Ligaya & the Ting Hun
Embedded Files
Engagement Announcement
The eldest son, Wen Hua, and
The fourth niece, Rong Rong,
Have been in a long-term friendship and the two are in love with each other. They have decided to become life partners on December 18 (Saturday) 1976 at 10:00 am.
I would like to inform you of this in writing and invite dear relatives and friends to the ceremony.
Wei Taoyuan, You Renjie Tongqi,
and You Lu Shuhui
December 17, 1976
Jovert
Pictured above is the leaflet announcing Mama's and Papa's Ting Hun (订婚)—a formal engagement ceremony in Chinese-Filipino culture.
Mama's Chinese name is 尤容容 (pronounced Yue Rong Rong in Mandarin; Yue Yong Yong in Fukien). The leaflet refers to her as the "niece" because in Chinese culture, when a woman gets engaged, her uncle usually represents her parents.
The event was held at Mama's home in Paco, a district in Manila. I obviously wasn't around yet on December 18, 1976, so I will use excerpts from Your Complete Guide to the Tinghun Ceremony Flow to make sense of photos taken that day.
"The groom enters the room carrying a corsage or bouquet of flowers."
"The groom’s family prepares gifts for the bride [as assurance] he can provide for her."
"Once the bride takes her seat, orange juice [...] is served."
"The bride is bedecked with jewellery from the groom’s gifts. Each relative stands up and puts the gifts on the bride":
"The Chinese bangle from her mother-in-law" (neither woman pictured is such).
"The gold medallion and the necklace from her father-in-law."
"The watch from the oldest representative from the groom’s entourage."
"The bride’s family reciprocates [and] gifts the groom with an heirloom or a bracelet."
"The groom and bride exchange rings."
"The groom pins the corsage on his bride, while the bride pins the boutonniere on her groom."
"After all the guests have taken their tea, formal photos are taken."
"The rule of pairs is followed when serving the sweet egg soup [to symbolize fertility]. Guests are served the soup with two eggs."
"Misua [to symbolize longevity] follows the sweet egg soup."
"As the engagement ends, the groom brings the cake with his bride’s name while a relative brings the cake with his name."
"The tinghun ends when everyone partakes of the food."
See more from the Ting Hun in Ligaya Lopez Guy: A Life in Pictures - Part 1: 1956-1978.
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