PAMANHIKAN : (http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/love.htm) After a long courtship, if the couple later decide to get married, there is the Filipino tradition of pamamanhikan (from panik, to go up the stairs of the house), where the man and his parents visit the woman's family and ask for her parents blessings to marry their daughter. It is also an occasion for the parents of the woman to get to know the parents of the man.
Since I will be formally asking for her hand in marriage, I have to do the traditional "pamamanhikan". We've been together for almost 3 years, and I thought that it should be an easy walk in the park. But hell NO, I was dead scared and have no idea on how to start. Since we are in Dubai, and her 3 older and 1 younger siblings are also here, I decided to talk to them personally first. I won't go into details but it was okay (ikakasal na nga kami eh, ibig sabihin nag-approve naman hehehe!!!). And since her mom is in the Philippines, I just casually called her and informed her of my plans (casually daw oh, eh muntik ka nga maihi sa salawal mo bago at habang kausap mo nanay nya --- this was the devil in me talking, hehehe.)
So there, to make the very long story short, everyone approved. (Yehey!!!)
THE VALENTINES PARTY
Everything was set perfectly. Everyone was properly dressed and they know their parts. Our living room was beautifully decorated. Romantic music playing on the background while the lcd TV flashing some romance-related pictures. The hallway was candle-lighted and showered with rose petals. And there I was holding a boquet of beautiful pink flowers waiting at the door.
So, the party started with the usual stuff, a little mingling here and there, and of course the dinner. Right after the dinner, we tried to gather everyone in the living room for the video presentation (which I will post on a separate entry). After the heart-warming video, then came the question. As nerver-wracking as it is, and with tears trying to escape my cornea, I finally asked her hand in marriage. And the best part of it was that all her siblings were on my side as I say my speech, fully supportive, and even carrying the proposal cake
And by the way, I will still make a formal pamamanhikan when we go to the Philippines as part of our wedding preparation :)
Since I will be formally asking for her hand in marriage, I have to do the traditional "pamamanhikan". We've been together for almost 3 years, and I thought that it should be an easy walk in the park. But hell NO, I was dead scared and have no idea on how to start. Since we are in Dubai, and her 3 older and 1 younger siblings are also here, I decided to talk to them personally first. I won't go into details but it was okay (ikakasal na nga kami eh, ibig sabihin nag-approve naman hehehe!!!). And since her mom is in the Philippines, I just casually called her and informed her of my plans (casually daw oh, eh muntik ka nga maihi sa salawal mo bago at habang kausap mo nanay nya --- this was the devil in me talking, hehehe.)
So there, to make the very long story short, everyone approved. (Yehey!!!)
THE VALENTINES PARTY
Everything was set perfectly. Everyone was properly dressed and they know their parts. Our living room was beautifully decorated. Romantic music playing on the background while the lcd TV flashing some romance-related pictures. The hallway was candle-lighted and showered with rose petals. And there I was holding a boquet of beautiful pink flowers waiting at the door.
So, the party started with the usual stuff, a little mingling here and there, and of course the dinner. Right after the dinner, we tried to gather everyone in the living room for the video presentation (which I will post on a separate entry). After the heart-warming video, then came the question. As nerver-wracking as it is, and with tears trying to escape my cornea, I finally asked her hand in marriage. And the best part of it was that all her siblings were on my side as I say my speech, fully supportive, and even carrying the proposal cake
