Imagine a beautiful young lady emerging from a giant clam shell a la Botticelli's The Birth of Venus – tastefully dressed, of course, but maybe she could actually get the full-body hair extensions… (never mind.)
Ormaybe the young lovely could be lowered hydraulically on a
flower-covered swing, dropping rose petals from a wicker basket as she
came forth to greet her adoring minions…
Or picture a sweet, slightly blushing, 15 year old girl in an impossibly frilly white dress and a tiara, dancing with her very proud dad to Sunrise, Sunset (from Fiddler on the Roof). I can't even think of the lyric without getting all teary, but that's not important right now.
Okay,
so given a limitless budget and my fertile imagination I could have
probably come up with some some waaay over-the-top quinceañera theme to
celebrate Lucy's 15th birthday. Or maybe not-so-over-the-top, but I
know (and she knows) that I'm totally capable of going right off the
deep end given the right circumstances.
In our Cuban culture, a girl's fifteenth birthday is celebrated
with a bit more flair than others. It's the equivalent of a Sweet
Sixteen, or a Bat Mitzvah, or possibly a Debutante Ball.
And no, I swear I did not pitch the giant clam shell or the flowered swing, or even the frilly dress, although I confess that I did want her to wear a white dress and (He-lloo…) a REASON to wear a tiara is not to be passed up!
And, well…. I love our Cuban traditions.
So, we compromised……
I insisted on the party. She insisted on keeping it very small. (lucky for her, most of my big, fat, Cuban family members were vacationing or otherwise occupied, so the event was small by default which turned out to be perfect.)
So, we had lots of roses (mandatory! thanks, Tia Carmen & Tio Rudy!) but not necessarily just pink….
We had treats for everyone, but nothing frilly….
The
food was completely Cuban: Lechón, Black beans & white rice,
maduros. There are some things we absolutely, unquestioningly agree
on. =D
Yes, there would be a cake, but it would not look like a
mini-wedding cake. It would have to be chocolate – her favorite.
There was not too much argument there and I went ahead and got the
5-layer one… just to add some height, of course. 😉
She
received some gorgeous REAL jewelry (thanks, Tia Helen!) and fabulously expensive perfume (Thanks, Tia Ofelia!)
and of course, some BIG BUCKS to spend at Borders (thanks, Tia Alina!) from her awesome Cuban aunts (my sisters) who totally get the significance of the quince
and know how to give the Most Awesome Quinceañera Gifts.
My mom gave her the traditional gold calendar charm she's given to all of her other granddaughters on their fifteenth birthdays.
Along with some sage advice….
We danced, of course. Well, we're Cuban… and there was music…. 😉
And, yes she wore a white dress. (Although, I confess I was ready to
let her wear even jeans and a tshirt as long as it was white, but that's not important right now….)
And so Lucy was able to finally embrace her inner-Cubana and happily join the legion of other Cuban women in the family….
Now she can confidently say,
"Been there. Done that. Got the tiara." =D
Oh, my God! (sniff, sniff)Congratulations, Lucy! You looked preciosa!
Felicidades!
Marta, you’ve got it all, by the (Cuban) book of quinceañera’s rules.
🙂
AWESOME!! Lucy you are such a beautiful woman!!From the pictures, it looks like you had a wonderful party!!! I would keep the tiara on all year long for special occations like Miss America does. And why not…Being a Quinceñera only comes around once! 😉
What a beautiful Quincean(tilde)era!!!Congratulations Lucy! Wishing you health & happiness 🙂 Melek
BTW, thanks for sharing this special moment with MBFCF loyal readers … Is Eric wearing a guayabera? … as the saying goes … if you can’t beat them, join them! LOL!!!
“When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”~ Cherokee Expression
Ody -I LOVE the year-round tiara wearing…. I will suggest it to her highness.
Mailyn,
The Cuban Book of 15 Rules took every last bit of my already diminishing energy… sigh.
Melek,
Yes, both Eric and Jonathan were wearing their guayaberas. The rest of the invitados all wore black and white… it was very cool.
Thank you all for your kind good wishes.
PHEW! We did it!! =D
What a Princess! Happy Birthday Lucy, welcome to the ‘club’! God bless you…xoxo
Mica
!!!Felicitaciones!!! I am certainly in agreement that a chance to wear a tiara is not something one passes up. Lucy is beautiful and her family is a blessing and very very blessed.
Congrats!I had to post because my mom is the queen of the calendar charm! I have have two and now my daughter (14 months) has one as well. I love tradition!
Thanks for sharing such a special day =)
Lucy-You look stunning!!!! And I love, love, love the tiara!!
Lucy! You look so mature… well you ARE mature…you know what I mean. Congrats on this milestone. That dress is killer!
15!!! What? When did this happen??? Happy Birthday… you grew up in about 5 minutes
GORGEOUS!!! You look like a thoroughly modern PRINCESS!Love the tiara….and the dress, and the radiant smile!
Congratulations and happy birthday!
Marti, it hardly seems possible, but Lucy is even more beautiful than you were at 15 – ! But then I don’t think you had discovered tiaras yet…. >
Lucy looked adorable!!!! It makes me anxious for Al’s Quince, which she decided she wanted in order to honor her Peruvian side since the Italians don’t have a fun age to celebrate. Hmmph! Fine by me, a party is a party and we booked the hotel already- 2010, here we come!
Wow….I am honored to see that my roots and heritage are not forgotten!!! Thank God for BIG FAT CUBAN FAMILIES!!!!! God bless you, sweetheart!! Remember that to know where you are going you can never forget from where you came.Que Dios te bendiga!!!