10 Asian sapphic weddings that will make you want to plan yours

While most Asian countries haven’t upheld marriage equality yet, that won’t stop these couples from getting hitched

With engagement announcements and wedding photos left and right on our feeds, it’s no wonder a lot of people have a case of the wedding fever. And last week, the finale of Thai GL series “Gap” (spoiler alert!) gave us a pink wedding for Sam and Mon. You can’t blame the gay girls for wanting to get officially wifed up, too. Even if they have to go abroad to get that marriage certificate, thanks to the likes of Sen. Joel Villanueva and his father Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva.

Disheartening the state of affairs may be for marriage equality here in the country, it doesn’t mean we can’t plan our own gay weddings. Here are photos of sapphic couples at their dreamy ceremonies on our wedding moodboard. 

Iea Abesamis and Ia Lanting

You may have come across vloggers Iea Abesamis and Ia Lanting’s viral wedding videos and photos back in February 2022. The ceremony officiated by Open Table MCC was held at Ville Sommet in Tagaytay where the brides wore matching white gowns. NGL, we get a bit teary-eyed when we watch their exchange of vows in their wedding highlights reel.

Nica del Rosario and Justine Peña

We’ve written about musician Nica del Rosario and actress Justine Peña’s wedding, but we’re still kind of obsessed with their ceremony held at the edge of Sydney Harbour in August 2022. Peña’s bridal gown, which seems to be a corset jumpsuit with sheer puff sleeves and a detachable skirt, goes so well with del Rosario’s white blazer and dress combo. The pair later replaced their veils with a snapback and a tiara. Take notes!

The pair also held their second wedding ceremony at Our Haven Events Place in Cavite a few days ago. This time, they wore matching dresses by Michael Leyva—del Rosario’s in red and white while Peña’s in pink and white. Their fur babies were also dressed and part of their entourage. Among those who attended are former Vice President Leni Robredo and Mela Habijan.

Rosanna Roces and Blessy Arias

Another celebrity on our list is Rosanna Roces. The actress tied the knot with Blessy Arias at Alexa’s Secret Garden in Antipolo in 2016. She wore a beaded beige gown while Arias rocked a black and white tuxedo. It was officiated by the LGBTS Christian Church Inc. and among those in attendance were Nora Aunor and director Adolf Alix Jr. The couple first exchanged wedding vows in Canada in September that year and first got together when they were just teens. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.

Cole and Shilpa

Featured on LGBTQIA+ wedding magazine Dancing With Her, Khao’na Kitchen co-founders Cole Carothers and Shilpa Nandwani’s wedding incorporated aspects of their Filipino and Indian heritages. Held in Texas in December 2021, the big day started with the pair in red for the traditional Indian wedding procession called baraat. 

The couple then changed into their wedding ceremony attire after. Cole wore a “Bridgerton”-inspired 1940s suit jacket, a high-necked shirt, a gold shoulder chain, cravat, and side-laced black shoes. In her white wedding dress, Shilpa looked beautiful with her mehndi. The day before the wedding, they also held a Havan and Haldi ceremony for prosperity and well-wishes.

Chetthinee and Nutta

Chetthinee and Nutta’s wedding is another favorite of ours featured in the magazine. The ceremony was held at The Siam Hotel in 2021 where the Thai couple looked resplendent in their all-white Kingkloth ensembles. Chetthinee later changed her hair style to one reminiscent of flapper girls while Nutta swapped her initial suit for a black and white one. They were married legally online by their officiant from Utah.

Shui Yue and Pu Yurong

Back in 2020, renowned Chinese dancer Yang Liping’s student Shui Yue ignited heated discussions on same-sex marriage when she came out by posting photos from her wedding with Pu Yurong on social media site Weibo.

In the photos taken in the Xishuangbanna prefecture in the Chinese province of Yunnan, you can see the pair in their white gowns kissing each other and hugging their supportive fathers. Their pretty hair accessories, one of them a little crown, made their outfits look even more fairytale-like. The photos had around 500 million views before eventually getting banned in China.

Adhila Nasarin and Fathima Noora

Adhila Nasarin and Fathima Noora first made headlines in May 2022 when a court in the Indian state of Kerala reunited them after they had been forcibly separated by their parents. Months later, they were on the news again after sharing photos from their seaside wedding ceremony in Ernakulam district. The couple exchanged rings in their embellished brown and deep blue lehengas. Here’s to hoping the courts will recognize their marriage soon, too.

Wang Yi and Yumi Meng

Admittedly we’re not big fans of military weddings but we can’t help but celebrate how Wang Yi and Yumi Meng became the first same-sex couple wedded at a mass military wedding in Taiwan after marriage equality was legalized in 2019. Homophobia shouldn’t have a place anywhere, even in an environment as innately macho-feudal as the military.

Bianca Maieli and Saima Ahmad

Indo-Pakistani couple Bianca Maieli and Saima Ahmad’s backyard California wedding in 2019 makes a strong case for getting married at your parent’s house. Ahmad entered dancing in a black sherwani with her baraatis while Maieli looked pretty in an ivory and gold saree while seated on a Doli.

Priya Arora and Reema Tharani

US-based Indian couple Priya Arora and Reema Tharani had a beautiful three-day wedding at Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. For the beach wedding ceremony, Tharani wore a pink lehenga while Arora wore blue sherwani and a pink dhoti to match. They switched into a matching blue gown and tuxedo for the reception. 

Which one is your favorite?

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