Quinceañera Planning Checklist: 12 Months Out

Twelve months out: the foundations

• Ask the quinceañera what matters most to her. It is her day.
• Set a total budget before you look at venues.
• Choose a date close to her fifteenth birthday, and a backup.
• If you want a Mass, contact your parish now. Many parishes ask for early booking, and they often ask for her baptism and First Communion records as well as preparation classes.
• Decide whether to ask padrinos and madrinas to sponsor parts of the celebration.

Spanish terms you will see on the program

Vendors, relatives and the parish will use these words, and guests search for them too. Usage varies by family and by country.

• Misa de acción de gracias: the Mass of thanksgiving that opens the day.
• Padrinos and madrinas: godparents or sponsors, who often pay for or present one part of the celebration.
• Damas and chambelanes: the girls and boys who make up the court of honor.
• Vals: the waltz, her first formal dance.
• Brindis: the toast, usually given by her parents or padrinos.
• Última muñeca: the last doll, a gift that marks the end of childhood.

Nine to ten months out: the big bookings

• Book the reception venue. Ask about capacity, hours, catering rules and deposits.
• Book the photographer and videographer.
• Book the music: a DJ, a band, mariachi or a mix.
• Ask padrinos personally and agree clearly on what each one is covering.

Choosing the court of honor

The court is the group of friends and relatives who accompany the quinceañera. Traditionally fourteen damas and fourteen chambelanes, or seven of each, standing for the fourteen years before this one. Her chambelán de honor is her own escort. Many families choose a smaller court, or only damas, or no court at all.

• Pick people who are reliable and can attend every rehearsal.
• Ask about eight months ahead, so families can plan for the cost of outfits.
• Be clear about who pays for dresses, suits and shoes.
• Choose the chambelán de honor early, since he rehearses the most.

Six to eight months out: dress, food and dance

• Shop for the dress. Gowns often need time to order and alter.
• Choose the court's outfits and take measurements.
• Book the caterer and schedule a tasting.
• Hire a choreographer, or choose a relative to teach the vals and the surprise dance.
• Send a save the date to relatives who will travel.

Four to five months out: the ceremony details

• Meet the priest or parish coordinator. Confirm the Mass time and hand in any records they asked for.
• Gather the traditional items you plan to use: tiara, Bible or prayer book, rosary, medal, kneeling pillow, bouquet for the Virgin Mary.
• Buy the shoes for the changing of the shoes, and the última muñeca, if you keep those traditions.
• Start weekly dance rehearsals with the court.

Two to three months out: invitations and RSVPs

Send the invitations six to eight weeks before the date. Ask for replies three to four weeks before, because the caterer and the hall need a final count and seating takes time.

• Include her full name, her parents' names, and the padrinos if your family lists them.
• Give the church name, address and Mass time, then the reception venue, address and time.
• State the dress code. Formal is the default for most quinceañeras.
• Sample in English: "With gratitude to God, Carlos and Elena Ramirez invite you to celebrate the quinceañera of their daughter, Isabella. Mass at 2 pm at our parish church, June 14. Reception to follow at 5 pm at the community hall. Please reply by May 20."
• Sample in Spanish: "Acompáñenos a celebrar los XV años de nuestra hija Sofía, el 14 de junio a las 5 de la tarde. Misa de acción de gracias y recepción a continuación."
• The same in English, for a bilingual invitation: "Please join us to celebrate the fifteenth birthday of our daughter Sofía, on June 14 at 5 in the afternoon. Mass of thanksgiving, with a reception to follow."

The final month

• Follow up on missing RSVPs and give final numbers to the caterer.
• Make the seating plan.
• Write the order of events for the reception and share it with the DJ and the photographer.
• Confirm every vendor by phone, with arrival times.
• Hold a full rehearsal at the church and one at the hall, if the venue allows.

The day: Mass and reception

The order varies by family and region. This is a common flow for a celebration with a Mass followed by a reception. Many families do the changing of the shoes and the crowning before the vals, so she dances in heels. Others dance first. Ask the older relatives how your family has done it.

• The misa de acción de gracias, with the procession, blessing and presentation of gifts.
• Grand entrance at the reception.
• Changing of the shoes and the crowning.
• The vals with the court, and the father-daughter dance.
• The última muñeca.
• The brindis and the quinceañera's thank-you.
• Dinner, then the surprise dance, cake and open dancing.

A video invitation for the quinceañera

This guest list is long and scattered: grandparents in another state, cousins in another country, and a caterer and a hall that both want a number weeks ahead. Blast is an animated video invitation with music, sent as a link by text, WhatsApp or email, so it reaches every relative the same day, and they RSVP from the invite without an account. Music carries half of this celebration, and an invitation that plays some sets the tone before anyone arrives. One invite covers the whole list however long it grows. Blast is free to create and send.