Typical weddings cost around Php200,000 to as high as over Php1 million, depending on where you choose to get married, the number of guests, the reception venue and food, the wedding photography, etc.
But a practical couple could just spend around Php5,000 to Php10,000 for a civil wedding – perhaps even less!
Wedding License
The wedding license is something that is required in all weddings, whether church or civil. This only costs around Php100 to Php500. To get that license, you have to submit the following requirements:
- PSA/NSO birth certificates of the bride and groom – Php155 per copy
- Certificate of No Marriage or CENOMAR – Php210 per copy
- Community tax certificate or cedula – Amount depends on your work/salary but computed according to Php 5.00 (basic) + Php1.00 for every Php1,000 gross income
- Certificate of attendance in pre-marriage seminar – Usually free
- Affidavit of parental consent or advice (for couples below 25 years old) – Notarial fees
- ID pictures (prepare 1×1 and 2×2)
The actual amount may vary, depending on your location but it is safe to set aside Php1,500 to Php2,000 for these legal requirements.
Civil Ceremony
In the Philippines, the following are legally allowed to officiate a wedding, according to the Family Code:
- Judges of the Courts of First Instance
- Mayors of cities and municipalities
- Municipal judges and justices of the peace
- Priests, rabbis, ministers of the gospel of any denomination, church, religion, or sect who are duly registered
- Ship captains, airplane chiefs, military commanders, and consuls and vice-consuls in special cases (marriages on the verge of death and marriages between Filipino citizens abroad)
- The Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court
- The Presiding Justice and the Justices of the Court of Appeals
In the Philippines, a lot of mayors won’t charge a fee for the wedding; however, it would still be a good idea to set aside around Php5,000 for the civil ceremony fee.
Reception Expenses
Bear in mind that you don’t have to throw a big party after your wedding, especially if you picked to get married through a civil ceremony. Since you are required to have two witnesses, it’s a good idea to treat them to lunch or dinner after the event. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money for that – as you can bring them to a restaurant.
The amount you spend depends on the restaurant and what you order, of course, but it is safe to set aside around Php500 per diner.
You can also opt to get married when the locality offers a mass wedding because you’ll only be paying for the fees to obtain the legal documents – and the city/town will usually throw the wedding reception afterwards, complete with grand cakes and catered reception.
Rings
Don’t forget the wedding rings! Prices greatly vary depending on a lot of factors but silver rings typical cost much less and could be just around Php500 to Php1,000 for a pair while gold rings start at around Php2,000 a pair.