Who customarily pays for a wedding in the Philippines?

Wedding is one of the biggest events in the Philippines. It is like the entire barrio is having fiesta in some remote areas. The bride and the groom-to-be plan ahead of the time. The couple usually help each other to shoulder the wedding expenses. Some relatives help too by providingg goods or services ike one sack of rice, sponsoring the entourage outfits, decorating the reception, making invitations, paying a portion for the reception, donating cases of soda. Big or small help counts.

Bayanihan (teamwork) is part of the customs and traditions of the Philippines by which Filipinos help each other in moving one's house to another place by carrying it through their shoulders without being paid. Providing free snacks or meal can suffice the days labor. So, being a teammate is not new in the Philippines. It runs in the blood of every Filipino.

In a relationship, the couple help each other to finance the nuptial expenditures from the ceremony, dress of the entourage, down to invitations and reception. It depends on the economical status of the partners and according to how they like their dream wedding to be like. Usually couples brainstorm first and often save money together before the big event.

In some cases, couple loan money in order to have an extravagant wedding reception. It's not practical to do it but yet some couples were doing it because they believe getting married is one in a lifetime experience. Besides, it's everybody's dream to walk in the aisle to the altar. While others prefer secret wedding, some take pride on having an elegant wedding celebration. It is imminent in the number of sponsors being invited, the size and location of the reception, the number of layers of cakes, the craftiness of the invitation and best of all the style of the bride's gown.

They usually hire wedding planner, gown designer, receptionist, videographer, emcee, and the like. However, some collate skills and experiences of friends and relatives. In fact, some prefer to use their backyard as the reception area and with relatives who are in charge of the cooking, dishes and accommodations. For practical reason, others raise pigs, cows and chickens and slaughter them during the event to feed the entire community.

Wedding is the most expensive event in the Philippines and if the couple decide to have an extravagant celebration, they help one another to cover the expenses.