Traditional Wedding in Pampanga

Feature Destination Pampanga 
 

Pampanga – Culinary Center of the Philippines

From the root word of its name, pampang, meaning by the river, where the early Filipino settlers dwell and find their source of food, this province is known as the ‘Culinary Center of the Philippines’. Locals impress tourists with the unique style and flavor of popular Filipino dishes. Kapampangans also take pride in innovating pasteurized and processed meat products.

Demographics

1. Population – 2,226.444 (as of 2007 census)
2. Land Area – 2,180.7 sq. km
3. Capital – San Fernando City
4. Language/Dialect – Kapampangan, English and Filipino
5. Divisions

Cities (2)

• Angeles City
• San Fernando City

Municipalities (20)

• Apalit
• Arayat
• Bacolor
• Candaba
• Floridablanca
• Guagua
• Lubao
• Mabalacat
• Macabebe
• Magalang
• Masantol
• Mexico
• Minalin
• Porac
• San Luis
• San Simon
• Santa Ana
• Santa Rita
• Santo Tomas
• Sasmuan 

Famous For...

Kampangan cuisine
Kapampangan dishes have aroused the palates of both locals and foreigners. Among their well known cuisines are:
1. Sisig – grilled pork cheek with chicken liver, onions, calamansi, and fresh chili.
2. Betute – frog stuffed with meat and marinated with cane vinegar and soy
3. Kamaru – mole crickets sautéed in onion and garlic (adobo style)
4. Burung asan or balo-balo – paste like fermented rice and salted mudfish or small shrimps cooked in garlic, ginger, onion, and tomatoes
5. Taba ng talankga – bottled fat of mini crabs. (usually known as the Kapampangan caviar)
6. Pindang babi or Damulag – honey cured pork or carabao beef

Giant Christmas Lanterns
During Christmas season, locals and tourist head out to San Fernando City to witness the giant lanterns 40 feet in diameter which uses more than 1,600 light bulbs

Cutud Lenten Rites
Held during Good Friday, devotees flock the streets and re-enact the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

Clark Special Economic Zone
It is home to the popular Fontana and Mimosa Leisure Park, Mimosa Casino, duty free shops, and world-class golf courses.

Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival
This event is highlighted with colorful regular and oddly shaped hot-air balloons fly up in the air.

Arts and Craft industry

• Lubao and Guagua Guitars
  Residents from the towns of Lubao and Betis, Guagua are known as excellent guitar makers. It is a normal site to see rows of stores selling guitars.
• Macabebe religious sculptures and wood carvings
  A visit to Macabebe is a must. Here, sheer variety of its religious icons, sculptures, and native wood-carvings are delicately made by locals and sold to antique collectors and religious alike.
• Sto. Tomas potteries
  Traditional pottery and metalcraft is until now, practiced by locals. The skills and technique are passed on from generation to generation.
• Blacksmiths of Apalit
  Apalit is the proud home to last of the remaining pandays (blacksmiths) sand the ancient art of bolo and knife making.

Wedding Traditions in  Pampanga

Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs. Below are just a few that concerns weddings. Some are still practiced to this day.    Brides shouldn't try on her wedding dress before the wedding day or the wedding will not push through. Knives and other sharp and pointed objects are said to be a bad choice for wedding gifts for this will lead to a broken marriage.    Giving arinola (chamberpot) as wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to newlyweds. Altar-bound couples are accident-prone and therefore must avoid long drives or traveling before their wedding day for safety.    The groom who sits ahead of his bride during the wedding ceremony will be a henpecked husband. If it rains during the wedding, it means prosperity and happiness for the newlyweds. - A flame extinguished on one of the wedding candles means the one on which side has the unlit candle, will die ahead of the other. Throwing rice confetti at the newlyweds will bring them prosperity all their life.    The groom must arrive before the bride at the church to avoid bad luck.    It is considered bad luck for two siblings to marry on the same year.    Breaking something during the reception brings good luck to the newlyweds.    The bride should step on the groom's foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him to agree to her every whim.    A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be an unhappy wife experiencing many heartaches and tears.    An unmarried woman who follows the footsteps (literally) of the newlyweds will marry soon.    Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or the arras during the ceremony spells unhappiness for the couple.    In early Filipino custom, the groom-to-be threw his spear at the front steps of his intended's home, a sign that she has been spoken for. These days, a ring suffices as the symbol of engagement. The Engagement    After the couple has decided to marry, the first order of business is the pamanhikan, where the groom and his parents visit the bride's family to ask for her hand in marriage. Wedding plans are often made at this time, including a discussion of the budget and guest list. Don't be surprised if the groom-to-be is expected to run some errands or help out around the bride's house. This tradition is called paninilbihan, where the suitor renders service to his future wife's family to gain their approval. The Wedding Outfits    The white wedding dress has become popular in the last hundred years or so with America's influence in the Philippines. Before that, brides wore their best dress, in a festive color or even stylish black, to celebrate a wedding. Orange blossom bouquets and adornments were a must during the turn of the last century. For men, the barong tagalog is the traditional Filipino formal wear. It is a cool, almost transparent, embroidered shirt, made from silky piña or jusi, two native ecru fabrics. It is worn untucked, over black pants, with a white t-shirt underneath. These days, a Filipino groom might wear the conventional black tux, but Filipino male wedding guests will usually show up in their finest barongs. The Ceremony    In pre-colonial days, a wedding ceremony lasted three days. On the first day, the bride and groom were brought to the house of a priest or babaylan, who joined their hands over a plate of raw rice and blessed the couple. On the third day, the priest pricked the chests of both bride and groom and drew a little blood. Joining their hands, they declared their love for each other three times. The priest then fed them cooked rice from the same plate and gave them a drink of some of their blood mixed with water. Binding their hands and necks with a cord, he declared them married. The majority of Filipino weddings are now Catholic weddings, but some native traditions remain. Most have special "sponsors" who act as witnesses to the marriage. The principal sponsors could be godparents, counselors, a favorite uncle and aunt, even a parent. Secondary sponsors handle special parts of the ceremony, such as the candle, cord and veil ceremonies. Candle sponsors light two candles, which the bride and groom use to light a single candle to symbolize the joining of the two families and to invoke the light of Christ in their married life. Veil sponsors place a white veil over the bride's head and the groom's shoulders, a symbol of two people clothed as one. Cord sponsors drape the yugal (a decorative silk cord) in a figure-eight shape--to symbolize everlasting fidelity--over the shoulders of the bride and groom. The groom gives the bride 13 coins, or arras, blessed by the priest, as a sign of his dedication to his wife's well-being and the welfare of their future children. The Food The Filipino wedding feast is elaborate. One feast celebrated at the turn of the last century involved these foods: First was served cold vermicelli soup. The soup was followed by meats of unlimited quantity--stewed goat, chicken minced with garlic, boiled ham, stuffed capon, roast pork and several kinds of fish. There were no salads, but plenty of relishes, including red peppers, olives, green mango pickles and crystallized fruits. For dessert, there were meringues, baked custard flan, coconut macaroons and sweetened seeds of the nipa plant. Pikot Shotgun marriage and "kasunduan" (arranged marriage by parents) where both the bride and groom had no choice but to comply. Traditionally though, even at this day and age, "ligawan" (courtship) still exists. "Harana" (suitor's serenade) use to form part of this ritual but nowadays, it's usually love letters (or emails ;-), flowers, chocolates or simply, dating! But when do they officially become a couple? Decades ago, a girl may be expected to say 'Yes' first just so that the guy would know that she agrees. Nowadays, well...they just know. Pagtatapat The marriage proposal Will you marry me?" or variations of those four significant keywords signals the possible beginning of a much-awaited grand celebration. After all, nobody wants to get married without first being asked. For would-be-grooms who may be lost for words, below can do the talking for them... Singsing The engagement ring Normally, an average Filipino man is wary on giving a ring as gift on ordinary occasions for he's concerned that his girlfriend might get the wrong impression because a ring (especially those of the gemstone-laden species) tend to speak of a deeper commitment. Really says a lot even without saying a word. The engagement ring is not a requisite to marriage but more of an option (that most brides surely wouldn't mind). It is both an adaptation of the western culture and a modern incarnation of an pre-colonial practice by giving dowry to his future wife (and her family) to signify his intentions. The ring is usually given simultaneously with the proposal (note: guys, don't give it until she says 'Yes'!) in a romantic ambiance. Popular choice for the 'rock' is diamond for it is the hardest wearing gemstone but a ring with her birthstone will do (read more about diamonds and other birthstones). Some traditional and sentimental Filipino families even insist and have their son offer a treasured family heirloom as an engagement ring to symbolize her acceptance and approval of his family. In cases such as the latter, it would be better to hand in the ring on the pamanhikan. Pamanhikan The asking of the girl's parents' permission to wed the affianced pair The 'blueprint' of the wedding plans are drawn or made known on this occasion. The pamanhikan is often hosted by the bride's family where the groom and his parents set to visit the bride's family to formally ask her hand in marriage and discuss plans for the upcomming wedding over lunch or dinner. This can be a real uneasy situation if it's the first time for both sets of parents to meet. The groom- and bride-to-be may feel a little awkward (nervous even) seeing and listening to each parents consult each other face-to-face on matters like their wedding budget, guest list and the likes. It is customary that the the visiting family bring a gift (often, the mother's best home-cooked specialty) for the hosts. Others may opt to hold the meeting on a 'neutral ground' (a restaurant is a likely choice) or invite a mutual acquaintance to the gathering and help ease the first meeting. Why bother with all the trouble? Filipinos seek their folk's blessings for a happy and hassle-free marriage. Afterall, pamanhikan is a treasured Filipino heritage which, first and foremost, avoids an awkward situation having the parents see each other as strangers come wedding day. Paninilbihan Service rendered by the man to woo the girl's family's approval Paninilbihan is said to be a long forgotten tradition where the marrying man attends to some daunting chores for the family of the bride to show his worth, fortitude and responsibility. The fact is, it is still sub-conciously practiced by the modern Filipino society in a much simpler scale (thank goodness!). Since Filipinos parents prefer to see their daughter's boyfriend pay a visit in the house than date elsewhere, he is more-or-less considered a part of the household than a guest. So it comes as no surprise when the family members ask simple favors from him such as driving the mom to the supermarket or fixing busted lights in the kitchen. Come to think of it, future sons-or-daughters-in-law are expected to run some simple errands for their would-be-in-laws if he/she seeks some approval. These little favors forms part of the paninilbihan process still deeply imbibed in the Filipino psyche. Pa-alam Wedding announcement - the Filipino way The practice of pa-alam (to inform) should not be confused with the Pilipino word "paalam" (goodbye). Though less formal than the pamanhikan, pa-alam is still a gesture appreciated by Filipino elders as a sign of respect. This is a practice of visiting important personages (mostly elder relatives not present during the pamanhikan) prior to the wedding. Couples may go out of their way to visit the person to inform about the upcoming wedding (they may choose to hand in the wedding invitation at this time) or approach the person in a social event (say, a family reunion) to formally let him/her know of the recent engagement. If the altar-bound couple will be visiting a prospective ninong or ninang (godparents of principal sponsors) for the wedding, it is customary to bring a little something for the person to be visited (a tropical fruit basket is a popular choice). Since the 'major hurdle' is over with after the pamanhikan, pa-alam would be a breeze. Though some elders may ask about your love story while others might give a 'litany' about married life or ask the groom-to-be about his work or family background. Basically, the practice is just a round of casual diplomatic visits to the people who matter most to the couple and inform them of the wedding and secure their blessings. Despedida de Soltera Farewell to spinsterhood A send-off party held close to the wedding date in honor of the daughter of the house hosted by her family. This celebrates her family's consent to the marriage and bestowal of her folk's blessings. The groom, his family, close friends & relatives from both sides and the wedding entourage are invited to meet and get to know one another before the wedding. The occasion may serve as the formal introduction of the two families or clans to each other. This affair can be anywhere from a formal sit-down dinner to a casual get-together party. Alay ng Itlog kay Sta. Clara Egg offerings to Saint Claire Although a rain shower is believed to bring bountiful blessings to a marrying couple, many still prefer a bright and warm wedding day. Ironic as it sounds, modern Catholic Filipino couples troop to the monastery of St. Claire to offer eggs to the patron saint and request the nuns to pray that their wedding day be 'rain-free'. Other couples may consider other food/fruit offerings for even our beloved nuns knows an egg too many is too much cholesterol. Kumpisal Confession before marriage This is more of a moral obligation than a tradition that should be observed by every marrying Catholic couples. A few days prior their wedding, couples should have their final confessions as a single person with a priest (not necessarily the one who's going to marry them) since they will partake in the bread and drink the wine (the Body and Blood of Christ) during the wedding ceremony. The confession will serve as a spiritual cleansing for the sins committed during singlehood and a commitment and devotion to their lifetime partner.     REFERENCE http://www.kasal.ph/wedddest/wedddest_pampanga.php http://www.squidoo.com/philippinesweddingtraditions