The Fifteenth Birthday Party, called in Spanish "Quinceañera" or "Quince Años", is a particular event of Hispanic tradition to celebrate the transition of a girl to adulthood and to indicate that she becomes a woman. It is especially common in Central America and Mexico. There are many girls who dream of celebrating this party, which they will then remember as one of the most important evenings of their life: try it too! Here is information and advice on how to organize a fun, fabulous and unforgettable 15th birthday party!
Steps
Step 1. Discuss with your parents the idea of having a Quinceañera
You will need their approval and possibly their financial support to cover the necessary expenses. You should start planning the party well in advance, so you will have enough time to get everything done right. Talk to your parents and discuss the costs with them, like the one for the dress for example.
Step 2. Choose the date of the party
It would be ideal if it was around your birthday; however, keep in mind that it is not advisable for you to organize it during school holidays or some particular holidays, because you risk that your friends will be busy or out of town and in that case they could not participate. If your 15th birthday falls during the week, you can have the party on the Saturday just before or right after. Generally Saturday is the most suitable day.
Step 3. Choose the location of the party
A good option is generally a reception room (similar to those where wedding receptions, anniversaries, etc. are held). Find out about the cost and capacity. Your parents can help you with this. According to the Hispanic tradition, a church ceremony is usually held before the actual party. In your case it is optional.
Step 4. Choose the start and end times of the party
It is not a simple thing when you consider that, once you start, you would like the fun to never end. There is often no predefined end time because the length of the party can depend on various factors. For example: how long the ceremony will last in the church, at what time the guests will leave, at what time the cake will be cut, etc. These are all factors to keep in mind when deciding the times of your party!
Step 5. Determine who will make the fourteen pairs, or fewer if you prefer, and who will be your companion
The companion is that boy who, in fact, accompanies the birthday girl for the whole course of the evening. According to tradition, the fourteen friends and the fourteen closest friends of the birthday girl form couples and dance different dances during the evening, and often even a possible surprise dance. If you don't have fourteen friends you can invite your cousins and cousins, reduce the number of couples to seven, make only girls dance, etc. Remember it's your party, so you're free to make any changes you want. If you decide to opt to form couples, make sure that everyone has parental approval, that they are free on the date indicated, that they can take part in the rehearsal for the dances, that they are aware that the expenses for their clothes, shoes and jewelry they are at their expense, etc. The most important thing is that your guests don't steal your attention on this special day for you. It is also customary to give each guest a small gift as a token of thanks for participating. If you like, you can also have bridesmaids of your choice escort you to the party and / or organize the surprise ball.
Step 6. Choreography is essential for the fourteen couples
In fact, it is traditional for couples to dance two or three dances. Start rehearsing at least two months in advance. You can hire a dance instructor to teach you the steps, perhaps during the first few weeks; then everything will depend on you. It is also tradition that there is a father-daughter dance. If your father is not present, you can dance with a godfather, a grandfather, an uncle or any other relevant male figure in your life. If there aren't any, then you can skip this dance too.
Step 7. Hire a photographer
It will be worth it. You know very well that grandma's old camera won't make the best photos, and Mom on her part will surely be too busy to photograph you with each guest.
Step 8. Think about your dress and the clothes of the fourteen couples
You will need to know the size of each, the height, the shoe size, so you should take note of everything. It is advisable to buy the dress as soon as possible, at least six months in advance, as it may take a long time to make any changes and ship it to you.
Step 9. Make sure reply cards and thank you cards are high on the to-do list
Whether you want to order them ready-made or make them yourself, it is still a good idea to serve them in the same place and in a single period. Invitations can be in a traditional or more modern format, but they still need to specify who is invited to what, where, when and why. You can also attach a program of the evening, indicate the names of the fourteen couples as well as the names of those who helped you financially, the godparents for example, along with a poem or a prayer. Invitations are often accompanied by a photo of the birthday girl (sometimes wearing the party dress). In principle, invitations should be ordered 3 to 4 months in advance. The sooner you have them, the sooner you can ship them. They should be sent six to eight weeks before the party to close relatives and friends, and about ten weeks in advance to other guests. Response tickets should always include a dedicated space where each guest can indicate how many people will be present. It is not appropriate to specify a deadline for replies to be received. If out of a streak of environmentalism you don't want to use too much paper, or more simply you think that including a reply card is exaggerated, then it is sufficient to conclude the invitation with the formula "Please reply to the following number: (and add your number of phone)". The thanks instead should be handwritten by the birthday girl. For a more personal touch, you can also attach a photo of the party. Thanks should be sent within one month of the party taking place.
Step 10. Take care of the decorations and the music
If you opt for a themed event, such as a masquerade party or a Renaissance setting, it is appropriate that the decorations are in line with the chosen theme. Even in the absence of a specific theme, you should still pay attention to ensure that the decorations do not contrast with the colors of the clothes or furniture. The decorations can be simple, such as centerpieces, or more elaborate and imaginative, such as balloons, festoons and so on and so forth. Music should be chosen according to personal taste, but if you play songs that contain vulgarity or profanity, know that you do it at your own risk. Think about any children or seniors present and try to imagine their reaction when choosing the music. If possible, hire a DJ to do the songs and announce the birthday girl's entrance or other communications.
Step 11. Now decide on food and drinks
If you don't know exactly what is appropriate to serve, your parents can help you on this point. Chances are they are the right people to know what to serve, what's trendy, the right serving size, etc. When it comes to alcohol, your parents have to decide whether to serve it or not.
Take your guests into consideration. Is there any vegetarian? Anyone with allergies? Diabetics? Is there anyone who for religious reasons cannot eat certain foods? And so on
Step 12. Most important of all is that you have fun
This is your party and the day you need to shine! Whatever happens, don't let it deter you from having the best party of your life!
Advice
- Smile and enjoy! Remember: it's your party. It will be a day you will always remember, so enjoy it to the fullest!
- Make sure your parents don't have to pay everything. If you have relatives willing to help, ask them to provide some small expenses to make your evening unforgettable.
- If you are having financial difficulties, keep in mind that you can start saving for the occasion well in advance, even a year or two in advance.
- Don't forget the transport for your guests and your procession of honor, both to reach the party venue, the banquet or the reception room.
- Choose the one you like because the party is yours and nobody else's.
- Start planning the party well in advance so you will feel less pressure and stress from the preparations.
- To save some money, you should buy the materials you need to create the decorations you prefer and then have someone help you to make them. You can also make your own gifts to give to guests, they don't need to be expensive.
- Make sure the couples are present at the party and don't already have other commitments.
Warnings
- If you want to prevent unwanted people from sneaking into your party, you can put someone at the entrance to select the arriving guests by checking that they have the invitations.
- Make sure there are no tensions between your family or friends, otherwise they could lead to arguments and you certainly don't want them to ruin your party.
- Throwing a party like this can be challenging, so it's a good idea to ask for help from parents and other family members. This will make everything easier!
- Consider not serving alcohol, or alternatively have someone in charge of asking for ID cards to make sure the guests are old enough to drink.
