Your Debut Celebration Ultimate Guide
It is undeniable that any person hits all ages just once. Turning 18 in the Philippines is one of the most precious moments where they say a girl would finally blossom to becoming a lady. Most, if not all, girls dream to have a beautiful and unforgettable debut celebration – from the planning, catering services down to the souvenir. Well, if you have all the resources and energy to make your debut count, why not make it?
Just to give you a brief introduction about debut celebration, countries all over the world have different ages of “debut” or translating to “launching or first public appearance.” Débuter, a French word, means to “lead off.” In Filipino customs and traditions, reaching 18 signifies legality to do more things, freedom, and wiser decisions in life. Perhaps explaining why Filipinos give high regards to marking this age for ladies.
So if you are ready to make your 18th birthday a blast, here are some tips and reminders you might want to take note of:
How to plan a debut celebration
First of all, think of a good theme
Considering that you are celebrating a debut, note that this is not just a typical birthday bash. Think of a good theme and the rest will be a lot easier.
A theme is basically your guiding principle in whatever actions and decisions you are going to make. Knowing that many ideas and suggestions come to you on how you can handle or manage the debut, having a clear theme helps you to narrow down your options.
Here are some of the themes for you to choose from:
• Princess or royal celebration
• Goddess
• Music or concert type
• Theatrical
• Nature or environment
Choose your venue wisely
Now that you know your theme and probably have ideas in mind which activities and program fit, you should also choose your place carefully.
Your event place should be able to meet the demands of your program. On the other hand, it can also be the other way around. You may be eyeing a certain place and really want to hold the debut there. Your theme or activities may be predicted by the venue of your choice, which is also fine.
When going for an ocular, visualize and see if the celebration fits the place. Think where your debutant will have the debutant’s entrance and exit, where you will be putting the food and photo booth, how many tables and guests can be accommodated, and a lot more. Have a list of requirements you are looking for an excellent venue.
Do not forget to send out personal invitations
This may be a small thing, but an invitation is a good trinket your visitors can keep. Make sure that it suits your theme and will give them a good grasp or vibe of what they should look forward to your debut.
We mentioned personal since most people rely on social media to invite people. Indeed, it is less hassle and economical to ask people to go in an event thru Facebook or Twitter, but you should also consider the people who don’t go online that much. Also, handling invitations speak to a more personal level like you are expecting them to come and grace your celebration with their presence.
Look for reliable catering services
Come on! We know people love food a lot! Honestly speaking, your visitors come not just to witness the lady’s celebration and participate in this momentous event but also for the good food. Do not fail them and serve nothing but the best food by having a tasty food catering menu.
Some catering services offer free food tasting which you should maximize. Think of your appetizers, main entrée, sides, desserts, and other snacks. Decide which is good for the tummy and also for your wallet. There are affordable catering services in Manila with venue, either discounted or complimentary. List your options and maximize everything given to you.
Aside from looking at the caterer’s past transactions, it is also good to ask them what different can they offer at your event. It is also important for you to know the profile of your visitors and their taste preference so you can pitch it to the caterers.
If everything seems to be heavy for you to handle, hire a planner
Celebrating a lady’s 18th birthday may somewhat be compared to other big events like a commitment ceremony whereas others ask professional help from a wedding planner. There are many instances where managing a debut celebration will take most of your time and require you to think a lot.
In hiring a planner, make sure that the group you are employing knows what they are doing and probably has been able to deliver excellent services before. In having a planner, it’s not that you are going to leave everything up to them.
You are just asking for their help, and so you still need to do your part. Work with them – give out your ideas as well, what you want and do not want to happen.
Make your debut celebration unique by making it personal
You might be wondering on how you can make your celebration extra special and unique. The answer is quite simple – make it personal and close to your heart. From the theme, invitation, programs, food choice, give away, everything – make it personal.
Think of it that it is so you whenever they see the venue’s arrangements and decorations, your face will immediately pop in their minds. If you have enough time, you might consider having a DIY invitation and also your souvenirs. It may require a lot of work, but you will surely enjoy the process as well.
Remember that the people you have invited probably went to a couple of debut celebrations already. Make yours extra special and stand out.
Note that you may ditch old practices
Whether you hired a planner or not, you should have taken into consideration if you are going to have the usual practices we do when celebrating debut. Are you going to have Cotillion, 18 roses, 18 candles, and all the other 18s? If yes, what new can you do?
Of course, these old practices or tradition that Filipinos do during debut is something worthwhile. On the other hand, if not managed well or thoroughly thought about, it may be draggy and boring. Most probably, not all your guests know each other, and some may feel out of place whenever there is a particular portion of the program where only a certain section of your visitors only can relate. As much as possible, make your program inclusive.
Think of a good souvenir
Aside from the good experience and memory, you were able to give to your guests, it will also be nice for you to give a good token. Filipinos love to receive and give freebies.
We will always go back to referring to your chosen theme to help you decide on which souvenir may fit your celebration. Nevertheless, your token may not be entirely related to your theme but is something close to your heart or something useful to your visitors. It can be something they can take home, use at the office, eat or drink, and what-not. We highly suggest that your token is useful, so the amount that you will be shouldering out is worth it.
On top of it all, remember why you are celebrating the debut
In the midst of the crazy ride of conceptualizing and planning, meeting and choosing your partners, do not forget to remind yourself why you are celebrating the debut in the first place. To keep you going in this tiring yet fulfilling process of preparing, go back to the “why.”
Do not decide out of pressure or because you want to impress your visitors. Do things because your debutant loves it because you think it is worth it, or because it will surely make the celebrant happy. The debut is for the lady, not for another person. It is something that they can only get to experience once in a lifetime that’s why you want to make it count.
Aside from the things mentioned above, you should be able to set a realistic and practical ceiling or maximum amount for all your expenses. Having a clear budget in mind will help you direct your ins and outs in planning and managing one’s birthday celebration. Money may not be a huge concern to you, but if you are going to think about it, it makes more sense if you have a working budget. You also get to know if the products and services being offered to you are worth for the price or no and if you can still look for cheaper alternatives and what-not.
We hope that this ultimate quick guide about debut celebration helped you sort things out. Make the process of brainstorming and planning fun and exciting. Still, have other things in mind about debut? Share your thoughts and let’s see how we can make the lady’s 18th birthday celebration worth remembering.
