Also let the stylist setup a practice run with you to be sure you actually like the selected hairstyle. If you like the way it turns out, schedule an appointment for your quinceanera portrait so that you get one more practice session and your portrait looks like you the day of the actual celebration.

And don’t forget the nail art. Although you can now get many intricate kinds of nail art, don’t go overboard with it. If you have a very simple gown, you can have more on your nails, but a poofy or busy gown won’t work with very involved nail art. For a compromise, ask the nail artist to put the art on only one finger per hand. You can also add small adhesive rhinestones to your nail polish. These are very pretty and add just the right touch of sparkle. You can see lots of nice examples of nail art on the nails section of my resource pages.

No matter what type of nails you choose for your quinceanera, you will need to keep your hands soft and smooth. Get into the habit of applying a chemical-free lotion to your hands after you wash them. A small amount of hand cream or lotion will keep them glowing right through your big event.

You will also want to tell the make-up artist what kind of location you have reserved for your quinceanera and the type of lighting. An indoor reception under stage lights requires a very different kind of makeup application than outdoor make-up in natural light.

When selecting transportation for the quinceanera, don’t automatically assume you have to choose a limousine. Check out luxury car rental shops, classic car clubs, theme related transportation, or even a new paint job for the family car (if your timing is right, it might even be cheaper than renting a car or limousine and you get the benefit of the shiny new paint job). If you live in a large urban area, you might even be lucky enough to find an unusual bus, van, or art car that you can rent for the day

When you begin your quinceañera planning by selecting a theme that appeals to the quinceañera, you make it easy to decide what kinds of favors, decorations, colors, music, food, and banquet halls to use. There are literally thousands of great options for all of these and a theme helps you narrow down the choices while also helping you create an unforgettable event that’s uniquely yours.

When selecting a theme, try to pick something that works for the quinceañera’s personality. A Cinderella theme can be elegant and regal, but it’s all wrong for a young woman who’s more of a tomboy and dreads the idea of dressing up like a princess. Consider some of the quinceañera’s favorites when selecting a quinceañera theme. The following list of favorites might lead to the perfect quinceañera theme:

• Favorite book
• Favorite movie
• Favorite place
• Favorite vacation
• Favorite animal
• Favorite color
• Favorite time of the year
• Favorite sport
• Favorite hobby

What is the quinceañera’s passion? Horses, travel, books, movies, dance, fashion? These are all great places to start planning a theme. What does the quinceañera want to do when she is older? Model, become famous, travel to Paris, join the Olympics, live in Mexico? Each one of these can also lead to a perfect quinceañera theme.