Pamamanhikan is a tradition in the Philippines wherein the groom and his parents formally ask for the bride’s hand in marriage. Although I’ve already said yes to Ryan when he asked me to marry him, the pamamanhikan that occurred was just a formality.
Ryan’s and my parents finally met last Saturday for lunch. We didn’t get to talk much about the wedding since Ryan’s parents were quite in a hurry. We only got to talk about where we plan to hold the ceremony and the reception, which is in Batangas, and how many guests we plan on inviting, which is 50. We’re set on that number since we really want our wedding to be an intimate one, not to mention our budget, which is roughly P500,000. With regard to the venue, Ryan and I decided to have the reception at a beach. Since having it in Boracay would really cost us, we scratched that one on our list, and since our guests would be coming from Manila, Subic or Zambales would be farther, so Batangas was the most feasible choice. Our parents mostly gave us advice on weddings, marriage and choosing our principal sponsors. I had no idea that the last part would be too hard.
I’ve done my research and from what I’ve gathered, the bride and groom and their parents usually talk about more details of the wedding, and that includes expenses. Our parents didn’t talk numbers because quite frankly, that seems a bit tasteless. Instead, Ryan and I opted to talk to them separately. Even though we have our savings, our parents still offered to chip in, which is really great news.
Anyway, we’re planning on doing an ocular in Batangas in the coming weeks, to get a first-hand feel of the place, and to see if it feels right. I’ll post again about our options for the chapels and resorts once we’ve scoured the place. We’re very excited about it. 🙂
Frances and Ryan's Wedding Journal 