Quinceanera?

[KillarneyRose]

Have any of you Latina GreekChatters had a Quinceanera?

There was an article in my newspaper today about a young lady who had one (there's not a large Latin population in Baltimore) and it sounds like it would be incredible. Like a Sweet 16 celebration, but bigger and better and a year earlier! :)

I liked reading about the part of the ceremony where the father put a ring on the girl's finger that was inscribed with the phrase "True Love Waits" to symbolize her virginity and faith in God. The article went on to explain that if the girl marries, she will return the ring to her parents as a sign that she has kept her promise. I thought that was really touching, although I'm not sure if that's a part of all Quinceanera ceremonies or not.

If you had one, it would be fun to hear about it :)

[DeltaSigStan]

I was in one, my friend's cousin, and my friend was my partner in the dance.

[LeslieAGD]

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
it sounds like it would be incredible. Like a Sweet 16 celebration, but bigger and better and a year earlier! :)
Some of my female relatives have had quinceaneras, but I never did.
The really big, fancy ones are almost like wedding receptions. The quinceanera has an almost bridal gown, she has her own court (like a wedding party), and all day celebration.

[Senusret I]

I remember way back when Wonderworks had a mini-movie about this called "Sweet 15."

I've never attended one though.

[KillarneyRose]

Can someone please write out "quinceanera" for me phonetically? I can't figure out how to pronounce it.

[carnation]

keen-say-ah-NYE-ra :)

[KillarneyRose]

Thanks, Carnation! :)

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by carnation
keen-say-ah-NYE-ra :)

See, you speak proper spanish. In this part of Texas and the valley i've heard it pronounced: "keen-sin-yeir-ah". But thats TEX-Mex for yah.

[mmcat]

i have some students whose families are poor as dirty -- but when it's time for the quinceanera all bets are off. the amount of money spent is just insane.

[carnation]

You're not kidding! About 5 years ago, one of my Mexican students had this unbelievably lavish quince. No expense was spared.

Recently, she was married and the wedding and ceremony were both very lackluster...not very pretty at all. Several guests commented quietly that it seemed that the quince was the big deal and the wedding was the little afterthought. It wasn't that there was a lack of money in this case--the family is loaded.

It'll be interesting to see if her sisters' weddings are like that too!

[Munchkin03]

I have a sister--Cuban-American from Miami--who refers to her Quince as her "wedding!" Most of the Quinces I've been to have been pretty calm--about as elaborate as a group cotillion. In South Florida, however, I have friends from both working and middle-class families taking out second mortgages and loans and having quinces way beyong their means.

[phisigduchesscv]

Originally posted by lifesaver
See, you speak proper spanish. In this part of Texas and the valley i've heard it pronounced: "keen-sin-yeir-ah". But thats TEX-Mex for yah.

I'm from Los Angeles and that's how we pronounce it here to. Including all my chapter sisters (2/3rds of the chapter) who are native spanish speakers.

When I've talked to friends about their Quinceaneras it seems the families do spend way more money on them then on their weddings. When I was working at Honda one woman had already spent $50,000 for the Quince (and was going to spend even more by the time it was done) and said she had done the same for her other daughter. When the other daughter got married then barely spent $3000 for the whole thing.

You see lots of Quinceaneras here in Los Angeles when you're driving by the various Catholic churces. Sometimes on first glance you can't tell if its a wedding or a Quince - they have full fledge photographers etc. Oh man, I have to tell you that the dresses of the girl who is 15 and all her attendants are fabulous and I know brides and bridesmaids that would kill for dresses like that. Often the young men acting as escorts even rent military looking uniforms to wear so they look very elegant. The only thing that I can come close to comparing it to would be our debutante balls but even that doesnt come close.

Carolyn

[carnation]

Hey, for a great understanding of quinces, rent the Disney movie "Sweet 15"! I show it to my classes every year and they love it!

[mmcat]

the attendants are color coordinated. the escorts are tuxedoed...or in some cases, rotc uniforms, drawn swords and protocol that requires lots of practice. to see the pictures are just amazing.

[moe.ron]

I think i went to one. One of my pledge brother is Cuban and while we were in spring break in florida, his cousin had something for her 16 year thingy. It was fun fun fun.

[ZTAMiami]

I never had a quinces but I did dance in a couple and attended way more than I can count! The old style traditional Quinces were preceeded by a special Mass, but i've never actually known anyone to do that. Of course I'm speaking only from experience with Cuban, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Other Latin and South Americans may do it differently.
I've never heard of the virginity promise ring! I have a feeliing thats just a special thing they threw in there. After all it is expected a good Hispanic, Catholic girl would remain so until her wedding night, so why is there even a need for that?

[SATX*APhi]

I HAD A QUINCEANERA!

Oh my gosh, all of my friends and I had quince's. Every weekend freshman year of high school we were always at quinceañeras. When I think of high school, I think of quinceañeras.

My quinceañra was a bit different than most. My sister and I are 11 months apart, so rather than spending so much money twice within a year, my parents decided to have one quinceañera for us both, mid-way between our birthdays (I was 15 1/2 and my sister was 14 1/2). All of my family and friends were there. We rehearsed beginning a few months beforehand for our presentation dance. It was a 9 minute long potpourri (a few songs mixed into one long song). It took a little over a year to plan my quinceañera, but the day of my quinceañera went by super quickly. It took all morning to get ready, mass at 3pm-ish, dinner at 6pm-ish, and dance afterward until midnight. I have a few pictures scanned somewhere. If I find them, I will post them. :)

[White_Chocolate]

In Dallas, it's more like a debutante ball. Several families hold it together. Like a girl will have one with 6 of her friends splitting the costs. It's still done on their 15th birthday but it's just bigger and a lot more Americanized.

[ksig600]

Originally posted by carnation
Hey, for a great understanding of quinces, rent the Disney movie "Sweet 15"! I show it to my classes every year and they love it!

I remember that movie, we watched it in my HS Spanish class....Til this day my friend's (all who took the same class with me) still remember the "IMIGRA, IMIGRA!!!" part

[Taualumna]

Girls of Philippine descent usually have this when they're 18, and for many it is basically a deb ball.

[dzandiloo]

Originally posted by phisigduchesscv
When I've talked to friends about their Quinceaneras it seems the families do spend way more money on them then on their weddings. ....... When the other daughter got married then barely spent $3000 for the whole thing.

That is so true...do you think its because they get sponsors to help pay for their weddings? I have been to alot of Mexican-Catholic weddings where the wedding program was filled with not only the wedding program itself, but lists of people who gave money for the veil, or the flowers, or the lariat (lasso? can't remember LOL) and what not. My sister sponsored a friend's wedding--I think her name was listed by the dress, and my husband was in one that he not only paid for his tux, but sponsored the groom's tux. And then they passed around the bag o' cash during the dance afterward. I guess that's the way to do it!