Kwentong Kapuso: A Christmas Eve wedding in Taiwan

This essay was shared by GMA News Online reader Joey de Guzman. Christmas spirit is being felt around the country, but not where I currently am. My Taiwanese friend Yunyun got married on Christmas Eve. It’s quite unusual for me to hear someone getting married during the Christmas season, let alone Christmas Eve. Oh well, this is not the Philippines. Since I came to Taiwan more than two years ago, I have experienced many firsts in my life. It’s my first time to experience Taiwanese wedding and wedding on Christmas Eve at the same time. I like it very much and my reason for liking it is the reason why I’m writing this short piece of letter for us to learn something from Taiwanese culture. Filipino church weddings are very traditional. The solemnity of the ceremony is the highlight of every wedding. I want to establish my point that I love our own culture, but there is something I don’t agree on. We think grand wedding ceremonies are unnecessary due to the costs tied to it. Hence many couples settle to inviting only the immediate family and closest friends to eliminate such unnecessary expense. Even then weddings can be expensive for the couples because what they spent, they cannot recover. It’s our tradition to give wedding gifts in the form mainly of kitchen appliances thinking that those would help the couple in starting their new lives in their own homes. There are not much kinds of kitchen appliances resulting to newly-weds receiving twice or thrice of the same thing.  I have seen a new couple received three coffee makers. And the couple doesn’t even drink coffee. Practicality is sacrificed over the connotation that giving money is impolite. Yunyun’s wedding is different. Upon arrival of the guests, they need to hand out their red envelopes at the entrance door. The person in-charge of the red envelopes inspects the amount inside and records it. The place was full of guests. There was no sign of cost-cutting and the banquet had around ten courses. It was also a showcase of bride’s gowns. If I counted correctly, Yunyun changed three gowns in a span of two hours. There is one thing missing though: the ceremony. I asked Yifei, another Taiwanese friend accompanying me, about the wedding ceremony itself but she responded that they don’t perform it in front of guests. The main wedding ceremony is done usually with only the presence of the immediate families of the couple at bridegroom’s house. In this way, solemnity is preserved while accommodating extended families and friends to celebrate with the couple at the banquet. After all, what they spent, if not fully recovered, will be recovered partially lessening the burden to the couple.  It was my third Christmas away from home. Someday I’m hoping that I will get married too. I may not get married on Christmas Eve like my friend Yunyun but I will make sure that my wedding would not be a burden but rather a happy celebration with the people dearest to me. - GMA News