TVCH FORUMS HOME . JOIN . FAN CLUBS . DONATE . CONTACT . CHAT  
                  Quick Links   TOPICS . TREE-VIEW . SEARCH . HELP! . NEWS . PROFILE
Archive through October 30, 2009

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: General Discussions ARCHIVES: September 2010 ~ December 2010: Party Planning Advice: Archive through October 30, 2009 users admin

Author Message
Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Friday, October 23, 2009 - 5:05 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Juju is a woman after my own heart! What a stunning outfit!! You look beautiful.

See, what did I say about 2nd hand stores? They're a lot more fun too, you never know what you will find.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Friday, October 23, 2009 - 5:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Can I share a story about Quinceañera and the guest of honor's dress?

Back in 1979 I had to end an engagement. I had already bought the satin and extremely expensive European lace for my wedding dress. Sent the satin & lace to my Mom in Phoenix, an ultra seamstress, and asked her to do something with it, I just didn't want to ever see it again.

About 10 yrs later Mom called and asked if I would mind if she used the satin and lace for the neighbor girl's Quinceañera dress. Now, these wonderful neighbors lived next to Mom over 20 yrs. Hispanic, the parents didn't speak English, their kids always translated. Dad, Mom & 7kids all living in a rented tiny 2bedrm house, and my Mom was fond of all of them.

So Mom had been invited to the ceremony and later reception at their home and she really wanted to make a beautiful dress for the youngster. I was delighted to see the fabric go for such a joyous event. Mom told me it turned out absolutely beautiful.

Then, in 1995 my Mom suffered some massive strokes. She wasn't able to stay home any longer. We siblings were surprised that her house, sitting vacant for over a year, hadn't been vandalized with two crack houses in the neighborhood. That question was answered one evening when my sister stopped by the Hispanic neighbors to give them an update on Mom's condition.

At one point the Dad gestured to one of the kids, who jumped up and walked their pitbull next door to Mom's carport. Turned out that EVERY night at dusk they were chaining that pitbull for the night to watch over. We later tried to get them to buy Mom's house, were willing to take a huge reduction, but I think their immigration status left them fearful. Anyway, whenever I hear of Quinceañera, it brings back such heartwarming memories.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, October 23, 2009 - 5:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
aw..that's a great story!

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Friday, October 23, 2009 - 8:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
That is a lovely story, Biscottiii.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 6:30 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Bisc, that's a terrific story about terrific people.

(I love yours stories!)

PS: Being a Canadian I haven't heard of a Quinceañera... what is it?

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 6:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
OMGolly Jooj!!!! You are absolutely stunning, I LOVE your glam pic to bits up there! Exactly my style and taste. And you KNOW I'm a polar opposite build to you... you being tall and svelte, and me, short and roly-poly. Looks like your gorgeous dress is my fave *slinky* material... If it is that material you REALLY lucked out paying only 10 for it. Full price you'd have to add a zero, and it would cost at least 100. !

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 6:44 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
Mame, it's sort of the Hispanic version of a bar/bat mitzvah except the girl is 15.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincea%C3%B1era

on a side note, this is the year that my daughter has her Sweet 16 dance. It's all the girls from her sophomore class (who want to participate) but not sponsored by the school. White dresses, father/daughter dance/ grand entrance the whole deal.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 2:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
MB, the skirt of that dress is indeed your favorite fabric.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 6:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Thanks everyone for the positive comments. That story still makes me smile, such a happy outcome from an initially heartbreak situation. The fiance and his Daddy were insistent that I needed to cash out my 10yr retirement instead of vesting before moving to Florida, then not holding a job. Dang I was so lucky to listen to my gut, especially now that I'm living off that pension!!!

My Mom was so excited about the dress, the young girl's family was too, & I was proud as the dickens!

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 6:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Texannie said: "on a side note, this is the year that my daughter has her Sweet 16 dance. It's all the girls from her sophomore class (who want to participate) but not sponsored by the school. White dresses, father/daughter dance/ grand entrance the whole deal."

That sounds really wonderful. But if the school doesn't sponsor, who does? Is it a yearly tradition? Sounds like a LOT of work and planning must go into it. Will you let us know how it turns out? Sweet!

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 8:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
It's kind of sponsored by the girls/parents themselves. The way it works is all girls in the sophomore are invited to particiapte. The parents are the sponsors and do all the party planning, chaperoning ect. The Sweet 16 girls are considered the hostesses. The party is held in a hotel. Each hostesses invites one girl from the freshman, junior and senior class, and an escort. There is a dinner the night of the party for the hostesses and a couple of other luncheons.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 8:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Mame, from what I've read, a Quinceniera (sp?) is kind of a step from girlhood to womanhood (hope someone will correct me if I get this wrong, I've been doing a ton of reading about it wanting to understand it.) The church ceremony part is the young woman committing or maybe reaffirming? her desire to stay in the Catholic Church. Way back when in Mexico (not sure if that continued here) it was also when girls decided if they were going to become nuns or if they would marry and raise a family, also not sure if that's still part of it. The god parents also have some role in the ceremony and give gifts of a religous significance like a rosary. There's also some other traditions like the girls father exchanging her flat shoes for high heels to signal her move into womanhood and I think some significance about the father daughter and then daughter escort dance but I'm not positive about that. The Quince? Quinca? (birthday girl) has a court of 15 girls and 15 boys, but I don't really know their significance yet either.

This is the first one we've been to, but from what I've heard they can be pretty extravagant, on the level of a wedding. I know out here people are kind of split on it, some veiw it as old fashioned and the girls would rather have the money put towards a car or college. Others embrace the tradition and go all out, and some embrace the tradition but no so extravagently. Even in the same family the girls can have different ideas (this girls older sister didn't want one and asked that any money for it be put in her college fund, while hte middle girl is so excited about the tradition part.) It's not all party though, the girls been going through church classes for a year or so to prepare her for her decision to commit to the church or something like that and her and the whole court have been having 3 times a week ballroom dance lessons for the past six months. These kids have worked hard (they have a dance instructor come over to the house and do it in the driveway) so I can't wait to see what they do all dressed up in their formal wear!

Like I said, hopefully if I mixed any of that up someone corrects me! Most of the church ceremony will be in spanish and some in latin so we won't understand much of it.

Bisc, that's an awesome story, I'm sure that young girl and her family remember yours and moms kindness with smiles too!

I may have gotten lucky with a dress for Kota! LIttle adopted sis heard about the dress hunt and told me she still shops in the jr section and has a couple dresses that would work. The first looks just like the first one Annie posted yesterday, except it's black with white flowers and a little lower cut. It hits Kota right under the knees and we decided that if we put a small stitch and bunched up the chest part, it'd be totally appropriate (not low cut) for Kota. The second one is actually a cuter dress, black, but spaghetti straps and a little shorter coming just above Kota's knees. Both dresses would require a sweater which is fine. Darren has only seen one dress on her, sis the other one and both want to see both dresses before giving their opinions. I like the black one but think it might be a bit too grown up for Kota. She has little flats, so really the only thing I'd have to worry about is tights and a sweater (and little adopted sis has a sweater that might work.)

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 8:30 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
That sounds lovely Texannie! Same "coming of age" type experience which is so important and such a milestone for a young woman. Looking forward to hearing about it as you work on it.

Biscottiii
Member

05-29-2004

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 8:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Biscottiii a private message Print Post    
Hey Wargod, that's some serious progress re: Kota's dress. Can't wait to hear what gets decided!

Thanks for the info from both War & Texannie for her wiki link. I knew the Quinceañera was quite solemn and religious, but it was fascinating reading. Dates back to the Aztecs.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 9:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
The dresses sound great War.
Thanks, Biscottii. She is so excited. She got to go as a freshmans last year and really enjoyed it. My son was an escort his sophomore year.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 9:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I found it pretty interesting too Bisc. We attended their youngest sons baptism a few years ago and I knew from that the service at least would mostly be in Spanish. I didn't want us attending the Quinceanera without knowing what was going on or understanding it.


I'm really excited about the dresses. It didn't dawn on me to ask little adopted sis if she had any Kota could borrow. She's much taller than Kota, but what worked perfect is that she likes her dresses shorter, so they fit Dakota legnthwise perfectly (always a prob with Dakota because she has a long torso and short, stubby legs) and she's a little small through the chest so again fits Kota perfect.

Now I just need to decide on jewelry. I know I'm going with crystals, but not sure if I want to stick with black/clear or bring in a tiny bit of color (since the one dress is all black and the other mostly black.)

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Sunday, October 25, 2009 - 8:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
I live in a community with a 30% Hispanic population - and War has described it well. Our girls bring in their pictures (like a wedding album) and one of my gals who just graduated even made a copy of her DVD for me. She went back to her hometown in Mexico for her quince, and it was absolutely phenomenal.

The religious ceremony is very solemn, but the party afterward is anything but! If you'd like to see one, Itunes has a free episode of a show called "quiero mis quinces." There is a wild variety in approaches - one girl goes all-out princess while another goes Goth. However, the basic elements are the same - gorgeous dress, escorts, dance with escorts, switching low heels for high, father/daughter dance, mass, etc.

If you ever have the opportunity - I highly recommend attending.

Mameblanche
Member

08-24-2002

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 8:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mameblanche a private message Print Post    
Thanks so much ladies for answering my question. I've never heard of it. It sounds wonderful. Do they have something similar for the boys entry into manhood? (We have barmitzvahs for the boys and batmitzvahs for the girls.)

Goddessatlaw
Member

07-19-2002

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 8:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Goddessatlaw a private message Print Post    
They do something very similar when a girl turns three (possibly a boy also) - the parents empty their wallets hosting a party that basically presents/welcomes the child into the community. It is also somewhat on the scale of a wedding.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 12:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
I have never heard of a boy version of the Quinceañera.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 7:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Yup - there is a "boy" version of the quince, but it's not as elaborate and it's not nearly as common. However, it IS a possibility and some guys do have them.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - 11:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
I didn't know the boys had them as well. I know the parties after their younger kids baptisms were pretty big events too.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 6:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
From what my kids have said, I think the guy quinces are more common in Mexico than in the states; while they aren't as common even in Mexico as the girls' quinces- it wouldn't be "strange" to receive an invitation to one.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 11:38 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Wargod a private message Print Post    
Today I went to buy the beads for Kota's jewelry. She's wearing either the black or black with white flower dresses and black shoes. I still have to get her a sweater and tights or something to cover her legs, but have been going back and forth on rather they should be black or have some color to them.

The beads I picked for her jewelry are aurora borealis fushia crystals, black seed beads, and a bright shade of fushia seed beads (seed beads are the teeny, tiny beads.) I'm going to make her a spiral rope bracelet and necklace (the necklace will also have most of the crystals and a pendant if I can find one that looks good.)

Dakota absolutely loved the colors. I'm pretty happy with them too, I was aiming for something bright (to snazzy up all the black,) fun, and funky. Also something good for a pre-teen which I think fushia is.

I'm looking for some hair thing (either barretts or a hair clip) that has some fushia in it as well for a bit more color.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Friday, October 30, 2009 - 3:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Texannie a private message Print Post    
sounds pretty. i like the idea of black tights (or maybe white)