Quinceañera

Who would've thought that baking cupcakes could lead to learning so much about Mexican culture and history? At first, definitely not me. But now, I know so much more than I ever thought I would, about things like Quinceaneras and the Mexican Flag. I personally had always thought that a Quinceañera was basically a sweet sixteen, but there's a lot more to it. The tradition consists of the Quince, her chambelane (dancing partner/ date), 14 young girls called "Damas" and 14 young men to assist them (chambelanes). Though, nowadays it is more likely for the quince to have seven Damas and 7 chambelanes. The quince can also choose to have all Damas or all Chambelanes. The Damas usually wear the same color and style of dress to coordinate with the quince.
Along with that, the chambelanes wear coordinating tuxedos. A Quinceañera is the transition from childhood to womanhood. This tradition is associated with Mexican, Central, and South
The actual Quinceañera consists of several parts. First, there is a special thanksgiving mass or ceremony. Then there's a reception or banquet. Following that is the Quince waltz. The Quince practices the waltz for about a month. A major highlight in the tradition is when the Quince dances with her chambelane (the waltz), and is accompanied by her other Damas and chambelanes. It is assumed that up until this point, the quince hasn't danced with anyone. As you can see, the process of planning could take a while and it does. It can take from one to two years before the planning and ceremony is finally finished. A Quinceañera can cost from $5,000-$20,000 total. The Quince's dress alone costs around $250-$1,000. On top of that, there are many people to be hired, decorations and accessories to be bought, and many more necessary things. Despite the planning, it is an amazing