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Neighborhood Report

Marriage not a priority for modern-day debutantes

Their focus is on education and a career. A husband and family can wait.

By AMY SCHERZER and STEPHANIE HAYES
Published December 15, 2006

Hilary Noriega went wedding dress shopping before ever having a boyfriend. She learned proper etiquette for replying to invitations. She got tips about college classes and sororities.

It's all part of becoming a debutante. The Krewe of Venus welcomed Noriega and 11 other young women to their social society Nov. 24 at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg.

Dinner followed a waltz and a whirl around the dance floor and a grand promenade led by King Venus XVI Bill Calderazzo and queen Kelli St. John. Dianne Calderazzo chaired the elegant evening attended by nearly 300 guests.

"I like old-timey books and old-fashioned traditions like that," said Noriega, a 19-year-old Gaither High grad. "Nowadays, it's more of just the father telling the society how proud he is of his daughter and all her accomplishments."

Originally, coming out as a debutante signified a young woman's eligibility for marriage.

Not so today, Noriega said.

"I have never had a boyfriend, so I thought it was really funny and ironic" when she learned the history, Noriega said.

Noriega said it was fun to be paired with uniformed escorts from the Marine Corps, West Point Military Academy, Air Force Academy and USF Naval ROTC.

While the debutante program is rich in tradition, Noriega views it with a modern eye - she has met well-connected people and learned skills to further her future public relations or law career.

"I've gotten a lot of connections in the corporate world," she said. "I've met so many people who know they can help me."

Meet the Krewe of Venus debs:

Brittany Victoria Begey, 22, daughter of Dwight and Bridget Begey, is a Gaither High grad and attends Hillsborough Community College.

Jessica Marie Carnes, 20, daughter of the late Gregg and Mary Carnes, is a Hillsborough High International Baccalaureate graduate and a junior at Emory University.

Marisa Lynn Cheever, 18, daughter of Clinton and Donna Maggio Cheever, is a Gaither grad and attends HCC.

Lauren Amy Cosgrove, 18, daughter of Brandt and Amy Cosgrove, is a Gaither grad and a Florida State University freshman.

Mary Elizabeth Gregoire, 19, daughter of Stephen and Deborah Gregoire, is an Academy of the Holy Names grad and a freshman at the University of Florida.

Chantal Emmanuelle Guidi, 21, daughter of Claude and Susan Guidi, graduated from the Academy of the Holy Names and is a junior at the University of South Florida.

Monique Nicole Hoffman, 18, daughter of Gary and Debra Hoffman, graduated from King High and is a freshman at Florida State.

Hilary Dawn Noriega, 19, daughter of Brian and Penny Noriega, is a Gaither grad and a University of Florida freshman.

Kirstin Rasmussen, 18, daughter of Rick and Angela Rasmussen, is an Academy of the Holy Names grad and a University of Florida freshman.

Lindsay Ann Shrout, 23, daughter of Robert and Catherine Lambdin Jr., is a Coral Springs Charter Academy grad and a USF senior.

Megan Hyatt Stahl, 19, daughter of Briggs and Karla Stahl, is a Hillsborough High International Baccalaureate grad and a sophomore at Florida State.

Sydney Alyse Thompson, 20, daughter of Jeffrey and Linda Thompson, is a Chamberlain High grad and a sophomore at Auburn University.

Amy Scherzer can be reached at scherzer@sptimes.com or 813 226-3332.

[Last modified December 14, 2006, 07:51:29]