Over the years, we have seen many young women celebrate their first leap into womanhood, and have been fortunate enough to help many young women celebrate their Quinceanera. A Quinceanera used to be a celebration of a woman who was ready to be married and to prove her purity to anyone who wishes to court her. Today, the traditional Quinceanera party has become a bit more modern in being that woman don’t have to follow the same restrictions as they did what Quinceaneras first became popular. But there are three things that never change: the food, the dress, and the shoes. Below are six of our tips on how to plan a Quinceanera.
1) Set A Budget
When the Quincenera first became popular, it was considered a luxury to spend $5,000 on it, now a days, that is typically the bare minimum in being that they range from $12,000-15,000. When setting your budget make sure that you don’t stretch yourself too thin. And remember, the cost of the dress needs to be factored into the cost of the entire event. That way, you can ensure that you have allotted enough money for food, decorations, and of course, the cake.
2) Create a Guest List
It can be very difficult figuring out who to invite to your party. Between relatives, classmates, coworkers, and friends, it is easy to end up with an overwhelming amount of people. We recommend setting a limit of how many people you will invite. Once you have that number, try to keep it as balanced as possible when choosing between close friends and family members.
3) Select Your Venue/ Caterer
Find a venue that can accommodate the number of guests that you have decided to invite, one that is close enough to everyone you plan on inviting, and something that offers catering if that is important to you. Make sure that you book your venue in advance, the best time to call is at least 6 months before your event.
For your caterer, make sure that they are well versed in the cuisine you desire. Whether that be latin American classics or Old Style Americana, try to book a food tasting to get a better idea of the menu being offered. Once you have your food selected, then you have to decide if you want the food to be served buffet style or set up for a sit down dinner.
4) Select Your Court
Selecting your court, or Corte de Honor, can be a difficult task. Your Court represents the people who have been the most influential to you over the past fourteen years of your life. They can be either female or male (Chambelàns and Damas) and are mainly reserved for close friends and relatives. They will also be the people to help you create and hand out invitations, set up for your big day, help you select music, and will assist you in planning other aspects of your day, so choose wisely.
5) Select Your Dress
Selecting your quinceanera dress is almost as difficult as selecting a wedding dress. They come in all different shapes and styles, from ballgown to trumpet to empire, it can be overwhelming. A good rule of thumb is to go with the dress that you are most excited to wear, ad one that could be worn again.
6) Plan Out the Festivities
Lastly, it is time to figure out when the shoe ceremony will be, what kind of grand entrance you and your court will have, and any other things you would like included in your party. You may even want to consider hiring a photo booth, check out our reason why you should by clicking here.
We hope these tips and tricks have helped you in planning your upcoming Quinceanera. For more information on our services, call Staten Island Party Rentals at 718.720.0900.