A Filipino debut is a coming-of-age tradition for young Filipino women that happens just once in life. Similar to other debuts such as a sweet sixteen or a quinceañera, a Filipino debut marks a young woman’s ascendance into adulthood in front of all of her close friends and family. Like a wedding in pomp and circumstance, a Filipino debut typically takes months to plan and coordinate, especially for the guest of honor and her royal court — close friends and family that are expected to perform various dances and rituals during the event.

But a modern Filipino debut isn’t necessarily a by-the-book ceremony where tradition reigns supreme. That’s why it can be difficult to know how to plan a Filipino debut when there are so many things that are up for interpretation. What we do know, however, is that a debut is both a celebration of the debutante as well as of Filipino culture, which means there’s a lot to draw from.

There’s also a rich culture of traditions and conventions when it comes to Filipino debut party ideas, which can help even the most out-of-sorts debut party planner. But you’ll still need a team to help make it happen as well as the all-important venue unless you want to be working all evening and serving snacks and drinks from your own kitchen.

Step 1: Make a Guest List

Even the simplest debut package needs a guest list. The guest list will determine both the number of people in attendance as well as what activities and traditions will be performed and followed. Make sure you have enough space for family and friends, but plan for about 100-200 people, which is the size of a typical debut.

When planning your guest list, make sure you account for travel, availability and other issues that may prevent someone from being able to attend. This is a crucial piece for anyone that will be asked to be a part of the festivities in the royal court, so don’t schedule anyone for this inner circle until you’ve had a chance to speak with them first.

Step 2: Decide on a Venue

How to plan a Filipino debut always comes back to the venue. Unlike a wedding which may have multiple venues, the debut party venue will be the backdrop to the entire night, as well as where all the activities will take place. This means that the venue is a crucial piece of any debut, and given the size of most parties, this is something you really don’t want to try to do at home.

Aside from the logistics of a large dance floor and keeping people entertained and engaged all evening, even simple things like parking can be a huge challenge at home. Property damage and being reported for disturbing the peace could also put a quick end to the party, so make sure you plan accordingly. 

When selecting a venue for a debut, see if they rent out equipment and work with local vendors so you can avoid juggling a half-dozen contractors for the night. You might think that you can get by without a professional photographer or a DJ, but it also means that you’ll have to pick up the slack. 

3. Make Your Invitations

After deciding on a guest list and locking down a venue, it’s time to start working on those invitations. Remember that one invitation to a family could yield four or five attendees, so don’t think that you need to create hundreds of invitations. For many Filipino debuts, a few dozen invitations should do the trick.

If you want to splurge or have the time, custom invitations are a great way to drum up excitement for your upcoming event. But if you’re on a budget, you can pick up boxes of invitations at your local big-box retailer for a fraction of the cost. You can still customize the invitations with ribbons, calligraphy and stamps, but it’s a great way to do invitations without blowing your budget.

On the cards themselves, be sure that you include the name of the guest of honor, the date, the venue and theme. It sounds silly, but you’d be surprised how many invitations go out without one or more crucial bits of information. Directions can be included on a separate insert, but don’t forget RSVP cards with postage or an email or link with how to RSVP for the event.

4. Send Your Invitations

About a month or two before your debut party, you’ll want to send out your invitations. This gives everyone enough time to plan accordingly, but for things like the grand cotillion waltz dance and other traditional proceedings that involve the royal court, you’ll need to get some practice in. While you may not be able to get everyone together for a full rehearsal in the lead-up to the big party, you won’t be able to plan a Filipino debut without some preparation.

For family and friends that live close by, you can hand them their invitations personally — or stick everything in the mail and wait for the RSVPs to start rolling in. It’s your call.

5. Organize the Royal Court

No instruction on how to plan a Filipino debut would be complete without a discussion of the royal court. Made up of 18 males and 18 females, the royal court is reserved for those closest to the guest of honor, such as family members, best friends and other important figures, in addition to a significant other or suitor. 

The 18 males will each take one red rose to the celebrant and share a quick dance. Some dances may be funny, sweet or romantic, but the last dance is usually reserved for the father or the escort, which is a close friend, suitor or boyfriend of the debutante. 

For the 18 females in the royal court, each will give a short speech, praise or well-wishes for the guest of honor, concluding in a candle-lighting ritual. Also known as 18 candles, this part of the ceremony is essentially a toast to the celebrant from the people that know her best.

Make Planning a Filipino Debut Simple With All-In Debut Packages

Here at Occasions4.us, we know that planning and throwing a debut party can be complicated. That’s why we’ve partnered with five fabulous venues in Las Vegas to help you throw the debut party of your dreams. With simple, all-in pricing and various options to exercise all your creative ideas, planning a Filipino debut is easy with Occasions4.us. Request a proposal today!