Overwhelmed by all the things you need to plan your Quinceanera? You need a comprehensive checklist, and we’ve got one! A great checklist will help you to stay on top of things and help those who are helping you ensure your day goes smoothly, so make as may copies as you need. And while your Quinceanera day checklist will differ from others, it couldn’t hurt to have a base list from which all other particulars can be included, right?!
Structuring Your Quinceanera Day Checklist
If you really want to do it right, a Quinceanera day checklist actually starts a year before the actual event. Yes, a whole year of planning! There’s no better way to do it because this planning schedule will ensure that all reservations, arrangements, and tasks are made and attended to right on time.
To make this kind of planner, divide the year into 6 parts and label them this way: 1 Year in Advance – 9 Months in Advance – 6 Months Before – 3 Months Before – 1 Month Before – Two Weeks Before.
For each label, write in the task that needs to be completed. Create check off boxes on the left side of each task (so you can mark it off once it’s done) as well as a short line on the right side (so you can add notes if necessary).
One Year in Advance
- See to the venue particulars. Book your church early, as in now, because there might be other Quinceanera celebrants or couples looking to get married on the same day as your Quinceanera. Make arrangements with the priest or church, too. Contact possible party venues and book the one you like best before your chosen day gets snapped up by somebody else.
- Finalize your short list of damas and chambelanes so they’ll know to keep your special day free. The same thing goes for your sponsors, madrinas, and padrinos. Also, now is the time to decide whether or not you’ll hire an events coordinator. Even though he or she is a pro, that person will still need the rest of the year to plan your Quinceanera along with you.
- Decide on possible themes and make your best guess on the number of guests. Sit down with your parents and draw up a preliminary guest list, so you have an idea of how many people to expect. Also, if you can find a theme now that you can stick to, your life will be easier. Both details – the number of guests and the theme – need to go to your events organizer or your Quinceanera team, so they know what to keep in mind while planning.
9 Months in Advance
- Schedule choreography practices for your damas and chambelanes. Since schedules are hard to line up perfectly, it pays to practice for the choreographed dances as early as possible. This gives everybody ample time to get the routine down pat and then practice on their own a couple of months before the Quinceanera.
- Plan everyone’s outfits. Have each member of your court get fitted for their outfits and don’t forget your own fitting. Since there are plenty of outfits to be made, the earlier your Quinceanera retailer gets everyone’s measurements, the faster they’ll get them done.
- Pin down other reservations. Ask for price quotes from florists, party equipment rentals (tables and chairs, lights and sounds, etc.), caterer, photographer, and videographer. Choose the vendors that you like best and make a solid booking with them.
6 Months Before
- Choose your invitations. Scout out the very best design that expresses your personal style. You might want a graphic designer to draw up a few styles for you to choose from, so six months before the event is the perfect time to get this down pat.
- Attend to party-specific items like souvenirs, items for the table settings, decorations, dolls, shoes, and jewelry.
- Book your DJ (or band) and emcee.
- Choose your Quinceanera day cake designer. Finalize the design of your fabulous birthday cake.
- Finalize contracts with your vendors. Triple-checking everything fully half a year before your Quinceanera guarantees that all your vendors will give you their commitment. On your end, you should have already settled the down payments and signed all necessary contracts. Make certain that you’ve read through everything before you sign! The sooner you get this part over and done with, the more breathing room you’ll have in the coming months.
3 Months Before
- Begin drafting your Quinceanera speech. If you can’t do a full-blown version yet, at least jot down topics that you want to mention, people you want to thank, and anything else you feel should be part of your speech. A few weeks before the big day, you can go back to this list and start stringing the ideas together to form your actual speech.
- Have your dress fitting. If there are alterations or adjustments needed, this is the right time.
- Begin crafting your party decorations. From this month onward, you and everyone who’s helping you can work steadily on the decorations so that, come Quinceanera day, everything’s ready to hang or mount.
- Start shopping for thank you gifts. If you can buy them now, you can have them wrapped and ready.
- Finalize your makeup artist and hair stylist. Do a trial makeup and hair run and if you’re happy, book them now.
One Month Before
- Finalize your list of party songs and forward it to your DJ or band. Give your program schedule of events to your emcee so he can start working on what he’ll say by way of announcements.
- Write the final draft of your speech.
- Submit your baby and growing-up photos to your videographer so he or she can start making your AVP.
- Mail your invitations! Get these out to all the people you want to be at your Quinceanera, pronto.
Two Weeks Before
- Call all guests who haven’t RSVP’d and finalize your numbers. Forward this info to your caterer.
- Book your limousine and car service.
- Check in with your damas and chambelanes to make sure everything is okay on their end and that all their concerns (clothes, shoes, makeup) are all resolved.
- Once everything has been ironed out, spend the remaining days relaxing so you’ll be in the best state of mind for your Quinceanera! Go to the spa, have a relaxing facial, recolor your hair – anything that you find an indulgence, do it now. You deserve it!
This simple checklist should help you have more fun getting through the tedious planning stage – as well as keep track of all the details that need attending to at more comfortable intervals – for your beautiful and exciting Quinceanera day!
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