An open wedding planner with a checklist, a gold pen, a sprig of eucalyptus and a cup of coffee on a soft, sunlit table

Setnayan Articles · the Filipino wedding edit

Wedding planning, the Filipino way.

Featured · Planning

A free, printable wedding checklist for Filipino couples

A printable wedding checklist for Filipino couples — plus the free in-app version that updates every deadline around your date.

Read the guide
The edit

Stories & guides

An elegant tented wedding reception during the rainy season
Planning

Brownout-proofing your wedding day

Storms and brownouts happen — here is how Filipino couples keep the lights, sound, and program running no matter what.

12 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

A Filipino wedding celebration with traditional touches — family, flowers and warm light
Culture

The Muslim (Moro) wedding in the Philippines

A respectful overview of the Muslim Filipino wedding — the nikah, the mahr, and the role of family and the imam.

10 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

Filipino wedding ritual symbols — the cord, veil and coins arranged on a table
Culture

The release of doves: a Filipino wedding tradition

Two white doves, set free together — the meaning behind one of the most photographed moments of a Filipino wedding.

7 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

Gold wedding rings and an invitation suite arranged on a styled table
Planning

30 honest ways to save money on a Filipino wedding

30 real ways to cut wedding costs in the Philippines — without anyone at the celebration ever feeling the difference.

5 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

A wedding invitation suite styled with eucalyptus and ribbon
Planning

Save-the-dates: when to send them and what to include

A save-the-date buys your guests time to plan — here is when to send it, who gets one, and what it should say.

3 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

An elegantly plated wedding reception place setting
Vendors

Your wedding food tasting: what to taste and what to ask

A food tasting is your one chance to test the menu before the big day — here is how to make it count.

31 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

a wedding photographer capturing a couple in soft natural light
Vendors

15 questions to ask your wedding photographer before booking

The 15 questions that separate a smooth wedding shoot from a regret — ask these before you pay a deposit.

29 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

A warm, candlelit December wedding reception with festive touches
Culture

Christmas-themed wedding ideas for Filipino couples

Lean into the season: parol, candlelight, and warm Filipino touches that make a Christmas wedding feel like home.

27 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

An elegant tented wedding reception during the rainy season
Planning

Your wet-weather wedding plan, step by step

A practical, step-by-step backup plan for rain on your wedding day — so a downpour never catches you off guard.

24 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

A Filipino wedding celebration with traditional touches — family, flowers and warm light
Culture

Ilocano wedding traditions, explained

Thrift, family and the famous bitor — a warm look at the Ilocano wedding customs that endure across the North.

22 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

Filipino wedding ritual symbols — the cord, veil and coins arranged on a table
Culture

The money dance: where it came from and how it works

Why guests pin cash to a dancing couple at Filipino weddings — and the warm, generous logic behind it.

20 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

Gold wedding rings and an invitation suite arranged on a styled table
Planning

The average cost of a wedding in the Philippines (2026)

What a Filipino wedding really costs in 2026 — honest ranges by guest count, and why your number is in your control.

17 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

Place cards and a seating chart laid out for a reception
Planning

How to trim your guest list politely

When the list outgrows the budget, here is how to cut it down kindly — with rules that hold and feelings intact.

15 Jul 2026 · 4 min read

An elegantly plated wedding reception place setting
Vendors

Buffet, plated, or family-style: which reception meal is right?

The service style you pick shapes the cost, the timing, and the whole feel of your reception. Here is how to choose.

13 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

a wedding photographer capturing a couple in soft natural light
Vendors

Photographer vs. videographer: do you need both?

Photo, video, or both for your Filipino wedding? An honest look at what each captures and what it costs.

10 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

A warm, candlelit December wedding reception with festive touches
Planning

Planning a December wedding in the Philippines

December is the most magical month to marry in the Philippines — and the hardest to book. Here is how to do it well.

8 Jul 2026 · 3 min read

An elegant tented wedding reception during the rainy season
Planning

Planning a rainy-season wedding in the Philippines

A rainy-season wedding can be the most romantic of all — here is how Filipino couples plan one that shines.

6 Jul 2026 · 4 min read

A Filipino wedding celebration with traditional touches — family, flowers and warm light
Culture

Visayan and Cebuano wedding traditions

From the pamalaye to the lechon-laden feast, the Visayan and Cebuano wedding customs couples love to keep.

3 Jul 2026 · 4 min read

The veil-and-cord rite over a kneeling couple in a sunlit church
Culture

The cord, the veil, and the coins: what they really mean

The veil, cord, and 13 coins are the quiet heart of a Filipino wedding — here is what each one is really saying.

1 Jul 2026 · 4 min read

Gold wedding rings and an invitation suite arranged on a styled table
Planning

How to set a wedding budget you can actually keep

A calm, step-by-step way to set a Filipino wedding budget you can keep — and the buffer that saves you later.

29 Jun 2026 · 4 min read

Place cards and a seating chart laid out for a reception
Planning

How to make your wedding guest list (without the drama)

A calm way to build a Filipino guest list — set the count first, divide the slots fairly, and keep the peace at home.

26 Jun 2026 · 4 min read

An elegantly plated wedding reception place setting
Vendors

How to choose a wedding caterer in the Philippines

Catering is the single biggest line on most Filipino wedding budgets — here is how to choose well and avoid surprises.

24 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

a wedding photographer capturing a couple in soft natural light
Vendors

How to choose a wedding photographer in the Philippines

How to choose a wedding photographer in the Philippines without overpaying — what to look at, ask, and avoid.

22 Jun 2026 · 4 min read

Golden arrhae coins in a ceremonial chest, a Filipino wedding tradition
Culture

Filipino wedding traditions, explained

The candle, veil, and cord; the arrhae; the money dance; and the reception customs that make a Filipino wedding ours.

12 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

A church wedding ceremony bathed in warm light through a tall window
Culture

Catholic wedding requirements in the Philippines

Pre-Cana, marriage banns, and the documents your parish will ask for — and how early to start.

11 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

A garden wedding reception lit by warm string lights at dusk
Vendors

How to choose your wedding venue in the Philippines

Guest count, weather, and the questions to ask before you sign — a practical guide to picking the right venue.

10 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

Thirteen golden arrhae coins resting in an open ceremonial chest
Culture

The Filipino wedding entourage, explained: ninong, ninang, and sponsors

Who stands where and does what — principal sponsors, secondary sponsors, and the bearers in a Filipino wedding.

9 Jun 2026 · 2 min read

A Filipino couple together at golden hour, planning ahead
Planning

Marriage licence in the Philippines: a step-by-step guide

Where to apply, what to bring, the 10-day wait, and the 120-day validity — the licence process, demystified.

6 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

Wedding rings, invitations and florals styled on a wooden table
Planning

Wedding budget breakdown: where the money actually goes

A realistic percentage breakdown of a Filipino wedding budget — so you know what to spend where before you commit.

4 Jun 2026 · 1 min read

The veil-and-cord rite draped over a kneeling couple in a sunlit church
Culture

Civil vs. church wedding in the Philippines: which is right for you?

Requirements, timeline, and cost differences between a civil and a church wedding — and how to choose.

3 Jun 2026 · 2 min read

Gold wedding rings, a letterpress invitation suite and eucalyptus on a styled table
Vendors

How much do wedding suppliers cost in the Philippines?

Typical 2026 price ranges for the most-booked wedding suppliers — and how to budget for them without surprises.

27 May 2026 · 2 min read

A Filipino couple walking hand in hand through a garden at golden hour
Planning

What to do 12 months before your Philippine wedding

A month-by-month countdown for Filipino couples — from booking your date and church to the final headcount.

20 May 2026 · 3 min read

Ready to start your own plan?

Guest list, budget, schedule, seat plan, and mood board — free with every Setnayan account, plus a preview of your vendor matches.

Start planning · free