If your birthday is on a weekday, consider planning your Quince the Saturday before or after your birthday. It is common to plan a Quince on a Saturday.
The festejada, the birthday girl, sits at the foot of the altar. She is wearing a formal pink or white dress. Her godparents give her gifts – often jewelry to wear with the dress. The festejada is surrounded by her damas (maids of honor) and chambelanes (escorts). These are usually siblings, relatives, or family friends. They are arranged by age to signify the phases through which the festejada has passed The mass is a thoughtful ritual, much like baptism, which welcomes the festejada to adulthood. The mass celebrates the challenges and joys that face the festejada as an adult. After the mass, the festejada leaves flowers for the Virgen de Guadalupe. Her female friends and relatives hand out bolos—memorabilia—to everyone attending the mass.
If you want a more modern and intimate party, consider going out for a fancy dinner with a few good friends, then hosting a slumber party afterward. This way, the party is truly just about the birthday girl and her friends. If you want to involve the whole family and community, it may be more important to honor the church portion of the tradition. Consider having the reception (after-church party) at a large, convenient venue like a park or a reception hall. If your house is big enough, you can just host the party there.
If you plan on having the couples, you will need to ensure that everyone’s parents approve. Make sure that the members of the Court are not busy that weekend; make sure that they will be able to attend most of the dance rehearsals. Make it clear that the couples will be paying for the cost of their own dress/suit, shoes, jewelry, etc. However, it is customary to give every individual person who makes up the couples a small present to thank them for helping you in your Quinceañera.
There is also traditionally a father and daughter dance. If a father is not present, consider sharing this dance with your godfather, grandfather, uncle, older brother – whoever is the most important male authority figure in your life. Feel free to skip this dance if it doesn’t make sense for your situation. Practice the dance in heels, if you will be wearing heels at the Quinceañera. Dancing in heels is very different than dancing in regular shoes.
Take down everyone’s measurements, heights, sizes and shoe sizes – this way, you can rent or buy all of the outfits together to ensure that they match.
Choose music according to personal taste, but avoid music with profanity or cursing if there will be young children and elderly people at the party. Consider hiring a DJ to play music, announce the birthday girl’s entrance, and generally keep the party lively.
Consider the dietary needs of your guests. Make a list of special diets: take into account whether anyone is vegetarian or vegan; allergic to anything; diabetic; or forbidden from certain foods for religious reasons.
Keep the invitations consistent: try to make or order all of the stationery from the same place, around the same time. Invitations now often consist of pictures of the birthday girl, sometimes in her Quinceañera dress. Consider taking these photos, but do not feel the need to conform to the norm.
