12 Important Parts Of A Debut

What are the important parts of a debut?

1. Debutante’s grand entrance
2. Cotillion de honor dance
3. 18 roses
4. 18 candles
5. 18 treasures
6. Dinner
7. AVP presentation
8. Games
9. Intermission number
10. Singing of happy birthday and blowing of candles
11. Speech from parents
12. Debutante’s speech

A debut is a traditional coming-of-age event that celebrates a girl’s 18th birthday, which is the age of majority here in the Philippines. So, a debut serves as the transition to womanhood. And just like any other special occasion, a debut requires careful planning! A memorable debut is heavily dependent on an engaging and smooth-flowing program. To help make yours successful, we break down the important parts of a debut. Discover the reasons for each part and check if you’d like to stick to tradition or craft your own program instead!

Debutante’s Grand Entrance

Turning 18 is a milestone in life and you’ll only be able to celebrate your debut at this age. So as the debutante, you want to make sure your grand entrance is as grand as it can be.

To set a grand tone for the rest of the evening, consider having confetti rain down on you as you walk through a red carpet or a luxurious staircase. Then, smile and wave to your guests.

You might also want to match your grand entrance according to your debut theme. For example, if you plan to have a Great Gatsby debut theme, you can have jazz songs playing, gold confetti raining down, and extravagant 1920’s-inspired dancers during your entrance to wow your guests.

Cotillion de Honor Dance

The cotillion de honor is a traditional part of a debut wherein several partners dance a choreographed waltz. This program is typically made up of couples or the debutante’s male and female friends. You might want to perform the cotillion de honor while everyone’s energy is still up. This is one of the debut’s highlights considering that each performer spent days practicing the waltz routine.

18 Roses

The 18 roses is another traditional part of a debut. During this program, the debutante dances with 18 special men in her life, which can include her father, brothers, and friends. The last male to dance with the debutante is typically her escort or special someone. Each of the 18 males will hand the debutante a rose, which symbolizes love or courtship.

18 Candles

During the 18 candles debut program, 18 women are selected to “light the way” of the debutante through her womanhood. This can include her aunts, grandmothers, or godmothers. Each chosen woman will share their advice and wishes for the debutante. After the advice and wish, the candle can be blown out together with the debutante.

18 Treasures

During the 18 treasures, chosen family members and friends are asked to give 18 symbolic gifts that the debutante can use in the future. These gifts can also be items that reflect the debutante’s past or tokens that will inspire her to be better.

Dinner

The dinner is one of the most important parts of a debut. So, make sure you plan this well. Work closely with your caterer to come up with a delicious menu that will impress every guest.

To make your guests extra comfortable during dinner, you can hire a band to sing soothing songs. And while guests are eating their desserts, you can go around the venue to take photos with each table.

AVP Presentation

The AVP presentation or audio-visual presentation is not a necessary part of a debut, but adding it to your program can keep your guests entertained while eating dinner.

For the presentation, you can compile photos of yourself as a kid until your pre-debut pictures. Close relatives or friends from abroad who cannot attend might also choose to surprise the debutante with special dedication videos.

Games

To keep your guests entertained, you may choose to craft some fun games and give out prizes. One of the most simple games is a trivia game, wherein guests answer questions about you.

Intermission Number

If you want to showcase your talent during your debut, you can insert an intermission number into your program. Show off your singing or dancing skills. You can also play your favorite instrument!

Singing of Happy Birthday and Blowing of Candles
Your debut wouldn’t be complete without everyone singing “Happy Birthday”! Don’t forget to make a wish before blowing out your candles.

Speech From Parents

After the birthday song, there is a perfect opportunity for the parent’s speech. Your parents can formally introduce you to society as a young lady. They can also look back at their favorite moments when you were still a child up to the time you finally transitioned to a young lady.

Debutante’s Speech

The debutante’s speech is typically the last part of a debut. This is your chance to thank your parents, siblings, friends, and each guest for helping you through the years and for attending your debut.

Write down your heartfelt speech in advance to avoid forgetting to thank anyone. Don’t forget to thank the people who made your debut possible as well!

Key Takeaway

Your debut celebration is one of the most important days in life. Make your transition to womanhood unforgettable in the best way possible by keeping these important parts of a debut in mind!

For more debut planning tips, you can read Juan Carlo’s blogs. At Juan Carlo, the debuts we cater to are all about creating moments of magic. Some of the debuts we were fortunate enough to service include Julia Montes and Kathryn Bernando’s debut.

Rest assured that the Juan Carlo team is dedicated to nothing less than event excellence. Click here to contact Juan Carlo today!