01
Having the money talk before the wedding
Wedding planning has a way of swallowing every conversation a couple has in the months before the ceremony, entrances, catering, the guest list, leaving little room for a conversation that matters far more for the marriage itself: an honest look at both partners' actual finances. Part of why this conversation gets skipped is the same hiya, the discomfort of losing face, that makes many Filipinos avoid discussing income or debt even with people they trust deeply, so it takes a deliberate decision to override that instinct rather than waiting for the topic to come up naturally.