Filipino wedding traditions · Los Angeles
Filipino Wedding Traditions
and Photography in Los Angeles
The veil, the cord and the coins, the candles, the barong and the money dance — photographed by a team that knows who each sponsor is.
An introduction
Filipino weddings in Los Angeles
2,300+ weddings photographed · 35+ national awards · 382 five-star reviews — Cinematic on Film
A Filipino wedding blends a Catholic Mass with a set of traditions that are family-led rather than officiant-led. The veil, the cord and the coins are placed by named sponsors — ninongs and ninangs chosen for the honour — and each of those placements is a photograph that a family will look for in the gallery by name.
We photograph Filipino weddings across Los Angeles’s Catholic churches and reception venues, blending documentary ceremony coverage with warm, editorial portraits of both families.
The Veil, the Cord and the Coins
These three rituals happen back to back inside the Mass, they are quick, and they involve sponsors stepping up from the pews. If the photographer does not know the order, the frames get missed.
- The candles. Lit first, usually by the couple’s mothers. A dark church and a small flame — exposed for the flame, not the room.
- The veil. Pinned over the bride’s head and the groom’s shoulder, symbolising the two clothed as one. We shoot from the aisle so both faces and both sponsors are in frame.
- The cord. The yugal laid in a figure of eight over the couple’s shoulders. Photographed from front-on, because the shape is the point.
- The arrhae. Thirteen coins passed between the couple’s hands. A tight frame — the hands are the image.
Our dedicated guide covers the ritual in detail on the veil, cord and coin ceremony page.
Attire, the Money Dance and the Reception
Barong Tagalog and Filipiniana attire photograph very differently from a black suit — piña and jusi fabric are semi-sheer and pick up backlight beautifully, which is worth using rather than fighting. We build a few minutes of portraits around it while the light is still good.
At the reception, the money dance is the moment the room participates: guests pin bills to the couple as they dance. It runs long and it is genuinely chaotic. We work it as a sequence rather than a series of posed frames, and we make a point of catching the grandparents pinning, because that is the frame families ask for afterwards.
Filipino wedding photography — questions we are asked
Do you know the order of the veil, cord and coin ceremonies?
Yes, and we ask for your sponsor list in advance. Each ritual is performed by a specific pair of ninongs and ninangs, and families want the photographs identified by who did what. Knowing the order also means we are already in position rather than reacting.
Can you photograph inside a Catholic church?
Yes. Most Los Angeles parishes restrict where photographers may stand and many do not allow flash during the Mass. We confirm with the parish beforehand and shoot with fast lenses from the permitted positions rather than negotiating during the ceremony.
How long should we book?
Filipino weddings usually run ten to twelve hours, because the Mass is long and the reception has its own programme of dances and speeches. Coverage is customisable from two to sixteen hours.
Do you photograph other cultural weddings?
Yes — see our multicultural wedding guide, and our guides to Chinese, Nigerian and Vietnamese weddings.
Next step
Tell us about your day
Send us the date, the parish and your sponsor list — and we will tell you what the day realistically needs.