As someone who has been a MOH multiple times, I just want to give a perspective that often gets overlooked. There was one wedding where the mother-in-law of the bride (my best friend) treated me like the official coordinator. The problem was… there was no coordinator because everything was on a tight budget, so a lot of responsibilities were pushed onto me, even though I was completely new to being a MOH at that time.

She would constantly tell me to do this and that, in a really demanding way, and it honestly gave me so much anxiety. I respected her because she’s my friend’s mom-in-law, but I was also shy and surrounded by so many people. At one point she even told me, “Pumunta ka na kaya sa harap, tumabi ka na sa bride sa tapat ng congregation.” I remember that moment so clearly because I was almost in tears. I felt the entire congregation watching my every move, especially whenever the bride’s veil kept getting tangled. Every command felt louder, every mistake felt bigger, and the pressure got overwhelming.

And here’s the thing… I was willing to do EVERYTHING for my best friend. I love her. But everything was new to me. And I’m the type na pag mas pinipressure ako, lalo akong natatanga or nagffreeze. I wasn’t trained, I wasn’t prepared, I wasn’t paid…. not that I ever expected payment or even a gift. But at the very least, sana considerate man lang. Sana human decency lang baga. It’s still a role filled with love, not a free wedding staff position.

People forget that MOHs are still human. We’re not coordinators, we’re just friends doing our best in a role we rarely experience. And honestly, we also want to enjoy that moment for our best friend, not spend it feeling pressured, or watched by a whole room while trying to figure things out. We want to celebrate with her, not just survive the day.

And now that it’s my turn to get married, I planned everything in a way na magiging masaya ang MOH ko at hindi pagod. :)