Most young girls dream of growing up to become a princess, and for one young woman this became a reality on the night of her 18th birthday,
Danica Carmelina, an aspiring doctor and ballerina from the Philippines, threw the event of a lifetime, treating her 170 guests to a $41,000 ‘Swan Lake’ themed bash complete with two gowns, a five-tiered cake and decor worthy of a wedding.
Speaking to FEMAIL, Danica said she was able to bring her debut dreams to life with an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer over several months leading up to the party on May 31.
The team all worked together based on mood boards Danica had been working on which specified the event needed to be ‘pink, feminine and extravagant’.
Danica Carmelina, an aspiring doctor and ballerina from the Philippines, threw the event of a lifetime, treating her 170 guests to a $41,000 ‘Swan Lake’ themed bash complete with two gowns, a five-tiered cake and decor worthy of a wedding
![Speaking to FEMAIL, Danica said she was able to bring her debut dreams to life with an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer over several months leading up to the party on May 31](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196310-7258635-Speaking_to_FEMAIL_Danica_said_she_was_able_to_bring_her_debut_d-a-13_1563513401148.jpg)
![Danica wanted to pay homage to her ballerina roots for the gathering, and opted for a Swan Lake theme, which she was able to bring to life with the help of an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196332-7258635-Danica_wanted_to_pay_homage_to_her_ballerina_roots_for_the_gathe-a-14_1563513402043.jpg)
Speaking to FEMAIL, Danica said she was able to bring her debut dreams to life with an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer over several months leading up to the party on May 31
![An event planner and decorator made sure the party stayed on theme and suited Danica's request to keep things as pink as possible](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196304-7258635-An_event_planner_and_decorator_made_sure_the_party_stayed_on_the-a-15_1563513405074.jpg)
An event planner and decorator made sure the party stayed on theme and suited Danica’s request to keep things as pink as possible
Danica’s gown designer worked alongside the teen and her mother to create two immaculate dresses – one for the main event and a second for the after party.
‘My first dress was inspired by Swan Lake. We worked together to create the look. It cost about 150,000 pesos (AUD $11,183), and it really was perfect,’ Danica said.
‘I’ll never wear it again, I think I just want it to be remembered as my birthday dress.’
Her second dress was for the after party – in which the elder of her guests said their farewells and parted ways, while her school friends stayed to dance through the night.
It was a sleek, black number and far less extravagant. She said she’d definitely wear it again – maybe to a friend’s party – because it was easier to dance in.
![Danica wanted to pay homage to her ballerina roots for the gathering, and opted for a Swan Lake theme, which she was able to bring to life with the help of an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/20/09/16196320-7258635-Danica_wanted_to_pay_homage_to_her_ballerina_roots_for_the_gathe-a-1_1563610435450.jpg)
Danica wanted to pay homage to her ballerina roots for the gathering, and opted for a Swan Lake theme, which she was able to bring to life with the help of an event planner, stylist, master of ceremonies, orchestra, light crew and designer
![The team all worked together based on mood boards Danica had been working on which specified the event should be pink, feminine and extravagant](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196294-7258635-The_team_all_worked_together_based_on_mood_boards_Danica_had_bee-a-17_1563513409999.jpg)
The team all worked together based on mood boards Danica had been working on which specified the event should be pink, feminine and extravagant
![Her first dress featured feather fabric, ruched edges and a daring plunging neckline which rolled into a structured skirt and a train](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196336-7258635-Her_first_dress_featured_feather_fabric_ruched_edges_and_a_darin-a-18_1563513413122.jpg)
Her first dress featured feather fabric, ruched edges and a daring plunging neckline which rolled into a structured skirt and a train
![The second dress, a sleek, black number, was less extravagant](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196290-7258635-The_second_dress_a_sleek_black_number_was_less_extravagant-a-19_1563513417480.jpg)
![She said she'd definitely wear it again - maybe to a friends party - because it was easier to dance in](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/20/09/16196288-7258635-She_said_she_d_definitely_wear_it_again_maybe_to_a_friends_party-a-2_1563610435452.jpg)
The second dress, a sleek, black number, was less extravagant. She said she’d definitely wear it again – maybe to a friends party – because it was easier to dance in
But it was the photography, taken by Nice Print Photography & Exige Weddings, that truly captured the beauty of Danica’s big day.
Immaculate photos of the party showcased the highlights, including her friends touching tributes as they handed over presents in Louis Vuitton bags and the moment Danica performed a ballet number for guests.
‘I was able to showcase what I love to do and dance at the party,’ she said. ‘I only rehearsed for a week and danced to a swan lake song.’
Guests were treated to a buffet dinner and a series of games, including a Q&A where the winners were offered prize money and gift vouchers for their favourite stores.
![Danica's friends played Q&A games where they won prize money and gift vouchers if they knew the 18-year-old best](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196274-7258635-Danica_s_friends_played_Q_A_games_where_they_won_prize_money_and-a-21_1563513421685.jpg)
Danica’s friends played Q&A games where they won prize money and gift vouchers if they knew the 18-year-old best
![The aspiring doctor and ballerina took FEMAIL through her lavish coming-of-age celebrations, which were held in her home town in the Philippines on May 31st](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196342-7258635-The_aspiring_doctor_and_ballerina_took_FEMAIL_through_her_lavish-a-22_1563513424034.jpg)
![Danica said she'd been planning the 18th of her dreams since she was a little girl and was amazed by how perfectly it all came together](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196252-7258635-Danica_said_she_d_been_planning_the_18th_of_her_dreams_since_she-a-23_1563513426586.jpg)
‘My parents and I have always spoken about throwing a big party. I used to always tell them about it growing up and they really wanted me to be able to experience it,’ she said
Danica said she’d been planning the 18th of her dreams since she was a little girl.
‘My parents and I have always spoken about throwing a big party. I used to always tell them about it growing up and they really wanted me to be able to experience it.’
She said her father, a civil engineer with his own business in the Philippines, was particularly overcome with emotion throughout the night, and that the party was the first of that scale she’d ever had.
‘We don’t really do sweet sixteens here, and an 18th is the most important birthday because its when you’re of legal age,’ she said.
‘I had so much help building my debut to be perfect and I wouldn’t change a single thing looking back on it. It really was a dream come true.’
While she’d love to plan more parties in the future, Danica said she’s now prepared to turn her full attention to studying medicine at university when she starts in September.
![Ot was the photography, done by Nice Print Photography & Exige Weddings, that truly captured the beauty of Danica's big day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/20/09/16196316-7258635-Ot_was_the_photography_done_by_Nice_Print_Photography_Exige_Wedd-a-3_1563610435521.jpg)
Ot was the photography, done by Nice Print Photography & Exige Weddings, that truly captured the beauty of Danica’s big day
![Immaculate photos of the party showcased the highlights, including her friends touching tributes as they handed over presents in Louis Vuitton bags and the moment Danica performed a ballet number for guests](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196280-7258635-Immaculate_photos_of_the_party_showcased_the_highlights_includin-a-26_1563513440657.jpg)
Immaculate photos of the party showcased the highlights, including her friends touching tributes as they handed over presents in Louis Vuitton bags and the moment Danica performed a ballet number for guests
![The aspiring ballerina had a Swan Lake themed 18th birthday bash and performed for her guests](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196324-7258635-The_aspiring_ballerina_had_a_Swan_Lake_themed_18th_birthday_bash-a-27_1563513444770.jpg)
![The aspiring ballerina had a Swan Lake themed 18th birthday bash and performed for her guests](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/07/19/06/16196340-7258635-The_aspiring_ballerina_had_a_Swan_Lake_themed_18th_birthday_bash-a-28_1563513446852.jpg)
The aspiring ballerina had a Swan Lake themed 18th birthday bash and performed for her guests