General Planning - Q By DaVinci Blog

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3

manager — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 12:08:05 +0000

How far out of the box can you think? Our team came up with way too many ideas for just one blog, so check out these Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3 ideas.

Here’s our last shot at the best original and unusual Quinceanera themes we could find. For sure you’ll find an idea that’s interesting, charming, and makes your Quinceanera day all about you!

To get details on specifics like invitations and outfits and decorations, just type in a search using our keyword and include a search for “party” in that theme. For instance, search both for “retro theme Quinceanera” and “retro theme party.” It couldn’t be easier!

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3

22. Retro Revival

pinterest.com

Be a hippie for a day! Make a peace symbol and rainbow photo booth, and even have a tie dye cake. Carry a bouquet of tie dye roses, then take a simple white Quinceanera dress and add a pop of rainbow color by adding flowers or a rainbow underskirt!

Here’s a tutorial on DIY tie dye socks that will work for t-shirts, table runners, and just about any long fabric you want to use for your Quince: http://ilovetocreateblog.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-make-tie-dye-rainbow-socks.html

23. A Rainbow of Balloons

pinterest.com

If you love the rainbow colors of a Retro theme, but want to stay more traditional, make balloons your Quinceanera theme. Balloons are fabulous because they’re easy to work with, everybody loves them, and the price couldn’t be more perfect! Add ribbon and paperweights for balloon centerpieces, position a balloon arch at your venue entrance or over your head table, and for one of the most creative photo backdrops ever, make a balloon wall for photo ops.

Here’s a great DIY blog on how to make a wall using different styles of balloons: http://lessonslearntjournal.com/balloon-wall/

24. Renaissance Flair

Add a touch of the classy Renaissance era to your Quince with long banquet seating and plenty of pearls.

CLICK on the IMAGE to check out this authentic Renaissance dance that was choreographed for a Quince fairytale waltz.

Hint, hint: See how lovely the dance is even though it’s not perfect?!

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3

25. Be a Sport

Show off your athletic side and bring your sport into your Quince. Decorate according to the game you love, serve treats like at a sports park, and be sure to take portraits of you in your Quinceanera dress standing on the playing field. You could even dress your court in sports outfits for your surprise dance!

26. Southern Belle of the Ball

Do you love everything Southern? Set your tables for a tea party with pastel colors, parasols, and a dinner including fried chicken and sweet tea!

27. Steampunk

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If you love the fantasy literature of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a Steampunk Quinceanera could be right up your alley. Combine the feminine glamor of Victorian clothing with just a touch of gothic, and the sharp edges of machinery pieces in your centerpieces. For inspiration, watch the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen—which actually features a woman!

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3

28. Superhero

pinterest.com

Use your super powers to steal the show with a Super Hero Quinceanera! Take a cue from a DC Comics wedding trend and have a “Two-Faced” cake, then hire a facepaint artist for your photo booth.

Ask your choreographer to create a “group fight scene” for your surprise dance. Check this out for ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwMLs3sek6Q

29. Twilight

pinterest.com

For a Twilight party Alice Cullen would be proud of, conjure up a dream evening with an immortal Quinceanera theme. And if you can recruit a truly romantic guy for your head chambelane, you can reenact the key Twilight movie stills for your photo shoot!

Check out this link for fabulous Twilight party ideas: http://www.kandykreations.net/2010_06_11_archive.html

30. Wizard of Oz

pinterest.com

Follow the Yellow Brick Road! Dress for your ceremony in a deep blue Dorothy-inspired dress, carry a Yellow Brick Road bouquet, then add a super-tall tiara. Create a Munchkinland sweets table, build a photo booth with a green curtain like the Wizard himself, and add a touch of evil magic with Wicked Witch broom props.

Here’s a tutorial for authentic looking DIY ruby slippers: http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-make-ruby-slippers-from-wizard-of-oz/

31. Lime & Glitter Zebra

pinterest.com

For sure you’ve seen a lot of Quinceanera zebra prints in hot pink and black, but black and lime green is dazzling, and you can’t get any classier than classic black and white zebra print! This theme is easy to work with because you can use a lot of solids. Just scout your party supply stores for solid lime green supplies then put them together with black and white stripes.

Don’t miss the rest of our Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes series! CLICK ON EACH IMAGE below to check out more ideas:

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 3 first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2

manager — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:14:14 +0000

As promised, there are our Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2 – ten more of the most unique ideas our team could find.

Again, just use our keywords to do a search to find details on specifics—invitations and outfits, decorations, etc. Also, don’t just search for “galaxy theme Quinceanera.” Include a search for “galaxy party,” too. It couldn’t be easier!

Check out these top picks for the most charming, interesting, and original Quinceanera themes to make your day truly about you.

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2

11. Galaxy

https://www.quinceanera.com/decorations-themes/world-galaxy-themed-quinceanera/

If you’re a stargazer, or just have dreams that reach the stars, why not opt for a Quinceanera that’s literally out of this world? Think black and deep blue, twinkling stars on your dress and in your hair, fiber optics, and glittery decor all around.

12. The Hunger Games

pinterest.com

Feed your Hunger Games fever and be Katniss Everdeen for a night. And how more perfect could any surprise dance be if it was choreographed to this amazing remix of “The Hanging Tree” from Mockingjay Part 1?! It’s even exactly the right length—just under 2 ½ minutes!

Click HERE or on the image below for the YouTube remix:

Note: It starts slow but picks up right away!

13. London Town

The Thronebox outside the British Museum in London.

This is absolutely not your usual Quince theme, but especially if you love the idea of a European theme, but don’t want Paris because you feel it’s been done too many times, then a London theme would be perfect for you. Decorate with Big Ben cutouts, tiny red phone booths, Union Jack flag photo booth, and wear a dress with a royal train.

Doll up your phone booth with flowers for the perfect photo-op!

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2

14. Literature & Latte

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For a theme that expresses your nerdy but elegant side, take your Quinceanera inspiration from your love of books.

Any color scheme will work. Simply name your tables after your favorite titles, play trivia games with Shakespeare and other famous quotes, and decorate with reading glasses, loose pages from discarded library books, and centerpieces of books topped with a single candle or a nosegay of flowers.

And of course, have a knockout coffee bar with lattes and maybe even rent a cappuccino machine!

15. Lowrider

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Transform your Corte de honor into a team of cholos and cholas.

Keep it classy with hats for the guys even with their formal ceremony wear and then change into coordinated outfits for your baile sopresa.

Arrive in style riding in a lowrider, and have your reception outdoors so your guests can show off their cars, too.

16. Miami Nice

Yes, we mean Miami Nice, not vice! Flamingoes, palm trees and a corte de honor dressed all in white will transform your Quince into an evening in South Beach. Choose tropical colors in any combination you like.

Click on the image to check out this website for Miami themed party supplies & decorations:

https://www.365city.xyz/products.aspx?cname=miami+vice+theme+party+decorations&cid=1

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2

17. Mexico

pinterest.com

If you can’t celebrate your Quinceanera in Mexico, bring Mexico to you!

Go all out traditional with an all-male Corte de honor in sombreros, a mariachi band, and traditional Mexican food. Perhaps you’ll even be lucky enough to have someone in your family who can embroider your dress!

18. Murder Mystery

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If you love reading a good murder mystery and have a little touch of the dramatic actress in you, consider a murder mystery Quince. You can wear a traditional white dress for your ceremony and outfit your court in a beautiful evening look for the ceremony and opening proceedings—tuxedos or white shirts, black ties and vests for the guys and a lovely outfit for the girls, maybe in a luxurious green satin—then change into 1920s attire for your surprise dance and the rest of the party.

For everything you need to know about throwing a great murder mystery event, plus free printables, CLICK on the IMAGE to check out this site:

19. Classical Music Quince

pinterest.com

Do you play the piano or in your school’s orchestra, or sing, or just have a love of the classics? Then throw a classical music Quinceanera with a sheet music bouquet and boutonnieres, then decorate in white, black and red (or another rich jewel tone), and hire a live string quartet as part of the entertainment. And of course, they must play for your waltz!

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2

20. Parasols

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This is a great Quinceanera idea. It’s more a “direction” than a set theme because you don’t have to stick to just one style. You can have feather or lace parasols for your damas to carry for the procession and photos, use Japanese parasols in your surprise dance, and then choose paper parasols in your theme colors for centerpieces and other decorations.

CLICK on the IMAGE to check out Pearl River, the go-to place for everything parasol-related:

21. Pirates of the Quinceanera

pinterest.com

A Pirate Quinceanera certainly isn’t traditional—but maybe you aren’t traditional! Use a simple black and red stripe color scheme against white with pirate flags, candles, treasure chests and fishing nets. Wear long gloves with your red and black dress.

CLICK on the IMAGE for inspiration from Riker Lynch’s paso doble on Dancing with the Stars and dance your baile sopresa to this perfect length version of the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27mB8verLK8

Don’t miss the rest of our Stunning & Unexpected Themes series! CLICK ON EACH IMAGE below to check out more ideas:

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 2 first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Stunning & Unexpected Quince Themes Part 1

manager — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 08:17:17 +0000

Having a hard time finding a truly original theme for your Quinceanera? Think outside the box with these Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 1.

We’ve come up with a myriad of themes that we don’t think you’ll see at just any Quinceanera. And to find details on specifics like invitations and outfits and decorations, just type in a search using the keyword. It couldn’t be easier!

Here are our first 10 picks for the most charming, interesting, and original themes we could find to help you make your Quinceanera truly all about you.

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 1

Ballet

Quinceanera.com

This is a lovely and extremely feminine theme.

Tulle, tutus, ballet slippers, ribbons.
You can use any color scheme you want or …
Stick with lovely ballerina pink!

Bollywood

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Some will also call this an Arabian Nights theme.

Think bright colors, saris for your damas.
Build your surprise dance around a belly dancing theme.

Boy Bands

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Make your favorite boy band part of your celebration.

Dress your court in the group’s gear.
For instance, If you just love One Direction, deck out your court in British-inspired attire.
Find life-size cardboard cut-outs of the artists for your photo booth.

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 1

Brazilian Carnival

Create a Carnival Quince with feathers and masks, samba music.
Serve foods that are native to Brazil.
A Carnival Quince lends itself well to some of the classic Latin Quinceanera music and traditions.

Cancun

Trip Advisor

Another Quince theme that lends itself well to the classic Quinceanera traditions is Cancun.

This is a variation of a beach theme that includes Mayan ruins and different areas of Cancun like the Puerto Morelos fishing village and the Hotel Zones.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Our life is beautiful.com

If your dream come true is a chocolate overload, this theme was made for you!

Include a chocolate fountain, send golden tickets for your invitations.
Let chocolate bars, lollipops and cake pops do double duty on your tables as centerpieces and miniature candy stations.
Then wear Willy Wonka costumes for your surprise dance.

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 1

Dancing with the Stars

pinterest.com

Are you and your friends glued to the set every Monday night?

Create a Dancing with the Stars Quinceanera with mirror ball centerpieces.
Find cutout dancer silhouettes.
Host a dance competition complete with a judge’s table and voting paddles.

Glow in the Dark

Ditch the lights and dazzle your guests with a glowing Quinceanera!

Use miniature color change LED balls at each place setting – glow stick cotton candy, glowing centerpieces.
Rent anything and everything you want like a neon dance floor.
Use delicate tracings of glow in the dark Tulip paint on your gown and your court’s attire.
The sky – rather, whatever glows in the dark – is the limit!

Harry Potter

pinterest.com

Focus your Quince on magic!

Name your tables after places in Harry Potter’s world—Hogwarts, Gryffindor, Slytherin
Use lots of tall, white candles
Serve your guests butterbeer!

Click HERE or on the image below for an entire Sorting Hat of Butter Beer recipes:

Stunning & Unexpected Quinceanera Themes Part 1

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Celebrate your Quinceanera in your very own Whoville!

This theme is perfect for a winter Quinceanera.
It also works for a mariachi or charro Quince !

For everything you’ll need for a Grinch-inspired celebration Click HERE or on the image below:

There’s more where these ideas came from so…

Keep an eye on our blog. We’ll be posting as many of these best of the best, out of the box, totally unique and original Quinceanera themes as we can find.

If you still can’t choose: Click HERE or on the image below to take the quiz What Will Your Quinceanera Theme Be?

Don’t miss the rest of our Stunnig & Unexpected Themes series! CLICK ON EACH IMAGE below to check out more ideas:

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Stunning & Unexpected Quince Themes Part 1 first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide

manager — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 08:57:02 +0000

Planning is fun, but when it comes to your Quinceanera budget a bottom-line guide like this can save you time & a load of headaches.

Just like weddings, elaborate Quinceaneras require a 12-month planning period. This is essential because planning makes room for financial adjustments.

Fortunately, your 15th birthday is a family centered celebration, so you have your parents and godparents to help you with the total cost. Still, if you want organizing your Quince to be smooth sailing, you need a budget-conscious plan.

And because you can plan your dream Quinceanera on a budget, we’ve put together a handy guide to help you know what things are required for a successful yet cost-effective celebration, and how much you can expect to pay.

Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide

Venue Rental: $350-$10,000

The location of your party sets the scene, everything from the theme to the decorations and more. If you plan to spend your Quince in another country, or even very far out of town, expenses may be doubled because your friends and family will need to travel. Either way, try to keep your venue in close proximity to where everyone lives or will be staying.

Once you have a general location, look at the type of venue. Hotels can charge from $500 all the way up to a few thousand dollars to rent a ballroom for an event. Usually, that includes tables and chairs and sometimes table linens—and if so, then either plain white or very limited colors—but that does not include food. If you have a large crowd, why not start your budget off easy by choosing a barn, garden, or beach? Also, always ask for promotions or discounts during low season.

Tip #1: Make sure the venue has a space large enough for the traditional dances.

Tip #2: If your backyard—or the yard or home of one of your friends or relatives—will accommodate your crowd, give that serious consideration!

Decorations: $150 & Up

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Very few venues come with decorations other than perhaps standard table linens. Even cheap centerpieces will run you at least $5-10 each, and if you want any kind of ambiance and color, then you’re talking serious flowers plus lights, maybe balloons, pretty colored linens, all of which cost extra.

Tip: Plenty of themes make a statement but don’t cost a fortune. Check out

Flowers: $500-$1,000 & Up

https://www.amazon.com/Alexas-Couture

Floral design is an essential Quinceanera element because flowers represent femininity. A significant cost-cutting consideration is to use hydrangeas. They have much larger blooms than roses, so you only need a few for centerpieces. The other best cost-cutter you can implement is to stay in season with each and every bloom.

When it comes to vases, you don’t need a planner to make them beautiful. You and your damas can make gorgeous DIY flower holders, even just ordinary glass bottles decorated with glitter. Put them on the tables for centerpieces, use them to hold party favors on a candy table, or use small ones to hold tea lights. In addition to saving a few dollars, you’ll get to bond with the ladies in your court!

Tip: Don’t choose flowers that have to be shipped in, either because they’re out of season or because they’re not readily available in town.

Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide

Dress: $200-$1,000

Q by DaVInci Zeia Couture Style #3126

A Quinceanera gown will probably cost at least $200 depending on your theme and venue. And yes, you absolutely must look stunning on your birthday. However, spending more money does not necessarily guarantee you’ll look more beautiful. There are lots of options—if you’re willing to make an effort—for cost-effective dresses that look equally gorgeous as designer gowns. Especially keep an eye out for seasonal sales at your favorite retailer.

If you absolutely must have a tailored ball gown, at least be sure to choose fabric suitable for the weather during your Quinceanera month. You don’t want a heavy satin gown in the middle of July! Even if your Quince falls in the cooler months, there are lovely—and much less expensive—fabrics that are still stunning.

One last tip is not to worry about a dress that looks right silhouette-wise and is in a fabulous price range, but that you think is too plain. You can always have your retailer add embroidery or beadwork, and you yourself can DIY ultra-glamorous accessories.

Hair and Makeup: $70-$150

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P_eBmYKLAk

Book your stylist at least 6 months before the big event. The good ones are always taken first so move quickly on this one. You can opt to have the stylist come to your house, or your can have hair and makeup done at the salon.

Since makeup and hair styling services by professionals are very expensive these days, DIY works well as long as you’re skilled at it. If you have a best friend or cousin who is just amazing, why not ask her to help?

Tip: Book one professional makeup session, perhaps at a beauty school, and ask for an instructor to guide the student as to what looks most lovely on you as a “basic natural look.” Take notes on products used and placement of blush and shadow, plus any contouring. Then go surfing for DIY tutorials that build on that look and add party-worthy hues to the mix like brighter blush and lipstick and definitely fancier eye makeup.

Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide

Reception Food: $750-$10,000 and up (50-200 guests)

https://www.houstonquinceanera.com/catering

The number of guests is a crucial determining factor for your budget. On the low end, if you have a no-cost or low-cost venue and potluck your own food, it’ll be a lot cheaper. If you have a catered meal, even at a cost-effective venue, it won’t come cheap. The general price range these days is $75-$100 per person for a catered dinner, depending on what you include for drinks.

Since the guest of honor at a Quinceanera is underage, as well as almost all of her friends, the per-head cost will be lower because you probably won’t have much of a bar tab if any. But even at a super-discounted rate of only $50 per person, 200 people will cost you $10,000. (Can you say “ouch”?)

So how do you fix this? Guest list!

Since a Quinceanera is primarily a family affair, relatives, and very close friends are usually on the list. But before inviting anyone else, remember: It’s not just the dollar-amount-per-person for food and drinks that counts. You have to factor in invitations, party favors, and even thank you cards.

If you’ve got a nice big budget, run with it. If not, give some thought to how much you want to spend, and who you really want to spend that money on.

Cake: $150 & Up

https://party.lovetoknow.com/Quinceanera_Cakes

Just like with weddings, ordering the cake should be done months before especially if you want fondant or handmade sugar flowers. Tier cakes also require time for the pastry team. Quinces nowadays don’t necessarily follow the traditional white and pink cakes. These days you’ll see 3D effects, LED lights, and elaborate construction.

You can also have a very nice cake done by someone in your family or a friend. What you choose will all depend on your budget.

Tip: You could ask one of your Padrinos to take charge and specifically sponsor your cake!

Miscellaneous Food and Drink: $10-$30 per person

In addition to the main meal, you’ll probably need some extras. Even plated hotel dinners don’t include hors d’oeuvres, so count those in as well. You might also want a sweets table or some special drinks. Know that all these extras are also charged per head, so that guest list is, once again, a deciding factor.

One option—if you plan to have someone cook the main meal—is to order some appetizers from a restaurant or other source. That will let your guests snack during the opening portion of your reception program. It’ll also take some pressure off your friends and relatives in the kitchen as they prepare the main course.

Entertainment: $100-$1000

DJ’s and MCs may cost you up to $1,000. Bands run even higher. But there are a number of happy alternatives.

If you have friends who are in a band, ask them to play at your party.
Have a traditional mariachi band, but for only a small portion of the evening.
The most cost-effective option is to have your favorite music piped from your Mp3 player or iPod into party-size speakers.

This option will definitely make your parents’ wallets happy because buying you a few hours of downloads is a lot cheaper than even one hour of any type of professional entertainment!

Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide

Last Doll: $50-$200

Because this doll signifies the end of childhood, many want the doll’s attire to match the Quinceanera dress, and sometimes they want it to look like the celebrant. Some of the fancier store-bought dolls can cost up to $160, so you might have to decide which to spend more on: Your dress or your doll?

Tip: Consider buying a simple doll then having your mom or a family friend make its dress. Sometimes the celebrant has her real last doll—the last one she played with—that’s in good enough condition to be decked out in a beautiful dress.

Favors: $100-$400

pinterest.com

In addition to the invitations, you’ll want a memento of the fun times your guests spent at your 15th birthday. But because every store-bought memento imaginable is expensive, DIY is the only sensible way to go here. Don’t worry if you yourself aren’t particularly craft-inclined, though. We can pretty much guarantee that the gals in your court will have a blast brainstorming and then helping you. Or again, you can ask one of your sponsors to be specifically in charge of the favors. You might even have a cousin or aunt who adores making things. If so, rejoice!

**The Real Bottom Line: Creativity Saves Cash!**

We have only one last thing to say: The farther you think outside of the traditional Quinceanera box, the more you’ll save.

Yes, it’s that simple!

**Check out our three part series on great Quince themes!**

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Your Quinceanera Budget: A Bottom-Line Guide first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps

manager — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:47:51 +0000

Planning your big day is a special treat but who to choose to stand beside you ? Our guide – How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps – can be a big help.

Having your damas beside you to share the excitement and joy of your big day really makes your Quinceanera something special. Choosing who those damas will be, though—that can prove to be tricky.

But selecting the ladies of your court does not need to devolve into a nightmare if you remember to balance your family’s wishes with your own and most importantly of all, keep a check on your emotions.

Here are our best tips for going about the process of choosing the coolest damas without losing your cool!

How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps

1. Don’t rush the decision

Tiny Buddha

Choosing damas is a little like choosing bridesmaids: Don’t move too fast!

You can plan all you want in your head, but until you sit down with your folks to find out how they see things—particularly in regard to the budget and who they want you to include—do the smart thing:

Get a little notebook
Start dreaming
Put those dreams on paper

But …

Don’t talk to anybody until you talk to your folks!

2. Choose Family First

Seventeen Magazine

Talk to your parents about any family members or relations they really want you to include.

Many Quinceañeras opt to “keep it in the family” and have no friends at all. Others just select two or three for the court.

The other important thing is to let you parents have the final say on the maximum size of your entourage. If they give you the go-ahead for the full 15, then have fun collecting damas! But if they ask you to limit your court, honor that.

If you honor your parents’ wishes first, it’ll all work out in the end—we promise!

How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps

3. Choose how many Damas you want

The size of your court will depend on some of the decisions you and your parents made in that preliminary meeting.

Tradition holds that a Quinceanera court consists of seven damas, seven chambelanes plus one male escort. But your parents may ask you to include only one or two family members.

If you can’t think of five or six more gal pals with whom to share your big day, just opt for a smaller court.

4. Next, choose your friends—on paper

Make a tentative list of who you think you’d like to ask.

You might also find it helpful to list the reasons why you want them in your entourage.

Tip: You might find it useful to “rank” your friends in order of how you want to ask them.

Then as you begin the invitation process, if one of them says no, you can approach the next person on your list while giving yourself time to think of a different friend to invite.

5. Keep an open mind

keepcalmandposters.com

You’ll find out soon enough that balancing different personalities and opinions can be a challenge.

None of your damas will agree on every single minute detail.
You do need to have girls in your court who will generally get along well together.
You will also have to listen to a few gripes now and then.

While you can’t control your family as much, you do have a little more control over your friends so this next suggestion should help you a lot.

How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps

6. Who Exactly to Invite? a Q & A Checklist

quickanddirtytips.com

Your damas will need to step up and help you with the planning and preparations.

Don’t don’t stress yourself into being a Quincezilla.

You will have to include whatever family your parents ask you to invite, but before you put a friend on your list, ask yourself these questions:

Is she reliable?
Does she already help you calm down when you’re stressed?
Does she know how to let other people shine without trying to steal the show?
Is she really fun to be around or is she just funny—meaning goofy, silly and making people laugh?
Does she balance having fun with taking responsibility for home and school work and such?

The answers can be a little hard to handle if you’re honest, but this is what making adult decisions is all about: Honesty.

Remember, too, that just because your friend doesn’t make the cut to be a dama, she’s still invited to the party!

7. Be Prepared to hear “No, Thank You”

Zazzle.com

Once you have your list and are ready to start talking to your friends, be prepared.

You might be surprised to hear “No” from someone you thought for sure would say an enthusiastic “Yes!”

There really are a lot of things your friend will have to do if she’s part of your court, and there may be a lot of different reasons why she says no. Maybe it’s money, or the dance rehearsals will be too much, or maybe she’s just shy, but you didn’t realize it before now.

It is OK to ask once—just one time—“Do you mind if I ask why you want to say no?”

No matter what the answer is—even if it’s just a shrug, or “I can’t explain why” or “I just don’t want to”—give her a hug and then let it go.

Honest friends are sometimes few and far between, so be grateful—very grateful—that you have a friend who’s willing to be honest with you up front!

How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps

8. Most Important Tip: Keep Your Cool!

The absolute best thing you can do to make dama selection go as smoothly as it possibly can is to keep your cool!

Bite your tongue as much as you need to so that you don’t get defensive with your family or any friends who tell you no. (This is where that little notebook works like a charm.)
Before you say anything to anybody, write it down.
If conversations start to heat up, ask to take a break, then walk away and get to writing.

The reason this matters so much is that the #1 sign that you’re a real Quinceanera—a young woman who’s really ready to take her place in the adult world—is the ability to keep your cool!

To read all about how to go about asking your friend to be in your court, click here for Dama Selection 102: How to Ask

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post How to Choose Your Damas: 8 Steps first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech

manager — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 08:43:07 +0000

Writing your Quinceanera speech is one thing. How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech is another & it starts presentation, not writing.

There are plenty of resources for how to write a Quinceanera speech. But the reality is, what you write down to say is far less important than how you say it.

The growing-into-womanhood part of your Quince has everything to do with learning to see yourself as strong and beautiful and holding that opinion in higher value than what others think of you.

A Little Contradiction to Get Started:

We said in the intro that “what” you choose to say in your speech is less important than “how” you say it. This is true. But it’s also true that other people’s words of wisdom can be invaluable when it comes to building your own courage and self-esteem. So we’re going to offer a quote here and there. You can use them in your speech if you want to, but we hope you take them to heart and make them your own.

How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech:

1. Don’t be Afraid of Being Afraid

L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wizard of Oz, said, “There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid.”

The mere thought of giving your Quince speech may have you quaking in your pretty new high heels, but you’re not going to back out, are you? You’re going to hang in there and give that speech, and that act alone is worth applause!

2. Be Yourself with Your Words

You’re utterly and totally unique and people genuinely like you for that fact alone—which is why you may have trouble when it comes to paring down your court of honor and/or your guest list.

When you stand in front of those people who love you, don’t try to be anybody but yourself. Be funny, or be serious, or be intellectual, but above all, be you. To that end, here’s our next piece of advice:

3. Choose readings that really matter to you

There is all manner of advice out there for readings and quotes to put in your speech, but don’t use anything to try and make yourself look or sound different than you are. If you want to add a quote, choose something that is “100% you” but not because you want to impress people. Here are some quotes in different categories to think about when it comes to who you are as a young woman on her Quinceanera day:

If you’re spiritual, add a Bible verse:

Prov 31:25 “She is clothed with strength and dignity…”
Jer 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you says the Lord…”

If you’re invested in the welfare of the world, choose a classic quote:

“Love begins at home.” (Mother Theresa)
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” (Gandhi)

If you’re literary, choose a short poem or a quote from your favorite author.

Except we’re not even going to try to suggest anything—you know what you like to read!

If you adore music, quote a song title, a lyric, or an artist you admire:

“Girls just wanna have fun” (Cyndi Lauper)
“I’ve had the time of my life” (from Dirty Dancing)

“I make mistakes growing up. I’m not perfect; I’m not a robot.” (Justin Bieber)

How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech:

4. Focus

Here’s a great fake it ‘til you make it trick:

Pick 3 guests—one to the left, one to the right, and one in the middle.
Practice your speech while moving your gaze periodically from one person to the other.
If looking at distinct faces is too distracting, then look in the general directions—right, left, center—just a little bit above their heads.

They’ll never know you’re not looking them in the eye.

Your crowd will be far less likely to notice your mistakes because moving your gaze makes them feel like you’re talking to each one individually. It also gives you a chance to look at your cheat sheet if you have one!

5. Learn not to say “Um…”

One of the most distracting things that happen when someone gives a speech or presentation is to hear, “Um…um…” especially during a break in the middle of a thought.

One way to avoid this is to organize what you’re going to say in little chunks, keep your sentences short, pause in between, and even take a little breath.

Here’s a fabulous how-to tutorial on ending that weird little—um—habit. Click HERE or on the image below:

6. Stay Calm

Here’s a beautiful Chinese proverb that sums up the difference between “trying too hard” and a healthy level of nervousness:

“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.”

Of course, you want to do well, but once again, your guests honestly aren’t there to judge you. You’ll always be your toughest critic so try to remember that what you hear as “horrible errors” most likely either won’t be noticed or will seem minor to others.

7. Be confident

Here’s a great quote by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, to help you keep the real purpose of your Quince speech in mind:

“Surrender before the miraculous hope of human generosity and…just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”

Your speech really is nothing more than a very long, slightly formal thank you note—isn’t it?!

How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech:

8. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

It’s trite but true: Practice does make perfect. Once you have your speech written—and you should pull your speech together several weeks before your Quince—go over it a couple of times a day. Review it first thing in the morning while you get ready for school and then the very last thing at night.

It really is true that the last thing you read or think about seriously just before you fall asleep “sinks in” and your mind works on it while you’re sleeping. Even if you don’t completely memorize your speech, knowing the order of the ideas and being familiar with the words will help you be a lot less nervous on your big day.

Click HERE or on the image below to read How to Rehearse a Speech by Write-Out-Loud

9. Ask for spiritual guidance

Even if you’re not having a formal Mass, your Quinceanera is rooted in faith. So why not ask for help? Prayer, meditation, and even asking your local priest or minister is a wonderful way to help you find focus.

How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech:

Our Closing Encouragement

What more can we say but this?

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” (Henry David Thoreau)

Try to keep in mind that the process of seeking to do well on your Quinceanera speech is what will make the most difference in the long run.

And to sum it all up, here’s our favorite quote by that amazing author known to all of us as simply Anonymous:

“Make today so awesome that yesterday gets jealous.”

Your Quinceanera day will be awesome no matter what happens during your speech—we promise!

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post How to Present the Perfect Quince Speech first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Easy Quinceanera Guide: 15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15

manager — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:34:20 +0000

Planning your Quinceanera will be a lot of fun as long as you keep it simple. & our Easy Quinceanera Guide: 15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15 will help.

It’s easy to add a lot of intricate details, but you can plan a Quince in a very straightforward manner.

A lot of girls take a full year to plan, but you still don’t have to make it complicated. And this particular Quinceanera planning guide will really work for you especially if you’re planning your Quince a little late in the game—like maybe your birthday is only a couple of months away.

Just follow the numbers, do the steps in order or however else they suit you, and you’ll be good to go for a fun and perfect Sweet 15 Quinceanera!

15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15

1. Get Permission

Before you start looking at dresses or pins or anything else, you need permission from two different groups of people.

Ask your Parents

Not only will you need your parent’s permission to have a Quinceanera celebration, but you’ll also need their permission to plan the event.

It takes time to put a Quince party together and your folks will probably want to make sure that your schoolwork doesn’t suffer.

Don’t take time away from other important things like family obligations and extracurricular activities that will have a positive impact on your future like sports or school academic clubs.

Your parents will also need to have the final say as to whether you have a Quinceanera Mass.

Ask your Church

It’s traditional—but not mandatory—to have a Misa de acción de gracias, a “Mass of Giving Thanks” before your reception.

This is a beautiful part of a traditional Quinceanera, but you should be aware that your Church might have some conditions you must meet.

You might have to give a donation so unless you’ve saved up, your parents will have to pay for that.

You might also be required to either already be a regular participant in the parish activities, become a regular participant during the months before your Quince. Sometimes you’ll also have to take special classes or do some kind of charity work.

The other thing to be aware of is that a Quinceanera Mass is not considered a “sacrament.” Marriage is a sacrament, so anyone wanting to get married on your Quinceanera day will be given preference in the Church calendar.

2. Select a Date

Most girls plan their Quinceanera near their birthday but before setting a final date, you should also take into consideration some other things.

Can everybody make it?

Will the people you most want to attend be in town? Can you have your party outside? What other holidays, vacations or other obligations might conflict with your party?

Saturday night is not mandatory

If your birthday falls on a weekday, convention says that you should have your Quince the Saturday either before or after your birthday.

However, while most Quinces are held on Saturdays, you might be able to do a Friday evening, Sunday afternoon, or maybe even a Saturday morning.

3. Set a Budget

Again, unless you’ve worked and saved up quite a bit of money, your parents will be footing the bill for your party.

The good news is that, even if your parents want to keep the cost way down, you can still have a lovely Quinceanera at home or in an inexpensive setting.

Click HERE or on the image below for a great Quinceanera Budget Calculator:

Focus on inviting loved ones first

Just like a wedding, a Quinceanera is all about celebrating your important 15th birthday with the people who love you.

You don’t necessarily need 100 people, a grand ballroom, and an expensive designer dress to have a beautiful, meaningful Quinceanera. What you do need is creativity!

Be considerate of siblings

You also might have to “share the budget” with an older or younger sister who either just had her Quinceanera or who will have her Quince shortly after yours.

So be gracious to your parents and thankful for whatever they can do. Then put on your creative thinking hat and get to work planning!

Be respectful to potential padrinos

The one thing a Quince can have that other celebrations do not is the concept of padrinos—sponsors who will help foot the bill.

But keep in mind that when you approach them, you should let them decide what they want to take care of. Let them ask you what you need.

15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15

4. Find a Celebration Space

You have several choices when it comes to where you can hold your Quinceanera reception.

Book a reception hall

This is the most traditional but also usually the most expensive option. You can find a hotel ballroom, a social hall like the Knights of Columbus, or the clubhouse if your neighborhood has one.

Rent your Church’s recreation space

A time-honored and original Quinceanera tradition is to have the Quinceanera and her court and family, followed by her guests. They all walk in procession from the Church to the reception place led by a mariachi band.

If you either have a hall around the corner from the church or can have the party in the church itself, there’s nothing better than walking to live music.

Walking saves a lot of money, too, when it comes to transportation!

Hold your Quince at home

There’s nothing that will stretch your creativity, teach you how to stretch a dollar and make you focus on inviting the most important people than to have your Quince reception at home.

A home reception also lets you concentrate on the religious and family aspect of the celebration instead of worrying about menus and table decorations and just think of the memories you’ll make!

Click HERE or on the image below for our Quinceanera How-to Guide: 9 Steps to an Awesome Home Reception

Totally creative alternatives

You don’t have to have a formal reception at all!

You can have a casual picnic in the park.
Have a pizza party at a place with games and activities.
Take a group of friends to an amusement park.
You could even go bowling!

5. Design the Timeline

You’ll need to set a schedule, starting either with the Church ceremony if you have one until the time the last guest must leave the reception.

And once more, this detail will be dependent on your parents and the church.

Church’s schedule

Remember: a Quinceanera is not considered a sacrament by the Catholic Church. Therefore if someone wants to book a wedding on the same day, they’ll get preferential treatment.

If you want a “guaranteed” time, you can have a blessing by the priest at the end of a regularly scheduled Mass.

Parents’ preference for start & end times

Your folks need to make the final decision for when the party will end, but when it comes to what time your Mass starts, that will be up to the Church.

But here are some other things to talk about when it comes to the schedule.

Have the ceremony in late morning

If you want a church ceremony, consider starting your Quinceañera in the late morning and continue the reception through the afternoon and end in the early evening.

Have the ceremony in the afternoon

The timeline for this will run very much like a wedding, so you can borrow from wedding planning materials for ideas.

Set a firm ending time

If you book a traditional venue—hotel, hall, church basement—your end time will be determined by the facility.

It can be harder to set an end time at home or in a venue that doesn’t have a specific contract limit. Once the party starts, you may never want it to end.

It’s very tempting, especially with a home reception, to not have a designated end time and to just let things happen as they will.

But in order to keep some semblance of order, establish a time when you’ll begin to give strong hints that “the party’s over—it’s time to go home, please.”

Extend the fun with a sleepover

Probably the people most excited about your Quince will be your damas and other girlfriends.

So especially if you have a reception at home, a clubhouse or a more casual hall (just not a fancy ballroom) maybe ask your parents if you can have the girls stay over for the night.

They might really like this idea if your reception is at home and you make a deal that you’ll all pitch in to help clean up!

6. Choose your Corte de Honor

There are several choices when it comes to a court of honor for a Quince. Here are the primary considerations:

Who’s in the court?

Make sure to honor your family’s wishes and include relatives first if your family desires. It’s much better to include a cousin and keep the peace in the household than to insist on girlfriends only.

Total number of people

This is entirely optional.

The ultra-traditional Court of Honor comprises 15 couples, including the birthday girl and her escort.
It’s more common now to see 7 couples altogether.
The idea is to have “15” people or couples, one couple to represent each one of your 15 years.

Couples, individuals or no court at all

You can have 14 couples or 7 couples or no couples at all.
Some girls chose to have a male-only court—just herself, 6 chambelanes and her escort.
Less common is a court of just girls because part of the idea of the rite of passage from little girl to young lady is that you can now dance with eligible gentlemen.
You can also skip the court altogether and just have an escort.

Do Choose an Escort

Unless you go against all traditions, you’ll want to have one male escort.

Whether he’s all by himself, or whether he’s surrounded by your 7 or 14 other couples, his job is to accompany you throughout the evening.

Good choices are your boyfriend, a good male friend, a cousin, or a neighbor.

You should like the guy pretty well, and he should like you well enough to feel comfortable acting the role of a gentleman for this important day.

Click HERE or on the image below for a guide on How to Choose Your Quinceanera Escort:

Get everyone’s parents’ permission

If you plan on having a court, before you formally invite anybody, you should approach each and every person’s parents individually to explain their role and get permission.

If the family isn’t familiar with the Quince, you’ll want to explain its significance, especially if you’re having a Mass.

You also need to make sure that the date you choose doesn’t interfere with that particular family’s obligations.

You should honor your court’s family responsibilities just as you should your own, which is why the parents need to know so they can tell you right away if there’s a conflict.

Talk about clothing costs

If your family will be paying for everyone’s outfits, then there’s no issue.

But usually, each member of the court pays for his or her own dress and shoes, tux or suit, tie and suspenders, vest and tie—whatever you decide to have the guys wear.

This is crucial when you talk to everyone’s parents. They need to know what to expect and also be given the opportunity to decline the invitation if they feel it’s too much money.

Click HERE or on the image below for an overall guide to Choosing Your Damas & Chambelanes

7. Send Out Invitations.

Again, just like a wedding, there are all kinds of Quinceanera invitations, and they can be as simple or as lavish as you wish. It all depends on your budget.

Invite your Court of Honor

It’s customary to ask each member of your court to be in your celebration in a formal way.

Even if you’ve talked to them personally, it’s a big tradition to give them each formal invitations of some kind.

Even something like a candy bar with a note “Will you be my dama?” or “Please by my chambelane” will work just fine. This isn’t mandatory—it’s just really nice.

Invite your guests

Your regular Quince invitations do not have to match what you give your court.

You can choose anything you want. You can also choose the option to send one invitation per person or one invitation per couple, and you can also—unless your reception is super-formal—send one invitation per family.

Talk to your parents about how they want to handle this because you do need to send some kind of formal invitation, not just a casual phone call or message.

Include a reply card

Even if it’s a casual affair, you need to know how many plan to show up so you can have enough food, chairs, and giveaways for everyone.

Use the standard wedding invitation approach and assign a “reply by” date—usually 2 weeks before your Quince date.

8. Choose Everyone’s Attire

Now you need to decide who wears what, how fancy everything will be, and what it will all cost.

Your dress & shoes

The classic Quinceanera dress is a ball gown with a giant hoop skirt, but you can wear just about anything you want as long as it’s a long formal style gown.

You’ll also probably switch out for the surprise dance if you plan to do one, so you’ll either keep your bodice and change your skirt or wear a different dance outfit altogether—whatever your choreographer suggests.

You’ll also need 2 different pairs of shoes: One pair of flats for the religious ceremony and for the beginning of the reception, then one pair of dressy high heels. You might also have a 3rd pair of shoes for the dances.

Clothing for court of honor and/or escort

The most formal Quinceaneras have the girls in gowns, either long or short, and the guys in tuxedos or suits.
Your guys can just wear a nice shirt and trousers and then a vest and tie, or perhaps just dressy suspenders and a bow tie.
The only “rule” is that nobody wears jeans, t-shirts or sneakers to the religious ceremony, but that’s just common sense when it comes to anything held in a church.

Attire for parents & guests

Sometimes the Quinceanera’s parents dress up in evening wear and sometimes they just wear something really nice. It all depends on the formality of the reception.

Guests invited to a Quince dress just as they would for a wedding: they match the formality of the event.

Occasionally a Quinceanera will decide to have a theme reception and ask the guests to dress accordingly.

Just make sure your crowd will like the idea of theme attire before you impose any suggestions or restrictions on what they can and cannot wear.

Click HERE or on the image below for Quinceanera Attire: 6 Creative Choices for Your Guests & Corte de Honor:

9. Select your Food & Drink

There are just as many options of what to serve your guests as there are ideas for Quinceanera celebrations! Here’s a super-basic guide to get you started:

Formal plated dinner or buffet

If you plan to rent a ballroom or an elegant venue, then for sure you want either a sit-down dinner or a formal buffet.

Casual style

There’s no reason you can’t have casual food in a rented ballroom. If the theme of your Quince is casual but you chose a banquet hall because you need room for all the people on your guest list, just have the caterer prepare a less formal dinner.

Family potluck

This is perfect for a home Quinceanera, and also, you might be able to bring your own food to some casual reception halls like a Knights of Columbus or a clubhouse.

Picnic/Barbecue

Throw a picnic in your backyard, have a block party barbecue, or have casual catering brought in like fried chicken.

Don’t forget the Cake!

No matter what style reception food, you must—really must—have a cake. Part of the big deal about going from little girl to your lady is having a cake to cut, and it can be as fancy or as simple as you want. You can also have one smaller cake to cut, then serve sheet cakes or cupcakes.

Decide how to toast

It’s traditional to have a toast to the Quinceanera, but there are different ways to do it, so ask your parents what they prefer.

Your Quinceanera toast might be your first taste of real champagne, or your family might want you to stick to sparkling grape juice.

Everyone in the court of honor is included in the toast, so if any of their parents object to real champagne, honor their wishes and choose non-alcoholic.

Last consideration: Diets & Allergies

It’s really no trouble to stick to foods that everyone can eat, or have some special menu items for those with specific allergies. Just be aware and ask around to see if you need to be careful about anything in particular.

Click HERE or on the image below for Quinceanera Menu Themes & Fun Ideas

15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15

10. Organize the Traditions

There are a handful of traditions that go with a Quinceanera. You can choose some of them, all of them, or none of them. Here’s the basic list:

Changing of the Shoes

Changing your shoes implies that you’re becoming a woman. In a traditional ceremony, your dad or perhaps your escort will make a show of slipping off your “little girl flats” and helping you into your “grown up high heels.”

Crowning with tiara & scepter

A tiara and scepter are symbolic of you being a princess in the eyes of your family and also, with regard to the church, a princess of God.

La ultima muñeca (Last Doll)

This is a fun tradition you might want to keep even if you don’t do a scepter or tiara.

The idea is that you have one last doll as a little girl that you carry for a while at the reception.

Then, also symbolic of your change from little girl to woman, you hand the doll over to your younger sister, or cousin, or perhaps a young friend if there are no close female relatives.

The classic traditional doll is often made from porcelain and designed to look like the Quinceañera, but these days you can use any material that you want.

You can buy a doll already in costume, or purchase something cute like a Cabbage Patch doll and make it a little dress to match yours. You can even make a special dress for your real last doll if you still own one.

Click HERE or on the image below for 6 Quinceanera Traditions: The How & Why Behind the Celebration:

11. Dancing: Choreographed & Casual

A big part of a Quinceanera is dancing and again, this can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. The two things you’ll probably want to include is a First Waltz and also a Father-Daughter dance, but you can combine those two. Here’s a list of the standard traditional dances:

Fairytale Waltz

Traditionally this is a fancy choreographed dance done by the Quinceanera, her escort, and her entire court. The idea is that this is your first “grown up affair” which includes dancing with gentlemen and not just with the other little girls.

Father-Daughter Dance

Unless you chose to have no dancing whatsoever, you’ll want to include this. You can have a Mother-Daughter dance instead if your dad isn’t available, or have a Mother-Daughter dance in addition to the Father-Daughter dance.

Baile Sopresa (Surprise Dance)

This is a fun choreographed dance done by the Quinceanera and her court, but it doesn’t matter if the court is couples or just guys. You can also do the bachata or another dance with just your escort, or prepare a surprise dance with your dad or mom.

Reception Dancing: Yes or No?

If you have a casual reception in your backyard, you might or might not put on some tunes.

If you have a formal reception, you’ll definitely want a band or DJ and have dancing like you would at a wedding.

But you still have the option of not having any dancing at all. It all depends on your choice and your budget and the overall style of your Quince celebration.

Click HERE or on the image below for Your Quinceanera Dances: All You Need to Know

12. Hire Photographer & Videographer

The one thing you definitely want is a set of beautiful formal photos to remember your Quinceanera.

Professional Photographer

You can hire a photographer to do photos all during the ceremony and reception, including formal group poses. But you could also limit the formal pictures to just a photo shoot with you alone, rather like a high school graduation photo package.

Professional or Amateur Videographer

The decision for a professional videographer depends on the formality of your Quinceanera and your budget, so talk to your folks. For sure you can always have a friend capture the action with a video camera or even a good video on a tablet or high-end smartphone.

Professional and Amateur Casual Shots

It’s a lot of fun to arrange for formal photos done by your pro and then create a hashtag for selfies. You can also put disposable cameras on the tables like they do at a wedding, or let a friend who’s a photography bug have fun snapping pictures.

Click HERE or on the image below to check out this blog: The 411 for Quinceanera Photography

Just for fun:

Whether or not you go with a professional photographer or just want to take better selfies, here’s a great little guide for how to pose for perfect pictures! It’s got everything—full length poses, seated, even facial expressions!

Click HERE or on the image below for 54 Portrait Ideas–with Instructions!

15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15

13. Plan Decorations & Music

Just as there are many types of Quinceaneras, there are many ways to decorate your party.

Choose a theme or a direction

You can give your Quince a fancy theme like Masquerade or Renaissance then choose decorations and invitations to match. Or you can just pick a color scheme you like as a way to tie things together.

The only thing to keep in mind is to not have the reception decorations so different that they clash with your dress and court of honor outfits. You want all the photos to look good, even the selfies.

Keep decor simple or go all out

Let your personal taste decide what’s included in the decorations—flowers, streamers, balloons, lights—then let your budget decide how much of each thing you have. It really is perfectly okay to just have nice tablecloths and a simple centerpiece.

Choose what kind of music to have

If you go the formal route, you’ll want music selections for each different part of your Quince reception, maybe played by a band or DJ. You can accomplish the same thing with your iPod and a set of speakers. There’s plenty of advice out there on how to deal with Quinceanera music—this is just a basic checklist guide.

Make the music appropriate

Of course, you’ll want to have music that you and your friends like, but you might want to play it safe and not have too much hip-hop or anything with controversial lyrics. This goes back to being a thoughtful young lady and having respect for both the youngest and oldest guests at your reception.

Also, when it comes to the Father-Daughter dance, it’s extra sweet if you let your dad pick the song.

14. Send Thank You Notes After the Party.

You can order beautiful monogrammed notes that match your invitations, but they should be blank inside.

Write each note by hand

You absolutely must write each and every thank you note by hand. Make sure to address the person by name and write a little bit about the gift. But to add a fun twist, you could make the thank you’s a picture card from your Quinceanera.

Mail thank you’s within one month

Any longer may seem rude, or might give the impression that you’re unappreciative, and maybe even make people think you’re lazy, and you don’t want that!

15. Have Fun!

Your Quinceanera comes just once in a lifetime, and it’s definitely your day to shine. One or two little things will probably go wrong, though—remember Muphy’s annoying Law? But you’ll do fine if you focus on what your Quince is all about:

On this memorable day, you will change, like magic, from a little girl to a wonderful, beautiful young lady.

Congratulations, birthday girl!

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Easy Quinceanera Guide: 15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15 first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

10 Ways to Spice Up your Quince Reception

manager — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 08:04:47 +0000

No matter how you plan it—old-fashioned, chic, or totally contemporary—your Quinceanera day will be beautiful, memorable and fun simply because it’s your Quinceanera. But Quinceanera receptions are a little like salsa. Depending on your taste, they may be mild and traditional, a little bit spicy, or smokin’ hot. If you’re looking to ramp up the fun a notch or two—or three or four—you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got 10 fabulous ideas that can take your Quince from amazing all the way up to astonishing.

1. Have a game or two for your guests

You can have some games ready for your guests while they wait for you arrive, and some others to play at different times during the reception. Here are a few ideas:

Have one giant bingo card on each table before everyone arrives. Then while they’re waiting for you to take pictures, have someone call the numbers and the table that wins gets a little prize basket with goodies for them to share—maybe homemade treats (baked by you personally, of course!).
Tape a prize to the bottom of one guest chair. Then at some point during the evening, ask the DJ, your dad or your Padrino to have your guests to look under their seats. This prize doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive—maybe a $10 gift card or a couple of movie passes—something practical that works for everybody.
Play “Hot Potato” with something like a small bean bag. The winner at each table gets the prize—perhaps the table centerpiece to take home at the end of the evening.
Play charades or Pictionary with prompts especially geared toward Quinceanera traditions and words.

2. Get everyone to dance your baile sorpresa

Start out with a solo or couple’s dance with you and your escort, then have your court come up and start a line dance. Then have the DJ invite everyone to the floor. You can do a retro disco hustle, a country & western line dance, or even reincarnate the Macarena!

3. Have a Quince slideshow that includes goofy family photos

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Build your slideshow of beautiful pre-Quince formal photos and cute growing up pictures, then add a few totally outlandish family pics. These can be from the past, or you can create the goofiness especially for your Quince. Your court of honor for sure will be up for a few silly poses during your dance rehearsals!

4. Throw in an Hour of Karaoke

This is easy if you hire a DJ who also does karaoke. A good place for this might be between the end of dinner and the start of your surprise dance.

Tip: This is actually a very practical plan because you and your court will have a little time to let you dinner settle. You don’t want to go jumping around on full stomachs and risk nausea—or worse!

5. Have a Fog machine & light show

If your DJ does karaoke, he or she may well already light options. If they don’t have fog, you can buy or rent a machine.

Tip: If you buy the fog machine, you’ll have a built-in atmosphere maker for Halloween or New Year’s parties.

6. Plan a Piñata

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This is great for both little kids and your friends. You can even have 2 piñatas—one for the kids filled with candy and one for your friends with goofy things like rubber bracelets and light up earrings.

7. Have a girl-asks-boy dance

This is a fun thing to include and is really simple. Ask the DJ to announce that the girls need to ask the guys to dance, then you lead off by dancing with your dad or your escort, maybe even your brother.

8. Cake pops!

Must we say more? They really are a lot of fun, and you can stack them in tiers around your cake, make a “cake pop bouquet” for a centerpiece, or use them as giveaways or prizes.

9. Start—or end—the party with a dance-off

At a dance off, everybody gets on the floor and dances for as long as they can until the music stops. But if they stop while the music is still playing, the scorekeeper raises a sign that says “You are Out.”

A good time for a dance-off is after dinner, and you can hand out trinkets to everybody—glow bracelets, light up jewelry, noisemakers, etc. You can also play a few rounds at different times of the evening, maybe even award prizes for the best or most creative moves—or the most ridiculous.

Here’s exact directions on how to pull off a dance-off: http://www.party411.com/planyourparty/occasion/birthday/sweetsixteen/sweet16partygames.aspx

10. Hold a Traditional Recalentado

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Invite some of your closest friends and family to breakfast or brunch the morning after your Quince. The tradition is called the recalentado—the “re-warming.” That’s because you literally warm up the leftovers from the night before and have a mini-party. This can be especially fun if you have your damas for a sleepover after your reception. The best part is, you can have one more fabulous feast that nobody has to cook!

One word of caution:

We know all of these ideas are great, but don’t use all of them for your Quince. Save a few for your graduation party in a couple of years!

If you’ve just started planning & need a super-simple guide to help you put together your Quinceanera, Click HERE or on the image below check out our blog on 15 Steps for a Perfect Sweet 15:

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post 10 Ways to Spice Up your Quince Reception first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Preparing for Your Quince Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

manager — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 08:16:48 +0000

If you want to begin in church, bring these Quince Mass: 15 Crucial Questions concerning how your church would like you to see you celebrate your 15th birthday.

When it comes to this holy occasion, the rules and regulations of your church or parish must be honored. Abiding by these rules may change the way you plan the rest of your celebration. Make time to sit down with your parish priest or representative early. Just bring this list with you & ask all these questions and any others you or your family have.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

1. Reserve the church and check the availability of a priest

You want to do this at least six months before your Quinceanera date. Also, ask if the priest wants to prepare you during the planning process.

2. Ask if you need to be active members of the parish

Most, if not all, parishes require that the Quinceanera is baptized, has had her First Communion, and need submission of the certificates from those sacraments. Your parents may also need to be participating members of the parish before you’re allowed to book a Quinceanera.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

3. Regarding preparatory class costs

It’s not uncommon for parishes to require not only that you be a member of that church. You also might have to take a preparatory class or two. These classes are usually similar to first communion classes, and sometimes there’s a fee. Be sure to ask if the parish requires payment or a donation.

4. Donation or fee for the church

Once your requested date is on the church calendar, more than likely you’ll be expected to pay a fee or donation—and it may well be non-refundable. Check the policy very early on. Some churches that charge as much as $400.

If your church’s fee is high, give some serious consideration to sharing your Quince Mass with another girl or two.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

5. Ask if the Mass can be private or must be in a group

Different parishes have different rules. Some will insist that you share the spotlight because they want the focus to be on the liturgy and the blessing. Others have a standard policy to have one Quinceanera Mass for all girls turning 15 in that month. Still other churches will let you have your own private Mass. Make sure to ask well in advance so that you’re not disappointed.

6. Decoration requirements and restrictions

Churches vary as to their requirements. Some will let you decorate the pews while others will not. Some expect you to provide a large flower arrangement or two for the altar. With others, it’s optional. Lastly, some parishes will let you take the decorations with you to use at your reception or home. Others require that you leave all flowers in the church after your Quinceanera mass is over.

7. Other decorating rules

Be sure to ask how much time you’ll have for setup and breakdown of the sanctuary decorations. You’ll need to know how early you can get in and how soon you’ll need to have everything out of there—unless you’re required to leave all embellishments in place.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

8. Music requirements and restrictions

If you want the church choir or other church musicians to play for your Quince Mass, it’s your responsibility to cover the fee. Also, some churches allow only the church choir to sing during the ceremony while others will let you have musicians of your choice.

If you want a mariachi band to walk you into the church or lead the procession afterward, be sure to ask well in advance. Some churches don’t permit such things.

9. Quinceanera rehearsals

More than likely, you’ll have a formal church rehearsal. If so, it’s common for the church to require that everyone who plans to participate in the ceremony be present at the rehearsal. Otherwise they can’t take part in the ceremonies within the Mass.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

10. Double check clothing restrictions

To see more details Click HERE Q by DaVinci Style 80426

Some parishes insist that your shoulders be completely covered and not just with a chiffon bolero. Ask if your church requires an opaque jacket or shawl and anything else like gloves. Also, ask if there are dress bodice restrictions.

There may be other limits as well regarding what your court of honor can and cannot wear. For example, certain parishes don’t allow the chambelanes to wear tuxedos. They also might have a requirement for the length of your damas’ skirts.

11. Customized wording

If you want something in your Mass or blessing to be customized, be sure to get permission on three counts:

Does the church allow customizing at all?
If so, who needs to approve the changes?
How early do the changes have to be submitted?

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

12. Photo and video rules and regulations

Click HERE or on the image above for our blog 411 for Quinceanera Videography

So that you’re not disappointed come Quinceanera day, ask ahead of time what restrictions there are regarding photography and video of your Mass. Most of the time whatever is allowed for a wedding will be allowed for Quince. But once in a while, the parish insists that Quinceaneras be less elaborate. Ask these questions and any others you think of:

Can your entrance into the church and the Mass itself be photographed?
Can you take formal pictures in the sanctuary?
Are you allowed to take photos on the church grounds?
Can you include the priest in the photos?
If videography is allowed, what are the restrictions?

13. Concerning confetti, rose petals & bubbles.

You might not care one way or the other, but in case you want a sendoff after the Mass, ask in advance what, if anything, your guests are allowed to do. Again, these rules may be the same as for weddings. Or they might be discouraged as a way to focus on the spirituality of the day.

Preparing for Your Quincea Mass: 15 Crucial Questions

14. Special accommodations

If you know that one or more of your guests may need assistance, double check where a wheelchair can be placed so the guest can see the Mass. Also, ask if there’s a handicap ramp for wheelchairs and walkers.

You might have access to a changing room for you and/or your damas so ask to use the bride’s room if there is one.

15. Availability and rate of celebration hall

Many churches would love to have you celebrate your reception in their banquet hall and most charge a fraction of what a regular venue would cost. Unless you have your heart set on a particular place, give some serious consideration to celebrating your entire Quince at your church.

Besides, this may be the perfect way to add a very special touch to your Quinceanera celebration:

Just imagine how cool it would be to have a traditional procession from the sanctuary to the church hall with you, your court, and all your friends and family led by a mariachi band!

If nothing else, by having your reception in the church hall, for sure you won’t have any parking problems. Nobody will get lost on the way to the reception. And you can save a bundle on that pricey limousine!

If you’re curious as to exactly why your church or parish may make a big deal out emphasizing the sacred part of your Quinceanera, Click HERE or on the image below to find out What makes a Quince so Spiritual:

For the very best collection of great ideas for planning your Quinceanera & adapting to circumstances that may have delayed your big day, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci blog:

The post Preparing for Your Quince Mass: 15 Crucial Questions first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.

Boyfriend, Guy Friend or Family: How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort

manager — Tue, 11 May 2021 08:40:07 +0000

When it comes to your Quinceanera, one of the most important is Boyfriend, Guy Friend or Family How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort — it’s not always easy!

Of all the things you need to plan for and decisions you have to make, choosing your escort for your big day can be both fun and challenging.

Your head chambelane is not “just the guy who escorts you down the aisle.” He’ll have a lot of responsibility and will have to shoulder some stress of his own.

There are quite a few options—your brother, your boyfriend, maybe your best male friend from school or church or another group.

Let’s take a look at the pro’s and con’s of each type of escort and see if we can help make your decision a little easier.

How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort

Number One Factor: Trust!

Before you go too far with deciding who you want as your escort, think about who you can trust. Your escort will be in the spotlight with you throughout a very exciting but also very long and very hectic day.

The job of head chambelan demands maturity, and the more mature your choice is, the easier it will be to trust him.

He’s also going to have to be willing to tolerate some of the more spotlight-oriented activities — practicing your dances and posing for photos. A trustworthy, mature escort can actually help you feel more confident. One who’s not as dependable can make your day more stressful.

You’ll be center stage all day and so will he, so who should you choose for your head escort? Hmmm, let’s see…

How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort:

Who do I ask?

Guy Friend:

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A guy who is a really good friend to you can be a great choice. What better way to make sure you have loads of fun no matter how awkward the situation becomes?

He’ll pamper you and put your priorities before everything else because that’s what friends do. Your best guy friend understands you completely and will support you.

Still, consider his love interest (or interests) before you ask him to be your head chambelan. You don’t wnt to cause a rift between couples.

One option: If he has a girlfriend, and she’s OK with him being your head escort, why not ask her to be one of your damas?

Boyfriend:

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If your boyfriend has a responsible side—works hard at school, or maybe holds a part-time job—consider asking him. Especially if he’s respectful to teachers and to your parents, you can trust him with all the responsibilities a head chambelan is supposed to perform.

Also, just imagine you and your boyfriend all dressed up in church! That might make the bond between you even stronger.

Having your boyfriend as your escort can also make your Quinceanera particularly memorable. This is true especially if you two really feel something for each other.

Brother or Cousin:

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If there’s any male you know who truly understands the importance of your Quinceanera, it’ll be a guy in your family.

Opting to have one of your male relatives as head chambelan will also save you from most, if not all, of the unexpected embarrassments. You also won’t have to take any extra efforts in convincing him or spend a little money on his attire.

The only downside is if you don’t get along with any family members in particular. But there’s probably at least one male relative who’ll do just about anything for you simply because “you’re family.”

How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort

Weighing the Options

The biggest factor is that you need a guy who will take your dream as seriously as you do. If he can not—or will not—take the role seriously, you might need to consider asking someone else.

Your choice of escort is one thing you don’t have to compromise on. You deserve to have the very best companion who will make you feel safe and special and maybe even prettier than you already are.

Don’t compromise on your Quinceanera escort! It’s your day, and you deserve an escort who will do things your way—at least just this once.

Do the very best you can with planning, including choosing a good head chambelane. That way you’ll give yourself possibly the best memory of your first 15 years.

Qualities to look for in a Quineanera escort:

He should like dressing up at least a little bit.
He should have an easy smile especially for people and also for the camera.
He should have a reputation for being punctual (this is super-important for dance rehearsals).
He should know how to carry himself in dress clothes and not slouch or insist on an untucked shirt or what have you.
He should have at least a bit of physical strength so he can support you during the dances and help carry you around if that’s part of the choreography.
Bonus if he has excellent table manners, but at least make sure he knows the basics.
He needs to be willing and able to ignore any of his buddies who might try to make fun of him for doing all the little things necessary to help you shine.

How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort

A Few Last Tips

Ask friends and family for advice on who to choose.
Make a list of possible guys, then compare what you know about him to our list above on qualities to look for.
If you’re particularly popular, you may have more than one guy who wants the job. That can make things really interesting, so if you’re in that position, see if you can rank each guy according to how many qualifications he meets.
Even if you choose a relative who you know will understand a Quinceanera without needing a crash course, have a face to face meeting. Let him know your plans for the day and ask for his full cooperation.
Let you first choice say no and if he does, thank him and then move on (this is why you need a list!).
Let him know what you want for attire, so there won’t be any surprises.
Pay attention to how he treats you during the meeting when you invite him to be your escort. If he isn’t respectful, or if he laughs inappropriately, or does anything to make you feel uncomfortable—move on to your next choice.

Last Point:

If you end up having a family member who your parents select for you, don’t automatically think it’ll be boring.

Sometimes parents see qualities in guys that you might miss because let’s face it:

Male family members may make a point to purposely goof off in front of female relatives for the very same reason they goof off with their buddies. It all has to do with “saving face” and looking macho.

Choosing the right escort isn’t necessarily easy, but just like the rest of your Quinceanera planning responsibilities, it can still be fun.

For a guide to the essential duties of your court of honor—which you can show to your head escort prospects to see if they’re cool with the plan—this is a great resource. Click HERE or on the image below to read Corte de Honor: Selecting Your Damas and Chambelanes:

For more Quinceanera traditions, planning, and, of course, beautiful Quinceanera dresses, Click HERE or on the image below for Q by DaVinci’s blog:

The post Boyfriend, Guy Friend or Family: How to Choose your Quinceanera Escort first appeared on Q By DaVinci Blog.