Garden weddings stir up tourism in Pampanga

The Department of Tourism (DoT) Region 3 ushers in the first quarter of the year with Garden Weddings at Paskuhan in San Fernando, Pampanga to perk up the department’s banner project Visit Philippines 2003.

Director Ronaldo Tiotuico of DoT-Region 3 office said, its latest marketing strategy dubbed “World Weddings at Paskuhan” or WOW Paskuhan aims to make the Philippine Christmas Village an ideal venue for garden weddings. It has 22 international gardens from which guests or couples can choose from as venue for their intimate affairs.

“We would like to give would-be couples the chance to tie the knot in a most memorable and romantic setting that has been traditionally done in Korea, Malaysia, Japan or India. Imagine a Filipino couple getting married the Japanese or Korean way in one of the many gardens here,” enthused Tiotuico.

The concept will be the first of its kind in the Philippines and probably all over the world, Tiotuico said.

Five years ago, the DoT hosted the first international horticulture exhibition or “Florikultura” at the village, a 10-day festival showcasing the country’s indigenous blooms and foliage. Thus, the Gardens make a perfect venue especially for sunrise or sunset weddings.

More popularly known as Gardens of the World, each garden represents a country like the USA, Netherlands, Australia, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Indonesia, Korea and India, among others.

The Garden Weddings idea offers soon-to-be-married duos the chance to experience nuptials unique to the country of their choice complete with the traditional wedding outfits, banquet and ceremonies. For instance, a Filipino couple who chose to wed in a Japanese setting will wear kimono and will go through the same Japanese marriage rites.

The DoT-Region 3 is developing a special wedding package that will include services such as rental or purchase of native wedding outfits, food catering, floral arrangements, and more.

Together with the management of the Paskuhan Village, the Association of Fashion Designers in Pampanga, as well as the reputable restaurants in the province dishing out native and international cuisine’s will be tapped to support the project.

The project is expected to set off livelihood especially to the host community of San Jose where the Village Garden is. It will likely perk up Pampanga’s travel and tourism industry.

As a gift, the DoT-Region 3 offers to give the first couple to avail of the wedding package a cash dowry of R30,000 to assist in the couple’s expenses. The marriage will also be given full print and broadcast coverage and a wedding documentary will also be produced as souvenir.

The DoT-Region 3 may be reached at the regional office in San Fernando, Pampanga thru tel. no. (045) 961-2665/2612 or email at dot3@mozcom.com.