Wikipedia narrows down the event I photographed as the fiesta de quince años (also fiesta de quinceañera, quince años and quince) or a celebration of a girl's 15th birthday. It has its cultural roots in Mesoamerica and is widely celebrated today throughout the Americas. The girl celebrating her 15th birthday is a quinceañera . In Spanish, and in Latin countries, the term quinceañera is reserved solely for the honoree; in English, primarily in the United States, the term is used to refer to the celebrations and honors surrounding the occasion.
The way I put it is a celebration full of love for a child blossoming into a beautiful 15 year old. Samantha (Sammie) was stunning in her ballgown. I actually graduated with Samantha’s father. Can I just say that being able to see, up close and personal, the amazing love that he has for his daughter…I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. And the most touching part o the evening was her father’s speech as he announced her to the world as a young lady.
Three questions Terry has asked his daughter over the years and he asked her on this evening as well:
”Who is the only man who is ever really going to be there for you?”
“Who is the only man that’s every going to really care for you?”
“Who is really the only man that is really going to love you?”
Samantha answered “You” to every question.
Samantha’s mother, Claudia, other than being a beautiful, doting mother & wife and just amazingggggg, managed to throw a celebration that totallyyyyyyy blew my 15th birthday out of the water! Other cultures always intrigue me and I find them captivating. THIS.IS.HOW.YOU.CELEBRATE.TURNING.15!
I also love that the theme of the evening was Harry Potter. The details that Claudia included in the celebration were amazing as you can see in the photographs. Broom stick pens, painted wands, the center pieces - I mean SERIOUSLY y’all - center pieces were just beyond!
"Harry had waved what felt like every wand in the shop, until at last he had found the one that suited him — this one, which was made of holly, eleven inches long, and contained a single feather from the tail of a phoenix. Mr Ollivander had been very surprised that Harry had been so compatible with this wand. "Curious," he had said, "curious," and not until Harry asked what was curious had Mr Ollivander explained that the phoenix feather in Harry's wand had come from the same bird that had supplied the core of Lord Voldemort's."
—Description of Harry's wand
Guests had the option of black tie or Harry Potter themed attire. I LOVED all of the choices in both categories. The choreographed dancing with Samantha’s friends was perfection.
When Samantha made her grand entrance with her date, she met the little girl in the red dress that had a doll and they chose another young child to give the doll to. The symbolism of that act really teared me up.
I hope you enjoy this sneak into such a beautiful and fun celebration.
XOXO,
Crystal
