Getting ready for your upcoming debut party? Basics first! Sometimes, debutantes forget even the simplest of things! So before anything, read these super simple guides regarding your debut essentials. This will definitely help you get a step ahead in your debut planning.
Invites
Still sticking to your motif, choose the invitation that is simple, elegant, and proper for the occasion. Do not rely on electronic invites such as the Email. If you are confident however that your guests check their email regularly, you may do so, just be sure to get a confirmation by calling them to ask if the invitation was received. However, a hard copy of your invitation is still the best way to invite people. After all, this is also where you can showcase your own creativity!
Inviting through SMS or texting may be quite impolite. Remember, you are the one asking them a favor to attend your party. Texting should only be used for confirmation purposes.
Carefully prepare the list of names included in your program. Make sure names are not misspelled. And be sure the people included in your program know what to do. Send your invitations at least two weeks before the event itself. This way, your guests will not set other appointments on your big day.
Your Motif
Motif is usually reduced to the color that will dominantly be used in the party. But really, motif is more than just that.
When choosing your motif, you may consider your favorite color, which is the conventional way of doing it, but to make your party much more interesting to become a real event to remember, you might want to think of a whole theme, rather than just a color.
A theme is a guide to what the most of your party will be about. It may range from something romantic like renaissance to something more magical like fairy tales. It’s all a matter of imagination and creativity, and of course, personality, that motif, which you think is you.
Once you have set your motif, everything else becomes easy.
Music
Choosing your music is like choosing the mood of your party. Just remember that it should not clash with your theme. If you have a Pocahontas theme, the most suited music would be Pocahontas Original Soundtrack. But who’s dictating? You are always free to be creative! Don’t stick to conventions. Choose the music you love most. Wouldn’t you want to remember your special day with a beautiful music?
For your 18 roses, you may pick a song for each and every dance. The song should suit the man you are dancing with. You may request a friend to sing your favorite song during dinner or ask the dj to play your most memorable song while parading around your guests.
Program and Entertainment
The program of your party is important in keeping your guests entertained. Remember, it is your party. You’re the star! But you are also the hostess, you have the responsibility to make the night as enjoyable for them as it is for you.
Most often, the right performers, and emcee do it all. To entertain your guests, you can abuse your talented friends into making them sing your favorite song for instance. In this way, you are giving an opportunity for them to showcase their talents. Parts like the Cotillion de Honor require a great deal of preparation however. It may take months of preparation before you can produce a perfect Cotillion de Honor.
It would also make your event more interesting, if you include special segments, or the “not usual” segments. But always take note of your theme.
Dress
Depending on your motif, you pick the dress that you think will bring out your best, that which will make you feel confident.
Most of the time, we feel confident when we’re wearing something that we think brings out our best figure. So consider the whole design of your gown, more specifically its cut. Be sure that it fits you perfectly well.
Deciding if a gown fits you perfectly well or not is more than just checking if it’s tight or loose. It’s really a matter of feeling. When wearing it makes you feel confident and comfortable, then it must be good on you.
It is easier to choose an outfit knowing what you really want. You can shop for ideas and designs in the mall and gather them into a collective of what design suits your taste.
Hair and Make-up
Hair and make-up may be the most crucial little detail, because hair and make-up can definitely transform you.
It is very important that you feel comfortable and confident with your hair and make-up, because how you look would more or less direct your mood the whole evening.
It would be helpful to experiment with your looks before the big event itself. This way you more or less know what looks good on you.
Accessories
Choosing the right accessories would come in easy as soon as you get your dress. Accessories play a big role, especially when you have chosen a relatively simple gown. Most of the time, the right accessories do it all.
If your dress can stand on its own, then simple accessories are best to be used to avoid overdressing and exaggeration.
Most well dressed people are the ones who keep it simple but undoubtedly elegant.
Bag
A bag is important to keep close the important things you need, those, which you think, you cannot last a single night without. However, carrying a bag with you during this very important occasion is just optional.
For some people, a bag is not an important detail. But you wouldn’t want a wrong bag to ruin your almost perfect debut, would you?
Your bag must definitely match your dress. If it matches, then it’s the perfect bag.
Shoes
Your shoes may not even be visible during the whole night of your party, because of your long dress. But it still is important to have the right shoes, just in case.
In picking your shoes, the thing to consider, aside from style, is of course comfort. No debutante would want a hurting foot after dancing with the eighteen roses.
Your shoes should blend with your dress. It should be in harmony with your gown’s color or detail. If not, it should match your bag. Be sure to ask opinions from your family and friends about your whole outfit so that during your debut you wouldn’t worry about it at all.
Souvenirs
Souvenirs are remembrance, memories, reminders of your event. To achieve the real purpose of souvenirs, do not just give away something that has always been given away. Pick something special that matches your motif. Pick a souvenir that you think will remind your guests of your memorable day with them. Think of something even more creative to give your friends or family who have helped you a lot in organizing your debut. They will appreciate this token so much that they wouldn’t get tired of helping you at all.
hi maie,
First of all, i think you still have ample to time to prepare for your debut, so DON’T PANIC! What I always suggest to debutantes who are planning their debut is to pick a theme. This theme would more or less help you in your party planning since your attention is focused on that one theme. Pick a theme that you know you would be able to handle given your time constraints. A Flower Themed party, for instance, is so easy to prepare because you just have to fill the whole venue with different kinds of flowers. Ask a florist from Dangwa (they are way cheaper) to fill your stage with flowers and you are done with your decorations. Instead of an 18 roses, you can have 18 flowers (different kinds). Or why not have a balloon inspired debut party instead. For the list of songs, I will be placing a page just for songs soon since so many debutantes are asking about this as well. This is all for now. Pick a theme first, let me know what you picked and we’ll go from there. Happy planning.
Hello. Ill be having my debut on July.
My theme is Hollywood.
Can you help me with the details of set-up? songs to be played? and alternatives for 18 roses, etc.
Thank You Very Much! 🙂
hi kimberly,
A masquerade ball is a very good choice for your party. I can just picture you and your cotillion de honor dancing with masks on. It is so dramatic. This is similar, I believe, with the Renaissance theme in terms of the dress and costumes that you would wear. If you choose a venue like a hotel with an elegant facade and a giant staircase, it wouldn’t be a problem, but if you feel that it doesn’t scream masquerade, add some drapes of bold color on your stage for effect. There should also be a candelabra on every guests’ table and candles at every corner. Send your invites along with their masks and ask them to bring it to the party. This will double as a keepsake. Ask your guests to don a very elegant gown or rent a costume because this will add more to the masquerade feel that you want. If you can find a small cheap candelabra. I think there are some at Dapitan Arcade, this can be your keepsake as well. It is very obvious that your theme would need a cotillion dance so hire a dance instructor and start practicing right now. For the 18’s, 18 candles (18 candelabras) is still appropriate but candles in a candelabra would add more flavor to it. You can also use 18 masks where each person would approach you still with masks on and then remove it and make a speech. It is going to be very dramatic and exciting. This is all for now and happy planning.
hey!i will be having my debut on september..i know there’s a tons of time to work for it!but suddenly i will have my full hectic sched ths school year that’s why im preparing while im in vacation…can you help me?! i want my theme to be a hollywood glamour but still renaissance theme..i don’t what is the best!..then can you think or me some another term or idiom for 18 roses.18 treasures..then i’m planning to have “18 pinkielei” bcoz i so love pink that’s why.is it ok wth the name?!lols. can you gimme more ideas how cn i have a fabulous invitations.souvenirs and venue/place for my party!.
i want to be my bigday so wonderful:) thanks!GODBLESS!:)
Hi jonna,
Hollywood theme is a good choice. This has been, by far, the most asked theme because I think we all want to be stars even for a day. So, to maximize this theme to the full extent, we have an article on Hollywood themed parties that you may want to check out. http://debutideas.com/?p=3. Since Hollywood is all about awards and movies, you can substitute 18 awards or 18 statues for your 18 candles (where each will make a speech on why this award was given to you, etc) and 18 movies or 18 theme songs for your 18 roses (where each boy will dance with you using a theme song of a favorite movie). Songs to be played will be dependent on the movies that you pick. You could also go for the blockbuster movies from the year you were born up to present (making 18 movies in total) and use their theme songs as well. I would highly recommend the setup discussed in the article and of course you can’t go wrong with a wall and photo booth so as to make your guests feel like they are also a Hollywood superstar in your party. Happy planning and advanced Happy Birthday.
Hi debutideas! i’m going to have my debut on september. I really want my theme to be fairytale-like. Initially, i was thinking of the Glass garden as my debut venue but since my parents think that the cost is too much, can you please suggest another venue which has the same setting of glass garden which can be very suitable for rainy days and is much less expensive and also has a starcase and stage. Thank you very much. =)
hello lei!
i know it’s hard to pick a theme, but you have to choose only one so that you can make every element in your party cohesive. you want the glamour in the hollywood theme and you want the drama in the renaissance theme right? why not go for 50’s hollywood theme? that way you can integrate the drama in your dress, hair and make up at the same time being glamorous just like a real celebrity. it’s a unique kind of party that will be fun to reminisce about when you get older.
Your idea of the pinkilei is actually a fresh idea! for the souvenirs, i think a photobooth would be great, but you have to set up a background that captures your theme, with props and all like director’s chair and a clapper perhaps or any glamorous props that would look great on pictures. this will excite your guests especiallly if they’re dressed up like a hollywood star from the 50’s. that’s why it’s important to tell them through your invitation to dress up according to your theme. i suggest that you watch some Audrey Hepburn films first to get the feel of the 50’s so that you’ll be able to come up with the perfect ideas. for any theme you choose, immerse yourself first in it, and then the ideas for everything else will follow. 🙂
happy planning girl!
lizette & jam
Hi! I need some suggestions from experts like you regarding my 18 rose and candles. My theme is fairytale-like mixed with fashion show. What can i substitute with the 18 candles and roses to ease the usual boredom in those debut traditions? I also wanna ask if you know of any hotel within QC that isn’t expensive but has a grand staircase because at first, we were eyeing on the Hotel Rembrandt but unfortunately it doesn’t have a grand staircase which is one of our major requirements. Thank you in advance!
Hi Jenny,
Looking for a hotel that has a grand staircase in quezon city would be very hard, in fact, to my knowledge, I don’t think there is any. If they have a staircase, it would not go directly to their banquet hall. Rembrandt for instance has a wonderful staircase on their lobby but it is not directly connected to their venue hall. If a grand and beautiful staircase is your utmost concern, you might try other venues besides a hotel. I know Plaza Ibarra in Quezon Avenue has a grand staircase leading exactly to the venue. It sure would be a spectacular sight once you descend from the grand staircase with every eye marveling on your beauty. I think Grand Terrace also has a nice staircase. If money is not a problem, try looking into Fernwood’s very beautiful grand staircase. If only a grand staircase is not your main concern, there are plenty of venues to explore in the QC area. For instance, Sulo Hotel has a nice front facade. Rembrandt would also be right for your theme of fairytale. I am not sure if Camelot Hotel would be to your liking since the place is quite old, but it boasts of very elegant medieval decorations that I’m sure would fit right in your theme as well. Regarding your theme and what to do with your 18 candles and roses, it depends on what fairytale you want. For instance, if you are supposed to be sleeping beauty, then 18 kisses (on the cheek) would not be a bad alternative for the 18 roses. Or instead of having different songs for your 18 roses dance, you could just have a grand waltz song for all 18 roses. They would be circling you and would dance in a waltz, each of them cutting off every few stanzas of the waltz song. This is all for now. Happy planning and let us know what you come up with.
Hi! I’m back! 😀 I saw the article about Renaissance. It was really nice and I’m sure it would help me a lot. 🙂 Do you have any suggestions for an invitation? Like the layout or something?. Of course, with the Renaissance theme. But I wouldn’t want it to be very Renaissance. Just a little bit of it. Thank you!!
Thank you so much debut ideas! you’ve helped me a lot.=D
hi i’ll be celebrating my debut this june at Plaza Ibarra.everything is settled. I’ve already picked my entrance song but I think I want to chage it.can you give me some ideas or list of songs that would fit for a grand entrance. Anyway my debut is traditional I have cotillion,18 roses-candles-treasures.And a butterfly theme siince my invitation has a orange and yellow butterflies.
Hi Px,
For a traditional debut a grand entrance is something that is slow, one with a walkable beat, something with an impact. These songs are what I can suggest:
What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
You Are So Beautiful (Joe Cocker)
She (Elvis Costello)
Journey (Lea Salonga)
You could also use this song by Charlotte Church Dream a Dream because it would really create an impact while you descend the stairs of Plaza Ibarra.
You could also opt for the classical music of Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D which has a very dramatic effect.
And lastly, I also think that the following songs are nice for your butterfly theme, something fresh and carefree (am I sounding like a sanitary napkin commercial?) and something upbeat. It has a very nice rhythm and the lyrics are really inspirational:
Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield)
Time of My Life (David Cook)
My Girl (The Temptations)
Waiting on the World To Change (John Mayer)
Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo Ole’)
Hope this helps. Debut Ideas greets you a very Happy Birthday! Enjoy!
debut ideas.thank you for your reply.Your suggestions would help me alot.! My Girl will be the song that I’ll be using for the father daughter dance. Do you think its nice?
DEBUT IDEAS,Just like PX can you suggest some songs. My entrance would be a sword parade. and same as her my theme is traditional.help please.
Hi PX,
If you’re father is the cool type, someone who is funny, has his own antics and not stern and formal, My Girl would be a good father and daughter dance. If however, he is kind of the formal type, you might want to consider a slower and dramatic type of song. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong would be a nice song for these type of fathers. Remember that he also needs to be comfortable dancing as much as you, so you need to pick a song that he can relate to as well.
Hello Katrina,
A sword parade with your grand entrance is a good idea. It indeed adds drama to your grand entrance. A song with a strong statement would add to that drama. Aside from the songs that I’ve suggested Px, here are other songs that you may want to consider:
Beautiful in My Eyes by Joshua Kadison
I Can Go the Distance by Michael Bolton
The Way You Look Tonight by Michael Buble
Nightbird by Kalapana
Out of My League by Stephen Speaks
She’s The One by Robbie Williams
Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
I chose these songs on the basis that they have very good rhythm, good intro, nice lyrics and popular. Let us not forget that the host will have to speak to introduce the debutante first and some grand entrances are filled with clapping and cheers by the guests so sometimes the background music struggles to be heard, so you need a song that is strong and familiar so it will not fade unnecessarily. These songs are very classic and popular and would be an excellent grand entrance song.
Grand entrance with a sword parade would seem to need a song that is formal and slow, but it need not be so. It could also be fun and whimsical. Take a look at these other songs:
Buttercup
As by George Michael and Mary J. Blige
Crash Into Me by Dave Matthews
Let’s Groove by Earth Wind and Fire
Got To Be Real by Cheryl Lynn
Hope this helps. Happy Planning.
Hi! I’m preparing for my niece’ debut this coming month. Venue and theme were already in place. I’ve got so many tips from the responses. However, I’m still thinking of other ways we could adhere to the theme “Sporty” (‘coz my niece is an athletic girl). Can you suggest what we can replace with the 18 roses, candles & treasures? Any idea for the giveaways? Games?
hi,
ahm..my debut will be on january 2010..i thnk it’s the right time to plan today so i could be hassle-free by the time of december but i really dont have any ideas for my theme yet, i have check your themes on this site but still im confuse and i want to see more themes so i could choose..
please do help me:)
tnx
hi kristel mae,
It is very good that you are planning your debut ahead of time. 6 months is the ideal time to start planning a debut party or any party for that matter. We would like to help you pick a theme that you want for your debut party. Can you tell us some things like what you like? What your favorites are? What are you passionate about? Do you have an advocacy? Do you have a favorite movie? Are you into fairytales? Are you into fashion? Do you have a flare for the 50s, 60s era? How about Renaissance? Do you want to be a movie star for a day? These will more or less tell us what theme is right for you. This is all for now. Until then, happy planning.
Hi Anna,
Can I ask what sport your niece is into? In order to adhere to the sports theme, you can order a cake specifically designed to feature the sport that she likes. You can have food stands around the venue as well to add to the sports feel (hotdog, popcorn stands, etc.) Around the venue, you can put imitation flags (you know the triangle ones that sports fans wave around) that has every team that your niece loves (or just a phrase like “Jam’s 18th victory party” or “Go Lizette Go!”). You can also create a miniature of these flags that will serve as your party favor. For her grand entrance, shower her with confetti and balloons, like they do when a team wins. For your 18s, these are some suggestions. 18 touchdowns for 18 candles in which she will use some sort of ceramic football to put off the candles (I’m not sure where to get these but it was just a nice idea). 18 torches (the ones they use in the olympics) for 18 candles. 18 three-point shots for 18 roses in which the boys will have to shoot the ball first before dancing with the debutante. And for 18 treasures, substitute it with 18 MVP awards. Hope this helps and happy planning.
Hi, debutideas! My debut will be on May 2010. I chose “Masquerade Ball” as my theme. What ideas can you give? 🙂
Hi!
Your website has been very helpful. I’m celebrating my debut on April which 3 months away. I’ve used your gyide for the part songs. Anyway my debut is going to be held at the clubhouse from where I live because I’m planning on having a swimming party afterwards for me and closest friends. My motif is pink and yellow, do you think it’s a good combination? My problem is that I have no idea for what to give as a souvenir, my sister’s thought was to give out a mini spa set, the one with bath foam, bath salt and etc. I also have no idea what to where and I’ not even sure about my motif! Please help me! I really need an advice.
Thank You!
Hi Jen,
A masquerade ball is really a very nice theme because of its mystery. Having all your guests wear masks would surely add to the theme that you’re aiming. Send that along with your invites to let your guests know what’s in store for them. Have them wear Victorian-inspired gowns for a much richer feel but if this is not possible, they can wear elegant gowns which they can pair up with the mask that you have given them. It would totally look divine if all guests are wearing masks so ask them to bring it to the party. Watch Phantom of the Opera for tips on how to decorate your venue. A grand waltz instead of 18 roses dance would be ultimately exciting. A Mardi gras parade to usher your grand entrance would be such a wonderful sight. Hope this helps and happy planning.
Hi Maria,
We are so glad we could be of help in your debut planning. A pool party is almost always a very good choice for debut parties because it would sure be nice to dip in the water and have fun with your friends and family after the program is finished. Pink and yellow is a great color combination. Try looking at pictures of flowers with pink petals and yellow anthers (center). Make sure to use the right hue. You can’t go wrong with baby pink and light yellow.
Source: http://ferenc.biz
As for the souvenirs, your sister is right. Bath and body things are really great for pool parties. Cologne, lotion, body wash, soap or towels. You can also have floating candles for souvenirs. You can also try a compilation of your favorite reggae songs on a cd. Read on our Tropical Theme for debut parties article “Bringing the Beach Indoors” which can actually be a good theme for a pool party for more ideas on give aways. Hope this helps and happy planning.