
Here Are Our Favorite Quinceañera Themes
In Latinx culture, a quinceañera is a rite of passage for 15-year-old girls that marks their debut into adult life. The celebration carries traditional rituals that have been passed down from generation to generation, and the event brings together friends and family for a weekend of religious and social celebration.
Quinceañera’s meaning is greatly important because it is a tradition that has been carried down for hundreds of years. Dating back as far as the Aztec empire, this tradition marks the transition to womanhood for 15-year-old girls and their loved ones. Sending any young woman into adulthood is an important ritual, and provides a perfect reason to throw an extravagant celebration.
…Bring on the pressure, right? But planning a quinceañera is not an impossible task, and becomes easier with tricks like focusing on a theme.
Why Is A Quinceañera Theme Important?
Having a theme for a quinceañera provides an incredible starting point for planning, which can feel overwhelming in the early stages. Once you’ve selected a theme, there is more structure and guidance for choosing decor pieces, picking out the perfect dress, and finding excellent food and desserts.
A quinceañera is a symbolic send-off of a beloved young woman. Having a theme to make the night special brings joy to the birthday girl and her family. The ultimate purpose of a quinceañera is to celebrate and make memories, so having a theme to make the night spectacular could further enhance the evening.
An added bonus is that having an awesome theme will help your event stand out among the many quinceañeras that teenagers attend in a given year. From quinceañera decorations to clothes, hair, makeup, and everything in between, paying attention to every thematic party detail to establish a cohesive style, theme, and aesthetic won’t go unnoticed.
How to Choose the Right Theme
The first step in coming up with the right theme for the festivities is to consider the quinceañera’s likes and interests. A theme should enhance the overall event, but going with a theme that doesn’t resonate with the quinceañera will not have this effect. Ultimately, the theme should be the quinceañera’s decision—she will feel so loved knowing that her interests remain a top priority on her big day.
Another theme-planning consideration is the size type of event you plan to host. Is this a small and intimate affair, an invite-everyone-you-know party, or perhaps a hybrid event? Taking your party’s demographic, age range, and head count into consideration will make the planning process a whole lot smoother in the long run.
Today we’re sharing our favorite quinceañera themes.
Quinceañera Themes
Disney Princess
If your quinceañera is obsessed with everything Disney or even has a favorite princess in mind, make the theme all things Disney! Ariel is a favorite princess? Time to find underwater mermaid decorations. Princess Belle? Pull out china teapots, place a rose in a glass stand at every table, and send out invites reading “Be our guest!” (just like the song). This is your opportunity to fully embody the princess of your quinceñera’s dreams for the night, so don’t hold back!
A Night in Paris
For the quinceañera who loves all things French—you can’t go wrong with this one. Have a crepe stand, Eiffel Tower centerpieces, and find yourself some tres chic decor. Make your guests say “Oh la la!” when they walk into an elegant and opulent room with sophisticated artwork hanging from the walls and rustic wildflowers in mason jars surrounded by dripping candles that capture the essence of French countryside.
Winter Wonderland
Are you working with a winter birthday? Fully embrace the season by transforming the venue into a winter wonderland! Deck the halls with fake snow, glitter, and white balloons, and awe your guests with a snowflake ice sculpture. Dress the court of honor in icy blue and have a hot chocolate station where guests can stay cozy and warm.
Masquerade Ball
Looking for some excitement and magic? Disguise your guests behind colorful and over-the-top masks for an evening of entertainment. There’s something about the element of disguise that adds a fun sprinkle of mystery to an evening of celebration. Masquerade Balls are typically extravagant and lavish, which ties in perfectly with a quinceañera. Add to the fantastical element of a masquerade ball with fortune tellers, a photo booth, and candelabra centerpieces.
Color Theme
Can’t imagine your party without your favorite color? Decorate the room in monochromatic madness. With this theme, it’s important to really stick to one color, or else the theme risks confusion (so first make sure you really like the color). Make your dress, cake, table settings, centerpieces, gift baskets, and invitations all the same color, and have fun with it!
Sports
Does your quinceañera prefer to dress up in a sports uniform than a gown? If that’s the case, ditch the dresses and go for a sports theme. It’s her day and she should feel comfortable and loved throughout. Make each table a different sport or a different team, and have your DJ host various competitions and activities until one table arrives on top as the winner.
Night on the Met Gala Red Carpet
Lights, camera, action! Make the night a star-studded red-carpet event that embraces everything over-the-top and high-fashion Hollywood. The Met Gala’s red carpet is known for being America’s most fashion-forward event of the year… but what they don’t know is that your quinceañera is about to steal the show. Roll out a red carpet near the entrance of your venue, hire photographers and reporters to interview and photograph guests as they arrive, and glamorously have the quinceñeara and court arrive by limousine.
It’s All In The Details
When choosing a theme, details are everything. From the venue all the way down to the napkins, pay attention to every detail and always ask yourself how it supports your theme.
Not sure where to begin?
We recommend getting your groundings first by figuring out your venue. Will the quinceañera party be indoors or outdoors? How many people need to fit?
Here at The Centre, our event coordinators can hold your hand to help you through every step of the planning process. With four different outdoor spaces and ten indoor ones, we have the perfect venue for every party and theme.
A quinceañera is one of life’s most memorable moments, let one of our premier venue spaces elevate and enhance the celebration. Reach out to us to get started!