In this day and age, we Filipinos still cling numerous widely-held folk beliefs that have no scientific or logical basis. But as your lola may swear that they are indeed backed up by some past experiences, lolo may dismiss those incidents as mere coincidences.

What are enumerate below are mostly superstitions by the Tagalogs. We’re quite sure there are more from the other regions as these beliefs vary from province to province. Some of the items here are based on Neni Sta. Romana’s book called “Don’t Take a Bath on a Friday” (Tahanan Books, 1996), while others are stuff we heard from our moms and relatives in the provinces from weddings past. These things do come up whenever there’s a wedding in the family.

Some are still adhered to this day primarily because of our “there’s-nothing-to-lose-if-we-comply” attitude; others are totally ignored since people find such things downright ridiculous. Whichever school of thought you subscribe to, we merely compiled this list for reference and entertainment. Notice that some of these may sound like as a convenient excuses to an unfortunate things happening during the big day. It could be our way of coping with unforeseen party poopers. It’s ultimately up to you if you want to follow them, but be warned that one superstition may totally contradict another so don’t go crazy over them. Pardon some of our side comments below some of the items, we really can’t help it!

Here goes:

 

 

Never clear the table while somebody is still eating or that person will never get married.

 

 

 

A bachelor or a spinster who agrees to be a ninong/ninang in a wedding will never be married.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Knives and other sharp, pointed objects are said to be bad choices for wedding gifts as giving them will lead to a broken marriage.

 

 

 

Giving an arinola (chamberpot) as a wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to the giver and the newlyweds.

(Cheapskate alert!)

 

 

 

Soon-to-weds are said to be accident-prone especially as their altar date draws near; thus, they must avoid traveling and taking long drives before their wedding day.

(Does that mean you can’t drive to Antipolo and pray for a good voyage for your honeymoon?)

 

 

 

The groom who sits down before his bride does during the wedding ceremony will be ‘under-the-saya’ (henpecked husband).

 

 

 

If a bride’s monthly period falls on the wedding day, the couple will be blessed with a lot of children.

(One things sure though, no honeymoon baby here!)

 

 

 

Couples must offer eggs to Sta. Clara to pray that the wedding day would be rain-free.

 

 

 

A downpour during the wedding brings prosperity and marital bliss!

(So why offer eggs if the rain bring good luck? Smells fishy, maybe it’s the eggs!)

 

 

 

The spouse on whose side the wedding candle is lit last will be a submissve partner.

 

 

 

If the flame dies out on one of the wedding candles, it means the spouse, on whose side the unlit candle belongs to will die ahead of the other.

(Glad somebody thought of the Unity Candle and overshadowed all these candle negativity!)

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

(Unless you want everyone to panic and make it appear that the bride’s been stood up!)

 

 

 

It is considered bad luck for siblings to marry within the same year.
In the vernacular, this is known as “sukob” or sharing one’s luck with somebody else.

 

 

 

Accidentally breaking something during the reception (be it a plate or a goblet) brings good luck to the newlyweds.

 

 

 

The bride should ”accidentally’ step on the groom’s foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him to agree with her every whim.

 

 

 

A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be a miserable since these gems are considered ‘tears’ of the oysters.

 

 

 

A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will never become a miserable wife as the pearls will served as a foil for bad luck and and represent the tears she could have shed if she hasn’t worn any on the wedding day.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

The more food at the reception, the bountiful the blessings the marriage will receive.

 

 

 

Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or a coin in the arrhae during the ceremony spells unhappiness for the couple.

(Gheez! We let two grown-ups handle and pin the veil on the couple but we let two naughty little boys carry the rings and arras! Don’t we care for happy marriages at all?!!)