Please Help Me Understand La Quinceanera

Decorating By KimAZ Updated 6 Oct 2005 , 7:51pm by briansbaker

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KimAZ Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 12:27am
post #1 of 18

Hi Everyone,
I am hoping to make a Quinceanera cake for someone soon and I really want to understand this celebration. I've read about it online but sometimes it says it's a celebrations for a girl turning 15 and sometimes it says turning 16. Which is it? What is the difference?

Also, I know these cakes are similar in style to wedding cakes but I've also read that they can be any colors, but usually pastels and not so much white like wedding cakes. Is there a "rule" on this? Or is it just up to the person?

I know I've seen some quinceanera cakes here at CC but can't find them anywhere now. If anyone has any photos to share, please help. I have looked everywhere and can only find one website with them. All the rest are wedding cakes. ( which I know can be made into quinceanera cakes)

Thanks so much!
KimAZ

17 replies
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MariaLovesCakes Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 12:38am
post #2 of 18

The Quinceanera and Sweet 16 are pretty much the same thing. Its just the difference of the culture that changes the age because of when they think the maturity or womanhood of the girl is reached.

And yes, the cake style is up to the parents of the girl. They should choose a theme to help you out. Like her favorite things, past times, etc.

The theme could be ballerina, princess, teddy bears. Ask the parents to see what her daughter would like to see reflected on her cake.

Wilton has some of these type of cakes if you have their yearbooks.

Here is a few links of these type of cakes:

http://www.myweddingcakes.com/Quinceaneracakes.html

Here is the the link cake central quinceanera cakes...

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=thumbnails&album=61

I will see if I can find more...

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pkcakes Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 2:52am
post #3 of 18

Quinceanera as the name tells (quince=15 and añera=refers to year) The colors for the quinceanera as you say are pastels otherwise the parents and girl want something different. It depends of the culture and the country their roots come from. Some countries use just light pink for the quinceanera cake meanwhile others could use off white. And as marialovescakes says Sweet 16 is almost the same thing just in different age. icon_wink.gif

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nanni Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:14am
post #4 of 18

Most Wilton yearbooks have at least 1 quinceanera cake in them. You might take a look there if you have the books or maybe on the website. I have "googled" for alot of cake ideas-maybe you can take a look there for some ideas...

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alimonkey Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:27am
post #5 of 18

Most quinceanera cakes I have seen have been white and light pink. I always think of them as the wedding cake a typical 6 year old girl would like. Sweet is a word that comes to mind for most of them as well.

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bubblezmom Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:34am
post #6 of 18

The quinceanera (15) is very different from American sweet 16 birthday parties. The closest thing I can think of would be a Southern debutante ball. For quinceanera, the girl attends a mass and then have a what we would consider a wedding reception. The girl may have a dozen attendants just like a real wedding. The extended family are "sponsors" to help with the enormous costs. My neices would be horrified at the thought of a wedding-style sweet 16 party. Big cultural difference. Of course, not everyone can afford a lavish celebration. I would think that an elegant cake would still be very important.

hth

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Barbara76 Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:34am
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I am from Brasil, and mine was a salmon color, pink is a common color, but I don't like it very much icon_smile.gif

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crp7 Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:40am
post #8 of 18

There is a category for these under birthday cakes in the gallery here.

C

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alracntna Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 1:47pm
post #9 of 18

When we did my SIL's Quinceanera, the cake was a 9 tier wedding type cake that was white with navy blue accents. Her colors were navy blue, white and silver. then the cake is dressed up just like a wedding cake. It does depend on the different cultures but you should have no problem because when people have these dances, they pretty much know what everything is going to look like and they should be able to tell you exactly how they want the cake. My daughter is almost 5 and I already have some things for hers bought and I know what her cake will look like. I know this type of party may not seem practical but it is tradition in the Latin community and most, if not all Latin girls want this party

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MariaLovesCakes Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 2:51pm
post #10 of 18

I told my eldest that I probably would be sending her to a cruise or something....

But just in case.... I will be looking at the simplest way to do this event...

I have a friend that spent over $10,000 on her daughter's Quinceanera..

I about died.... If you have the money, okay, but if you don't, I don't think it is a good idea to go into debt doing a birthday like this...

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alracntna Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:03pm
post #11 of 18

This is very true Maria, that is why I have started so early. even though you get sponsors, we all know that sponsors can tend to back out at the last min. So I have started early so that the money is not such a big issue. I have the crown, ring, neckless, and I am going to do the cake so that is a good $400 there with just the cake. I will also do the decorations on my own so I dont have to pay someone for that. You can get around spending an ungodly amount of money.

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alengirl Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 3:14pm
post #12 of 18

When I turned 15, I had a big Quinces party! Well, it was big, but not as big as some of the ones thrown here in Miami. There's the tradition that you have 14 couples and you perform different dances & such for all the guests. For mine, it was just my partner and I. We danced/performed for the guests & afterwards was when the party really began.
I did not have any ceremony or church like addition to my party.
That's not part of the Cuban Quinces tradition. . .

As for the cake, it's really up to the girl and her parents. Mine was included with the banquet hall rental. I was white with pink flowers. . . That party was almost 15 years ago on the 20th of this month. My tastes have changed and I probably would not choose the cake I had in a million years now. It wasn't ugly, it's just not my taste now. . .

To most people who have never been to a 15th party, the cake might look like a wedding cake, but in reatlity it's not. It's just a big pretty cake, the colors usually cordinate with the party's theme colors and their's usually flowers or a little (Tacky) statue of a young girl/woman adorning the top tier.

Quinces are not the same as Sweet 16. . . unless it's the ones on the MTV show "Sweet 16", those are what 15 parties look like, well at least where I come from. . .

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briansbaker Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 5:10pm
post #13 of 18

I recently did a Sweet Sixteen for my niece. And I am in the process of helping my step mother do a Quinceanera for my little sister.
The difference between a Quinceanera and a Sweet Sixteen is going to church. Now a days a Quinceanera symbolizes "childhood to maturity".
It traditionally begins with a religious ceremony.
A child must attend church services a couple of years prior to the Quince. They do communion, conformation ect. (not sure in what order)
Then the day of the Quince they basically repeat what they have learned in a Mass at church in front of all their guest. Then they do Traditional Gifts. These are special signs of loyalty and commitment to God, family and the community. Where the celebration includes the Mass of Thanksgiving, the gifts are presented to the priest for special blessings.In some Hispanic cultures, the gifts are given to the Quinceanera by "padrinos" (also called godparents or sponsors) specially chosen by the family. The padrinos who give the Traditional Gifts are formally recognized, and often are part of the procession for either the church or reception ceremony, or do the presentation of the gifts to the priest for the blessing. The TIARA also plays a role in the actual Quinceanera ceremony. It is traditional for the headpiece worn by the Quinceanera to be ceremoniously replaced with the TIARA. The "crowning" is done either by her parents or the godparent presenting the gift. A scepter is also presented to the Quinceanera at the same time. The scepter, being an emblem of authority, signifies authority (and responsibility) now being given to the young woman for her life. this ceremony usually takes place at the reception. They also do a Father/Daughter dance. The waltz and their choice of cumbia by:
The Quinceanera's court can be comprised of young girls (called a Dama), young men (called Chambelán or Escorte or Galán) or a combination of both - traditionally up to 14 persons in the court, which with the Quinceanera, would total 15 young people.
Now a sweet sixteen will be just the same minus the Church Ceremony. Go straight to the hall for dinner and dance. They recieve all gifts at the reception hall, they do the father/daughter dance and they too will have damas and chambelans.

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briansbaker Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 5:20pm
post #14 of 18

From www.thecakeguys.com
This IMHO is a traditional Quinceanera Cake:
You would place 7 girls on one side and 7 boys on the other and the Main doll on top.
LL

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tcturtleshell Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 5:42pm
post #15 of 18

Wow! Great info!! Thanks Briansbaker!! (Sorry, but I keep forgetting your name, I think it's Christy but not sure, sorry)

I'm so glad KimAZ asked this question!! I've wanted to but kept forgetting to ask it! My daughter turns 16 in Dec. I was wanting to surprise her w/ a huge party. She is very involved in the Fire Dept. She has been a Junior member since she was about 5 yrs old. SO... she wants her bday cake to have a FD theme. I would like to do something large like the Sweet 16 ya'll are talking about. I've got plenty of time so I'll ask my questions in Nov.

So glad this was brought up. I love that tradition!! Very interesting!!!

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mvigil Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 5:49pm
post #16 of 18

alracntna ,good for you on getting a head start on your doughters Quinceanera thumbs_up.gif

When I was in a Quinceanera about 10 years ago the mother had all us girls in emerald green and her daughter was in pink
and the mother said that her daughter was the rose in the middle and we were the leaves around her .

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alracntna Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 7:25pm
post #17 of 18

That must have been nice mvigil. I am pretty sure we will have deep purple, silver and white as the colors for my daughter's, but that is a good idea. by the time my girl turns 15 the whole thing will be completely planned. i have even started the plan on the dance that will be done by the kids.

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briansbaker Posted 6 Oct 2005 , 7:51pm
post #18 of 18

LOL yes my name is Christy...
Yes plan ahead.. at least 2 years ahead. I've decided to make my girls a double party.. They are a year apart. Now they are 12 and 13. Birthdays in Jan. so soon will be 13 and 14. Soooooo I am planning NOW! I also felt bad about my son. He is 15 and will be 16 in Feb. So I thought make a BIG BIRTHDAY BASH for all of them. Not the traditional sweet sixteen of course, but money wise will spend alot! I have come up with a theme for our kids.. Hollywood Style! I feel my kids will always be my stars! They love the idea.. Just incase your looking for themes go to www.shindigz.com they have amazing stuff. As a matter of fact I am getting one of the hollywood style props from their magazine. I can't wait to start this party.. Will start buying Jan. 2006. It will take me all year long to get this party right.. Whew!

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