A new online bridal boutique aims to provide customers with a true Filipino wedding by offering wedding accessories, ceremony essentials and practical planning tips to help couples incorporate Filipino wedding traditions into their big day.
Launched in July, Sinta & Co. aims to be the main online resource for wedding paraphernalia sourced and handcrafted in the Philippines from gift tags to invitation cards, from veils and cords to jewelry and purses.
The boutique is the brainchild of Filipino Canadian Gelaine Santiago and her husband French Canadian Jérôme Gagnon-Voyer, who, when planning their 2018 wedding, wanted to incorporate both cultures and family heritage.
“We realized that there were very few resources online to learn about Filipino wedding traditions and it was quite challenging to find the ceremony essentials outside of the Philippines,” says Santiago. “After speaking with other friends in our community, we quickly realized this wasn't just a challenge we faced, but that couples faced around the world.”
Gagnon-Voyer adds, “Weddings, after all, go beyond the couple themselves. They're also a celebration of all the people who have come before us, who are with us today, and who represent the future.”
“Sinta” means love in Tagalog but is also short for “kasintahan”, meaning sweetheart or beloved.
The new company is rooted in the same ethical and cultural ethos of its parent company Cambio & Co. of ensuring living wages for artisans, respecting the Philippine islands, and preserving Filipino indigenous traditions. Products sold on Sinta & Co. are designed and created by Filipino artisans, celebrating Filipino craftsmanship, heritage and culture.
According to research from WeddingWire in 2019, 58 percent of couples are now marrying outside of their race, religion, ethnic, or regional background. Nearly one in five couples incorporate cultural elements related to race or religion into their ceremony to pay homage to their background.
For more information: www.shopsinta.co.
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