A birthday party for a 15 year old girl or Quinceañera is a widespread custom in many Latin American countries and in Latin American communities around the world. It's not just any old birthday party, since it symbolizes young girls' passage from childhood to womanhood, and is a very special celebration when all of the relatives and friends attend. If you want to learn how to throw a Quinceañera we'll give you some tips and some very useful advice.
Choose a theme. Many girls choose a general theme for the whole party. Choose a theme that reflects your personality or your style and throw a party that's different and unique. This will be the very first step to throw a Quinceañera.
Popular Quinceañera themes include:
- Western Style
- Sea or mermaid theme
- Enchanted forest
- Shabby chic
- Grease and 50s theme
- Medieval
- Pink wonderland
- Masquerade
Venue. Where are you going to have the celebration? At your house or in an event hall? Would you rather make it more casual and have it outdoors, like a picnic in the countryside or on the beach? The decision is up to you, it's your party.
Make sure you book a venue with plenty of time in advance, or all the good places will be taken!
Send the invitations. After choosing the theme and location, it's time to send the invitations. They can be in any type of format, but ideally you can decorate them with elements of the chosen theme. If you want to make them more special, you can make them by hand or special order them from a print shop so that your friends and family have a special memory of that day. Another option is to send the invitations via social networks, but in either case, make sure that your guests RSVP.
Decoration. Choose a colour or a few colours that you especially like and that don't clash with the party's theme, a colour that has some special meaning for you. Then, you can wear them in your dress or other decorations like wreaths, curtains, tablecloths, tableware etc... Combine them as you like.
Food. Once you're sure how many people will be attending the party, you can calculate exactly how much food you'll need. The menu will vary depending on if the celebration is during the day or at night, but in any case, don't forget the appetizers, both savory and sweet and the soft drinks. Ask the guests if anyone has a problem with a particular food so that everyone can enjoy themselves and be comfortable. And of course, don't forget the cake.
Music. What would a birthday party be without music? You can make a playlist of your favorite songs to dance all together, or hire a DJ to take care of all the work and have them will play a waltz.
Follow a planned schedule so that there's no downtime and no one gets bored. You'll be more comfortable and relaxed during the celebration if you ask someone to oversee the schedule and different activities of the party.
Here's a suggestion for party protocol, that you can adapt to your liking with more or less detail, according to the need:
- Arrival of the guests at the party venue.
- The entrance of the guest of honour with their parents or companions.
- Inaugural toast.
- Waltz or dance of the guest of honour with her father.
- Food
- The guest of honour's visit to the guests' tables, if the tables are separate.
- A dance for all of the guests.
- Serenade and farewell.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Throw a Quinceañera - Everything you Need to Know, we recommend you visit our Festivities & Celebrations category.