Cielo wrote in asking if her Quinceañera dress has to be white …

Quinceanera Dress in WhiteTraditionally, the Quinceanera’s dress has always been white – signifying the innocence of youth.

But, not all Hispanic cultures practice the same traditions. For instance, in Ecuador, the traditional dress color was pink, and they called their quince celebration a Fiesta Rosa.

Royal Blue DressAbout twenty years ago, the quinceanera dress moved towards color – pale colors, like pastel pink, baby blue and lavender.

But today, the dress colors are bolder and brighter, and often drive the overall theme of the party. So, we now see yellow dresses like Belle’s, royal blue dresses for Winter Wonderland themes and red dresses for Mardi Gras themes.

While customs evolve and take on the flavor of the times, the age-old traditions that express the sentiments of the event usually remain. Families will incorporate one or more of these: The Religious Ceremony or Catholic Mass, The Father-Daughter Dance (el Vals), The Last Doll (La Última Muñeca), The Changing of the Shoes (Cambio de la Zapatilla), and the Toast to the Quinceañera (el Brindis).

The beauty of celebrating a Quinceañera is that you can adapt your event to your budget, style and personality. As I like to say, you are only limited by your imagination!