, would often opt for a sunny and dry wedding instead. (No offense, God Almighty).

With a belief that devout Christians of yore make for good intermediaries to God, a prominent figure such as the Roman Catholic’s St. Claire is often turned to for clear weather on that particular day of the wedding. It might not seem too obvious for some, but the idea was derived from the name’s literal meaning, suggesting “clear” e.g. clear sky.

But, quid pro quo, St. Clare would demand eggs—untainted white, specifically—for the wish to be granted. Arguably, this might imply not the absence of God during the wedding, but a totally different flavor than rain.

Some dates (numbers) are better than others

With some Chinese beliefs partially interweaved in the Pinoy culture, notions involving numbers are inevitable. You need not even have to be a believer of feng shui to even heed the superstition so long as you understood what the saying infers.

According to this belief, numbers like 0, 5, and 8 are the luckiest numbers in the calendar. Get the idea, yet?

If not, allow me to disclose to you the secret to these figures. It’s in the way how these numerals are printed—they all encompass an upward stroke. Likewise, an “upward” trajectory is good as it might imply prosperity.

Of these numbers, the number “8” is said to be the luckiest, according to the Chinese. Hence, many Chinese couples marry on the 8th of any chosen month.

Then, on the other hand, you might be wondering which number consists of the “unluckiest” given the idea that numeral figures have implications on the outcome of the wedding. As it appears, that bad label is attributed to the number “22.”

Why “22?” It might sound too imaginative but taking a closer look into the number and “22” is somehow reminiscent of two people in bending position, likely wallowing in misery.

Siblings should not get married within the space of one year lest they get cursed

There is a strong superstition among Filipinos which speaks about a possible curse that may ensue when siblings have gone to marriage less than a year from one another. In the local language, it is called “sukob.”

This superstition is so scary, it literally inspired a horror story depicting the ill omens attributed to the curse.

However, in the case that marriages between siblings cannot be a year or longer apart, there is actually a means to bypass the said imprecation. For the sibling that is to wed at a later date, he/she must not enter the church to the front. Instead, he/she must come in from the back.

Pearls are bad luck during wedding

The pearl may be a fancy item to wear in most occasions as it adds beauty to its wearer. But wearing a pearl accessory during a wedding is bad luck, according to Filipino beliefs.

With the notion that pearls are essentially a “tear of an oyster,” it may paint a picture of a difficult marriage to the bride afterward. Luckily, however, pearls are the only piece of jewelry that is prohibited in weddings, as far as superstition goes.

A pear-shaped ring is also a major bad luck

In almost the same vein that wearing a pearl accessory is prospective of bad luck, particularly to the bride, getting a pear-shaped ring from a future groom and husband is also as bad.

With a woman’s tear often symbolized as rather pear-ish in shape, a pear-shaped ring may connote a tearful experience of the wife with is husband throughout their wedded days.