June may be a popular month for weddings, but it’s not the case in the Philippines. Figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that most Filipinos prefer tying the knot in May. In 2015, about 12% of marriages, or roughly 50,400 ceremonies, were held in May. Each day, about 2,189 marriages would occur, whether staged in beaches, churches, or community centers. It has been the peak month for marriages for four consecutive years.

1. Filipinos Prefer May Weddings,
Study Says
Community Center

2. June may be a popular month for weddings, but it’s not the case in the Philippines. Figures from the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that most Filipinos prefer tying the knot in May. In 2015,
about 12% of marriages, or roughly 50,400 ceremonies, were held in May. Each day, about 2,189
marriages would occur, whether staged in beaches, churches, or community centers. It has been the
peak month for marriages for four consecutive years.
The second most popular month for weddings is February, which accounts for 11% of weddings,
followed by April, with 10%. Meanwhile, November was the least favored month, with only 5.2%.
Experts cite several reasons why May is a favorite month for Filipino weddings.
May Is Fiesta Season
The PSA noted that many Filipinos want the hold their weddings in May to coincide with the fiesta
season. May is the month for the annual Santacruzan, a procession that commemorates St. Helena’s
search for the Cross. Other festivals held in this month include the Carabao Festival in Bulacan, the
Pahiyas Festival in Quezon, the Mango Festival in Guimaras, the Pahoy-Pahoy Festival in Samar, and
the Pg’Salabok Festival in Zamboanga del Norte. Harper’s Bazaar UK also states that May is ideal for
weddings because most people are on their summer holidays. The guests need not worry that the
event will get in the way of work or school commitments.

3. Despite the preference for May weddings, experts note that Filipino marriage traditions, in general,
have been shifting over the years.
The Changing Landscape of Filipino Marriages
Filipino marriages show a downward trend in the past few years, according to the PSA. In fact, 2013
saw an 8.2% decrease in the number of weddings. The figure has been declining ever since; so far, 2015
registered the lowest number of marriages in the past 25 years. An article in the Philippine Daily
Inquirer claimed that several factors are responsible for the dip in marriage rates, including the high
costs of weddings, changing mores, the absence of a divorce law, and the increased acceptance of
cohabitation and same-sex relationships.
The Filipino wedding landscape is also changing because of lawmakers who push for different reforms.
For instance, in June 2017, the GMA News reported that Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, one of the
Philippine president’s allies in Congress, proposed legalizing divorce and same-sex unions in the
country.

4. Sources:
http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/03/17/most-filipinos-prefer-to-marry-in-may-says-study
https://psa.gov.ph/content/more-females-opt-be-may-brides-marriage-statistics-philippines-2003-0
http://www.thehappytrip.com/2013/05/festivals-in-the-philippines-for-the-month-of-may/
http://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/bazaar-brides/news/a38893/10-reasons-why-may-is-the-best-
month-to-get-married/
https://psa.gov.ph/content/philippine-marriages-2015
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/619312/alvarez-pushes-for-same-sex-unions-
divorce-in-catholic-philippines/story/
http://lnc-communitycenter.com