Filipino Wedding Customs

One of my friends at work told me a wedding custom that she was doing for her younger sister that's getting married this coming weekend and I was very surprised with the custom that she shared since i have not heard of it. I was almost certain that it must be a Western culture but later after some research, found that it IS a Filipino custom to give the newlyweds a potty/bedpan/chamberpot as part of their wedding present. Read on.....

Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs that have no scientific or logical basis but maybe backed-up by some past experiences (yet can be dismissed as mere coincidence). ...

• Brides shouldn't try on her wedding dress before the wedding day or the wedding will not push through.

• Knives and other sharp and pointed objects are said to be a bad choice for wedding gifts for this will lead to a broken marriage.

• Giving arinola (chamberpot) as wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to newlyweds.

• Altar-bound couples are accident-prone and therefore must avoid long drives or traveling before their wedding day for safety.

• The groom who sits ahead of his bride during the wedding ceremony will be a henpecked husband.

• If it rains during the wedding, it means prosperity and happiness for the newlyweds.

• A flame extinguished on one of the wedding candles means the one on which side has the unlit candle, will die ahead of the other.

• Throwing rice confetti at the newlyweds will bring them prosperity all their life.

• The groom must arrive before the bride at the church to avoid bad luck.

• It is considered bad luck for two siblings to marry on the same year.

• Breaking something during the reception brings good luck to the newlyweds.

• The bride should step on the groom's foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him to agree to her every whim.

• A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be an unhappy wife experiencing many heartaches and tears.

• An unmarried woman who follows the footsteps (literally) of the newlyweds will marry soon.

• Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or the arrhae during the ceremony spells unhappiness for the couple.

** courtesy of Weddings at Work