One thing I know is that weddings are a big deal in the Philippines. And no doubt, the engagement period is an exciting time for the bride and groom to get on with their wedding preparations, just as we felt.
Stepping into this new chapter of your life is a huge undertaking and some may even feel the heat when planning their own wedding.
Whether you have a year or months of preparation, things can be a bit overwhelming. But that’s what I think is so great about the internet. You have an abundant source of information to look for in getting the best wedding packages, affordable and gorgeous venues, and wedding coordination that you need.
I myself did a lot of research for our wedding but the downside with the internet is there is so much information that you don’t even know where to begin. This is why I wanted to kickstart this series with the question, “where do I start?”.
Not only is this a great question, but it also gives you the confidence you need to enjoy your wedding preparation. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you sort the first things you need for your wedding.
- Envision Your Wedding
- Set the Date
- Create A Budget
- Plan Your Venue
- Form a Wedding Party
- Apply for a Marriage License
Envision Your Wedding
First, you have to envision what you and your partner want for your wedding. From the theme to the motif and trips, plan out your dream wedding by sitting down together, discussing your preferences and writing them down in a journal or a simple wedding planner.
Among these ideas is figuring out what is most important for you. Will it be a church or a civil wedding? How about a wedding reception? Make a checklist for your future planning process.
Set The Date
Of course, there won’t be a wedding without the date! Make sure to determine the day and time you want your wedding ceremony to happen. Knowing when to tie the knot can also give you a timeline to make a schedule for filing documents, attending seminars, and applying for a marriage license.
Here’s a tip should’ve known before planning our wedding. Come up with different dates for your marriage ceremony and pick the date you want most to do it. Many couples including me and my husband made the mistake of choosing only one date for our wedding.
Not only did this make things harder for us when we didn’t get the date that we want, but it also gave me so much stress. So to save you from the hassle, we recommend planning with a couple of backup dates to make sure things go smoothly in case the original date does not fall through.
Create a Budget
Part of the culture in the Philippines is that wedding expenses are usually shouldered by the wedding couple with a bit of help from their family. Creating a budget will help you and your partner keep track of your spending and decide on what you want to splurge money on and where you want to hold back a little.
To set the budget, it needs to be a decision between the bride and groom (and the family, if you preferred to have them involved) where they both agree on the amount of money to spend for the celebration and to save for their home.
We highly recommend limiting your budget to important things only and saving the rest for your future home. True, this is a one-time celebration but the ceremony is the most important thing in this wedding. Whatever h
Plan and Book Your Venue
Decide where you will do the ceremony. If it’s a church wedding, make a reservation at the church you and your partner wanted to be married. If a civil wedding, go to the local civil registrar of the city or municipality you live in and apply for a marriage license. The registrar will then assign you to the Officiator, whether it be a judge or the mayor. Pay the required fees and secure your chosen wedding date.
Other couples save their reservation fees by holding both the wedding ceremony and reception in one place. Make sure to check with the church or solemnizing officer if they can accommodate this kind of arrangement.
Form your wedding party
Forming your wedding party is important in planning your wedding, even if it’s just a simple civil wedding. As a requirement for marriages in the Philippines, you will need two adults to witness your wedding. These can be your parents, family members, or close friends. We recommend assigning backup witnesses in case the first ones can’t be there.
For a bigger wedding ceremony, you can start by choosing who you would want to be part of your big day (maid of honor, bridesmaids, best man, groomsmen, etc.). You can be creative in inviting them like giving small gifts or handwritten letters or even just doing as simple as creating an e-invitation on Facebook.
Prepare Documents for Application for a Marriage License
Now you have your wedding date, make sure to prepare to apply for your marriage license. In the Philippines, part of the engaged couples’ wedding preparation include preparing documents for their application for marriage license. Gerson and I understand how lengthy the process is especially when you do not know where to begin.
So we made a something that could be a help for you. Here is a list of requirements that you will need for your application:
Once you got your marriage license, you will only have 120 days for it to be valid. So it’s best to create a timeline within this period for your wedding preparation.
We’ll be posting a step-by-step guide on how to apply for a marriage license, so keep updated.
There are a lot of things to prepare for a wedding and it sure takes effort to do them. But that’s the beauty of wedding preparation. You get to prepare for the new page of your story with the person you want to spend the rest of your narrative with.
We hope this list helps you get things started!
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