What it takes to give a personal touch to a Quince Party

When my husband, Ralph Cabrera and I, Mary Lopez, decided to celebrate my daughter, Candy's quinceanera party , we never imagined anything as elaborate as what we were able to pull off.  It all started one afternoon that I decided to go to the chapel to ask God for direction on how to plan a party which my daughter wanted about 100 persons to attend. I knew that my house could not fit an event of this magnitude. Well, on my way from chapel, the thought of the reception area occurred to me. I believe a little angel made a tremendous effort as she always wanted to celebrate my daughter's quince. This angel is my sister who was a wonderful person who had a flair for giving parties with special touches. Personally, I can be the entertainer and musician, but special touches are not my specialty.

Upon mentioning the idea of the quince, the first persons to volunteer help were my immediate family namely my nieces and nephew, uncles and aunts, grandparents, cousins, and my best friends. A list of supplies was generated and the five biggest tasks suddenly became clear. The photographer, my niece Karen, Kee Lime Photography, was chosen as she is a very creative person who can make a photo transform into a showcase piece of artwork. Below, you can see Candy's dance with her father.

KeeLime Photography's website can be viewed at:
http://www.keelimephotography.com/index2.php?v=v1#/home/
Here are some samples of her work at the Quince.

The decorations were personally designed by my niece, Cary.  She used  several snapshots from the computer images that Candy  liked and Cary brought forth her creativity with a mixture of sand, seaweed, seashells, a separate glass with a fish,as well as  a balloon attached to a seashell. It was simple, elegant, and fit the theme of the nautical party perfectly.

The rental of the hall was scheduled and it was located across the street from our house.

My nephew, Luis, gave Candy the DJ Services as a gift. The DJ was great as he played music that our quinceanera really enjoyed.  Here is their website:    http://www.socialeventdjs.com/ . Our DJ was Sergio.


The catering was provided by Carla . Below, you shall find the Menu. Her catering number is 786-256-9278.

The desserts ranged from velvet cake to chocolate fondue was provided by Candy's godmother, Cary. The other parts of the chocolate bar were provided by her cousin, Veronica who specializes in Extreme Couponing classes.

 Gourmet Cookies were distributed to each person who attended and this was made by Ivette and Karen, our cousins. It was in the form of a seashell. It was beautiful.

 As Candy selected what she wanted, her family found a way to unite for the cause of a great party. It was an incredible feeling as it was not just a party, but a celebration of bringing people together to give them a fun night filled with all the personal touches. Below, you will find a sample of the personalized chocolates and water bottles that Candy's dad, Ralph Cabrera designed and printed. He is a graphic illustrator who can design almost anything.

His website can be viewed at: http://www.ralphcabrera.com/
Ralph also put together the Menu as seen below. Once you put all the special touches together, it makes a great place setting.

We scheduled a series of practices for the introductory dance. This Latin custom involves showing the teenagers how to dance Salsa, Merengue, Slow, and the Waltz.  A speech was designed by Candy's mom, Mary and it detailed the people that were dancing and their relationship with Candy. It set the stage for the teenagers to let loose afterwards, too. Our dance instructor was Jesus Valdes who did a wonderful job of choreographing the show and teaching the teenagers how to dance. The teens really enjoyed his methods,too.

For more information on Dance classes, you may contact Jesus at 305-342-2357.  Here is a small clip of the children practicing.

Quinceanera practices        Quinceanera practice II
We arranged for the group to meet together previously to go to church. They conducted the mass normally and sang Happy Birthday as a finale to the mass. We were all pleased to bring God into our festivities as well as our local church. Here is a clip of the finale of the mass..
Church blessing

We then proceeded outside for a picture with all the teenagers. My daughter was ecstatic. She was so happy. This happiness made everything worthwhile.

Working closely with a group of teens was very fulfilling as each practice was literally a party. We met about twelve times. We would practice for two hours and an hour involved chit chatting and eating. The kids each developed their own style of dance and they enjoyed learning the different dance steps. By the time the day of the quince arrived, they had grown closer as a group and felt comfortable with each other. Even awaiting the chance to come in through a balcony was a thrill. Here you have the group waiting anxiously and having a great time!

When it came time to taking pictures, Karen, Kee Lime Photography,showed her skills as she was playful, whimsical,and enthusiastic. Note the picture below how the enthusiasm of being fifteen can be felt.

The backdrop to the picture below was taken  by Candy's dad who woke up at 5am to take this snapshot of Candy's favorite hangout where she enjoys Paddle-boarding.  We had the picture printed on a board which measures 7 feet X 6 feet. Only Pedro Diaz  at Diaz PR Group  can handle such an endeavor . 

Guests could take a picture with this backdrop while waiting on the quinceanera to come through the balcony as they are having their appetizers. Below, we have Pete Valdes, Candy's brother and his fiancee, Kristi who came from Jacksonville, Florida for the quinceanera and are the perfect couple for this sunset view. 

 It was important to us that Candy's interests be taken at hand as they define who she is.  Going to church as well as dancing, paddle-boarding,and family time are a priority for Candy.

Another important decision involved the Quinceanera dress. My daughter originally did not want a POOFY Dress, but this soon changed as she tried on the dress at Jorka Atelier across the street from Versailles Restaurant. The ladies were very helpful and looked at all of Candy's choices, but the moment she saw this dress in the mirror, she was hooked.

Candy was also thrilled that this Atelier was the same place where her mom found the dress for her wedding. It was a very special moment for them.










The decision was also made to dress the girls in the court in a short dress and the young men in a vest which would match the girl's outfits as well as Candy's.

 To take a close look at Jorka Atelier, follow this link: https://plus.google.com/116138588196000049931/about?gl=us&hl=en
Here we have Tia Nidia who enjoyed discussing all the particulars of the dress with Candy.

She also made sure to dance around quite a bit on the dance floor. Hard work deserves it's payoff. Below, we find Rauli and Rafa our cousins who made sure they got all nicely suited for the event as well. Rafa made it a point to show everyone in the party that he can run around and drive his dad bananas..

As the family members and friends start to arrive , you can feel the enthusiasm in the air. It felt like a wedding, but it was a day to say..let's have fun and let loose.  Christopher, Candy's cousin, was very happy as he was fitted for a suit. When he got a hold of those balloons on the day of the party, he made sure he let it  loose. Just seeing everyone free to be themselves was a beautiful thing..

To compliment the girl's dresses, Candy's aunt, Debbie Zander designed a one of a kind  jewel creations which  she is known for. Debbie was instrumental to the quinceanera as she calmed Mary who had just seen her dad in the hospital, took care of Zacky during the event, and made the girl's memorable jewelry.
She can make any stone come to life into  a magnificent piece of jewelry. Like the jewelry, her character is just as bubbly and special as can be. If you need a special piece designed for your quinceanera or special occasion, Debbie is the person to meet your needs . You may reach DebZ Jewel Creations at 305-298-7089. Take a close look at her creation below. The cross is the unifying piece in the bracelet as is the case in our lives. We have to take up our individual crosses and unite our families for a common cause.

When discussing the issue of Candy getting dressed up, make-up was an issue. Our cousin, Marlen De Para jumped in at once to make Candy's Quince pictures for the invite stand out.

 She brought an now older looking Candy to a crowd that was wondering how she had changed. It was Candy's chance to shine. The crown was an heirloom used by her cousin, Krystal in her quince as well.
Take a close look at what is involved behind the scenes.. as Marlen is a certified makeup-specialist. Pictured below is Tiffany who was a great help in putting together the banquet hall the night before. The Requiera and Rodriguez family were instrumental to bringing the hall together as well as Georgina and Janet on the day of the rehearsals.

Working with the best of materials in the comfort of your own home, Marlen can transform your teenager into the princess of the evening that she will be on this one day. She can be reached at 786-277-7504

Once Candy had placed her dress on, she was ready for an unforgettable night. The difficult part of the task was that Candy's grandfather had just been sent to the hospital with chest pains. Our quinceanera was emotional and putting make-up on an emotional person was not easy. Marlen did a wonderful job of calming her and making her look precious as you can see here.

The reception area had a small balcony which is accessible from a trap door. We coordinated the court coming in through this trap door, moving into the balcony while the guests had their appetizers below. 

 We had a microphone with the lyrics,"Because tonight is gonna be a good night" playing in the background. The quinceanera came out with her court and said," Hey, are you guys here for me? Really, well first of all thanks for coming. I want to see big smiles and tonight is going to be great" The teenagers released the balloons provided by my niece, Cary, which she reminded me not to put helium on,  and as they fell the crowd started to hit them back and forth.

 The teenagers had a wonderful time on that balcony. They felt like a fairy tale world. The Quinceanera says she will never forget that feeling. This took place at Beth David in Miami, Florida.
Luis Encinosa, Candy's cousin, was a great videographer as this balcony scene pictured is taken from a still shot of the video camera.  Candy's grandfather, Luis Cabrera, was the second man on the video camera and he stops a couple of times just to make sure he can join in on the dancing. Between both angles,we were able to capture this memory for years to come. Candy's Grandma made these cute little banners which are used in Mardi Gras themed parties to liven the dance floor. They were beautiful. She also made several appetizers for the event.
As you scan your vision across the hall, you can just hear " My family and friends love me" .  Her aunt Nora and uncle Luis pitched in with the  seat covers, runners, chargers, and bows for the tables. The color on the bows was exactly what Candy had pictured. Between the balloons, the fish on the table, the nautical elements on the table, shell cookie, Candy's chocolate, and water bottles, the room came alive. The look on everyone's faces was unforgettable. It felt magical because there was a spirit of love, family, and understanding.

 Here we have the introducing of the parents of the Quinceanera and both Mary and Ralph can't help but lead on with smiles...

 The court is introduced with a little synopsis as to how they know Candy, the quinceanera.

 The Quinceanera comes in and the court begins the traditional Waltz.

 The father daughter dance begins with Celine Dion's song,"Because you loved me". In the middle of the song, Candy decided to tease her dad by changing the song to , " what is love?" and proceed to bobby her head continuously. Ralph noticed the jest and started to dance this way as well. The audience thought it was funny and it made an atmosphere of jest and good times. Even Douglas our security guard and neighbor had to take a peek to see what people where laughing at.

From here, the quinceanera's sisters picked up roses on the floor that marked where the court would line up and gave these roses to Candy. As the quinceanera bent down, the girl's high heels got stuck to the quinceanera dress. It was also a funny moment. Here you can see how the twins can't help but laugh. The twins, Mercy and Angelina were so nervous, yet so happy for their sister. They had the cutest little heels on their shoes. Angie says she will never forget how much she danced and how she enjoyed wearing those heels, but at the end of the night, she was tired.

The court then gathered for a picture and we then sang Happy Birthday to the Quinceanera !

The court felt comfortable in their attire as the girls each chose their shoes. Their dresses were simple, yet elegant. The boys had vests which made it easier for them to dance. Here, you can see the unity as they shared at a moment when it was just great to be fifteen.

As the parents look on, they can only feel delight that their little one is starting a voyage to adulthood. Seems like just yesterday, she was as old as the twins is the thought on their minds.

The quinceanera was then taken away to change for her Disco dance with her uncle. It was a Disco dance that is a family tradition as Uncle George taught Candy's mom as well as his own daughter and sons how to dance Disco. The Disco lights were placed and the dance was spectacular as the upbeat music and lights energized the crowd. When coming up with ideas on how to make a quince special, you have to think of what makes your family special. What traditions have a special place in your heart and what made you feel special when you were young?

It reminded many in the family about how Candy's aunt, Candida, would dance with George even at Candy's mom's quinceanera party.  Back in those days, Mary's quinceaneras was as simple as  a back porch, christmas lights placed on an aluminum  roof by her brother, Luis, and George was the DJ. A party has a certain flair to come alive if the family is just right. In the case of this quinceanera, all of our family members pulled together to give Candy a great night.

Here we have Candy's special friends: Ashley, Brittney, and Chanel who performed a Hip Hop routine for the crowd as Candy changed from the "puffy dress" to her dress for the night. Ashley and Brittney are Candy's triplets.  All three girls performed wonderfully.  It was a great dance and the audience enjoyed it !

To view the entire choreography of Candy's Quince, follow the link below,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wJnQ8ytzcA&feature=youtu.be

Feel free to call any of the numbers listed above as we are very happy with everyone who helped out and gave us a night to remember. May this site serve a useful purpose as we each embark on the journey of our lives which only God can navigate. You may think you can plan, but God is really running the show.  I , Mary Lopez, want to personally thank all who participated in the quinceanera as this was a special event which one quinceanera  and her family will never forget.