wedding expenses guide

The Cost Of Wedding In The Philippines 2023 (Updated)

The road to forever does not come cheap.

Before you finally exchange wedding vows with the love of your life, a serious amount of money is needed just to celebrate this momentous occasion.

Even if you’re thinking of having a simple and intimate wedding for about 150 guests, prepare to spend around ₱300,000. Whether you like it or not, you’ll be spending a small fortune even for the simplest wedding.

That’s why this is an occasion you’re better off preparing long before your desired date, so that you can cherish that special day without putting excessive strain on your pockets.

Let’s help you get started with planning the essentials.

Marriage license

This is the most important document that you need to secure before getting married, otherwise, you will not be allowed to hold a church or civil wedding anywhere in the country. It only cost ₱100 and must be applied personally both by the groom and the bride 120 days or less before the planned marriage. However, the documentary requirements might cost as much as ₱3,000 to ₱5,000 collectively for both parties.

These are the documentary requirements for marriage license application:

  1. Certified true copy of you and your partner’s PSA birth certificates (1 original and 2 photocopies).
  2. Affidavit of Parental Consent for those who are between 18 and 21 years old and Affidavit of Parental Advice for those who are between 21-25 years old
  3. Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) or Certificate of Singleness (1 original and 1 photocopy). This document will prove that neither of the marrying party have been married before.
  4. Certificate of Attendance in a pre-marriage counseling, family planning, and responsible parenthood seminar.
  5. Community Tax Certificate or Cedula (1 original and 2 photocopies).
  6. Barangay Clearance (1 original and 1 photocopy).
  7. At least 2 valid IDs bearing applicant’s residential addresses
  8. Recent ID photo of both applicants
  9. Marriage license application form (issues by the LCR office).

Other requirements for application for a marriage license in the Philippines (in addition to above):

  • If annulled, Certificate of Finality of Annulment from the Court (1 original and 2 photocopies) and Certificate of Registration from the Local Civil Registrar (1 original and 2 photocopies).
  • If widowed, Death Certificate of deceased spouse
  • If spouse is a foreign citizen – Certificate of Legal Capacity to Contract Marriage or any statement or affidavit in lieu of said certificate, foreign birth certificate

Wedding ceremony

Most churches charge a fee from about ₱5,000 to ₱32,000 for weddings. Special discounts are provided if you’re a parishioner, or if you decide to hold the wedding on a weekday.  Air-conditioned churches will also charge extra to cover electricity and other operational costs.

Wedding reception

If you will hold your wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue, you can save thousands of pesos.

At the Mango Farm in Antipolo, Rizal, exclusive use of their garden venue for 200 guests will cost around ₱99,500 for seven hours plus 12% per of net charge per hour beyond their designated hours. Should you wish to use the air-conditioned glass pavilion and garden, seven hours will cost you around ₱100,000.

If your budget for the venue isn’t that much, there are also accommodations that can facilitate your wedding for more or less ₱30,000.
For as low as ₱24,000, you can have the olld world charm and the elegant intimacy of the Casa Manila patio in Intramuros. It can accommodate as much as 200 guests, and the view at night is particularly spectacular.

Pro tip!

Before you sign the contract for your wedding reception, it really pays to go through the items one by one to avoid extra charges and surprises after your wedding reception. Make sure that you are well aware of the extra charges that might come up post-wedding. 

Catering

For your wedding, you want your guests to enjoy the sights and sounds, but most importantly the food!

There are plenty of caterers that offer sumptuous dishes that can fit your budget. Josiah’s Catering, for example, offers catering packages that start at ₱115,000 for 100. Passion Cooks Catering has catering packages starting at ₱160,000. Queensland Catering has packages worth ₱50,000 for 150 guests. Also, take note that the wedding cake is still not included.

Pro tip!

Some wedding reception venues also offer catering services and are included in their package. Most of the time, it’s a wiser choice to help you save money. Unless they’re unable to personalize your food and venue to your liking, choosing a venue that provides their own caterer is like hitting two birds in one stone. 

Photo and video coverage

Your wedding is one of the most unforgettable events in your life. Of course, you want to capture the moment forever by hiring the best people to do the job of shooting and photographing everything on that day.

Prepare to spend as much as ₱150,000 for a complete package, including extras like wedding proposal video, prenup video, and same-day editing. This, however, will either go higher or lower depending on the provider’s skill level, equipment and individual rates. 

Wedding rings

Gold Wedding Rings

 

Finally, don’t forget the wedding rings.

Depending on your taste and your budget, you can buy an elegant and exquisite pair of wedding rings for as low as ₱15,000. If you feel like splurging, you can get diamond encrusted ones and spend at least ₱20,000 on each. Bear in mind that like any other jewelries, prices of wedding rings would depend on the maker, materials used and other extras like engravings, gems, etc.

Wedding attire

This includes the wedding dress, the suit, and what everyone on your wedding entourage list will wear, including hair and makeup. A complete wedding entourage rental package can cost around ₱25,000 to ₱50,000. The price can go up if you rent tuxedos for the men.

Meanwhile, hair and makeup will cost you at least ₱800 – ₱1,500 per head but can be cheaper when contracted in the package. Expect to pay at least ₱7,500 – ₱10,000 for the hair and makeup of the entire entourage including the bride and groom.

Miscellaneous expenses

Some of the other things that you also need to pay for are wedding invites, souvenirs, flowers, music, planner and host, transportation for your guests and accommodation for your immediate family.

You may want to hold a bridal shower and a bachelor’s party before your wedding day, too. If you want to go on your honeymoon right after the wedding, you will have to book for that as well.

It’s very easy to lose track of your budget, especially when wedding planning hits fever pitch. Your original ₱300,000 budget can balloon to a million if you’re not careful. If you do your research and plan your wedding early, you can avail of early bird discounts and special packages.

Breakdown

Marriage license
₱150
Documents for marriage license application₱3,000
Wedding Ceremony₱5,000 - ₱32,000
Wedding reception₱24,000 - ₱100,000
Photo and video coverage₱20,000 - ₱150,000
Wedding rings₱15,000 - ₱40,000
Wedding attire₱25,000 to ₱50,000
Hair and make-up₱7,500 to ₱10,000
Other expenses₱20,000 to ₱50,000
Total₱119,650 - ₱485,150

Disclaimer: Calculation above are just rough estimates. Actual average expenses may vary and could be within the mentioned range.

Taking out loans isn’t unheard of, and there are a few ways to go about getting a personal loan to help cover wedding costs. However, this is a decision to make with your partner, as it will affect the financial decisions you’ll have to make on your marriage later on. Another option to consider would be to apply for an online cash loan with easy application and fast approval that can help cover any unexpected cost on the wedding day itself.

Just remember, it’s important to talk about whether this financial burden is something you want to deal with after your honeymoon.

Citibank Personal Loan

Citibank Personal Loan

Citi Personal Loan

Be ready for anything, any time.
This article was first published in November 2017 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Leave your comment