Quinceaneras are pretty similar to a wedding in how much preparation needs to be done for both events. There is a lot of planning and it would be ideal to book your event at least a year ahead in advance. 

Find your date.

The day you select for the quince most likely will not be the day of the actual birthday. Make sure it a good date for your family and friends since they will be attending your function. For example, do not select a 3-day weekend during the summer since most folks will travel during that time unless you give your family and friends a good heads up so they don’t make other plans. 

Venue

Once you have your date in mind then find your venue. Most venues are booked on Saturday so its good to book it a year in advance. By some reason if the venue is already booked then the party can be planned for a Sunday at a lower cost since peak days such as Saturday would be more expensive. 

Food (the Grub)

This is one of the most important aspects of a good party. A good caterer is hard to find on a Saturday unless you book way in advance. One has to sample the food to make sure it appeals to the taste buds when looking for a caterer. A good place to find caterers would be at a quinceneara expo or wedding expo. At that moment, you can sample the yummy food. Make sure you do not go hungry to these expos since when you are hungry everything tastes good! 

Find your dress

This party is all about the birthday girl so its time to be fancy! There are a lot of girls having their quinceanera so dresses are limited. It is good to check dresses online and find out where they are located. 

Get your Mariachi On

Mariachis are not as common as you think. To find a good one is one thing but once you find one will they be available? Mariachis are good for the dinner part of the celebration. It is not a must but its mostly for the older family members who enjoy them. If Mariachi is out of the budget then the dj can be playing the dinner music. 

Get Your Dance on! Time to book the dj

Find a dj that has the Spanish music. You know your Aunt Cuca will be asking for the Chona. It would be good to find a dj that has the Spanish music and the latest English jams. Check if the dj has done high school dances to ensure he is properly equipped to do a party for the youngsters. There is a lot of family at the party so make sure they have the classic Spanish music to get everyone on the dance floor. Make sure the dj is familiar with the customs of the quinceanera such as the changing of the shoes, the waltz and the surprise dance. 

Photographer

This is a special moment for the birthday girl so it all should be documented with lots of pictures especially for the “gram”! Pictures and videos would be awesome to have. The special dance and waltz would be awesome to capture on video.