Cultural Coming-of-Age Celebrations

When a person hits a big milestone in their life, whether it be a wedding or a birthday, a celebration is usually held in their honor and the festivities are shared with their loved ones. Around the world, different cultures celebrate these milestones in unique ways. In this blog, we are going to briefly highlight two different cultural celebrations to show the similarities and differences among them. The last celebration discussed, a Filipino Debut, is one we had the honor of experiencing on January 9th.

Quinceañera - Latin America

Photo found on Google.

A quinceañera marks the transition of a girl from childhood to young adulthood in many Latino cultures. At the age of 15, a young woman is presented as an adult who is ready for marriage. For the purposes of this blog, the quinceañera celebrations of Mexico will be discussed. On her quinceañera, the young woman wears an elegant ballgown, and has a court of damas (girls) and chambelanes (boys) who accompany her. Usually beginning with a religious ceremony, a young woman is presented with a ceremonial rosary or locket/pendant and a tiara, and then a formal reception is held. This reception usually consists of a formal entry, a toast, a first dance, a general dance, and a meal. There are also other traditions, like the "Change of Shoes" where the young woman is presented with her first pair of high heels, signifying her transition to a woman. While there are many other traditions that can be present at a quinceañera, the main purpose of this celebration and all of its traditional rights is to honor the young woman officially as an adult.

Debut - Philippines

Birthday Wishes to Angelina Rodriguez at her Debut.

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of catering the Debut of Angelina Rodriguez at the Chaffey College Chino Community Center. A Debut is a traditional Filipino celebration which celebrates the 18th birthday of a young woman, signifying her coming-of-age and the Debut serves to officially introduce her to the world as an adult. A debut is filled with many traditional rites of passage which focus on the number 18.

Angelina, as the debutante, has a court of 18 selected individuals. After a prayer, the debutante and her court enter into the ceremony space to preform traditional dances for the guests. Some other traditional aspects of a Debut include the "18 Roses Dances", where 18 males present the debutante with a single red rose and then dance with her. There is also a "Father-Daughter Dance", the "18 Candles" where 18 females give a speech about the debutante, and finally at the evening's end, the debutante gives a speech to her guests.

Debut buffet set-up by Lasting Memories Events and Catering.

Debut drink set-up by Lasting Memories Events and Catering.

At Angelina's Debut, we served the guests Italian cuisine, at the debutante's request. Appetizers included stuffed mushrooms and meatballs, served by our staff. The main course consisted of caesar salad, baked ziti with and without sausage, garlic mashed potatoes, and a vegetable trio. For desserts, the guests were treated to cake and a candy dessert bar. Musical entertainment for the evening was provided by Pro-Style Sound and videographer Damon Russel of CCD Media caught all the special moments throughout the evening.

Lasting Memories Events and Catering staff ready to serve dinner.

Debut candy bar set-up by Karina Elorza.

To Conclude

Both a Latino Quinceañera and a Filipino Debut are a celebration of a girl turning into a woman, a woman who is ready to take on the responsibilities of young adulthood. While each culture has their differences, both celebrate the woman turning an age of maturity and each respective celebration has many traditional rites of passage which introduce the woman to the world. We enjoyed our time at Angelina's Debut, and hope we have the chance to experience more cultural celebrations in the near future!

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VENDOR INFORMATION FOR DEBUT

1. Venue: Chaffey College Chino Community Center
• Address: 5890 College Park Avenue Chino, CA 91710
• Phone Number: (909) 652-8200
• Email: Rita Elias, rita.elias@chaffey.edu
2. Catering: Lasting Memories Events and Catering
• Phone Number: (951) 205-4346
• Email: info@by-lmevents.com
3. Bar Service: Sunseri's Bar & Beverage
• Phone Number: (800) 635-9732
• Email: mike@sunseris.com
4. Linens: Raquel's Specialty Linens
• Phone Number: (909) 422-0581
• Email: raquelslinens98@yahoo.com
5. Clean-Up: A-Team Party Services
• Phone Number: (909) 628-2877
6. DJ: Pro-Style Sound
• Phone Number: Ray Mistica, (909) 921-8961
• Email: prostylesound@gmail.com
7. Videographer: CCD Media
• Address: 633 W. State Street Suite #E Ontario, CA 91762
• Phone Number: Damon Russel, (909) 380-2950
• Email: ccdmediaproduction@gmail.com
8. Candy Bar Set-Up: Karina Elorza
• Phone Number: (310) 619-0150
• Email: karinakayee@gmail.com

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Have an event or wedding coming up, and need catering, floral design, coordination, etc.? Look no further than Lasting Memories Events and Catering! Our six years of experience will help make your event a lasting memory. Our family just became yours! Email us at info@by-lmevents.com or call Adrienne at (951) 205-4346 for more information.

Visit our website at: www.eventsby-lastingmemories.com