It’s easy to see a tinghun and think it’s all about the glitz and glamor—after all, these ceremonies often feature grand decorations, elegant attire, and luxurious venues. But tinghuns are much more than just an excuse to throw a party, as they’re a deeply significant cultural event for many Filipino-Chinese couples, symbolizing the start of a lifelong partnership.
While some couples go all out with lavish details, others opt for a more practical approach, proving that a tinghun can be adjusted to fit different styles and conveniences. How glamorous or understated your tinghun is depends on your personal taste, but at its core, this ceremony is about one thing: love!
What Is a Tinghun?
A tinghun is essentially a Filipino-Chinese engagement ceremony, held to formally introduce the bride and groom’s families. It’s rich in symbolism, highlighting cultural heritage while representing the merging of two families. Traditionally, the tinghun is an event where the couple receives blessings and guidance for their future together, and it usually involves key elements of Chinese culture—think red and gold themes, symbolic rituals, and heartfelt family moments.
What Happens at a Tinghun?
Tinghuns are known for their meaningful rituals, each representing different aspects of the couple’s journey ahead. Here’s what to expect at a tinghun:
Gift Exchange
The groom’s family presents a tray of symbolic items to the bride’s family, such as fruits, cakes, jewelry, and red envelopes (ang pao) filled with money for good fortune. These gifts represent well-wishes for the couple, including wealth, health, and happiness.
Tea Ceremony
A beloved tradition where the couple serves tea to their elders as a show of respect and gratitude. In return, they receive red envelopes and blessings for a harmonious marriage. It’s a special moment that bridges the past with the future.
Sash Exchange
To symbolize unity, the bride and groom exchange red and gold sashes, marking their commitment to each other as they step forward as a couple.
Threshold Crossing
The bride steps over a tray filled with items like rice or coal, symbolizing her transition into the groom’s family and her new role. This gesture reflects hopes for prosperity and stability in her new life.
What Do People Wear to a Tinghun?
Fashion at a tinghun is a beautiful mix of tradition and modern style. The bride-to-be might wear a cheongsam or a gown with a Chinese-inspired twist, while the groom can choose a traditional jacket, a suit, or barong.
Red and gold are the main colors for good luck and prosperity, and family members often coordinate with the color scheme, but we’ve seen tinghuns in shades of beige, blue, pink, purple, and yellow, as well–basically, cheerful colors. Guests are also encouraged to dress according to the theme, creating a unified look that complements the ceremony’s aesthetic.
In need of some style inspo for your tinghun? Ahead we’ve listed some of the most memorable tinghuns by our favorite Chinoy personalities.
Filipino-Chinese Personalities Celebrating Tinghun
Jaz Reyes
Jaz is known for her vibrant personality, and she made sure to incorporate that into her cheongsam with embroidery all over her dress weaving into a colorful tapestry. To make her gown even more personal, she made sure to include her two dogs in the weave. How cute!
Camille Co
For Camille’s tinghun, the couple went for a traditional red and gold theme. "I knew I wanted red as the overall color of our decor so it was a natural choice for me to go for a gold dress,” she said. Instead of a cheongsam, she opted for a more modern design, an a-line midi dress embellished with gold sequins that created the illusion of glitters trailing down her arms. Still tapping into her Chinese roots, she added some white traditional Chinese beading on the front and back of her dress.
Kryz Uy
Kryz decided to go for a mix of both modern and traditional, wearing a gown with a similar silhouette to a cheongsam but with a cutout detail in silver and embellished with tons of intricate beading all throughout her dress. It even featured a high slit for an extra touch of glam.
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