Known in Tagalog as pamamanhikan, this acts as the first official step in a Filipino wedding. It could take place months or weeks before the ceremony, and involves the couple's families meeting each other for an official proposal—though the specifics behind this custom can vary based on the couple's region of origin. For instance, some share sugarcane wine and play drinking games, some exchange symbolic items and present the bride’s parents with a dowry, while some share a small feast together and discuss wedding plans.

This tradition involves the couple visiting the homes of invitees to personally make their wedding announcements and hand out official invitations. It's also usually when the couple asks elders and prominent figures of their community to be wedding godparents or sponsors, presenting them with small gifts and refreshments.

The wedding preparations take place a day before the big day and are centered on the Filipino concept of bayanihan, which involves performing small, heroic acts for the good of the community. Members of the family and community chip in with preparing the reception area, cooking the wedding dishes, and clearing the route for the wedding retinue.

Nowadays, this is less likely to happen, as the couple have prepare everything for the guest already. However, would be very nice if everyone can contribute some help for the celebration.

During the ceremony, the couple asks for blessings from their parents by either kissing their hands or touching the back of their parents' hands to their own foreheads and this is commonly called “mano po”. And depending on the religion, the parents will utter phrases in return.

Filipino brides usually wear a white wedding dress with a veil. It is not worn not just because it is beautiful but because it bears another symbolic meaning as well. The white wedding dress and veil represents the woman's purity. Even more conservative Filipinos relate the white wedding dress to virginity.

Godparents drape a ceremonial lace veil over the bride’s head and the groom’s shoulder to symbolize being clothed as one. A ceremonial cord, called a yugal, is then wrapped around the couple in a figure-eight pattern, which symbolizes an eternal bond of fidelity. This also means “The veil symbolizes oneness and protection for your marriage while the cord symbolizes eternity and unity.”

The groom gives 13 coins called the Arrhae to his bride as a promise of prosperity. The coin ceremony is a practice inherited from Spain and is common in both Catholic and Hispanic wedding ceremonies around the world. The coins are brought up by a coin bearer.

For this custom, two wedding sponsors light a pair of candles located on each side of the couple. The betrothed then takes each candle and lights a unity candle together, signifying their union, as well as the union of their families.

A tradition within many cultures, at Filipino weddings, the couple’s first dance is usually the money dance. Guests will typically attach money to the newlyweds’ clothes using tape, pins, red envelopes (in the case of Filipino-Chinese families), or little purses. This is considered a way to help the newlyweds get started financially.